I hope you all enjoyed my little April Fool’s joke. This week: no serial music by Sousa, no Mr. T. I promise! But this post does include:

• 30th Gala update
• Reception info and RSVP form (due April 23)
• West Point Band concert at TMH on April 18!
• Smile.Amazon has been simplified!
• Monday’s rehearsal – Caramoor

30th Gala update

The Gala Concert is just a little more than a month away. The handout that was distributed before the week break has important information, and we need your help:

• Click here for another copy of the handout (face it, we all lose things!)
• If you have archival materials to share (photos, programs, unusual audio/video), speak/share with Barton Green.
• If you have photos of you with other band members, or audience members, or other photos that could be used in the Gala video, or a special story, speak/share with Gina & Stan Serafin.
• Copy and edit the recommended donation letter and send to family and friends. This is the time to ask them to support all the time and effort you’ve given in support of this fine ensemble! Share the link for our 30th Gala GoFundMe page with friends and family:
  https://www.gofundme.com/wsw30
  GoFundMe is the easiest way for us to solicit donations, which will support our future percussion equipment purchases, guest artists, library maintenance and purchases, commissions, and more. Remind friends and family that many companies have matching funds programs, which will double their donation.
• Take a look at the Story Starters list in the handout, and volunteer to be interviewed for the Gala video. Gina & Stan are eager to add your story!
• We rarely ask for an “ALL HANDS ON DECK!” approach, but this milestone anniversary is such an occasion. Please dig in and count yourself among those who are making a difference!

30th Gala Reception

Everyone in the band is invited to join us after the May 12 concert for a wonderful reception on the stage at TMH. We need a count of all members and guests who expect to attend, to be able to order enough food and soda (a cash bar with beer and wine will also be available).

Please complete this short form to RSVP for the reception. We need to get an accounting of members (no charge) and guests ($15 per guest) in order to confirm details with the caterer. Please complete by April 23. Complete the form below, or access the form directly through this link.

West Point Band Concert at Tarrytown Music Hall on April 18!

This is a great opportunity to hear this fine ensemble — free of charge! — and see many of our friends in the band who have performed with us over the past several years.

Tickets are free, general admission, but you must reserve seats to attend. Click this link to go directly to the TMH ticket page to reserve seats. Click the “I’m not a robot” box, and you’ll be led to the ticket reservation page.

If you decide to attend, please inform Chris Larsen. We’re trying to put together a group outing for this evening.

Do you shop with Amazon?

If you use Amazon regularly, you can help WSW earn donation support simply by designating WSW as your Amazon Smile charity!

1. Go to http://www.smile.amazon.com. You MUST use the link with the smile prefix. Depending on your settings, Amazon may log you in automatically.
2. Look at the top of the page, under the URL address. If you’ve already chosen a charity it will be listed. If you have not (or if you’d like to change it to WSW), click the appropriate link, search for Westchester Symphonic Winds, and confirm.
3. This is simple, easy, and adds no cost to your orders. You just have to bookmark smile.amazon.com and shop from that link. Otherwise, your purchases do not generate the donations.
4. Share this with family and friends. Although the per purchase donation is only 0.5% of the total purchase price, it’s “found money” for us. And the more people who sign on, the more donations we generate!

Thank you to Eric Milkie for his efforts to update the smile.amazon link so Westchester Symphonic Winds is easy to find!

Rehearsal Monday – Caramoor personnel and repertoire

Remember that Monday’s rehearsal focuses on the rep for Caramoor. Only players who are playing for Caramoor should attend, and players who only play Caramoor should definitely attend!

The rehearsal plan is posted. Significant works on this program include:

• Barton’s new arrangement of selections from The Music Man
• Matt Podd’s new arrangement of selections from West Side Story
• Philip Rothman’s new arrangement of America the Beautiful
• 1812 (of course)

See you Monday!

First of all — Happy Birthday today to David Church!

No rehearsal on April 2

We have no rehearsal tomorrow, because of public school vacation week. Rehearsals resume next Monday, April 9, at 7:30 pm at TMH, with the Caramoor reading rehearsal. This rehearsal will dedicated to Caramoor rep only. All Caramoor personnel should attend; if you’re not playing Caramoor, you do not need to come to this rehearsal. Spring cycle rehearsals continue again on April 16.

Important and exciting news!

I’m very excited to announce that we have been able to secure an important and historical work for band, never performed since its publication in 1929, which I will add to our 30th Anniversary Gala program for May 12!

The work, by John Philip Sousa, was written in the early 20th century when Sousa’s band traveled through New Jersey. At the time, the largest audiences gathered to hear Sousa at the bandshell in Paramus, and he planned to premiere this work there to coordinate with their annual downtown summer sidewalk sale. (These preceded the famous malls in Paramus and were the main reasons for their construction.) Unknown by many, Sousa was fascinated with the serial (12-tone) works of Schönberg, and employed this technique in this particular composition. With our successful performance in February, I know our audience will love this piece!

Composed specifically for the town named in the title, Music for Paramus utilizes Schönberg’s serial techniques for the full instrumentation, but also utilizes the special effects sounds of cash registers and the busy chatter of townsfolk negotiating with vendors. And the best thing of all — the score and parts were a real bargain at less than $20!

Click here to see the parts and hear a recording of Sousa’s Music for Paramus – $19.68.

On Sunday at 3:00 pm, the Chappaqua Orchestra will present a Family Concert in the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center. It is subtitled “Music is Science!” and sounds very interesting. Click the graphic for more information.

Tonight, the University of Texas Wind Ensemble will webcast a concert with two important works by Karel Husa — Smetana Fanfare and Al Fresco. Jerry Junkin’s ensembles always present programs of superior quality. If your schedule permits, check it out.

And be sure to scroll to the bottom for an important program note.

On Friday, March 23 at 7:30 p.m. CDT, in Bates Recital Hall, The University of Texas Wind Ensemble will present their second performance of the 2017-2018 spring season. We would like to invite you and your students to join us via our HD webcast..

The concert begins with two works by recently departed, Pulitzer-Prize winning composer, Karel Husa. His Smetana Fanfare from 1984 will open the program, and will be followed by his 1975 work, Al Fresco, still sounding as fresh today, over thirty years later, as it did when it premiered. The first half of the concert ends with Professor of Guitar Adam Holzman as soloist in Stephen Goss new, Concerto of Colours. Following intermission, Christopher Marshall will introduce his new work, Mendez. Commissioned by David Hickman for the Summit Brass with the Medez Institute, Mr. Marshall was moved by watching videos   featuring the legendary trumpet virtuoso Raphael Mndez and his twin sons, Rafael Jr. and Robert. He incorporated music from one of their trios, The Brave Matador into his piece, and following the Summit Brass premiere, made a wind ensemble version. The concert will conclude with Aaron Coplands iconic, A Lincoln Portrait, with Professor of Voice David Small, narrating.

If you are not able to join us in person, we invite you to access the webcast by going to:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/batesrecitalhall

To view, click on the “watch video” tab (the program and program notes will be available as well). The broadcast begins ten minutes before the performance. All Webcasts are broadcast live, but cannot be stored due to copyright purposes. We hope to see you live this Friday, March 23,  or on the Web!

The complete program appears below. This concert will last approximately one hour and thirty minutes.

The University of Texas Wind Ensemble
Jerry F. Junkin, conductor
Christopher Marshall, visiting composer
Adam Holzman, guitar
David Small, narrator

Friday, March 23, 2018, 7:30 PM
Bates Recital Hall

Karel Husa Smetana Fanfare
Karel Husa Al Fresco
Stephen Goss A Concerto of Colours
Adam Holzman, soloist
intermission
Christopher Marshall   Mendez
Aaron Copland A Lincoln Portrait
David Small, narrator

Alas, neither concert features any works by significant 20th century Germans.

This week, we’ll have two guests joining us: Shelley Axelson will be here to conduct The Dream of Oenghus, Part 1, and Lois Hicks-Wozniak will join us to rehearse the Canfield Tarantella for the first time. After the amazing rehearsal with Tom McCauley last week, I’m very excited to have these wonderful musicians join us on Monday. I’ve updated the rehearsal plan. Clarinets: Geoff has called a clarinet sectional (at my request) at 6:30 pm. I’ll be on site, but will stay out of your way so you can work as a section. And remember there is no rehearsal on April 2. Our next rehearsal is April 9 — Caramoor preview rehearsal.

Although many friends are dropping Facebook like a hot potato these days, a former student, Laura Stonisch Polly, from my first year of teaching at NVOT in 1982, shared this video of the Texas A&M Marching Band with me yesterday. After watching this, I’m sure you’ll agree with me: 1) There’s always room for more practice, and 2) Nothing is impossible. Enjoy!