Tag Archives: Association of Concert Bands

ACB: Congratulations!

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Thank you — everyone — for an outstanding performance last evening. It goes without saying that this was a huge milestone for us. I sincerely appreciate the personal sacrifices made by so many of you to take on this challenge; this would not have been possible without your dedication.

Thank you especially to Rick Regan, Matt Kowalski, Eric Joseph, Rachel Eckhaus, Marge Hone, Claudia Mickelson, and the rest of the Board for their support of this performance project For those of you returning to work today, I the memories of last night’s performance “fuel the fire” of your day.

Now the hard part: Remember that Monday’s rehearsal at TMH is critical. We have only 3 Mondays until the Spring Concert on May 19, and four new pieces to add to those already rehearsed for last night’s program. I am working to post recordings of Arabesque, San Antonio Dances, The Solitary Dancer, Beautiful Colorado, and Melody Shop in order to speed up the learning curve. You’ll get notice when these are posted. Please do practice as much of the new pieces as possible before Monday so we are not completely sight-reading.

Lastly, we had all the WSW polo shirts ready to distribute last night (thank you, Claudia, for organizing and tagging them all), but getting them to you was overshadowed by the performance. We’ll have them ready to give out on Monday night.

See you then!

Insights from ACB

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Eric and I attended the West Point concert last night. The hall is very much like Tarrytown, except the restoration is much, much farther along. The hall is actually in very good shape. The size of the orchestra and balcony are almost identical to Tarrytown. As the specs showed, the proscenium opening is just about the same width, but there is an extension — slightly curved — that puts much more of the ensemble in front of the proscenium archway than is possible in Tarrytown. So the effect is that it appears much deeper. West Point seated four wind ensemble rows, plus plenty of room for percussion, plus room for another row of players at the back (the Hellcats used that space last night). There is a black curtain across the upstage wall, but no shells. There are, however, 3 rows of acoustic clouds, which seemed to do a good job. I sat in the balcony for the first half and in the orchestra for the second. The sound was extremely clear from all areas of the stage in the balcony, and pretty good from the orchestra (although I did feel the definition of the back row was not as good in the orchestra).

There is very little room in the wings. we’ve agreed that GNYWS will store and stage percussion from stage left, and WSW from stage right, and I think that will work. There are some dressing rooms and some common areas downstairs (again, similar to Tarrytown), accessed by stairs stage left. I think we should encourage as many players as possible to leave cases in that area.

I saw lots of large crates on stage, so I’m not exactly sure what large percussion was West Point’s own, and what was the ACB rented percussion for all groups. If the equipment was the supplied instruments, we’re in good shape – the mallets, bass drum, and timpani were beautiful.

There is a solid conductor’s podium, with a railing. We will have to make sure it’s far enough from the stage’s edge so the two trumpets can cross in the Sousa. Lighting was clear on stage without being glaring. Rob LaPorta was there, so Candlewood is definitely engineering the recordings.

There is a good sized parking lot right behind the theater. Parking was $5.00, flat rate. There were security people on hand after the concert along the route from the front of the theater to the parking lot. Downtown Poughkeepsie is not beautiful. I got the feeling that the security are there for all concerts to give patrons a sense of well-being.

I used my convention badge for admission. Everyone needs a ticket, but they were handing them out freely, no charge, at the box office. Tell family/friends to simply go to the Box Office and request however many tickets are needed.

Ushers handed out convention programs as concert programs — there were no programs from West Point. I had asked Art about this and he said yes to bring our own programs. So I guess we give our copies to the ushers and they use our first (with convention programs as backups, perhaps). The WSW program underwent one revision after this went to press, so I will have to announce the two changes, just in case some patrons end up with only the convention programs.

Lastly, Union Square seemed to be the nearest bar/restaurant to the theater. It’s on the next block from the Baravon.

And by the way, the theater got its name because of its Shakespeare productions – The Bard on Avon. (So you’ll be ready for Final Jeopardy.)

Drive carefully, leave yourself enough time, I’ll see you on stage at 4:45 pm.

Final ACB rehearsal/info

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Our final rehearsal for the convention performance is tomorrow night. This has been a 24 year journey, leading to Thursday night. Come to rehearsal with your focused energy and we’ll have a great night on both Monday and Thursday. Final information (Thursday’s schedule, attire, venue information, directions, parking, etc.) is included below.

I’ve posted the rehearsal order on the Rehearsal This Week page. In addition, I’ve posted the rehearsal order for next Monday’s rehearsal, when we take up the remainder of the May 19 program. Although we’re not starting completely from scratch, we do have a good amount of work ahead of us for this final concert. I will find some time (somehow) this week to post recordings of the new music. I think this will be a good resource under the circumstances of this short rehearsal sequence.

TED Talks: Ben Cameron

I placed the polo shirt order right away last Tuesday morning. I am hoping to pick them up tomorrow afternoon and bring them to rehearsal for distribution. The response was more than I expected – a total of 32 shirts!

Lastly, I found a wonderful TED video this morning I was on the treadmill. Ben Cameron speaks on the true power of the performing arts, in a time when the democratization of the internet has made it possible to distribute creative materials instantly worldwide. I highly recommend it.

Please print/save this posting so you have access to this information once arriving in Poughkeepsie. See you Monday night.

WSW Schedule for Thursday, May 26:

  • Please arrive at the Bardavon by 4:45pm
  • Sound check is at 5:00pm on stage
  • We rehearse from 5:00-5:45 pm on stage
  • We have a break from 6:00pm until 8:00pm
  • We would like everyone ‘physically in the Bardavon by 8:00pm. Once Curt arrives at ACB on Wednesday he’ll scout out the Bardavon and discover what rehearsal/warm up area exists, and then post another message with instructions for the best place to gather, store cases, etc.
  • The Greater New York Wind Symphony will have their sound check at 6:00 pm, and will perform at 7:30 pm. Curt is the guest conductor for this concert.
  • We follow GNYWS, and perform at 8:45 pm on stage.

 Attire:

  • Men – tuxedo
  • Women – all black
  • Best to arrive dressed – there may not be a lot of places to change. (I emailed the host with this question but never received an answer.)
  • Please do not wear any perfume or after shave.

VENUE INFORMATION:

Bardavon – 1869 opera house, 35 Market Street, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
BOX office 845.473.2072, ADM office 845.473.5288, FAX 845.473.4259

PARKING
Municipal parking lots are located on Cannon Street behind the Bardavon. Municipal parking lots are clearly identified. There is $5 event parking available in the Cannon Street Municipal Parking lot and in other private parking lots in the vicinity. Do not park in permit only restricted parking lots.

There is secure and convenient parking available. Event staff will direct you. When attending events at the Bardavon, please avoid parking in private lots on Cannon Street and Market Streets. The Bardavon and UPAC management is not responsible for immobilization/towing fees or damages to patrons’ vehicles parked in restricted, public and/or private lots.

BY RAILROAD
Metro North/Hudson Line to the Poughkeepsie Station(can board in Tarrytown, or any of the other river towns) roughly 72 minute train ride.
Amtrak Service Is available from Yonkers or Croton Harmon to Poughkeepsie

BY CAR

From Northern Dutchess County: Take Route 9 SOUTH to Poughkeepsie … take a left at Church Street exit (this is an up ramp) stay in your left hand lane. Take a left turn at the 3rd light onto Market
Street. To Parking: At the first light on Market Street take a right hand turn onto Cannon St

From New York City: Travel time approximately 2 – 2 1/2 hours

Option #1 (Non-Commercial Vehicles)
Take Henry Hudson Parkway North to Saw Mill River Parkway North to the Taconic Parkway North. (Commercial vehicles not permitted). Take exit Route 55 WEST. This will take you into Poughkeepsie. As two lane highway becomes four lanes, stay in the left lane. Pass a block-long parking lot and Electra Lighting, turn left at the light onto Catharine Street. Turn right at the second light onto Cannon Street.

Option #2
Take the Major Deegan to NYS Thruway (Route 87 N) and travel North to exit 18-New Paltz. Take a right at the intersection and travel on 299 EAST. Take a right at the intersection of 299 and 9W South. Look for signs for the Mid-Hudson Bridge to Poughkeepsie (Route 44-55 EAST). Travel over bridge, stay in left lane, travel up hill three lights, at third light take left onto Market Street. Municipal parking lots are clearly identified.

From Orange County: Take the New York State Thruway north to Exit 18. Pay toll. At the end of the ramp, turn right onto Route 299. You will see signs for the Mid-Hudson Bridge. Cross bridge, staying in the left lane (if both lanes are open). As you near end the right lane is the exit for Route 9 and you don’t want that. At the 3rd light, make a left onto Market Street. Bardavon is two blocks on right. Municipal parking lots are clearly identified.

From Southern Dutchess County: Take Route 9 NORTH to Poughkeepsie…..After the Academy Street exit, get into the left lane, take the 44/55 Church Street exit … at third light, make a left onto Market Street. Bardavon is two blocks on right. Municipal parking lots are clearly identified.

From Taconic North: Take the Taconic until the Poughkeepsie Exit Route 55, the second ramp. Take Route 55 WEST which merges with Route 44 when you enter Poughkeepsie. Take a left onto Catherine Street, which will intersect the Poughkeepsie Main Mall, at the second light make a right onto Cannon Street. Park in the municipal parking lot on the right.

From Ulster County: Take 9W NORTH OR SOUTH to Mid Hudson Bridge. Go over the bridge and stay on 44/55. Get in left lane and at 3rd light, make left onto Market Street. Bardavon is two blocks on right. Municipal parking lots are clearly identified

PLACES TO EAT NEARBY  (I would recommend making reservations if possible)

Walking Distance
Brasserie 292, 292 Main Street, Poughkeepsie, 845.473.0292 – www.brasserie292.com
Bull and Buddha Restaurant – 319 Main Street Poughkeepsie 845.337.4848 – www.bullandbuddha.com
The Artist’s Palate – 305 Main Street Poughkeepsie 845/483-8074 – www.theartistspalate.biz
Milanese – Italian, 115 Main Street, Poughkeepsie 845.471-9533 – www.milaneserestaurant.com
Union Square, 51 Market Street, Poughkeepsie 845.232.5675 – www.unionsquarepok.com

A Short Drive
Caffe Aurora (Desserts), 145 Mill Street , Poughkeepsie , 845.454.1900
Cosimo’s Trattoria & Bar (Italian), 120 Delafield Street , Poughkeepsie , 845.485.7172 (I’ve been here – great menu and very good food!)
Coyote Grill (American), 2629 Route 9, Poughkeepsie , 845.471.0600
Main Course at Vassar Alumnae House, (Pub Flair), 161 College Avenue , Poughkeepsie , 845.437.7159
Milanese – Italian, 115 Main Street, Poughkeepsie 845.471-9533 – www.milaneserestaurant.com
Noah’s Ark Antique Bar & Eatery, (Sports Pub) 135 Mill Street , Poughkeepsie , 845.486.9295
Palace Diner (American Diner), 194 Washington Street , Poughkeepsie , 845.473.1576
River Station – American Seafood & Steak, 1 Water Street, Poughkeepsie 845.452.9207 – www.riverstationrest.com

MISCELLANEOUS:

The ACB Website is www.acbands.org
We have been told that all there is no charge for admission.