Letter from Diane (1/20)

Dear Camerata Con Brio,

First of all, thank you for your excellent work at our retreat over the weekend. We accomplished a lot musically and it was great to have time with Wu from Light in the well. The way that she described her work as a music therapist was really insightful and you asked some great questions. She also explained the concept behind Philip Shorey’s piece, “Grieving Dreams and Celebrating Life,” and described some of the ways that we will be interacting with the families in her community as we engage in this project.  If you were not able to be at the retreat, please take a minute to watch this video clip, which will give you a bit of information about what Light in the Well is all about.

Tonight, we spent the first part of rehearsal creating our arrangement of “I Got Rhythm.”  Your feedback was great and I think we have a nice arrangement to work with.  Woodwinds and Brass, I will have final copies with our revisions ready for you next week.  Start thinking about whether or not you would like to try an improvised solo at measures 55-86.  The opportunity is available for everyone!

Next week we will have woodwind and brass seating auditions and string sectionals.  Strings, you will get your seating audition excerpts next week. Come with your questions about fingerings and bowings!

Here is your GTCYS 10:

Woodwinds and Brass: Practice for your seating auditions. Find those excerpts here. With remaining time, keep working “Pirates” aiming for clarity in your rhythms and articulations (double tonguing!)

Strings: Please play all the way through the Poupel and the Shorey pieces marking places where you have questions about fingerings, bowings and shifting so your section coaches can help with this next week. Also spend some time with “Pirates”, training your fingers and bow not to rush.

Finally, in light of our discussion about The Flintstones and the clever way the theme song is paraphrased in our version of “I Got Rhythm,” take a minute to enjoy this short video clip.

Some additional announcements!

• GTCYS is supporting Twin Cities school music programs by awarding a $1,000 grant this spring to a public school orchestra or band program in need. To nominate your school band or orchestra program, click here and complete the nomination form by Sunday, January 25.
• Build leadership skills, confidence, and share your love of music by becoming a GTCYS Ambassador and inspire your classmates to join GTCYS. To learn more or to sign up, click here. Make sure you sign up by Friday, January 30.

Keep on living your life Con Brio–and I’ll see you next week!