Letter from Jack (1/12)
Dear Concert Orchestra,
I hope you enjoyed our time together last night as much as I did. Strings, I left rehearsal completely exhausted, but feeling proud of you and the progress we made together on Beethoven. Winds, brass, and percussion, your sectional coaches had good things to say about last night’s rehearsal. It seemed to be a productive evening all around.
Our next meeting is our RETREAT! Please focus on the following before then in order to ensure a meaningful musical experience:
STRINGS:
We did some heavy lifting with Beethoven last night. Please review all of our detailed work, and do some focused practice from rehearsal D to E. That section is still in need of intonation work. Make sure you also “decode” and internalize the bowings.
****And****
Now that we’ve put in some time on Beethoven, it’s time to turn our attention to Larsen. Please prepare Overture for the End of a Century, as thoroughly and thoughtfully as you prepared for Beethoven this week. This will mean listening to a recording many times, marking helpful comments into your part as you listen, and having a tuner close at hand to make sure you are hitting the right pitches.
WINDS, BRASS, and PERCUSSION
Please review the detailed work you did in your sectionals and be ready to bring your A game with Overture to the End of a Century. Please turn your attention to Beethoven as well, and know your part well enough to jump head first into some detailed music making at our next rehearsal.
SEATING AUDITIONS
Woodwind and Brass players will have their seating auditions on Monday, February 2nd.
String players will have their seating auditions on Monday, February 9th
Attached below you will find your unofficial seating auditions excerpts.
Please prepare each of these to the best of your ability. Winds/Brass players, I will ask to hear 2 or 3 of these excerpts at your audition.
We do not have all of these pieces passed out yet, though you can find these pieces in the concert orchestra drop box!
Finally, please note that we may not have rehearsed these excerpts by the time of your audition. That’s okay! Your coaches (and me) want to know what you are capable of preparing on your own.
Thank you all. I’m looking forward to seeing you at our Winter Retreat!
Best,
Jack.