Letter from Jack (4/13)

Dear Concert Orchestra,

What a blast we had last night! I appreciated your energy and enthusiasm, especially as we finally “cracked the code” and brought some silly energy to Augie’s Great Municipal Band.

We need to bring a more focused energy to Sunday’s (25 minute!!!!) dress rehearsal. Please see the following notes about each of our pieces

Larsen: Overture for the End of a Century

• ALL: please keep the sound light, with forward momentum. We’re still getting bogged down in the middle section.

Beethoven 

• Winds and brass- we improved our intonation and tone in the last 20 measures! Many of you have obviously spent some time honing intonation and tone over the last few weeks- please continue to do so! Here are a few spots to target (there are many more, these stuck out last night)- Measure 99, measure 222, 1 before H, and 255 to the end (for consistent accuracy). Lastly, please focus on NOTE LENGTHS any time you have the main motif of the piece. Try to model the string sound for proper spacing.

Marquez 

• ALL: This is an ensemble/groove challenge for us right now. We need to catch each tempo change and settle into a groove right away. PERCUSSION is vital in this process. Please be ready to watch/follow me anytime we kick into a fill or new groove.
• STRINGS: A remember to please follow your dynamics throughout this piece- we tend to cover our wind colleagues.
• WINDS- project and accent please.

Williams 

• PERCUSSION: Be on the lookout for new parts from me- only for measure 85 to 132.
• 2nds, violas, cellos: Please do some targeted intonation work at measure 34. We need to play with an incredibly supported pitch center.
• Violinist and folks performing the kazoo on Star Wars: Please make sure you know how to make a kazoo sound, in step with the brass line. Watch this video for help if needed.
• ALL: Please review 148 to the end. Our run through last night was exciting, but on the sloppy side in terms of pulse, intonation, balance, and phrasing. Let’s rediscover the thrill of this ending!

Our program on Sunday will be as follows:

Larsen: Overture for the End of a Century 

Beethoven: Allegretto from Symphony 7 

Williams: Selections from the Phantom Menace 

Marquez: Danzon no. 2

***For Next Week***

We’re going to work at preparing the full Marquez for performance at Spring Festival. We will spend the entire rehearsal working on Marquez, with perhaps some Jupiter near the end. Please spend some time on the first half of Marquez to be prepared for rehearsal next week.

See you soon!

Jack.