Letter from Jack (4/27)
Dear Concert Orchestra,
Congratulations on a great rehearsal last night! Spirit, progress, and camaraderie were at the center of everything we did! I’m so proud of the hard work you have done this year- and your renewed commitment to teamwork. It’s really starting to show in our work together!
One clarifying point,
For Spring Festival we will play only Marquez. We’ll do the full piece, but that is our only piece on the Spring Festival program. So sorry if I haven’t been clear about that! It’s Marquez and Jupiter from now until the end of our season.
Next week is our last rehearsal!!!!
Now is the time to make sure that every measure, phrase, and long arc is squared off and ready to go. Let’s be ready for an intense (but gratifying!) rehearsal next week as we close the door on a fantastic year!
Here are some special requests for your attention:
Marquez:
Measure 19: Oboe- please have a projected, supported sound, and resist the urge to rush any of the 8th notes. Please also plan your breath so as to not interrupt the rhythmic line
Horns- we saw improvement in these measures last night! Keep working for steady intonation on your own part.
Measure 34: Oboe 2 and Clarinet 2: keep woodshedding these parts and be prepared to play them for the group next rehearsal.
Measure 64: woodwinds: this part is still not there. Metronome work, please- and you’ll want to memorize so you can watch and connect with me.
Measure 72: all (but especially strings)- please memorize these two measures and be ready for me to conduct in 2.
Measure 94: Strings, please practice articulating the start of each slur, thinking ahead to orchestra hall.
Measure 111: percussion, please die away
Measure 278 and 279: all: please memorize these two measures and be ready to connect with me. Upper strings need to be fearless here, and very well-practiced.
Measure 329: Strings, many of you are late on your entrances here. Perfect pulse, please. Section leaders need to lead here as well with movement.
Measure 345-end: ALL- we lost some steam here last night. Keep the tempo up and work to articulate each of the accents very clearly.
Jupiter: If you are looking for Jupiter music, please access the Jupiter Dropbox.
Parents: If you missed the audition information meeting at the end of rehearsal last week, you can view the information I shared here.
See you next week!
Jack.