News for May

It’s been a busy few weeks — lots of performances, guest conducting, and more events upcoming. If you live near central Jersey, please consider coming to my All-State String Orchestra concert on May 12, or come to the next Westchester Symphonic Winds concert on May 19, 8:00 pm at the Tarrytown Music Hall. (In the photo gallery below, click SL for the slide show, FS for the full screen version, and see captions by clicking the letter “I” in the upper right corner of the full screen slide show.)

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The 2012 ACB National Convention

I am very proud and very fortunate to have had the opportunity to take my Westchester Symphonic Winds to our first national performance, at the Association of Concert Bands National Convention, in Poughkeepsie, last weekend. Beyond conducting our own full program, I also was the guest conductor for the Greater New York Wind Symphony, conducting Percy Grainger’s Lincolnshire Posy, on the same evening. I attended 10 concerts and 2 clinics in 4 days. It was a big weekend, but filled with great performances, giving me lots of ideas for future programs.

I stayed with Ron Bemrich and Rick Mignault in Poughkeepsie. Ron was one of the first friends I remember meeting when I arrived at Northwestern in 1976. While there, Ron and I took a walk across Poughkeepsie’s Walkway on the Hudson, a converted railroad bridge across the Hudson River.

New Jersey All-State String Orchestra – May 12 at 3:00 pm

Last year I was invited to conduct this ensemble, made up of 6th, 7th, and 8th grade string players from across the state. This is my first all-state ensemble experience, and this is very exciting for me. I have had one rehearsal, and have only one more before the concert on May 12 at 3:00 pm. The site is Community Middle School, 95 Grovers Mill Road, Plainsboro, New Jersey. My program includes Beethoven, Corigliano, Rutter, Ravel, and Longfield. If you’d like to attend email me for complimentary tickets.

Westchester Symphonic Winds – May 19 at 8:00 pm

My final concert with WSW is Saturday, May 19 at 8:00 pm at the Tarrytown Music Hall. Click here for tickets, priced at $20/$15. This concert is sub-titled, “Choreography,” and every work on the program is some kind of dance. Guest artists include Brian Worsdale, guest conductor, and TSgt Joseph Bello, euphonium soloist. It’s going to be a great closer to our season — I hope you can join us.

The Golden Knights Music Parents Association Gala

Our NVOT Music Parents are holding their first social fund-raiser, the Golden Night Gala, tomorrow night, May 5 at 7:00 pm at the Clinton Inn. It’s not too late to be a “walk in!” Tickets are $60.00 and includes hors d’œuvres throughout the evening (including a fajita bar in honor of Cinco de Mayo), entertainment by the NVOT Jazz Band and Chamber Singers, and door prizes. A representative from Massoyan Jewelers will be on site for anyone who would like to bring gold/silver jewelry for sale. Music Parents will earn a portion of the profits, and you’ll walk away with cash. We can accommodate last-minute attendees, but contact me if you are interested in attending.

The Summer of ’12

My conducting symposium is coming up again on June 1-3, and Mallory Thompson will be visiting once again as our clinician. Tim and I will be out on Fire Island, enjoying our summer beach retreat once again this summer. He has many plans with clients, several weddings, and other bookings. I have plans to teach a Music Education Workshop at Northern Valley in July, will be conducting the South Beach Community Band on July 29 in Greenwich, Connecticut, and preparing (of course) for Marching Band and the new school year. And, of course, we have several roller coaster trips planned, but sadly, this will not be a Cedar Point year. It will still be a exciting and full summer. Please stay in touch — we hope to see many of you during the summer.