Greetings, Wind Ensemble Musicians and Families,
Gratitude
First, I wanted to say how grateful I am for each one of you each time we gather for a rehearsal or performance. The work we have done so far this year has been nothing short of outstanding, and I look forward to more! The year’s first concert for the Play Your Part fundraising event was terrific due to your hard work, dedication, and commitment to excellence.
Recordings of New Music
Second, let’s keep the positive momentum going! The first two rehearsals for our second concert cycle were incredibly productive. Let’s continue building on that work. I encourage you to familiarize yourselves with the reference recordings listed below. They will help you to learn your parts and contextualize them. You must hear your parts individually and, even more importantly, how they fit within the larger ensemble.
- Andrew Boysen, Jr., Kirkpatrick Fanfare
- David Holsinger, Fantasy on a Gaelic Hymnsong
- Frank Ticheli, Fortress
- John Mackey, Sheltering Sky
- John Philip Sousa/ed. Fennell, The Black Horse Troop
Preparation
Last, take your parts to your private lesson teachers for assistance. It is crucial that we learn our parts before attending future rehearsals. In the Wind Ensemble, we always practice and rehearse like the concert performance is tomorrow. This philosophy ensures that we have an excellent performance each time we take the stage.
I’m thankful for this wonderful group we’ve created, and I hope you are, too. Thank you for being part of something extraordinary each week when we get together at MYAC to create beautiful aural art.
Have a great week off from our regularly scheduled rehearsal, and see you next week!
Sincerely,
Mr. Hacker
Andy Hacker, Wind Ensemble Music Director