Greetings Capital Crescendos,
Themes for the Week: Offbeats. Lots of this in Hava Nagila, which is in 2/4 time. When counting out the beats of the bar by subdividing, the offbeats are the “ands”: one AND two AND. To improve our ability to play on the offbeats, Sheila suggested we set a metronome between 80 and 90, practise playing quarter notes, then practise playing eighth notes, then drop the eighth notes on the beats and play the ones off the beat.
This week’s rehearsal
We had a nice turn out for our brunch before band at Connor’s Gaelic Pub.
This week we had full band rehearsal for both hours. We started with Chorale No. 1 from Bach and Before for Band which is a terrific music book to use for practising and small group performances. We then moved on to Celtic Air and Dance, which is from our common repertoire, focussing on the tempo which varies during the piece. Sheila tuned the band, starting with the trumpets. Next came Hava Nagila, a traditional Hebrew song which has its roots in a Ukrainian melody.This piece features lots of variety in tempo, starting slowly and gradually increasing. Following our break, we returned to play Air for Band and finally Birdland.
Next week.
Please remember that Fellowship Hall (the basement) is off limits to us next week as another group is using that space. Our first hour will be the (final) clinics, followed by full band the second hour in the Sanctuary. Break time will also take place upstairs in the Sanctuary.
Percussion will be in the Sanctuary for the full 2 hours. Help with moving the percussion instruments in and out of the Sanctuary would be much appreciated. Please give time at the end to help percussion pack up.
All Brass clinic will be in room 16
All woodwinds clinic will be in room 6
As we did not get to it this week, we will start our full band rehearsal next week with Land of the Midnight Sun. This will be followed by Air for Band, Birdland and Hava Nagila.
Continue listening to the audio links, and zoning in on those specific areas that you find challenging in each piece. Note the extra links that have been added this week. A blast from the past, these include some orignal sources from which some of these pieces were arranged.
Audio links
1, Land of the Midnight Sun by Vince Gassi http://www.jwpepper.com/sheet-music/media-player.jsp?&type=audio&productID=10050559
2. Air for Band By Frank Erickson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrCsUo1ribI
3. Birdland by Joe Zawinul, arr. L Norred https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWJ0it4TfkE&list=PLd_hfxSSaY8AvhLFyy4MxyRgmJfWjs0e3&index=2
4. Birdland – original, as performed by composer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqashW66D7o&list=RDpqashW66D7o&index=1
5. Birdland – Manhattan Transfer version, with their added lyrics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1nj6Yla_Vg (great choreography and outfits!)
6. Hava Nagila http://www.jwpepper.com/sheet-music/media-player.jsp?&type=audio&productID=10312051
7. Celtic Air and Dance, arr. M Sweeney http://www.jwpepper.com/sheet-music/media-player.jsp?&type=audio&productID=10033567
8. Celtic Air and Dance – the second piece (A Fairy’s Love song) as sung in Gaelic by the Rankin Family: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nnVxTj_Ujw (go to 1:35 )
9. 76 Trombones, arr. M Sweeney https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VTB4sCv9HA NOTE: we will be playing at a slower, even tempo
Social
Our next get-together is at Connor’s Gaelic Pub following band on March 9th. Join us for some refreshments and a chance to get to know some of the people playing those “other” instruments.
Important Dates
Thursday March 2, 2017: Final clinic for the session
Thursday March 9, 2017: Gathering at Connor’s Gaelic Pub
Thursday March 16: No band rehearsal
Thursday April 6: Dress rehearsal – Final band rehearsal of the session
Sunday April 9 at 3:00: ONH end of Session Spring Concert at Dominion-Chalmers
Thursday, April 13th: Community Concert Location TBA
Saturday May 6, 2017: Tentative date for ONHB workshop with Potsdam and Montreal New Horizons bands
