Monthly Archives: July 2016

Alumni Concert Videos 7/23/16

The concert was obviously a success, as you can see here. Videos by Kim Buczek.

Overture on a Shaker Tune

arr. John Higgins, conducted by Kathy Smith

Festa!

Eliot Del Borgo, conducted by David Shemancik

Semper Fidelis

John Phillip Sousa, conducted by John Flaver

Selections from Phantom of the Opera

Andrew Lloyd Webber, conducted by Linda Carter

Sixties Superhits

arr. Paul Jennings, conducted by Kathy Smith

Instant Concert

Harold L Walters, conducted by Linda Carter

Fate of the Gods

Steven Reineke, conducted by Linda Carter

Stars and Stripes Forever

John Phillip Sousa, conducted by David Shemancik

Concert Update: July 14th

Volunteers Needed

Listed below are the jobs that we are looking for volunteers with:
  • Friday: Set – Up @5:00
  • Saturday: Banquet Set- Up @ 4:00
  • Saturday: Banquet Clean-Up @ 6:00-6:30
Please send mail to Annie DeSalvatore by Friday, July 15th if you would like to help out and specify which tasks you would like to be assigned to. Thank you so much in advance!!

Rehearsal Schedule

Friday, July 22

6PM Registration in the high school lobby
7-9 PM Rehearsal starts promptly in the auditorium — we have a lot of work to do in 2 short hours.

Saturday, July 23

1:30PM Late registration in the lobby
2-4 PM Rehearsal
5 PM Dinner in the Shevron Center at the High School
7 PM Concert
There will be raffles and prizes so tell all your friends and family and neighbors to come out and enjoy the show!

 

Practice Suggestions

Mr. John Flaver sends along his suggestions for how to prepare for the Semper Fidelis March:

Dear VVS Alumni Band members,
Please go on YOU TUBE and type in Sousa Semper Fidelis “The Presidents Own” US Marine Band

Please Listen and watch this video as this performance serves as a model for our upcoming performance.

Please follow along with your written music.

Please aim for: Rhythmic Integrity, strict tempo, clean crisp articulations, attention to all dynamics, accents, and following the three laws of natural musical expression, which are: LOW NOTES SEEK HIGH NOTES, HIGH NOTES SEEK LOW NOTES, AND SHORT NOTES SEEK LONG NOTES.

Please note that an upside down letter V is an accent mark indicating a short value. An accent marked as a decrescendo sign is a full value accent.

TRUMPETS, PLEASE MEMORIZE measures 50-65 in Semper Fidelis.

Please note that All repeats are good and there is NO STINGER at the end of this march.

Please use a light pencil markings as gentle reminders for all the above.

In the event band members have not played their instruments for quite some time, I would like to suggest short practice sessions that include:
Slow ascending and descending Major scales slurred, two octaves through the Circle of 4ths, in the written Keys of: C-F-Bb-Eb-Ab-Db-Gb-Cb-E-A-D-G.

Then follow this up with scales in thirds and arpeggios, using the Circle of 4ths template as shown above.

Finally, go over all parts that are challenging for you.

I look forward to making music with you.

Musically,
John Flaver

Concert Update: July 11

Steering Committee Meeting

There will be a meeting of the steering committee on Tuesday, July 12th at 7PM in the VVS Music Suite. Everyone interested is invited to attend.

Payment

Please send in your payment if you haven’t done so already ($12.50 for t-shirt, and $12.50 for each dinner ticket ordered). Mail your check payable to “VVS Music Boosters” by Wednesday, July 13th to:
Annie DeSalvatore
c/o E.A. McAllister Elementary School
217 Kinsley Street
Sherrill, NY 13461

Volunteers

If you’ve volunteered to help set up, please arrive at school by 5PM on Friday, July 22.