THANK YOU!!!

Dear Silverband,

Thank you for an outstanding performance on Saturday.  The performance went very well and the feedback I received on your behalf was very positive.  I again thank you for this privilege of being your director for this short time.  I have certainly enjoyed our rehearsals, planning, problem solving, and performing together.  I hope our paths will meet again in the future.  Thanks again everyone.

Sincerely,

Sam Yamamoto

Mark Campbell and I on Scene & Heard

Hi everyone,

Great news!  Mark Campbell interviewed me for tonight's Scene & Heard.  You can watch it tonight at 6:30 on Global Lethbridge or watch it online here.  Just select Scene and Heard on the left side menu and Select Nov. 3 if you missed it.  See you this Saturday and sell those tickets!

Sam

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Tonight's rehearsal will be as follows:

O Canada
Heart of Oak
In Heaven's Air
Fantasia on A Dargason
Cordoba
Largo
Rough Riders

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Hi everyone, tonight's rehearsal will be in this order:

1. O Canada - sightread (not really)
2. Heart of Oak
3. In Heaven's Air
4. Cordoba
5. Rough-Riders
6. Largo
7. Fantasia

See you tonight!

Hello Lethbridge Silver Band!

Hi everyone, thanks for a great rehearsal last Tuesday the 12th and thank you for the opportunity to be your conductor for this short little while.

Here are some recordings for your listening.  The youtube videos are cut off on the side.  You can just click on the video while its playing and it'll open up in youtube and you can see it full there.

Largo


In Heaven's Air


Fantasia on a Dargason - not our version but pretty close



Rough Riders March - sample

I couldn't find Cordoba, but if anyone does find it, let me know and I'll post it.

Rehearsal for Tuesday, June 1

Here's the plan for next week (starting at 7:00 p.m.)

1. New York, all
2. Eventide, all
3. Amparito, all
4. Pirates, all
5. Rhosymedre, all
6. Homefront, all
7. Funiculi, all
8. Closer Walk, all

At this point, we will be "polishing" everything. This means that we will carefully work out the transitions in each piece (from one section to another) as well as really focus on the finer things such as phrasing, dynamics and tuning.

Thank you for your extra time and effort. Let's make this our best yet!

Karen


P.S.

SELL THOSE TICKETS!!!!!!!!

Rehearsal for Tuesday, May 25

Hello everyone,

Once again, thanks for your extra time and effort that you are putting forward to make this a great performance. I know these rehearsals may seem long but it'll be worth it.

I have just a couple of things that I'd like you to think about over the week:
1. I will be handing out nominations for the 2009/2010 Silver Band Member of the Year. Please be thinking about who you would like to nominate.

2. We need one or two more people to hand out programs and take tickets at our concert. Do any of you have spouses/friends or whoever that might be interested in doing this?

3. We will be rehearsing from 7:00 to 9:30 again next week. It worked amazing to have everyone warmed up and tuned before 7:00 tonight. Thanks!

4. On June 12, we will be having a set-up at the College Drive Church at 9:00 with a warm-up at 10:00 for one hour. Please consider helping out at 9:00.

Now for the rehearsal plan:
1. Drunken Sailor
2. Closer Walk - all
3. Funiculi - all (tempos!)
4. Homefront - all (working on transitions between tunes and working out bugs in all of them)
5. Rhosymedre - all
6. Pirates - all
7. Amparito Roca - all
8. Eventide
9. New York - all (with focus on the opening)

See you next week!

Karen

P.S.

Sell those concert tickets!!

Rehearsal Plan for Tuesday, May 18

Hello everyone,

I have your homework for this week! :)

First, I would like to encourage all of you to find a recording of Funiculi Funicula. I've added a great link to Youtube featuring the Three Tenors. It doesn't get much better than this one! I've also added a gorgeous orchestral arrangement of Rhosymedre. It's really quite stunning. I think I'm hooked! You'll also find two recordings of Amparito Roca. The first is one that we definitely DON'T want to sound like. The tuning and the balance is awful. The second one is much better but a little fast for my liking. You will also find a good rendition of New York: 1927.

Next, I'd like everyone to practise the faster pieces with a metronome with the markings that I've given you. These are Funiculi, Homefront, Pirates, Amparito Roca and New York.

Another really important job is to get out there and sell your tickets. We deserve to a full house for this one!

Here's what we'll be working on:
1. New York - 104-end
2. Eventide - all
3. Amparito Roca - 66-end
4. Pirates - 119-end
5. Rhosymedre - all
6. Homefront - 161-end
7. Funiculi - all (with some flair and polish)
8. Closer Walk - cut time section
9. Drunken Sailor - D-end

Thanks for agreeing to come in an extra half-hour. We're in the home stretch with only four rehearsals left!!

Karen

Rehearsal Plan for Tuesday, May 11

Hello,

Here's the plan for next week:
1. Funiculi G - end
2. Drunken Sailor - D to E
3. Homefront - 111-160
4. Rhosymedre - All
5. Pirates - 119 - end
6. Amparito Roca - 48-98
7. Closer Walk - 38-end
8. New York - 104-end
9. Eventide - all

Karen

Rehearsal Schedule for Tuesday, April 27

Better late than never??? Sorry this isn't coming out until the night before rehearsal. I will update the blog MUCH earlier next week!

Here's the schedule:
1. Just a Closer Walk - opening slow section
2. Prayer for Peace - 1-29
3. Homefront - 39-80
4. Amparito Roca - 1-47
5. Shenandoah - 23-55
6. New York - Ragtime section
7. Pirates - 17-71
8. Funiculi - E to G

See you then!

Karen

Rehearsal Schedule Tuesday, April 19

Hello everyone!

First, I'd like to thank all of you for understanding the reason for cancelling last week's rehearsal. A number of people had cancelled already and the weather was worsening. I felt that we would be better served to cancel and then find another date to make it up.

Now for this week's rehearsal:
1. We will be receiving a new(ish) piece called "New York: 1927". It's a great piece that many of you will remember.
2. Funiculi Funicula
3. Drunken Sailor
4. Homefront Memories
5. Pirates of the Caribbean
6. Shenandoah

Other pieces to stay on top of for the week after are:
1. Col. Bogey
2. Eventide
3. Amparito Roca
4. Just a Closer Walk With Thee

Thanks and see you Tuesday!

Karen

Kiwanis Festival

Hello everyone.

I just wanted to take a moment to thank each and every one of you for an outstanding performance last evening. I feel that it was one of the finest performances we've ever had and we should be proud of what we've accomplished. While I'm sure that each of us had moments we would like to do over, we truly played to the best of our abilities.

Thank you again and I look forward to Tuesday as we begin preparing for our spring concert!

Karen

Information for the Kiwanis Festival

Hello everyone,

Here is the information for Tuesday night:

6:00 - Warm-Up in Sterndale Bennett Theatre (1002 4 Avenue South)
6:30 - Performance in Yates (I may ask to have this time moved back slightly)

Performance Order:
3 Scottish Vistas
Silent Hills
Exaltation
Adagio
Go West!

Dress:
Silver Band Shirt
Black Pants/Skirt/Socks/Shoes

Thanks everyone and see you there!

Karen

Rehearsal for Tuesday, March 9

Hi everyone,

Thanks for a great rehearsal tonight. Just a reminder that we are back at L.C.I. next week.

As I mentioned, we will be really polishing up our festival pieces for the entire rehearsal. Please take a moment to listen to the recordings I've listed on this blog. I will be also handing out the music for the June 12 concert. The pieces selected are:

Exaltation
Colonel Bogey
Prayer for Peace
Amparito Roca
Pirates of the Caribbean
Drunken Sailor
Funiculi Funicula
Shenandoah
Homefront Memories
Eventide
Just a Closer Walk With Thee
Spania
When the Saints Go Marching In
The Steppes of Russia

Please remember that we will not be playing all of these and will have to cut two or three of them.

Now, I have a special request for each of you. If any of you have any pictures from past rehearsal and concerts, would you mind passing them on to me?

Thanks and see you next week!

Karen

Rehearsal Schedule Tuesday, March 2

Hi everyone,

My apologies for not getting this done sooner!

Before I let you know what we're working on this week, I'd like to share with you some of the thoughts I had as I left rehearsal last week. First of all, I really feel that the Silver Band is playing at one of the highest, if not the highest, level we've ever been that. I really appreciate the extra effort everyone's put into practising and into being faithful about attending rehearsals regularly. But there's more to it than that. For whatever reason, our group is playing more and more as a group, an ensemble, even a family. We may not be perfectly in tune every time and we may not hit every single note but we play with heart. I don't know about you, but I'd much rather listen to a group with some soul and feeling to it than one that is technically perfect but lifeless. Speaking of which, did anyone listen to the link on YouTube of the elementary school band I put on last week???

Okay, here's what we're working on:
1. Exaltation - all
2. 3 Scottish Vistas - focus on 3rd movement
3. Go West - transitions between tunes
4. Adagio - phrasing, breathing, dynamics
5. Silent Hills - same as Adagio.

See you back at L.C.I.!

Karen

Rehearsal for Tuesday, February 23

Hello everyone,

I hope you all had a restful week and are ready to get back to work on Tuesday. I know I'm ready!

Here are the directions to the L.C.I. band room:

Please use the court-yard triple doors by the glass-walled cafeteria on 5^th Avenue South. Go in those doors, turn left, and go to the end of the hall to get to the band room. If anyone’s late and those doors are locked, ask them to bang on the grey outside door (the no-window door) that is furthest west along the front of the school, to your left from the glass-walled cafeteria.

In some other news, I am pleased to announce that Chad has arranged for Juran Greene to be our Master of Ceremonies for June 12 concert. Juran is a talented entertainer and is a lot of fun so he will add a lot to our concert. I am also happy to report that Note-Able Music has agreed to be an advertiser for our concert. Thanks to Therese for arranging this. This is our first advertiser, so we need quite a few more to pull this concert off. If any of you know of anyone who might be willing to sponsor or advertise, please let me know.


See you Tuesday!

Karen

P.S.
Check out the video of the ELEMENTARY SCHOOL band I posted to the left!

Rehearsal for Tuesday, Feb. 9

Hello everyone,

Thanks for a great rehearsal this week. I really feel that we are getting a lot done and are playing better than ever!

Here's some information for you:
There will be no rehearsal on Tuesday, Feb. 16
Rehearsals for Feb. 23, Mar. 2 and Mar. 9 will be held at L.C.I.

Our final concert will be on Saturday, June 12 at the College Drive Community Church, beginning at 7:00. Although it's only early February, in order to make this concert a success we need to begin promoting the event now. We also are looking for donors and advertisers.

Here's the rehearsal schedule for you:
1. Exaltation - all
2. Major focus on all 3 movements of 3 Scottish Vistas
3. Go West - focus on "The Good, The Bad and the Ugly"
4. Silent Hills - tuning
5. Adagio - ending for phrasing and tuning

Flutes, we'll see you at 6:45!

Karen

Final Concert Information

Hello everyone,

Our final concert has been booked for Saturday, June 12 at 7:00 p.m. at the Sterndale Bennett Theatre with special guests, the Global Drums with Adam Mason.

FINAL CONCERT MUSIC SELECTION

Following is a list of some of the music that we have performed over the past six years. You will see that I have it organized according to concert. Please rank your top two favorite pieces from each concert and email me with your votes. Thanks!

Spring 2004
As Summer Was Just Beginning
Donkey Riding
When the Saints Go Marching In
Pirates of the Caribbean


Fall 2004
Time To Say Goodbye
It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)
Korean Folk Song Medley
Summit March


Spring 2005
Steppes of Russia
Themes from Jupiter
Garry Owen March
Irish Party in Third Class
Zoot Suit Riot

Fall 2005
Georgia On My Mind
Juno Beach
Big Band Spectacular
Dunkirk Beach March

Spring 2006
Scene in Iqaluit
Exaltation
Jamaican Jambo
Barrier Reef
Drunken Sailor
Caribbean Hideaway
Under the Sea
Swords Against the Sea

Fall 2006
British Eighth
Adagio
Anything Goes
In The Mood (Sax Feature)


Spring 2007
Strike Up the Band
Shenandoah
Spania
Hymnsong of Philip Bliss
Into the Storm
A Galop to End All Galops

Fall 2007
Colonel Bogey
Larghetto
Homefront Memories
Juno Beach

Spring 2008
Funiculi Funicula
Amazing Grace
Just a Closer Walk With Thee
Spania
New York:1927
Georgia On My Mind
Lawrence of Arabia
Motown Revue

Fall 2008
Adagietto
The Lafayette Escadrille
Prayer for Peace
Where the Black Hawk Soars

Spring 2009
Old Churches
Hockey Night In Canada
Ammerland
Rolling Thunder
Rhosymedre
Country Call
March of the Belgian Paratroopers
Amparito Roca


Fall 2009
On Parade
Duke Ellington In Concert
Military Escort
Eventide (Song of Liberation)

Rehearsal Schedule for Tuesday, January 26

Hello everyone,

Thanks for a great rehearsal tonight! I'd just like to take a moment to recap a few of the announcements we had for tonight:

1. Our Kiwanis Festival date and time is on Tuesday, March 23 at 6:00 p.m. We start with a warm-up at that time and then perform at 6:30. We should be finished by 7:30 so maybe we can have a little social time after that???

2. Our Spring Concert will feature a selection of music that we will choose from all the pieces we've done since 2004. This will take place (tentatively) on Sunday, June 13, 2010.

3. We are looking for one or two more people to serve on the concert organizing committee so it would be great to see some people join us!

4. We are also looking for sponsors and advertisers for this concert. If you know of anyone please let me know at rehearsal or email or call me.

Okay, here's the plan for next week:
1. 3 Scottish Vistas - rehearse all of Movts. 1 and 2, read through Movt. 3.
2. Exaltation - middle section to end
3. Adagio - middle to end section
4. Silent Hills - ending
5. Go West - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

See you next week!

Karen

CHANGE OF PLANS!!

Hello everyone,

It is with sadness that I report that I have made an error in my music selection! Alas, Chant and Jubilo is not on the list so we will not be performing that one for the festival. Here's the plan:

1. Three Scottish Vistas
2. The Silent Hills of My Childhood
3. Exaltation
4. Adagio
5. Go West

There. I WON'T make any more changes!! :)

Karen

Information for Next Week, January 12, 15 and 16

Hello everyone,

Here is the information for next week:

For rehearsal, we will be working on "Chant and Jubilo" (mostly the Chant section), sightreading "Go West", sightreading the "Garry Owen March", working on the first half of the "Adagio" and the beginning of "Exaltation".

Here's the schedule for the 15th and 16th:
Friday, Jan. 15
7:00 to 9:00: W470, drumming group with Adam Mason

Saturday, Jan. 16
9:00 to 10:15: Rehearse ensembles in various rooms
10:15 to 10:45: Coffee, juice, muffins, etc. provided
10:45 to 12:00: Continue rehearsing
12:00 to 1:00: Recital in W550 (Recital Hall)

As for parking, I spoke with Breeanne from the Conservatory. She recommended carpooling as much as possible for both days. She also said that the East Curve Lot (Lot H) would be best because after 7:00 p.m. parking is free for the rest of the weekend. However, the meters are 24 hours so she suggested avoiding those if possible. To reach that lot, at the lights on University Drive that are the farthest north, turn left on to Valley Road. Follow this road down, through the lights and turn right on to Coulee Trail. This will lead you to Lot H. For a detailed map, go to the link I have attached to the blog.

See you Tuesday!

Karen