Dear Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble Members,
This is an incredible week for our band program! For the first time ever we have both our bands at Roslyn High School going to the NYSSMA Majors State Rating Festival. The Wind Ensemble is doing professional level music at the Grade 6 level. Only a handful of bands anywhere even attempt to perform at this level. The Symphonic Band, being one of the top bands on the island in its own right, is performing at Grade level 4, the High School Band level.
Both bands sound incredible. It is incredible how hard you have all worked! These are clearly the strongest groups we have ever had here at Roslyn. They Symphonic Band is performing at the level that the Wind Ensemble performed only a few years ago. The Wind Ensemble is now one of the top bands on Long Island and in New York State. As a director I am totally proud of what you have accomplished these past months. Both groups have grown immeasurably! I am totally Psyched to conduct both groups next week at this prestigious festival! I am also very proud to be your band director!
As we go to the NYSSMA Majors realize what you are, an incredible band program. Be ready for anything. Realize that the judging is subjective. We can get a gold with distinction, we can get a bronze. Have fun playing! You sound amazing! We will be recording both groups during and after NYSSMA to make a CD this year of all our band nyssma pieces! No matter what we get, the proof of our excellence will be there, on our ipods forever! Get psyched, be proud, and perform at your highest level this coming week!
Here are the detailed directions for both groups
Come to school dressed in your concert attire on your performance day, Wind Ensemble on Monday, Symphonic Band on Tuesday. Bring your casual clothes in a separate bag, you will be able to change when we get back to the auditorium after our performance, and then go to lunch. On the busses you will bring your instrument, no case, and your music folder. That's it. We go to a warm up room for 30 minutes, and then the judging room. There will be two judges that will listen to us, make comments for about 3 to 5 minutes between each tune, and then assign us Gold, Silver, Bronze, or Festival Rating. We will know the score we received just before we depart Hofstra to come home. The Wind Ensemble will be leaving Roslyn at 8:45 am on Monday. The Symphonic Band will be leaving Roslyn at 9:45 on Tuesday.
Remember, you only get one shot at a first impression, this is like an interview!
Stay in rest position at all times you are not playing. Do not talk at all. We must go in very organized, in our rows, and look totally professional. Band must be the most important thing in your world for that 45 minutes! This is like an interview, we are being judged on everything! No sneakers, black sweats, only dress clothes. Boys in dark suits with a tie, girls with all black, elegant and dressy, not casual. No sneakers, you won't peform. We will tune in the room. Look at me very carefully when we start playing, I will have to make adjustments on the spot to get the right levels for our playing in the room. This can only be done while we are performing our first piece. Don't be nervous, we are performers here at Roslyn. We know how to "get it done".
Get psyched and let's have a great performance at NYSSMA Majors!!!!! Please send me an e-mail that you read this! pattersax@gmail.com
