Intonation Improving
Thanks for your patience and focus on the intonation.  i know it's not easy and not fun but, we'll enjoy the fruits of your labor.  I think your audiences will enjoy it, too.

Big picture plan for the next four rehearsals includes:
1. Focus on Venus
2. Work on Mozart
3. Working with the soloists on their pieces.  The music should be arriving soon.  Please listen to the Sarasate Zigeunerweisen and the Elgar Cello Concerto this week. 
--Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhyzk6Ty-Ms&feature=related
--Elgar: Cello Concerto, 4th mvmt http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rjudv2woxQ

Blog readership down this week.
Hmmm.  There were 12 e-mails/facebook posts/blog comments this past week, down from seventeen people who read the blog last week and responded that they had done so.  Katherine McDaniel won the chocolate bar that I bought just before rehearsal.    If you'd like to be included, please send an email to me at jose@mayomusic.org or a message to me on Facebook when you've read it so we can count you in and understand the usefulness of this feature.

Take the poll!
We would really like to know what you would like to do with the orchestra this year and next.  The webmaster, also known as Executive Director Kristen Bellisario, has informed me that the poll will be valid for a short time.  Please look at this with your family: MAYO Online Poll.

Sections for personal practice:
Please look at these following sections for the coming week.
Mozart: measures 158 through the end of the movement.  I promise we will do more Mozart this week.
Holst: Mars: General Intonation.  find your function in the triad and tune against a drone (I know some of you know what this means.  It is the type of exercise we were doing at number 10, slow, and making it more beautiful).
Holst: Venus: violins practice from Andante before rehearsal 2 to rehearsal 3
Holst: Jupiter: rehearsal 17 to the end.

And, finally, our rehearsal schedule for Monday, October 19th:
6:30  Announcements
6:35  Sectionals (winds on Venus, brass on Star Wars and Holst, Strings on Mozart, Venus)
7:15  Mozart (measures 158 through end)
7:50 Break
8:05  Holst: Venus
8:17  Star Wars
8:35  Holst: Mars (more triad tuning and the coda)
8:50  Holst: Jupiter (stringendo and the end)

Keep up the hard work.  We have a ways to go, though, and a concert coming up very soon!

This week, 6 people responded regarding the blog.  Thanks!  I'm shooting for all of you to check in.  I just want to know what would compel you to read it.

I know that I want to communicate with you the next rehearsal schedule and special sections to prepare for that rehearsal.

Send an e-mail to jose@mayomusic.org or a message to me on Facebook to let me know what you want in the blog in addition to the rehearsal schedule.

Also, check out the polls and please respond to the three questions there.  The poll can be found at http://www.mayomusic.org/polls.html

This will be the first of two updates this week so, email me your suggestions, and then check back again for more information.

Thanks!

Rehearsal Schedule:
6:30 Announcements
6:40 Separate into Sectional rehearsals
7:20 Convene for Mozart
7:50 Break
8:05 Holst Mars
8:30 Holst Jupiter

Another Fire!
Congratulations on pulling through yet another fire.  Yes, we had a fire alarm near the end of my first MAYO concert.  For some reason, we were allowed to re-enter the building while the lights were flashing and we restarted the final piece and finished with the strobe.  Alas, that wasnt' the case for our rehearsal.

The Really Important Things

Welcome to all the new players 

First, I want to welcome all the new players this year.  I'm truly excited about this season.  Welcome to all the violinists that I have met.  The heavy-duty brass section is going to sound great.  Now, for just two more French Horn players and we'll have the six we need for the Holst.  We also need a tuba player and more bassists and cellists.

Tuning and Intonation
Intonation is critical to our sounding our best.  I need for us to have the tuning be excellent and done as quickly as possible.  Wind players, listen to your principal and play into their sound.  Everyone needs to take personal responsibility to learn the notes, conquer the technical difficulties, and be ready to make the music what we want it to be.  Maybe we want to make the music dance, come alive, or go away.  Maybe we want to excite the audience or put them at peace.

To that end, I hope I am helping by publishing this blog with specific sections I plan on working in the coming week. 

Second violinists: don't worry.  We will have coaching for you the next few weeks to help you conquer the hurdles in your music.

Why Read This?
Each week, please:
- remember to check out our rehearsal schedule at the end of this blog
- use the rehearsal schedule to find the parts that are challenging for you
- listen to the music links provided here or listen to your own favorite recordings from the library or iTunes

Here are some links.  Please share other links that you feel are your favorites.  I promise to add them to this list.
Holst: Mars     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBbHcpF3nqo
                       http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NeQ1h6lzLI&feature=related
Holst: Venus   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzQ45P6KjTg
Holst: Jupiter   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6NopU9K_8M&feature=related
Mozart: Symphony 41, 4th mvmt http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1l2HQdZuV3U&feature=related
Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhyzk6Ty-Ms&feature=related
Elgar: Cello Concerto, 4th mvmt http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rjudv2woxQ

Rehearsal Plan
Please be in your seats at 6:30 with your instrument warmed-up, ready to tune, and ready to pay attention to any announcements.
6:30 Announcements and Tuning
6:40 Sectionals (Winds with Dr. Marchese in Jazz Room, Brass with Evan in Percussion Room, Cellists and Bassists in the Band Room, violists in practice room, 1st and 2nds will find space in halls, Jose will coach seconds)
7:15 Mozart (clarinets and lower brass continue sectionals)
7:50 break
8:05 Holst, movement 4, Jupiter (especially beginning to number 13)
8:30 Holst, movement 1, Mars (especially 5 to 6 for all those notes and 7 to 8 for exact rhythm and pitches)

Oh, and the first person to send an e-mail to me at jose@mayomusic.org or a message to me on Facebook indicating they read this will receive special recognition at the next rehearsal.  Even if you don't think you are the first to read the blog, send an e-mail.  Really, I want to know who is reading this.

Great First Rehearsal
I am really excited about the coming season.  Many of you made great strides during the summer break and it showed in our first rehearsal.  Based on this, I may have to change a couple things planned for the Spring.  We'll see.

This is what I posted to Facebook before I drove home to Indianapolis:
"Jose shouts 'way to go, MAYO!'  That was the best first rehearsal ever!  Every year, you all reach for more than before."  I still think that highly of our first reading.

Now, we will work on details starting next week.  I'm looking forward to it and I hope you will see the results in an ever-improving quality of preparation to perform in public.

Congratulations to the Concerto Competition Winners
I also want to congratulate our winners of the concerto competition.  Misha Sanderson won the Senior Division and will perform Zigeunerweisen  by Pablo de Sarasate.  And, JuHyun Lee, as winner of the Junior Division, will perform the 4th movement of the Edward Elgar Cello Concerto.  We will have music available in a few weeks.

Rehearsal Notes
Remember to work on the Holst this week as you practice.  Work carefully on the challenging part in The Planets, in the Jupiter movement, at number 17.  Ask your teachers for some help if you're having trouble with it.  A good fingering will help especially with the violinists and the violists.

Also, please listen to the music we will be playing.  Research through the public libraries or even through YouTube. 

Here are some links.  Share other:
Holst: Mars     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBbHcpF3nqo
                       http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NeQ1h6lzLI&feature=related
Holst: Venus   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzQ45P6KjTg
Holst: Jupiter   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6NopU9K_8M&feature=related
Mozart: Symphony 41, 4th mvmt http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1l2HQdZuV3U&feature=related
Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhyzk6Ty-Ms&feature=related
Elgar: Cello Concerto, 4th mvmt http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rjudv2woxQ

Rehearsal Plan
Please be in your seats at 6:30 with your instrument warmed-up, ready to tune, and ready to pay attention to any announcements.
6:30 Announcements and Tuning
6:40 Mozart (clarinets/trombones/tubas instruments will have sectionals on Holst)
7:30 Holst, movement 2, Venus
7:50 break
8:05 Holst, movement 4, Jupiter

Oh, and the first person to send an e-mail to me indicating they read this will receive special recognition at the next rehearsal.  Who will it be?

Thank you for coming to the 2009-10 auditions.  We enjoyed meeting each of you! The season is going to be a fabulous journey as we work on Mozart, Holst and more.  Tune in for the Maestro's weekly blog.