(no subject)
Today it snowed a little bit, and I've been listening to Christmas music all day.
Aaaaaaaand now I really, REALLY want to watch It's a Wonderful Life. Like, whoa.
Also.... Just read the bolded stuff. But this is too awesome.
Nancy Ditmer (nditmer@wooster.edu)
Wednesday - October 29, 2008 11:20 AM
Dear Scot Band members,
I've read all of the feedback received thus far and am not yet ready to make a decision about Sunday's concert, but wanted to respond to the primary things that I'm hearing. I also want to say how much I appreciate your thoughtful and understanding responses to my inquiry. Those who have responded have shown excellent maturity and understanding in what you are saying.
Some have suggested having the band play softer, which is certainly a reasonable idea; however, it's also pretty difficult, if not impossible, to do that all of a sudden when the band has been asked to play strongly all year long. I'm not suggesting that it can't be done, but to suddenly expect people to completely change the way they play is difficult.
Numbers of you have suggested having the concert in Gault or Freedlander, but netiher of them is large enough. The band would not begin to fit on either stage, so those are pretty much out of the question. Another suggestion is to have the concert outdoors, which might be okay for us, but I worry about family members, especially grandparents, when the temperature is predicted to be in the 50's on Sunday.
Quite a few of you have mentioned the importance of getting a recording, which I agree is a good idea and something that I truly want to do. Others have mentioned family members planning to come for the weekend and attend the concert, and some Seniors (understandably) would miss having the concert in their last year.
Keep the responses coming and I'll get back to you as soon as possible this afternoon. Right now I'm leaning toward keeping the concert in place so we can get a recording and meet the needs of grandparents and others who are less able to attend football games. Having said that, I remain interested in your responses and thus far I'm glad that I asked for input because of your positive and mature responses.
Sincerely,
Ms. Ditmer
Genevieve Pecharka (gpecharka09@wooster.edu)
Wednesday - October 29, 2008 12:22 PM
Ms Ditmer,
Is the matter of sound and too many decibels purely a problem for the band itself, or for the audience, too? In the past members of the battery percussion and pipe band have worn earplugs when playing in McGaw Chapel... and I was just wondering, ridiculous as it sounds, if the rest of the band could possibly subscribe to this method when the pipers (whose decibel output is something far beyond the "safe" range) are playing, or when percussion cadences are going on. The drum majors, who are right in the middle of our blast, could probably even wear earplugs throughout the performance. (I'll probably be wearing them for the majority of the concert.)
Obviously that's not a total solution, seeing as how the audience would probably still be deafened, and there's the problem of obtaining said earplugs... but it would be better than my other suggestion, which would be to try the PEC's gymnasium. Its acoustics are probably as bad as or worse than McGaw, and it might not even be available.
Personally, while I would miss having a recording of the band, I am not against cancellation of the concert itself. But I would much rather it not be in McGaw, or that we find a way to dampen the sound there.
Thanks, and best of wishes with the decision!
~Gen
Nancy Ditmer (nditmer@wooster.edu)
Wednesday - October 29, 2008 2:24 PM
Dear Scot Band members,
Again, I thank you for your mature, thoughtful and gracious feedback. I think the best thing to do on Sunday is to have the concert as planned for lots of reasons that you have given me, particularly related to family attending, etc. I know that McGaw has always been a problem, but this is the first time I've been in there with the band since the renovation and it did seem worse than ever.
Several things will help, I think. First, I suggest that you all get some earplugs to wear during the concert (a horrible thing for a music teacher to suggest to musicians, I admit); we'll have the ushers suggest to people that they sit in the upper sections; we'll do our best to play somewhat softer, although that's not easy to do when you've been trained otherwise; and I'll see if I can get a quantity of earplugs someplace to offer to audience members who might be concerned.
I agree with what each of you has said, and there are clearly two sides to these issues, but I do believe that it is rather late to be canceling the concert and I think it is better to err in the direction of keeping it rather than changing at this late time. Next year, if no improvements have been made to McGaw, then we just won't put a marching band concert on the schedule, but will perhaps have a recording session at some other time.
The bottom line is that this wasn't an easy situation to find ourselves in, and what we need to do is to fulfill our commitment and learn from this as well as to hopefully draw some attention to the issues, which I'll tell you more about when I see you tomorrow.
Thanks again for your kind and thoughtful comments. We'll rehearse America Fantasy, Bald Mountain, the transitional 48 ct. drill tomorrow and Exit Scotland. It's supposed to be a very nice day, as is Saturday. If all goes well, we should finish rehearsal tomorrow by 5:30 p.m. On Saturday morning, we'll have a report time of 9:45 p.m. On Sunday we'll have a report time of 2:00 p.m. for the 2:30 p.m. concert, and it really should be completed within an hour. Remember too that this is the weekend when we go off daylight savings time, so hopefully the shorter Thursday rehearsal, later report times on Saturday and Sunday, and the changing of the clocks will still put you ahead in time available instead of behind!
Take care and I'll see you tomorrow afternoon.
Sincerely,
Ms. Ditmer
WIN.
Aaaaaaaand now I really, REALLY want to watch It's a Wonderful Life. Like, whoa.
Also.... Just read the bolded stuff. But this is too awesome.
Nancy Ditmer (nditmer@wooster.edu)
Wednesday - October 29, 2008 11:20 AM
Dear Scot Band members,
I've read all of the feedback received thus far and am not yet ready to make a decision about Sunday's concert, but wanted to respond to the primary things that I'm hearing. I also want to say how much I appreciate your thoughtful and understanding responses to my inquiry. Those who have responded have shown excellent maturity and understanding in what you are saying.
Some have suggested having the band play softer, which is certainly a reasonable idea; however, it's also pretty difficult, if not impossible, to do that all of a sudden when the band has been asked to play strongly all year long. I'm not suggesting that it can't be done, but to suddenly expect people to completely change the way they play is difficult.
Numbers of you have suggested having the concert in Gault or Freedlander, but netiher of them is large enough. The band would not begin to fit on either stage, so those are pretty much out of the question. Another suggestion is to have the concert outdoors, which might be okay for us, but I worry about family members, especially grandparents, when the temperature is predicted to be in the 50's on Sunday.
Quite a few of you have mentioned the importance of getting a recording, which I agree is a good idea and something that I truly want to do. Others have mentioned family members planning to come for the weekend and attend the concert, and some Seniors (understandably) would miss having the concert in their last year.
Keep the responses coming and I'll get back to you as soon as possible this afternoon. Right now I'm leaning toward keeping the concert in place so we can get a recording and meet the needs of grandparents and others who are less able to attend football games. Having said that, I remain interested in your responses and thus far I'm glad that I asked for input because of your positive and mature responses.
Sincerely,
Ms. Ditmer
Genevieve Pecharka (gpecharka09@wooster.edu)
Wednesday - October 29, 2008 12:22 PM
Ms Ditmer,
Is the matter of sound and too many decibels purely a problem for the band itself, or for the audience, too? In the past members of the battery percussion and pipe band have worn earplugs when playing in McGaw Chapel... and I was just wondering, ridiculous as it sounds, if the rest of the band could possibly subscribe to this method when the pipers (whose decibel output is something far beyond the "safe" range) are playing, or when percussion cadences are going on. The drum majors, who are right in the middle of our blast, could probably even wear earplugs throughout the performance. (I'll probably be wearing them for the majority of the concert.)
Obviously that's not a total solution, seeing as how the audience would probably still be deafened, and there's the problem of obtaining said earplugs... but it would be better than my other suggestion, which would be to try the PEC's gymnasium. Its acoustics are probably as bad as or worse than McGaw, and it might not even be available.
Personally, while I would miss having a recording of the band, I am not against cancellation of the concert itself. But I would much rather it not be in McGaw, or that we find a way to dampen the sound there.
Thanks, and best of wishes with the decision!
~Gen
Nancy Ditmer (nditmer@wooster.edu)
Wednesday - October 29, 2008 2:24 PM
Dear Scot Band members,
Again, I thank you for your mature, thoughtful and gracious feedback. I think the best thing to do on Sunday is to have the concert as planned for lots of reasons that you have given me, particularly related to family attending, etc. I know that McGaw has always been a problem, but this is the first time I've been in there with the band since the renovation and it did seem worse than ever.
Several things will help, I think. First, I suggest that you all get some earplugs to wear during the concert (a horrible thing for a music teacher to suggest to musicians, I admit); we'll have the ushers suggest to people that they sit in the upper sections; we'll do our best to play somewhat softer, although that's not easy to do when you've been trained otherwise; and I'll see if I can get a quantity of earplugs someplace to offer to audience members who might be concerned.
I agree with what each of you has said, and there are clearly two sides to these issues, but I do believe that it is rather late to be canceling the concert and I think it is better to err in the direction of keeping it rather than changing at this late time. Next year, if no improvements have been made to McGaw, then we just won't put a marching band concert on the schedule, but will perhaps have a recording session at some other time.
The bottom line is that this wasn't an easy situation to find ourselves in, and what we need to do is to fulfill our commitment and learn from this as well as to hopefully draw some attention to the issues, which I'll tell you more about when I see you tomorrow.
Thanks again for your kind and thoughtful comments. We'll rehearse America Fantasy, Bald Mountain, the transitional 48 ct. drill tomorrow and Exit Scotland. It's supposed to be a very nice day, as is Saturday. If all goes well, we should finish rehearsal tomorrow by 5:30 p.m. On Saturday morning, we'll have a report time of 9:45 p.m. On Sunday we'll have a report time of 2:00 p.m. for the 2:30 p.m. concert, and it really should be completed within an hour. Remember too that this is the weekend when we go off daylight savings time, so hopefully the shorter Thursday rehearsal, later report times on Saturday and Sunday, and the changing of the clocks will still put you ahead in time available instead of behind!
Take care and I'll see you tomorrow afternoon.
Sincerely,
Ms. Ditmer
WIN.