brassomaniac Posted December 15, 2007 Share Posted December 15, 2007 (edited) After spending the late Fall in the generously donated Waterford Central School Auditorium (THANKS!, Terry Stoliker), we are finally scheduled to start rehearsals in our new digs in the Town of Colonie. Colonie is a suburb located just over the western border of the City of Albany (where CB! proudly hails from!) and is the home of the South Colonie School District. Thanks to the aid of our contacts in the Town and the School District, we have secured the use of the band facilities at the Sand Creek Middle School, on Sand Creek Road. The school is minutes away from any of the 3 major highways that cross Albany and serve the Capital Region. And, the rehearsal space provided to us offers us a great environment to rehearse a brass group. Rehearsals will be held on Thursday evenings, from 6:30-9:00pm - beginning January 10. The site will be open at 6:00, to allow for set up and warm-up before rehearsal. Map and directions to follow. Some of the Brass Ensemble material we've begun, or will soon begin, work on: Hey Pachuco!/Sing, Sang, Sung High Maintenance Hunting Wabbits The Brass-O-Maniacs: A Cartoon Symphony Batman Summertime The Grinch Peter Gunn Late in the Evening Chameleon Sidewinder A Nightengale Sang on Barkley Square Every Day, I Have the Blues Sway And new for the Alumni All-Stars parade corps: American Salute. The All-Stars will also bring back: Battle Hymn of the Republic America, the Beautiful All are welcome to participate in the parade corps for 2008. A positive attitude and the desire to do the necessary work to prepare for a great performance are the main requirements. A limited number of rehearsals and parades will be announced for the Alumni All-Stars. There are also a few openings in the Brass Ensemble. We have all parts covered right now, but we would add the right player to any section: including percussionists. And we have some great instruments on hand. A fair amount of practical playing experience and some formal music training are pre-requisites for the Brass Ensemble for 2008. Members should expect to be challenged with some moderately difficult material and a relatively large book. We are also still looking for a couple of good drummers to help fill out our new marching percussion ensemble. And, we'll begin rehearsing our new guard real soon. We have instructors and the first few performers in place. Please contact me if you're interested. NO experience is necessary for the guard. No travel. No large expences. Just some fun, local performances with CB! and the Alumni All-Stars. Edited December 15, 2007 by brassomaniac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brassomaniac Posted December 15, 2007 Author Share Posted December 15, 2007 (edited) Been pretty busy with my main gig the last few months. But, it's time to get to work on CB! again. We have made a committment to be in this for the long haul... methodically developing quality, entertaining brass and percussion ensembles... to explore and expand the performance venues for a local drum corps built for the 21st Century. Oh...., and to have a Ton of Fun!! Work on the 2008 book picks up again on January 10th. Not looking for a lot of people... just a few more good ones to add to the great bunch of characters returning from last year!!! Map and directions to follow. Edited December 15, 2007 by brassomaniac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OperationTaps Posted December 15, 2007 Share Posted December 15, 2007 After spending the late Fall in the generously donated Waterford Central School Auditorium (THANKS!, Terry Stoliker), we are finally scheduled to start rehearsals in our new digs in the Town of Colonie.Colonie is a suburb located just over the western border of the City of Albany (where CB! proudly hails from!) and is the home of the South Colonie School District. Thanks to the aid of our contacts in the Town and the School District, we have secured the use of the band facilities at the Sand Creek Middle School, on Sand Creek Road. The school is minutes away from any of the 3 major highways that cross Albany and serve the Capital Region. And, the rehearsal space provided to us offers us a great environment to rehearse a brass group. Rehearsals will be held on Thursday evenings, from 6:30-9:00pm - beginning January 10. The site will be open at 6:00, to allow for set up and warm-up before rehearsal. Map and directions to follow. Some of the Brass Ensemble material we've begun, or will soon begin, work on: Hey Pachuco!/Sing, Sang, Sung High Maintenance Hunting Wabbits The Brass-O-Maniacs: A Cartoon Symphony Batman Summertime The Grinch Peter Gunn Late in the Evening Chameleon Sidewinder A Nightengale Sang on Barkley Square Every Day, I Have the Blues Sway And new for the Alumni All-Stars parade corps: American Salute. The All-Stars will also bring back: Battle Hymn of the Republic America, the Beautiful All are welcome to participate in the parade corps for 2008. A positive attitude and the desire to do the necessary work to prepare for a great performance are the main requirements. A limited number of rehearsals and parades will be announced for the Alumni All-Stars. There are also a few openings in the Brass Ensemble. We have all parts covered right now, but we would add the right player to any section: including percussionists. And we have some great instruments on hand. A fair amount of practical playing experience and some formal music training are pre-requisites for the Brass Ensemble for 2008. Members should expect to be challenged with some moderately difficult material and a relatively large book. We are also still looking for a couple of good drummers to help fill out our new marching percussion ensemble. And, we'll begin rehearsing our new guard real soon. We have instructors and the first few performers in place. Please contact me if you're interested. NO experience is necessary for the guard. No travel. No large expences. Just some fun, local performances with CB! and the Alumni All-Stars. That's a great set list! Please keep us updated on your perfomance schedule. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brassomaniac Posted December 16, 2007 Author Share Posted December 16, 2007 (edited) That's a great set list! Please keep us updated on your perfomance schedule. Will do, Tom. I know that this set list is asking a lot from our members. But plans are to rachet things up to a new level in 2008, and the material is an essential part of that. Our brass line, though still small, has a higher performer level than what we started with in our inaugaral year, and I believe that everyone who is returning really improved their playing over the last season. In addition, we began fishing in some "new waters" late last season, and have begun to bring some fresh talent into the fold. I have pretty high expectations for our little group. But, of course, some hard work looms ahead. For those hesitant to try it, don't be intimidated by a long play list. If you can read well, and are not afraid of applying yourself to a worthwhile task, you'll fit in just fine. There isn't much in the book that is really hard. Just a lot of material. And those who want more of a part-time experience are welcome to participate in our parade performances. Just a few, tasty arrangements to learn and a handful of rehearsals. And you'll have a Ton of Fun! Edited December 16, 2007 by brassomaniac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brassomaniac Posted December 17, 2007 Author Share Posted December 17, 2007 (edited) Was asked to clarify what kinds of groups people will see from us this season. Capital Brass! will appear in concert and, possibly, contest appearances, with a large book of tunes to draw from. Plans are to use from 10 to 20 brass and 1 or 2 percussion in various types of local performances. We also plan to appear in several parades, hopefully with a new, marching percussion section. We hope to eventually expand the parade unit numbers to 32 brass plus a small percussion section and guard. We will combine, occasionally, with 20th Century Limited, to perform a short parade book as the Alumni All-Stars. In addition, the All-Stars will once again invite area alumni to participate with us in our annual reunion performance, tentatively scheduled for the Troy Uncle Sam Day Parade, in September. The CB! Mardi Gras Ensemble has left the dc stage and morphed into a "pick-up" BAND that we'll put together, as needed, to fill parade slots. It will continue to be the New Orleans-style, strolling jazz band that it kind of accidently developed into last summer. Players will be mostly drawn from CB! and BOM!. (Of course you'll also see BOM! in a limited number of appearances - likely including the Saratoga Race Track , for our 15th season! - not that THAT has anything to do with drum corps, either). that is all Edited December 24, 2007 by brassomaniac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brassomaniac Posted December 22, 2007 Author Share Posted December 22, 2007 (edited) Due to an un-avoidable conflict that has come up (I will be at trade shows in Dallas and San Antonio from the 3rd thru the 11th), the kick-off rehearsal for 2008 must be delayed until Thursday January 17th. Sure, they can do just fine without me. But I just really need to be there for the first rehearsal in our new home! Map and directions to follow! Edited December 22, 2007 by brassomaniac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dckid80 Posted December 23, 2007 Share Posted December 23, 2007 Gotta love those winter "trade shows" in warm weather places Tom. Good BBQ in Dallas is the original Sonny Bryans. Place looks like a tin shack on the side of the road but their brisket sandwhich melts in your mouth. If you have a group check out Paul's Porterhouse. Fabulous steaks!!! Plus they bring out a wheel of WI cheddar to start the meal off. As for SA, I don't remember the name of it but there is a great family owned Mexican place in the old market section. The Riverwalk is a fun place for drinks, a meal and people watching. The tough part will be choosing a place. Safe travels!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skylander Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 Due to an un-avoidable conflict that has come up (I will be at trade shows in Dallas and San Antonio from the 3rd thru the 11th), the kick-off rehearsal for 2008 must be delayed until Thursday January 17th.Tom,Another really fun place to eat in Dallas is Dick's Last Resort http://dallas.dickslastresort.com/index.php. Several of us went there in 2000 while at a convention and we literally had a blast. Also, if you go there and your wife accompanies you, tell her to bring an extra bra. If she embibes and has one too many she might leave the one she's wearing there. (nothing indecent... several bras were hanging on desplay there) Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brassomaniac Posted December 30, 2007 Author Share Posted December 30, 2007 Tom,Another really fun place to eat in Dallas is Dick's Last Resort http://dallas.dickslastresort.com/index.php. Several of us went there in 2000 while at a convention and we literally had a blast. Also, if you go there and your wife accompanies you, tell her to bring an extra bra. If she embibes and has one too many she might leave the one she's wearing there. (nothing indecent... several bras were hanging on desplay there) Joe Thanks Joe. (Un)fortunately, my wife has to work her regular gig while I hang around at trade shows for 2 weeks and eat too much (heh, heh, heh)! Most of my meals are pre-planned for me in Dallas (banquet and retirement dinners; provided breakfast and lunch) , but I'm going to try and check out the places suggested by yourself and Russ on my free nights. In San Antonio, I'm on my own, and staying close by Riverwalk. Sounds like I'll have lots of choices there. I'm already aching to get back here to get started on the new material. I'm sitting here putting the finishing touches on the closer right now. See everyone on the 17th!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skylander Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 Thanks Joe.Most of my meals are pre-planned for me in Dallas (banquet and retirement dinners; provided breakfast and lunch) , but I'm going to try and check out the places suggested by yourself and Russ on my free nights. In San Antonio, I'm on my own, and staying close by Riverwalk. Sounds like I'll have lots of choices there. Tom,There's also a Dick's Last Resort in San Antonio. It's about 4 blocks west of the Alamo on the Riverwalk! Remember the Alamo? 8| You'll find Dick's at No. 9 on the following Riverwalk map... http://www.thesanantonioriverwalk.com/maps...ptMapOnlyq5.pdf. We ate at Hooters on the Riverwalk (Rivercenter Mall), but we were not impressed! Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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