The ensembles
Six ensembles, one hall
Every ensemble has its own night. Most members play in one, and some in two.
Community Band
A full concert band for adults, most of whom played in school and haven't played in years. We seat you by ear, not by test.
Tuesday evenings
Adults
All levels
Youth Wind Ensemble
For high-school players who want a second ensemble beside school band: winds, brass and percussion in the same room as the adults on concert weekends.
Thursday evenings
Grades 9 to 12
Intermediate
Summer Winds
A summer ensemble for high-school players. Six weeks of rehearsals that end in a Saturday concert in the hall.
June and July
Grades 9 to 12
All levels
Brass Choir
Trumpets, horns, trombones and tubas in a circle of chairs, with one part each and a tune to chase.
Saturday mornings
Adults
Intermediate
Flute and Clarinet Choir
A small woodwind group that meets on Wednesday evenings and plays at the winter concert. There is a waitlist, and offers go out in order.
Wednesday evenings
Adults
Intermediate
Percussion Section
Snare, mallets and timpani, rehearsed apart from the band so every part gets heard. It is full this session.
Saturday late mornings
Grades 9 to 12
All levels
A rehearsal
How a rehearsal goes
The same shape every night, so a new player knows what comes next.
- 01
Step 1: Warm up together
Long tones and a scale, then the tuning note. New players tune with their section leader.
- 02
Step 2: Work the hard spots
The director picks two or three passages to slow down, and sections play them apart before the whole band does.
- 03
Step 3: Play through
The last half hour is a run of the program, start to finish, with a note on what to listen for next week.
Where we meet
One main hall and four small rooms
Ensembles rehearse in the main hall, with the chairs and stands already set out. Sections and lessons use the small rooms beside it, each with a piano and a window in the door.
Not sure which ensemble?
Tell us what you play and when you last played. We will suggest a night to start.