Members Info

Signing up for our members-only email list

The Band has a private email list which we use for updates on concert cancellations, upcoming events, and rehearsal playlists. To receive these important messages you must sign up by sending an e-mail to mcband-subscribe@yahoogroups.com telling us your name and which section you’re in. (Already signed up? Click HERE to be transferred to the group login page.)

Percussion equipment moving roster

The current version of the roster for moving percussion is available here.

Loaner Instrument Policy

The current version of MCB’s policy on its loaner instruments is available here.

Maps for our shows

Click ‘view larger map’ on a particular map to go to a full-sized one where you can also get directions to the concert.

Flato Markham Theatre

Markham Fair

Markham Village Festival (Main St Markham and Robinson)

Orillia Aqua Theatre

RAIN LOCATION for Orillia

Details in the event of rain for Orillia

Doors to the Opera House will only be open at 5:30pm for load in. Band members can enter via the elevator entrance or front door. The elevator entrance is through the double doors – with windows – toward the back of the Opera House, directly across from the Library entrance in the parking lot.

From the elevator, the stage is on the 3rd floor. From the front entrance or ground floor, the stage is on the 1st floor (meaning up the stairs and through the double doors).

Unionville Millennium Bandstand

Chartwell Woodhaven Long Term Care, 380 Church Street

Message from Doug – Sep 20

By the time you see this, the recording of Monday’s rehearsal (lightly edited for time) will be in Dropbox / MCB Shared Folder / rehearsal recordings. If you’ve got access to Dropbox, have a listen. There is certainly a wide variety of success demonstrated! Rhythmic ensemble and tuning are still a problem in 12 Seconds, and I think that’s directly related to the technical challenges. Please take the time to simplify as needed, so that every note you play is great. As you’ll hear from the recording, it’s pretty messy right now.

When I listen to rehearsal recordings, I’m always surprised by the things I didn’t notice. It’s a good reality check.

If you’d like access to Dropbox, please email me directly.

Reminder- 5 – 6 pm Saturday, Sept. 29 is Markham Fair. Green tops, khaki bottoms, bring a music stand

We’ll have parking passes at the next rehearsal. It’s always a fun show, and we get exposure to a whole new group of people. As usual, it’s in the Entertainment Tent, so the gig is rain or shine. The worse the weather, the bigger the audience. Here’s the playlist- a bit long, so depending on the crowd we might trim it:

Lion King

Eubie

Deep Purple

Liberty Bell

Jersey Boys

Invercargill

Time Warp

21st Century

Happy

Bob Seger

Rolling Stones

Instant Concert

And finally, here’s the playlist for our next rehearsal- which is our last working rehearsal before the show. After this, just the show run on Oct. 1!

Disney Villains

12 Seconds

Phantom

Solid Men

King Kong

Frozen

Day at the Circus

I’ve attached a 201810 – Heroes and Villains PDF of our October flyer. Please start promoting our show, and encourage advance sales. The MCB exec is trying some new avenues for ticket sales,

and we’re hoping for a large house. Remember that last year’s October show sold out! This year, children under twelve (accompanied by an adult) are free, so make that a big selling point to your friends with families.

Message from Sharon – Sep 16

Another reminder that membership fees are due by September 30th. Thank you to those who have already paid. Fees for band members are $100 ($25 for full-time students) which can be paid in cash, cheque made payable to Markham Concert Band, or **NEW FOR THIS YEAR** – electronic transfer. I will be collecting fees again at break during Monday night’s rehearsal. For those who are interested in the electronic transfer option, I will provide instruction again on Monday night.

For new members joining at this time of year, fees are not due until after their six week probationary period.

Also, please note that a donation receipt will be issued to members for any amounts paid in excess of the fees required. Thank-you in advance for your generosity!

Message from Doug – Sep 16

Many thanks to all who helped on this busy weekend.

The Woodhaven show went very well, and several residents made a point of thanking us for coming. (Sharon, I’ll bring our remuneration tomorrow.)

The musicians that helped at Terry Fox today created a sound that belied our small numbers. It’s great to know that we can send a subset of MCB to locations with a limited footprint for us and still have an effective performance.

And finally, I received a nice note from our former bassist Joanne Pyke. She’s enjoying keeping track of our adventures through social media. Joanne recommends the blogs and courses of Noa Kageyama- “the Bulletproof Musician”- which deal with improving your performing skills.

https://bulletproofmusician.com

The site wants your email address, and markets an on-line course. I’m not familiar with the site, and there’s not a lot available from independent reviews. If anyone signs up, please share your experiences.

Due to a shoulder injury, Kathy Devine (plays in the North Toronto Community Band) has decided to downsize to a 3/4 Tuba. I Cc’d Kathy here. Kathy’s interested in selling her full size Jupiter Silver, 4 Valve. Purchased new in 2006, value was $6,000 at the time, now asking $2,000 (negotiable).

If you’re interested, please email Danny Wilks at wilkstrom@hotmail.com

Confirmed gigs for 2018 – 2019:

Saturday Sept. 15: Chartwell Woodhaven Long Term Care, 380 Church Street, Markham, 2 pm. Rain date is Sept. 22.

Sunday Sept. 16: Terry Fox Run, likely 8:30-10 am
Saturday Sept. 29: Markham Fair, likely 5 – 6 pm
Sunday Oct. 14: Markham Theatre, 2 pm
Sunday Nov. 25: Markham Theatre, 2 pm
Sunday March 3, Markham Theatre, 2pm
Sunday May 5, Markham Theatre, 2 pm.

Date to be confirmed- Music Alive festival, sometime around April.

We’re continuing to investigate a warm-up gig on each Saturday before each theatre show, and extra Christmas shows, hopefully on Monday nights in December.

A request from one of our members who is sensitive to scents. Please avoid using perfume or cologne if you’re coming to one of our rehearsals or shows. Many thanks!

Metronome marking for 12 Seconds. All are quarter =.

B0: 56

B10: 72

B30: 152 – 172 (a range as yet to be determined. 172 if possible)

B123: 60

B129: 48

B149: 48 with accel. poco a poco

B161: 132 with accel continuing

B169: 160 with accel continuing

B175: 180 (the takeoff)

B188: 152

B224: 152 – 172

B263: 56

B280: 120 – 152

B288: 152 – 172

B298: 172

Listening Guide to “Twelve Seconds to the Moon”

Big picture: this Robert W. Smith band composition is described by the composer as “a celebration of man’s conquest of the sky and heavens above”. Elements of the piece include a representation of the Wright Brother’s first manned flight- which lasted twelve seconds- and the lift-off of the first manned ship to the moon.

Here’s a time-stamped set of the various sections of this piece.

0:00 Solo horn. Perhaps p.o.v. on Earth’s moon, with Earth filling the sky

0:35 Hymn of Flight. Caveman sitting on a cliff edge, his feet dangling over the edge, watching birds of prey soar in the wind currents. Changes to our caveman standing with his arms extended, wondering if he could learn to fly.

1:44 Here’s the hustle and bustle of the 1969 Kennedy Space Centre, pre-launch. Various shots might include exterior panoramas of Apollo 11 on the launch pad, and long shots of vehicles and people rushing around.

3:26 Closeup on people in the Kennedy Space Centre- scientists with test tubes and bubbling beakers developing fuel, and rows of people at video screens.

4:40 Travelling back in time to the Wright Bros. workshop, 1903. Two men toiling quietly, constructing a device that will make the first powered flight. At the end of this section, the final hammer stroke is made, and they are ready to try their first flight.

7:30 Pushing the vehicle out to the testing grounds, faster and faster, excitement is building.

8:33 Airborne- for twelve seconds! Perhaps a bird looks in, shocked to see that its space is now shared by man.

8:57 A celebration of success- the two brothers, standing with their arms around each other’s shoulders, gazing into the heavens.

9:58 Back to 1969, just before launch. Lots of busy people.

11:01 The launch of Apollo 11. Perhaps captured a few meters off the ground, lots of smoke and fire.

11:32 Outer space- success!

12:05 Landing on the moon. Perhaps the “one small step” moment.

13:18 A final image to leave the audience smiling- perhaps our caveman from the beginning has glued bird feathers to himself and is madly flapping his wings.

So, if you’re not excited about performing Twelve Seconds to the Moon yet, consider playing the mp3 and read the timestamps to imagine what might be coming from Katarina.

Regards.
Doug