Dear friends,
One of my roles is to challenge the ensemble to be the best it can be. There is group from the band that consistently attends every rehearsal, bravo! Some professional musicians among us will have other commitments at times but are otherwise faithful in attendance. Still others have been erratic in attendance without notifying me. We all have moments when a family illness, especially with children or ourselves, requires us to address those needs.
At the beginning of this organization we established some guidelines for attendance, hence the sign-in chart. A standard of attendance for 80% of the rehearsals was established. There has been board discussion in the past about adhering to a more rigid standard but I have argued against it preferring a more humane approach. SCENARIO: If we had a rule that stated “If you miss 2 rehearsals then you do not play on the next concert,” THEN on a subsequent Thursday you are taken to the emergency room thereby missing that rehearsal, is it fair that you not be permitted to perform? No way!
So what’s the alternative? Here it is…let’s commit to be at every rehearsal unless personal illness or family emergency keeps us away.
Weak attendance makes us less efficient. FOR EXAMPLE: We had to use about 10 minutes of the dress rehearsal to reset the band because the third row was too large for the set-up. This should’ve been addressed at a previous rehearsal when everyone was present.
The LPCB should not be just another activity in one’s busy calendar, it should be THE commitment on Thursday nights. One of the personal benefits is that Thursday night rehearsal is therapy for all of us. I’ve had more than one person tell me that sometimes they have not felt like coming to rehearsal, only to show up and then be revived! The expenditure of the mental, physical, and emotional energy that it takes to rehearse in an ensemble is life-giving. We offer that life-giving energy to our community about 5 times a year, but WE are given that opportunity every week! Wow! Personally, when I pick up the baton and stand in front of you, I am instantly energized. I’m almost 72 years old. Have you ever seen me rehearse sitting down? I could do a 3 hour rehearsal on my feet and then go home refreshed.
These comments are not directed at anyone specifically but to all collectively for the encouragement of the organization as a whole. Going forward, let’s aspire to the highest standards as a community of excellence.
Jim