Rehearsal Reflections

As we are preparing for our Bass Hall Concert on April 2 (which may have happened by the time you read this), I am very much aware of how much effort people are putting forth, in the form of extra rehearsals, and additional practicing on your own time. 

I would like to take this time to provide some information about the role of concerts in our overall strategy. 

First and foremost, we are committed to “having fun with Scottish music” - our motto. For some that just means gathering monthly and playing tunes, and benefiting from occasional workshops. We also hope that some of our new website content, such as Alan’s Tune Tales, enhances the pleasure of exploring this music. 

For others, there is great satisfaction in meeting the challenge of preparing concert sets, and working hard so that we can execute them both for our own satisfaction and for the appreciation of our audience. 

The two are not mutually exclusive. At our sessions where we are rehearsing the concert sets, we anticipate everyone will want to do their best. Sessions generally also feature a workshop or a time to jam on tunes that are not part of the concert set, without the pressure of meticulous refinements. 

When there are additional rehearsals in preparation for a concert (or a series of concerts), we are expecting that (a) people who are not playing in the concerts will not attend, so that we can have the same configuration that will be at the concert and (b) that people who are playing the concert will make a commitment to being at as many additional rehearsals as possible. 

I do believe that as we all fulfill our goals of becoming better musicians, and as we develop stronger synergy with each other, that the need for many additional rehearsals will be reduced. We’ll have a cat in the bag, as it were. 

For now, thank you everyone for your outstanding dedication to having fun!

Gordon