2012 International Southern Wind Ensemble

Dear Southern Winds,
As I left Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp a couple of weeks ago, I noticed that the weather had turned quite a bit colder.   However,  I now have a very warm feeling about all of you and the tour we are going on this summer.   It was wonderful to meet each of you and your parents.   You are an outstanding group of young people and we are going to have an incredible trip together.   It is my hope that your experience with Blue Lake will be one of the most memorable times of your life.  

I would like to congratulate each of you on your work during our recent rehearsal.   It was, as you know, very long, but  I was amazed at how you stayed so focused during the day.   We accomplished a lot, and I now have a much better idea of where we are and where we have to go.    I am already looking forward to our next rehearsal  in April.   We should have our notes learned on much of the music by then, so we can start really putting the MUSIC  together.   That is the fun part. 

To give you some guidance, I am including a list of music to work on.   This list may change a little but it should give us a good start on the music we’ll do on tour.    We will read some more music in April and May.    We should have almost all of the music selected by the end of the May rehearsal.

On the reverse side of that list, I’ve included a brief message to each section.   Hopefully, it will give you some ideas on what to work on.    The biggest thing is ---- DON’T WAIT TO START WORKING ON THIS MUSIC!!!    These are difficult pieces, and it will take some time to get the notes learned and everything up to tempo.   We will strive for a standard of excellence on this tour, and it will pay off for all of us for the rest of our lives.

You might consider ordering a subscription of Smart Music to help you with learning your parts.  This computer program is not expensive and you can use it to learn thousands of pieces of music. For more information, log on www.smartmusic.com
Again, thank you for a great weekend.   You all seem to be a lot of fun and I am really looking forward to getting to know each of you better.  I hope you and your families have a great November.   We all have a lot to be thankful for.

Sincerely,

Bill Monroe
Director, Southern Winds
Blue Lake International Program

A BRIEF MESSAGE TO EACH SECTION

  • Flutes – Lots of notes to learn.   Take it slow and then speed it up.  Everybody should be able to play with vibrato.  Work on projecting your tone. 
  • Oboes – You both play very well.  Make sure you both know the solos and think about which pieces you’d like to play first part and second part on.  Vibrato is a must.
  • Clarinets – LOTS of notes to learn.  Take it slow and then speed it up.  Everyone work on playing louder with a full tone.   We’ll get it quiet AFTER we put enough air through the horn.
  • Bass Clarinet – Take any high stuff you can’t play down an octave.  Big, rich, round, loud tone is what we’ll work with.
  • Bassoon – Learn all of the notes and then crank up the volume.
  • Alto Saxes – you play very well.  Now, work on projecting your sound out to the audience.
  • Tenor Saxes – you also play well.  However, always work to get a “round” sound by bringing the corners of your lips in and thinking equal mouthpiece pressure from all sides of your embouchure.
  • Bari Sax – WE NEED ONE.  ANY FRIENDS THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED?
  • Trumpet – Learn all of your notes.   1st trumpets practice every day to build your range.   2nd and 3rd trumpets, play with more volume please.  2nd trpts make sure you are not putting more pressure on your upper lip than your lower lip when you play.  Hold your instruments correctly. 
  • Horns –  You are both fine musicians.  I encourage you to work on playing with more volume. Play louder.  
  • Trombones – You rock, but you must play very loud on occasion.  Don’t be afraid to rule the band!  (However, know your notes before you lay it all out there)
  • Euphoniums – Great job last week.  Keep working to make sure you are both playing at a full volume.
  • Tubas – Excellent Tuba section.    Just come prepared in April.  If you find any tuba trios, we might be able to feature you in a concert.
  • Percussion – You worked so hard to cover the parts at our rehearsal.  Congrats on a job well done.  

For the entire band ......

We are still hoping to add students to the horn, trumpet and percussion section. If you have friends that might be interested in joining us on tour, please have them contact the Blue Lake International Office at (800) 221-3796.

Learn your notes and rhythms well.   Make sure your tempos are correct.  We’ll put the rest of it together in April.  Enjoy the musical adventure.

Music to practice before the April rehearsal

Selections from the Lion King – John/Zimmer/Custer
Second Suite in F – Holst
Arabesque - Hazo  
Flores de Espana – Perez Chov
El Relicario – Padilla
Sun Dance – Tichelli
Royal Welsh Fusiliers - Sousa
From Canterbury Lane – Arens
…..and the Antelope Play…. Carnahan

Other selections still under consideration are –

First Suite in Eb – Holst
Prelude, Siciliano, and Rondo – Arnold – yet to be passed out.
Stars and Stripes Forever – Sousa – yet to be passed out.
Roller Coaster – Schwarz
Sway – Gimbel/Ruiz – yet to be passed out.
Summertime – Vocal Solo – yet to be passed out

William Monroe, Music Director

William H. Monroe II is currently the Director of Bands at Midland High School in Midland, Michigan.  He also teaches band at Jefferson Middle School and several elementary schools in Midland.  Mr. Monroe attended Michigan State University where he received his Bachelor of Music Degree in 1981.  In 1986 he received his Master of Music Education Degree from North Texas State University in Denton, Texas. He has since taken numerous post-graduate classes at Central Michigan University.  Prior to his appointment in Midland, Mr. Monroe has taught in the Pennfield Public Schools near Battle Creek, Michigan, the Irving Public Schools in Irving Texas, and the Iowa Park Public Schools in Iowa Park, Texas. During his undergraduate career, he was a member of the Michigan State University Spartan Marching Band, where he served as Band President in 1980. He has since served as Bass Trombonist with the Wichita Falls, Battle Creek, and Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestras, the Brass Band of Battle Creek, as well as several ensembles in Midland. Mr. Monroe has also been an active member of the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association, holding several district offices over the past twenty-eight years. He has been President and Vice President of the Michigan State University Alumni Band Association.   Since his college years, he has been on staff at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp as a counselor, international program camper, camp director, and most recently, ensemble director.    This will be Mr. Monroe’s first tour leading the Southern Winds.