A Tuning the Air Journal
Saturday October 2, 2010 – Monthly Open Circle and Performance Team Rehearsal
The Monthly Open Circle consisted of TTA company members and one returning visitor this month, so once again I elected to sit down in the circle and work as a player as well as directing the action. For the first hour we focused on various circulation patterns, with very satisfying results. Even the most complex patterns, once the team had internalized them, flowed very well and seemingly naturally. Before taking a break we worked with some cascade patterns, first in a whole tone scale and then in the augmented hexatonic scale we have touched on lately in the Voodoo Situation. Chris, the TTA Music Director sitting to my left, clearly heard/saw something in this exercise that would be useful in the Tuning the Air set.
Since the assembled group was entirely from the company, and the one visitor was keeping up very well, for the second half of the Circle I turned it over to Chris to continue presenting his arrangement of the de Hartmann piece, and we managed to get the entire form up and running. Some refinements yet, but essentially it is there.
From there back to my place for the final rehearsal before opening night. We will be able to run the set on Monday, but that is the dress/tech rehearsal, so this was our final opportunity to work out details. Bill was onboard to give us feedback. The first part of the rehearsal was all about getting Vrooom into performance shape, adding the cascade intro that appeared at the Open Circle.
Through the setlist, only pausing to focus on necessary details. Everything coming into shape, although every player was certainly making mental notes about things to focus on in their personal practice in order to be prepared.
Keeping the other new material up and on track, we ran as much of Neptune as we have memorized, and then Ninth Guitar E. The latter had a lot of life, even if not note perfect, and as a result it was promoted to encore material for Thursday.
We ended the rehearsal with some focused metronome work on a number of pieces.
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