All the musicians out there will appreciate this joke that was sent our way.

In order to keep you abreast of the ever-developing world of musical terminology, we provide herewith the latest additions to the esteemed Harvard Dictionary of Music:

ALLREGRETTO When you’re 16 measures into the piece and realize you took too fast a tempo

ANGUS DEI To play with a divinely beefy tone

A PATELLA Accompanied by knee-slapping

APPOLOGGIATURA A composition that you regret playing

APPROXIMATURA A series of notes not intended by the composer, yet played with an “I meant to do that” attitude

APPROXIMENTO A musical entrance that is somewhere in the vicinity of the correct pitch

CACOPHANY [aka CACOUGHONY] A composition incorporating many people with chest colds

CORAL SYMPHONY A large, multi-movement work from Beethoven’s Caribbean Period

DILL PICCOLINI An exceedingly small wind instrument that plays only sour notes

FERMANTRA A note held over and over and over and over and . . .

FERMOOTA A note of dubious value held for indefinite length

FIDDLER CRABS Grumpy string players

FLUTE FLIES Those tiny mosquitoes that bother musicians on outdoor gigs

FRUGALHORN A sensible and inexpensive brass instrument

GAUL BLATTER A French horn player

GREGORIAN CHAMP The title bestowed upon the monk who can hold a note the longest

GROUND HOG Someone who takes control of the repeated bass line and won’t let anyone else play it

PLACEBO DOMINGO A faux tenor

SCHMALZANDO A sudden burst of music from the Guy Lombardo band

THE RIGHT OF STRINGS Manifesto of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Violists

SPRITZICATO An indication to string instruments to produce a bright and bubbly sound

TEMPO TANTRUM What an elementary school orchestra is having when it’s not following the conductor

TROUBLE CLEF Any clef one can’t read: e.g., alto clef for pianists

VESUVIOSO An indication to build up to a fiery conclusion

VIBRATTO Child prodigy son of the concertmaster

Hey band members,
 
Flute section member Bev Peterson here.  I currently work with Cascade Festival of Music, and have a great opportunity for you to plug your instrument and CWSB.  Read on:
 
Cascade Festival of Music is having a free Children’s Concert on Tuesday August 28 in Drake Park.  Before the afternoon concert, from 12:45 to 1:30, is a "Petting Zoo" – an opportunity to let kids check out musical instruments up close and personal.  Musicians demonstrate their instruments and can also let kids touch or try them.  Eli, CFM’s event coordinator, assures me that the trying/touching by kids is optional, but if someone has an old instrument to bring that might be better.  I am planning on bringing my current flute for demonstration purposes as well as my starter flute for kids to try.

If you are interested in participating/volunteering or for more information please email Eli Liliedahl-Allen at the festival office:  eli@cascademusic.org.  She would like to know your instrument as well as your mailing address.

Everyone is welcome to stay for the free concert at 1:30; Les Yeux Noirs, which is also playing the evening concert, will be performing.  Their music is a gypsy/klezmer blend that sounds like a lot of fun.  We’d love to see you there!  Feel free to pass thus info along to anyone with kids!

If you have an interest in performing first-rate, challenging wind band literature then the CASCADE WINDS SYMPHONIC BAND might be for you. The ensemble performs six concerts per season, rehearses on Thursday evenings at COCC during the school year, starting September 20, and welcomes new members on all wind instruments and percussion. For more information contact Michael Gesme, director, at 383-7516 or mgesme@cocc.edu.

Just a quick note from Michael Gesme, the Cascade Winds’ director, to the members of the band…

Wow! What a wonderful performance you gave on Monday night. I was downright tickled to be leading such a great evening of music making. I wish you could have seen the looks on your collective faces when you were done playing the Poeme Montagnard. I think that the smiles said it all and the audience loved it. Congratulations and thanks to each and every one of you.

My best wishes to those of you who are leaving us, and to the rest of you, I hope to see you again in the fall. I’ll be looking at next year’s repertoire over the summer, so if you have any suggestions please feel free to pass them along. (mgesme at cocc dot edu)

If you have any music from this past concert, or any concert this past year, please be sure to get it to me or to the amazing Jan Tuckerman as soon as you are able. As a music librarian myself, there is nothing more frustrating than not having a complete set of parts, and nothing more satisfying than filing a complete set away.

Lastly, I cannot recall who gave me the goat toe rattles that we borrowed, and I want to be sure that they are returned to the proper person. Please contact me if you are that person, or you know who that person is!

My best to all for a wonderful summer,
-Michael