Rehearsal Notes
Guidelines for Rehearsals
- Equipment
- Please bring your mutes and other equipment to rehearsals. Trumpets are good about that; trombonists are not, but we need to adapt to the muted sounds during rehearsal. [Disclosure: I play trombone and don't like to carry the things around either.]
- Music
- If you can't be at rehearsal, please see that your folder gets to rehearsal unless you are absolutely sure your part is covered. Either leave your folder the week before or give it to another band member.
- Attendance
- Sometimes we can't make it on time. Stuff happens. It does help if we all get started on time, though. Treat this as a word of encouragement. If you know you will be late or missing from a rehearsal, try to notify the Bandmaster.
Weather
Safety
Safety trumps "the show must go on". If you are uncomfortable driving or with the weather in general, DO NOT GO.
Cold
Rehearsals are cancelled if the airport temperature is -40 (F or C, take your pick) at 4:00 pm. The National Weather Service Forecast Office recording at 458-3745 extension 1113 begins with the current temperature.
Observations are updated hourly except between 10 and 12, both morning and evening (shift changes). Forecasts are updated at 5 a.m. and 3 p.m. Our weather display at the top of each page matches the airport recording. Click the display for forecast.
Rain
There is always a chance of rain for outdoor concerts. We do not play if it is raining, but summer weather can be very spotty around here. All too often, concerts have been cancelled early. Then the rain stops, the sun comes out, and an audience appears, seemingly from nowhere, and we are embarassed. Nobody likes that.
The current strategy is that a concert is not cancelled until concert time arrives, or even a few minutes after. If it is still raining, and fish are beginning to swim around on stage, the director (only!) can cancel the event. If we come prepared for the perfect storm, Murphy says it won't rain.
Snow, gloom of night
C'mon, folks. This IS Alaska.
