Well, that’s all, Folks!
What a season we had, eh?
Aside from promoting our band member’s theatrical effort (once I get the information to share), this will be it until we announce details for our 2027 season (usually available in late March – stay tuned!)
2026 Music
If you have not turned in your music, please reach out to us at info@mbmillenniumband.com so that we can make arrangements to retrieve the binder. Many thanks to those who have already done so!
Alternatively, Jeff will be at Westwood Community Band on Thursdays, so that’s an available drop-off point.
We would appreciate getting them back sooner rather than later as preparations for next season start earlier than you might expect.
Acknowledgements – You, the Band
I am, as ever, humbled and grateful to be among your number as part of this organisation. There is something unique about the culture we’ve built together in this space. It’s everything I’ve always hoped to find in a community ensemble and it’s been more rare in my experience than I would like.
Once again this year, I’ve been privileged to witness so much growth among you. We took on some challenging music! (I didn’t expect us to skew to that degree of difficulty at the summer’s outset, I promise!) And you all rose to the occasion. I know many of you put in time on your own to woodshed challenging passages. I know that some of you have taken on mentorship roles in sharing tricks and tips amongst your section (sometimes across sections!) All of you lead by example: in your professionalism, in taking risks musically, in being willing to be vulnerable together, and myriad other ways.
I want to thank each and every one of you for your time, effort, and the special sauce you alone can bring to our tapestry of sound. I know, sometimes, it can feel that your contribution to the concert band sound isn’t obvious, but I promise, we all notice when you’re not there!
I posted this last year and it bears repeating (I don’t think I can say it any better, so you get recycled material):
Everyone has made the job of organising so much easier. There are a lot of moving parts in getting the details straightened out, setting up, tearing down, etc. That you notice these things, recognise when there’s a gap, and step in to help without being asked is a tremendous credit to you. Whether it’s arriving 40 minutes before go time to set up chairs, staying late to tear down, car pooling, assisting the percussion with loading (they’re usually first to arrive to unload, bless their hearts), carrying gear to help bandmates, communicating amongst your section by text/email to ensure part coverage, etc, you’re all doing invisible labour that makes the band work so much more smoothly. You are the unsung heroes and I want to make sure you know that, while I don’t know all the details, I know they’re happening and it really does take a load off. Many, many thanks!
The Executive Committee
Please join me in thanking the executive committee members for their service:
Christina is our member at large. Her wealth of knowledge of the community band scene, what’s worked well in other ensembles, what’s failed spectacularly, not to mention all the people involved has kept the committee from wandering astray! We are grateful for her generosity with her experience.
Bruce looks after recording executive meeting notes, booking gigs, and collecting our booking fees. He ensures that the spaces we play are able to handle our number and that the chairs are suitable. He works hard to ensure that we stand the best possible chance to entertain our audiences and showcase the hard work we’ve done together. He’s also one of the founding members of the Early Arrivers Club and does a lot of set up on behalf of the band (which some of you may not realise).
Dave is our treasurer and looks after booking our rehearsal spaces (which can sometimes be more of an uphill battle than we’d like). Under his stewardship, the committee is empowered to make decisions that we feel will serve the band well and we’re always well informed of how our financial footing will be affected by these decisions.
Jeff is our librarian and webmaster. He does a tremendous amount of work preparing, scanning, and organising music mostly prior to, but also during the season. His efforts have helped us ensure the scores are well preserved, so they can be enjoyed by the band long into the future.
To the Executive Committee on behalf of the band: A thousand thank yous for all the work you do!
To the Executive Committee from me (Elizabeth): There aren’t enough thank yous to go around. I thoroughly enjoy working with each and every one of you. With each passing year, I appreciate the level of commitment to the smooth operation of the band, the dedication and caring each of you brings to the table, and your collective willingness to cover off as needed to keep the season rolling along as seamlessly as possible. All these things afford me the opportunity to focus on the music with minimal outside distraction – a luxury I don’t take lightly!
Final Thoughts
Again, I find myself feeling the urge to quote….myself. The following snippets come from last year’s final blog and remain true:
Working with you in this capacity has been the honour of my life.
You have all pushed me to be better.
I am at my happiest when we’re rehearsing together – learning together, laughing together, and sharing music.
Each and every member has touched my life in ways that transcend the work we do.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for this season. Thank you for being a part of this movement. Thank you for bringing your best selves.
I am so proud of what we’ve accomplished together in 2026!
Have a wonderful year, and I hope to see you in the spring!
Happy playing!
Elizabeth.
