Jack Prindle, Music Director

It has been another active and successful year for our band. Since our last Annual Meeting in October of 2008, we have rehearsed thirty-six times and performed thirteen times. Our “formal concerts” have been arranged in four series, in which the same program has been performed in Enumclaw and either Buckley or Sumner. The first series was presented on December 7^th (Buckley) and 8^th (Enumclaw). The second series was presented on March 22^nd (Buckley) and 23^rd (Enumclaw). The third series was presented on June 22^nd (Enumclaw) and 29^th (Sumner). The fourth series was presented on August 17^th (Enumclaw) and 24^th (Sumner). We also participated in parades in Enumclaw on December 6^th and July 4^th. And we performed at the Tahoma National Cemetery on Veterans’ Day (November 11^th), at the Enumclaw Veterans’ Memorial on May 26^th, and at a “Welcome Home, Heroes” ceremony in Maple Valley on October 18^th.

Our concerts have continued to include solos and section features. Barbara Cotton performed a solo with the band on flute in the December concerts, and members of the flute section were featured in another piece. Karin Moses performed a clarinet solo with the band in our March concerts, and the horn section was featured in several other pieces. Jim Scherr played a solo on cornet with the band in our June concerts, and Doug Weeks played a euphonium solo with the band in our August concerts. Assistant conductors Stephanie Magnusson and Tim Fleming have conducted the band in several pieces over the past year, with great success.

We have also continued to have our indoor concerts professionally recorded and “archival” copies (not for sale to the public because of copyright restrictions) have been available for purchase by members of the band. We also held an “open recording session” of most of the summer’s music on September 14^th, so that our members could have keepsake recordings from the summer concerts. New for us this year: we’re preparing CD compilations of our “Holiday Favorites” from previous December concerts for sale to the public at our December concerts. If this project proves to be successful, we hope to do the same for our spring and summer concerts.

During the past year we enjoyed “snack and visit” gatherings at rehearsals on November 23^rd, March 15^th and June 15^th. I look forward to more such gatherings with my “band buddies” next year.

Since last October, we have added seven new members, but during the same time period we have also “lost” eight players. In terms of instrumentation, we added players of the following instruments: two clarinets, tenor saxophone, two trumpets and two trombones. The players we have lost played the following instruments: two flutes, clarinet, alto saxophone, tuba, string bass, and two percussion. Eight players have joined and then dropped from the band during year, some because of college attendance (flute, oboe, clarinet, alto saxophone, two trumpets, french horn, and tuba).

I’m happy to report that the band realized one of our most longed-for wishes this year: the purchase of two professionally-made banners, primarily for use in parades. The purchase was made possible by the extreme generosity of one of our members (who wishes to remain anonymous). I know the band will benefit from the use of those banners for many, many years to come.

I’m also very grateful for the help some people have provided help with some of the logistical details of concerts (publicity, moving equipment, set-up and takedown of the stage, program distribution, and donation collection). I want to especially acknowledge the help of Jack Datin (trumpet), Paul Jackson (percussion), Chris Spencer (percussion) and others in the loading and transporting music stands and percussion equipment for our concerts. Jack and his wife Kathy, and Dru Dubuque (alto saxophone) also should be acknowledged for ably managing the procurement, presentation, and sale of concessions at our concerts, which has helped earn some revenue for the band

Our webpage, on the Internet at <www.gatewayconcertband.org>, is a great resource for the band, providing concert dates, directions to rehearsal and concert sites, photos, and other useful information. Thanks to Todd Frazier (french horn) for so ably maintaining it.

I also want to thank those who have served so ably on our Governing Board, particularly Jack Datin and Doug Mitchell, who are due to complete their service on the Governing Board on November 1^st. Special thanks goes to Paul Jackson, who generously agreed to complete Karin Burns’ term on the Governing Board after she had to leave the band. Thanks also goes to our continuing Governing Board members: Don Harrington and Dru Dubuque.

We’re very lucky to continue to have the use of a full-function Canon copy machine (“Janet”), donated to us by Enumclaw Stationary. Unfortunately, it needs some fixing right now, but hopefully will be up and running soon. We’re also very fortunate to have the support of the Enumclaw School District, generously allowing us to use the band room at Enumclaw Middle School and their music stands and percussion equipment.

I have selected themes for the concerts for the upcoming year as follows:

December, 2009: “It’s That Time Again!”

March, 2010: “Springtime Sensations”

June, 2010: “Name Those Tunes XII”

August, 2010: “Summer Serenade”

In closing, I feel the band is in good shape, despite rising costs and the difficulties caused by the downturn of the economy. I fully expect the band to continue to grow and flourish for many years to come. Thanks for another great year of very satisfying and enjoyable music-making and for your help and friendship.