Next Open Band: TBA
The next date and program will be announced here as soon as another Open Band is scheduled. The tune list will be posted here about 4 weeks in advance. Meanwhile, here's the last one:.Program for October 16, 2024
* = Ball Dance.
Open Band tunes are all in the Blue, Red, or Green Barnes books. You can
buy the Barnes books either for ipad or in old fashioned spiral bound paper.
- Felix's Name Day* -- Green III
- Gypsy Round – Red II
- Horseplay – Red II
- Sarah – Red II
- Wrights of Lichfield* -- Red II
- Potter's Wheel -- Green
- Midwinter Maggot – Green III
- Come with Voices Singing – Green III
- Heather Towers* -- Green III
- Peter and Peggy – Red II
- Gold for the Mahieus – Red II
- Yellow Stockings – Red II
- Closing Waltz: An Early Frost (Midwinter Blossom) – Red II
Please also review dances on the GCD Repertoire List which we ask all GCD musicians to learn.
How Open Band works
Practicing
- Learn the tunes well enough that you can keep one eye on the Open Band leader for cues, and maybe occasionally watch the dancers.
- GCD often holds jam sessions that will be announced on this page and on the GCD musicians' page. You can host a jam too (or just invite a few friends to play together).
- You're welcome to dance for tunes that you'd rather not play.
Setting up
- Bring your music and a music stand. (No mics for the evening, it's all acoustic)
- 7:30 -- Arrive and set up in sections - strings, winds, squeezeboxes.
- 7:45 -- Tuning up, band leader instructions
- 8:00 -- The evening dance starts promptly!
During & after the Dance
- We are there to provide beautiful and dance-able music for the pleasure of the dancers.
- Listen to each other. Give those taking a solo, duet, or trio round some quiet space so they can be clearly heard.
- Keep an eye on the leader for guidance regarding: entrances, endings, dynamics, designation of what instruments are playing
- 10:15 -- the dance ends. Help with putting everything back in place much appreciated. Open Band is a challenging night for our sound and set-up folks!
Questions? Email or the