Spring, 2004
To the prospective Megaband member:
The Megaband is an all volunteer (i.e. unpaid) contra dance band open to
musicians at any level of experience on any acoustic instrument, and ability
levels range from beginner to profession musician. We have been in existence
since 1997. Since then, we have played 9 times for Portland Country Dance
Community benefit dances and 4 times at Folklife. We will play Folklife in 2005.
For the past several years, we have played the second Saturday PCDC dance in
March. Every time we have played, it has gone very well--the dancers have loved
it and all the musicians have had a blast. So far, we have always been able to
achieve a cohesive, tight sound. The first time we played, there were 25 of us.
In March 2004, we had 71 musicians and more than 500 dancers! The band is
organized and directed by me (Sue Songer). The more experienced contra dance
musicians are miked when we play. We have had 23 mikes in Portland and 17 at
Folklife. If you want to listen to sound clips of the band, you can find them at www.theportlandcollection.com/megaband.html.
Music and rehearsals:
About 4 months before we play the PCDC dance, I mail out the set list. We
draw from the tune book The Portland
Collection: Contra Dance Music in the Pacific Northwest, from tunes that
band members or I have learned since the publication of The PC, as well as from
tunes written by band members. The tunes that are not in The Portland Collection
are posted on this web site in a format that is easy to download and print out.
In years past, Betsy Branch and I have recorded a practice cd with all of the
sets played clearly slightly below dance speed. We sell this to band members at
a very low price, and they have found it very useful for learning the tunes. We
begin weekly rehearsals about 2 months before the dance (in January). Each
rehearsal lasts 2 hours and is held on Sunday afternoons from 3 - 5.There is one
required rehearsal the Sunday before the dance that is lasts from 1 - 5. In the
rehearsals, we work mostly on playing as a group and getting the right "feel"
for the music. Musicians who are new to the band should plan on attending at
least 5 of these rehearsals. I think that everyone finds them to be fun, and the
end product is very rewarding.
In addition, band members often host informal rehearsals to work on the tunes.
Communication:
This band is email run--virtually all the communication happens by email. If
you do not have email, please phone me (503-293-1446) so we can discuss the
other alternatives for communication. If you should change your email address,
don't forget to let me know. Otherwise, you might never hear from me again.
2007 dance:
The PCDC Megaband dance in 2007 will be on Saturday, March 10th at the Smith
Ballroom at Portland State from 8:00 pm until 11:00 (figure 6:30 pm to midnight
for the band). We will play about half of the same sets that we played this last
year--I don't know yet which sets will change.
How to sign up:
All new band members come into the
band through a waiting list. If you would like to play in the band,
please get back to me
at  if you have email or by phone if
you don't have email with your name, address, phone number, instrument, and
approximate level that you play (beginner, intermediate, advanced), and I will
put you on the waiting list for next year. There is a cap of 75 on the sign up
slots for the March, 2005 dance. Former members will sign up first (we must do
it this way since the band is very dependent on the experienced members being
able to carry the newer ones along), and then it will be opened up to those on
the waiting list. So far, almost everyone who has been on the waiting list has
been able to play. But if we have more people on the waiting list than spaces
available, there will be a lottery for admission to the band. Also, I encourage
you in the strongest of terms to go to the contra dances and join in some of the
playing opportunities listed below to get acquainted with contra dance music and
gain some experience playing it.
Other opportunities to play:
The Megaband will have a potluck picnic and jam session next summer, and, if
you have put your name on the waiting list, you will be invited to this. It will
give you a chance to learn more about us as well.
Flavia Moshofsky hosts monthly teaching sessions of contra music on the first
Wednesday of every month. Tunes are taught by ear by contra dance musicians
George Penk and Dan Compton. Cost is $5. Flavia can be reached at 503-244-7307/ for further details.
There is a contra dance (and other dance) music session at It's a Beautiful
Pizza, 3342 SE Belmont, on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month 8:00-10:30 pm.
Contact Rob Hoffman, 503-452-8780 /  ,
for further details.
PCDC hosts an open mike/open caller contra dance on the 5th Sat of every month
that has a 5th Sat. Contact me for further details about that.
I have both an email list and a US mail list that are of interest to many
musicians. These lists announce workshops for musicians, house concerts, and
other small concerts or sessions. If you would like to be added to these lists,
please let me know. Messages from either are infrequent--maybe one a month from
the email list and 1 or 2 a year from the US mail list.
I'll be happy to answer any questions not covered here--either by email or by
phone. Hope to see you when we begin our rehearsals again.
Sue Songer
503-293-1446
www.theportlandcollection.com
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