To be back in a high school music room, built at the same time by the same builder, configured the same way and using the same materials –working with a fabulous music teacher and other like minded people - well it creates an experience so familiar and so comfortable and so amazing that it is hard to describe it.
Janet Matthews
Canadian Co-author
Chicken Soup for the Canadian Soul
Resa's Pieces 12th Gala Concert:
All we can say is “Bravo”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That was the best concert I’ve seen in a long time!!!!!!!!! We enjoyed ourselves tremendously!! I will definitely be coming to the concert next year. We are sorry we didn’t hang around after the concert, but there were too many people.
It was a very enjoyable evening!!!! Thanks sooooooooooooooo much for the tickets! We were singing the tunes all the way home and the cookies were a great treat for our walk home!
I just found out that I won a CD!!! I had the reader on my iphone... who knew??
Resa's Pieces Strings - 1st Gala Concert
Dear Ric.
This journey of a thousand miles including our first step would be absolutely impossible without your guidance and encouragement! You are truly the most kind and giving teacher and an example for all of us. We are the lucky ones to have you as our mentor.
Thank you so much for sharing your talent and your love for music. This journey would certainly be not nearly as joyful and gratifying without you and your baton!
Forever grateful, The Strings Pieces
Resa’s Pieces 11th Gala Concert:
What a night! Loved the venue. Worth the drive. Loved the choice of music. Loved the quality of the music. Loved not having an intermission. Loved the goodies at the reception, All in all, just loved it! Can't believe the evening went by so quickly. The sign of a great concert. You left everyone wanting more. The best way. —M G
I can not stop thinking about last evening's concert!! David and I were blown away! It was absolutely amazing from so many perspectives. You are exceptionally talented, but also, able to motivate and encourage your "pieces" to shine, enjoy, and learn. How lucky they are to have you--and vice-versa.
Kudos to you! I wish I could play an instrument. —M G
Hello Resa, I absolutely loved your concert. It was an evening full of complete love, joy and accomplishment. Well done and congrats! You are amazing. —J F
BRAVA, BRAVA, what a great night of music Resa. The band is really really great. It was a fun, toe tapping, hand clapping evening and I enjoyed every minute of it. —JG
I'm blown away! Your concert was incredible tonight! I'm so impressed. I love the selection, your speeches and the visual effects. Very pro! You and your band have come a long way. Mazel tov! —JZ
Once again, Resa's Pieces were outstanding. They all did such an amazing job...when the lights went out, staged open wide...my G-d...you all looked so professional and polished! I can only imagine how much hard WORK that took!! Ed and I enjoyed the venue too! All the melodies were great...but I loved the symphony of sitcoms...I'm an old fan of them all.
We look forward to many more of your spectacular, hardworking concerts. Ed and I wish we could play an instrument...but we take pleasure in watching those that can!! —RF
We really enjoyed the concert last night. Every year we say it is the best yet; it truly was the best once again.
Thanks for allowing us to have the pleasure of an evening of music and fun.
Phyllis’ touch of honouring your special birthdays was lovely. —B and J
Thank you for inviting us to the Concert. We had an amazing time and really enjoyed the music. Please keep up posted for future performances. —V and G
Rena and I would like to thank you for the invitation to your concert it was truly lots of fun. All of you were just great and your solos were performed in an exemplary fashion.
CONGRATULATIONS!! —R and S
I'm so sorry that I didn't get a chance to speak with you last night after the FABULOUS concert.
I haven't actually sat through many concerts because I'm either conducting or playing my trumpet. I make a MUCH better musician than I do audience member because all I wanted to do is come up on stage and join in the fun. Everyone looked like they were having a blast and I couldn't believe how much the group has improved over the many years. It was an absolute thrill to hear everyone play so well and the song selections were wonderful. There was some very challenging repertoire played last night and everyone rose to the challenge.
It was great seeing Resa in action and I know that her love of music is contagious. The phrasing, dynamics, cutoffs, articulation, tone, and all of the technical "things" didn't go unnoticed last night. I realize all of the hard work that goes into a performance such as this, and Resa and all her Pieces should all be highly commended. BRAVO!!!!
Congratulations on such an incredible performance and thank you for allowing my best friend Sylvia, her 89 year old father George, and another good friend Linda, to join you for such a fun-filled and entertaining evening. I feel very fortunate and very lucky to have won the 4 tickets.Thank you again. —SG (winner of the Win 4 Tickets contest)
Comments from 2009 Concert Season
From Members, Past members and Future members: We hit the mark !!My family said we were significantly better than last year( and they thought we were good last year!) Thrilled with the performance last night!!!!!!!! First of all, I just want to thank all of you for not only welcoming me with open arms into your band but for allowing me to be part of such a spectacular evening! It was so exciting to be part of a group that plays so well together! My family absolutely LOVED it!!! WOW! What a great evening. It has been a great experience and just what I needed to keep those brain cells working. Allow me to add my congratulations to the many you have received. The concert was great, the band was really together and the audience loved it. The audience appreciated participating in the action and loved the final big bang finish I'm depressed today cuz its all over I came out to see your concert last night. Looks like you folks have a lot of fun!
"Bravo" to all on an exceptional performance last night. Everyone sounded great, and the band as a whole was clicking on all cylinders (or on all wood-blocks, as the case may be...). I've enjoyed playing with you for the last few months. Enjoy the summer hiatus Ladies, tonight was awesome! The band sounded awesome and I was sitting out there wishing I could be up there with you playing away and having a great old time I know I said it tonight, but I have to say it again. I need to come back...I know that now.
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We loved the concert on June 2. The orchestra, which was great last year, improved so much that we were amazed! The selection of pieces could not have been better and all this made for a very happy and enjoyable evening for us. We loved the solos and the audience participation. We felt like kids again. Very important was the way Resa introduced everything and her humor in talking to the audience. She has a great personality and this definitely can be felt and added to the wonderful feeling that pervaded the concert hall.
Congratulations and we are looking forward to next year. All the little and big innovations were loved and enjoyed and again we congratulate you all and we realize how much work and thought goes into the evening. It's appreciated!!!
Your concert last night was terrific, especially Concierto de Aranjuez and the solo by John Liddle. Resa’s Pieces gets better and better every year. Congratulations and continued success! Sharon and Lorne Shapiro
Dear Maestro, You were at the top of your game last night! Not only did you direct the band with great confidence and poise, but your announcements to the audience were concise, explanatory, and with enough emotion to sell boxes of Kleenex! It was a terrific evening, and I congratulate you on your accomplishments with the band over the last 10 years, Resa. Best wishes, Harvey Silverstone
I would like to thank you for the amazing performance you and your band gave yesterday night! Guille and I enjoyed it so much! It was fun, entertaining, with beautiful repertoire, terrific musicians and a wonderful director!! What a great idea ... the bags at the end.... that was so much fun! Looking forward for next year's Resa's Pieces Concert!!! All the best, Grace S. Tetelbaun
Hi Resa I couldn't wait to tell you what a wonderful evening it was - everything was perfect - the music, the performance, the ambience, the spirit and especially you. You're very talented and devoted and you handled everything so well and smoothly. It was a real treat to attend and share it with you and all your fans. Elaine Silver
Congratulations!!!!!
You all must feel so great about your concert. What fun! Did you hear me yell BRAVO!!!!!
It was so great to see all of the musicians enjoying playing their instruments! What an extensive repertoire!
If there was a favourite part, it was the second presentation of the Big Band music! And of course, the trumpet solo with your partner. That guest musician plays well too…… The finale with the canons was great!!!!!! Thanks for inviting us! Bryon
What a success tonight was! I am glad to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the evening and had fun throughout! You deserve every success tonight brought. I want to thank you on a personal note too, for giving me the chance to come back to music in a fun environment. It felt good to be a Resa's Pieces on stage tonight, and I am glad for the connections I've made with band members over the season. Bernadette King
You wowed us this year. The best one yet. A fabulous choice of songs!! I am very proud of you. Eddie Gelbart
Hi Pieces, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to everyone for presenting me the Certificate of Distinction prior to the concert. When I joined the band a couple of year ago after being approached by Resa (you're the best), I just anticipated getting back to playing my saxophone after 37 years. But I discovered as time went on that there was a vision for the band which was accompanied by a lot of enthusiasm and devotion as to the direction that the band was striving for. I am grateful for the privilege of being apart of developing this vision and working with Resa and Ruthie and the rest of the Executive and Board. As for the concert, it was FABULOUS and a lot of FUN. Have a wonderful summer and see you all in September (as the song goes). Sincerely, Ed (Noy) Resa we are so proud of you! The band has never sounded better; it was a wonderful evening! Ellen and Sam Reiss
Comments from 2008 Concert Season
Every year I tell you how proud I am to know you. This year was more special because I was able to tell my grandson that I know you!! This evening was amazing. Your and your band are very accomplished and are wonderful to listen to. Sammy was so excited that he knew some of the music. His Dad is a fan of Queen and he’s seen the Star Wars movies. Thank you for a wonderful evening. Sharon
Dear Resa: Thank YOU! Your professionalism, infectious enthusiasm and warmth are truly inspiring. Resa's Pieces was a most wonderful experience for me; I thank you sincerely from the bottom of my heart for accommodating me and for encouraging me to stick with it. Washington Post was the watershed for me...I felt a huge sense of achievement when I finally succeeded in playing it accurately and to tempo and after that learned that most of the tunes were manageable given lots of practice...! However I'm sure I needed to practice them 10 times more than anyone else as my sight reading is really pretty poor. Let me know when you open up the Resa's Pieces West Coast franchise but until then very best wishes to you and the band. Please keep in touch and share RP news. I will try to make it for 29th if I'm around then. All the best to you and yours from a very grateful, Danny
Dear Resa: What a wonderful evening of music! Your enthusiasm and love of music pervaded throughout the orchestra as well as the audience! We thoroughly enjoyed the extensive repertoire and the passion with which your orchestra members played!
Congratulations are deserving to each and every member. Please pass on my thoughts and best wishes. Both my husband, Marc, and I enjoyed the singing, the klezmer, the relaxation and of course we are fans of our Chairperson Dorothy Shoichet.....outstanding!!
Resa's Pieces is a fabulous partnership with the Koffler Centre of the Arts, representing the joy that the arts brings into our lives!! I thank you for your vision and leadership!
Have a wonderful summer!
Tiana Koffler Boyman
President
Koffler Centre of the Arts
Dear Resa, Your wonderful concert is still playing in my mind and I have received numerous calls of praise for your hard work and the performance of the members of the band! Your choice of repertoire reached out to the entire audience young and old! The energy and enthusiasm of the band is a reflection of your charm and inspiration! You have imparted your love of music to them with your own unique talent of creativity and incredible motivational skills.
Resa, working with you has been an absolute pleasure from the outset! I look forward to yet another great season!!
May you continue to enjoy great success in all that you do!
Bravissima!
Adrienne
