New England Music Festival Association, Inc. |
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September - October 2020 | Volume LXXXV, No. 1 |
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Marjorie Rooen
New England Music Festival Association President
marjrooen@yahoo.com
(802) 442-6024
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Greetings NEMFA Members!
I hope you are all safe and well this new school year. It has been a very trying time as a musician during this Covid-19 pandemic. Many district and state music festivals have also been affected last year and this year. The New England Music Festival Association has been looking ahead to keep our festivals secure for you and your family. We will not be having our Annual Concert Festival again this year as there are too many variables between all of the states and schools to have our traditional Festival.
This year’s Solo and Ensemble Festival will be going forward through an online process. We will have adjudicators commenting on your submitted performances and scored. You will receive the feedback you have always gotten from NEMFA. We will also be giving out the annual Burton Cowgill Scholarship to our top senior vocalist and instrumentalist.
We are also looking to have virtual/online clinics/workshops during the Concert Festival weekend. We will be putting together our top solo and ensemble performers for an online concert. More details will be coming for those performances soon. We are still working on our online clinic/workshops for members and students during the Concert Festival weekend. If you have any suggestions please send them to me via email for the workshops.
I hope you like the new website!
Have a great year and keep the faith!
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2020 Virtual Solo and Ensemble Festival - Steffen Parker |
REGISTRATION OPEN FROM
OCTOBER 5 - 30, 2020
Looking for a musical event where your talented students can prepare and perform quality literature written specifically for their voice or instrument, will receive professional written and verbal feedback, have a shot at a scholarship, a chance to be selected for a special video performance, and possibly receive recognition as one of New England’s finest high school musicians? Then, your New England Solo & Ensemble Festival is the place for you and your students amidst the challenges that 2020 has brought us all.
This year’s Solo & Ensemble Festival will require a bit more technology and a bit less in-person contact, but your students will still be able to prepare and perform a piece from one of our wonderful repertoire listings, and have it heard and evaluated by one of our adjudicators.
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September 2020 - Orchestra Report |
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Scott Benson
Orchestra Manager
bensons@norwalkps.org
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The New England Music Festival Association is proud to present Allen Tinkham, Conductor of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra, (and Rhode Island native) as the conductor of the 2021 NEMFA Festival Orchestra! o read his bio, click here.
Scott Benson is the Orchestra Manager. PLEASE NOTE: When more info. about the Concert Festival becomes available, the membership will be notified.
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September 2020 - Band Report |
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Danielle Conerty
Band Manager
conertyd@hartfordschools.net
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The New England Music Festival Association is proud to present Dr. Matthew Westgate, the Director of Bands at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, as the conductor of the 2021 NEMFA Festival Band! To read his bio, click here.
Danielle Conerty is the Band Manager. PLEASE NOTE: When more info. about the Concert Festival becomes available, the membership will be notified.
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September 2020 - Chorus Report |
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Dr. Eddie Wilkin
Chorus Manager
ewilkin@arsu.org
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The New England Music Festival Association is proud to present Dr. David N. Fryling, the Choral Director at Hofstra University, as the conductor of the 2021 NEMFA Festival Choir! To read his bio, click here.
Dr. Eddie Wilkin is the Chorus Manager. PLEASE NOTE: When more info. about the Concert Festival becomes available, the membership will be notified.
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Do you remember your NEMFA concert festivals from the 1960's? If so, we could use your help with a research project is underway that is examining the life and legacy of the legendary band director at Ithaca College, Walter Beeler.
Thanks to a contact made for us by Frank Whitcomb, NEMFA's own Richard Ianni was interviewed for this project. We are still looking for former teachers and students who remember Mr. Beeler in one of our festivals.
Mr. Beeler guest conducted the NEMFA Symphonic Band twice: in 1961 in Rutland, Vermont and in 1968 in Barre, Vermont. Anyone who might know someone who attended either of those festivals either as a teacher or as a student and might be able to remember how well Mr. Beeler interacted with our students at this time, no matter how small the memory, is urged to contact me by email at treynold@worldpath.net or by phone at (617) 529-9402. Mr. Douglas Nelson, formerly of Keene State College, was a high school student in one of these NEMFA festivals and provided some interesting memories of Mr. Beeler. Thank you so much for any assistance that you might be able to provide in this request!
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Lowell Mason House Report - September 2020 |
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Attention all Music Educators ! “Call for Virtual Lesson Plans”
The Lowell Mason House is excited to sponsor a competition for music educators that recognizes excellence in teaching music in a virtual, online environment. We are calling for music educators to submit their very best lesson plan for teaching music in an online, virtual environment. The pandemic of 2020 has demonstrated the need for music teachers to be prepared to teach in virtual online sessions that are both engaging and enriching for students at all levels. Lowell Mason, who believed that it was important for every child to be taught music in order for them to reap the therapeutic health and wellness benefits of the power of music, would want to make sure that any instruction of music at all, no matter through what medium, should be of high quality and substance. Teaching music through the computer is just another vehicle for delivering quality music education. Three prizes of $2,000.00 each will be awarded.. ... Click Here to Read Full
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John Philip Sousa National High School Honor Band Festival - June 2021 |
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PLEASE NOTE: THE SOUSA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL HONOR BAND IS STILL SCHEDULED FOR 2021. ANY UPDATES WILL BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY. The Sousa Foundation is proud to present the 14th biannual edition of the John Philip Sousa National High School Honor Band from June 23-26, 2021, showcasing high achieving musicians from across the US. Due to the cancellation of the 2020 festival, all students that were accepted, have automatic acceptance into the 2021 festival, however we are accepting another full round of auditions as well. Check us out at http://www.sousanhsband.com. We are very pleased to announce that Michael J. Colburn former conductor of the "President's Own" United States Marine Band and former New England Music Festival Association Guest Conductor and Student member from Vermont will lead the 2021 John Philip Sousa National High School Honor Band Festival. It will take place at The Bromfield School in Harvard, MA with a performance at Mechanics Hall in Worcester, MA. We are hoping to get as many auditions as possible this year! Our goal is to represent all 50 states!
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