New England Music Festival Association, Inc. | |
June 2023 | Volume LXXXVII, No. 3 | |
John Deeb
New England Music Festival Association President
deebj@region10ct.org
(860) 673-0423, ext. 15419
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President's Letter to the Membership
New England Music Festival Association
June 17, 2023
A Note from Your President
John Deeb
President’s Message
As hard as it is to believe another school year has come and gone. It seems as though I was just writing this message, however the last twelve months have just flown by. At the time of this writing, the NEMFA Executive Board is preparing for its June meeting which will take place in Brattleboro, VT. The meeting will feature a packed agenda which will include items that will help to wrap-up the 2022-23 year and also to make preparations for the upcoming 2023-24 year.
Before this year comes to a complete close, I would like to thank Lauren Churchill and Amy Ranta as well as their entire team at Woodstock Academy for their hard work and gracious hospitality this past March as they hosted the 2023 New England Music Festival. Everything was planned and organized with an incredible attention to detail, and the festival went off like a charm. After their second time hosting, I am sure they would agree that hosting a NEMFA concert festival is an amazing experience. Securing locations for our festival remains one of the most challenging responsibilities of the NEMFA leadership. The success of the New England Music Festival is completely dependent on our membership stepping up and taking on the responsibility of hosting the concert festival. I know many of you would like to host it but aren’t sure if your situation will allow it. Please feel free to contact me at any time to discuss the possibility with no pressure to commit. You may find that it is entirely doable and a great fit for your program.
As the first year of my presidency of the New England Music Festival Association comes to a close, I would like to thank you all for giving me this opportunity to serve this organization for the purpose of making a difference in our student’s lives and for the benefit of music education in general. I welcome all of your comments and suggestions and look forward to continuing to serve the New England Music Festival Association throughout the coming year.
I wish you all a terrific break and hope that it gives you the opportunity to relax and reflect so that you are able to hit the ground running come September. Happy summer!
Musically Yours,
John
John Deeb - President
New England Music Festival Association
deebj@region10ct.org
(860) 673-0423, ext. 15419
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New England Band Directors Institute
July 13-15, 2023 - Keene, NH
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The New Hampshire Band Directors' Association encourages all band directors in the six New England states to attend the New England Band Directors Institute to be held July 13-15, 2023 at Keene State College in Keene, NH.
For more information, visit: https://dept.keene.edu/music/NEBDI-2023/
Reported by Lyvie Beyrent
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Paul Pierce
NEMFA Orchestra Manager
ppierce@windsorct.org
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March 2024 Orchestra Conductor | |
Dear NEMFA Members,
The New England Music Festival Association is proud to present Jonathan Taylor Rush, Associate Conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, as the conductor of the 2024 NEMFA Festival Orchestra!
To read Mr. Rush's full bio, please click here .
Paul Pierce is the Orchestra Manager.
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Justin Daly
NEMFA Band Manager
Justin.Daly@elpsk12.org
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March 2024 Band Conductor | |
Hello NEMFA community!
I hope that you are having a wonderful end to this school year. As the summer begins, I hope you will find time to rest and recharge.
We are looking forward to the 2024 NEMFA Concert Festival. The band will be conducted by Dr. Matthew Westgate, Chair of the Department of Music and Dance and Director of Wind Studies at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. He conducts the University of Massachusetts-Amherst Wind Ensemble.
To read Dr. Westgate's full bio, please click here .
I am looking forward to serving as the NEMFA Band Manager and to seeing you at the Concert Festival in March!
Sincerely,
Justin Daly
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Molly Clark
NEMFA Chorus Manager
mclark@huusd.org
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March 2024 Chorus Conductor | |
Dear NEMFA Members,
The New England Music Festival Association is proud to present Dr. Anthony Trecek-King as the conductor of the 2024 NEMFA Chorus. Dr. Trecek-King is the Resident Chorus Director of the Handel and Haydn Society in Boston, To read Dr. Trecek-King's full bio, click here.
Molly Clark is the Chorus Manager.
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Jazz Ensemble Report Matt Davide
NEMFA Jazz Ensemble Manager
jazzbandmanager@nemfa.org
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March 2024 Jazz Ensemble Conductor
Dear NEMFA Members,
That's right... you heard it here... NEMFA is adding a JAZZ ENSEMBLE during the 2023-24 school year!
The New England Music Festival Association is proud to present the very first NEMFA Jazz Ensemble, conducted by John Mastroianni. Mr. Mastroianni is the Assistant Professor in Residence of Jazz Studies and Associated Department Head for Undergraduate Studies at the University of Connecticut and the founder and music director of the Young Artists Summer Jazz Workshop. To read Mr. Mastroianni's full bio, click here.
Matt Davide is the Jazz Ensemble Manager.
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Lowell Mason House Report | |
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Consultants Actively Involved in Last Planning Steps
Things are happening at The Lowell Mason House! The projects was recently awarded a "Feasibility and Technical Assistance Grant" from the Massachusetts Cultural Council for $35,000.00. This matching grant covers the various expenses involved in working with consultants in the area of designing and planning the uses of the facility including architectural, surveying, electrical, plumbing, heating and HVAC, etc. With the completion of our project development plans, which this grant now supports, the final permitting process through the various agencies and stakeholders in the Town of Medfield should begin this summer. Electrical and water services have been installed at a rudimentary level along with a sewer hookup. Final plans for every room of the interior as well as the surrounding grounds are being closely examined.
The Lowell Mason House has raised over $530,000.00 up to this date for the purpose of turning it into a study museum and a meeting place for arts education advocates. We are grateful to the 15 music educators associations around the United States that have made contributions towards its restoration, including the New England Music Festival Association. Your continued interest and support in this project is very much appreciated.
Thank you for considering making a tax deductible donation today. Please make checks payable to: The Lowell Mason House, P. O. Box 913 Medfield, MA 02052. If you prefer, you may also donate directly online by going to our website at http://www.lowellmasonhouse.net . Your contribution is tax-deductible as a charitable contribution to the extent provided by U.S. tax
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John Philip Sousa National High School Honor Band Festival - 2024 | |
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The John Philip Sousa National High School Honor Band will meet in Boxborough, Massachusetts from June 26 to June 30, 2024 with the main concert event happening on Sunday evening, June 30 at 2:00pm in historic Mechanics Hall in Worcester, Massachusetts. Mechanics Hall is the site of many performances of the original Sousa Band. The National Honor Band was conducted most recently in 2022 by Michael J. Colburn, recent Director of the Butler University Wind Ensemble and former Director of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band in Washington, D.C. High school band students from all states and territories in the United States who are in grades 9-12 during the 2023-2024 school year are eligible to audition. Auditions for this band with take place at the beginning of December 2023.
The selection of Mechanics Hall as the main concert performance is significant because it was visited by the original Sousa Band, John Philip Sousa’s professional band 27 times in Worcester between 1892 and 1928. A plaque commemorating the historical significance of Worcester and Mechanics Hall to the original Sousa Band was presented to Mechanics Hall in 2019 by the John Philip Sousa Foundation and is prominently displayed there.
Information about auditions and participation in the 2024 John Philip Sousa National High School Honor Band will be available soon on the band website.
BAND WEBSITE:
https://www.sousanhsband.com
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