Meeting with our scholarship winners

 

Over the past six years The Gena Branscombe Project has awarded scholarships to up-and-coming composers, conductors and arts administrators.  One of our missions is to stay in touch with our winners, post their accomplishments on social media and to meet them in person when the occasion arises.  We also try to attend their concerts or at least watch them live streaming!

Recently Co-Founder Dan Ryan and our 2020 Composer scholarship winner, Damali Willingham, crossed paths at a gig they did.  Damali was Assistant Conductor and Dan sang with The Refugee Orchestra Project on their March 1, 2026 concert in Methuen,  MA.   

Several years ago Damali rea
lized Gena Branscombe’s “Festival March/Prelude” from manuscript into a score for wind ensemble.  She conducted the premiere of that score at Berklee College of Music in Boston.  It’s been a pleasure meeting Damali for lunch or coffee and attending concerts she has conducted.  She’s been cover conductor for the Rhode Island Philharmonic, Assistant Conductor for the Lexington Philharmonic, and will conduct the Queer Urban Orchestra in June.  Way to go Damali!

 

To say that The Gena Branscombe Project is thrilled to have our 2025 Arts Administration scholarship winner, Lauren Koszyk, realizing Gena Branscombe’s unfinished opera score, "Bells of Circumstance" into a performable score is an understatement!  Lauren has been hard at work reading Gena’s manuscripts and entering them into Sibelius.  She will have a score ready for performance and publication some time soon!

In early March, Lauren was in New York City to study the

original manuscripts held at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center.  Meeting at the library we hovered over the scores and I was able to help Lauren decipher Gena’s words and manuscript writing. 

Not only was Lauren working on this project for her  doctoral degree, she was preparing her doctoral recital which she performed on Sunday, March 22^nd, but she also was studying for her doctoral comprehensive exams.  She passed!

We’ll be seeing Lauren in Picton, Ontario in August for the “From Picton to the World: Bringing Home the Music of Gena Branscombe” where at least two of Lauren’s realizations will be performed.

Our scholarship winners truly honor Miss Branscombe’s legacy of dedication and hard work.  It has been an honor to award these talented musicians The Gena Branscombe scholarships.  

Here are all of our winners thus far.  The 2026 scholarships will be awarded this summer.  

#BringingBackBranscombe

What a Difference 110 Years Makes

At times Ebay will offer wonderful treasures that must be purchased!  Two weeks ago Gena Branscombe's original published piano suite "In a Fairy Garden" appeared for sale.  Dedicated to her oldest daughter, Gena Tenney, who in 1915 was a four year old when Arthur P. Schmidt Company released it for sale. Obviously Gena knew her daughter's pianistic abilities when she composed these pieces.

Fast forward 110 years to 2025 when Eleanor Gummer of One Eye Publications in Whitby, Ontario republished "In a Fairy Garden" with a colorful fairy cover appealing to children and adult piano students.  With many thanks to Eleanor Gummer for her dedication to publishing Gena Branscombe's music in the 21st century.  

Over 100 years ago these piano pieces were charming and appropriate for young children or adults learning to play piano.  The same holds true today.  Music crosses the path of time to reach the depths of our souls.

#BringingBackBranscombe

 

From Picton to the World: Bringing Home the Music of Gena Branscombe

With a four day visit to Picton, Ontario, Gena Branscombe's hometown, Dan Ryan and I were busy meeting Mayor Ferguson, the Black Prince Winery, visiting Picton United Church with Debra Marshall showing us around, meetings with Picton historians Liz Driver and Peter Lockyer and being interviewed by the Picton Gazette, your TV and radio station County FM.  It was a whirlwind trip yet rewarding beyond belief.  

We'll see you in Picton on Saturday, August 15 at 4 PM at the Picton United Church for the "From Picton to the World: Bringing Home the Music of Gena Branscombe" concert.  Gena's music about Canada will be performed by local Canadian musicians.  And, the concert will come to a close with Dan Ryan teaching the audience three of Gena's choral works.  We will sing her work "Our Canada from Sea to Sea" to end the concert.  

Buy tickets at www.thegenabranscombeproject.com - see the flyer below.  

Now in the 21st century we invite you to join us as we re-introduce Gena Branscombe to her beloved hometown of Picton . 

Our TV interview with Your TV is hyperlinked below.  Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXZ27fK8-qI

 

The White Chapel - Picton, Ontario

 

Will wonders never cease finding Gena Branscombe items?  This past week in Picton, Ontario, Gena’s hometown, Debra Marshall of the Picton United Church and Liz Driver, President of the Architectural Conservancy Ontario Picton Branch, were touring the White Chapel.  The Chapel dates from 1809 and was the original Methodist Church building.

 

Both Liz and Debra are helping and supporting The Gena Branscombe Project’s concert, “From Picton to the World: Bringing Home the Music of Gena Branscombe.”  What great cheerleaders they are!

Back to the story!  Debra and Liz notice that a railing in the White Chapel has names carved or etched onto it.  Then, to their surprise, they look down and whose name appears etched on the railing?  None other than Gena Branscombe and Ted Hopkins dated 1894.  Gena was 13 years old.  The identity of Ted Hopkins remains unknown.   You have to look closely at the picture to make out her name.  

Though we don’t know a great deal about Gena’s younger personality, one can assume by having carved her name onto the railing…..well, she was a teenager with a mission of being remembered in the White Chapel!  Now here we are 132 years later learning she was in the White Chapel then in August her music returns to Picton to carve a memory in the hearts and souls of her hometown!

 

The Gena Branscombe Project 2026 Scholarships

The Gena Branscombe Project 2026 Scholarships

We are proud to announce that we are now accepting applications for our 2026 scholarships.  

We encourage up-and-coming Arts Administrators, Conductors and Composers to apply.  Miss Branscombe believed in the power of education, the mentoring of those working towards a degree and those who are beginning their journey into the professional world.  The Gena Branscombe Project carries forth that mission.

Apply now.  The deadline for applications is May 8, 2026.

Go to our website and begin applying:

www.thegenabranscombeproject.com

 

Women's Philharmonic Advocacy Blog Posting

With thanks for Dr. Lianne Curtis of the Women's Philharmonic Advocacy for her blog posting about our upcoming concert, Winds of Change, Songs of Time -  The Musical Legacy of the National League of American Pen Women.  Click the link below:





https://wophil.org/feb-28-pen-women-composers-celebrated/

From Picton to the World - Bringing Home the Music of Gena Branscombe

With many thanks to Margaret Haylock for authoring this article about the Gena Branscombe concert in Picton, Ontario on August 15, 2026. To say the least, The Gena Branscombe Project is thrilled to bring her music home! If you are in the area, please plan on attending.

https://www.intelligencer.ca/news/local-news/picton-to-the-world-concert-celebrating-music-of-gena-branscombe

 

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#OurCanadaFromSeatoSea