More from One Eye Publications

 

The year 2025 held for us the happiness of having the first volumes of Gena Branscombe's piano, violin and vocal music  published by One Eye Publications of Whitby, Ontario.  These are beautiful volumes that introduce musicians to her works.

Recently One Eye Publications released additional volumes of Gena's music including two violin/piano works, three piano pieces and volumes of songs geared to Gena's family life. What beautiful volumes they are!  

The near future holds more volumes of her music to be published - French Horn pieces and more violin/piano works.  Later there will be three volumes of art songs that singers and their collaborative pianist will love!  Stay tuned!

With many thanks to Eleanor Gummer of One Eye Publications for her dedication and belief in the music of Gena Branscombe!  

#BringingBackBranscombe

The Busy Month of March – including the last day of February – Part II

 

 This “incognito – wearing shades” picture was taken in the basement of the Library of Congress in 2007.  Dr. Sharon Johnson, Nancy Davis (piano duo performers) and I, along with my collaborator Martin Hennessy, had moments earlier performed on the stage at the Library.  What an honor to have been invited to participate in the “Women Composers of the MacDowell Colony” concert. 

Those personal and musical experiences form friendships and professional relationships that last over many years.  Fun jokes, Facebook postings, Instagram pictures and emails link us together to this day. 

Nearly a year ago Dr. Sharon Johnson emailed to say she owed me an email and would follow up soon.  Her school year at Houghton University was coming to an end with a full schedule of recitals, juries and final tests.  Several weeks later, Sharon and I had a Zoom meeting and had many more meetings over months that opened a door to creating a women composers concert at Houghton University.  What an absolute joy those months of discussing women composers of Gena Branscombe’s era was. We researched composer’s pieces to be performed by students and faculty, the order of the program, lecturing for classes and coaching students on their music.

Being in residence at Houghton University from March 22 through the 26^th was a privilege.  Coaching the students on the works of Ulric Cole, Gena Branscombe, Mary Howe and Mary Turner Salter was great fun.  The singers and pianists were open to any suggestions given. In addition, I presented my lecture, “Gena Branscombe – A Woman Composer Lost – Now Found” for Sharon’s song literature class and coached the musicians in their Collaborative Practicum class.

On Tuesday evening March 24^th students and faculty performed the “Bringing Back Branscombe and Friends” concert. Introducing and narrating the concert allowed the audience a deeper understanding of who the women composers were and where they fit in history.  Every performer dedicated themselves to their songs, piano works, Gena’s tour-de-force violin sonata and more. What a thrill it was to be part of this concert. 

There are many people to thank for this opportunity.  First, to Dr. Sharon Johnson, who is the Horne-Blanchard Endowed Chair of Music at the Greatbatch School of Music at Houghton University, a special thank you for inviting me to work with you on your first Women’s History Month concert.  We did share a great deal of laughter and with that we created a memorable program.  Thank you to Dr. David Clem, Chair of the Music Department for his support and belief in this concert.  Thanks to Rachel Drecker the music department’s administrative assistant.  Thanks to my friend and Gena Branscombe Co-Founder, Dan Ryan, for designing the poster. Thank you to all of the student and faculty performers, you were a joy to coach and watch perform.  Thank you!

 Indeed March was a busy month – a month filled with music composed by women over 100 years ago.  Sharing this music with young musicians who will carry this experience into their future and hopefully program works by woman composers on their future concerts was truly a thrill.  We must all remember we do not know everything and cannot know everything, yet, if you leave yourself open, even curious, to new experiences, new composers, your self-growth will surprise you in the most wonderful ways. 

 #BringingBackBranscombe

The Busy Month of March – including the last day of February – Part I

 

For over a year, The Gena Branscombe Project had been developing a concert that honored the first women composers who in 1924 were invited to join the National League of American Pen Women.  Identifying the composers, researching their works, making a list of titles, finding a theme for the program, then slowly choosing which pieces would form the  program may seem tedious, yet, “Winds of Change, Songs of Time: The Musical Legacy of the National League of American Pen Women”  was a success.

With many thanks to Board member Regan Russell for creating a program celebrating the four seasons which featured 10 woman composers who were among the first to join the Pen Women and we included one 21^st century composer was genius!  Again, thank you, Regan!

On February 28^th, “Winds of Change, Songs of Time: The Musical Legacy of the National League of American Pen Women” was performed at the New York Society for Ethical Culture. 

With performances by pianist Julian Gau, soprano Jessica Bloch, pianist Nelson Ojeda Valdes, Kelsey Philbrick, violin and David Newtown, cello, the audience was gifted music composed by women composers from over 100 years ago.  A piano trio, chamber music with singer, art songs, cello, violin and piano solos composed by the likes of Mary Howe, Ulric Cole, Amy Beach, Pearl Curran, Mary Turner Salter, Ethel Glen Hier, Harriet Ware and Nancy Deussen were performed proving without a doubt that women composed music of high quality!  

We were honored to have Melissa Wertheimer from the Library of Congress narrate the concert putting into historic context what these women encountered in their era.  Thank you, Melissa.

On Monday, March 16^th this same concert was performed at New England Conservatory of Music in Boston with Jessica Bloch, Julian Gau, Aija Reke, violin and Linda Hwang, cello. 

Looking back to 1924 when these women composers were invited to join the National League of American Pen Women, they had only four years earlier earned the right to vote, they were members of women’s clubs where their music was performed.  Their music was published and earned them royalties.  They were considered second class citizens in the classical music world.  Our concert proved that thought wrong.  We opened people’s minds, ears and hearts to beautiful music …. music composed by women over 100 years ago!

 

#BringingBackBranscombe

 

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!