The Year 2025 Leads to Performances in 2026!

 

The fast paced year of 2025 was for The Gena Branscombe Project one that opened the flood gates of creativity.  Once our non-profit status 501 (c)(3) was granted in late December 2024, we began planning future concerts, networking with artists to perform Gena Branscombe's music, fund raising for our scholarships and awarding our yearly scholarships to three talented musicians. 

Our 2025-2026 concert schedule:

One highlight for the year, was the publication of three volumes of Gena Branscombe’s piano music by One Eye Publications of Whitby, Ontario. These volumes are available for sale on  One Eye Publications website.  That highlight continues in 2026 with the publication of song volumes, French Horn pieces and the violin sonata.  Yes, we have had a busy, rewarding year. 

A dream came true when we scheduled an August 15, 2026 concert in Gena Branscombe’s hometown of Picton, Ontario.  The music performed on that concert will be her tribute to her beloved country whether through the Canadian poet’s whose words she set, works she composed while living in Picton or portions of her unfinished opera, “Bells of Circumstance” which honors the first French settlers of Canada. 

In February and March 2026 we present "Winds of Change, Songs of Time," a concert honoring the first women composers to be invited to join the National League of American Pen Women.  These composers were the leading women composers of the era, a responsibility they took seriously presenting concerts in Washington, DC and throughout the country.  If you are in New York City or Boston, please join us.  

The Gena Branscombe Project will exhibit a poster presentation of our work for the National Opera Association conference in Boston, MA.  Dan Ryan and I will be there promoting our mission, inviting people to purchase and perform Gena Branscombe's music and encouraging people to sponsor a concert or presentation by us at their organization. 

 Houghton University invited me to be part of a Bringing Back  Branscombe & Friends week.  There will be talks about Gena, a concert and master classes.  What a joy it  has been to work with my friend, Dr. Sharon Johnson, creating this week which is proving to be a great musical experience in late March.  

As you see from the flyers I’ve included, all the concerts we have in the year 2026 spread the historical beauty of a woman composer’s music who lived over 100 years.  She had been lost in time and circumstances, yet, we are bringing her back into the 21^st century.

It was a pleasure to be part of, work alongside the strong, committed and dedicated Gena Branscombe Project Board members – Dan Ryan, Regan Russell and Jessica Bloch-Moisand.  Thank you to these wonderful people.

And, plans for 2027 are in the works!

#BringingBackBranscombe

The Gena Branscombe Project Presents Concerts

The Gena Branscombe Project has been hard at work scheduling concerts.  See the Upcoming Concert Dates on this flyer!  If you are in New York City on February 28, 2026 or in Boston on March 16, 2026, please reserve a ticket.  Those concerts feature the music of the original women composers who in 1923 were invited to join the National League of American Pen Women.  We honor these trailblazing composers.  We then have concerts at Houghton University and Picton, Ontario, Gena Branscombe's hometown.  Stay tuned for more!

# BringingBackBranscombe

National Opera Association Conference

 

Good news to share.

 The Gena Branscombe Project will be represented at the National Opera Association conference in Boston, MA, January 6-10, 2026. 

Emily Clements, the Project’s 2024 Composer scholarship winner and her co-librettist, Bonita Bunt, will discuss their original opera-in-progress, “Letters to Lily”, for the New Works Expo.

Dan Ryan and I will participate in the Poster Session displaying the history of The Gena Branscombe Project that includes our mission of awarding scholarships to up-and-coming composers, conductors and arts administrators, sponsoring Bringing Back Branscombe concerts, publishing the composer’s nearly forgotten music and bringing awareness of her oratorio, “Pilgrims of Destiny” as well as her orchestral works.   

We look forward to being at the conference and meeting all the attendees. 

#BringingBackBranscombe

Joseph Platt & Gena's Sheet Music Cover

 

Over several months of letters in 1922 were discussions between Miss Branscombe and Mr. Austin at the Arthur P. Schmidt Company of Boston.  The subject matter:  a set of songs Gena Branscombe wrote for her daughters.  She desperately wanted the “Un-improving Songs for Enthusiastic Children and One for Sleepy Time” to be published for the Christmas season sheet music market. 

Proofs of the songs were mailed between Gena and Mr. Austin.  With the Christmas season deadline fast approaching, there was a Post Office delay in the corrected proofs being delivered in a timely fashion.  Anxiety haunted the composer.

Yet, what came as a surprise in these letters was the discussion of who would create the sheet music cover art work.  When sheet music was the rage, the covers for the music were colorful and eye-catching.  A talented designer was a must!

Gena’s friend, Mrs. Elise Nevins Morgan of Methuen, Massachusetts, recommended her artist friend, Joseph Platt, for the job.  Quite surprised at the suggestion of such a famous artist of the era, Miss Branscombe agreed Mr. Platt would be the right person for the job.  

In 1922 the Arthur P. Schmidt Company would pay artists $25.00 to design cover art.  Mrs. Morgan offered that if Mr. Platt charged more than $25.00 she would pay the difference.  What a kind gesture and one that demonstrates Mrs. Morgan’s support of Gena’s musical talent and her on-going success in selling her music.

Mr. Joseph Platt, indeed, was famous.  He had designed the interior movie sets for “Gone with the Wind,” “Rebecca,” and “Lady of Burlesque.”   Industrial design, painting murals, magazine covers, office design and creating the Whitman’s sampler chocolate box were among his many commercial artistic accomplishments. 

And, he designed a cover for Gena’s songs!  After submitting several preliminary sketches to Miss Branscombe and Mr. Austin for approval, changes were made.  The final cover work was sent with a bill for $25.00.  Such a famous artist accepted $25.00 for one cover when his other work garnered thousands of dollars.

His cover art defines the four songs in this collection with charming sketches.  On the upper left of the cover are the three Maidens from Japan, in the middle Sprightly Mrs. Grasshopper and her friend Mrs. Caterpillar are having tea, then the misbehaving Birthday Party attendees.  The song for Sleepy Time is at the bottom with a child nestled in her bed. 

 

#BringingBackBranscombe

The Importance of Thank You Notes

 

For nearly two years the law firm Foster Garvey has worked with The Gena Branscombe Project.  A team of lawyers guided us through the process of becoming a 501(c)(3), non-profit, filing all the necessary paperwork with the State of New York, advising us on all the annual financial forms to be filed, copyright law and much more.  Their team was professional, encouraging, patient and generous with their time.

All the work I listed above was done pro-bono.  We were aware that every meeting they held with us could have been billing hours for the lawyers.  Yet, they showed their commitment and dedication to supporting us.  

Our initial connection with Foster Garvey came through one of my neighbors who approached partner Hilary Hughes asking if she would be interested in helping us.   A meeting was set up to discuss the needs of The Gena Branscombe Project.  Within days we met the lawyers who became our team!  We knew we had the best team of lawyers helping us through this legal process.  

 Recently, we wrote Hilary Hughes and our team of Foster Garvey lawyers a thank you note.  Yes, it was the old fashioned hand written thank you sent through the mail!  Hilary Hughes response to us was:

“Just wanted to send you a note to thank you for taking the time to send the team a thank you note.  We don’t receive those often, so they are greatly appreciated!  We were happy to be able to help!” 

 

Appreciative of our thank you note, yet, what is interesting is her comment that they don’t receive thank you notes very often.  When highly qualified professionals offer their knowledge, guidance and talents pro-bono, why would people fail to write the words, “thank you”? 

 

The importance of thank you notes….hand written thank you notes…..think about it.

 #BringingBackBranscombe

Two Gena Branscombe Project Scholarship Winners Meet

 

For six years The Gena Branscombe Project has awarded scholarships to up-and-coming Arts Administrators, Conductors and Composers.  Our winners have proven themselves as music scholars, conductors whose talents raise performance standards and leaders of organizations where they involve their local community to participate in the arts.  Most of all, they are caring people whose mission is to make the world a better place.

 One of our missions has been to stay in touch with our winners.  We meet them for breakfast, coffee or lunch when they are in New York City or Boston.  Wonderful conversations have taken place where we learn of their personal and professional goals.  We attend their concerts and events. 

One other joy in this mission is introducing the winners to one another.  Recently Damali Willingham (2020 Composer winner) and Braeden Weyhrich (2024 Conductor winner) met at Georgia State University where Braeden will be conducting her Master’s recital on Thursday, October 9^th which will include a Gena Branscombe piece.   The reason they met? 

 

Several years ago while a student at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Damali arranged Gena Branscombe’s orchestral work, “Festival Prelude – March” for wind ensemble.  They also conducted the work leading the Berklee Wind Ensemble in performance. 

Recently Damali traveled to Georgia where they met Braeden. Damali worked with the Georgia State University's Symphonic Wind Ensemble advising and coaching the musicians on the details and musical nuances of “Festival Prelude – March”.  What a great collaboration.

Two Gena Branscombe Scholarship winners working together and #BringingBackBranscombe”.  The Gena Branscombe Project could not be more proud of these talented musicians. 

#BringingBackBranscombe

Bringing Gena Branscombe Home - August 15, 2026

The Gena Branscombe Project along with One Eye Publications and the Picton United Church are happy to announce the "Bringing Gena Branscombe Home" concert. The concert will be held at the Picton United Church in Picton, Ontario on Saturday, August 15, 2026. We honor Miss Branscombe's Canadian heritage with a program of her Canadian compositions. We hope you will join us to celebrate Miss Branscombe's musical homecoming!

To say the very least, we are thrilled that Miss Branscombe's music will be heard once again in her beloved hometown of Picton.  Included in the program will be her songs with poetry by her mother Sara Allison Branscombe and Canadian poets Arthur Stringer and Katherine Hale.  Her piano pieces composed while living in Picton and scenes from her unfinished opera "Bells of Circumstance" will be performed.  

#BringingBackBranscombe