Music Meets Drama

The National League of American Pen Women's Spring magazine features an article about their illustrious former member, composer Gena Branscombe.  Miss Branscombe became a member in 1924.  In 1928 the Pen Women awarded her dramatic oratorio, Pilgrims of Destiny , their National Best Composition Award. The upcoming performance of the oratorio at Clark University under the direction of Dan Ryan, Director of Choral Activities, is mentioned in this article. Click on the link below to read the article. https://www.nlapw.org/music-feature-stephie-rae-grenier/renowned-composer-gena-branscombe-back-in-the-spotlight/ #BringingBackBranscombe

On Sunday, March 10th and Monday, March 11th, I was invited to Clark University to work with conductor, Dan Ryan, his chorus and student soloists.   To say the very least, it was two fun-filled days of meeting students, listening to them sing Gena Branscombe’s music, answering questions about the composer’s life and music as well as participating in the evening chorus rehearsal for Pilgrims of Destiny .   What a great job these musicians are doing to make the concert happen.   This is the beginning of a dream coming true!   Twenty years ago when I met Gena Tenney Phenix, Gena Branscombe’s eldest daughter, she showed me her copy of the Pilgrims’ score.   When I asked if I could borrow the score to make a copy of it, she replied that she did not want the music to leave her house.   That was fine and I understood. Over the ensuing years I studied the Pilgrims of Destiny score in the Special Collections section of the New ...