Congratulations to Brittney Benton, Hannah Nacheman and Roslinde Rivera.
Keep watching for announcements of the 2024 Gena Branscombe Project scholarships!
#BringingBackBranscombe
Chrystmasse seasons filled with joy, sadness, melancholy, sentimental
remembrances, thankfulness for gifts received, gatherings of friends and family
are what nearly every person experiences during their lifetime of Holie-dayes.
“There is a foretaste of what the years will bring – this Christmas – a poignancy that has never existed before. And just now we are waiting for later news of my cousin Gerald – who was severely wounded and gassed a few days ago. I wish you could have seen the two older babies frolicking in the snow – this afternoon with their cheeks like peonies. They’re both so huge that they can hardly both sit on their used –to-be capacious sled – and when their wicked mother would give an unexpected pull – one or the other would roll merrily off. They are great fun.”
Miss Branscombe wrote of her cousin who was fighting and was
wounded in Europe during World War I.
Concern, worry, sadness turns to her recounting of the joy she
experienced playing in the snow with her two oldest babies, Gena and
Vivian.
In various other letters to Schmidt she wrote of Chrystmasse
travel to Methuen, MA to spend the holie-dayes with her husband’s family. Or a Chrystmasse trip to Methuen was thwarted
due to “Gena had Grippe – and while she was able to be out a day or so before
Christmas – we didn’t dare risk it …”
(December 26, 1915 letter). Another
letter explains she had no time to send out cards or have a picture taken of
daughter Gena because she was out of town playing concerts.
Now why the two different spellings of the word
Christmas/Chrystmasse or the word Holie-dayes?
“Hail Ye Tyme of Holiedayes” published by the Arthur P. Schmidt Co. of Boston sold well and was performed frequently by famous singers David Bishpham, Laurence Tibbett, Norman Joliffe, Penelope Davis and many others. Miss Branscombe arranged the solo song for women’s chorus, SATB and TTBB. Even more sales were made. Royalties to help with Chrystmasse expenses were received with glee and thankfulness.
Enjoy the sentiment of the Holie-dayes poem
Hail Ye Tyme of
Holie-Dayes (A Song of Chrystmasse)
Kendall Banning,
poet, dedicated to David Bispham
Hail Ye tyme of holie-dayes,
Mistletoe and Hollie;
Love and laughter,
feastings after,
Beckon fun and follie.
Simple folke in humble
garbe,
Noblesse in their golde,
Hail to-day, in brave
array.
Chrystmasse as of olde.
Sing but songs of
happiness,
‘vaunt ye thoughts of
sorrow;
Troublings cease in tyme
of peace,
Cares will seare ye-morrow
Simple songs for lowlie
friends,
Madrigals for halle;
Reste ye, Chrysten
gentel-folke;
Chryst be with ye alle!
The Gena Branscombe Project has been in existence for five
years. In 2024 we will be awarding scholarships
to an up-and-coming arts administrator, conductor and composer for the fifth
consecutive year. It has been an honor
to follow the career paths of our winners.
This past Saturday our 2021 Conductor’s Scholarship winner, Micah Gleason, conducted her graduation concert at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. Choosing a program of De Falla’s “Three Cornered Hat, Suites 1 & 2, Jessie Montgomery’s “Coincident Dances” and the Sibelius Symphony No. 1, Micah led the orchestra in a subtle and exciting performance of each of these works.
Below is the link to Micah’s concert. Listen and you will understand why she won The Gena Branscombe Project’s conductor’s scholarship in 2021.
Congratulations, Micah!
In 1911 instrumentalists from the New York Philharmonic, singers from the Metropolitan Opera, composers and church musicians organized and formed The Musicians’ Club of New York. It is one of the oldest such clubs in the United States.
"The organization was formed
to establish a higher standard of ethics in the various branches of the music
profession and to bring a better understanding and closer fellowship among
musicians."
Two of the club’s presidents were
Walter Damrosch, one of Gena Branscombe’s conducting teachers, and Olga
Koussevitzky,
On December 12, 1954 at the prestigious Musicians’ Club of New York, the Branscombe Choral led by Gena Branscombe performed Christmas music on an afternoon concert.
During those twenty years Miss Branscombe organized concert programs that impressed the New York critics, programs that featured American composers and most important programs that included the music of American women composers. The 60-75 members of the Choral sang yearly concerts at Town Hall and the Broadway Tabernacle Church.
#BringingBackBranscombe
Today the website, Storied Stuff, published an article I wrote about Gena Branscombe's baton and her autographed music which were gifted to me. Enjoy reading the article.
https://www.storied-stuff.com/stories/kathleen-shimeta
Back in 2005 I received an e-mail from Elsa Jean Davidson informing me she had in her possession the two Branscombe Choral scrapbooks that dated from 1934-1954. Her grandmother and mother had been members of the Choral and were keepers of the scrapbooks. The scrapbooks were handed down to Elsa Jean to preserve.
In 1872 Mark Twain, the author of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, patented a self-pasting
scrapbook that had an adhesive grid pattern on each page. Who knew this famous author was also an
inventor?
Gena Branscombe’s daughter, Gena Tenney Phenix, kept a scrapbook during her younger years including her years studying at the Royal Conservatory in London. The scrapbook is in the possession of her son, Roger Phenix.
Recently Roger shared pictures of his mother’s scrapbook that included an article written by poet and author Katherine Hale. Miss Hale writes of Gena Branscombe's life, studies and her compositional goals. The article was published in a Canadian newspaper.
There is a partial article, a recital program with her mother's Violin Sonata in A Minor as the last piece and a typed out commendation.
What beautiful remembrances and a partial story of her mother’s life cherished by her daughter.
#BringingBackBranscombe
Over the past four years through donations and the purchase
of The Gena Branscombe Project merchandise, the money we have received has
allowed us to award scholarships to an up-and-coming Arts Administrator,
Conductor and Composer. The first year we awarded a Conducting Honorable Mention and
the second year an Art Song Commission.
These scholarships and awards have assisted our talented and gifted winners with furthering their education and careers. As we get news of our winners’ achievements, we post that update on Facebook. It has been an honor to see our winners follow in Miss Branscombe’s beliefs that education and hard work will open doors of opportunity.
Our winners by the year:
For 2020:
Go to the hyperlink below and purchase t-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs and stickers with our logo or pictures of Miss Branscombe conducting. And, we suggest musical organizations program the music of women composers.
For another 20 hours today, September 6th, we have a discount sale. It’s back –to-school-time, the holidays are a few short months away. Buy The Gena Branscombe Project merchandise as special gifts for friends and family. Someone in your circle of friends and family needs a new coffee mug with an image of Gena Branscombe!
By purchasing any of our items you are helping us fund our yearly scholarships granted to an up-and-coming arts administrator, composer and conductor!
Signed to her darling daughter, Vivian, the picture is dated May 17, 1938, Vivian's birthday. A beautiful photograph of an elegant, talented, dedicated mother and professional musician.
#BringingBackBranscombe
Luckily before Gena died Laurine Elkins Marlow met her,
interviewed her over 18 months and wrote her dissertation about her life and
music. Even with the gift of the
dissertation, Miss Branscombe slipped into a “woman composer forgotten”
category. In the ensuing 46 years there
were occasional performances of her songs and choral works then came a burst of
interest in the past 25 years.
In 1998 Kathleen happened upon the name of Gena Branscombe
and her 150 art songs. The rest is
history as told in my many blog postings.
What a 25 year journey it has been #BringingBackBranscombe to the 20th
and now 21st century. The
homage we pay to her life and her music is deserved for a woman who was a
composer, conductor, leader of women, and arts administrator. Her exemplary life and music must be
recognized today.
Here is a timeline for #BringingBackBranscombe
1980 – Dr. Laurine Elkins Marlow’s dissertation – “Gena Branscombe:
American Composer and Conductor: A Study of Her Life and Works
1998 – Kathleen discovers Gena Branscombe’s music at the New
York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
She meets Gena’s eldest daughter, Gena Tenney Phenix and Dr. Laurine
Elkins Marlow.
2000 – Kathleen performs several of Miss Branscombe’s songs
on recitals in New York City, Minnesota and Florida
2003 – Kathleen’s CD, “Ah! Love, I Shall Thee: Songs of Gena
Branscombe” is released on the Albany Records label.
2004 – Premiere in New York City of “Life! Love! Song! A
Visit with Gena Branscombe” – one woman show.
Additional performances at the Festival of Women in the Arts - Elmira, NY, Women in the Arts Conference - St.
Louis, MO, Washington, DC, Long Island, NY, Hofstra University, Stoughton Music
Society – Quincy, MA, Texas A&M University – College Station, TX, Middle
Georgia State University – Macon, GA, Festival of Women Composers – Hartford,
CT and more.
2005- 2020 – Articles about Gena Branscombe published in
various music journals.
CDs released with music of Gena Branscombe:
1996 – “Le Souvenir” – Art Songs
1999 – “By a Canadian Lady” – Piano Music 1841-1997
2005 – “Wishing You and I Were Young Maggie” – Art Songs
2008 - “Remembered
Voices” – Violin Sonata in A Minor
2017 – “Nasty Women” – Piano pieces
2018 - “American Romantics III” – Orchestral work
Lecture Recitals given in Asbury Park, NJ, Library of
Congress - Washington, DC, Indiana University, Indiana, PA, Guildford, VT, St.
Louis, MO, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, and more.
2018 - Copying Gena Branscombe’s “Pilgrims of Destiny”
original conductor’s at the Library of Congress. Entering the score note by note into FINALE
to create a usable conductor’s score for performance..
2019- Dan Ryan conducts the first performance of “Pilgrims
of Destiny” in the 21st century at Clark University in Worcester,
MA. First performance of the work in 79
years.
2019 – Dan Ryan and Kathleen inaugurate The Gena Branscombe
Project and a Board is formed with Dan, Kathleen, Sydney Pepper and Regan
Russell. Website and Facebook pages created.
YouTube channel started. Fund
raising begins to make possible the awarding of scholarships.
2020 – 2023 – The Gena Branscombe Project awards
scholarships to up and coming student composers, conductors and arts
administrators. An art song commission
is awarded.
2022 – Gena Branscombe Scholarship winner Damali Willingham
arranges Gena’s orchestral work, “Festival Prelude” for wind ensemble and
conducts the work at the Berklee College of Music.
2022 – The Gena Branscombe Project sponsors its first
concert – “Bringing Back Branscombe” at Colleges of the Fenway in Boston. Art song premiered composed by our art song
commission winner.
2022 – Dr. Regan Russell defends her doctoral dissertation,
“Love in a Life: The Art Songs of Gena Branscombe” at Boston University.
2022-2023 – Speeches presented – “Bringing Back Branscombe
to the National League of American Pen Women.”
2023 – The Ladies Speak podcast features composer Gena
Branscombe with Kathleen Shimeta as narrator.
2023 – The Gena Branscombe Project sponsors the concert,
“Bringing Back Branscombe to the Upper West Side” in New York City at the New
York Society for Ethical Culture. Gena’s French Horn pieces, Violin Sonata,
songs, piano works and choral works are performed.
2023 – Scholarship winners are performing at the 92nd
Street Y in New York City, Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia,
Glimmerglass Opera, 54 Below in New York City, conducting the Boston Landmarks Orchestra, and more.
2023 – Gena accepted into the Canadian Music Centre.
2023 – Gena’s Violin Sonata in A Minor is performed in
Latvia.
The future holds more good news….TBA!
You may be gone from this earth, Miss Branscombe, but The
Gena Branscombe Project is indeed #BringingBackBranscombe! We know you are smiling down on all that is
happening in your name…..”MARVELOUS!”
Today The Gena Branscombe Project announced its 2023 Scholarship Winners. Congratulations to Conductor Hannah Nacheman, Composer Brittney Benton and Arts Administrator Roslinde Rivera!
These three women exemplify Miss Branscombe’s belief in the
importance of education to further one’s career and life. They are dedicated to professionalism, integrity,
being leaders and promoting inclusivity for composers, conductors and arts
administrators with whom they will have contact.
