Music Meets Drama

  This month’s Journal of the IAWM,  International Alliance of Women in Music, featured an article about The Gena Branscombe Project’s 2023 scholarship winners.   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.  For Gena Branscombe there were many of those same experiences.   In her December 14, 1917 letter to her publisher Mr. Schmidt she wrote, “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 wrot...

  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.   Micah has carried on Miss Branscombe’s belief in education that will further a career, mentoring those with whom she works and dedicated work that leads to performing music with the highest standards possible.   Below is the link to Micah’s concert.   Listen and you will understand why she won The G...

  I n 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, wife of conductor Serge Koussevitzky.   The Musicians’ Club of New York funds the annual Young Artist Awards, a competition for living composers and an International Recording Award.   Quite impressive! 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.   They were joined on that pr...

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    #BringingBackBranscombe

  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.    The Branscombe Choral scrapbooks  reside with Gena Branscombe’s collection at the New York Pu blic Library for the Performing Arts.  Scrapbooks – books that hold mementos, pictures, documents, dried leaves or flowers, postcards, letters, announcements and more.   They help us reach back to precious memories of times gone by whether joy-filled, bittersweet or sad.   Scrapbooking is personal storytelling! 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 auth...

  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: For 2021: For 2022:   For 2023: Your donations to The Gena Branscombe Project or your purchase of our merchandise will help us grow our yearly scholarship fund.  Thank you for your continued support.   https://fundraising.fracturedatlas.or...

The Gena Branscombe Project has merchandise!   For sale is promotional merchandise that supports our mission of #BringingBackBranscombe and increases our scholarship funds.     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 6 th , 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! https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-gena-branscombe-project?utm_source%20=designer&utm_utm_campaign=PBZpaMBXqn0 By purchasing any of our items you are helping us fund our yearly scholarships granted to an up-and-coming arts ad...

 At the University of Toronto is held a collection of Gena Branscombe's music, some in manuscript, some original published works.  And, this photograph is in the collection.   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

  Today marks 46 years since Gena Branscombe left this world leaving behind two daughters, two grandsons, nieces and nephews, friends, colleagues, beloved members of her Branscombe Choral and a collection of music that resides at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.   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 20 th and now 21 st century.   The homage we pay to her life and her music i...

  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.     It is an honor to keep Gena Branscombe’s legacy alive awarding these yearly scholarships.   Applications for the 2024 scholarships will be accepted   in March 2024.   Keep watching for the official announcement.   Go to www.thegenabranscombeproject.com to read more about The Project and this year’s scholarship winners.      #BringingBackBranscombe