Radio Interview

My CD was out in 2003 ….actually released for distribution and what a thrill it was. Now what……?



Albany Records sent copies of my CD to their list of radio stations as part of the release and in hopes of enticing them to play it during programming. Stations are inundated with new CDs each and every day so I realized without some leg work on my part, my CD would not get air time. In today’s world radio stations are part of a conglomerate where programming is an executive decision and the broadcasts are sent out from a central studio to stations around the country.

The creative and business part of my brain took over as I scoured the internet for classical radio programs featuring women in music projects and new works programs. My job was to find independent and community supported stations whose announcers were creative as well as inquisitive with their programming. Would they dare to play a CD of a non-famous performer, of a forgotten composer from the past? Would announcers and programmers take that chance? Are they progressive enough to understand a project like mine and my dedication to this woman composer Gena Branscombe?

I found eight stations whose program hosts were inspired by my story and took the time to interview me and play my CD. Every interview was done by a woman who put forth a woman in music venture. I am thankful to them and their stations for giving me air time.

While performing with the Acadia Choral Society in Bar Harbor, I noticed an advertisement in the concert program for WERU’s “Women’s Voices” program. Little did I know the announcer for the program was Choral Society member Marge May. I sent my CD and a letter to the station mentioning that I had frequently performed in the Bar Harbor area, my project was about a woman composer and hopefully we could tie it in to their program. A while later a response came from Marge saying she would be happy to feature my CD as well do an interview for her program. Marge had done her homework preparing questions and insights into our project. Following our telephone interview she went to work intertwining cuts from the CD with our taped remarks. The flow from music to us speaking and back to music was effortless highlighting the fluidity of Gena’s life and career. What a beautiful job she did. Thanks to Marge May, known as Magdalen on the air, we had our first successful interview! Some day soon, I promise to share this interview on my website!

“The Latest Score” hosted by Canary Burton of WOMR in Provincetown, MA features new works by composers, newly released CDs and promotes unique music projects and performances. What an enthusiastic, supportive person she is. Canary interviewed Martin, Laurine and I and played cuts from the CD. Not only did she interview us in November 2004 but in April 2007, she interviewed us a second time helping to promote our upcoming performance of “Life! Love! Song! A Visit with Gena Branscombe” in Quincy, Massachusetts. Canary endorsed our performance encouraging her listening audience to attend!


Canary’s interview style is friendly, laid back and relaxed allowing us to explain in detail Gena’s life, music and the development of our project. Occasionally I will receive an e-mail from her advising me that she will be rebroadcasting the interviews! Thank you Canary, you are a dear!


It came as quite a surprise when Deirdre Saravia of Texas Public Radio invited me for an interview. Via telephone she asked me about Gena, the recording and how the entire project evolved. Later she merged the interview with the music and it was broadcast in March 2005. To know that listeners in Texas were introduced to Gena’s music was encouraging!
Marvin Rosen of “Classical Discoveries” on WPRB in Princeton, NJ played selections from my CD. He features new and unusual music on his program.

Sarah Cahill and I met at a women in music festival entitled “Ladyfingers” whose main objective was the performance of piano compositions by women composers. Though I do not play piano in a way that would draw an audience, I did sing chant by the medieval composer Hildegard von Bingen. Sarah invited me to be on her KALW program, “Then and Now” should I ever be in San Francisco. In May 2005 Dan and I were in the Bay Area. Sarah interviewed me live in the studio and played selections from my CD.

Sarah is a brilliant pianist with twelve recordings of her own. An avid performer of contemporary composers and their music, her playing is at once lyrical and can reach the demands of extended piano techniques. As a radio interviewer she is friendly and willing to help out a fellow musician.

A 7 AM live and in person interview at WORT in Madison, Wisconsin found me arriving at the station at 6:45 AM. I was met by Jessica Courtier, host of the show, “Other Voices.” We spent 20 minutes playing songs from the CD and discussing Gena Branscombe’s influence on the music world at large. What a way to start your day!


Marian Mapes-Bouck of KMUD in Garberville, California interviewed me live via telephone, twice. For her show “Women in Music, Marian had requested CDs of women composers or performers. Quickly I submitted my CD with a letter and Marian contacted me shortly thereafter.

When we set the interview time for early March 2008 I had no idea what to expect of her questions to me. What we thought would be a 15 minute interview including cuts from the CD went on for nearly 25 minutes. Marian had done her homework and knew an extensive amount about Gena and her music. Her questions were thought provoking and I found myself digging deeper into my well of information on Gena Branscombe. As we arrived at the subject of my one-woman show, her questions turned to how I came upon the idea of doing the show, how we wrote the dialogue, how did we choose the portions of Gena’s life to highlight, how the show was produced, where we had performed and would be performing. She understood the importance of my show and with her questions her listening audience realized the creativity it took to make it all this a reality.

Later that month Marian invited me to return to the air with her while KMUD was doing their fund-raising week. I offered three free CDs to listeners who donated to the station. We need stations like KMUD!

Marian passed away in November 2009. To have lost the hero of KMUD’s “Women in Music” is a loss to the music world at large. A true champion for women, a teacher, a musician and singer herself, she leaves behind those of us blessed to have been touched by her enthusiasm for our projects.

Radio station CKWR in Waterloo, Ontario requested women to submit CDs for their show, “Women in Music” hosted by Mary Lou Schagena. With the usual sending out of my CD and a letter explaining that Gena was born and raised in nearby Picton, Ontario, I received an e-mail not only expressing interest in a live 8 PM telephone interview, in addition, my CD would be highlighted for play on the 9 PM show, “Monday Evening Concert” hosted by Tom Quick. A double whammy of radio time!


Mary Lou had done her home work and her lively personality made for a fun interview. Her questions about Gena again made me dig deep for further details and then we hit upon my one-woman show. Mary Lou’s enthusiasm was infectious and she quickly inquired about possible Canadian performances. What was to have been a ten minute interviewed spilled over to 25 minutes. Several days later in a private phone conversation she gave me names, theatres and concert series in Canada and suggestions about whom we could send our publicity materials.

So this is an extensive blog filled with names and dates, details and fond memories of radio interviews. Most important are the people and hosts I met along the way, their passion for promoting women in music and their fearless faith that their listening audiences would catch on. I have been interviewed on both the East and West Coasts and in the middle of our country. How lucky I have been.

There seems to be a pattern that when offered a ten minute interview, it quietly extends itself because of the passion I have for Gena’s life and music and because the show’s hosts “got it.” Well, maybe it means I like to talk…..a lot…..!

Thank you to all of you brilliant radio hosts and your loyal listening audiences.

Elizabeth Leif

"Patron of the Arts" is a term long familiar to the creative world at large. The history of music shows that the courts of England, Germany, Austria and Italy supported such composers as Mozart, Handel, Haydn and Monteverdi. These composers were commissioned to write and perform pieces for specific occasions where musicians were hired, choral anthems, operas, chamber music or symphonies were performed all to entertain the court and the common people and, most important, paid for by royalty!

Times have not changed in over 500 years. Today, we in the arts continue to rely on the generosity of people who understand that music, dance and art influence our daily lives. Music soothes our aural and spiritual souls. Art inhabits our visual and spiritual souls. Dance thrills us, leaving our physical and spiritual souls with heightened awareness of the beauty the human body can express.

The price of concert tickets does not cover the expenses for performances so we have billion dollar corporations who donate money to keep symphony orchestras, opera and ballet companies as well as concert venues alive to serve their audiences.

Individual performers often wonder if their creative projects will find a person or a venue who will help fund their expenses. We search far and wide, and then one day someone to whom you have sent your publicity packet actually takes the time to open it, read it, and considers presenting and promoting your creative work. Thus was the story with a beautiful and charming lady by the name of Elizabeth Leif.

In Elizabeth we found a woman whose worldly life and special curiosity led her to read through my publicity packet and decide that this one-woman show about Gena Branscombe must be presented in the Quincy, Massachusetts area. A phone call from Elizabeth to my agent expressing her interest was the beginning of a beautiful and continuing friendship for all of us.

A registered nurse with her initial training from Quincy Hospital, Elizabeth soon found herself living in England for one year's study of mid-wifery. As a specialist in maternal and child health care, she spent three and a half years working in Tanzania. She obtained her Masters degree in Public Health from Yale Medical School and worked for the United Nations in Central America again as a maternal and child health specialist. To round off her career, she worked as a consultant to the National Academy of Pediatrics for Maternal and Child Health helping to set up clinics in high risk areas. What a calling and one where I know she served her patients with the utmost love, respect and care.

What made a registered nurse take a second glance at an unusual publicity packet? Having been President of the Old Stoughton Musical Society and President of the Old Stoughton Historical Society, Elizabeth wrote the first journal of the music society entitled, "The Chorister." This retrospecitve recounts the history of Stoughton and its music society; the oldest continuing performing organization in the United States dating back to the 1700s. In addition Elizabeth researched the history of Stoughton, the birth place of American Freedom.

Our registered nurse and historian knew when she read our packet that this was an important and historical woman composer with close ties to Massachusetts. Elizabeth understood deep down the significance of Gena Branscombe and the mission of the Old Stoughton Musical Society.

Using her own personal funds and ingenuity, Elizabeth produced "Life! Love! Song! A Visit with Gena Branscombe." With determination Elizabeth set forth booking a concert hall at Eastern Nazarene College, arranged for the piano, found us housing, provided the necesssary stage furniture and a lighting person. Lydia Wallace, Elizabeth's long time friend and a professional graphic artist, created colorful programs, tickets and flyers. With the help of friends, Elizabeth papered the towns, churches and schools with flyers inviting one and all to attend.

Martin, Elizabeth and I were interviewed on the radio by Canary Burton of WOMR in Provincetown, MA, not far from Quincy! We managed to get the word out about our upcoming performances!

Not a detail was missed and against some seemingly insurmountable odds, Elizabeth gave us the opportunity to perform two Gena shows for the people of Stoughton and Quincy!

What a fun time we had with these lovely and dear women. They gave of themselves emotionally and financially. How blessed we were and are. From this experience we have remained friends and on occasion I call to chat with them. A treasured memory on the path of exposing the world to the life and music of Gena Branscombe.

Thank you Elizabeth and Lydia!

Martin

Twenty years of collaboration….how does one write about those twenty years without sounding sentimental, saccharin and overly emotional? My job now is putting into words what it has been like to have an accompanist, collaborator, cheerleader and dear friend named Martin Hennessy.

“Concerts to Go” was a program sponsored by the music series at Trinity Church in New York City. With a baritone friend, Martin and me, we traveled subways and buses to perform opera arias, duets and show tunes in nursing homes throughout the five boroughs. Touching these elderly people’s lives with the gift of music and watching the smiles on their faces was a reward beyond what words can express.

Martin became my coach and accompanist from that original collaboration. Over the past twenty years we have prepared and performed countless recital programs. He has helped me learn oratorios that I have sung from New York to Maine. He knew which of my buttons to push to make me reach deeper inside myself allowing me to find ways to express the music and words in a more profound way. His knowledge and ability to teach musical style and languages are a singer’s dream of an accompanist!

Then, ten years ago I came to Martin with the first songs of Gena Branscombe’s that I had found. We read through the songs and immediately Martin said, “Who is this woman?” and “You need to record these songs.”

Truthfully, if it had not been for Martin’s encouragement I doubt I would have begun work on Gena’s music. He seemed to know that this project would change my career and give me a direction to use all of my creative abilities from researching, preparing and recording music, the business aspects of promotion for such a project, to writing and performing a one-woman show. Yes, Martin knew, encouraged and cheered me on. He had a vision of the dress I would wear for the CD cover pictures and was able to describe it in great detail long before the dress became a reality. Yes, he knew!

As I discovered that Gena wrote 150 art songs and a multitude of piano works, the whittling down of repertoire for the CD became important. With Martin’s help we made artistic decisions as to which songs would create a complete picture of Gena’s stylistic output. Martin offered to record four of the piano works written for Gena’s daughters. To sit back in the recording session and experience the heart and beauty of his playing touched my soul. Listen to the CD and you will understand.

Martin had previously recorded at Town Hall and recommended we record there using David Smith as our sound engineer. Recording is an animal in and of itself yet with Martin’s support and David’s expertise we produced a beautiful homage to the music of Gena Branscombe. During sessions though we were concentrated on doing a good job, Martin managed always to see the bright side and kept us laughing at our mistakes. We did need to lighten our attitudes even in the midst of intense work.

Albany Records picked up our recording for publishing and distribution. We were honored. Our CD, “Ah! Love, I Shall Find Thee: Songs of Gena Branscombe” was released late 2003 and signaled the beginning of our work on the one-woman show.

There was Martin encouraging me to continue down an unknown creative pathway. He carefully nudged me on to build a complete woman’s music project. He gave me strength and courage to face it all. Where does this incredible man find the depth of spirit to shout his approval of a woman composer from the past and a female singer fashioning a whole new world of women’s music for her career?

As we went into rehearsals for the premiere of “Life! Love! Song! A Visit with Gena Branscombe,” Martin embraced being musical director of the show and also participated as a dramatic character. He suggested and created his entrance to the stage which has purpose and it works beautifully. Martin improvised, played fillers and eventually was given a singing solo! He has done all this work with a great professional quality and a passion every singer should have the joy to experience.

There was never a doubt in my mind that Martin was there for me at every note, beat, dramatic moment or my personal ups and downs. He is always at my side, front and center! Every singer should be blessed with such an accompanist as Martin.

We began taking “Life! Love! Song!” on the road. Performing partners do not always travel well together. Not us…..we have the best time laughing, driving, flying and enjoying one another’s lives and hearts. I always have the feeling Martin is taking care of me while we travel, concerned that I am OK and have all the necessary encouragement to perform at my best.

Martin will now join my colleague, Barbara Dana, and I as music director of our Emily Dickinson show, “I Told My Soul to Sing.” His acting abilities will be tested and we know he will love the challenge! His pianistic and collaborative qualities without a doubt will be the best he has to give us.

I admit to having waxed poetic about Martin yet every word is true. Still there are many facets to his personality and life. On occasion I refer to him as my Irish leprechaun as he does have a devilish and deliciously wicked sense of humor. His smile and personality light up our lives and the stage where he performs with us.

His knowledge of wine, well, contact him and he can give you terrific, tasty suggestions with most of them under $15. He’s a fabulous cook, a gracious host, loving, crazy and generous to those of us lucky enough to work with him. You will hear Martin talking about and promoting nearly every one of his colleagues with whom he works. How lucky we are!

He is a composer whose music reaches such depth of soul whether it be his songs, piano or instrumental works. His music will be remembered for many decades to come.

So, this is my accompanist, dear friend, cheerleader and the reason my Gena Project has become what it is. Thank you dear, dear Martin.

Gena Sis

Satin covered buttons attached to the back of a hand sewn lace dress, snaps lovingly fastened under those buttons to ensure the lace does not tear. Small even stitches join the silk lining to the bodice of the dress. Yes, the dress was made by Gena Branscombe! We surmise she wore it to perform.

In March 2002 my colleague and friend Laurine Elkins Marlow gifted me this dress because, “You need to have the dress near you.” A beautiful and treasured item!

What does this dress represent?….a ten year friendship that has meant the world to me and born out of my Gena Branscombe project. It is now time for me to tell the story of people behind the scenes.

For three continuous days after Gena Branscombe’s death in July 1977, Laurine labored in Miss Branscombe’s apartment to organize and catalogue her original manuscripts and published music. Gena’s music was everywhere …..on top of the piano, under the piano, on the floor, on tables, under tables…….piles of music needing attention. Months later the collection was donated to the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

Laurine was given access to Miss Branscombe’s correspondence, calendars, news articles, programs, recordings and much more. Gena’s daughters gave Laurine the tea cup she used during her interview sessions with the composer and, Gena’s lace dress was a gift to her.

She has regaled me with Gena stories in such detail that I felt as if I were in the room at that very moment being described. Laurine spent 18 months interviewing Miss Branscombe, taking notes, looking at this woman’s life story, her career in music and deciding it needed to be told to the world. Then, imagine it is 1975 and you appear before your Doctoral committee proposing a dissertation on a living woman composer. Unheard of even in the liberal days of 1975! Yet Laurine with the help of her advisor persevered and thus her dissertation.

Dr. Laurine Elkins Marlow, college professor at Texas A&M, researcher bar-none and author of “Gena Branscombe: American Composer and Conductor, A Study of Her Life and Works; Doctoral Dissertation.” She is the authority on Gena Branscombe.

Her lilting Southern accent, her friendly no-nonsense way and her warmth flowed through the telephone lines the day we first spoke. In the ensuing years we have had countless phone conversations, meetings and e-mails. Laurine dubbed me her “Gena-sis” and she has been there for me ever since!

Generous of spirit, Laurine saw to it that I received copies of songs not in the library, a copy of her dissertation, access to her at all times when I needed help with song interpretation or she patiently listened as I peppered her with questions about Gena, her personality, what drove her, her daily routine, her music, her background, her children, husband and family life. Details, details and more details . She allowed me to dig through her boxes of Gena research which included calendars, newspaper articles, and some correspondence. Her writing expertise and knowledge of Miss Branscombe shone through the liner notes she wrote for my CD. Thanks to Laurine, I have twice appeared at Texas A&M performing my lecture recital and one-woman show.

As a team we spent two days at the Library of Congress where they hold Miss Branscombe’s original score and orchestra parts to her oratorio “Pilgrims of Destiny.” Laurine read through Miss Branscombe’s letters to her publisher Arthur P Schmidt, while I researched the same publisher’s photos of Gena and the accounting of how she was paid royalties. We drove to western Virginia to interview Gena Tenney Phenix spending several hours questioning her about her mother. What a sweet and memorable time it was!

Together we presented a lecture recital at the Festival of Women Composers in Pennsylvania.

Laurine flew to New York for the premiere of Life! Love! Song! A Visit with Gena Branscombe.” Having her in the audience was a thrill and a four year culmination of her teaching me about Gena Branscombe.

My friend and colleague Laurine is a zany lady with a fun sense of humor, an unending curiosity and willingness to learn; generous and loving, open hearted and my Gena-sis! Without her Gena Branscombe’s life and music would not have come into the 21st century.

There is more to Laurine than her music career. All of her life she has been an avid horse woman. Owning up to three horses at one time, Laurine now shelters her one horse just outside College Station. Each morning and evening she drives out to feed and ride her beloved Roo. I have learned more about horses, their personalities, trading horses, horse paraphernalia, horse shows, horse vets and horse trailers from Laurine! Yet, all this speaks of who Laurine is…a caring, curious and nurturing person comfortable both in the classical music world and pitching hay to her horse.

Guardian Angels

During the past year I have lost two dear friends….both part of my cheering section during the development of my Gena Project, the recording of my CD and my one-woman show.

Loss is always a difficult item for us to face. As children we are invincible, as teenagers infallible, as young adults we know we have years to accomplish what we want – the world is ours on a silver platter. The years fly by and slowly we have reached the age where we notice those few lines on our faces, our bodies have those creaks and pains and then a stark reality, a dear friend dies. What happened to our invincibility, infallibility and the abundant years?

So, I have faced this kind of loss not just once but recently, twice. Two lovely, strong women, individuals in their own right, supporters of the arts and music, and people whose footprints will forever be on my heart.

I met Millie McGonagle while I was a student at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota. She attended student recitals and opera productions encouraging all of us to keep up our studies.

After I left Minnesota to attend graduate school, Millie would write asking me to keep her informed of my performances and auditions. When I returned home we would meet for lunch to discuss my career or concerts and operas we had attended. We always had a great time laughing and enjoying one another’s company.

When I shared with Millie my having found the music of Gena Branscombe and the recording of a CD, her enthusiasm was infectious. She cheered me on. Her Christmas cards arrived with questions as to how the entire project was going. Our infrequent phone conversations were filled with our passion for classical music and the continuance of our sweet friendship.

A trained pianist and at one time a music teacher, Millie was a big fan of the Metropolitan Opera’s Spring Tour to Minneapolis where she attended all seven operas presented. She supported the Minnesota Orchestra’s concerts performed at nearby St. Benedict’s College.

Millie passed away on June 6, 2010. A dear person, gracious, elegant, humor-filled and one whose enthusiasm reached the level of guardian angel for many a young singer. Millie you are missed. Knowing her as I did, it is my belief she is still watching over each and every one of us. Thank you for deeply touching my life.

My dear friend Kathy Neeb died on April 18, 2009. Acquaintances since High School and dear friends from our days as music majors at St. Cloud State, eventually Kathy went on to become a registered nurse and a published author of a textbook on Fundamentals of Mental Health Nursing. Impressive, indeed! She remained a choir singer and a big fan of classical music.

Through thick and thin Kathy stuck by me as a friend. She waved goodbye as I left Minnesota to attend graduate school and then on to New York City. She called or wrote to discuss what was up with my career. Her ability to be my friend through my own personal difficult times reached depths I was unable to accept or comprehend yet there she was with a smile, a hug, her quick cackling laugh and forgiveness. A down-home, no-nonsense person she was!

Kathy was the first of my friends with whom I shared the idea that I might take on my Gena project. This unusual music I found….no one had performed it, maybe a CD and all the other items that came my way during my project found Kathy’s enthusiasm and cheering almost deafening. She kept telling me to follow my instincts, follow the road that was ahead of me and her advice on how I might proceed, was wisdom filled.

She was unable to travel to New York for the premiere of “Life! Love! Song! A Visit with Gena Branscombe.” Though her physical presence was not there, her heart and spirit were with me.

December 27, 2008 I called to wish Kathy a Belated Happy Birthday when she told me she was not feeling well. A few weeks later Kathy was still under the weather and at the end of January 2009 saw a doctor. Early February 2009 she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Devastating news! Yet true to her indomitable spirit she fought as hard as any person could possibly fight. Her family surrounded her with support, research for cancer treatments and trips to Chicago for the best care possible. She lost her battle.

Two great women….now my personal guardian angels. Thank you for sharing your lives with the music world. You are missed.

The Phenix Family

Each day that I add another posting to my blog I realize how fortunate I am to have created and developed a project about a woman composer. As I write my story I often wonder if my readers think my narrative sounds like a fairy tale filled with unbelievable happenings and magical coincidences.

My mission was to put forth Gena Branscombe’s music through the recording of her songs and piano works, then tell her life’s story in a one-woman show. This undertaking took countless hours of research at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, innumerable hours learning, practicing and rehearsing songs for recording sessions. I could go on about the myriad of details that made this all happen, yet each second of it was and is a joy for me.

One of the greatest blessings of my Gena Branscombe Project was meeting Gena Branscombe’s eldest daughter, Gena Tenney Phenix, her husband, Philip, and their two sons Roger and Morgan Scott. From the first day Gena Phenix and I spoke by telephone in 2000, I have had the continued support of the family. Generous with sharing stories, pictures, letters, music and photos of their beloved family member, they continue to be open hearted and appreciative of my dedicated work.

For the opening night of “Life! Love! Song! A Visit with Gena Branscombe” it was my hope that Gena Phenix, Roger, Morgan Scott and their families would be able to attend. In her advanced years Gena Phenix had become frail and was unable to make the trip from her home in Virginia where she lived with Morgan and his family.

Roger Phenix and his lovely wife, Joanne, attended that first performance. What a thrill it was for me knowing they were in the audience watching as Roger’s grandmother came to life on the stage. At the curtain call and to the surprise of the audience I introduced Roger as Gena Branscombe’s grandson. The post performance reception found him surrounded by audience members peppering him with questions about his grandmother.

Pictures were taken of Roger, Laurine, Martin and me. Roger’s reaction to the overall performance was touching. First, the set reminded him of his grandmother’s living room. Was the tea set I used hers? Then, he told me there were times during the performance that I looked and sounded just like his grandmother. What better compliment could there have been?

In the ensuing years by telephone I spoke to Gena Tenney Phenix often asking additional questions about her mother, trying to dig deeper into what drove her mother’s life. On occasion Gena Phenix would call me to thank me for bringing her mother’s life and music into the 21st century. Roger and Morgan have offered their stories of their Grandmother. Roger, being the family historian, has shared items from the family archives. I will never forget Morgan’s call when his mother passed away three years ago. Roger and Morgan continue the example set by their grandmother and parents of being an open hearted family!

Roger and Joanne attended the weekend celebration of Gena Branscombe’s music at the 2009 Festival of Women Composers in Hartford, Connecticut. Following my performance there was a “talk back” where I was surprised Roger had a question. “How is it that you never met my Grandmother and yet, you portray her completely?”

Thank you to the Phenix family for opening your hearts to me.

One More Branscombe Choral Member Comes Forward

One More Member Comes Forward!

Just when a person needs a small pick-me-up in life, something happens to put a smile on your face. In my e-mail today came the following message from a former Branscombe Choral member. Diane sang one concert with the Choral in Spring 1948. Look at the memory she has of that one concert!

“Yes, I sang with the Branscombe Corale in the 40's. I remember the concert in Town Hall. I sang solo with them. I can't remember the name of the number. I do remember Gena in a red velvet gown with open back and a big bow. She always conducted her music from memory. That was a long time ago and I do not remember all the details. I know I'm on the photo of the group. We've all changed and the photo is not too clear.Just thought I'd let you know. As I am 85 years old, I'm not too sure how many of us are still walking the earth!

All the best with your search.

Diane N………..”
I responded to Diane asking many questions and thanking her for contacting me. I gave her a brief recounting of my connection with three other members. Here’s to hoping that more members come forward.