2012 WCMW: Recap II

I’m back with part II of our 2012 WCMW Recap!  In case you missed it, our first two events of this season can be found in our 2012 WCMW: Recap I.  Picking up right where we left off last week, here is a glimpse of our third and fourth events of the season.  Enjoy! WEEK 3: Saxophone Quartet Directed by Lynn Klock Jeff Soffer, soprano saxophone Aaron Stewart, alto saxophone Anthony Cincotta, tenor saxophone Lynn Klock, baritone saxophone

WEEK 4: The Copernicus Duo Jamecyn Morey, violin David Bebe, cello

2012 WCMW: Recap I

Y’all, we have had SUCH a fun time planning and organizing the second season of the WCMW!  With four diverse concerts (one every weekend in May), we had a whole month of exciting chamber music right here in Westminster.  The great thing about chamber music is that it’s intimate.  It breaks down some of the barriers between performer and audience that traditional venues (auditoriums, halls) often have in place.  It allows for better communication.  In fact, the Q&A conversations with the musicians each week were some of our favorite moments! Here’s a look at the 2012 WCMW:

WEEK 1: The Samirah Evans Jazz Trio Samirah Evans, vocals Miro Sprague, piano Wayne Roberts, bass

Watch a video clip here.

WEEK 2: Community Sing Led by Dr. Susan Conkling

Watch a video clip here.

Stay tuned for part II with recaps of weeks 3 and 4!

2012 WCMW Schedule of Events

Steve and I are so proud of and excited about this year’s Westminster Chamber Music Workshop (WCMW)!  We have four great events planned for May 2012.  Each event is designed to be educational, entertaining, and fun, combining the performance of music with insight from our esteemed guest artists (see more here).  Our mission is to provide excellent musical opportunities to people of all ages and as a result, all events are FREE of charge and open to all!  If you’re in the area, we hope you’ll join us! THE SAMIRAH EVANS JAZZ TRIO Saturday, May 5, 2012, 7:00 p.m. First Congregational Church of Westminster Free Admission

Co-presented by CenterStage at FSU.

Originally from the Great South (New Orleans, to be exact) and currently from Brattleboro, Vermont, Samirah Evans is a dynamic performer with a voice described as “smoky-sweet” by the Times-Picayune.  Joined by two members of her “Handsome Devils” band, you’ll enjoy an evening of sultry, fiery, and foot-tappin’ tunes that will have you dancing out the door!  Click here to read more about Samirah.

COMMUNITY SING with DR. SUSAN CONKLING

Saturday, May 12, 2012, 7:00 p.m. First Congregational Church of Westminster Free Admission

Rich with tradition dating back to the early 20th century, the Community Sing is an informal musical event designed for all ages – no experience and no preparation necessary!  We hope you’ll join us for an evening of good, old-fashioned singing.  Come be a part of the fun!  Click here to read more about Susan Conkling.

THE SAXOPHONE QUARTET directed by LYNN KLOCK Saturday, May 19, 2012, 7:00 p.m. First Congregational Church of Westminster Free Admission

We are so pleased to welcome not one, not two, not three, but four saxophonists for a concert of quartet music!  For those of you who have never heard a saxophone quartet play live, you’re in for a real treat!  The concert program will include a wide variety of music written for soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophone.  The quartet is coached and directed by master teacher and performer Lynn Klock.  Click here to read more.

THE COPERNICUS DUO Saturday, May 26, 2012, 7:00 p.m. First Congregational Church of Westminster Free Admission

We are thrilled to introduce the members of the Copernicus Duo to you – meet David Bebe and Jamecyn Morey, a husband and wife duo active in the realms of musical performance and music education.  The Copernicus Duo, featuring David on the cello and Jamecyn on the violin will present our final concert of the 2012 season.  Join us for what promises to be a wonderful evening of music!  Click here to read more about David and Jamecyn.

Image Credit: personal, Andrew Kielbowicz, David Pope, personal

Presenting Concerts in Your Local Community

Ever wondered how musicians can afford to give concerts for free? Interested in learning more about how Steve and I built the Westminster Chamber Music Workshop (WCMW)? Want an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the chamber music series?

Join us for an exciting presentation and live Q&A on Monday, March 19 from 8:00-9:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time presented by the popular young musician initiative, Polyphonic On-Campus. It's free!

Presenting Concerts in Your Local Community: Creative Ideas for Making Concerts Happen Anywhere

Presented by WCMW Artistic Directors, Ashley and Steve Danyew

As musicians, we love to put on concerts, perform for others, showcase our friends, and share our passion for music with all kinds of audiences.  Organizing a concert or a series of events can seem daunting, and we often make excuses why it's not possible or won't be successful.  In this webinar, we will discuss how we made music happen in our community – from finding sources of funding, to finding performers and venues, to building a local audience base, and more! 

We will use the Westminster Chamber Music Workshop (WCMW), a chamber music series based in a small New England town as a case study for thinking about creative ways to make music happen in any community – large or small.  This webinar will give you the tools to create your own opportunities for music-making and presenting.  There is always a way to make it happen - we just need to be creative!

Location: Your computer.  With the power of the wonderful world-wide web, you can join us from the comforts of your living room, fuzzy slippers and all!  Platform details to follow once you are registered.  Click here to sign up for the free webinar.