2010/2011 Season Notes
Newtown Friends of Music Establish Music Scholarship
For the past eleven years Newtown Friends of Music has sent highly regarded professional musicians to the Newtown schools in their twice-a-year school outreach programs. Since the 2000/2001 school year some 49 world-renowned artists have visited all the Newtown schools, on a rotating basis, and some 1300 students benefitted from master classes given by the various musicians.
This year, NFM has decided to establish a scholarship for a graduating High School senior who is pursuing the further study of music as a career, be it in solo performance, composition, orchestra, or the teaching of music. This scholarship shall be open to all students who reside in Newtown, whether or not they attend Newtown High School.
The Newtown Scholarship association will administer the scholarship and will select the applicant. The Newtown Scholarship Association awards some 70 scholarships annually, amounting to some $200,000. Over the period of its existence (it was established in 1937) NSA has awarded over $3 Million in scholarships to Newtown students.
Each year the awards committee interviews an outstanding group of high school seniors. Awards are determined on the basis of the family’s financial need. Applications will be available next February through the NSA or the Guidance Office at Newtown High School.
In the photo above, Mrs Stephanie Gaston (left), Awards Committee Chairperson of The Newtown Scholarship Association accepts a check for $1,000 from Mrs Dorothea S LaBelle (right), Treasurer of Newtown Friends of Music.
Newtown Friends of Music Held Annual Meeting
Elected Officers
The Newtown Friends of Music met in Edmond Town Hall’s room dedicated to the benefactress of Newtown, Mary Elizabeth Hawley, on May 17th, to hold their Annual Meeting. They celebrated the successful conclusion of their thirty-third season presenting exquisite music – superbly performed. Members heard the all-inclusive Report of the Directors, the Annual Financial Report given by the treasurer, and elected a new slate. Newly elected to the board were Kaia M Fahrenholz, and Robert L. Shohet, a Registered Investment Advisor. Mrs Dorothea S. LaBelle, a longtime supporting member and director of Newtown Friends of Music, was elected to the position of Treasurer. David Luessenhop was elected Vice President and Chair of the Membership Committee. Attorney William C Timmel will continue as the group’s Secretary. Once again Ellen Parrella was elected President and Program Chair of Newtown Friends of Music. Also re-elected to serve on the board were Lea Attanasio, Michel Dolivo, Paul Gehrett, Lea Kinstler, and Joan Popovic.
XY Chromotones Warm Up April 10 Audience
before the April 10 Concert by Antares with Soprano Sarah Wolfson.
As concert goers entered Edmond Town Hall they were greeted by ten male a cappella singers, the XY Chromotones, all students at Newtown High School, with lively renditions of well- known popular songs. The concert-before-the concert in the entrance hall was a great success and elicited enthusiastic applause from the chamber music loving audience.
The XY Chromotones, a group of ten high school seniors and juniors, is an all-male a cappella group. The term a cappella derives from the Italian, meaning “singing in chapel style” and has come to be understood as singing without accompaniment. The harmonics of the combined voices are the true music.
George Primavera, a First Tenor in the group, first encountered a cappella music when several groups from east coast universities congregated on Martha’s Vineyard for a 2009 summer jam session. He brought this idea to NHS and joined forces with Chris House, bass, to start the XY Chromotones (a wonderfully apt descriptor) under the guidance of Ms Amanda Friedman.
They auditioned other students until they had a committed group of two First Tenors, three Second Tenors, three Baritones and two Basses who could combine to produce an evenly-balanced sound. Five of the singers are seniors this year, three are juniors and two are freshmen. The latter will carry on the tradition into the next year, auditioning replacements and handing off the responsibilities to others.
Chris acts as president and business manager, whereas George is the musical director. Chris plans to study political science in college, while George will concentrate on theater and marketing. All just completed a highly successful run of the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice musical “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” at Newtown High School.
Newtown Friends of Music’s mission statement includes the support and advancement of students of music and young music lovers in general; in this context Newtown Friends of Music has sent artists into the schools in their annual School Outreach programs. NFM has presented concerts by very young music students in their “Praeludium” series and, in return, students from the Newtown High School have presented short pre-concert concerts for the enjoyment of the music loving audience.
NFM was particularly pleased to give a performance venue to the XY Chromotones.
Newtown Friends of Music, Inc.
Board of Directors
2009/2010
Ellen K Parrella, president
David Luessenhop, vice-president
William C Timmel, secretary and treasurer
Lea Attanasio
Michel Dolivo
J Paul Gehrett
Lea N Kinstler
Dorothea S LaBelle
Alfred T Parrella
Joan F Popovic
2009/2010 Season Notes
Preconcert entertainment for opening night at Newtown Friends of Music was provided by members of the Newtown High School Chamber Ensemble for the arriving audience in the lobby of Edmond Town Hall. Violinists Erin Bell, Felicia Pan, Gretchen Streett and Alyssa Rodriguez, supported on the bass by music teacher Michelle HIscavich, performed uplifting music selections from
Allegro from Concerto Grosso, Op. 6, No. 1 - G. F. Handel; Orange Blossom Special - Ervin Rouse; Golliwogg's Cakewalk - Claude Debussy; Dona Nobis Pacem; Entrance of the Queen of Sheba from "Solomon"-G.F. Handel; and Fiddle Tunes (included Arkansas Traveler and Devil's Dream).
The performance set an expectant mood for the afternoon’s piano recital.
2006/2007 Season Notes
During the 30th anniversary celebrations following the successful Kavafian-Schub-Shifrin concert, the Board of Directors honored President Ellen Parrella for her twenty years of leading the organization and presented her with a hand-cut lead crystal bowl.
Members of the Board of Directors of Newtown Friends of Music met recently in the Mary Hawley Room of Edmond Town Hall to discuss plans for their 29th season 2006/2007.
The Board has decided to present six, rather than five, concerts in the coming season and, additionally, engage artists once in the Fall of 2006 and once in the Spring of 2007 to work with Newtown's school children in two workshop/school outreach programs.
The acoustics in the auditorium, the charming ambience of Edmond Town Hall, the presence of the venerable Knabe Concert Grand Piano and - most recently - the availability of a modern elevator that reaches all floors, all combine to persuade the members of Newtown Friends of Music to make use of the 500-seat auditorium, even though the rental of the space has again been increased by the Town Hall's Board of Managers.
At the same time, the Board of Directors of Newtown Friends of Music are convinced that low ticket prices make the concerts available to the greatest number of music lovers and they have therefore decided to keep subscriptions at the same price as last year, even though this year will see six concerts: In September, October and November, and then again in February, March and April.
A free brochure describing the upcoming concerts can be obtained at the Town Hall, the Cyrenius H Booth Library, the Drug Center Pharmacy, and many other locations around town. Or a simple telephone call to 203-426-6470 will bring a brochure directly to your house. A visit to the website www.newtownfriendsofmusic.org gives further information, including dates, pictures of the artists, a printable order form and archives of past seasons. Also on the website are photos of past school outreach programs.
Mailing out tickets for the Tercentennial Candlelight Concert on November 19,
are Newtown Friends of Music members:
Standing Fred Parrella and Peter Marshall
Sitting: left-to-right: Dorothea LaBelle, David Luessenhop, Paul Gehrett and
Bill Timmel.
In honor of Newtown's Tercentennial Newtown Friends of Music is presenting a Special Candlelight Concert on November 19 at 4:00 pm at The Newtown Meeting House. Colonial costume is optional.
The Candlelight concert is a gift to the Town of Newtown from Newtown Friends of Music and admission to the event is gratis to Newtown residents. However, concertgoers are requested to bring an item to fill the Thanksgiving Baskets that WIN will distribute to families in need, as they do every year. Items are also needed for the Food Pantry.
Mrs Monaco states that WIN has a cooler and can, therefore, accept items that need refrigeration, such as bread, baked goods, and such.
Mrs Parrella said she was extremely happy to have this collaboration between NFM and WIN and trusts that the collection, on November 19, will result in well over 250 items for the Thanksgiving baskets.
For a free ticket, please send a self addressed, stamped envelope with the number of tickets requested to Newtown Friends of Music at P O Box 295, Newtown CT 06470-0295. More information about the concert will appear in next week's Bee and can also be found on the NFM website or by calling 426-6470.
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Board Member Cheryl Edelen is seen putting the finishing touches on "The Present" that Newtown Friends of Music will give to the Town of Newtown in honor of Newtown's 300th birthday. The large box, with a big red bow on top, was carefully attached to the green MG-B vintage 1979 belonging to Bill Edelen, which she drove in Newtown's Labor Day parade. Unfortunately, the little car sprung a leak just as it had passed the reviewing stand by the Flagpole and had to be sidelined without completing the circuit. Nevertheless, Newtown Friends of Music are hard at work preparing for their special Candlelight Concert in celebration of Newtown's Tercentennial to be given at The Newtown Meeting House on Saturday, November 19th at four o'clock in the afternoon. Admission is free to Newtown residents and tickets will be available on a first-come, first served basis. Since seating at the Meeting House is limited, early reservations are suggested. Colonial Dress is optional. For further information please look in future copies of The Newtown Bee or telephone 203-426-6470. |
The Newtown Friends of Music recently completed a drive that raised nearly $2000 to help replace the seats in the Edmond Town Hall Theater.
John Mahony of Redding Ridge suggested that if Newtown Friends of Music audience members contributed toward new seats for Edmond Town Hall, the Friends should match their donations. Ellen Parrella, the group's president, broached the subject at the next board meeting. The board thought this to be a splendid idea and the scheme was announced at the Friends' March concert and coupons were made available for contributions.
Music lovers have made good use of the beautiful auditorium of Edmond Town Hall with its excellent acoustics and attractive seating arrangement (not a bad seat in the house). They attend five or more classical music concerts every year (and have done so for the past 27 years) and they agree the seats need replacing. Although the seats in the main auditorium were replaced more than 15 years ago, those in the balcony are the original brown leather-upholstered chairs that Mary Elizabeth Hawley had installed when she had the Town Hall built.
Friends of Music audience members have been generous, contributing $5, $10, $15, $25, $50, or more. Robert Adams France, who resides in Stratford, was particularly generous and contributed enough for almost two thirds of a chair.
At the Newtown Friends of Music Annual Meeting on Tuesday, May 17, treasurer Peter Marshall is seen turning over one check of $ 975 from the monies collected from the concert-going public, and board member Paul Gehrett is handing over a matching check for $975 to Tom Mahoney, Edmond Town Hall manager and to Gordon Williams representing the Lions Club, which is spearheading this fund-raising effort as its contribution to Newtown's Tercentennial. This fundraising effort will buy approximately 6.5 new chairs for Edmond Town Hall.
The Newtown Friends of Music recently celebrated the conclusion of their 27th successful season, which brought 5 outstanding artist groups to the auditorium at Edmond Town Hall in Newtown and saw two of these artist groups spend a morning each with the school children in Newtown Friends of Music's highly valued School Outreach Programs.
You can find more pictures under the Outreach button.
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from left to right: Mardi Smith, String Instructor at Karl Epple, Chairman of The Albert Wadsworth & Helen Clark Meserve Memorial Fund; Michelle Hiscavich, Director of Music in the Newtown Schools Ellen K Parrella, President,
Seen discussing the two outreach programs planned for this spring. |
Ellen K
Parrella, president of Newtown Friends of Music, announced
today that The Albert Wadsworth & Helen The first of these programs will take place in February, when the music students at Newtown High School will participate in 1) an instructional session discussing the composers Beethoven, Hindemith and Mendelssohn; 2) attendance free-of-charge at the concert given by the Pacifica Quartet on Sunday, the 22nd of February 2004 at Edmond Town Hall; and 3) a morning-long workshop with the artists of the Pacifica Quartet on Monday, the 23rd of February at the Newtown High School. This workshop will involve three groups: the Symphonic Orchestra; the String Ensemble; and the Chamber Group. Ms Michelle
Hiscavich, Director of Music for the Newtown School System,
was instrumental in arranging for the students to be available at these
times and expressed her appreciation that Newtown Friends of Music continues
to provide |
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T he second School Outreach Program in 2004 will take
place in April, when students in Ms Mardi Smith’s classes will 1)
study the composers Beethoven, Brouwer and Dvorak, learn about string quartets; and decorum
at classical music concerts; 2) attend a concert given by the Cavani String Quartet on Sunday, the 25th of
April as guests of Newtown Friends of Music, and 3) interact with the
artists in a workshop on Monday, the 26th of April. Ms Smith,
who teaches at the Newtown Friends of Music have presented classical music
concerts for over twenty-five years and have added two School Outreach
Programs every year for the past three years. The opportunity has rotated
among all the grades of music students in |
Mr Karl Epple, Chairman
of The Albert Wadsworth & Helen |
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You can find photographs of past school outreach programs under the “Outreach” tab and information about past concerts, including critical reviews, under the “Archives” tab.
For further information on this season’s concerts or on school outreach programs call 203-426-6470.
Don’t forget your music loving friends – surprise them with an elegant little present they will enjoy and thank you for.
All concerts are on Sunday afternoons and conveniently located at Edmond Town Hall in Newtown, where the acoustics are outstanding, the seats comfortable and the parking is free.
Your gift recipients may also bring children between the ages of five and fourteen free of charge – what a terrific bonus !
Use our convenient Order Form and we shall make every effort to get the gift subscription tickets to you in time for wrapping and presenting.
We suggest that you secure your tickets early. Use our easy Order Form, or send us an e-mail, or call us at 203-426-6470. As always, children between the ages of five and fourteen are welcome and admitted free of charge when accompanied by a ticket holding adult. Bring your young music students to hear professionals perform right here in Newtown.
After the performance, at our informal lobby reception, you will be able to meet the artists, talk to them, ask them for their autographs and learn more about the life of a musician.
We look forward to seeing you at this and all the subsequent outstanding concerts.
exquisite music - superbly performed
call 203-426-6470
