Dear Friends,

Happy New Year! This will be the final post in our Season of Thanks Series, we hope that you have enjoyed revisiting all that we have accomplished together. As we begin the new year, we would like to encourage you to make a donation to support these programs, help us start this year knowing we can offer even more in 2016. 2015 was a triumphant year, but there were several junctures where we nearly had to suspend funding for our youth programs. Thanks to major contributions by the Mascoma Savings Bank Foundation, Union Episcopal Church, and the NH Episcopal Diocese we will be able to continue funding our programs for at least 6 months from today. Together those organizations contributed over $10,000 to support education, and the broader WCCMA YAE programs (including Taiko Drumming, the Bach Tree, instrument loaning, and new program development). With that $10,000 we deliver over $50,000 in services to the community, but with your help we can do so much more.

Roger Smith, of New London, right, and Jason Beaudry, of Claremont, second from right, applaud as from left, Melissa Richmond, Mariauna King and Hayley Valdivia, finish a Christmas song at the Revolution Cantina in Claremont, N.H. Wednesday, December 23, 2015. King joined Richmond and the WCCMA flute ensemble for flute Christmas caroling at several locations around downtown Claremont. (Valley News – James M. Patterson)

Just this Sunday the Valley News featured Mariauna, a student in our program. They featured more than a page of photos and an article on Mariauna and her experience with WCCMA’s program. They followed her through a couple weeks of music making, and talked to her about how important music and the YAE program has been for her. You can check out the article here. Mariauna joined our private lesson program this summer, due in part to a $250 donation by Claremont Financial Services, and to all those who contributed to our spring and summer fundraising efforts where we raised over $1,000. Since then just though WCCMA she has been able to have weekly music lessons, perform at our fall student recital and the Firehouse 6 Holiday performance, participate in a flute ensemble, attend a masterclass with Peter Bloom, and carol with other students in downtown Claremont. We would like to help more students like Mariauna, but we can’t do that without your help. Our program from 2015 to present has provided assistance to 6 families, helped facilitate lessons for 6 additional families, and provided supplemental in school group instruction to 15 students. We have requests for support, lesson space, and instructors from at least 10 additional families waiting for funding or supplies (such as our need for a new performance piano) to come through.

It is our hope to achieve all that and more, and we hope that you will consider making a donation in any amount to help.

Thank you for making 2015 such a wonderful year filled with music, art, and inspiration for our students, yourself, and your neighbors. We are looking forward to an amazing new year, with a busy 2016 to come. Our first event for 2016 with be Music for Syria: a benefit for refugees on January 12, 7:30. Here’s to a great year!

WCCMA Executive Director with Gov. Maggie Hassan and Roger Brooks, accepting the Governor’s Arts Award for Distinguished Arts Leadership for 2015. With thanks to the NH State Council on the Arts.

Here at WCCMA we are incredibly grateful for the passion and joy that music brings. The beauty is that it’s universal for all human beings, whether you love classical music, folk music, country, rock, or the avant garde music of John Cage (he’s waaay out there!)

The Firehouse Six perform dixieland and holiday favorites annually the Sunday before Christmas.

The joy of music takes many forms, including this Sunday’s performance by the Firehouse 6, at 2pm. This annual tradition has taken place on the Sunday before Christmas since 2011 when WCCMA became a full year program. This event is one of our most popular of the year, and as always your donations make it possible to keep these programs free for the community, so everyone can have access.

Local musician’s from the 2015 Summer Concert Series perform a Mozart Quartet

Your donation makes the performances possible, and also helps to support local musicians. This is an important part of the puzzle, for without musicians living locally we have no instructors and music making. The ability for musicians to come together to make music is a joy, one made all the greater by being able to perform for you.

Dr. Jose Lezcano has been a friend of WCCMA since the very beginning. Jose lives in Keene, and has performed and led residencies for WCCMA. He is on the faculty at Keene State College, and has been nominated for a Grammy award for composing. His compositions often incorporate his Cuban-American heritage, and have been a hit with our audience. Your contribution has supported these programs, giving our community access to outstanding local talent.

Lauren Bateman, a popular performer of rock music locally, is based in Boston.

It is not only classical and traditional music that your support makes possible, but also performers like singer-songwriter Lauren Bateman from Boston. Lauren performed at our 5th Birthday party, and was a regular at our First Thursday Music Series held at the the Claremont Farmers’ Market that completed in 2014. We are in planning for a new, larger free public music series that will present outstanding rock, country, blues, fusion, alternative music, and more. Donations you make now will help make this project possible.

Castlebay from Maine performed in Spring 2015 the traditional music from New England, and the cultures that settled here.

A nearly sold out show by the Yankee Brass.

A performance of the Yankee Brass would not be complete without a performance by Larry on the anvil!

We also recognize the variety of folk and historical music from around the world, and the joy that music brings to so many people. The performers of traditional music are very passionate about preserving and sharing these works, and your support helps to keep that music alive, and LIVE! Don’t you love having local access to great live music? We do!

Rhonda Sider Edgington performs a recital of new works for the organ in celebration of the completion of the renovation by Union Church of the organ in WCCMA’s main performance space.

New music is another area your donation supports. You help support the passionate performers that love to explore new music with you and your fellow audience members. And sometimes that features instruments that we think of in only a traditional sense, like the organ performance that celebrated the renovation of the organ at Union Church. Stay tuned for a traditional organ recital coming later this year, made possible by donors like you!

Performers and Composers Dinuk Wijeratne (piano) and Kinan Azmeh (clarinet) appear annually at the Summer Concert Series at Union Church.

We are tremendously lucky to have the internationally acclaimed musicians Kinan Azmeh and Dinuk Wijeratne with us each summer, and for other special programs during the year. Both are incredible performers and composers, and your donation helps to bring these incredible musicians to Claremont. Over the years they have developed a love for our community, and that has blossomed into great things.

Executive Director Melissa Richmond performs the World Premiere of Kinan Azmeh’s Concerto for Flute and String Orchestra.

One of the things your support has made possible is the commissioning of a new work for Claremont during the Claremont 250th Celebration in 2015. This incredible piece celebrates the joy and passion of all involved, and was written by the Syrian composer Kinan Azmeh. Kinan performs and writes for some of the most talented musicians in the world, including Yo Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble. It was a truly wonderful collaboration between WCCMA, the Windham Orchestra, and the Claremont 250th Celebration. This herculean effort, culminating in a full orchestra performance in Claremont and Brattleboro was only be possible with your help.

Acclaimed musicians Dinuk Wijeratne and Nick Halley work with music students during The Bach Tree Workshop.

True to our commitment to education, many of these passionate performers are also gifted educators. Your support gives our young people access to performances and education by world-class musicians, and we wish we could bottle the resulting joy to show you!

Marika Hughes performs with her band Bottom Heavy.

We are very pleased to say that your donation is supporting performances by a diverse group of talent, including a number of female performers – some of which are performing roles not traditionally open to women. These wonderful women are great role models for our young musicians in our youth programs, of which more than 50% are female.

Jenna Rae shares her big operatic voice performing Strauss.

Melissa Richmond, flute, and Angela Biggs, soprano, perform French impressionist music for flute and voice.

Burlington Taiko Group performing at WCCMA.

Thank you for your support over these past 8 years. We hope that you will consider supporting these quality programs again, programs that are not available elsewhere in the immediate area. Your donations have helped to create these programs, and the leadership that has been recognized across New England for their importance in serving the community. Help us continue our work together by making a tax deductible donation, and keep the passion alive and at your fingertips! We are suggesting a donation of $100 to help us reach our end of year fundraising goal of $15,000 (we are currently at ($10,500), but any amount you can spare makes a difference. Donate Here