APRIL 2023

Feature of Note

Third Annual Open House 

As the weather turns warmer in White Plains, that means: Daffodils and the annual Percy Grainger Home & Studio Open House. If you're near White Plains, mark your calendars to spend a Sunday afternoon with us on April 16, 2023, and enjoy a saxophone concert featuring Paul Cohen, Anna Keiserman, and friends. More information and reservation information is available here.

We remain grateful to the White Plains Beautification Foundation for providing us with the daffodil bulbs. Learn more about the history of the planting project here. 

Can't make it to the Open House in person? We will be broadcasting a livestream of the first concert at 2 pm on April 16th on our Facebook page! Follow this link to view more information on the Open House Facebook event lisiting.

Membership Happenings

Membership Committee's

Jennifer Martin Visits

7 Cromwell Place

Above: Jennifer Martin (right), Professor of Music at Cuesta College and Conductor of the San Luis Obispo Wind Orchestra and Central Coast Gilbert & Sullivan, examines materials with the assistance of Anne Ocone (left), Museum Coordinator at the Percy Grainger Home and Studio.

Last month, Jennifer Martin visited the Percy Grainger Home & Studio (PGHS) to continue her work for the Membership & Programs Committee of identifying the location of Grainger’s manuscripts and reference materials. Many manuscripts originally housed at 7 Cromwell Place were distributed to multiple locations after Percy’s death in 1961, yet much of the collection remains at the home today.

We enjoyed hosting Jennifer during her visit to the PGHS and sharing the living history of Grainger’s life in White Plains. Jennifer has contributed much to the compilation of Grainger score locations, which can be found by following this link to the manuscript location summary on the Grainger website.

Volunteer Spotlight 

Tour Themes Develop Around Tour Guides' Interest

Last month, Curt Ebersole, Conductor/Music Director of the Westchester Symphonic Winds and docent for the Percy Grainger Home and Studio, led a tour for a group of fellow retired teachers from Northern Valley Regional High School (Old Tappan, New Jersey). A welcome reunion, the tour brought Curt together with colleagues he had not seen since his own retirement ten years ago from Northern Valley Regional High School, where he had served as Director of Instrumental Music for 31 years.

As our volunteer program develops, our tour guides are leading specialized tours of the home customized to meet the interests of diverse groups of visitors and focused on highlighting the Graingers' lives from a variety of perspectives.

Interested in a tour? Learn more about scheduling private tours or reach out to us directly for large group/school tours. 

Save the Date

Performing Grainger's Choral Music 

In this presentation, Dr. Brent Wells leads a discussion of performance practices of Grainger's choral works. Grainger's concept of "elastic scoring" will be discussed as well as practical ways to perform an all-Grainger choral concert, or a set of Grainger pieces within a concert program of several composers and styles. The presentation will focus particularly on Grainger's folk-based choral works and will conclude with an open Q&A and discussion.

Dr. Wells, Associate Professor of Choral Conducting and Ensembles at Brigham Young University, is the director of the Brigham Young University Men’s Chorus and Concert Choir. He has published a series of articles in the Choral Journal discussing the folk-based compositions and collecting methodology of Percy Grainger and is also active as a composer and arranger. 

Follow this link to view additional information and register for the June 30 presentation, "Performing Grainger's Choral Music," by Dr. Brent Wells.

Interested in Becoming a Member?

Membership in the Percy Grainger Society does have its privileges! With your membership, you have access to the Members Area of our website, which includes digital copies of The Grainger Journal, audio and video content, and links to program notes, catalogs, and book lists.

The Percy Grainger Society

7 Cromwell Place | White Plains, New York 10601

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Our mission is to promote the work and legacy of Percy Grainger with a membership community that preserves his historic house, encourages appreciation performance of his music, and promotes a deeper understanding of the cultural, social, and economic context of his life and work.

info@percygrainger.org

(914) 281-1610

www.percygrainger.org

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