Upcoming Concert Festival

The New England Concert Festival is almost upon us, and I thought I might share some information about this upcoming event. We are proud to be holding our 2008 Festival this year at Mt. Anthony Union High School in Bennington, Vermont on Thursday-Saturday, March 13-15, 2008. There will be three performing ensembles, each rehearsed and directed by three outstanding conductors.

The 2008 Concert Chorus will be directed by Dr. Daniel A. Gordon, the Director of Fine Arts Ministries at First Presbyterian Church in Lakeland, Florida. Formerly the Director of Choral Music at the Crane School of Music in Potsdam, New York, Dr. Gordon brings with him many accomplishments that will serve our students well. His program is as follows: "Zadok The Priest" of George Frederick Handel, "Ouvre Ton Couer" of Georges Bizet, "I Have Had Singing" by Ron Jeffers, "You who never arrived" by Paul Basler, "A Red, Red Rose" of James Mulholland, and "Daniel, Servant of the Lord" by Undine Moore.

The 2008 Concert Band will be directed by Richard Clary, Professor of Music, Senior Band Conductor and Director of Wind Ensemble Studies at the Florida State University in Tallahassee. The program is as follows: "Lauds" of Ron Nelson, "Sussex Mummers Christmas Carol" of Percy Grainger, arranged by Clark, "Festal Scenes" by Ito, and "Selections from Porgy and Bess" by George Gershwin, arranged by Bennett.

The 2008 Orchestra is directed by James Tapia, Director of Orchestral Activities and Chair of the String Department at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York. The Orchestra will be performing the "Overture from Candide" of Leonard Bernstein, the "Carmen Suite" of George Bizet, and the final movement of "Symphony #4" of Howard Hanson.

The performances will all be on Saturday, March 15, 2008 at Mt. Anthony Union High School in Bennington, Vermont. The Band and Orchestra performance will be at 2:00 PM, and the Chorus performance will be at 4:00 PM. Tickets are available at $10.00 each and can be purchased through the nemfa website http://nemfa.org/, or by mailing a check made payable to MAUHS and sent to Christina Gagrus, Mt. Anthony Union High School, 301 Park Street, Bennington, Vermont 05201.