2020 Junior Festival
Allison Lacasse, Belmont Public Schools, Coordinator
Sean Buchsbaum, Burlington Public Schools, Assistant Coordinator
CONCERT BAND - Matthew Marsit, Conductor
Anthony Prestigiovani, Rockport Public Schools, Manager
Nick Abruzzese, Methuen Public Schools, Assistant Manager
PROGRAM
A Fairy Tale - Ferrer Faerran
Old Churches - Michael Colgrass
Sheltering Sky - John Mackey
Anthony Prestigiovani, Rockport Public Schools, Manager
Nick Abruzzese, Methuen Public Schools, Assistant Manager
PROGRAM
A Fairy Tale - Ferrer Faerran
Old Churches - Michael Colgrass
Sheltering Sky - John Mackey
Matthew Marsit is an active conductor and clarinetist and has led ensembles and performed as a solo, chamber, and orchestral musician throughout the United States. Currently serving as the Chair of Instrumental Studies for the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Matthew also serves as the Artistic Director of the Charles River Wind Ensemble in Boston. Matthew has previously held conducting positions at Dartmouth College, Ithaca College, Cornell University, Drexel University, Symphony Nova, the Chestnut Hill Orchestra, the Bucks County Youth Ensembles, the Performing Arts Institute of Wyoming Seminary and the Eastern US Music Camp.
A champion for new music and advancing the repertoire of original works for wind ensemble, Matthew has led premiere performances from Christopher Marshall, Louis Andriessen, Daniel Basford, Christopher Theofanidis, Richard Marriott, Michael Gandolfi, Matthew Herman, Edward Green, and Thomas Miller, among others, with upcoming premieres by Kevin Krumenauer and Jess Turner.
As a clarinetist, Matthew has performed with many ensembles including the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, the Fairmont Chamber Orchestra, Cornell University’s “Ensemble X” and has made solo appearances with the Keene State University Symphony Band, the Dartmouth College Wind Ensemble, the Handel Society at Dartmouth, the Cornell University Jazz Ensemble, the Performing Arts Institute of Wyoming Seminary, the Drexel University Symphony Orchestra and the Chestnut Hill Orchestra. Matthew has served as clarinet faculty at Plymouth State University.
An advocate for the use of music as a vehicle for service, Matthew has led ensembles on service missions, collecting instruments for donation to schools, performing charity benefit concerts and offering workshops to benefits struggling arts programs. His work at Dartmouth allowed for outreach projects in the rural schools of New Hampshire and Vermont, working to stimulate interest in school performing arts programs, including the highly successful Dartmouth Youth Wind Ensemble, that partners members of the Dartmouth College Wind Ensemble side-by-side with middle school students from throughout the region. In 2014, Marsit designed led the Dartmouth College Wind Ensemble on its first international service and performance tour to San Jose, Costa Rica, partnering with the Costa Rican National Institute of Music, the University of Costa Rica and several SiNEM Schools in the country to share and exchange with young students in financially deprived regions, a location to which the DCWE returned in March 2017.
A native of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, Matthew moved first to Philadelphia to complete his studies in music at Temple University, graduating Summa Cum Laude, where he studied clarinet with Anthony Gigliotti and Ronald Reuben and conducting with Luis Biava and Arthur Chodoroff. Additionally, Matthew has studied conducting with some of the world’s most prominent instructors including Mark Davis Scatterday of the Eastman School of the Music, Timothy Reynish of the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, UK and Gianluigi Gelmetti at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Italy. Matthew also holds a graduate degree in Orchestral Conducting from The Boston Conservatory.
A champion for new music and advancing the repertoire of original works for wind ensemble, Matthew has led premiere performances from Christopher Marshall, Louis Andriessen, Daniel Basford, Christopher Theofanidis, Richard Marriott, Michael Gandolfi, Matthew Herman, Edward Green, and Thomas Miller, among others, with upcoming premieres by Kevin Krumenauer and Jess Turner.
As a clarinetist, Matthew has performed with many ensembles including the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, the Fairmont Chamber Orchestra, Cornell University’s “Ensemble X” and has made solo appearances with the Keene State University Symphony Band, the Dartmouth College Wind Ensemble, the Handel Society at Dartmouth, the Cornell University Jazz Ensemble, the Performing Arts Institute of Wyoming Seminary, the Drexel University Symphony Orchestra and the Chestnut Hill Orchestra. Matthew has served as clarinet faculty at Plymouth State University.
An advocate for the use of music as a vehicle for service, Matthew has led ensembles on service missions, collecting instruments for donation to schools, performing charity benefit concerts and offering workshops to benefits struggling arts programs. His work at Dartmouth allowed for outreach projects in the rural schools of New Hampshire and Vermont, working to stimulate interest in school performing arts programs, including the highly successful Dartmouth Youth Wind Ensemble, that partners members of the Dartmouth College Wind Ensemble side-by-side with middle school students from throughout the region. In 2014, Marsit designed led the Dartmouth College Wind Ensemble on its first international service and performance tour to San Jose, Costa Rica, partnering with the Costa Rican National Institute of Music, the University of Costa Rica and several SiNEM Schools in the country to share and exchange with young students in financially deprived regions, a location to which the DCWE returned in March 2017.
A native of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, Matthew moved first to Philadelphia to complete his studies in music at Temple University, graduating Summa Cum Laude, where he studied clarinet with Anthony Gigliotti and Ronald Reuben and conducting with Luis Biava and Arthur Chodoroff. Additionally, Matthew has studied conducting with some of the world’s most prominent instructors including Mark Davis Scatterday of the Eastman School of the Music, Timothy Reynish of the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, UK and Gianluigi Gelmetti at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Italy. Matthew also holds a graduate degree in Orchestral Conducting from The Boston Conservatory.
ORCHESTRA - Edward Cumming, Conductor
Kate Comeau, Chelmsford Public Schools, Manager
Joe Wright, Andover Public Schools, Assistant Manager
PROGRAM
Russian Sailors Dance - Gliere/Isaac
Fantasy on Sleepers Wake - Bach/Leidig
Turkish March - Beethoven
Bacchanale - Saint-Saëns/Isaac
Kate Comeau, Chelmsford Public Schools, Manager
Joe Wright, Andover Public Schools, Assistant Manager
PROGRAM
Russian Sailors Dance - Gliere/Isaac
Fantasy on Sleepers Wake - Bach/Leidig
Turkish March - Beethoven
Bacchanale - Saint-Saëns/Isaac
Edward Cumming has distinguished himself as a musician, performer, educator and conductor in a career that has taken him all over the world. For a decade, he was Music Director of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, hailed for its remarkable artistic growth during his tenure. His appointment came after a two-year search process involving nearly 300 applicants from around the world. Presently, he is Director of Orchestral Activities at The Hartt School, and Interim Music Director of the Vermont Youth Orchestra.
Before coming to Hartford, Cumming was Resident Conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony, where he stepped in on short notice to conduct a program of which the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote, “some conductors could not do as well even with months to prepare.” As Resident Conductor of the Florida Orchestra, Cumming conducted a recording of the “Star Spangled Banner” with Whitney Houston and the Florida Orchestra for Super Bowl XXV.
In Europe, Mr. Cumming has led the Orquesta Ciudad de Granada (Spain), the Ceske Budejovice Chamber Philharmonia (Czech Republic), the BBC Ulster Orchestra (Northern Ireland), Belgrade Philharmonic (Serbia) and the Sinfonica di Roma. He has conducted ensembles throughout the United States, including the Los Angeles, Rochester and Buffalo Philharmonic orchestras, the Detroit, San Diego, San Antonio and Oregon Symphony orchestras, and the Boston Pops. He has been a guest of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, and the Israel Be’er Sheva Sinfonietta. Recently, he made his South American debut with the Filarmónica de Bogotá, conducting Schoenberg’s Pelleas und Melisande on short notice.
Artists with whom he has performed include Yo Yo Ma, Elmar Oliveira, Sarah Chang, Joshua Bell, Doc Severinson, James Taylor, Stefan Jackiw and Emmanuel Ax.
Cumming has taught at colleges all over the country, including Yale University, California State University (Fullerton), University of South Florida, and Pacific University. During his time in Pittsburgh, he was Music Director of the nationally-acclaimed Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra, one of only five orchestras invited to the biennial National Youth Orchestra Festival. He was the founding Music Director of the Pacific Symphony Institute, and has also taught at the Orange County High School for the Arts.
Mr. Cumming studied at Yale University, where he received a Doctorate in Music. As an undergraduate at the University of California at Berkeley, he was awarded the prestigious Eisner Prize for Creative Achievement in the Arts. In May 2010, he received an Honorary Doctorate from Trinity College.
Before coming to Hartford, Cumming was Resident Conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony, where he stepped in on short notice to conduct a program of which the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote, “some conductors could not do as well even with months to prepare.” As Resident Conductor of the Florida Orchestra, Cumming conducted a recording of the “Star Spangled Banner” with Whitney Houston and the Florida Orchestra for Super Bowl XXV.
In Europe, Mr. Cumming has led the Orquesta Ciudad de Granada (Spain), the Ceske Budejovice Chamber Philharmonia (Czech Republic), the BBC Ulster Orchestra (Northern Ireland), Belgrade Philharmonic (Serbia) and the Sinfonica di Roma. He has conducted ensembles throughout the United States, including the Los Angeles, Rochester and Buffalo Philharmonic orchestras, the Detroit, San Diego, San Antonio and Oregon Symphony orchestras, and the Boston Pops. He has been a guest of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, and the Israel Be’er Sheva Sinfonietta. Recently, he made his South American debut with the Filarmónica de Bogotá, conducting Schoenberg’s Pelleas und Melisande on short notice.
Artists with whom he has performed include Yo Yo Ma, Elmar Oliveira, Sarah Chang, Joshua Bell, Doc Severinson, James Taylor, Stefan Jackiw and Emmanuel Ax.
Cumming has taught at colleges all over the country, including Yale University, California State University (Fullerton), University of South Florida, and Pacific University. During his time in Pittsburgh, he was Music Director of the nationally-acclaimed Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra, one of only five orchestras invited to the biennial National Youth Orchestra Festival. He was the founding Music Director of the Pacific Symphony Institute, and has also taught at the Orange County High School for the Arts.
Mr. Cumming studied at Yale University, where he received a Doctorate in Music. As an undergraduate at the University of California at Berkeley, he was awarded the prestigious Eisner Prize for Creative Achievement in the Arts. In May 2010, he received an Honorary Doctorate from Trinity College.
GIRLS CHORUS - Ann Marie Tremblay, Conductor
Samantha Prindiville, Wilmington Public Schools, Manager
Martha Robertson, Methuen Public Schools, Assistant Manager
Accompanist: Irina Chelnokova
PROGRAM
Gloria Fanfare - Sally Albrecht
Lift Thine Eyes (from Elijah) – Felix Mendelssohn
Danza! – Linda Spevacek
We Can Dream – Pinkzebra
Here Comes the Sun – arr. Alan Billingsley
Samantha Prindiville, Wilmington Public Schools, Manager
Martha Robertson, Methuen Public Schools, Assistant Manager
Accompanist: Irina Chelnokova
PROGRAM
Gloria Fanfare - Sally Albrecht
Lift Thine Eyes (from Elijah) – Felix Mendelssohn
Danza! – Linda Spevacek
We Can Dream – Pinkzebra
Here Comes the Sun – arr. Alan Billingsley
With a keen interest in music’s healing and restorative qualities, Ann Marie Tremblay began her studies in Music as a voice and piano double major, obtaining a Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Therapy from Marywood University. Upon graduation, Ms. Tremblay worked as a Music Therapist at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. Missing both New England and the stage, Ann Marie completed her Music Education certification at Boston University and continued to earn a Masters Degree in Music Education at The Boston Conservatory. Choral music quickly became her passion; serving as Choral Director in the Medfield Public Schools, at Wellesley High School, Nipmuc Regional High School, and recently returned to the Medfield Public Schools where she is currently employed. Ann Marie has served as a Southeast District Vocal Adjudicator, presenter at the Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association (MICCA) Summer Institute, MICCA Choral Festival Chairperson, and Housing Manager for the All-State Music Festival, among other professional responsibilities. Ms. Tremblay has traveled extensively with all of her ensembles both in the Northeast region of the United States, New Orleans, Cuba, Germany, and Austria. Her performing groups have participated in the MICCA and Massachusetts Association of Jazz Educators (MAJE) Gold Medal Showcases, singing at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade, Berklee Performance Center, Symphony Hall, and the renowned Seiji Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood. Ann Marie loves to travel and spend time with her husband, three children, and two dogs.
BOYS CHORUS - Dr. Stephen A. Paparo, Conductor
Brendan Ferrari, Lexington Public Schools, Manager
Jonathan Abrams, Chelmsford Public Schools, Assistant Manager
Accompanist: Robert Lague
PROGRAM
Ad Astra - Jacob Narverud
Count the Stars - Andy Beck
Ave Verum Corpus - W.A. Mozart
Nine Hundred Miles - Phillip Silvey
Sisi Ni Moja - Jacob Narverud
Brendan Ferrari, Lexington Public Schools, Manager
Jonathan Abrams, Chelmsford Public Schools, Assistant Manager
Accompanist: Robert Lague
PROGRAM
Ad Astra - Jacob Narverud
Count the Stars - Andy Beck
Ave Verum Corpus - W.A. Mozart
Nine Hundred Miles - Phillip Silvey
Sisi Ni Moja - Jacob Narverud
Dr. Stephen A. Paparo is Associate Professor of Music Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and conductor of the University Chorale. He holds degrees from Michigan State University (Ph.D.), Syracuse University (M.M.), and Ithaca College (B.M.), and is a Guild Certified Practitioner of the Feldenkrais Method® of somatic education. As a former public school teacher, he taught junior and senior high school choral music for ten years in New Hartford, New York, and earned National Board Certification in 2002.
Active as a guest conductor, Dr. Paparo has conducted honor and festival choirs at all levels in Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. In 2019, he conducted the Rhode Island All-State High School Mixed Chorus. He has presented at international, national, and state conferences, including the International Symposium on Performance Science (Kyoto, Japan), The Phenomenon of Singing International Symposium (St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada), Suncoast Music Education Research Symposium (Tampa, FL), and American Choral Directors Association Eastern Division Conference. He is President for the Massachusetts chapter for the American Choral Directors Association, and has previously served as Student Activities chair.
His research interests include the application of the Feldenkrais Method to singing instruction in the choral setting, non-traditional choral ensembles, such as contemporary collegiate a cappella, virtual choirs, and circle singing groups, and LGBTQ studies in music education. He is published in Bulletin for the Council of Research in Music Education, International Journal of Music Education, and Music Education Research, and has a chapter, “Circle singing: Composing Improvisation and Improvising Composition” in Musicianship: Composing in Choir, published by GIA. His compositions, “Sing in Harmony!” and “A Musical Pun-ology”, for beginning choirs are published by Alfred Music.
Active as a guest conductor, Dr. Paparo has conducted honor and festival choirs at all levels in Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. In 2019, he conducted the Rhode Island All-State High School Mixed Chorus. He has presented at international, national, and state conferences, including the International Symposium on Performance Science (Kyoto, Japan), The Phenomenon of Singing International Symposium (St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada), Suncoast Music Education Research Symposium (Tampa, FL), and American Choral Directors Association Eastern Division Conference. He is President for the Massachusetts chapter for the American Choral Directors Association, and has previously served as Student Activities chair.
His research interests include the application of the Feldenkrais Method to singing instruction in the choral setting, non-traditional choral ensembles, such as contemporary collegiate a cappella, virtual choirs, and circle singing groups, and LGBTQ studies in music education. He is published in Bulletin for the Council of Research in Music Education, International Journal of Music Education, and Music Education Research, and has a chapter, “Circle singing: Composing Improvisation and Improvising Composition” in Musicianship: Composing in Choir, published by GIA. His compositions, “Sing in Harmony!” and “A Musical Pun-ology”, for beginning choirs are published by Alfred Music.
JAZZ BAND - Craig Skeffington, Conductor
Ben Owens, North Reading Public Schools, Manager
Holly Gallant, Reading Public Schools, Assistant Manager
PROGRAM
The Nearness of You - Mark Taylor
Vending Machine Isn't Broken - Craig Skeffington
Soon - Gershwin, arr. Skeffington
Foot Pattin Time - Lou Donaldson, arr. White
Somebody Stole My Music - Craig Skeffington (MMEA-ND Commissioned Piece)
Ben Owens, North Reading Public Schools, Manager
Holly Gallant, Reading Public Schools, Assistant Manager
PROGRAM
The Nearness of You - Mark Taylor
Vending Machine Isn't Broken - Craig Skeffington
Soon - Gershwin, arr. Skeffington
Foot Pattin Time - Lou Donaldson, arr. White
Somebody Stole My Music - Craig Skeffington (MMEA-ND Commissioned Piece)
Craig Skeffington has been an active New England composer, arranger and educator for the past 3 decades with pieces in the jazz, marching and wind band genres. A high school band director since 1992, Craig was the 2003 MMEA Teacher of the Year and is currently on the adjunct faculty of the University of Southern Maine as an instructor in applied jazz arranging. His published pieces with the Neil A. Kjos Music Company, Alfred/Belwin Jazz, Kendor Music and C.L Barnhouse have appeared in the International Association of Jazz Educators and NYSSMA manuals and consistently receive “Editors Choice” in the JW Pepper music catalog. In 2007, 2010 and most recently 2018, his music was performed at the prestigious Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, Ill. He is both a past president of the Maine Band Directors Association and jazz activities chair for the Maine Music Educators Association. Craig is currently serving MMEA as the instrumental jazz chairperson, as well as the National Federation for Music Education as the Eastern Division Representative for the United States.
As a trumpet player Craig has played with Barry Manilow, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Natalie Cole, Johnny Mathis, Colin Raye, The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra from Washington D.C, Kris Berg and the Metroplexity Big Band (from Dallas TX) and toured nationally with the Artie Shaw Orchestra. As a soloist, he has appeared with Grammy award winning artists Wayne Bergeron, Eric Marienthal and Bob Mintzer as well as Grammy nominated artist Bobby Shew.
Locally, he works with the Seacoast Big Band, the Portland Jazz Orchestra and the Larry Williams Band. Craig lives in South Portland with his wife Carrie and their two daughters Hannah and Molly. His music can be found on the Portland Jazz Orchestra’s latest CDs - “Nor Easter” and “Generations” available on i tunes and CD baby.
As a trumpet player Craig has played with Barry Manilow, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Natalie Cole, Johnny Mathis, Colin Raye, The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra from Washington D.C, Kris Berg and the Metroplexity Big Band (from Dallas TX) and toured nationally with the Artie Shaw Orchestra. As a soloist, he has appeared with Grammy award winning artists Wayne Bergeron, Eric Marienthal and Bob Mintzer as well as Grammy nominated artist Bobby Shew.
Locally, he works with the Seacoast Big Band, the Portland Jazz Orchestra and the Larry Williams Band. Craig lives in South Portland with his wife Carrie and their two daughters Hannah and Molly. His music can be found on the Portland Jazz Orchestra’s latest CDs - “Nor Easter” and “Generations” available on i tunes and CD baby.