In August 2011 I wrote of Gena Branscombe’s initiation and membership in three professional fraternities, one of which was Zeta Tau Alpha.  Recently an article from “Themis of Zeta Tau Alpha” dated November 1, 1941, came into my possession. In the article are two pictures of Miss Branscombe that I have previously never seen.  The picture of her holding a baton; with intensity she is in control ready to give a downbeat, her performers’ complete attention is obvious from the intense look in her eyes.  Let the music ring forth.  She is performance ready; she’s wearing a ..read more

  The glass ceiling for women conductors is being shattered this summer when three women lead performances of Wagner’s operas at the Bayreuth Festival.  YES!   In  2021, Ukrainian Oksana Lyniv became the first woman to conduct at Richard Wagner’s theatre, Bayreuth.  Wagner initiated his company in 1876 ---- it only took 145 years for a woman to conduct there.  Maestra Lyniv debuted conducting “Der Fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman)” and has returned this summer to lead that same opera. Simone Young, the first Australian conductor at Bayreuth, wi ..read more

Congratulations and welcome to The Gena Branscombe Project's Board, Jessica Bloch.  A music entrepreneur, wonderful soprano, voice teacher, performer and as you can tell, a real go-getter!     #BringingBackBranscombe www.kathleenshimeta.com ..read more

Congratulations to The Gena Branscombe Project 2024 Scholarship winners!   Emily Clements - Composer Braeden Weyhrich - Conductor Maclain Hardin-Kurza - Arts Administration #BringingBackBranscombe   www.kathleenshimeta.com ..read more

 When my phone rang this morning with the caller being a friend from Bar Harbor, Maine, where I had performed countless times with conductor Shirley Smith, I knew what news might be coming.  Shirley had died yesterday.  A large Maine coast ocean wave of sadness washed over me.  Shirley…..how does one describe Shirley Smith?  Down home, no nonsense, wore jeans, t shirts and sneakers to rehearsal, rugged enough to survive numerous brutal Maine winters, honest, sentimental, lover of dogs, a good musician and organist, a good conductor, crazy sense of humor whose contagiou ..read more

  Over the years that I have written my blog, Arthur P. Schmidt, publisher has been the topic of three of my postings.  His company, The Arthur P. Schmidt Co. of Boston, Leipzig and New York, was a premiere music publishing company of the era.  As I have said in my previous posts, Mr. Schmidt promoted American composers and in particular American women composers.  He was a person of vision, of musical integrity with his belief in our nation’s composers.  BRAVO, Mr. Schmidt. Recently an October 2017 blog posting titled, “Why don’t we talk about Arthur P. Schmidt”? came ..read more

  It is an honor to have been chosen to be one of four presenters at the first "CCM Speaks."  The College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati has invited alumni to give presentations about a “pivotal project or moment in your career that challenged you to think outside the box, take action, and do something new.”   On Friday, April  19th at 7 PM in the Cohen Family Studio Theater at the Conservatory, I will present “Gena Branscombe:  A  Woman Composer Lost – Now Found.”   Below is the hyperlink to the event. https://www.alumni.uc ..read more

The Gena Branscombe Project is proud to announce that  applications for its 2024 scholarship  are now open! Go to our website: www.thegenabranscombeproject.com   #BringingBackBranscombe www.kathleenshimeta.com ..read more

  Thank you to the Boston Landmarks Orchestra for creating and making available this video about Gena Branscombe!  Click on the hyperlink below.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59uVv5awSQA With Miss Branscombe's close ties to Boston, I hope that some day the orchestra will program her "Pilgrims of Destiny."   #BringingBackBranscombe www.kathleenshimeta.com ..read more

  On Monday, February 12th, the Colleges of the Fenway Orchestra rehearsed Gena Branscombe’s 1914 piece, “Festival Prelude/Festival March.”    What made this rehearsal special?  It is the first rehearsal and soon to be first performance of the original orchestration of this piece in over 100 years.  And, to add more to this explanation, the original orchestral work is in Miss Branscombe’s manuscript at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.  From scanned photos of the manuscript, the was transcribed into Finale, note by note by note, for the rehear ..read more