Henry Lewers '08 presents NEC recital

Henry Lewers '08 gave a recital completing his sequence of work at New England Conservatory in their two-year Jazz Preparatory Division on 6/8/08. The program was over an hour long and included tunes in styles ranging from Bebop to the classical/jazz fusion of Claude Bolling's groundbreaking 1970s work Suite for Flute & Jazz Piano. Supporting players were Elise MacDonald, flute; Judy Bruneau, drums; and Henry's NEC professor David Zoffer on bass.

Jonah Tolchin appears with Ronnie Earl

Guitarist Jonah Tolchin (HMS '11, pictured here playing harmonica) appeared with blues legend Ronnie Earl at the Tupelo Music Hall, one of New Hampshire's most prestigious smaller venues, on May 31. Ronnie invited Jonah to sit in with the band after hearing Jonah play at an appearance Ronnie was making at a music store in Keene.

CONGRATULATIONS, Jonah!

"Bye Bye Birdie" a success!

HMS senior and Bye Bye Birdie Music Director Henry Lewers ('08) writes:

The High Mowing School Spring Play, Bye Bye Birdie, was performed at the Pine Hill Waldorf School Auditorium April 24-26. Pictures can be seen by clicking here.

A wonderful time was had by all --- cast, crew, orchestra, and audience!

Calendar of upcoming High Mowing School concerts and music events

No upcoming performances at this time. Thank you for a great year!

Ben Martel ('03) & the Ben Burgun Band

Ben Martel has been busy at Alfred University in New York state, studying web design, songwriting, and fronting his band. The band's MySpace page has a lot of great info. And here's video of a live appearance! Go, Ben!

February 07 Terra Cotta

NH All-State Music Festival

Five HMS students participated in the NH All-State Music Festival during the first weekend of April. Michiko Takahashi '08, violin (pictured, front row, just to the left of the conductor); Nicole Perez '10, viola; Zoe Falk '10, cello; Emily Flemming '09, soprano voice; and Amanda Mullen '10, alto voice.

Of particular note is the fact that this was the first year that HMS has ever sent vocalists to the Festival.

The Festival was held in Concord, NH and the concert was once again held at the beautiful Capital Center for the Arts in the heart of downtown.

Much thanks for the Anderson Fund for picking up not only the participation fees for these five students, but even the audition fees for the many additional HMS students who tried out.

Congratulations, ladies!

Pearson/Lopez duo performs at HMS

Moby Pearson, violinist, and George Lopez, pianist, performed an all-Romantic Era program at their concert today in HMS's newly expanded Big Room. The concert was made possible by the David Anderson Music Fund.

Moby is well known to most people affiliated with HMS and with Pine Hill, although he recently moved to Brattleboro. George Lopez (pictured) teaches at Phillips Exeter Academy. Both have concertized around the world.

The HMS community enjoyed an intimate afternoon of exquisite chamber music on a rainy early spring day. Thank you, Moby and George!

Musical Revue directed by Henry Lewers ('08) inaugurates New Big Room at High Mowing School

The New Big Room was inaugurated on March 14 and 15 at 7:30 PM with the performance of “For Good”, a musical revue directed by Henry Lewers for his senior project. The cast included vocalists Michiko Takahashi, Serena Nelson, Mira Moeller, Caitlin Gillam, Jeremy Gillam, and Matt Frost, with Henry Lewers on piano, Seamus Conley on drums, and Elise MacDonald on bass.

The show included songs from contemporary musicals on Broadway from the past twenty years. The renovated, bigger room was used to its full capacity, and it's great to have it back! The performance was cabaret-style, with drinks and light refreshments served before the show began. You can view video of the closing song from the show below, and you can click here to see photos.

UPDATE, 4/20/08:

Here's video from the closing song, "For Good":



Visit Henry's website by clicking here

HMS Students attend 2008 NH All-State Jazz Festival

Helen Wright '08, Matt Frost '09, and Henry Lewers '08 participated in the 2008 New Hampshire All-State Festival at Pinkerton Acamedy in Derry, New Hampshire this weekend. Helen and Matt, alto voice and tenor voice, sang in the Jazz Choir; and Henry played piano in the Honors Jazz Band. Pictures from the Festival concert can be seen by clicking here, and see the Recording Archive to hear sound clips from the Jazz Choir and Honors Jazz Band.

Gentlemen of Leisure to perform at 2008 Berklee Festival

The Gentlemen of Leisure will perform at the Berklee College of Music 2008 High School Jazz Festival. Bringing their distinctive blend of blues and rock to the Festival as a student-led group (a first for HMS), the Gents will represent HMS with distinction. Their performance will be at the Hynes Convention Center, 900 Boylston Street, between 3 and 4 pm on Saturday, February 9th.

The Gentlemen of Leisure are Dan Roaman ('08), guitars and vocals; Shea Vacarro ('10), bass and vocals; Jonah Tolchin ('11), guitar and harmonica; and Seamus Conley ('11), drums. Special guests will include Michiko Takahashi ('08), violin; Sophie Abrahams-Dematte ('08), violin; and Jasper Noer ('09), vocals.

The Gentlemen will be competing in a category for schools with 500 students or fewer. Each year HMS has attended the festival, we've placed better and better.

Rather than a single-stage, "battle of the bands" format, the Berklee Festival is so large (300+ bands) that multiple performances occur throughout the Hynes Convention Center throughout the day --- sometimes as many as six or more at a time. The performance rooms themselves are small, but there's always space for supporters of the HMS jazz program! Come on down and cheer for the Gentlemen of Leisure!!!

(pictured: one of the first Berklee HS Jazz Fests...sometime far, far back in the mid-20th century!)

Three students will represent HMS at NH All-State Jazz Festival 2008

On February 9, three High Mowing students will perform at the New Hampshire Jazz All-State Concert, taking place at Pinkerton Academy in Derry, New Hampshire at 1:00.

Helen Wright ('08), alto voice, and Matt Frost ('09), tenor voice, will perform in one of two Jazz Choirs. Each vocal part (SATB) will be carried by only seven singers each, and many opportunites for solos will present themselves!

Henry Lewers ('08), piano, earned the highest score of any pianist in the state, and will perform in the Honors Jazz Band (a big band consisting of rhythm section and 15 horns --- saxes, trumpets, and trombones). This bests his results from last year, when he earned the second-highest score.

Fun fact: On a per-capita basis, HMS will have the highest numbers of participating students of any school in the state!

Tickets will be on sale the day of the performance (February 9) and a CD and DVD of the concert will be professionally recorded and produced.

World-renowned vocal clinician Nick Page visits HMS

World-class singer, composer, arranger, director, and clinician Nick Page visited HMS on Saturday, 12 January 2008 for a workshop with all HMS students. Nick had visited HMS five or six years ago, and was a big hit then. His return was just as wonderful, and had the entire student body and faculty singing and smiling. After lunch, he conducted a smaller workshop with a group of particularly committed HMS student singers.

Nick has worked with artists from Ladysmith Black Mambazo to Bobby McFerrin and has deeply studied the music of Africa and Eastern Europe, as well as music of the Jewish people.

Nick's website

Much thanks to the Anderson Fund, Virginia Buhr, and the Cultural Life Committee for bringing Nick to campus.

Three HMS students attend the NHMEA Chamber Festival

Violinist Michiko Takahashi ('08), pianist Henry Lewers ('08), and violist Nicole Perez ('10) participated in the NHMEA/NHBDA Chamber Festival on January 12, 2008. The students were accepted into the Festival based on their All-State and Jazz All-State audition scores, which were among the very highest in the state.

The focus of the Festival was on smaller classical chamber groups and jazz combos, as opposed to the regular All-State/Jazz All-State ensembles (symphony orchestra and big band). They gave a performance in the auditorium of the Timberlane Performing Arts Center. Live recordings will be posted in the "Recording Archives" section shortly.

Congratulations to Michiko, Henry, and Nicole!!!

The Sinfonietta in concert

The High Mowing Sinfonietta, directed by Mark Ferguson (pictured), performed a concert this afternoon at Pine Hill Waldorf School. The program included works of Albeniz, Mozart, and Villa-Lobos.

Soprano Johanna Landis, mom of Aaron (HMS '09), was a featured guest artist. Second violinist Jeremy Gillam ('09) put on his baritone soloist hat as well, performing a piece with the string section. All music was arranged by director Mark Ferguson, with the two vocal pieces arranged specifically with Johanna and Jeremy in mind.

Five Students to represent HMS at NH All-State Music Festival

The audition results are in! Representing HMS in the All-State Chorus will be alto Amanda Mullen ('10) and soprano Emily Flemming ('09). Selected for the Orchestra were cellist Zoe Falk ('10), violist Nicole Perez ('10) and violinist Michiko Takahashi ('08). Nicole received the second highest score among violists in the state, and Michiko's score puts her in the sixth chair of the first violin section, besting her score from the two previous years.

Congratulations to Amanda, Emily, Zoe, Nicole, and Michiko, and thank you for your hard work and buoyant energy throughout the rehearsal and audition process!

The Festival will be held April 3-5. Tickets will be on sale the day of the performance at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord, NH (pictured) on April 5; a CD and DVD of the concert will be professionally recorded and produced.

FUZZY BUNNY FOUND

The much-cuddled and beloved mascot of the HMS Music Department, Fuzzy Bunny, has been located. His return to campus at the end of Thanksgiving Break has been assured. Thanks to all who helped search for him!

New chapel piano!

Thanks to the generosity of Nance Hall (mom of Ben, '08), the Chapel now has a wonderful new upright piano! It has a lovely sound, is gorgeous to look at, and (perhaps most importantly!) holds a tuning over sustained periods!

Thank you Nance (and Ben!) for your generous donation!

(pictured...not the piano in question, but something quite similar!)

2008 New Hampshire All-State Music Festival Auditions

On Friday, November 16, sixteen High Mowing students auditioned for the All-State Orchestra, Chorus, and Concert Band.

Sophie Abrahams-Dematte ('08), violin
Julia Balit ('09), alto voice
Clara Brown ('09), soprano voice
Haley Clougherty ('10), alto voice
Zoe Falk ('10), cello
Emily Flemming ('09), soprano voice
Matt Frost ('09), tenor voice
Holly Johnston ('09), soprano voice
Jazmin Ment ('09), soprano voice
Amanda Mullen ('10), alto voice
Jaimen Perez ('11), trumpet
Nicole Perez ('10), viola
Michiko Takahashi ('08), violin
Fana Takahashi ('10), cello
Sarah Truchon ('09), alto voice
Julian Valdez ('09), bass voice

Students were asked to play a prepared piece and scales, and to sight-read. Michiko was accepted to the Festival the past two years; in addition, Sophie and Nicole were accepted last year.

The HMS Music Department would like to thank these musicians for their willingness to put themselves on the line in this competitive audition process. Whether or not these students are accepted to the Festival, their hard work and preparation will pay off for them in terms of their musicianship, as well as their ability to face tough situations (like future auditions and even job interviews!) with grace.

Finally, a SPECIAL THANKS to HMS parent and Athletic Director Betsy Truchon for driving one of the two buses it took to get everyone to and from auditions, as well as dorm counselors Maryanne Martel and Michal Noer for helping some of our boarding students get home a day later than usual, post-auditions...

Introducing: The Gentlemen of Leisure!

Dan Roaman ('08, guitar), Shea Vaccaro ('10, guitar and bass), Seamus Conley ('11, drums) and Jonah Tolchin ('11, guitar and harmonica), known collectively as the Gentlemen of Leisure, performed a blues/rock show for a packed house tonight at Nelson's Candies in Wilton, New Hampshire.

Please congratulate these musicians on a job well done! The Gents have a MySpace page, as well. Check it out!

HMS duo gives a voice and piano recital on 11/9/07

Jeremy Gillam ('09, baritone vocalist, pictured at top) and Henry Lewers ('08, piano, pictured below) gave a duo recital at 7:30 tonight in the Auditorium at the Pine Hill Waldorf School. The evening featured Contemporary and Romantic songs in Spanish, Italian, and French.

The concert benefitted the Anderson Music Fund and was the final installment of the Fund's new Fall Music Series.