WAMC President’s Message, 2023
We had a successful year in the 2022-2023 season starting with a Memorial Concert and Reception at Fairfield Grace Methodist Church honoring past club President Ann Spencer and her husband Charles. November 13 we had our opening concert, “Soldiers and Sailors Salute” and in May we had our annual fundraiser “Ports of Call”. All our concerts were well attended and helped us raise money for our scholarship students who also had a successful concert last January. This year we our continuing to support our students, Michael Kalinin who is studying organ at UCONN and Kate Wegener who is in her second year Masters program at Julliard in oboe performance.
This season, 2023-2024 is our 125th anniversary season. We will open with a concert on November 12 at 3 pm at Fairfield Grace United Methodist Church. We also plan to continue with our Scholarship concert in January and a fundraising concert in May. Those dates will be published later.
We are back in full swing and looking for new members and supporters. Please visit this site for updates to our concert schedule. If you are interested in auditioning for our chorus or solo parts, please contact me for further information.
Also, if you are ready to get more involved with WAMC, perhaps even in a leadership role, we could use you. We are always looking for input from our members. Welcome back and I look forward to seeing you soon!
For more information or if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Joanne Kant
203-767-0064
kanjwl@aol.com
SPRING 2023 MISSION STATEMENT UPDATE
Wednesday Afternoon Music Club, 1898-2023
The Wednesday Afternoon Musical Club is an association of talented musical artists and music lovers who wish to share the gift of music among themselves and with the community.
The goal of the Wednesday Afternoon Musical Club is to bring examples of vocal and instrumental musical creativity to the public in a well structured, professionally organized recital format which enables its members to grow, develop and present their art in a supportive and communicative environment as well as to foster young musicians by providing scholarships and opportunities to perform.
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Please note. Dues are $40 and are for the coming year, 2023-2024. We have a new Treasurer, Andree Halcott, so please send your dues to her at 333 Vincelette St., Unit 52, Bridgeport CT 06606. We welcome your support, both financial and in person. To contribute online, please click here.
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Highlights from our Latest Concerts
Ports of Call – A Meandering Mediterranean Melange, Sunday, May 21, 2023
The last Wednesday Afternoon Music Club concert of the Spring season was held on Sunday, May 21 at 3:00 pm at Fairfield Grace United Methodist Church, Fairfield. Performances included music by Cole Porter, Rogers & Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, Gilbert & Sullivan, and more, all based on the theme of worldwide travel.
“Bon Voyage” from Anything Goes, by Cole Porter.
“Shalom” from Milk and Honey, by Jerry Herman. See more photos from the concert.
Scholarship Winners Concert, Sunday, January 15, 2023
The January 15 Scholarship Winners Concert was held at 2 pm at Jesse lee United Methodist Church, 25 Flatrock Rd., Easton.
Kate Wegener is an oboist in her first year of her master’s degree at the Juilliard School on a Jerome L. Greene Fellowship. She was the silver medalist in the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s International Oboe Competition in 2020. As an orchestral player Kate has performed with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the Apex Ensemble and the Florida Orchestra. She will be accompanied by Avery Duer.
Kate performing “Vocalise-Etude en Forme de Habanera,” by Maurice Ravel.
Michael Kalinin is at UCONN studying for a Bachelor of Music and organ performance. As well as playing for numerous local churches he has enlisted in the US Army Reserves and joined ARMY ROTC as a Military Police Cadet. He is projected to graduate from UCONN and earn his commission in 2024.
Hear Michael performing “Masquerde Suite-Waltz,” by Aram Kachaturian in a piano duet with Olga Kalinina.
See more photos from the concert.
The Veteran’s Day “Soldiers and Sailors Salute” Concert a Success
On November 13, 2022, the Wednesday Afternoon Music Club’s “Soldiers and Sailors Salute: A Veteran’s Day World War II Era Cavalcade” concert was featured on News 12 CT.
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Recent Events – 2022
A Celebration of the Life of Ann Spencer and Husband Charlie
September 18, 2022, 3:00 pm, at Fairfield Grace Church.
Up Up and Away! A Musical Tour
February 23, 2020, 3:30 pm, at Fairfield Grace Church.
Scholarships
WAMC Scholarship recipient Chelsea Starbuck Smith performing at the Lounsbury House in Ridgefield, CT on April 3, 2022.
Scholarship Winners Concert
January 5, 2020, 2:00 pm, at Jessie Lee Church, Easton.
Recent Events – 2019
We’re Throwing A Party!
November 3, 2019, 3:30 pm, at Fairfield Grace Church.
Miserable Fantastic Opera Cabaret Story
Miserable Fantastic Opera Cabaret Story was held on May 19, 2019, 3:30 pm, Fairfield Grace Church.
Richard Rodgers Retrospective
“With a Song in His Heart” – A Richard Rodgers Retrospective was presented on Sunday, March 24, 2019, 3:30 pm, Fairfield Grace Church.
Annual Scholarship Fundraiser
WAMC presented the Scholarship Winners Concert on January 6, 2019.