Happy Veterans Day FONAM!

Dear Friends,

It's been a busy Fall at USNA. From National Anthems at football games to the Halloween concert and guest performances at churches and events, the midshipmen of USNA Music have been going non-stop.

This past weekend was no exception. In honor of Veterans Day, the midshipmen of the Glee Clubs and Pipes & Drums had the privilege to participate in the American Veterans Center's annual "American Valor: A Salute to Our Heroes" Gala on Saturday evening in Washington DC. This breathtaking event will be broadcast around the country in the coming days. Be sure to check listings and read more about the event here (even the trailer on the website will bring a tear to your eye). 

Without missing a beat, the midshipmen boarded busses to head down to Richmond, VA and as only mids can, got a few hours of sleep and were onstage for a soundcheck with the Richmond Symphony and ready to perform in the "Tribute to America's Heroes" concert that afternoon. 

There's more to come before the end of the year though!

Key Upcoming Dates (more info at usna.edu/music):

• NOV 15 Instrumental Ensembles Concert, Naval Academy Chapel, 7:00 PM

• NOV 16, Navy vs. Tulane, Drum & Bugle Corps, Annapolis, MD, 12:00 PM

• NOV 17, Gospel Choir, Guest Choir at New Bethel Baptist Church, Washington, DC, 11:30 AM

• DEC 03, Holiday Jazz Concert. Trident Brass, Mahan Hall, 7:00 PM

• DEC 06, Fall Concert, Pipes and Drums, Mahan Hall, 7:00 PM

• DEC 07-08, 77th Annual Handel's Messiah, Glee Club and the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, Naval Academy Chapel, 7:00 PM/3PM

• DEC 14, Army/Navy Gospel Choir Performance, Commanders Field, Landover, MD, 1:00 PM

• DEC 15, Brigade Christmas Carols, Naval Academy Chapel, 7:00 PM

Wishing you all a happy Veterans Day and remembering all those who have gone before us.

Cheers,

Friends of Naval Academy Music

Thank you!

Friends,

We hope that this note finds you well. On behalf of the Friends of Naval Academy Music Board of Directors, our amazing community of alumni, and the midshipmen who benefit directly from our contributions - THANK YOU for your generous support to Friends of Naval Academy Music.

Last school year, with support like yours, the music department was able to realize some remarkable achievements. Among them were:

• The Glee Clubs’ Spring Tour to Japan

• Benjamin Britten's War Requiem, the 60thAnnual Spring Oratorio, at Strathmore Concert Hall

• 4 new trumpets and 6 new mellophones for the Drum & Bugle Corps

• The Gospel Choir’s team offsite and performance in Richmond, VA

• A team bonding trip for the Chapel Choirs to Hershey Park

• The Gospel Choir’s Black History Month Concert with host Songwriter and Recording Artist, Jonathan Nelson

• The Pipes and Drums' trip to the Royal Military College of Canada for Combined Rehearsals and Performances

• Members of Trident Brass attended the Jazz Education Network Conference in New Orleans, LA

Already in 2024, FONAM has stepped in to secure 150 digital music screens for the Drum & Bugle Corps, replacing the old music lyres that hold paper music on instruments.  A crucial equipment update to D&B’s operations that wouldn’t have been possible without your support.  

If you are not already a donor, we would ask you to show your support for the future of Naval Academy Music!

Donate Now

Sincerely,

Friends of Naval Academy Music

⚓ Do you remember your I-Day? ⚓

Do you remember your I-Day?

For many it is a blur of activity, uncertainty and mixed emotions. There are tearful goodbyes and brave smiles until we were whisked away with our eyes in the boat marching too soon to be familiar chorus of detailers shouting. 

We might not have clocked it at the time, but for many of us, it was our first time saluting the flag and hearing the National Anthem while wearing a uniform - a pretty big moment. Today, the Class of 2028 will do the exact same thing. 

Many of us joined musical groups during plebe summer...whether it was in the Drum & Bugle Corps or a Chapel Choir, it gave us a moment to relax (a little bit) and to enjoy making music with new (and in some cases soon to be lifelong) friends.

What is your favorite memory from your Plebe Summer? (and yes, of course, YOUR class had the last REAL Plebe Summer!)

Share your memories and tag a friend!

Share your Memory!

Show your support for the Class of 2028 and the future of Naval Academy!

Donate Now

Congratulations Class of 2024!

Commissioning Week is upon us and the entire Naval Academy community once again celebrates the achievements of the incredible men and women who have made it through 4 years by the bay. This year's graduating class of 2024 has overcome some particularly unique obstacles having entered Plebe Summer during the thick of the pandemic years, but adapted and overcame challenges nonetheless. They will no doubt continue to thrive as they serve their nation as commissioned officers. 

Music has been a part of these midshipmen lives, whether they were involved in a musical activity or not. Each of their voices has sung Navy Blue and Gold and the Star Spangled Banner more times than they can probably remember and they've marched in time to the music of the Drum and Bugle Corps and Pipes and Drums. These melodies bind us together as alumni and patriots and we know you'll likely be humming one of them for the rest of your day (you're welcome).

Let's all show our support for the Class of 2024 and their legacy with a contribution to FONAM. These contributions directly benefit music programs and all midshipmen by keeping USNA music alive.

Commissioning Week Music Events

• MAY 21 - Men's and Women's Glee Club and Gospel Choir Commissioning Week Concert. USNA Main Chapel- 8:00 PM

• MAY 22 - Pipes and Drums Turnover Formation Performance USNA Tamanend Court - 12:15 PM

• MAY 22 - Drum & Bugle Corps Demonstration Performance USNA Radford Terrace - 12:30 PM

• MAY 22 - Commissioning Week Organ Recital USNA Main Chapel 4:00 PM

  For more info visit www.usna.edu/music

If you are already a current recurring donor be sure to keep your profile and credit card info up to date! Thank you so much for your support!

USNA Music This Spring

Dear Friends,

It's been a busy Spring for the USNA Music Department. From concerts on the Yard and Washington D.C. to parades in New York City and tours in Japan, these musical midshipmen have literally been all over the world! 

There is more to come that you won't want to miss!

Tickets to this weekend's incredible performance are sold out but if you are interested in attending, be sure to check the Strathmore Music Center ticket site as more tickets may open up.

Spring festivities continue throughout April and May including performances at the Preakness Races and the Southern Maryland Celtic festival, culminating in the always amazing but bittersweet Commissioning Week concerts celebrating the graduation of the Class of 2024.

Visit usna.edu/Music for more information.

As always, thank you for your continued support, all of this is possible because of you!

-Friends of Naval Academy Music

❄️🎶Why FONAM is Part of my Year End Giving ❄️🎶

Dear Friends,

During my 50+ years involved in the Musical Activities program at the Naval Academy, I had the honor and privilege to work with countless and immensely talented men and women, many of whom have gone on to achieve so much in service to country and in the private sector, due, in no small part, to the experiences they had as musicians at USNA.

You all know how valuable music is to Midshipmen and to the community and we owe it to ourselves to ensure that legacy continues. 

Music at USNA has never been fully funded, rather, it has always relied on a combination of government and non-government support, plus income generated by the music department, and gifts of all kinds from all sorts of people and organizations. FONAM was established to institutionalize that gift part, to smooth out the dramatic swings that sometimes occur when costs spike or support falters, to guarantee the future availability of funds necessary for long-range planning, and to establish an endowment to provide a reliable cash flow for future support.

FONAM has already pumped a stream of cash into the music department’s annual operating budget, and has purchased some items that would be tough to buy under government low-bid rules - things like high end recording and editing equipment that the department uses to produce first rate performances that you can see on YouTube and a set of steel drums that were custom built for the program.

There is more work to be done and we need your help - we cannot do this without you! I urge you, when you consider your end of year giving to make a contribution to FONAM or better yet, set up a recurring monthly donation!

Why do I support FONAM?  

Because it gives me so much pleasure to give to a cause that I love.

Wishing you all a Happy New Year,

Barry Talley

Set up a monthly "Class Year" donation - just $20 (e.g. $19.83 for the class of 1983, $20.12 for 2012 etc.) goes a long way!

⚓🎶 Help us keep the music in tune ⚓🎶

As we kick off the holiday season with Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the rearview, we allow ourselves, on Giving Tuesday to shift our focus from consumerism to altruism.

This GivingTuesday, FONAM asks you to help us to strengthen the future of Naval Academy Music, a program that has positively impacted all of our lives.

Our goal is to raise $2,023 by the end of the day...

WILL YOU HELP?

We know that there are many asks of your generosity today and throughout the year. By giving directly to FONAM, your contributions make an immediate impact to the needs of the music program at the Naval Academy and allow us to maintain a fund that can be called upon in an emergency situation.

This community of friends, family, and music alumni like you make it possible for us to keep music at USNA alive - cultivating the talents of the midshipmen in the orchestra, Pipes and Drums, Chapel Choirs, Drum and Bugle Corps, Gospel Choir, and Glee Clubs and allowing them to spread joy, patriotism, and inspiration around the world.

We can't do it without you. I hope you’ll join us this GivingTuesday!

DONATE TODAY

Giving Thanks and SAVE THE DATE!

Dear Friends, Family and Supporters of Naval Academy Music,

 As we come closer to the end of 2023 and enter the holiday season, the FONAM Board wants to take a moment to say THANK YOU! 

Thank you to all of you who have so generously supported our efforts to bring much needed resources to music programs at USNA through one time contributions or recurring monthly donations. Thank you to all those who have supported our midshipmen at home and on the road by attending concerts and events. And thank you for helping to spread the word about FONAM to fellow alumni to help us to build this community.

It has been an exciting and busy Fall for our musical midshipmen - from the ever incredible Halloween Organ Concert in the USNA Chapel to the Pipes and Drums performances at the Richmond Highland Games, the Midshipman Orchestra Concert, and many Drum and Bugle Corps performances at football games (from Annapolis all the way to Dublin!). The Men's and Women's Glee Clubs completed a successful Fall Tour, traveling to Minneapolis to perform as guest artists with the Minnesota Orchestra over Veterans Day weekend and are now hard at work rehearsing for the always anticipated and always breathtaking Handel's Messiah performances coming up in Annapolis December 2-3 (ticket information can be found here).

SAVE THE DATE!

Giving Tuesday is November 28th...a great day to allocate some end of year giving funds or start a recurring "class year" donation to support music at USNA so that it can continue to thrive in the years to come.

THANK YOU for being a Friend of Naval Academy Music!

FALL into Music at USNA

As the Brigade returns from summer training and reforms on the yard, and as the recent release of the Pumpkin Spice Latte has us all thinking of falling leaves, cooler temperatures, cozy scarves and tailgaters we're also thinking about the Fall musical traditions at the Naval Academy. You can always catch Pipes and Drums pumping up fans in the Navy Marine Corps Stadium parking lot with a catchy highland tune, singing midshipman voices inspiring patriotism and kicking off a football game with the National Anthem, and the Drum and Bugle Corps keeping our spirits high until we all join in singing Blue and Gold.

There are also musical events around the yard (and the country!) that you won't want to miss - you can get more information and buy tickets at https://navyperforms.showare.com

Upcoming performances include:

2/C Parent's Weekend Glee Club and Gospel Choir Concert

     Friday, 8 September 2023, 7:00 pm, Mahan Hall 

Fall Organ Concert featuring Chapel Organist Monte Maxwell and the Midshipman Instrumental Ensemble

     Friday, 15 September 2023, 7:00 pm, Main Chapel

Distinguished Artist Series Concert featuring the Royal Marines Band

     Friday, October 20th, 2023, 7:00 pm, Mahan Hall

Halloween/All Saints Concert

     Friday/Saturday October 27th & 28th, various times, Main Chapel

Veterans Day Glee Club Concerts with the Minnesota Orchestra

     Saturday/Sunday November 11th &12th, various times, Minneapolis, MN

These incredible events would not be possible without your support. We appreciate and value every single one of our donors and thank you for your continued contributions to Friends of Naval Academy Music and to the legacy of music at the Naval Academy.

Donate Here

...And the Rockets Red Glare

As the sun sets on Independence Day this year and fireworks light up the night sky, we hope that you have all enjoyed a day of celebration, remembrance, and love with friends and family. For those on deployment or standing the watch, we send you our thanks and thoughts.

On the 4th of July, the words of patriotic tunes echo through our speakers and minds, from modern Lee Greenwood and Toby Keith songs to the more traditional America the Beautiful and Star Spangled Banner, which we all no doubt still remember every note of harmony to - bringing back core memories of our time at USNA, playing in the Drum and Bugle Corps or Pipes and Drums or singing with the Glee Club or Gospel Choir. 

We hope that you will all continue to stay in touch on social media (see links below) and spread the word about FONAM to friends and classmates. Lots of exciting things to come for this community!

Set up a recurring donation to support the future of music at USNA!!