Beat the Dark Ages!

Dear friends,

We hope that 2022 is off to a happy, productive, and hopeful start. As USNA weathers through the dark ages, there are brighter days (despite what the groundhog claimed) and exciting events ahead for musical activities.

Fans of classic Broadway movie musicals can warm up at the end of February to hot tunes like Greased Lightnin' in the 2022 USNA Winter Musical "Grease" which will showcase the vocal, acting, dancing, and instrumental talents of so many midshipmen across the Brigade.

Friday, February 25, 2022
     7:00 PM, USNA Mahan Hall

 Saturday, February 26, 2022
     7:00 PM, USNA Mahan Hall

 Sunday, February 27, 2022
     3:00 PM, USNA Mahan Hall

Purchase tickets here.

Further into Spring, the USNA Glee Club takes their world class show on the road….be sure to catch a performance if they are coming to a town near you! All events are open free to the public.

NASHVILLE, TN

Sunday 13 March 2022 at 4:00 pm

Westminster Presbyterian Church

3900 West End Avenue

Nashville, TN 37205

HILTON HEAD, SC

Wednesday 16 March 2022 at 7:00 pm

First Presbyterian Church

540 William Hilton Parkway

Hilton Head Island, SC 29928

CHARLOTTE, NC

Friday 18 March 2022 at 7:00 pm

First United Methodist Church

501 N Tryon Street

Charlotte, NC 28202

NORFOLK, VA

Saturday 19 March 2022 at 7:00 pm

Christ and St. Luke's Church

560 W Olney Road

Norfolk, VA 23501

If you haven’t already joined the many alumni who have set up their ~$20 recurring monthly “class year” support (i.e. class of 1997 set up a monthly donation of $19.97, class of 2009 gives $20.09), consider getting that going for 2022. Shout out to the Class of 2020 which has nearly 75% of their music alumni supporting FONAM this way - something for the rest of us to aspire to!!

Show some love to USNA music programs this Valentine's Day by donating to FONAM!

Thank you for helping to make 2022 FONAM and USNA Music's best year yet!

With Sincere Gratitude,

Your Friends at FONAM

April 2021 FONAM Newsletter

Dear Friends of Naval Academy Music,

As we write this message, Spring is blossoming on the Yard, the midshipmen are feeling the semester’s end draw near, and, for the Class of 2021, Graduation and Commissioning are within reach.  Plans are in place for Commissioning Week, with COVID protocols limiting, but not preventing, events and activities. 

Update from the Brigade of Midshipmen:

Plans for midshipmen Summer Training evolutions are being finalized and more details will be provided in a future Outreach message.

USNA Music Program News:

Dr. Aaron Smith, Chairman, USNA’s Department of Musical Activities has been keeping the midshipmen ensembles busy in April, rehearsing and recording some high-quality music. Here are some samples for you to enjoy:

This is a beautiful arrangement of “Simple Gifts” by USNA’s Women’s Glee Club. 

For all of the Rachmaninoff fans, here is Midshipman 2/C Sean Kee playing Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in G-minor, Op.23 No. 5.

The USNA Gospel Choir singing “Ride On, King Jesus!”

A Dual-piano piece by Midshipman 1/C Ben Leaman and Midshipman 2/C Sean Kee playing “Valse” from the Sleeping Beauty by Tchaikovsky.

The USNA Men’s Glee Club with a clever and unique rendition of a Sea Chanty, “Boston Harbor”

All of these excellent recordings would not have been possible without the generous gift from FONAM of the recording and editing equipment needed for these opportunities to keep music alive for the midshipmen.  Once again, we thank our donors for being so supportive of USNA music.  It means so much to these mids.

The Road Ahead

As we look ahead to the remainder of 2021 and beyond, we are encouraged by the new donors who have made the decision to support the USNA music program.  But we need your help in reaching out to your classmates, re-connect with them and encourage them to consider supporting FONAM.  Please help us pass the word -- ask them to visit our website at www.FONAM.org and establish a recurring donation of any amount.  Recurring donations are FONAM’s budgetary foundation – they allow us to make plans with confidence and keep the wheels of progress rolling.

The USNA Glee Club performances in Dallas in November 2021

The USNA Glee Club will be heading to Dallas, TX in November to appear as Guest Artists for three performances with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, one of the nations premier symphonic organizations.  The performances are scheduled for Friday and Saturday evenings, November 12 and 13, at 7:30 pm and Sunday afternoon, November 14, at 2:30 pm.  More information about tickets for these performances will be available on the Dallas Symphony’s website this summer.

Until our next FONAM Outreach Message, please stay well, safe and take care of yourselves and each other.

March 2021 FONAM Newsletter

Dear Friends of Naval Academy Music,

As we write this February/March greeting, we look forward to the coming Spring months and a light at the end of the tunnel as more Covid-19 vaccines become available nationwide.  We hope all is well with you and your families, and we continue in our gratitude for your steadfast support through the challenges of 2020/2021.  We look forward to the opportunity to serve, with your help, USNA Music and its midshipmen.  

Update from the Brigade of Midshipmen:

Ship Selection night for all Class of 2021 Surface Warfare selectees was held in early February with other warfare community events over the next several weeks, to include the annual Aviation dinner in early March with information on Flight School training dates at Pensacola.   

USNA Music Program News:

Rehearsals for all musical ensembles have started and are held daily during the week.  Dr. Aaron Smith plans to do several video recordings this semester, and these will be available for your enjoyment as they are produced.  Pending COVID protocols, and what may be permitted at the time, Commissioning Week concerts are hopefully going to occur. 

We hope you enjoyed the YouTube videos and recordings listed in previous Outreach messages.  Here is a very special one that was released a few weeks ago featuring the USNA Glee Club’s rendition of “My Country ‘Tis of Thee”.

Here are two additional recordings made recently for your enjoyment:

Midshipman Second Class Andre Rascoe, USNA Gospel Choir, Political Science Major and President of the Class of 2022 singing “My Soul Has Been Anchored”

The Highland Dancers of the USNA Pipes and Drums ensemble present "Marie’s Wedding” and “Highland Choreography”

Once again, thanks to our donors whose contributions to FONAM have made these recordings possible.

In December 2020, Friends of Naval Academy Music, Inc. made gift-in-kind donation of a hand-made full steel drum set (worth $20,000) to be used by the Music Department.  These are being hand crafted, and we will keep you posted on their arrival.

To achieve a music bar of excellence, donations to purchase equipment such as this are why it is so important for private funds to be available for the music department.   

Updating your information for FONAM donations:

We have completed transition to the new donor management system to enhance our ability to support music at USNA by helping us keep in contact with donors, track donations, and organize our fundraising efforts.

If the opportunity arises where you need to make any changes to your established donations, including changing the dollar amount or adding/deleting a specific credit card, there is an easy way to make these changes.  Just follow these easy steps:

1. Go to this site.

2. If you are a current donor and have never logged in, select I forgot my login name or password. This will prompt you to enter your email address. Use the email address you used when you started your FONAM donation.

3. Follow the instructions in the email and login.

4. When you log in, you should see your name and a drop-down menu titled What do you want to do?

5. Select My Donation from the drop-down menu.

6. Near the middle of the page, you should see an option to edit your recurring donation information.

Our thanks to everyone for your continued support.  Please take the time to reach out to a classmate; specifically, a former music department participant and encourage them to consider supporting a program that meant so much to them while they were at USNA.  If you are not a monthly partner yet, please consider monthly recurring donations, which are so essential to our ability to make forward-looking commitments to USNA Music.  Visit us here to set up your support.

Until our next FONAM Outreach Message, please stay safe, make music, and take care of yourselves and each other.