Four Years Together By the Bay...

Dear Friends,

It is hard to believe that USNA Commissioning Week and Graduation is once again upon us. A week of friends, family, celebrations, memories, and the anticipation of new adventures to come.

Looking back, its impossible to remember those moments without hearing the music in the background - the Drum and Bugle Corps playing "Anchors Aweigh" as we marched for the last time on the parade field, raising our voices with the Glee Clubs in our last National Anthem wearing midshipman insignia, and glancing around at our classmates, hands over hearts, trying not to shed a tear during Blue and Gold before we "scatter far and wide..."

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Honor those memories and show your support for future generations of midshipmen creating amazing music by making a one-time or recurring donation to Friends of Naval Academy Music

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If you find yourself in Annapolis this week, be sure to catch the class of 2023's final music performances around the yard:

MAY 23

*Commissioning Week Concert (Men's Glee Club, Women's Glee Club, Gospel Choir)

Main Chapel
8:00 PM

MAY 24

Turnover Formation Performance (Pipes and Drums)

T-Court

12:15 PM

MAY 24

Demonstration Performance

Drum & Bugle Corps

Radford Terrace
12:30 PM

MAY 24

*Commissioning Week Organ Recital

Chapel Organ

Main Chapel
4:00 PM

*Tickets for events can be purchased at https://navyperforms.showare.com/

USNA Music On the Road

Dear Friends,

With Winter (almost) in the rearview and Spring on the horizon, USNA Music is hitting the road for some exciting Spring concert tours!

It all started this weekend at the Arizona Music Festival in Scottsdale where The Pipes and Drums Corps and Glee Clubs appeared as Guest Artists with the Festival Orchestra- comprised of some of the best musicians representing 15 of the nation's premier orchestras.

The Glee Clubs are now heading north into sunny California for a series of concerts (free to the public!) -

SUNDAY MARCH 12, 2023 at 7:00 pm
La Jolla Presbyterian Church
7715 Draper Avenue
La Jolla, CA 92037

TUESDAY MARCH 14, 2023 at 7:00 pm
Our Lady Queen of Angels Church
2046 Mar Vista Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660

FRIDAY MARCH 17, 2023 at 7:00 pm
Covenant Presbyterian Church
607 E. 3 rd Street
Long Beach, CA 90802

SATURDAY MARCH 18, 2023 at 7:00 pm
St. Paul the Apostle Church
10750 Ohio Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90024

Later in the month, the Gospel Choir will travel to NEW YORK to visit local schools and perform several public concerts to highlight the talents of the Brigade of Midshipmen and to introduce prospective candidates to the opportunities available to them by attending the US Naval Academy.

PUBLIC PERFORMANCES:

THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 at 7:00 pm
Public Concert - St. Philip's Church (Harlem)
204 West 134 Street
New York, NY 10021

SATURDAY, MARCH 25, 2023 at 10:00am-12:00pm
Mini-Admissions Forum - St. Jean de Baptiste High School
173 E. 75th Street
New York, NY 10021
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

 SUNDAY, MARCH 26, 2023 at 9:00am
 Worship Service Guest Choir - Shiloh Baptist Church
 515 W 4th Street
 Plainfield, NJ 07060

Feel free to share this information with your friends, families, and colleagues so that they may be able to catch our talented midshipmen sharing great music in great spaces!

We all fondly remember tour as a time to bond with our best mates and create incredible music. To that end, we’re asking for you to loop your pals from Glee, Gospel, D&B, Pipes & Drums, and all corners of Naval Academy music and get them involved in FONAM today!

Springing out of Winter with USNA Music

Fellow Singers, Musicians, Friends, and Supporters, 

First, we want to thank this wonderful community for the end of year giving campaign. Because of your commitment throughout the year, Friends of Naval Academy Music was able to give the Music Department $54,000 - a record year of support! THANK YOU!  

Music is back in full swing on The Yard! This year's Winter Musical was an incredible success due to the efforts of so many incredibly talented midshipmen, from the singers, actors, and pit musicians to those involved in tech and set design. They pulled off Stephen Sondheim's challenging "Into the Woods" and truly wowed a packed Mahan Theater last weekend.

There are a few things we wanted to put on your radar in case your travels bring you to a place where you can reconnect with your USNA musical roots:

• Mar 05 Gospel Choir @ Kettering Baptist Church in Upper Marlboro, MD

• Mar 05 Pipes and Drums: Annapolis St. Patrick's Day Parade

• Mar 10 Glee Club guest artists at Arizona Musicfest in Scottsdale, AZ

• Mar 12-19 Glee Club Spring Break Concert Tour in California

• Mar 24 Pipes and Drums Concert in Mahan Hall

• Mar 31 Spring Tour "Home" Concert in USNA Chapel

For more information and tickets, check out the Music Department website.

Stay tuned for more information on FONAM-specific events, including a reception during the Glee Club's tour in California!

Please consider becoming a recurring donor today! Your support of Naval Academy Music ensures that our music programs have the resources to thrive and continue spreading music and joy around the nation and world.

Thank you as always for being a part of this special community and thank you for your generous support! 

The Friends of Naval Academy Music Board of Directors   

Finishing 2022 Strong

Fellow Singers, Musicians, Friends and Supporters,

The holidays are a very special time at the Naval Academy, and music is at the heart of it all. From the Holiday Orchestra Concert to the annual Messiah performance… even in the midst of exams and end of year requirements, music kept us in the holiday spirit and gave us memories to carry with us for years to come.

As you reflect on 2022 and prepare for a restorative holiday break, we wanted to take a moment to share a few musical favorites from the holiday season: 

• The Army-Navy game: No matter the outcome, we all have special memories tailgating with Pipes and Drums, singing the National Anthem with the combined choirs, and celebrating big plays with the roaring Drum & Bugle Corps. While millions watched the most anticipated rivalry go into double overtime, we can’t help but reflect that music starts and ends the match as the entire Corps of Cadets and Brigade of Midshipmen raised their voices to sing the West Point Alma Mater and Navy Blue and Gold

• The 75th annual performance of Handel’s Messiah: The Superintendent called it “the official start to the Naval Academy holiday season,” and we could not agree more! This year’s performance was even more special with the commissioning of an original piece of art capturing the festively decorated Chapel and combined Glee Clubs. This long standing tradition is one of the most cherished memories of music on the Yard and we even hear there’s talk of an alumni performance in the future years so we’ll have to dust off our old copies 

Music is part of the fabric of life at the Naval Academy and we are committed to ensuring that our music programs have the resources to truly thrive and continue to spread music and joy around our nation and the world.

Because of YOUR SUPPORT, Friends of Naval Academy Music has contributed over $50K directly to the USNA Music Department. This has been our strongest fundraising year ever and the work continues!

Will you help us to keep the momentum going?

INCLUDE NAVAL ACADEMY MUSIC IN YOUR END OF YEAR GIVING

Thank you for being a part of this community and for your generous support.

Happy Holidays and best wishes for 2023,

The Friends of Naval Academy Music Board of Directors

Be sure to check your local PBS listings this holiday season to catch a broadcast of the 2022 Messiah Performance

Giving Thanks and Giving Back

We are so thankful for you - the alumni, family, and friends of USNA Music Programs and supporters of Friends of Naval Academy Music (FONAM). Without you, our work and the impact we are able to make for USNA music programs wouldn’t be possible. 

Moving forward into 2023, there are big plans for the Naval Academy’s musical groups and they will need our support more than ever. There are new instruments to be purchased, travel to be funded, and so much more.

Will you help??

Many alumni contribute to FONAM and Naval Academy music through a ~$20 monthly recurring “class year” donation (e.g. $19.89 or $20.11)…on this giving Tuesday, as we recover from Thanksgiving weekend and enter the Holiday Season, we ask you to also consider doing the same.

Set up a recurring "Class Year" contribution to USNA Music

Thank you for your contributions, support, and for being a part of this incredible community.

With Gratitude,

Friends of Naval Academy Music

🎶Come SING with the Glee Club🎶

Calling all former singers!!

JOIN GLEE CLUB REHEARSAL ON THURSDAY 20 OCTOBER

Dr. Aaron Smith has issued an open invitation to all Glee Club Alumni to join the current Glee Club at a rehearsal in the Alumni Hall rehearsal room on Thursday 20 October from 1545-1715. If you live locally or plan to be in Annapolis the weekend of 20-23 October for a Class Reunion, President's Circle and/or Talley Bash, please dust off your Messiah scores and join in a rehearsal that will surely bring back fond memories of your Glee Club years. Just come anytime during the rehearsal period as your schedule permits!

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Another upcoming opportunity to catch USNA Music Groups out on the road -

GLEE CLUB AND PIPES AND DRUMS WITH THE INDIANAPOLIS SYMPHONY

11-13 NOVEMBER

The USNA Glee Club and members of the USNA Pipes and Drum Corps will be appearing as Guest Artists with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in Indianapolis over Veteran's Weekend in November. Performances are scheduled for Friday 11 November at 11:00 am, Friday evening 11 November at 8:00 pm, Saturday evening 12 November at 8:00 pm and Sunday afternoon 13 November at 2:00 pm.

Tickets are available at www.IndianapolisSymphony.org and the box office at 317-639-4300. Bring your families, friends and colleagues to see and hear the midshipmen perform to celebrate our nation's heroes over the Holiday Weekend.

Fall at USNA - Reunions and Concerts!

The Fall Semester is in full swing at USNA, with an exciting schedule of musical activities planned - starting this Friday, September 9 at 7pm in Mahan Hall with the 2/C Parent's Weekend Concert. Music groups will be traveling to Detroit, Indianapolis, Richmond, and performing at events around the yard over the next few months. Be sure to check the schedule and catch a performance!

Tickets for ALL events this year are on sale now!

USNA's Chapel will light up again this year (Oct 28-29) for the spectacular Halloween-themed concert showcasing the talents of midshipmen and Chapel Organist Monte Maxwell.

Fall is also the season for many class reunions - a great time to catch up with classmates, company mates, and shipmates! If you have a reunion this year, take the opportunity to catch up with your "Music-mates" too! Help us to spread the word about FONAM's work and the impact any contribution, large or small, can have on the next generation of music at USNA. If you are interested in getting a group of music alumni from your class together during your reunion for a coffee/chat with a FONAM board member to learn more about how to get involved, please reach out.

Wishing you all a wonderful Fall, hope to connect with you soon!

Sincerely,

Friends of Naval Academy Music

I-Day kicks off USNA summer...and SAVE THE DATE

Happy Summer Friends of Naval Academy Music!

As I'm sure you all know, the Naval Academy swore in the class of 2026 this past week. Nothing like I-day to have all of us cruising the wrinkle cream aisle at Target or just being glad that we're not doing pushups in the Annapolis heat and humidity at our age. In any case, it brings back memories.

It has been a banner year for Naval Academy Music. Despite challenges, every group from the Drum & Bugle Corps, Pipes & Drums, Chapel Choirs, Orchestra, and Glee Clubs all created incredible music and represented the Naval Academy in amazing ways.  

At the end of March, right on the heels of a successful Spring Tour, the Glee Clubs were invited to perform at an exclusive gala event to unveil Flagship Valor — an American Airlines Airbus A321 aircraft with a special wrap — a flying tribute dedicated to recipients of the Medal of Honor.

The aircraft depicts major military conflicts and the six characteristics that embody the Medal of Honor and those who have received it. On board, customers can scan QR codes for access to information about the Medal of Honor and its extraordinary recipients, serving as a teaching tool to pass on these remarkable stories for generations to come. 

🎶🥳SAVE THE DATE🎶

Friday, October 21, 2022, 5pm until we run out of steam...
We’re going to do it again...another "TalleyBash!"

The purpose of the event is to get old friends together, raise a glass, sing a song, tell a tale, recognize our major donors, and encourage everyone to become one. We’ll also do some fun things, auction an item or two for FONAM, that sort of thing.

You don’t need to bring anything, we’ll have food and drink aplenty, but a bottle of wine is always welcome. All USNA Music alumni and Friends of Naval Academy Music are welcome. There’s a lot happening that
weekend, and we encourage people with later commitments to come early, and those with early commitments to come late.

RSVP directly to Doc Talley at j.barry.talley@gmail.com.

A Musical Month for USNA!

March was an incredible month for music groups at USNA, including a successful Glee Club tour through Tennessee, Virginia, and the Carolinas, and amazing Gospel Choir performance in Atlanta, all culminating in an Annapolis homecoming concert on April 1. The momentum is just getting started as USNA music enters another exciting month of events and performances. Be sure to catch an event near you - visit the USNA Music Homepage for more details and ticketing info.

Friday April 8 - Organ Recital and Midshipmen Orchestra concert, Annapolis

Friday April 22 - Spring Oratorio (Mahler Symphony #2), Annapolis

Saturday April 9 - Pipes and Drums Tartan Day Parade, New York

Saturday April 23 - Pipes and Drums Southern MD Celtic Festival, St. Leonard, MD

Monday April 18 - Drum and Bugle Corps, Patriots Day Parade, Boston, MA

Friday, April 29 - Drum and Bugle Corps and Trident Brass Spring Concert, Annapolis

Help keep these tours and events going - show your support for USNA Music programs here.

And They're Off!

Their bags are packed, the busses are loaded, today it begins...the Men's and Women's Glee Clubs are ready to head out on this year's Spring Break Tour!

Be sure to catch a performance if they're coming to your town!

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