Winchendon Music Festival Explained

Winchendon Music Festival
Location:Winchendon, Massachusetts, United States
Years Active:2016–present
Founders:Andrew Arceci
Genre:classical, folk, jazz, historical performance, and world music

The Winchendon Music Festival (WMF) is a non-profit organization and concert series held in Winchendon, Massachusetts. The Festival showcases performances by international artists from a variety of genres including (but not limited to) classical, folk, jazz, historical performance, and world music.[1] Concerts are free to the public, with support from several local Cultural Councils, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the Robinson Broadhurst Foundation, the Winchendon History & Cultural Center, and the First Congregational Church of Winchendon.

Background

The Winchendon Music Festival was founded in 2016[2] by multi-instrumentalist, scholar, and composer Andrew Arceci,[3] and dedicated to the memory of his late father, Dr. Robert J. Arceci (1950-2015). Dr. Arceci was a pediatric oncologist from Winchendon, with a passion for the arts.[4]

The Winchendon Music Festival presents solo, small ensemble, and chamber orchestral programs.[5] [6] Noted artists have included Anne Azéma, the Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol Trio, Randall Scotting, Arcadia Players, and other acts. Festival founder and Director Andrew Arceci leads several of the Festival's musical programs each year,[7] performing on viola da gamba, violone, and bass.[8] [9]

Performances for the Winchendon Music Festival take place at several venues around Winchendon, including the Murdock-Whitney House (Winchendon History & Cultural Center), Old Centre Church (Old Centre Historic District), Beals Memorial Library, Robinson Broadhurst Amphitheater, and American Legion.[10] [11] [12] [13] During the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020-2021 Festival pivoted to online offerings for the Winchendon community, resuming a full schedule of live performances in 2022.[14] [15] [16] [17]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Festival puts Winchendon on the musical map. Duckett. Richard. telegram.com. en. 2020-04-01.
  2. Web site: Winchendon Music Festival kicks off May 4. Durling. Doneen. The Gardner News. en. 2020-04-01.
  3. Web site: Emmanuel Music - Meet Lorraine Hunt Lieberson Fellow, Jensen Ling! . www.emmanuelmusic.org . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20201009004827/http://www.emmanuelmusic.org/who/spotlight/who_musician_spotlight_arceci.html . 2020-10-09.
  4. Web site: Piana . Ronald . Noted Pediatric Oncologist, Robert J. Arceci, MD, PhD, Dies . May 1, 2020 . The ASCO Post.
  5. Web site: 2018-05-22 . Winchendon Music Festival at Old Centre Church coming up on June 1st . Athol Daily News.
  6. Web site: 2019-06-26 . Winchendon Music Festival to continue this weekend . 2020-04-01 . Monadnock Ledger-Transcript.
  7. http://www.hemsingpr.com/artist/andrew-arceci.php
  8. News: Embracing the Modern with Tone Clusters, Not Dissonance . The New York Times . 23 January 2011 . Kozinn . Allan .
  9. News: Baroque Music So Clean It Runs Itself . The New York Times . 20 March 2011 . Kozinn . Allan .
  10. Vine, Greg. "Two Winchendon Music Series Return for the Summer." Athol Daily News. 2023-6-2.
  11. Rabinowicz, Chloe. "Winchendon Music Festival To Present Seven Concerts in August". www.broadwayworld.com. Published 2023-8-7.
  12. Duckett, Richard. "Winchendon Music Festival returns with international musicians." Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Published 2023-8-11.
  13. Vine, Greg. "Winchendon Music Festival brings classical, folk and bluegrass performances." Athol Daily News. Published 2023-8-13.
  14. Vine, Greg. “Winchendon Music Festival Returns This Weekend.” Athol Daily News. Published 2022-4-8.
  15. Duckett, Richard. "Nine Things to Do: Barre Players return, Master Singers, Rod Wave, early Baroque and more ..." Worcester Magazine. Published 2022-11-17.
  16. Vine, Greg. "First winter music festival begins Sunday in Winchendon". Athol Daily News. Published 2022-12-15. https://www.atholdailynews.com/Music-Show-49190112
  17. Duckett, Richard. "Winchendon Music Festival returns with new programs and months of the year." Telegram & Gazette. Published 2022-12-16