Greetings on this special holiday season!
2024: An Enjoyable Year
As 2024 ends, we are thankful for another fulfilling year at AMSF. We had a total of 40 events that include recitals and Community Outreach, a master class with Brian Ganz, a concert outing to hear Jeffrey Seigel, a lecture on Pedaling by Dr. Josh Wright, Breakfast with the President with new members, a Library of Congress Original Manuscript Tour, a conference on French and Germanic music with George Lopez and Gulimina Mahamuti as guest lecturers and performers, a successful Annual Party with dazzling performances by AMSF members, a lecture on Collaborative Music by the Drs. Josh and Lindsey Wright, and a holiday performance opportunity at the Lee Fendall House Museum — a first for AMSF! Thanks to all who helped make these events happen; and thanks to all who attended. We hope you enjoyed them!
Looking Forward to 2025
We have a lot of events planned for you in 2025, beginning with an Encore recital right after the new year. Please check our website Calendar for a list of programs.
We encourage you to pencil events of interest to you months in advance. It is easier to RVSP and cancel if an emergency comes up, than to inadvertently miss events that might benefit you. Of course, we ask that you inform your coordinator in case you are unable to attend an event you RSVP’d for, so that nobody misses out due to limited seating.
Encore
Please join us for the Encore recital on Sunday, January 5th, at Jordan Kitts Music, Fairfax, at 2 p.m. The program will include eight of Tchaikovsky’s 12 “Seasons” (Op. 37), Rachmaninoff’s Etude-Tableaux Op. 39, No. 1 in C minor, Chopin’s Andante Spianato, Grande Polonaise and more.
Jeffrey Siegel Concert, A Special Event
On Sunday, March 23rd, 7–9 p.m., the internationally acclaimed concert pianist, Jeffrey Siegel (age 82), will have a concert titled, Humor in Music. He will be playing works of Chopin, Mendelssohn, Beethoven, Copland, and Stravinsky. Group tickets ($50 each) need to be purchased by mid-January. To RSVP, please email Michelle Powell at mpowell@amsfperform.org and pay by Monday, Jan. 13th.
Last year, I was at Jeffrey Siegel’s final concert of the season. I had the opportunity to have my picture taken with him and even had a short chat. Siegel gave me a valuable tip that I now intentionally apply as I learn new pieces. You will have that same opportunity if you attend his upcoming concert since it will also be Siegel’s final for GMU’s 2024–25 season. I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity, especially since we do not know how many more seasons he will continue touring his popular series.
Headshots Please
Our eDirectory will be released in January. If you are new to AMSF or a member who has never sent your headshot to Membership (Mary Lewers) or Publications (Ashley Griffin), please do so this December. Pictures of AMSF members — veteran or new — are helpful. Many, even those who have been with AMSF for years, do not know other members.
This Keynotes Issue
Since 2022, we have been highlighting two AMSF members in every Keynotes issue — one in Member Spotlight and the other in Beyond AMSF. This issue features Mark Serrano and Ron Planting, two members whom many of you may not know. Both have been with AMSF for some time but are quiet. I encourage you to read the articles about them. I think you might be surprised.
Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Happy Holidays!
Michelle