Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/tag/friends-of-watertown-music/page/2/)
A young cellist plays a duet during the Watertown MusicFest. The Friends of Watertown Music provided the following information:
Call to Performers! Friends of Watertown Music seeks musicians to perform at its 8th Annual Watertown MusicFest.
Do you have a band? Enjoy performing solo? Are you looking for a place to play?
The annual celebration of music in Watertown – MusicFest – will feature Russo’s Singing Deli Worker Gilly Assunção, organizers announced.The Russo’s employee who became a Facebook sensation last Christmas who recently been accepted to Berklee College of Music, will be singing at the event at Watertown Middle School on Friday. The Friends sent out the following announcement:
Friends of Watertown Music (FoWM) presents its 7th annual MusicFest fundraiser, Friday, April 6, 5:30-9:30 p.m., at the Watertown Middle School, 68 Waverley Avenue, Watertown, MA. The event features over forty performances by musicians by students, community members, and professional musicians, and an instrument petting zoo. This year Gilly Assunção, the singing sensation from Russo’s Market, will close out the evening for us. Proceeds benefit the Music Department of the Watertown Public Schools.
The Friends of Watertown Music (FoWM) presents its 6th annual MusicFest fundraiser, Friday, March 31, 5:30-9:30 p.m., at the Watertown Middle School, 68 Waverly Avenue, Watertown, MA. The event features over fifty performances by musicians by students, community members, and professional musicians, and an instrument petting zoo. Proceeds benefit the music program of the Watertown Public Schools. Suggested donations are $8/person and $25/family. T-shirts and other merchandise, pizza, and baked goods will also be on sale.
To support music in Watertown’s schools, Friends of Watertown Music was formed in the summer of 2011 in response to severe budget cuts in the Watertown Public Schools music program, the said in an announcement. Since then, through the generosity of our donors, we have awarded three major grants and several small grants totaling over $18,000 to the Watertown Public Schools in order to expand and enhance music instruction. Additionally, through grants from outside institutions, we have acquired approximately $15,000 worth of new instruments to be used by students in all of Watertown’s public schools. Friends of Watertown Music continues to prioritize using donations to make grants that expand teaching staff and support teacher-student interaction. We also seek grants from outside sources to provide instruments to expand opportunities for students to learn to play instruments. As this year comes to a close, won’t you please consider joining us in our efforts to continue to enrich, sustain, and develop the music program in the Watertown Public Schools? We have five donor levels: Soprano (up to $25), Alto ($50), Tenor ($75), Bass ($100), Conductor ($250) or Maestro ($500 and up) and your generous contribution will be acknowledged in our Sixth Annual MusicFest program book. (Save the date: March 31, 2017!) You can donate with PayPal or any credit card on our website: https://watertownmusic.org/donate/ or checks may be sent to Friends of Watertown Music, 43 Paul St., Watertown, MA 02472
Thank you all for your support,
Friends of Watertown Music
Highlights from 2016
• Our 2015-16 grant for a 0.1 FTE (full-time equivalent) teacher for adaptive music has been incorporated into the school budget for 2016-17.
Music permeated the halls of Watertown Middle School Friday night during the fifth annual MusicFest. Each year, the Friends of Watertown Music gives local musicians the chance to showcase their musical talent, and this year, more than 50 acts took part in the festivities. The event raises money for Friends of Watertown Music, a group of volunteer parents and friends of the music program established in the summer of 2011 to raise the funds necessary to maintain and sustain the music programs in the Watertown Public Schools. While many performers were students in the Watertown Public Schools, the event drew outside groups, Watertown music teachers and other groups from the community. Attendees could choose from four stages – from the small one in the WMS art room to the large stage of the Middle School Auditorium.
Our line-up is as unique as ever! This year we feature solos, duos, trios, quartets, quintets, and an octet! Come listen to professional, conservatory, and high school bands and chamber groups. You’ll hear music from Bach to Berklee jazz to acid Blues and even Surf music. Where else can you sample local bands in one room and hear classical cello in the next?
Friends of Watertown Music welcomes performers of all ages and all musical styles to perform at our fifth Annual Watertown MusicFest from 5:30-9:30 a.m. on Friday, April 8 at Watertown Middle School, 68 Waverley Ave. MusicFest is a lively and eclectic evening of music with performances on four stages. What makes MusicFest so great is the participation of a variety of performers. Join us! The event is a Fundraiser to support music in the Watertown Public Schools.
The Friends of Watertown Music sent out the following announcement:
Dear Friends,
As you know, Friends of Watertown Music was formed in the summer of 2011 in response to severe budget cuts in the Watertown Public Schools music program. Since then, through the generosity of our donors, we have awarded three major grants and several small grants totaling over $18,000 to the Watertown Public Schools in order to expand and enhance music instruction.
As this year comes to a close, won’t you please consider joining us in our efforts to continue to enrich, sustain, and develop the music program in the Watertown Public Schools. We have five donor levels: Soprano (up to $25), Alto ($50), Tenor ($75), Bass ($100) or Conductor ($250 or more) and your generous contribution will be acknowledged in our fifth Annual MusicFest program book. (Save the date: April 8, 2016!) You can donate with PayPal or any credit card on our website: http://watertownmusic.org/, or checks may be sent to Friends of Watertown Music, 43 Paul St., Watertown, MA 02472
Thank you all for your support,
Friends of Watertown Music
Highlights from 2015:
In September, Friends of Watertown Music presented a grant of $5830 to the Watertown Public Schools to fund a 0.1 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) increase in music instruction, allowing the Cunniff School to offer adaptive music at the elementary level, providing a more accessible experience and connection to music for all students. The district restored the Fine, Applied, and Performing Arts (FAPA) curriculum coordinator position for FY16. With our 2015 grant, the department now has an additional 1.2 FTE positions for the 2015-16 school year. Friends of Watertown Music was awarded a grant of $2250 from the Watertown Community Foundation and purchased a new hanging cymbal, violin, viola, and elementary-sized string bass for students to play!