County music bands

Press release by Emily Richard, 2015:

Since 1962, the Tri-County Symphonic Band has been making its mark on our community. This fall, approaching the 54th concert season, is no exception.

For more than half a century, the Tri-County Symphonic Band has consistently pursued two goals: the sharing of quality music with the community, and the inspiration and support of young people in musical endeavors. They can be found meeting weekly under the direction of Mr. Phil Sanborn, practicing an eclectic selection of music from fine concert band repertoire, to new pieces commissioned specifically for their performances. This array of professional and fine amateur musicians volunteers countless hours throughout the year to bring a host of artistic talent to our very own back yard in the Tri-County Area – Barnstable, Bristol, and Plymouth counties of Massachusetts. Their impact, however, does not end there.

Behind the scenes, the proceeds from ticket sales raised by the Tri-County Symphonic Band performances and generous donations are distributed annually to a competitive selection of young people whose talent and ambition serves as an added inspiration for the Tri-County Symphonic Band. Each year, $12, 000 is distributed amongst highly deserving and dedicated students, some receiving college scholarships of $1, 000-$1, 500. For high school students, summer study grants are awarded to assist with the cost of excellent music camps and lessons, such as the Tanglewood Institute, Berklee College of Music, the New England Conservatory of Music and many more. This year, there were eleven competitive scholarship recipients and four exceptional summer study grant recipients. Today, the Tri-County Music Association wishes to honor this year’s scholarship and grant winners, in whom they have placed their trust and support to continue to bring music to future generations. We hope that you, too, will appreciate the hard work and passion of these young musicians.

This year, Katrina Arabie of Taunton (University of North Texas), Travis Bliss of Mattapoisett (New England Conservatory), Hannah Cormier of Mattapoisett (University of Massachusetts – Amherst, photo not available), Maria D’Ambrosio of Plymouth (Boston Conservatory of Music), Ashley Perry of Taunton (Boston University), Michael Raposo of Somerset (Hartt School of Music), and Matthew Twaddle of Marion (University of Massachusetts – Amherst) have received the John R. Pandolfi College Scholarship.

These stellar young people have already begun to show their faces in the musical world. Ashley Perry wrote to us from the Berkshires, where she was participating in an Oboe Workshop at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. She says, “This past year has been amazing for me. I had the opportunity to play at Symphony Hall as principle oboe and English Horn in the Massachusetts All-State Orchestra, and was fortunate enough to be able to tutor young oboists…It is great to be able to share something that you are passionate about. Thank you.” Ashley is looking forward to pursuing a double major in Oboe Performance and Musicology at the Boston University. Michael Raposo, on returning from a week at the Eastman School of Music and on his way to the Hartt School of Music to pursue a masters in Music Education, says, “I would like to thank the Tri-County Music Association for their continuous support in helping me attend a school that has provided an incredible foundation for becoming a professional woodwind doubler and educator.” We wish all the best to our Pandofli Scholarship winners.