Kathleen Shimeta
For over 25 years Kathleen Shimeta has put forth the music of Canadian/American composer Gena Branscombe. She is Co-Founder and Chair of The Gena Branscombe Project not-for-profit, an organization that promotes the performance of Miss Branscombe’s art songs, chamber music, instrumental works and piano pieces. In addition, The Gena Branscombe Project awards yearly scholarships to an up-and-coming student conductor, composer and arts administrator. Kathleen is featured in the podcast, The Ladies Speak, about the life and music of Gena Branscombe. For her work researching, recreating the orchestral score and reviving Gena Branscombe’s dramatic oratorio, Pilgrims of Destiny, the Library of Congress interviewed her for the Researcher’s Blog and The Gazette. The original and only conductor’s score is held at the Library. The National League of American Pen Women invited Kathleen to present her speech, Bringing Back Branscombe to the National League of American Pen Women: A Composer Lost, Now Found for national meetings, for the Santa Clara, CA, and New York City chapters. The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music invited Ms. Shimeta to present her speech, “Bringing Back Branscombe – A Woman Composer Lost – Now Found. The speech was presented as part of the Conservatory’s “CCM Speaks” showcase. Her CD, Ah! Love, I Shall Find Thee: Songs of Gena Branscombe is on the Albany Records label. Kathleen co-authored and performed a one-woman show about the composer, Life! Love! Song! A Visit with Gena Branscombe.
www.thegenabranscombeproject.com