Green Dreams and Big Scenes: Purple Finches Take On a Lovable Ogre

May 14, 2026

by Jeff Selesnick After a month of May that will see a jam-packed performance and recital calendar, Concord Community Music School regulars may not recognize the Recital Hall come early June. It will be transformed into a swamp, a forest, a castle and beyond as the Purple Finches Youth Choir moves in for its performances … Read more

Music at W4RP Speed

April 14, 2026

by Jeff Selesnick From Juilliard to jazz and Ravel to rock, the W4RP Quartet will blend styles and genres when they take the stage at Concord Community Music School’s historic Recital Hall on Thursday, April 23, 2026 at 6 PM. While all four members of the ensemble are classically trained, the group’s repertoire blends classical, … Read more

Green Dreams and Big Scenes: Purple Finches Take On a Lovable Ogre

by Jeff SelesnickAfter a month of May that will see a jam-packed performance and recital calendar, Concord Community Music School regulars may not recognize the Recital Hall come early June. It will be transformed into a swamp, a forest, a castle and beyond as the Purple Finches Youth Choir moves in for its performances of Shrek Jr., on June 4-6. The annual musical production involves all three age groups within the Purple Finches (fledglings, fliers, and finches) and tells the story of the namesake ogre, surrounded by characters from classic fairytales, as he sets off on a hero’s quest.Purple Finches veteran Clara Selesnick is in her third go-round with the spring musical and is excited to play the roles of “Gingy” and “Pig Two,” in this year’s production. Shrek Jr. was at the top of her list for desired musicals based on the humor throughout the script and the dynamic music. “I really wanted to get Gingy because it’s such a funny character, and I think the show is really cool because there’s a bunch of fun songs,” says Selesnick.Maria Isaak, director of the Purple Finches and head of the Shrek Jr. production, has been leading weekly rehearsals since January to ready the cast and crew for the sizeable undertaking. Isaak first brought the idea of a Purple Finches musical to then-executive director Peggy Senter in the mid-2000’s, and after years of development and sorting through logistics, the first production hit the stage in 2011. Following that initial performance of Seussical (which was reprised for last year’s Finches show), musicals continued in an every-other-year format, with Isaak wearing many hats as the head of each production.“Maria is an awesome teacher – she pushes kids outside of their comfort zones and puts them in situations that help them learn and grow,” says Lars Fjelsted, who in his final year as a Purple Finch will play the title role of Shrek in one cast and the role of “Donkey” in the other. “She is funny and always tries to do what is best for the kids.”While Isaak oversees all elements of the spring musical, she is quick to acknowledge the number of people necessary to pull off a production of this size. Each performance is truly an all-hands-on-deck operation, which includes students, staff, faculty, and parents. “Musical theater brings people together – they form committees to help with set design, set build, loading, loadout, costume, fitting, finding, photography, fundraising, T-shirt design and more,” says Isaak. “We always need lots of people to help and they work so hard and do such a good job,” agrees Selesnick, whose mother helped design and create the elaborate sets.One of the strengths of the Finches Youth Choir is the mentor-mentee relationships that are fostered throughout the program, where older participants can assist younger members in a variety of ways. That same mentality carries through to the musical production, where Isaak empowers her students to take on leadership roles. “One of the great outcomes of this nine-year age span is that the older students get to help with choreography, directing and other leadership roles,” says Isaak. “Speaking from experience,” notes Fjeldsted, who has seen both sides of the mentor-mentee dynamic, “the youngest kids naturally look up to the older kids. There is music in everyone, so we try to be inclusive and make everyone feel part of the cast/choir.”Another unique aspect of the Purple Finches production is the integration of live music into the performances. With a hybrid band comprised of faculty, students, and professionals, Isaak is able to involve a greater swath of the CCMS community while having a valuable synergy with the performers on stage. “I like being able to go with the students on stage and help them along if I need to double their voice or jump to where they are at. A performance track just doesn’t feel like I have agency to really help them.”The hard work being put in by all involved will be abundantly apparent when the curtain finally goes up on opening night. Audiences can expect a whimsical journey with wonderful music, filled with adventure, romance, and hilarity. “Some parts will be really funny, some are really cute, and sometimes the audience will be shocked and surprised,” says Selesnick.General admission tickets are still available for all four showtimes, and can be purchased online at ccmusicschool.org.
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Music at W4RP Speed

by Jeff SelesnickFrom Juilliard to jazz and Ravel to rock, the W4RP Quartet will blend styles and genres when they take the stage at Concord Community Music School’s historic Recital Hall on Thursday, April 23, 2026 at 6 PM. While all four members of the ensemble are classically trained, the group’s repertoire blends classical, rock, jazz, and pop styles to create a dynamic and varied experience for the audience. The group, which features Mikael Darmanie on keys, Josh Henderson on violin, Ju Young Lee on cello, and Rick Martinez on drums, has led workshops and master classes at schools and colleges across the U.S. and played shows in the United States, Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean.With programs like our Bach’s Lunch series and faculty and student recitals throughout the school year, CCMS is committed to ensuring everyone has access to world-class music education and performance. And thanks to a partnership between the Music School and the Avaloch Farm Music Institute (Boscawen, NH), the W4RP Quartet concert will not only be free to all, but it will also feature a workshop that precedes the show.“We are excited about our continuing collaboration with Avaloch Farm Music Institute,” says Music School Executive Director Daniel Acsadi. “CCMS and Avaloch are both dedicated to providing engaging and powerful musical experiences to our region, many of them free and open to everyone.”Avaloch Farm Music Institute opened its doors in 2012 as a musician’s retreat and cultural hub for the central New Hampshire region. In the years since its opening, it has blossomed into a creative space that offers residencies to musicians, events like the Avaloch Chamber Music Festival and the annual Composer’s Conference, and space and equipment for professional recording. The partnership between Avaloch and CCMS has strengthened over the years, most notably through the composition mentorship program where CCMS students have the opportunity to receive free composition lessons and have their work premiered by a professional ensemble during the Composer’s Conference.“A partnership with CCMS seemed natural to us, as CCMS has a longstanding history of providing musical engagement opportunities and music education accessibility for students of all ages and backgrounds,” notes Jessica Tong, co-artistic director at Avaloch.The W4RP Quartet’s relationship with Avaloch began a few years ago when the ensemble was selected for one of the organizations Creative Residencies. These residencies provide a unique opportunity for individual musicians or groups to dedicate focused time to a specific project, and include living accommodations, meals, and rehearsal/recording space. Along with the ability to develop projects, artists in residency have an educational element weaved into their stay that is a hallmark of the Avaloch experience.“The musicians and ensembles that come to Avaloch for creative residencies are not only world class artists, but also dedicated educators who are deeply committed to building community through music,” notes Tong. “For these Educational Artist Residencies (EAR), we wanted to ensure that the musicians would not only have an opportunity to inspire through their performances, but to mentor the next generation of aspiring young musicians.”With the educational piece established as a foundation, it was only natural that when the two musical institutions developed the concept of a W4RP Quartet performance, a workshop was part of the vision. Selected to be the featured ensemble for the spring 2026 EAR initiative, the group of Avaloch alumni was an obvious fit for a show at CCMS, as part of the initiative includes performances with surrounding educational organizations in New Hampshire. “Collaborating with CCMS allows us to make even more meaningful connections to the community with our visiting musicians,” says Tong.The CCMS recital hall stage will be bustling throughout the end of the spring semester, and the W4RP Quartet workshop and show will help kick-start a stretch of performances that local music lovers won’t want to miss.###
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CCMS Well-Represented at 2026 OAKE National Conference

by Jeff SelesnickThere was a distinct Concord Community Music School presence in the Midwest at the beginning of March as a team of talented singers represented CCMS at the 2026 Organization of American Kodály Educators (OAKE) National Conference in Chicago. 11 CCMS vocalists winged west to the Windy City for three days of intense rehearsals and the opportunity to perform in one of four choral groups at Chicago’s famed Symphony Center. More than 400 singers from all over the United States participated in this year’s choir festival.The CCMS group featured a wide range of ages and experiences, from first-timers to seasoned veterans. Clara Selesnick, a first-year participant and youngest of the CCMS cohort at age 9, was thrilled to learn she had been selected for the choir… and appropriately nervous about the pieces she had to learn. The Children’s Choir song list totaled seven works, including an original piece by director Jeremy Howard, two that were in foreign languages, and several that featured song-specific choreography. “I was super happy when I heard I got in,” says Selesnick. “The pieces looked really interesting, being from a couple of different cultures, and I was excited to learn them.”Eighth-grader Anna Simms attended her fourth OAKE National Conference this year and cites the chance to work with different guest conductors as one of her favorite parts of the conference experience. Simms’ voice caught the ear of the judicators as being particularly mature, and she was given the opportunity to “sing up,” joining the National Concert Treble Choir, usually reserved for high schoolers. “This year’s experience was especially exciting for me because it was my first time singing in the high school treble choir,” says Simms. “It was inspiring to sing more challenging music and work with such talented singers from different schools.”Bella Messenger, currently in her sophomore year at Concord High School, was one of the senior-most members of the CCMS clan. She started attending the OAKE festival as a fourth-grader, making this year’s trip to Chicago her seventh time taking part in the event. A big reason for her continued participation is the mentorship she received from older students when she was first getting involved, and the chance to pay it forward as an experienced festivalgoer. “The older students were such great role models and included me in many activities,” recalls Messenger. “OAKE is special because you create significant relationships with the students from CCMS that you travel with, as well as with singers from all over the country.”Leading the group of CCMS participants was faculty and Kodály Certified Instructor Maria Isaak. As director of the Music’s School’s Purple Finches Youth Choir, Isaak started bringing students to the OAKE National Choir Festival in 2004 and has overseen a steady stream of festival participants in the years since. She not only prepares and accompanies the students, but she also attends the conference that coincides with the choir festival, engaging with and learning from Kodály teachers from around the country. “The conferences have four or five presenters every hour, so you get to choose who to listen to and the sessions are usually hands-on and participatory. I bring lots of the ideas I learned from the sessions back to my classroom,” says Isaak.The Kodály Method was developed by Hungarian composer and musician Zoltán Kodály in the 1930s and is a comprehensive program to train basic musical skills and teach the reading and writing of music. Key components of the method are the emphasis of folk music as a learning tool, the utilization of solfege in music education, and the belief that the voice is the most natural instrument that every person possesses.Isaak started exploring the Kodály method in 1995 as a student teacher at a high school in San Francisco and attended her first OAKE National Conference in 2000. After earning her Kodály Specialist Certificate from the International School for Kodály Studies in Hungary, she committed to integrating the Kodály method in most of her teaching roles, including as director of the Purple Finches. “I witnessed third graders singing three-part harmonies and playing recorders simultaneously – they were responding to solfege and absolute pitch names,” recalls Isaak of her first exposure to the Kodály method. “I had never seen kids able to read music so well in a classroom setting.”Students were selected to participate in this year’s festival based on recorded auditions that were submitted digitally in the fall. Acceptance messages were delivered just before Thanksgiving, allowing participants to get travel arrangements in order and ample lead time to learn the demanding musical selections. Through January and February, Isaak led weekly sessions with accepted singers to go through the concert repertoire and help build confidence heading into the performance. “Maria was really helpful preparing us for auditions and performances, helping us fully learn our parts and leaving the fine-tuning to the conductors,” notes Simms.“Maria has been such an amazing teacher my whole life – she is constantly supporting her students while also letting us learn things for ourselves,” agrees Messenger.Attending the Choir Festival represents a sizeable commitment, both from the participants and their families. Between travel expenses, accommodations, pre-festival rehearsals and time away from school, the logistics of participating can be daunting. But the experience of meeting new people, both peers and directors, and having the opportunity to sing in such a storied venue makes it all worth it. “The OAKE choir is special because it brings together singers from many different backgrounds,” says Simms. “My favorite part is getting to work with the different guest conductors and how powerful the choir sounds when everyone sings together.”“The fancy hotel, making a bunch of friends, getting to sing every day in a big group and exploring Chicago made it really special,” says Selesnick.While the National Conference has rotated locations in the past, OAKE has committed to holding its biggest annual event in Chicago through the end of the decade. And with that in mind, previous participants and future hopefuls at CCMS will continue circling early […]
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0 events 3 0 events, 3	0 events 4 0 events, 4	0 events 5 0 events, 5	0 events 6 0 events, 6	1 event 7 1 event, 7 12:10 pm - 12:50 pm Bach’s Lunch: Explore Expressive Arts May 7 @ 12:10 pm - 12:50 pm Bach’s Lunch: Explore Expressive Arts Through expressive therapies, people can learn more about themselves via tools such as dance, music, and movement. You don't need to be skilled in these disciplines to benefit from expressive therapy; it's about the process, not being a trained musician or dancer. Explore music and dance movement therapy techniques, process and interconnection with CCMS Music ... Read more	0 events 8 0 events, 8	2 events 9 2 events, 9 10:00 am - 1:00 pm Kids Music Day at CCMS May 9 @ 10:00 am - 1:00 pm Kids Music Day at CCMS Join Miss Heather, Miss Julieann, Mr. Aaron, and CCMS Faculty for a FREE day of concerts, demo classes, an instrument petting zoo, and more. This event will be held her at CCMS and is open to the public. Visit this page again as the event draw closer for a complete schedule of events., 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm CCMS Student Recital (Piano) May 9 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm CCMS Student Recital (Piano) Student recitals are part of the Concord Community Music School’s multi-level curriculum for private lesson students. These frequent performance opportunities help our students perform more easily, broaden their musical skills, and help them make new musical friends. This concert features piano students of Anita Yu and will be held in our historic Recital Hall. It ... Read more
0 events 10 0 events, 10	0 events 11 0 events, 11	0 events 12 0 events, 12	1 event 13 1 event, 13 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Adult Student Recital – May 13, 2026 May 13 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Adult Student Recital – May 13, 2026 Student recitals are part of the Concord Community Music School’s multi-level curriculum for private lesson students. These frequent performance opportunities help our students perform more easily, broaden their musical skills, and help them make new musical friends. This performance features our adult students, across a variety of genres. This event will be held in our ... Read more	1 event 14 1 event, 14 12:10 pm - 12:50 pm Bach’s Lunch: “Echoes in Three Voices: A Chamber Music Journey” May 14 @ 12:10 pm - 12:50 pm Bach’s Lunch: “Echoes in Three Voices: A Chamber Music Journey” Featuring a musical performance by CCMS faculty Stephanie Ratté Jenkins and Olga Patramanska-Bell, who will be joined by Levon Hovsepian. Step into an intimate world of color, rhythm, and dialogue as piano, violin, and clarinet unite in a vibrant chamber music program. From the folk-inspired lyricism of Aram Khachaturian’s Clarinet Trio, to the playful wit ... Read more	1 event 15 1 event, 15 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm CCMS Student Recital – May 15, 2026 (2 Recitals!) May 15 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm CCMS Student Recital – May 15, 2026 (2 Recitals!) Student recitals are part of the Concord Community Music School’s multi-level curriculum for private lesson students. These frequent performance opportunities help our students perform more easily, broaden their musical skills, and help them make new musical friends. Recitals to be held at 6 & 7PM. Each lasts one hour. These events will be held in ... Read more	0 events 16 0 events, 16
0 events 17 0 events, 17	0 events 18 0 events, 18	0 events 19 0 events, 19	1 event 20 1 event, 20 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Princesspalooza (CCMS Voice Department Recital) May 20 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Princesspalooza (CCMS Voice Department Recital) This performance features songs about princesses. Come and enjoy a variety of princess personalities and viewpoints as sung by students of Jennie O'Brien. The event is free of charge and open to the public. Donations are appreciated.	1 event 21 1 event, 21 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm New Horizons Band 2026 Spring Concert May 21 @ 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm New Horizons Band 2026 Spring Concert The New Horizons Band is a community band that welcomes adults of all ages who play woodwind, brass, or percussion instruments. No auditions, no requirements, just reasonable comfort on your instrument to get started. Under the direction of Maria Isaak, New Horizons at CCMS is a supportive group for those who have always wanted to ... Read more	0 events 22 0 events, 22	1 event 23 1 event, 23 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm CCMS String Department Recital May 23 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm CCMS String Department Recital Student recitals are part of the Concord Community Music School’s multi-level curriculum for private lesson students. These frequent performance opportunities help our students perform more easily, broaden their musical skills, and help them make new musical friends. This performance features our string department students. Ariel Slater Studio Recital - 3:00pm - Recital Hall String Dept. ... Read more
0 events 24 0 events, 24	0 events 25 0 events, 25	1 event 26 1 event, 26 6:00 pm - 6:30 pm CCMS Teen Folk Recital May 26 @ 6:00 pm - 6:30 pm CCMS Teen Folk Recital Student recitals are part of the Concord Community Music School’s multi-level curriculum for private lesson students. These frequent performance opportunities help our students perform more easily, broaden their musical skills, and help them make new musical friends. This performance features our teen folk students. This event is free of charge and open to the public. ... Read more	1 event 27 1 event, 27 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Songweaver Drummers Recital – Spring 2026 May 27 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Songweaver Drummers Recital – Spring 2026 Songweaver Drummers is open to intermediate and experienced women drummers with at least one year’s experience, where they can learn African hand-drumming techniques taught in the oral tradition. Join us for their end-of-year recital. This lively performance is free and open to the public. It will be held in our Community Room.	0 events 28 0 events, 28	1 event 29 1 event, 29 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm CCMS Student Recital – May 29, 2026 (2 Recitals!) May 29 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm CCMS Student Recital – May 29, 2026 (2 Recitals!) Student recitals are part of the Concord Community Music School’s multi-level curriculum for private lesson students. These frequent performance opportunities help our students perform more easily, broaden their musical skills, and help them make new musical friends. Recitals to be held at 6 & 7PM. Each lasts one hour. These events will be held in ... Read more	2 events 30 2 events, 30 10:00 am - 7:00 pm NH Trumpet Day 2026 May 30 @ 10:00 am - 7:00 pm NH Trumpet Day 2026 Join us for NH Trumpet Day on Saturday, May 30 at the Music School, featuring workshops by Amy McCabe. The workshops run from 10 am - 5 pm, and sessions include tips on playing trumpet, a performance masterclass, and a NH Jazz All State Workshop. Plus, Ellis Music will be on site offering trumpet demos ... Read more, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm NE Roots and Branches – “Contradance Music: The New England Contradance Repertoire” May 30 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm NE Roots and Branches – “Contradance Music: The New England Contradance Repertoire” Continue to explore the roots of New England's unique and beautiful folk music tradition via Concord Community Music School's ongoing "New England Roots & Branches" series. Some of New Hampshire's premier folk musicians will combine concerts, jam sessions, and contradancing into lively celebrations of a variety of traditions. Folk musicians of all levels are invited ... Read more
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There are no events on this day.

May 7

May 7 @ 12:10 pm - 12:50 pm

Bach’s Lunch: Explore Expressive Arts

There are no events on this day.

May 9

May 9 @ 10:00 am - 1:00 pm

Kids Music Day at CCMS

May 9 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

CCMS Student Recital (Piano)

There are no events on this day.

May 13

May 13 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

May 20 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Princesspalooza (CCMS Voice Department Recital)

May 21

May 21 @ 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

New Horizons Band 2026 Spring Concert

There are no events on this day.

May 23

May 23 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

CCMS String Department Recital

There are no events on this day.

May 26

May 26 @ 6:00 pm - 6:30 pm

CCMS Teen Folk Recital

May 27

May 27 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Songweaver Drummers Recital – Spring 2026

There are no events on this day.

May 29

May 29 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

June 4 @ 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

recital hall

Green Dreams and Big Scenes: Purple Finches Take On a Lovable Ogre

Music at W4RP Speed

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Bach’s Lunch: Explore Expressive Arts

Kids Music Day at CCMS

CCMS Student Recital (Piano)

Adult Student Recital – May 13, 2026

Bach’s Lunch: “Echoes in Three Voices: A Chamber Music Journey”

CCMS Student Recital – May 15, 2026 (2 Recitals!)

Princesspalooza (CCMS Voice Department Recital)

New Horizons Band 2026 Spring Concert

CCMS String Department Recital

CCMS Teen Folk Recital

Princesspalooza (CCMS Voice Department Recital)

New Horizons Band 2026 Spring Concert

CCMS String Department Recital

CCMS Teen Folk Recital

Songweaver Drummers Recital – Spring 2026

CCMS Student Recital – May 29, 2026 (2 Recitals!)

NH Trumpet Day 2026

NE Roots and Branches – “Contradance Music: The New England Contradance Repertoire”

Shrek Jr. (with Purple Finches Youth Chorus; Thur PM)

Shrek Jr. (with Purple Finches Youth Chorus; Fri PM)

Shrek Jr. (with Purple Finches Youth Chorus; Sat Matinee)

Shrek Jr. (with Purple Finches Youth Chorus; Sat PM)

recital hall

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