White Mountain Musical Arts ~ North Conway, NH
Held annually since 1989 on the weekend before Labor Day     August 21-24, 2008
Floyd Whittier Corson, President, Nancy DuCette Farris, Vice President  more>>
Floyd Whittier Corson,
President

Floyd Whittier Corson (organ/harpsichord) is a graduate of Boston University, College of Fine Arts, holding the degrees of Bachelor of Music and Master of Music Education. Additional graduate studies were taken at the University of Massachusetts; University of Hartford, Hartt College of Music and Boston University, CFA.

His professional career began as Director of Music for the Tantasqua Regional School District in Sturbridge, MA: nine years later he was appointed to the faculty at the Massachusetts State College at Westfield. During his twenty-five year tenure at Westfield, he was Director of Music Education and Coordinator of Graduate Studies in Music. In retirement, the Westfield State College Board of Trustees designated Floyd, Associate Professor Emeritus of Music.

In addition to his teaching career, Floyd has held organist/choir director positions in several Massachusetts churches including Boston, Southbridge, Springfield and Westfield. From 1967 to 1976, Floyd was the Singing Master and conductor of the Old Sturbridge Singers at Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, MA where the Singers frequently presented concerts at the Meeting House on the Village Common. Following the move to Westfield, Floyd founded the Greater Westfield Choral Association (GWCA) which he conducted for the eleven years prior to his retirement. The Choral Association celebrated its 25th anniversary in the spring of 2002. At that time Floyd was invited to return to help mark the occasion by conducting a portion the concert.

In the fall of 1989, Floyd and his wife, Sara Jane, retired to Jackson, NH where he continues his musical activities as accompanist for numerous vocal and instrumental recitals, pianist with the Lakes Region Woodwind Quintet and together with Nancy Farris formed a two-piano team presenting recitals in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine and Connecticut. Currently Floyd is the organist at the First Church of Christ, Congregational in North Conway, NH.

Nancy DuCette Farris,
Vice-President

Nancy DuCette Farris, BM, MM, is originally from the Boston area. She completed undergraduate work at the New England Conservatory where she was elected to Pi Kappa Lambda, an honorary fraternity for musical excellence.

During the summer of her Junior year at NBC, she was the recipient of a Choral Conducting scholarship at Tanglewood where she studied with Alfred Nash Patterson, Hugh Ross, and Lorna Cooke DeVaron.

She attended graduate school at Boston University, School of Fine and Applied Arts. Her keyboard instructors include Dowell P. McNeill, Roland Nadeau, Miklos Schwalb and Jack Fisher and Frank Glaser.

She spent many years in eastern Massachusetts as a church and synagogue musician including Temple Israel, Brookline and St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral in Boston.

While in the Bay state, she was faculty member at Dana Hall, Wellesley and Beaver Country Day School, Chestnut Hill. She taught Music Theory, History, Piano and was Director of Choral Activities.

Upon coming to Bridgton Maine, she succeeded Clarence Snyder as Organist and Choir Director at Christ Church Episcopal, North Conway, New Hampshire; A position she presently holds.

In 1997 and again in 2000, she attended the Dartington International Summer School in Devon, England, where she studied piano with Joanna MacGregor and organ with David Titterington. She is presently Co-Director with Floyd Corson of the newly established non profit organization; White Mountain Musical Arts. (WMMA). They succeed Clarence Snyder, Organist Emeritus and founder of the Bach Festival.

Mrs. Farris gives frequent organ recitals and Two Piano recitals with Floyd Corson.