Fostering Local
Musical Talent
A key goal of Music on Norway Pond is to support and foster musical talent in Hancock and the surrounding Monadnock region. Our ensembles include the Norway Pond Jr. Mints, a performing arts ensemble for children aged 6-15, and The Norway Pond Festival Singers, a 30-woman chorus. Learn more about these community programs below.
Norway Pond Jr. Mints
Working alongside conductor and MONP Artistic Director Jody Simpson and acclaimed pianist Mary Ann Fleming, the “Jr. Mints” are an audition-free group of young singing musicians. Their wide age-range makes them unique among children's choruses, bringing satisfying and surprising depth to their performances.
The Jr. Mints meet for two sessions during the school year, one from late September through the December holidays, and March, April and early May. Regular rehearsals are on Tuesday afternoons with additional ones scheduled as the performance approaches.
Starting with singing in the fall, the Jr. Mints perform at the annual Hancock Family Christmas Concert before reconvening in the spring to put on an additional concert or musical production. The singing skills learned during the fall session are brought to bear in productions that have included Honk!, Wizard of Oz , 1776, Damn Yankees, Peter Pan, and HMS Pinafore.
If you’re interested in Jr. Mints for your child, contact Jody Hill Simpson at musiconnorwaypond@gmail.com to learn more or sign up.
The Norway Pond
Festival Singers
The heart of the Norway Pond Festival Singers consists of approximately thirty women who rehearse from 12 to 2 on Thursday afternoons. The ensemble was created in 2007 by Hancock residents Tricia Froling and conductor Jody Hill Simpson, with Mary Ann Fleming as accompanist and associate conductor.
There are no auditions for this ensemble. Instead, we rely on a self-selecting process where potential singers are invited to come to a rehearsal or two to determine if the pace and level of difficulty of the group is the right fit. Jody will then ask you for a short, private meeting to help find the best place for you within the group.
Rehearsals are always energizing, intense, and a lot of fun. The majority of the time is spent on artistic interpretation.
“It was so great to hear those kids singing in angelic voices Peter Seeger’s simple joy in gardening, love for our country and fellow creatures, and prayers for peace. ”