Dear Friends of Indian Hill Music,
During the first half of Fiscal Year 2020, Indian Hill Music was roaring ahead with our organizational growth plan. We had added nine new ensembles to our school,
student enrollment was growing, our new Headliner Series featuring award-winning diverse performers attracted nearly 400 new people to Indian Hill during 8 concerts, and our power- house orchestra was thoroughly engaging its audiences. We were expanding our school partnerships in the high-need districts of Fitchburg and Lawrence. We had embarked on our 15th season of free Bach’s Lunch community concerts. Our Threshold Singers at Indian Hill hospice choir was forging new partner- ships to serve ever more clients and their loved ones.
When the pandemic hit, all of this came to a halt. Within weeks, however, our outstanding faculty embraced the chal- lenge, learned new technologies, and migrated to an online private lesson model. Our dedicated students rose to the challenge and over 90 percent continued their lessons online and showcased their accomplishments in virtual recitals. The faculty’s continued connection with students has provided a lifeline for self-expression and helped to lessen some of the isolation that this crisis has caused.
Our annual Performathon in April is a time for the Indian Hill school community to play music and raise funds for our need-based scholarships, public school partnerships, and free programs dedicated to seniors. This year, the Performathon went virtual. Students created and shared via social media uplifting performance videos—all to support students experiencing financial hardship.
message from our Ceo & Board Chair
Peter Ashton Chair, Board of Directors
Indian Hill continues to adapt our programming. We brought Bach’s Lunch concerts “on the road,” with our musicians playing outdoors to the delight of seniors in care facilities. We offered virtual workshops, Free Class Day, mock auditions, classes and ensembles—all to the high standard you expect from Indian Hill Music. We are offering free remote private lessons for Fitchburg band and strings students engaged in our outreach programs.
While we are deeply disappointed that our live professional concerts are on hold, we created Virtual Connections featuring conductor Bruce Hangen, which offer up close and personal ways for you to interact with Bruce and our orchestra musicians. And our “Live from Indian Hill” livestream concerts with Headliner artists have been a huge success.
After a six-week pause due to the pandemic, construction on our new home in Groton continues. The progress has been stunning. With a projected opening in the fall of 2022, we cannot wait to fulfill our vision in this incredible facility.
You, our wonderfully generous donors, have made all of this possible. You embraced and supported our growth. Then you quickly stepped up to support us when the pandemic struck. Many of you increased your giving, you checked in, you attended our virtual programs, offered your thanks, and provided feed- back. You have been with us every step of the way over the past year and we are deeply, deeply grateful.
Lisa Fiorentino Chief Executive Officer
Note: all group photos were taken prior to CoVid.
Page 3 – Groton project update
TEXT IS COMING! There is only one photo of the new site in there, that is for this page.
The absence of concerts has reminded us that there is nothing quite like attending a live performance and bonding with the musicians and the enthusiastic audience members around us. This is why we are even more excited about our future home in Groton. With a projected opening in the fall of 2022, we are still two years away, but actively planning for the day when students can learn in state-of-the art studios and musicians of all genres will perform in superbly designed, acoustically engineered concert halls to share magnificent live music.
expand a high-quality music school with incredible faculty and unlimited potential. The opportunity came at the per- fect time, as education became the primary focus of my career. The professional music scene eventually reemerged as part of my work life, but it happened gradually. Education and performance are so closely entwined at Indian Hill that in hindsight, it now seems inevitable that it would.
“A few years back our performances were predominantly classical: it was almost all about our amazing Orchestra. Faculty concerts added some variety and showcased our talented artist educators, but our audiences wanted more. It wasn’t my job (or anyone’s job at that point) to book pro- fessional musicians in new genres, but it fit perfectly with what I enjoy, what I’m good at, and what Indian Hill needed. My first two bookings were in 2018 with Mike Block and Jason Palmer, whom I knew well and thought would be well-received by our audience. When those concerts were successful I was having so much fun that I just kept going, and suddenly we’d added 11 new concerts that year. We were on track for 14 new Headliner concerts in FY21 before COVID struck. The good news is we won’t lose that momentum. Booking the non-classical acts has become an official part of my job, and one I am so happy to return to— we’ll be ready to bring back live, in-person concerts as soon as we can. The future is so bright at Indian Hill and I feel beyond lucky to be playing a leadership role in bring- ing transformative musical experiences to our region.”
e d u c at i o n & p e r f o r m a n c e
Two Hats are Better than One . . . An Interview with Pete Robbins
pete robbins, professional edu-
programs, and jazz saxophonist
Director of Non-Classical Perfor-
Pete about how this change is both
a reflection of his life in music, and
the growth of our organization.
M usicians wear all kinds of hats, most commonly, performer and teacher. Typically one hat is worn more often than the other, but I wanted to dedicate
myself to both performing and teaching. I started on a dual track in college, pursuing two degrees and splitting time between Tufts and the New England Conservatory; that carried through to my post-college life in New York. I began teaching in Brooklyn, and then oversaw a music department at a Manhattan private school, and all of the arts program- ming at a network of over 30 charter schools throughout the city. I taught general music and band, created instrumental programs, designed curriculum, and also had some private students. Education filled my days, and my nights were for practicing, booking gigs, jamming, and performing. Both sides of my professional life were fulfilling. Things started to change when my kids came along—it was difficult to dedicate myself fully to teaching, performing and raising kids (two boys, currently 8 and 10 years old). I’d had success as a professional musician—I’d released records and toured Europe and I loved it, but it can be a tough life with a family and they had become my top priority.
“I moved home to Massachusetts to become Indian Hill’s Director of Education in 2016. I‘d actually attended a fan- tastic workshop here with Frank Bonanno back when I was in middle school that was both meaningful and motivation- al, so I already had good feelings on arrival, but it was the growth plan that really excited me. I was given a mission to
Headliner Series performers in 2019–2020. top left: Jason palmer; top right: Hanneke cassel and mike Block; Bottom left: Zahili Gonzalez Zamora performing with miXcLa; Bottom right: Jeremy Kittel conducting a workshop with indian Hill music students; center: pete robbins
Giving music generously is central to our mission. Our music philanthropy has grown in parallel with our performance programs and Music School offerings, broadening our reach and touching more lives each year.
Indian Hill Music has been building school-based partnerships for 14 years, with a significant increase over the past five years. Since 2015, we’ve expanded from instrument lessons in two schools within one public school district, to multiple programs across nine schools within four districts (Ayer-Shirley, Clinton, Fitchburg and Lawrence), as well as the addition of our first lesson program in the Boys and Girls Club of Fitchburg and Leominster. We collaborate with music teachers, principals and other partners to identify needs, fill gaps and enhance the music curriculum in ways that are tailored to each school. Our child-centered approach guides our work and drives our diverse options. Beyond developing robust band programs in high-need districts, Indian Hill Music faculty can be found teaching violin and guiding string ensembles; providing voice coaching and support for musical theater productions; leading ukulele classes; and offering high school students unique workshops with renowned guest artists.
Our goal is to remove all barriers to music education. While our work with local districts and organizations continues to grow, we don’t have a presence in every area school—yet. For students who do not currently attend one of Indian Hill Music’s partner schools, we provide need-based scholarships for private lessons, classes and ensembles for families experiencing financial hardship.
Indian Hill’s music philanthropy programs are made possible by our donors’ philanthropy. With your continued support, we plan for the number of children served by both our partnerships and scholarships to continue on its an upward trajectory for years to come. You have our profound gratitude, and the heartfelt thanks of so many people who have been touched by this work.
m u S i c p H i L a n t H r o p y
Expanding Partnerships, Touching Lives School-based partnerships up 405% since fy15
200
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FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18 FY19 FY20
m u S i c p H i L a n t H r o p y
Expanding Partnerships, Touching Lives Students participating in our free School music partnerships during the 2019–20 academic year
How have you been dealing with the absence of concerts?
The impact has been significant, as it is on all performing artists. I’ve tried to use the time to my best advantage, however. My daily plan since we closed down is to walk four miles a day, meditate, read (I almost always have at least half-a-dozen books waiting to be read), and I make sure to practice piano every day. While cello was my primary instrument, I played and studied both piano and cello through my college days. I’m sure I’ve practiced piano more in the last nine months than I have in the last nine years! But I do it every day for at least an hour because it’s my only way these days to actually make music.
How do you stay connected with the orchestra musicians and our audiences?
I’ve been checking in with the musicians from time to time, and collaborating on the Orchestra of Indian Hill’s Virtual Connections has helped me keep in touch with them.
Indian Hill’s first virtual orchestra program grew from my experi- ence at the Boston Conservatory when we had to move quickly to an online world in the spring. So, at Indian Hill, I wanted to get some kind of a performance message out to our orchestra friends. Offering “Simple Gifts” by our string principals was received so well we thought it would be a great idea to continue doing more, and with more musicians. So, now we have our regular series,
View from On (and Off) the Podium B r u c e H a n G e n , a r t i S t i c d i r e c t o r a n d c o n d u c t o r , o r c H e S t r a o f i n d i a n H i L L Professor of Conducting and Director of Orchestral Activities, Boston Conservatory at Berklee
Like performing
arts organizations
2020 season due to
the new reality and
and musicians.
Inspired Ensembles, which to date has featured members of our string, brass, woodwind and percussion sections. Each video is a short musical offering for which the players involved prepare on their own and rehearse and record virtually.
Meet Our Musicians is a more focused, personal approach with one player from the orchestra. In each interview we get to know them both as musicians and as people, discovering their likes and dislikes, thoughts about the orchestra’s future, and of course, seeing how they are dealing with the unfortunate reality of a pandemic. Both of these series are a great chance to see our orchestra musicians up close and personal, as well as playing their instrument.
I’m happy to be producing Bruce’s Playlist, which we’re now doing on a monthly basis. And, because all the recordings I play are from our own Orchestra of Indian Hill archives, it’s rather fun to be listening to, and reminiscing about all that great repertoire in past performances. So, yes, I do it all —come up with the theme, review previous orchestra recordings, select the clips, write the script, and record it in my home studio. It takes more time than you’d think, but I’m definitely enjoying it!
How are you planning for the future?
I have given a lot of thought to what and how we might perform in the future, but not knowing exactly when that may be doesn’t really lend itself to making specific plans. All I can say now about our return to live performance is that it will have to be a very special program––perhaps with music that’s comforting and relaxing for the audience and likely music that the orchestra overwhelmingly loves to play. Our first time back can then be remembered for the joy of making and hearing music again, together, live.
BEfOrE Bruce and guest pianist, aristo Sham, take questions at the post-concert encore café, oct. 2019; guest flautist marcos Granados performs with the orchestra of indian Hill, feb. 2020
AfTEr a scene from an Inspired Ensembles video on youtube, featuring brass players from the orchestra of indian Hill; Bruce chats with principal violist amelia Hollander ames via Zoom at the Meet Our Musicians event
Teachers and students across the country had to quickly adapt to online learning during the spring of 2020, and
Indian Hill Music School was no exception. Overnight, our faculty became well-versed in the finer points of Zoom versus Facetime, and our students figured out how to set up their cameras just right, so that their teacher can see both their hands AND face. Everyone discovered which room had the best wifi signal.
We are eager to resume in-person activities as soon as it is safe, but we’re also happy to say that this dramatic shift in the way we operate, for the most part, went smoothly. Over 90 percent of students continued private lessons remotely. One of the bright spots of our new reality has been the affirmation that the relationships between students and teachers, and the many ways music brings us closer together, are not dependent on physical proximity.
In their own words, students and parents share what Indian Hill lessons have meant to them and their families during a difficult time. . . .
Moving online
Thank you so much for all of your efforts to make continued voice instruction possible during these months of quarantine. When one’s interactions with people outside the family are so few, the week- ly online music lesson was more than just instruction— it was a very welcome dose of normalcy in a very un-normal time. And most importantly, the move to online lessons allowed [my daughter] to partici- pate in something she loves (singing), when so many other pastimes and pursuits have been put on hold for the time being.”  heather parent, Harvard
[Their teacher] has stayed right with them through highs and lows, achieve- ments and plateaus, relying on the relationships she builds to carry them through. Being home so much the last few weeks, there is beautiful music in our home that has given us a sound- track of hope.” molly parent, BoxBorougH
Thank you for your patience and for being there every week. Thank you for cheering me on and helping me learn and letting me grow!” Gavin student, age 7, acton
As teachers go, he is a master of his craft. Beyond that, he has made a connection with my son that will be lasting. We are so thankful.” Beth parent, sHirley
My teacher is helping me find my inner singer in the most fun and joyful way. And all the breathing is really helping during this stressful time! I am so lucky to have time with her each week!” Julie adult student, sHirley





Peter Ashton, Chair Simon Jones, Vice-Chair Jonathan Panek, Treasurer George Allison, Clerk
Peter Bentinck-Smith Kirsta Davey Phil Francisco Jeffrey Fuhrer Kimberly Harriman Stephen J. Irish Melissa Maranda Carole Prest Dave Riggert Troy Siebels Miriam Smith Deb Verner
Camilla C. Blackman Director Emerita
Priscilla Endicott Director Emerita
Robert Anderson Honorary Director
Ralph Brown Honorary Director
David Moulton Honorary Director
4%
2020 Operating ExpensesThis is the tenth consecutive year in which Indian Hill has met or exceeded our financial goals. We are a completely debt-free organization and have shown a positive change in net assets from operating activities for the past ten years. We have $3.5 million in investments.
For additional information and our full financial statements, please contact Debra Gorfine at debra@indianhillmusic.org.
(Excludes Capital Support)
Susan Randazzo Senior Advisor
Bruce Hangen Artistic Director & Conductor, Orchestra of Indian Hill
Pete Robbins Director of Education and Non-Classical Performance Programming
Evanthea Vlahakis Director of Marketing & Public Relations
Leslie Brew Patron Services Representative
Lisa Cleveland Assistant Director of Education
Pam Gilfillan Annual Fund Manager
Debra Gorfine Senior Accounting Analyst
Michael Havay Class & Ensemble Manager
THE COUNCIL OF INDIAN HILL MUSIC
The Council is comprised of individuals who have shown a deep commitment to Indian Hill, through their investments of time, treasure and talent. Council members provide clear-eyed feedback and strategic guidance on a variety of organizational priorities; act as Indian Hill ambassadors; and generously support our mission in a variety of ways.
Peter Burk Ruth Cavanagh John Chickosky Emilie Coolidge Faith Cross Cheryl DaSilva Armand Diarbekirian Ursula Flury Hugh Fortmiller Erica Reynolds Hager Mike Knupp Erika Boardman Kraft Steve Levitsky Stephen Lieman Mary Livingston Sue Lotz
Gail Lyons Ray Lyons Paul Malchodi Russ Murray Jane Puffer Pam Resor Karen Riggert Dorothy Robbins Phil Robbins Charlotte Russell Edythe Salzman Mark Scheier Cindy Smith Randy Steere Ed Strachan Bill Wilkinson
Dulcey Lacroix Patron Services Specialist
Mary Leahy Development Manager (retired)
Ann Maher Patron Services Coordinator
MaryFran Mitrano Development Manager
Joel Mongeon Maintenance Associate
Kate Weiss Artistic Operations Manager and Development Coordinator
Michelle Weisman Development and Marketing Intern
Design and printing of this Annual Report generously supported by
36 King Street, PO Box 1484 Littleton, MA 01460 978-486-9524
Design: David Gerratt/NonprofitDesign.com
Photography: Karen Riggert (Board and CEO photos, p. 2; The Music Center at Indian Hill under construction, exterior, p. 3); David Foxe, Epstein Joslin Architects (The Music Center at Indian Hill under construction, interior detail, p. 3); Dave Kaufman (Jason Palmer, p. 5); Courtesy of the Lowell Sun (Drum circle, back cover). All other photos courtesy of Indian Hill Music.
www.indianhillmusic.org
Indian Hill Music is a non-profit organization whose mission is to share the transformative power of music, through teaching and performing, and giving music generously when there is need.