June 2026 - Before we head off for summer vacation, let's celebrate the many achievements and tremendous support that made this spring a success for our music performance groups. As students take advantage of summer music opportunities, the AMA is already hard at work laying the foundation for another outstanding year.
Congratulations to APS Ensembles for Another Outstanding Year at MICCA!
Tuning Up for a New Season: Thank You & Open Call for ‘26–’27 Business Sponsors!
A Joyful Return: Mindess Chorus Takes the Stage
June 2026 - The AMA extends its heartfelt congratulations to the Mindess Chorus on their wonderful spring concert held on May 28. This joyful performance marked the first chorus concert at Mindess School in seven years and celebrated the return of chorus opportunities for fourth- and fifth-grade students after a lengthy hiatus.
More than 200 family members, friends, and community supporters filled the audience to cheer on the young singers. The students' excitement and pride were evident in every song, creating an evening filled with energy, accomplishment, and joy. The Ashland Music Association was thrilled to be part of this special milestone and looks forward to supporting the continued growth of choral music opportunities for Ashland students.
Summer Community Band Program is Back!
June 2026 - Would you like a chance to play fun and challenging concert band music this summer with your friends? Join Ashland band director Brian Koning and Northborough band director Lucas LaVoie for the Ashland Summer Band Program.
This community band program is open to musicians of all ages and levels from any town. It’s a great opportunity to play music with family and friends, meet musicians from other communities, and enjoy a rewarding summer playing experience.
Rehearsals are held every Tuesday evening beginning June 16 in the AHS band room. All bands will perform a final concert on August 4 at 7:00 pm, held at the AHS Barry Ruthford Auditorium.
Ashland Community Summer Band members will have the option to perform the national anthem at a Boston Red Sox game on Wednesday, July 22 at 7:00 pm.
There is still time to sign up! Registration is a two-step process: first, register and submit payment through the Ashland Rec website, and then complete the required Google form.
For additional information, including program details and registration links, visit the Ashland Summer Band information website.
Ashland Summer Band Sparks Possibilities for Future Collaboration
This summer, the Ashland Summer Band Program is excited to pilot a special new opportunity: participating musicians will have the chance to perform the national anthem at a Boston Red Sox game on July 22.
Looking ahead, we hope this experience will help launch collaborative performance opportunities during the upcoming school year, bringing together AHS and AMS instrumental and vocal ensembles for a joint performance. These cross-ensemble collaborations are an exciting step toward building even stronger connections within Ashland’s music program.
Stay tuned for more updates!
Congratulations to APS Ensembles for Another Outstanding Year at MICCA!
June 2026 - Once again, APS music ensembles earned impressive results across all levels at the annual Massachusetts Instrumental & Choral Conductors Association (MICCA) Concert and Choral Festival, held March 27–29.
The AHS Concert Choir received a Bronze Medal, while AHS Concert White Band earned a Silver Medal and AHS Concert Blue Band achieved a Gold Medal. The AMS Wind Ensemble also performed exceptionally well, earning a Gold Medal for the second consecutive year.
These achievements reflect the strength of Ashland’s music program, as well as the hard work and commitment of its student musicians and directors. Congratulations to all!
Sopranos Torsha Maji (left), Kyleigh Vento (middle) and Charlotte Dowd (right) at the Junior District Festival Concert.
Junior District Festival Concert Recap
June 2026 - APS student musicians from AMS (grades 7 and 8) and AHS (grade 9) participated in the Central District Massachusetts Music Educators’ Association Junior Festival Concert on May 2 at Whitcomb Middle School in Marlborough.
Students performed in either Orchestra, Concert Band, or Chorus alongside peers from across the region. Following three intensive rehearsals with guest conductors, they brought the experience to a close with a final concert highlighting their musicianship and preparation.
If you missed it, a full list of participants appeared in the previous edition of Clocker Beats. Special recognition goes to Nathan Follet (French horn) and Ben Deibler (bassoon), who were selected as principal players in their sections in the Concert Band.
Double the Music: Does Your Employer Match?
June 2026 - Did you know that many companies will match your donation to the AMA dollar-for-dollar? These programs are a vital way for our parent-run org to continue our support of the APS music programs.
How to find us: Most companies use portals like Benevity, YourCause, Bonterra, or Deed. To ensure your match goes to the right place, the easiest way to find us is by searching our Federal EIN: 27-2113922.
Not listed? You can nominate us! If you search for us by EIN and we don't appear, don't worry! Most platforms have a "Nominate a Cause" or "Add a Nonprofit" button right on the search page.
Enter our name (Ashland Music Association) and our EIN (27-2113922).
The platform will then contact us to verify our 501(c)(3) status.
It only takes a minute to nominate us, but it can provide years of support for Ashland's student musicians. Thank you for helping us keep the music playing!
AMA's FY26 Contributions to APS Music Performance Groups
June 2026 – Music doesn't happen in a vacuum. Behind every concert, every festival performance, and every student stepping onto a stage is a network of support. The AMA is proud to be part of that network for Ashland Public Schools.
Thanks to the generous donations from student musician families, the community, business sponsors, and grantors, the AMA has donated over $13,012 to APS music performance groups so far this year. Those dollars have reached five APS music programs: the AHS and AMS concert bands, the AHS and AMS choral programs, and the Mindess Band.
The official AMA Impact report will be released in July. Here is a sneak peak at the range of contributions made this year:
$2,755 to keep school-owned instruments in playable condition at AHS & AMS
$2,073 in new instruments and the cases that keep them safe from damage at both the David Mindess School, AMS, & AHS
$1,537 in concert attire to keep our choir well dressed
$2,450 in festival registration fees across AMS & AHS concert bands and choir
$1,000 to transport student musicians to festivals and competitions
$2,397 for day to day supplies needed by our music educators
$800 for Choral concert accompanist
Thank you for supporting our music students and your partnership in helping the AMA do the same.
Tuning Up for a New Season: Thank You & Open Call for ‘26–’27 Business Sponsors!
June 2026 – The generous support of our local business community has been the essential overture to a year filled with wonderful opportunities and performances for our student musicians.
As we look back on this year, we want to extend a massive thank you to our top-tier Principal Conductor Sponsors, the businesses that led the way:
Centre Music House
Musicologie Ashland
Middlesex Savings Bank
David French Music
Needham Bank
We also proudly recognize Fishworks for their fantastic support at the Ensemble Enthusiast level. Thank you all for setting the stage for success and helping our students shine!
Set the Stage for the Upcoming Year!
As we look ahead to the 2026–2027 concert season, the music doesn’t stop, and neither does our need for community champions. We are officially opening the call for our 2026–2027 Business Sponsors!
Whether you are a returning partner or a business looking to make a positive impact in Ashland for the first time, your sponsorship directly supports our APS music performance groups at the David Mindess School, Ashland Middle School, and Ashland High School.
Why partner with the AMA?
High Visibility: Showcase your business to hundreds of local families at our seasonal concerts.
Community Impact: Directly invest in the creativity, discipline, and teamwork of Ashland's young musicians.
To learn more about our tiered sponsorship levels or to secure your partnership for the 2026–2027 school year, please contact us at AMA@Ashlandmusic.org. Thank you for your continued support of arts education in Ashland!
