Photo above: Chamber Orchestra playing Beethoven's Violin Concerto Op. 61 (Rechtman arrangement)

Featuring Nigel Armstrong, violin, on Sunday, July 2, 2023.

Below are other photos from the 2023 St. Augustine Music Festival Season.

The St. Augustine Music Festival did not want to wait until June to offer music to our audience. Therefore, will be hosting a fundraiser featuring the Mark Dickman Quartet, on Sunday, October 22, 2023, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the St. Augustine Waterworks. We hope you can join us.

A Jazzy Sunday Afternoon includes several favorites of the genre: "Take the A Train", "When Sunny Gets Blue", and "Sweet Georgia Brown" plus many more that you know and love.

In addition to Mark Dickman on the euphonium and trombone, the musicians in the quartet are Claude Bassingthwaite on bass, Clyde Conner on Drums, and Scott Giddens on Piano.

This fundraising concert supports the St. Augustine Music Festival, which presents music to a diverse audience with free concerts at the Cathedral Basilica in St. Augustine during the month of June.

We hope you can join us on October 22 for A Jazzy Sunday Afternoon! And if you aren't able to join us, please consider making a donation.

Dr. Marc Dickman

Euphonium, Trombone

Dr. Marc Dickman, from Valdosta, Georgia, is a founding member of the acclaimed jazz studies program at the University of North Florida. He was hired for the position by Rich Matteson. Dr. Dickman earned degrees from Troy State University, McNeese State University, and the University of North Texas. His versatility on euphonium, trombone, bass-trombone, and tuba in the classical and jazz styles places him in much demand in the United States. At UNF he teaches applied low brass and jazz ensemble. He is a winner of the artist division of the International Leonard Falcone Competition. His students have won awards in the jazz and classical areas. Dr. Dickman is a founding member of the groundbreaking jazz ensemble, the Modern Jazz Tuba Project. The MJT Project has two critically acclaimed releases; Live From the Bottom Line, and Favorite Things. Marc’s CD, A Weaver of Dreams, is available at cdbaby.com and iTunes.

Dr. Dickman has performed in the following countries: USA, Japan, German, Hungary, Finland, Paraguay, Uruguay, Canada, Honduras and Columbia.

Dickman is music director and conductor of the Nassau Community Band, and the Nassau Jazz Band. He also leads the Rhythm City Rhythm Kings Classic Jazz Band and the TBA Big Band, Jacksonville’s repertory jazz orchestra.

Dr. Marc Dickman is a Besson performing artist

Scott Giddens, piano

Scott Giddens began playing the organ at the age of five as he mimicked what he heard his Grandfather playing on the Hammond. Before his feet could reach the pedals he was also playing the piano, delving into classical music, boogie-woogie, and improvisation. During his teenage years he attended the award winning Douglas Anderson School of the Arts while also studying classical piano with Mary Lou Krosnick and composition with Dr. William Schirmer of Jacksonville University. During his college years at the University of North Florida, Scott was afforded the opportunity to play with some of the greatest musicians of our time including the Brecker Brothers, Joe Lovano, Russell Malone, Slide Hampton, Arturo Sandoval, and Nicholas Payton. Since earning his undergraduate degree Scott has been heard backing such jazz luminaries as Harry "Sweets" Edison, Ira Sullivan, Bunky Green, Vincent Herring, Andreas Oberg, Nathan Page, John Pizzarelli, Linda Hopkins and Diane Schuur. He has played in venues all over the United States as well as Russia, Australia, Amsterdam, and France. He has been featured in many festivals including the Jacksonville Jazz Festival, Mobile Jazz Festival, Savannah Jazz Festival, Cocoa Beach Jazz Festival, Clearwater Jazz Festival and the North Sea Jazz Festival, in The Hague, Netherlands.

Clyde Connor, drums

Clyde J. Connor, a native of Grove, Oklahoma, graduated with a Bachelors of Music Education from the University of Central Oklahoma in 1988. After graduation, Clyde attended the University of North Texas as a graduate student in the Jazz Studies Masters Degree program. While at North Texas, Clyde successfully auditioned for the United States Navy Band Commodores Jazz Ensemble and in the fall of 1989, moved to Washington, D.C..

Clyde can be heard on numerous recordings working as a session player at Omega Recording Studios in Rockville, Maryland, with the majority of work in conjunction with major music publishing companies including Barnhouse, Columbia, CP Beldwin and Warner Brothers. In addition to his performing accomplishments, Clyde has had much success in music education, working as a guest artist/clinician in a variety of educational settings.

Artists Clyde has performed with: Jeff Andrews, Louie Bellson (drum duet), Randy Brecker, Pete Christlieb, Ritchie Cole, Bob Curnow, Eddie Daniels, Curtis Fuller, Jon Faddis, Terry Gibbs, Don Grolnick, Milt Hinton, Billy Hunt, Steve Kahn, Barney Kessel, Dave Liebman, Brandon Marsalis, Rich Matteson, Jack McDuff, Don Menza, Tommy Newsome, Dick Oats, Claudio Roditi, Arturo Sandoval, Diane Schurr, Doc Severinsen, Bobby Shew, Lou Soloff, Marvin Stamn, Clark Terry, Stanley Turentine, Chris Vadala, Ernie Watts, Joe Williams, Snooky Young.

Claude Bassingthwaite, Bass

Claude is from Orange Park, FL. He attended UNF and FSCJ. He has performed with the TBA Big Band and the Charlie Spivak Orchestra. He is the first call jazz bassist in the North Florida region.

And featuring the Mastriani Piano!

Housed at the Waterworks, the Mastriani Piano was donated to the St. Augustine Music Fest in late 2022 in memory of jazz pianist Paul Mastriani by his family.

It is a 1917 Steinway Grand Piano, which has been acclaimed by various pianists who have used it for concerts by SAMF, Romanza and other organizations.

• • From the Desk of Executive Director, Bill Boxer• • 

SAMF2023 once again performed to a full house each evening providing “The SAMF Experience” of World Class Music in a World Class Setting to a welcoming and appreciative audience. After a challenging few pandemic years, we can happily say “We’re back!”

As we begin to focus on SAMF2024, and visions for the future, I want to share another track to ensure the future of SAMF for years to come. No organization can succeed in a vacuum. It is critical that SAMF shares its mission and vision with our community of arts organizations and most importantly our educational facilities.

 A few years ago, I accepted an invitation to join the Flagler College Visual and Fine Arts Advisory Board to connect the SAMF mission with our local college. Additionally, SAMF connected with the Fine Arts department of our St. John’s County School District to provide music experiences to enrich the districts music programs. In connecting with our educational institutions, we bring our “brand” to the classroom supporting music education, the same with Flagler College and their focus on the arts and developing music programs. This is all a two-way street. We bring our music, knowledge, and skills to the educational institutions and in turn we hopefully bring a younger demographic to our audience.

I’m sharing this with you to engage you, our audience and supporters to work with us to create our younger population in sharing the music experience that we so much enjoy, and to become part of “The SAMF Experience.” You can do this by sharing, inviting, and bringing family and friends to any SAMF concert or event.

On our end, we will continue to work with our educational institutions. We will continue to support the growing music department at Flagler College. Our board members will share artistic skills with staff and students while we will engage student participation through involvement with the SAMF board to carry back to the student body.

We will work ahead to discuss the best ways to support our county music education programs to reinforce and enhance local programs to the benefit of all. SAMF will continue to pursue grants, corporate support, and most of all “you,” our loyal SAMF audience whose love of the arts and appreciation is our strongest asset and voice to share “The SAMF Experience.”

While our SAMF seven concert event each June is our signature, we are planning additional events in and around our St. Augustine Community beginning with a SUNDAYS with SAMF Jazz concert at The Waterworks, Sunday afternoon at 3:00pm. Join us, bring a friend and enjoy an afternoon of music.

If you would like to support or sponsor an educational event, please let me know and I will be happy and pleased to meet with you and share the many possible opportunities. My email is: billboxer@SAMFestival.org

I look forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming events, and as always, enjoy talking and sharing my passion for SAMF with you.

Bill Boxer

The Jacksonville Symphony has something for everyone, whether Classical Performances, Organ Concerts, Jazz Series, Coffee Mornings, Opera, Symphony in 60, Family concerts and more. Be sure to visit the website to find your favorites!

Look for the

St. Augustine Music Festival table

at the Symphony in 60 concert

on Thursday, October 26

from 5:30 - 6:30 PM PM,

prior to the concert.

2023 - 2024 Beaches Fine Arts Series

to Begin

at St. Paul's by the Sea

465 11th Avenue North

Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250

TRIO VIRADO

FRIDAY, OCT. 13

AT 7:30PM

AARON DIEHL TRIO

FRIDAY, OCT. 20

AT 7:30PM

• • Become a SAMF Donor • • 

Sponsors are vital to the success of SAMF performances as each sponsor's contribution furthers the sense of connection and positive impact within the community as we offer FREE concerts at the Cathedral Basilica.

As you consider your donation, think about the cost of attending a comparable concert... would it be $25, $40, or perhaps much more? Are you planning to attend two or three, or perhaps all seven concerts? If so, then consider making a donation to SAMF that you can consider as the cost of your tickets. Sponsor levels of $5,000 or more entitles the donor/organization to be the sponsor of an evening's concert.

We Have 8 Sponsor Donor Levels:

*Regular Entry and Recognized Donor in the Program

**Early Entry and Reserved Seating. Recognized Donor on Website and in the Program

***Early Entry and Prime Seating. Recognized Donor on Website, in the Program and Champaign Reception

****Concert Sponsor with Early Entry, Prime Seating, Recognized Donor Logo on Website

and Champaign Reception

Personal and business checks can be made payable to the

St. Augustine Music Festival and mailed to:

Saint Augustine Music Festival

PO Box 833

St. Augustine, FL 32085-0833

Each and every level of donation is important.

Please consider the level you wish to contribute.

The St. Augustine Music Festival is a non-for-profit corporation exempt from federal income tax under section 501©(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. We are qualified to receive tax deductible bequests, devises, transfers, or gifts under section 2055, 2106 or 2522 of the Code and can provide you with a copy of our tax exempt status upon request. We greatly appreciate all donations and acknowledge our donors in the festival program and on our website.

Jorge Peña and Jin Kim-Peña

Artistic Directors

Bill Boxer

Executive Director

• • SAMF Artistic Director Honored• • 

Congratulations to SAMF Artistic Director Jorge Peña, who was recognized for having been a

member of the Jacksonville

Symphony for 25 years!

Photo left.

And in September, Jorge Peña, was one of 16 Hispanics resident in the northeast area honored by the First Coast Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Well done!

• • Read the 2023 Program Booklet• • 

By clicking on the cover of the 2023 Program Booklet, you can read about the previous music programs and short bios of the Performers.

We hope you will enjoy the photos below from the last week of our 2023 concerts.

Tim Tuller Organist performed with the Brass Quintet (above and below)

Jorge Peña conducted the modern ""Shaker Loops" by John Adams on July 1.

Above: Talented and colorful musicians

Left: Nigel Armstrong performing Beethoven

Our audience returned to pre-COVID level for all of the concerts!

And the musicians were exceptional

Horns playing Haydn on July 2.

Gabriela Peña and violins performing.



On behalf of the SAMF Board of Directors, we thank you!

Bill Boxer, Executive Director

Nell Seymour Toensmann, Board Chair

Jorge Peña & Jin Kim-Peña, Artistic Directors

St. Augustine Music Festival (SAMF)

billboxer@SAMFestival.org

Mobile: 904 982-0146

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

St. Augustine Music Festival

P.O. Box 833

St. Augustine, FL 32085-0833