Mrs. Edmondson's Bio
Rebecca Edmondson received her Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and her Masters of Music in Music Education from the University of Maine. Her teaching experience includes both private and public schools in Pennsylvania and Maine.
In addition to teaching instrumental and vocal music at the Conners Emerson School in Bar Harbor since 1990. In May 2013, her original composition, Brambly Dance, placed second in the Nebraska American String Teachers Association Fiddle Tune Composition Contest. In December 2012, Mrs. Edmondson was chosen as the representative for the state of Maine as one of fifty, nation wide, in SBO's (School Band & Orchestra) "50 Directors Who Make a Difference." In 2006, her music program received national recognition as being one of twelve in the United States designated as being a Model Music Education Program by MENC: The National Association of Music Education (Blakeslee, Brown and Hofmann. Model Music Programs: Ideas for Everyone. Maryland: MENC/Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2008: 24-29).
She is founder and conductor of TEMPO: The Eastern Maine Pops Orchestra for Young Musicians and is pit conductor for the Mount Desert Island High School musical productions (since 2005). She has initiated school programs such as class violin in grade two (in 1998), the Swallowtail Fiddlers (2002) (Teaching Music 15 [June 2008]: 32-34), a show choir known as the Show Stoppers! (2009), and dulcimer construction and playing in grade five (2014). Mrs. Edmondson was one of twenty educators who launched the program Discovering Strings and Orchestra developed by ASTA with a grant from NAMM (American String Teacher 58 [August 2008]: 54). Mrs. Edmondson authored the article,Beginning Violin: Pizzicato vs. Arco (American String Teacher 55 [February 2005]: 50-53) and A Manual for Music Educators: Beginning and Augmenting the K-8 Strings Program. She has served as a clinician several times at the MMEA All-State Conference and contributes lesson plans to ASTA for the DSOA program. In her spare time, Mrs. Edmondson enjoys composing orchestral pieces for silent films.
Mrs. Edmondson is a whole musician with a well trained ear, mind, hand, and heart. Every day, she is committed to being the best educator, musician, and person that she can be. She has a high standard of excellence for herself and goes beyond what is asked or expected of her. Mrs. Edmondson love to ignite the imagination in children through music, and, to this end, she will continue to be a lifelong learner and contributor in the field of music education.
~ Music Educator, Conductor, Composer, Performer, Clinician, Choreographer ~
Out of the Mist
Would you like to add some pizazz to your special occasion in Acadia or Bar Harbor and communities on Mount Desert Island? Would you like a wedding piper, pianist, keyboardist, or oboist? Rebecca Edmondson is available for weddings, receptions, reunions, parties, and award ceremonies. She has many years of creative planning experience and will help you add your own personal touch to your special day. Yours will be a memorable and unique occasion!
In addition to being classically trained on piano and oboe, her Scottish and Irish heritage shines through with her love for folk music. Rebecca is a Maine solo piper and is accomplished on The Great Highland Bagpipe as well as the Shuttle Pipes. In her youth, she attended The 1,000 School of Scottish Performing Arts, Brockville, Ontario, and was taught by the great pipers from Scotland: Jimmy McInstosh MBE (now from Pittsburgh), Seumas MacNeill, Ian MacFadyen, Capt. John MacLellan, and Archie Cairns from Canada. She has competed successfully and earned medals in grade II EUSPBA sanctioned Highland Games competitions and appeared on the cover of "The Piping Times" magazine (Vol. 28, No. 9, published by The College of Piping, Glasgow, June1976). A memorable moment was when she marched out of the mist when piping for the opening ceremony of the Ryder Cup Golf Tournament 1975 at the Laurel Valley Golf Club, Ligonier, Pennsylvania, representing the British team. She met and piped for both teams, including the USA team captain, Arnold Palmer!
Playing pipes since the age of fourteen, her mission statement has always been to promote the Scottish Performing Arts while serving the community. She shared her mission statement with the community when she founded The West Eden Highlanders Pipes & Drums 1996 of Bar Harbor and served as Pipe Major during its existance. Rebecca also founded The Bar Harbor Scottish Performing Arts Workshops, bringing world-renoun Scottish artisans to Mount Desert Island. She also formed and was a Celtic performer in the folk trio The SeaGaels, breathing life into centuries old ditties from Scotland, Ireland, and Wales by singing and playing guitar, pipes, tin whistle, and harp. Many benefit concerts to aid seriously ill children took place under Rebecca's music direction and organizational skills. She initiated the community traditions of piping at the Memorial Day Service on the Bar Harbor Town pier and piping at COA graduation. Rebecca looks forward to establishing new traditions and to share her love of music with you!
