A R T S • P R E V I E W : : Spring Cultural Events 2020

Glen Campbell In Concert - Austin, TX
Glen Campbell In Concert - Austin, TX

McGRATHPR.com – Spring fever inspires the finest arts, entertainment education and cultural opportunities in the Boston, South Shore and Cape Cod regions.



Spring 2020

Arts, Entertainment,

Education

and Cultural Events


South Shore Conservatory

sscmusic.org

Chase Away the Winter Blues
Saturday, January 25, 6 pm to 12 midnight
Boston Marriot Quincy, 1000 Marriot Drive, Quincy

Tables: $5,000, Individual Tickets: $275, include the After Party, After Party only: $100 

The 14th year of Chase Away the Winter Blues gala kicks off South Shore Conservatory’s 50th anniversary year, filled with music, dancing and celebration, and showcases the SSC faculty and the exceptional programs provided to the South Shore community. The event begins with a cocktail reception with an SSC faculty jazz quartet, followed by a seated dinner, outstanding music performances, and exciting live and silent auctions. Those who cannot attend the full gala, are welcome to join After Party starting at 9 pm, featuring great music with dance band East Coast Soul, and a piano bar. For tickets and sponsorship information, visit sscmusic.org or contact Donna Ryan, at [email protected] or 781-421-6162, ext. 207. 

Open Mic
Friday, January 31, 7 pm          
South Shore Conservatory, 64 St. George Street, Duxbury

Admission:  Free for SSC students, $10 for non-SSC performers. Audience attendance is free, and open to the public.             

SSC Student Aidan Murphy, courtesy image

Teens take the stage at South Shore Conservatory’s Open Mic night.  Students are welcome to perform, or just hang out and watch. It is an all-inclusive event with a variety of performances, including poetry, rock bands, musicians experimenting on new instruments, solos/duos, a student emcee, and more!  Students may sign up to perform by calling 781-749-7565, ext. 10.

Triple Trouble
Friday January 31, 11 am
The Village at Duxbury, 290 Kingstown Way, Duxbury

Admission:  Free

Featuring South Shore Conservatory’s Sarah Troxler, piano, Don Zook, flute and Mary Cicconetti , oboe, this Coffee Break Concert Series performance is an exploration of these musicians’ favorite chamber music pieces for flute, oboe and piano. The repertoire showcases well known melodies, such as Carmen, and pieces that showcase the beauty of this musical pairing. These selections are primarily classical in nature but are easy to listen to as many are based on dances such as the tarantella, the Waltz and the minuet. Performers speak to the audience about the pieces and their reasons for choosing them. Sponsored by The Village at Duxbury.

Piano Department Festival
Sunday, February 2, 4 pm
South Shore Conservatory
, 64 St. George Street, Duxbury

Admission:  Free

This performance features South Shore Conservatory piano department faculty members Sarah Troxler (chair), Mark Goodman, HuiMin Wang, June Chen, Victoria Suchodolski, Brandon Santini, and Jeff Williams.  The varied repertoire showcases piano solo favorites from across the years, including a four-hand duet or two.  

Music of the Beatles
Wednesday, February 12, 11 am
Laura’s Center for the Arts, 97 Mill Street, Hanover

Admission:  Free

South Shore Conservatory’s Coffee Break Concert Series presents a tribute to the Beatles. Pianist Paul Hoffman leads SSC faculty members Mark Goodman, bass, David Moorhead, guitar and vocals and Erika Van Pelt, vocals, in honoring the Fab Four. Audience members can expect to hear their favorite Beatles tunes, some as they remember, others with a special twist!  Underwritten by Diane and Gary Glick.

With a Little Help from My Friends
Friday, February 14, 7 pm
South Shore Conservatory, One Conservatory Drive, Hingham

Admission:  Free

South Shore Conservatory’s voice and piano department team up to make beautiful music together in this free collaborative concert, showcasing the talents of each department’s students. 

Jeff Williams, piano, courtesy image

Jeff Williams Jazz Trio
Tuesday, February 25, 11 am
South Shore Conservatory, 64 St. George Street, Duxbury

Admission:  Free

South Shore Conservatory’s Coffee Break Concert Series presents pianist Jeff Williams leading SSC percussionist Ed Sorrentino and bassist Chris Rathbun as they perform jazz tunes, standards from composers such as Cole Porter, Harold Arlen, some pop tunes and some original compositions.  Sponsored by The Village at Duxbury.

South Shore Conservatory Youth Orchestra Concert
Sunday, March 1, 3 pm
Scituate Center for the Performing Arts, 606 Chief Justice Highway, Scituate

Admission:  Free for students K-12, adults are $10 at the door

SSC Dance and Orchestra students in a combined performance, image by Michelle McGrath PR

South Shore Conservatory Youth Orchestra (SSCYO) presents its annual winter concert with ballet dancers from South Shore Conservatory’s Dance Department, performing combine works from Strauss and Greig. SSCYO is an auditioned, sequential youth orchestra program for dedicated and talented young musicians from communities south of Boston.  In collaboration with The Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra, SSC Youth Orchestra Artistic Advisor Steven Karidoyanes works with students and hosts a bi-annual side-by-side experience for SSC Youth Orchestra Symphony students.

The Music of Franz Schubert
Wednesday, March 11, 11 am
Laura’s Center for the Arts, 97 Mill Street, Hanover

Admission:  Free

South Shore Conservatory’s Coffee Break Concert Series features pianist Mark Goodman performing the classical, melodic and harmonically innovative music of beloved composer Franz Schubert, whose music was not widely recognized until after his death.  Underwritten by Diane and Gary Glick.

Open Mic
Friday, March 13, 7 pm 
South Shore Conservatory, One Conservatory Drive, Hingham    

Admission:  Free for SSC students, $10 for non-SSC performers. Audience attendance is free, and open to the public.  

Teens take the stage at South Shore Conservatory’s Open Mic night.  Students are welcome to perform, or just hang out and watch. It is an all-inclusive event with a variety of performances, including poetry, rock bands, musicians experimenting on new instruments, solos/duos, a student emcee, and more!

Music and the Brain Symposium

Saturday, March 28, 9 am
Laura’s Center for the Arts, 97 Mill Street, Hanover

Glen Campbells daughter, performing artist Ashley Campbell appears as Keynote Speaker at SSCs Music and the Brain Symposium Photo by Mindy Small/Film Magic

South Shore Conservatory, in partnership with South Shore Health, South Shore YMCA, NVNA and Hospice, and the MA/NH chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, presents Music and the Brain Symposium, a mix of experiential and informational learning on how music impacts both the developing brain and the aging brain.  Singer/songwriter Ashley Campbell, who worked alongside her father, country legend Glen Campbell, during his journey with Alzheimer’s, is the afternoon keynote speaker.  The symposium, a full-day event for clinicians, educators, researchers, parents, and care partners, focuses on evidence-based approaches to using the power of music and the arts for enhancing learning, rehabilitation, and quality of life, and features keynote speakers and panel discussions.  The morning session focuses on music and how it effects the developing brain, and the afternoon session focuses on how music stimulates the aging brain.  Registration is $225 for the full symposium (includes lunch), $150 for the morning session, and $175 for the afternoon session, available at sscmusic.org/musicandthebrain.  Contact Eve Montague at [email protected] for more information.

Female Composers
Tuesday, March 31, 11 am
South Shore Conservatory, 64 St. George Street, Duxbury

Admission:  Free

South Shore Conservatory’s Coffee Break Concert Series presents pianist Sarah Troxler and other SSC faculty members presenting the music of female composers.  Sponsored by The Village at Duxbury.

Student Lena Harati of Duxbury plays during Performathon 2017, courtesy image

Performathon 2020
Thursday, April 2 through Sunday, April 5
Barnes & Noble, Derby Street Shoppes, 96 Derby Street, Hingham

Admission:  Free

Performathon engages South Shore Conservatory students, parents and faculty in giving back by raising funds to support SSC’s tuition assistance program. During hundreds of performances spanning four days, students of all ages and abilities perform for friends and family in a welcoming and familiar setting. This fun, meaningful and rewarding event showcases the hard work of our students and faculty through performances.  The gathering of our community helps ensure that all students have access to SSC’s exceptional programs. A family-friendly event!

Piano Four Hands: Two pianists, one piano!
Wednesday, April 8, 11 am
Laura’s Center for the Arts, 97 Mill Street, Hanover

Mark Goodman, piano
courtesy image

Admission:  Free

South Shore Conservatory’s Coffee Break Concert Series features SSC pianist Mark Goodman and his wife, pianist Jennifer Cope Goodman present lively piano four hands – classical and light classical repertoire that highlights the artistry and fun of the piano four hand repertoire!  Underwritten by Diane and Gary Glick.

Pops!

Tuesday, April 28, 11 am
South Shore Conservatory, 64 St. George St, Duxbury

Admission:  Free

South Shore Conservatory’s Coffee Break Concert Series features Sarah Troxler, piano; Donald Zook, flute; and Jesse Stiglich, percussion, presenting a variety of upbeat music including classical, jazz and Spanish dance. Sponsored by The Village at Duxbury.

Graduating Seniors Recital
Friday, May 1, 7 pm
South Shore Conservatory, One Conservatory Drive, Hingham

Admission:  Free

South Shore Conservatory’s Youth Orchestra students performing in concert. Image by Paul Hoffman

South Shore Conservatory graduating seniors celebrate their years of musical accomplishment in concert. 

South Shore Conservatory Youth Orchestra Concert
Sunday, May 3, 3 pm
Duxbury Performing Arts Center, 73 Alden Street, Duxbury

Admission free for students K-12, adults are $10, at the door

South Shore Conservatory Youth Orchestra (SSCYO) presents its annual spring concert. SSCYO is an auditioned, sequential youth orchestra program that provides an opportunity for dedicated young musicians to perform symphonic music at a high level in a well-organized and supportive full orchestra program.  SSCYO’s two levels of ensembles perform: Repertory (intermediate) and Symphony (advanced), in partnership with Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra.

SSC Dance Department Spring Concert
Saturday, May 2, 2 pm
Pembroke High School Auditorium, 80 Learning Lane, Pembroke

Admission:  Adults $12, Students are free

SSC Dance Department students perform their year-end Spring Concert, featuring excerpts from the ballet Paquita, along with collaborative performances with South Shore Conservatory Youth Symphony Orchestra and SSC’s Percussion Ensemble.

SSC Community Voices, Too! in concert. Image courtesy of South Shore Conservatory

SSC Community Voices and SSC Community Voices, Too! Concert
Sunday, May 17, 1 pm
Laura’s Center for the Arts, 97 Mill Street, Hanover

Admission:  Free

South Shore Conservatory’s SSC Community Voices and SSC Community Voices Too! choruses present their spring concert, featuring top hits of the 70’s, with a nod to Beethoven on his 250th birthday.  SSC Community Voices and SSC Community Voices Too! are non-auditioned choruses that provide joyful ensemble singing and performance opportunities to over 60 adults and young adults, many with developmental delays.  These choruses are funded by the Cordelia Family Foundation. 


­The James Library & Center for the Arts

jameslibrary.org

Mondays at The James: Reiki Healing with Guided Meditation

Monday, January 27, 1:30 pm

The James Library & Center for the Arts, 24 West Street, Norwell

Admission:  Free, RSVP by emailing [email protected]

Reiki is a holistic system of healing and meditation that brings harmony, vitality, and restoration to one’s body, mind, emotions, and spirit. It is a nourishing energy that provides an overall sense of well-being. Join local Reiki Master Phyllis Simonetta for a brief interactive discussion on Reiki, followed by a 15-minute guided healing meditation. Mondays at the James is made possible by the generosity of the Cordelia Family Foundation and South Shore Music Circus.

High School Regional Juried Art Exhibition

Opening Reception: January 31, 6 to 8 pm (Snow Date: February 7)

Exhibition Dates: January 31 through February 28

The James Library & Center for the Arts, 24 West Street, Norwell

Admission:  Free, on view during business hours

A juried art exhibit of 11th and 12th grade student works from artists residing on the South Shore. Awards will be given for Best in Show, second and third place and four honorable mentions. The exhibition is sponsored by the Church Hillers of Norwell.

Exhibit Juror Nancy Colella is an award-winning, full time artist and art instructor. She has a degree in secondary art education and has juried art shows for all ages, for many years.  Colella earned a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art from Muskingum University, then studied painting at the Aegean School of Fine Arts in Paros, Greece, and at the Instituto Allende in San Miguel, Mexico. After a successful career in the hospitality business and while raising two children, she resumed her studies at Mass College of Art.  She is currently a member of the National Association of Women Artists and a Copley Master of the Copley Society of Art in Boston, Massachusetts. She is currently a faculty member at the North River Arts Society in Marshfield, Massachusetts, and teaches numerous workshops throughout New England. 

Mondays at The James: The Genius of Frank Lloyd Wright

Monday, February 10, 1:30 pm

The James Library & Center for the Arts, 24 West Street, Norwell

Admission:  Free, RSVP by emailing [email protected]

Join local architect Jim Kelliher of Axiom Architects as he talks about the history of architect, designer, writer, and educator Frank Lloyd Wright’s genius, and compares his work to that of the architecture during the same time being built around Norwell and Boston. Mondays at the James is made possible by the generosity of the Cordelia Family Foundation and South Shore Music Circus.

Blue Heron Concert: Songs About Hope

Sunday, February 23, 3 pm

The James Library & Center for the Arts, 24 West Street, Norwell

Tickets:  $35 adults, $30 seniors, $25 students

Blue Heron, photo by Liz Linder

Winners of the 2018 Gramophone Classical Music Award for Early Music, Blue Heron offers an intoxicating afternoon of songs about Hope (Esperance), the allegorical character from the world of the Romance of the Rose, who sustains a courtly lover through the thousand pains of lovesickness and teaches him to find delight instead of suffering. The program presents a complex variety of 14th-century songs which draw from each other’s words and music, including “En amer a douce vie”, which is sung by Esperance in Machaut’s Remede de Fortune; the anonymous Esperance qui en mon cuer s’embat, which was one of the century’s popular hits; and a trio of interrelated songs by Jacob de Senleches, Philippus de Caserta, and Johannes Galiot in the hypnotic late medieval style dubbed the Ars subtilior or “more subtle art” and transmitted by the celebrated Chantilly Codex.  Songs About Hope is sponsored by The Monahan Family, Lynch Marini & Associates, Elise and Jeremy Warhaftig, The Douglas N. Perry Fund, with support by Hingham, Norwell and Scituate Cultural Councils, local agencies of the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

The James Library & Center for the Arts Spring Juried Exhibition 

Opening Reception: March 13, 2020 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Exhibition dates:  March 13 to April 18

The James Library & Center for the Arts, 24 West Street, Norwell

Admission:  Free, on view during business hours

The James Library welcomes artists from the South Shore and beyond for this Spring Juried Exhibition featuring art work of all mediums. Best in Show, second place, third place and four honorable mentions will be awarded with cash prizes for the top three selections. For more information on this exhibition, the juror, and how to participate, visit jameslibrary.org. Sponsored by The Frame Center of Hanover.

Mondays at the James: Italianate Architecture Around the South Shore

Monday, March 16, 7 pm

The James Library & Center for the Arts, 24 West Street, Norwell

Admission:  Free, RSVP by emailing [email protected]

The Italianate style of architecture was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. Join local architect Jim Kelliher of Axiom Architects as he talks about the history of Italianate architecture, and its popularity across the United States, particularly in New England, from the 1840s to 1890. Mondays at the James is made possible by the generosity of the Cordelia Family Foundation and South Shore Music Circus.

I Now Pronounce You Lucy Stone, Living History Performance

Sunday, March 22, 3 pm

The James Library & Center for the Arts, 24 West Street, Norwell

Tickets:  $20 adults, $10 students

Celebrate 100 years of Women’s Suffrage at the James! Challenging discrimination is not easy, but Lucy Stone was never one to take the easy road. The first woman from Massachusetts to earn a college degree, Lucy was an ardent supporter of human rights. Always fierce, her belief that women and men be equal was evident in both her political and personal endeavors. Her message inspired thousands to join the suffrage movement; even Susan B. Anthony credits Lucy’s impassioned speeches for her involvement. As a scholar, Lucy studied Greek and Hebrew, insisting that ancient scriptures had been mistranslated to objectify women. As a wife, Lucy refused to take her husband’s name, becoming the first to do so in the nation. In this fiery presentation, Lucy describes the tension of Antebellum Boston. Her discussion touches on the gender caste system and also encompasses the fierce abolitionist movement. Women were evolving from successful abolitionists to struggling suffragists, and heir fight was ferocious, so come along for the ride!  I Now Pronounce You Lucy Stone is sponsored by the Edward and Estelle Mosher Memorial Fund and Bob Melone team at Radius Financial Group. This program is also supported in part by grants from the Hingham, Norwell, and Scituate Cultural Councils, local agencies supported by the Mass Cultural Council.

History At Play was founded in 2010 by Artistic Director Judith Kalaora. Offering solo and ensemble programs with an emphasis on women’s history, H.A.P. is woman-owned and operated, with a commitment to employ artists from the region. Kalaora is a professional educator, writer and living historian. She graduated from Syracuse University.

Mondays at the James: Duxbury’s Women at Sea

Monday, March 30, 7 pm

The James Library & Center for the Arts, 24 West Street, Norwell

Admission:  Free, RSVP by emailing [email protected]

Between the late 18th and early 19th centuries, hundreds of ships were built in Duxbury, Massachusetts. The resulting economic boom resonated throughout the community and contributed to a rise in both employment and population.

For all the history that has been examined and celebrated, however, very little has been said of the women, other than to mention the obvious – that they were the mothers, wives and sisters of the male shipbuilders and sailors. This project puts them not only into the narrative, but directly on to the ships.

Duxbury Rural and Historical Society Archivist & Historian, Carolyn Ravenscroft, embarked on a journey to find the names of other women who made voyages and to discover their stories. Although it is still a work in progress, to date, Ravenscroft has discovered 33 Duxbury women who sailed from 1809-1890. Many of these women came from Duxbury’s maritime families, and were related to each other as well. Ravenscroft was also able, in many instances, to personalize their stories.  Mondays at the James is made possible by the generosity of the Cordelia Family Foundation and South Shore Music Circus.

Jazz Pianist Laszlo Gardony

Saturday, April 4, 7:30 pm

The James Library & Center for the Arts, 24 West Street, Norwell

Tickets:  $30 adults, $25 seniors, $15 students

Laszlo Gardony, photo by Chris Drukker

Acclaimed jazz pianist, composer, and James Library favorite Laszlo Gardony returns to celebrate his live solo album La Marseillaise (Sunnyside Records) with a solo piano concert. This concert is sponsored by Gordon Atlantic Insurance and Karen Mullaney, CPA.

Hailed by Jazz Times as “one of contemporary music’s truly original voices,” Laszlo’s performances convey the joy of inspired creation, audience connection, and moving spontaneous improvisations. Gardony’s concerts are one-of-a-kind performances drawing from deep feeling, prodigious technique, and a playful curiosity that thrives on interpreting each unique moment. He will perform new compositions, his own arrangements of standards, a classic Italian song, a re-imagination of an iconic French revolutionary song and spontaneously created pieces. Gardony has said, “Music has a direct effect on our emotions and also on our well-being.” Not to be missed!

Railroad Magic!

Saturday, April 11, 10:30 am

The James Library & Center for the Arts, 24 West Street, Norwell

Admission is free, donations are gratefully appreciated

Everyone loves trains and magic shows! Magician Debbie O’Carroll, in the role of a magical engineer, weaves colorful stage magic and zany comedy with fanciful yarns of people, places and creatures. Join the fun and imagine yourself on Debbie’s magic train as you learn about some amazing locations on the map of the United States!  Sponsored by Church Hillers of Norwell and Susan M. Decker Fund for Children’s Literacy.

Mondays at The James: Pianist Jack Craig

Monday, April 13, 2 pm

The James Library & Center for the Arts, 24 West Street, Norwell

Admission:  Free, RSVP by emailing [email protected]

Celebrate a kind of ‘best of’ songwriting by singing along with two dozen cherished songs from the American Songbook. From a few Roaring 20’s hits on to some classic Broadway and movie musical tunes . . . and even a few more modern classics, performer Jack Craig explores the songs that remind us of all the wonderful years of music in our lives. Mondays at the James is made possible by the generosity of the Cordelia Family Foundation and South Shore Music Circus.

Mondays at The James: Creative Collage Class

Monday, April 27, 7 pm

The James Library & Center for the Arts, 24 West Street, Norwell

Admission:  Free, RSVP by emailing [email protected]

Join us for a one-night class at the James where you will create your own unique piece of collage art. Presented by award-winning Artist Karen Baker.  This class is free, but space is limited.  Mondays at the James is made possible by the generosity of the Cordelia Family Foundation and South Shore Music Circus.

Author Stephen Puleo: Voyage of Mercy

Wednesday, April 29, 7 pm

The James Library & Center for the Arts, 24 West Street, Norwell

Tickets:  $20 adults, $10 students

Join author Stephen Puleo as he discusses his latest book, which details the remarkable story of the mission that inspired a nation to donate massive relief to Ireland during the potato famine and began America’s tradition of providing humanitarian aid around the world. More than 5,000 ships left Ireland during the great potato famine in the late 1840s, transporting the starving and the destitute away from their stricken homeland. The first vessel to sail in the other direction, to help the millions unable to escape, was the USS Jamestown, a converted warship, which left Boston in March 1847 loaded with precious food for Ireland. In Voyage of Mercy, Stephen Puleo tells the incredible story of the famine, the Jamestown voyage, and the commitment of thousands of ordinary Americans to offer relief to Ireland, a groundswell that provided the collaborative blueprint for future relief efforts, and established the United States as the leader in international aid. Sponsored by HUB International and U.S. Wealth Management.

Mondays at The James: Tenor David Won and Pianist Timothy Steele

Monday, May 11, 7 pm

The James Library & Center for the Arts, 24 West Street, Norwell

Admission:  Free, RSVP by emailing [email protected]

Tenor David Won by Axie Breen Photography

Live music performed by popular concert singer and tenor David Won and New England Conservatory faculty member and pianist Timothy Steele. This event is free and open to the public.  Mondays at the James is made possible by the generosity of the Cordelia Family Foundation and South Shore Music Circus.

Mondays at The James: History of Paragon Park

Monday, May 18, 7 pm

Admission:  Free, RSVP by emailing [email protected]

Author Chris Haraden recounts the history of our beloved Paragon Park in Hull. He’ll bring you into the past, into the pages of his new coffee table book, the first comprehensive book on the history of the beloved amusement park that opened on the shores of Nantasket Beach in 1905. Come learn all about the beginning and the end of this cherished park, share your memories, and ask Chris questions you’ve longed to have answered.  Mondays at the James is made possible by the generosity of the Cordelia Family Foundation and South Shore Music Circus.


The Kerry Jon Walker Fund

thekerryfund.org

Art Auction and Global Market

Saturday, March 7, 4 to 8 pm

Hingham Community Center, 70 South Street, Hingham

Admission:  $50

A fish mosaic by Artist Nanci Jaye will be available at the KJWF Art Auction, courtesy image

The Kerry Jon Walker Fund (KJWF), a non-profit organization dedicated to helping humanity and supporting those affected by poverty, presents a benefit evening Art Auction and Global Market.  All proceed support the fund’s mission, including mission service trips for teens supporting sustainable programs to improve health, education and economic opportunity for those in need. 

An evening of delights awaits where art and handmade crafts from local and international fine artists are on display in a festive market atmosphere.  Live entertainment by singer/songwriter Les Sampou, light bites, shopping opportunities for hand-crafted wares and more from abroad, a silent and live auction, and a cash bar round out a festive evening.  Purchases make wonderful gifts, support a great cause and may be taken home the same night.  Tickets are available at the door and at thekerryfund.org.  Admission fee and purchases may be paid for by cash, check and credit card on site.


Choral Art Society  ~ and ~  Cape Cod Chorale

choralartsociety.org                             capecodchorale.org

Fanny and Felix: Great Choral Works of the Mendelssohns

Saturday, April 25, 7:30 pm

Sandwich High School Auditorium, 365 Quaker Meeting House Road, E. Sandwich

$25 for adults and students over 18.  Students age 18 and under are admitted for free

Sunday, April 26, 4 pm

Scituate Center for the Performing Arts, 606 Chief Justice Cushing Highway, Rte. 3A, Scituate

$25 for adults and students over 18.  Students age 18 and under are admitted for free

Conducted by Choral Art Society (CAS) and Cape Cod Chorale (CCC) Artistic Director Danica A. Buckley

Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn, courtesy images

Cape Cod Chorale and Choral Art Society, two of Eastern Massachusetts community choral ensembles, join forces this spring for two collaborative performances of the works of musically prolific siblings Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn. The concerts feature five vocal soloists and a 32-piece professional orchestra.  Rehearsal accompaniment  is provided by pianists Ellyses Kuan (CAS) and Cathy Bonnett (CCC).

A rare opportunity to learn about the Mendelssohns’ works and story, and gain a greater appreciation for the role of women composers in the history of choral music. The program features Fanny’s cantata “Hiob” (Job),“Lobgesang” (Song of Praise), and Felix’s lesser-known work “Die Erste Walpurgisnacht” (The First Walpurgis Night), articulating greater insight into the sibling’s musical story. The concert program in its entirety – through the performed music, program notes, and comments from the podium – also explores the importance of Johann Sebastian Bach’s musical influence on both Mendelssohns.

German composer and pianist Fanny Mendelssohn (1805 –1847), composed more than 460 pieces of music attributed mostly to her brother, Felix, as imposed by the prevailing attitude toward working women in that era. A number of her compositions, primarily songs for piano, were originally published in Felix’s name in his opus 8 and 9 collections.

Five professional soloists appear at both performances, featuring Dana Varga, soprano, Alexandra Dietrich, alto, Oma Najmi, tenor, Joshua Miller, baritone, and a bass soloist TBA. Each chorus awards its annual scholarship at its respective home community’s performances, offered to a high school senior going on to pursue a college degree in music.

Sandwich performance tickets are available at capecodchorale.org, and Scituate performance tickets are available at choralartsociety.org


Cape Cod Chamber Orchestra

capecodchamberorchestra.org

An Afternoon of Chamber Music

Sunday, February 16, 3 pm

Pre-concert student showcase performs at 2:15 pm

Pilgrim Congregational Church, 533 Main Street, Rt. 28, Harwich Port

Tickets:  $40 reserved seating, $30 for adults, children under 12 are admitted for free

Conducted by Music Director Matthew Scinto

Members of Cape Cod’s professional collaborative orchestra perform, a reception follows the concert with an opportunity to meet the musicians.  An Afternoon of Chamber Music, featuring a program centered on harp, strings and winds, highlighting the exceptional talent of Charles Overton, harp, in Grandjany’s Rhapsodie, Op. 10 and Piazzolla’s Histoire du Tango, paired with Dvořák Piano Quartet, rounding out to a rousing finish with the ever-beloved Copland Appalachian Spring Suite.

Cape Cod Chamber Orchestra, founded in 2018, is inspired by Scinto’s vision for the future of classical music

on Cape Cod. He is fulfilling his mission to collaborate with local Cape individuals, arts organizations, and

causes to create a unique concert experience of high quality, enriching, and memorable orchestral

music. Featuring living composers is at the forefront of his plans; bringing audiences closer to music and the

beauty found across Cape Cod communities.


Pilgrim Festival Chorus

pilgrimfestivalchorus.org

A Woman’s Voice

Members of Pilgrim Festival Chorus in concert, image by Dan Rapoza

Saturday, April 25, 7:30 pm and Sunday, April 26, 4 pm

St. Bonaventure Parish, 803 State Road, Plymouth

Tickets:  $20 for adults, $18 for senior citizens and $15 for students over 14

Children age of 14 and under are admitted free 

Conducted by Co-Artistic Director William B. Richter, accompanied by co-Artistic Director Elizabeth Chapman Reilly, organ and piano, with guest instrumentalist Adam Grüschow, bassoon

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment in 1920, which guaranteed and protected women’s constitutional right to vote, A Woman’s Voice explores some of women’s key life experiences. Whether expressing the joy of youth, the intensity of love, the pain of loss, or the sacrifices made as a patriot or a pioneer, this concert will reflect the many and varied voices of women.

Music built on themes of girlhood, love, motherhood, faith, pain, rebellion, loss and hope fill out the concert program. Throughout human history there are relatively few records of the lives of women. This concert makes exception, in honor and celebration.  Selections in the program range from spirituals and gospel songs to folksongs and sensitive settings of poetry. Some of the texts are by writers as well-known as Abigail Adams, Helen Keller and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, while choral settings are creations of the best contemporary women composers, including Carolyn Jennings, Rosephanye Powell and Gwyneth Walker.


Upstage Lung Cancer

upstagelungcancer.org

Ziegfeld! Workshop and Talkback

Monday, May 11, 7 pm

Mosesian Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal Street, Watertown

Admission:  Free, suggested donation to Upstage Lung Cancer gratefully accepted

A special workshop and talkback engage the audience in the development of the new musical, Ziegfeld! Based on the life and character of the greatest 1920’s Broadway impresario, Florenz Ziegfeld, this new work explores the early 20th century Broadway legend. Ziegfeld had an uncanny ability to find and foster talent and present the artists on a stage, the likes of which no one had ever seen or imagined.  A self-proclaimed “impresario extraordinaire”, Ziegfeld dazzled theater goers with over-the-top productions, inspiring this production to explore the value of persistence, creativity and living “outside the box”.  Ziegfeld! promises a night of great laughs, tapping your feet to nine original songs. For more information, visit ziegfeldthemusical.com.  Donations can be made at upstagelungcancer.org.

Michelle McGrath PR | Media Relations provides visibility for the arts, non-profits and small business.  mcgrathpr.com

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