New Haven Symphony Performs Britten's "St. Nicolas"

The New Haven Symphony Orchestra (NHSO) welcomes the Christmas season with festive performances of Benjamin Britten’s St. Nicolas on Thursday, December 5 at 7:30pm at Trinity Church on the New Haven Green, on Friday, December 6 at 7:30pm at Sacred Heart University, and on December 7 at 7:30pm at the First Congregational Church of Madison.
  
The program, featuring the talents of the Trinity Church Choirs, will immediately follow the annual tree lighting on the New Haven Green.  In the spirit of the season, proceeds from the concert will benefit ‘R Kids CT, a New Haven non-profit committed to providing specialized, high-quality services to children in out-of-home care.

St. Nicolas, composed by Benjamin Britten in 1948, explores the myths and legends that gradually evolved the Bishop of Smyrna into the much-loved figure of Santa Claus.  The wild tales bring to mind the medieval exaggerations of Carmina Burana: three purses of gold secretly tossed through a cottage window rescue three girls from prostitution.  St. Nicolas rescues three sailors from drowning (making him the patron saint of sailors).  He miraculously restores the lives of three small boys who, at a time of dreadful famine, had been pickled in brine by a wicked butcher.  From this macabre tale emerged the practice of giving presents to deserving children.  The unlikely score features mixed and children’s choruses, a tenor soloist in the role of St. Nicolas, and musical accompaniment on piano, organ, percussion, and strings.  There is even an opportunity for the congregation to join in the singing.

Continuing in the vein of including child performers in music that will surely delight children, Britten composed the Ceremony of Carols for children’s chorus, child soloists and solo harp.  The music is inspired by an anthology of medieval English poetry and draws from the tradition of English folk music.  Both are well-loved pieces that capture the glory and joy of the holiday season.

THE TRINITY CHURCH CHOIR is comprised of two vocal groups. The Choir of Men and Boys is the oldest choir in the parish, having been founded in 1885, and is the seventh oldest such choir in America.  The Men and Boys sing at weekly services and other special occasions, including Evensongs.  The Choir of Men and Girls was founded in the fall of 2003 and includes girls from grades 5-10, who form the soprano section of the choir, accompanied by adult altos, tenors, and basses.

Tickets ($35, $45) for the performances at Trinity Church in New Haven and the First Congregational Church in Madison can be purchased at through the NHSO Box Office at 203.865.0831 x10 or www.NewHavenSymphony.org.  Student tickets are always $10.  KidTix are free for kids ages 6-17, with a paying adult.  Blue Star tickets are free for the families of active duty military.

To purchase tickets ($35) for the performance at Sacred Heart’s Edgerton Center for the Performing Arts, visit www.edgertoncenter.org/special_events. 

Holiday Brass Concert - New Haven Symphony Orchestra

The New Haven Symphony Orchestra (NHSO) brings Christmas cheer to New Haven with a festive Holiday Brass concert on Sunday, December 8 at 6:00pm at Christ Church.  The Christ Church Choir will join the NHSO Brass Quintet for a concert of secular and sacred holiday favorites.  In the spirit of the season, proceeds from the concert will benefit the Community Soup Kitchen, a non-profit organization committed to providing free, nutritious meals to underprivileged individuals, located at Christ Church in downtown New Haven.

The NHSO Brass Quintet (Ken Tedeschi, trumpet, Rich Clymer, trumpet, Scott Cranston, trombone, Philip Browne, horn, and Adam Crowe, tuba) have crafted a program of their favorite holiday tunes to perform with narrator Ruben Ortiz and the Christ Church Choir.  Audiences will want to sing along to such familiar tunes as Silent Night, We Wish You a Merry Christmas and White Christmas and will be treated to traditional pieces such as Sleigh Ride, choruses from Handel’s Messiah, and a reading from Dylan Thomas’s A Child’s Christmas in Wales.  

The Christ Church Choir, conducted by Dr. Nathaniel Adam, is a fully-professional chamber ensemble that supports weekly worship at historic Christ Church through the singing of Solemn Mass and the Office of Compline.  The Choir specializes in the polyphony of the early Renaissance and Baroque eras, music of the Anglo-Catholic tradition from the 19th and 20th centuries, and is committed to performing new works in the repertoire.  The Church’s music library contains choral works dedicated to the ensemble by several 20th and 21st century composers, including Horatio Parker, the first conductor of the New Haven Symphony.  In 2012, the Choir sang Handel’s Messiah with the New Haven Symphony Orchestra as a fundraising event for the Community Soup Kitchen, to great acclaim.

Prior to the December 8 concert, the public is invited to visit the Community Soup Kitchen for a fundraising reception beginning at 4:00pm. Enjoy delicious hors d'oeuvres, desserts, open wine bar, and premium seating at the concert, all for $60.  This collaborative event is coordinated by a dedicated team of volunteers who are honored to continue the tradition of community partnership and performance in support of the Community Soup Kitchen. 

The NHSO was recognized with the Annual Award for Commitment at the Soup Kitchen’s Annual Meeting on November 14.  Governor Dannel P. Malloy acknowledged that “a group like the New Haven Symphony helps to foster a sense of unity.  Music is a universal language and one that has the unique ability to bring together groups of all diversities and backgrounds in celebration.  I am confident that the New Haven Symphony’s efforts this past year have helped make all of the Community Soup Kitchen’s accomplishments a reality.” 

Tickets ($30-$45, $60 for both reception and concert) can be purchased through the NHSO Box Office at 203.865.0831 x10 or www.NewHavenSymphony.org.  Student tickets are always $10; KidTix (ages 6-17) are free with a paying adult.  Blue Star tickets are free for the families of active duty military.

Repeat performances featuring a full program by the NHSO Brass Quintet will take place on December 1 at Essex Meadows (www.EssexMeadows.com), December 7 at Elim Park’s Nelson Hall (www.NelsonHallElimPark.org) and December 22 at Infinity Hall (www.InfinityHall.com).

PRE-CONCERT ACTIVITIES
Fundraising Reception: 4:00pm December 8 at the Community Soup Kitchen; enjoy delicious hors d'oeuvres, desserts, open wine bar, and premium seating at the concert all for $60.

Come to Ivoryton for the Fourth Annual Ivoryton Illuminations

Looking for a different way to celebrate Christmas? Then head down to Ivoryton for the Fourth Annual Ivoryton Illuminations on November 30th from 5pm to 8pm. The entire village of Ivoryton will be participating in this Holiday Extravaganza with carol singing, Santa’s Grotto, Holiday Craft Bazaar, and culminating with the lighting of the Ivoryton Illuminations at 6pm (over 200,000 lights!) and the arrival of Santa.

This year, the Alliance has chosen not to light the Giant Christmas tree as the decorations were causing some of the boughs to droop and even break. So the tree is resting and recuperating this year and instead, there will be a variety of animated lighting displays throughout the village,

Family activities include writing letters to Santa and cards to our soldiers and Toys for Tots at the Ivoryton Library; Santa’s Grotto and visiting with Santa in the Playhouse (bring your camera if you want a picture!); Santa’s Christmas Workshop and Holiday Bazaar run by local church groups; Christmas books display at Essex Books: and music by The Sweet Adeline’s, VRHS Madrigals, The New Horizons Band, and the CT Barbershop Quartet who will be playing at various locations throughout the village. George Martin will play the bagpipes to herald the spectacular arrival of Santa!

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire plus more, provided by the Essex Lions Club, and special menus at The Ivoryton Tavern, The Blue Hound Cookery and The Copper Beech Inn.

Free parking will be available at the First Congregational Church and the Ivoryton Piano Factory with a shuttle bus service to the village. The Illuminations will remain through January 6th and visitors can tune their radios to 101.5FM and watch as the lights dance to the music!

Families in the tri-town area can join in the fun by entering our Outdoor Lights Competition. Pretty and white or wild and crazy – celebrate in your own style! Lots of great prizes from hometown businesses. The judges’ criteria are creativity, number of lights and colored lights are looked upon favorably. Registration is free – you can register in person at Gather in Ivoryton or online at gather.ivoryton@yahoo.com

This event is supported entirely by volunteers and corporate sponsors including Essex Lions, First Niagara, Essex Savings Bank, Citizens Bank, Guilford Savings Bank, Essex Meadows, Valley Courier, Riggio’s General Contractors and Essex Rotary Club.

If you want to experience some real Christmas cheer, then come and join the party in Ivoryton, the brightest village in Connecticut!
For more information, visit us online at www.ivorytonalliance.org

Shoreline Arts Trail 2013

Banana Break by Stuart Alan Lerner-Found Object Sculptor

 Return Trip #1-Oil Painting by Molly McDonald

Follow the yellow brick road…or at least the yellow Open Studio signs for the 12th annual Shoreline Arts Trail Open Studios Weekend.  You may not run into a wizard or munchkins but you are guaranteed to meet some very interesting and creative folks along the way.  The creation of art is often a very solitary experience but this coming weekend will provide visitors with the opportunity to witness these creative processes first-hand.  Whether it is a ceramist throwing a pot, a weaver working on a loom, a painter capturing a scene, a sculptor working with found objects, or jeweler designing a one-of-a-kind piece of wearable art, visitors and residents can spend Saturday, November 23 and Sunday, November 24 getting up close and personal with more than 40 artists.

Shoreline Arts Trail was first launched in 2002 to help promote artists working in the Shoreline towns of Branford, Guilford and Madison as well as providing visitors a chance to do some early holiday shopping by purchasing unique, handmade and local arts and crafts.  We all face the challenge of gift shopping for relatives and friends who seem to have everything.  But now, you can not only find something 'outside of the box' but also support local artisans at the same time.  The Shoreline Arts Trail will take you through the marshes and hills, into old barns and professional studios.  So many of these artists get their inspiration from their surroundings and the beautiful Connecticut towns in which they live and work.

This year’s arts trail features 47 working artists including potters, painters, photographers, goldsmiths, sculptors, while others work in cut paper, glass, fiber, prints and mixed media.  So, for certain, there is something for everyone.  Several artists will be located at the Guilford Art Center, a good starting point, where one can also get trail maps to the studios in the tri-town area.  It is a family-friendly outing and you can download the Family Activities brochure to make it a learning and fun experience for the whole family.  For the Shoreline Arts Trail map and guide click here.

Enjoy!

Terra Tractus: The Earth Moves

 Photos courtesy of Judy Sirota Rosenthal

Last August an article appeared in Quotable & Notable about the Projects 2K Terra Tractus event.  The event, originally slated to happen during the Autumn Equinox, was rescheduled for the Summer Solstice and will take place June 19-22.  For those who have attended Projects 2K extravaganzas in the past, you know what an amazing, impressive production it always is!  For those who have not had the opportunity to participate in past presentations you are in for a breathtaking experience.  Projects 2K's fundraising efforts for the June 19-22, 2014, 20th anniversary program are on-going and a very important part of the overall project.   Help them reach their goal. Donate Now!

Projects2k is a leader in local art and science classroom programs for both children and university students, and will be fusing performance, education, arts and ecology to present this special anniversary show TERRA TRACTUS: The Earth Moves.  It is "truly a life-changing phenomenon of art and theater, unlike anything you have ever witnessed before..."

Projects2k has brought two decades of spectacular, thought provoking and educational programming.  Against the cavernous backdrop of the historical Stony Creek Quarry, TERRA TRACTUS is a spectacle of light, lasers, projections, fog, pyrotechnics, music and climbing dancers, recounting the geological history of Earth, Connecticut, and the Quarry itself.

This Art/Science/Environmental not-for-profit is well known for collaborating with artists, scientists, geologists and environmentalists, inspiring generations to the wonders of nature and history through the arts. These presentations kindle audience's imaginations through dynamic multi-media marvels that combine light, music, theater, dance and more. Children and adults of all ages experience a deeper connection to the beauty and fragility of the natural world through this educational programming.

Read bios of the team members that make it all happen HERE, including internationally renowned sculptor and environmental artist Joy Wulke, Jamie Burnett of acclaimed Luminous Environments LLC, composer and Fulbright scholar Istvan B’racz, dramaturg Tom Burnett, invaluable makers and coordinators Margret Carl, Robin Comey and more!

For more on the history and mission of P2k, and how it has been inspiring audiences of all ages over the past two decades, click HERE.
Why we need you…

Producing a highly technical project requires state-of-the-art equipment and top rate professionals. Your tax-deductible donations will go to:

- LASERS, LIGHTING & PYRO EQUIPMENT
State of the art lasers, environmentally friendly LED theatrical lighting, moving lighting equipment, pyrotechnic equipment, lighting control equipment and lighted prop construction.

- THEATRICAL & CLIMBING EQUIPMENT & PERFORMERS
Rigging and climbing gear, run crew, puppeteer crew and puppet construction.

- SOUND EQUIPMENT & PERFORMERS
Rental, set-up and break-down of a concert outdoor sound system with live-mixed soundtrack.

- VIDEO EQUIPMENT & PRODUCTION

- DESIGN TEAM
P2k Projects . Videos . Accolades . Press

Check out  past projects and events HERE, including past Quarry projects Terra Mirabila, Terra Alchemica, Terra Lumina, Terra Continuum and A Visualization of Time.

Check out their videos on YouTube, including a short video about the mission behind P2k - 20 Years in 10 Minutes video, and past quarry promos HERE!

Projects2k has received Artistic Excellence Awards from the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism in 1996, 1998 and 2000-2006, as well as Partnership Awards from the Connecticut Commission of the Arts in 1995, 1997 and 1999.  Founder Joy Wulke received the 2009 Women of Innovation in the Community Award from the Connecticut Technology Council.  It is also the featured Member Project this month in the Americans for the Arts newsletter. Projects2k has also been awarded numerous prestigious grants. The works of Projects2k and its founder have been featured in the New York Times twice!

"P2k explores the ancient and modern worlds in wildly creative ways, creating the most interesting environmental installations you will ever see." -- Faith Middleton, Connecticut Public Radio

"Projects for a New Millennium has impressed and engaged me since my first association...I applaud their efforts to build new connections between art and science." -- Dava Sobel, Author of Longitude, Galileo's Daughter, The Planets & A More Perfect Heaven

"Projects2k is the best in artist-driven cultural interventions into the public sphere." -- Michael Rush, Director, Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, Michigan State University. Author of New Media in Art

TERRA TRACTUS: The Earth Moves continues the Projects2k tradition of tremendous and multifaceted performance making. This year we look at the geological history of the Earth, and the Stony Creek Quarry itself, as they have evolved through ancient history and into the projected future through elemental, tectonic, and man-made affects.
Help Projects 2K bring this once-in-a-lifetime show to life.... Please donate today, and plan on being a part of TERRA TRACTUS: The Earth Moves next June!

RJ Julia's Film & Fashion Weekend

In support of local, neighboring businesses here in town, R.J. Julia Booksellers is excited to partner with Madison Art Cinemas and Robertson Madison for two exciting events during our Film & Fashion Weekend!

Pete Hamill and Bob Giraldi, A Poet Long Ago Film Screening

Co-sponsored with Madison Art Cinemas, join us for a discussion and screening of filmmaker Bob Giraldi’s adaptation of Pete Hamill’s short story, A Poet Long Ago. Capturing Brooklyn before it was the trendy haven it is today, get a glimpse of the borough’s past by following two friends on two very different paths. Starring Steve Schirrippa of HBO’s The Sopranos. Tickets are $5 each.

BOB GIRALDI is an award-winning film and television director. From Michael Jackson’s music video for “Beat It” to his latest short film “A Poet Long Ago,” Giraldi has produced and directed over 4,000 unique visual masterpieces.

PETE HAMILL is a novelist, journalist, editor, and screenwriter. He is the author of 15 previous books including the bestselling novels Snow in August and Forever and the bestselling memoir A Drinking Life. He writes a column for the New York Daily News and lives in New York City.

Date and time: Saturday, November 16 at 11 am
    Location: Madison Art Cinemas, 761 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT  06443
    Admission: Tickets are $5 each

Jane Weitzman, Art and Sole | Fashion Show presented by Robertson Madison

Stylish shoe-lovers unite! Join Jane Weitzman, former EVP of Stuart Weitzman, for a carefully curated collection of the world’s most beautiful shoes. We’ll also feature a fun fashion show by Robertson Madison shoe store – mark the date as a shoe-in on your calendar today!

JANE WEITZMAN was the EVP of Stuart Weitzman and the first vice president of Stuart Weitzman retail. She spearheaded philanthropy for the company by generating funds to support breast and ovarian cancer research and awareness. She serves on the Trust Board of Boston Children’s Hospital.

    Date and time: Sunday, November 17 at 12:30 pm
    Location: R.J. Julia Booksellers, 768 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT  06443
    Admission: Free and open to the public

And All That Jazz

The Arts Center Killingworth presents its first Fall Jazz NightOut concert on Saturday, November 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main Street, Old Saybrook.  Gregory Generet is the guest artist, a blues, jazz and soul singer that “has a voice so strong and forceful that it seems to erupt from deep within” says Stephen Holden of the New York Times.  The opening act is the

Mike Asetta Quartet with special guest jazz trumpeter, Cindy Bradley. Tickets are $25 for balcony seating or $35 which include orchestra seating and hors d’oeuvres.  Cash wine bar and desserts are available for all.  Click here to purchase tickets.

Gregory Generet's career in show business did not begin behind the microphone but rather behind the camera.  A three time Emmy Award winner he was a post-production editor on some of the finest news broadcasts on television including The Evening News with Dan Rather, CBS News 48 Hours, The NFL Today for CBS Sports and many other CBS network programs.  But his love and appreciation of jazz never wavered and he began to hone his craft as a jazz singer.  Working with pianist, producer and arranger, Onaje Allan Gumbs he produced his debut CD titled (re)generet-ion produced by Monsieur Music/Mosaic Records.  Here is a link to some of the tracks on that CD. 

Taking on the theme of romance, Generet has re-imagined the Standards, adding his own unique styling and vocal flexibility.  Once his CD project was completed Gregory went on to work with his band and they had sold out performances at Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center. From there he performed at other renowned venues such as Joe’s Pub, The Highline Ballroom, The Kitano, Feinsteins at the Lowes Regency in New York City and Smoke Jazz Club, where he’s currently in residence. Mr. Generet has performed with: Wycliffe Gordon, Branford Marsalis, Mike Renzi, Bucky Pizzarelli, Victor Goines, Kenny Werner, Sherman Irby, and Billy Stritch, among others.
His music continues to receive rave reviews from critics, listeners and colleagues alike. Sheila Anderson of WBGO-Jazz 88 says, “Gregory is a welcomed addition to the music scene. Not locked into any style of music, he is a true performer. Be it ballads or blues, (he) delivers and he swings too!"

Order your tickets now as the Jazz NightOut concerts are always and sell out. Don't miss the chance to see this new star on the jazz scene!

Souper Bowl Sunday

I know it is only November but this Sunday, November 17, you can enjoy a wonderful late afternoon/early evening gathering with friends and family and support two worthy organizations at the same time.  From 4:30 – 7pm Guilford Art Center invites guests to come and share a hearty bowl of soup, fresh bread, dessert and a glass of wine with the proceeds providing funding for the Community Dining Room, Branford and Guilford Art Center.  Each diner will also be able to select the bowl of their choice from the many that have been hand made by GAC potters.  These bowls are yours to keep and will be washed and dried for you to take home.  A special added extra for this Sunday event is that you can come early or stay after your meal for some holiday shopping at Guilford Art Center’s annual Artistry: American Crafts for the Holidays.  Along with your one-of-a-kind soup bowl you can handpick those one-of a kind gifts crafted by 250 artists from across America.  Gifts include ceramics, glass, jewelry, fiber, ornaments, accessories, toys, specialty foods, candles and more.  This year’s Artistry will feature scores of new artists and new works but also welcomes back many returning artists.  Shoppers will have a huge array of unique gift ideas to choose from.  So score a touchdown this weekend by lending your support to the Community Dining Room committed to serving the shoreline community by feeding the hungry and helping with other basic human needs; Guilford Art Center’s educational and community programs which nurture and support excellence in the arts through education communication and outreach; and the many artists whose work is included in Artistry!  Tickets for the Soup for Good event are $30 in advance and may be purchased here.  Tickets  are $35 at the door.

AHA! Eyes on the Hand” an Interactive Evening at Lyme Academy College

 Illustration by David Wenzel

Keep your eyes on the hand . . . the artist’s hand that is!  On Saturday, Nov. 9, from 5:30 to 8 p.m., Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts presents, ‘Aha! Eyes on the Hand, which offers you a chance to witness the creative journey imagination takes as it to travels from the artist’s eye to the hand that holds artistic tools.   This behind-the-scenes studio stroll features informal demonstrations in painting, sculpture, and printmaking, a silent auction of selected artwork and art classes, as well as opportunities for casual conversations with faculty, alumni and student artists.  This interactive evening includes a light seasonal supper and full bar.

Want to try your own hand at painting or sculpting? Come earlier at 4 p.m. for a special art class with professional artists, faculty and alumni before joining the studio stroll at 5:30 p.m.

An enjoyable, entertaining, and educational evening is promised.  Tickets are $50 per person, ($25 additional for the special art class), $500 at the Patron level (includes two tickets) and $1,000 at the Benefactor level (includes four tickets).  The College wishes to express its gratitude to Outthink and Smith Insurance for sponsoring the event. Appreciation also goes to our Benefactors and Patrons for their generosity and support. Our Benefactors include Scott and Christine Colley; Sue and Don Joffray; Diana Atwood Johnson and John Johnson; Ann and Bob Pratt; and Bettie and Alan Proctor. Our Patrons include Eye Doctors Elgart Pinn Gordon & Elgart; Kaslow Fine Art, LLC; Jerry and Suzanne Litner; Alden and James B. Murphy; Alex Richardson and Liddy Karter; and Tula Telfair and Spencer Davidson

For more information or ticket reservations, contact Ann de Selding at 860.434.3571 ext. 117 or adeselding@lymeacademy.edu.

Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts is a four–year, nationally-accredited college offering Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in Drawing, Illustration, Painting, and Sculpture. Its mission is to provide the best education in drawing, illustration, painting, and sculpture through study of the history, traditions, and principles of the fine arts and the liberal arts, thereby establishing a comprehensive foundation for the development of the artist.

Four Celebratory Concerts in Four Days

Community Music School Faculty 

 The Laid Back Jazz Quartet

Music lovers are in for a treat with 4 fabulous concerts scheduled from Thursday through Sunday.  On Thursday evening, November 7, maestro William Boughton will lead the New Haven Symphony Orchestra and the Yale Glee Club in a concert at Woolsey Hall titled Lyricism and Longing.  The orchestra will perform works by English composers William Walton and Ralph Vaughn Williams, German composer Kurt Weill and American composers Charles Ives and Samuel Barber.  Charles Ives, a Danbury, CT native holds the title of the Official Composer of the State of CT.  The concert celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Yale University. The Symphony’s performance of Walton’s Crown Imperial March and Symphony No.2 will be recorded live for a commercial CD to be released on Nimbus records.  NHSO will also perform Samuel Barber’s aching Adagio for Strings and works by William Walton; the Yale Glee Club will join the Orchestra for selections from Charles Ives, and Concertmaster Ani Kavafian will take on Vaughan Williams’ soaring Lark Ascending. 

Pre-concert activities are also scheduled including a pre-concert lecture from 6:30 -7pm with Jeffrey Douma, Director of Yale Glee Club at Sudler Hall; and a student showcase at 6:45pm in the Woolsey Hall Rotunda featuring the Music Haven Orchestra directed by Tina Lee Hadari.  In addition to these events program notes for kids and program notes and audio clips for adults are available on the New Haven Symphony Orchestra website.  Tickets for the concert are also available on the NHSO website.

This coming Friday, November 8, the Musical Art Society of Branford presents its annual scholarship fundraiser concert at 7:30pm in the First Congregational Church of Branford’s Pilgrim Hall.  For more than 90 years MAS has been bringing quality musical performances to the public and providing music scholarships to a senior student at Branford High School. This Friday’s concert will feature the Laid Back Jazz Quartet with special guests and vocalist.  The opening act will be the Walsh Intermediate School Jazz Band under the direction of Carol Titcomb.  Tickets are $15/$10 for students.

The Laid Backs include Sal Caruso on guitar, Keith Coakley on keyboard, David Mix on bass, Rich Calitro and Luke Rodney on drums and Julie Bjornberg, vocalist. This group regularly performs at Old Saybrook's Paperback Cafe, playing a casually sophisticated jazz with vocals that brings listeners from all over the Northeast. This will be a lively concert in the church hall with room to dance. Branford's own David Mix is also known locally as an experienced luthier specializing in double bass repairs.

Musical Art Society is a non-profit cultural arts group founded in 1920, presenting several free concerts in the community each year and awarding an annual music scholarship. New members and sponsors are welcome.  Information: musicalartsociety@snet.net or Barbara Shaw:  (203) 481-2819.

On Saturday, November 9th Greater New Haven Community Chorus will perform a concert of American Music - from Billings to Broadway, rounds to Rock 'n' Roll and more, featuring a commissioned work by award-winning composer Joshua Hummel.  This commissioned work entitled Beginnings is in celebration of the 50-year history of GNHCC and founding director Ronald Dean Konetchy.  Joshua Hummel is a sought-after composer and recipient of the Leonard Bernstein Award and Frederick Fennel Prize.  The chorus will perform under the direction of Noah Blocker-Glynn at 7:30pm at Hamden Middle School.  Following the concert there will be a reception.  Join members of GNHCC, the Artistic Team, distinguished guests and sponsors to celebrate this silver anniversary at a lovely wine and cheese event. Concert tickets are $21.00; concert with reception tickets are $31.00.  Tickets may be purchased on-line here.

On Sunday, November 10, thirty years of music education and community will be celebrated when the Community Music School faculty takes to the stage for its annual concert at the Centerbrook Meeting House.  This year’s performance, which is open to the public and free of charge, promises to be unlike any before it.  More than 20 members of the esteemed group along with students will close the program with an ambitious musical piece commissioned by the school and composed by CMS Music Director Thomas Briggs.

According to Mr. Briggs, “The Community Music School has been a huge part of my life so this project is very special for me. I was given a blank score to musically reflect, dream, and explore. The challenge was to create music that was inclusive and summarized the history of the school yet was also interesting for the listener and our talented faculty musicians to play.  I also had to find a balance writing for a large chamber ensemble with very limited rehearsal opportunities.”

The end result is “Music For A CMS Celebration”, a one movement, three-part composition that begins with an ethereal section called “Reflection” featuring a multitude of wind chimes to be sounded by CMS vocal instructors stationed throughout the hall.  The second part titled “Dedication”, focuses on the history and foundation of the school, while the third and final section “Jubilation” appropriately ends the piece in a celebratory manner.  The concert is scheduled for 4:00 pm and also includes performances by various faculty ensemble groups and a post-performance reception.   At-will donations to Community Music School will gratefully be accepted. (CMS article reprinted from Valley News Now).

The Centerbrook Meeting House is located at 51 Main Street in the Centerbrook section of Essex.  For more information on this or other Community Music School events, go to www.community-music-school.org or call 860.767.0026.  The Community Music School is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the community through outstanding private and public music instruction and performances for all ages since 1983