The Montpelier Community Gospel Choir, an ecumenical community choir with members from 19 Vermont towns, celebrates its 20th anniversary season with a special spring concert in Brattleboro on May 31. The choir’s mission is to share the joy, hope and inspiration of music, especially during these challenging times. Their concerts are a great time to celebrate spring with family, friends and community.

Combining soul, jazz and original and traditional gospel music, the choir is known for its powerful, exuberant concerts that invite you to get up and dance. Central Vermont’s only gospel choir, MCGC is composed of members from numerous religious and musical backgrounds, accompanied by a full band of professional local musicians. Under the leadership of John Harrison, artistic director, choir members produce a joyful, uplifting sound that reaches from deep within their souls to connect with their audiences. It is truly difficult to remain seated during their performances; the choir welcomes the audience to become engaged and share with them.

The choir was started in 1994 by Andy Shapiro, a well-known local musician and music professor at Johnson State College, and Fred Shapiro, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Montpelier. About 15 people showed up to those first few rehearsals. John Harrison stepped into the role of director when Shapiro moved on a few years later (Andy sadly passed away in 1998), though Harrison had no formal directing background at the time. Since then, under Harrison’s talented leadership, the choir has grown to an exuberant 70+ members with a full band and a polished but still emotional sound.

Please join the choir for an uplifting experience. Admission is by donation of $10 ($25 for families).

There will be more opportunities to hear gospel music this spring and summer: MCGC’s a capella choir-within-the-choir will be performing several gigs, including: Sunday, May 4, 5 p.m., opening set at GospelFest, Glitz Auditorium, SUNY, Plattsburgh, NY; Sunday, June 8, 7 p.m., concert with the Ollabelles, Unitarian Church of Montpelier, Montpelier, VT; and Wednesday, August 20, 7:30 p.m., at Essex Community Church, Essex, NY.
This season’s concerts are supported in part by the New York Community Trust, the City of Montpelier and National Life Group.

For more information, call 802-778-0881 or visit the choir’s website: vtgospel.com. You can also connect with the choir on Facebook: facebook.com/vtgospel.

—Dana Dwinell-Yardley, Montpelier, MCGC co-producer for spring 2014

There’s something about hearing really good bands in tiny spaces.  The intimacy is palpable.  You’re not just watching a band play — you’re two feet away from the guitarist who has just remarked, to no one in particular, that there’s a buzz in his amp, at which half the audience rushes over to help.  And some nights, you wonder if ten years from now, you’ll be thinking “I remember when...”  That’s the calibre of group that The Future Collective is bringing to Brattleboro, and last night the twin treat came from two unlikely places — Stamford, CT and Philadelphia, PA.  Ok, admittedly, Philadelphia has some popular caché but Stamford?

As it turned out, we loved the bands from Stamford, who were closely related.  First up was Dan Soto and the High Doses.  Dan Soto, clad in an emerald green thrift-store jacket only a couple sizes too small, and tall enough to graze the ceiling, projected a commanding, slightly off-kilter presence.  One didn’t know what to expect. Would they suck or would they rock?  

They rocked. It was more on the quirky, indie side of rock but they had the energy and saucy nature to pull it off.  We enjoyed the surrealistic banter of the front men who were masters of the convincing non sequitur.  Their drummer was low key but impressive — rock solid, hard hitting, and rhythmic.  It was great that we liked them so much because when the next band took the stage — Jacques le Coque— it was the same guys all over again, plus a second guitarist who was also really good.

From a dancing around and having fun point of view, I give the edge to Jacques le Coque.  The songs were more on the order of power pop, and it was really hard to stand still (although people tried).  There was at least one anthem in there, and a semi-epic, all the things you want in a rock set.  My favorite was the closer, entitled Connecticut, which I don’t think was all that complimentary to Connecticut but made you feel happy just the same.  

The musical interlude between the boys from Stamford and the girls from Philly was the Tall Boys, which was really just one boy, albeit very tall. He sang a collection of his songs to a taped accompaniment that was reminiscent of early Magnetic Fields, somewhat tinkly and electronic.  The tall boy was not a baritone, so there the comparison stops, but he had an earnest delivery that won over the crowd.

The evening ended with Amanda X, a crunchy rock trio with tuneful songs, solid musicianship, and an air of destiny.  Sure, they were dressed in black with slightly punky hair, but it wasn’t about their look.  It was about their performance, which was tight and tough and gave you a whole new way to think about that unforgotten archaism, the girl group.  I was proud to be a girl after hearing them play.

Why are we getting such good bands, you may ask?  Well, one reason is that Brattleboro is halfway between NYC and Boston.  Another reason is that the folks at The Future Collective are genius at knowing about and inviting good musicians to play.   If you want to support them and enjoy electronic music, word is there’s a good show Thursday night, 8pm, at the Future space on Elliot Street. 

The Windham Orchestra and PanOpera join forces to bring “TOSCA” to the region. Performances of Puccini’s “Tosca” will be at the Latchis Theatre in Brattleboro, Vermont on Friday, May 30 at 7:30pm, and Sunday, June 1 at 2 pm; and at the Academy of Music in Northampton, Massachusetts on Thursday, June 5 at 7:30 pm. 

“Tosca” tells the brutal truth about what drives us; our passions, and desires. It’s essential Puccini - lurid, ravishing, hugely enjoyable, and not to be missed. There are no gods or heroes, this is raw humanity on display.

“No-one needs to understand Italian or 'know about opera' to relate immediately and instinctively to the emotional states of the characters and the horrifying situations they are in,” explains Windham Orchestra Director Hugh Keelan. “Who has not experienced desperation in love, particularly when a loved one is in pain? Who does not know the struggle between the higher and lower self?  Who has not been helpless, overwhelmed in adversity---and tried to pretend they have it all handled?”

Guilford, Vt. -- Friends of Music at Guilford (FOMAG) presents its 6th annual Spring Organ Recital at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 25, in the Organ Barn at idyllic Tree Frog Farm in the Guilford countryside. For this Memorial Day Weekend recital, Ken Olsson has chosen a singularly appropriate program: music by 19th-century Americans. Not only does it suit this national holiday; it also reflects FOMAG’s continuing interest in American composers, most specifically those associated with New England. And it suits the organization's Guilford Chamber Organ, with a console dating back to the late 19th century, when it was installed in a church in Maine.

There were organs in America as far back as the early colonial era, but not many; the Puritan tradition frowned on instrumental music in church services. Still, by 1800, Boston boasted eight church organs, New York and Philadelphia five or six, and many other cities throughout the colonies claimed at least one. Wealthy private households had organs, too. Early instruments were imported, but by the mid-18th century the emerging nation had developed an organ-building industry. There wasn’t much published organ music, since church organists mostly accompanied hymns; interludes were improvised. Organ music for concert use was virtually unknown until decades later.

Ken Olsson’s chosen composers are key figures in the history of American music. Connecticut-born Dudley Buck (1839-1909), one of the first significant American organists, studied in Europe in the 1850s, opened a teaching studio in Hartford in 1867, and in 1869 moved to Chicago. The great Chicago fire destroyed his church, his studio, and his musical library. He moved to Boston, then New York and Brooklyn. His Variations on “The Star-Spangled Banner” reflect the exuberant patriotism of the young nation before the Civil War. W. Eugene Thayer (1838-1889) also studied abroad and taught in Boston and New York. He edited journals for organists, published a comprehensive course of organ study, composed prolifically, and performed frequently as a recitalist.

The next four composers represent the so-called “New England School” at the turn of the 20th century. Horatio Parker (1863-1919) was one of the most admired American composers of his time, especially for his choral works. As professor of music at Yale, he taught the young Charles Ives, who bridled at Parker’s academic strictures. George E. Whiting (1840-1923) founded the Beethoven Society in Hartford, Ct., when he was just fifteen years old, studied with organ masters in New York and Europe, served churches in Albany and Boston, and for a time was head of the organ department at New England Conservatory.

George Whitefield Chadwick (1854-1931) was influenced by the “Realist” movement in the arts; his works show the beginnings of a style we can recognize as distinctly American, often drawing on folk sources and indigenous subject matter. Arthur Foote (1853-1937) became organist at First Church in Boston in 1878 and stayed there for 32 years. A founder of the American Guild of Organists, he was the first major American composer to be trained entirely in the U.S. His style, though, is largely European-influenced Romanticism, akin to Wagner and Brahms. He is best-known today for his chamber works. FOMAG has previously performed his “Night Piece” for flute and strings and Suite in E Major for string orchestra at Labor Day Weekend festivals.

Come celebrate the holiday with fine organ music you’ve probably never heard from our own heritage, and enjoy a traditional barbecue feast before heading away—well fed and with the whole evening ahead of you. Tree Frog Farm is on Kopkind Dr., off Packer Corners Rd. in Guilford, about 9 miles from the Guilford Country Store. Take Guilford Center Rd. from Rt. 5 South at the store and follow signs to the Barn, or if you're coming from Bernardston, Mass., along Rt. 5, turn into Keets Brook Rd. and follow signs from there.

Tickets for this event are $15 for the concert and $10 for the optional barbecue. It’s helpful to have an idea how many folks are coming, for food-planning purposes, so contact the Friends of Music office for reservations:  (802) 254-3600 or office@fomag.org.

BRATTLEBORO, VT - On Saturday, June 7th at 8:00 PM, the Vermont Jazz Center presents “Sounds of Shearing,” an all-star group comprised primarily of alumni from the working bands of the great pianist, George Shearing. Under the leadership of vibraphonist Charlie Shoemake, the ensemble pays tribute to George Shearing, performing his elegant arrangements and bringing to life his legendary sound. This music typifies a refined version of jazz often called “cool jazz.” His music was swinging but accessible, nimble but never loud, complex but beautiful. Shoemake and his associates take this to heart, they’ve distilled the essence and are revitalizing Shearing’s music with passion, experience and expertise. The performers include Charlie Shoemake, vibraphone; Frank Potenza, guitar; Joe Bagg, piano; Luther Hughes, acoustic bass; Bill Goodwin, drums and special guest vocalist Sandi Shoemake

Although he was born in England and toured the world numerous times, George Shearing made the east coast of the United States his home. Adept at all styles including bebop, his signature piano sound was formed by harmonizing a melody from the top down in block chords and duplicating the melody note an octave below. This "locked-hands" style was pioneered by the pianist Milt Buckner and was also popularized by Nat King Cole. Simply speaking, this 5-part harmonization technique was borrowed from the arrangements written for the saxophone section of the Glenn Miller Orchestra and applied directly to the piano. Shearing put his own personal stamp on the technique after forming a quintet in 1949 that complemented the traditional piano trio with guitar and vibraphone. According to the Grove Dictionary of Jazz: “In Shearing’s quintet the upper melody note was then doubled by the vibraphone and the lower one by the guitar” thus “tripling the melody in unison.” Furthermore, the “Shearing Sound” requires that the vibraphonist refrain from using the instrument’s motor thus emitting a “dry sound that better blends with the rest of the ensemble.” Shearing’s music is the epitome of the “cool,” a style of jazz –it assimilated the technical and virtuosic elements of bebop but presented them in a format that was true to his own vision and palatable to a wide audience.

According to the All Music Guide to Jazz “Shearing had one of the most popular jazz combos on the planet – so much so that, in the usual jazz tradition of distrusting popular success, he tends to be underappreciated.” The Guardian (a British daily newspaper), puts this into perspective in Shearing’s obituary: “the quintet's new approach caught on immediately, their recording of September in the Rain, made for MGM in February 1949, selling 900,000 copies. Where bebop had seemed over-complex to many listeners, here was a musical style that sounded modern and new, but was easy to enjoy.” Shearing was unapologetically popular. He had the self-confidence to play the repertoire and styles he enjoyed, but he also authentically connected by his humble upbringing to the “common man.” Although he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth, Shearing was far from elitist and he never forgot his roots.

Shearing’s music is the epitome of “cool,” a style of jazz that assimilated the technical and virtuosic elements of bebop but presented them in less edgy format. Nonetheless, he was true to his own vision and aesthetic, a sophisticated music that was palatable to a wide audience. Shearing was thirsty for knowledge and a consummate transcriber of other’s ideas. He explored the less mainstream but vital directions in music and used those techniques in his own forays, always crediting those responsible for new developments. In most of his early interviews Shearing celebrated the advances of Lennie Tristano and in his own performing freely “integrated many facets of Bud Powell’s style.” His brilliant compositions include a Tristano influenced piece called Conception that was featured by Miles Davis in his first great Quintet. His most enduring tune however is “Lullaby of Birdland,” a bebop anthem dedicated to the 52nd Street club that capitalized on the popularity of Charlie Parker.

The group’s organizer/leader is West Coast vibraphonist, Charlie Shoemake. Amongst many others, he has worked with Charles Lloyd, Art Pepper, Bill Holman, Harold Land, Phil Woods and Howard Rumsey’s Lighthouse All-Stars. He is a first-call studio musician who has recorded with Quincy Jones, Frank Sinatra, Johnny Mandel, Nelson Riddle and Lalo Shifrin. His own recordings include Kenny Barron, Billy Childs, Ben Riley, Pete Christlieb and many others. In 1966 Shoemake went to hear the George Shearing Quintet at Shelley’s Manne Hole and was informed that the vibraphone player with the group was leaving and that George was in great need of a replacement for an upcoming five-week tour of the Midwest. Charlie decided to take the job. The five-week tour turned into almost seven years with the group. During this period (1966-1973) the group’s personnel would include guitarists Joe Pass, Pat Martino, and Ron Anthony; bassist Andy Simpkins; drummers Harvey Mason, Stix Hooper, Vernel Fournier and others. Scott Yanow noted in the LA Jazz Scene, “He is a major voice on his instrument.”

Frank Potenza is the guitarist. A protégé of the legendary guitarist Joe Pass, Frank has eight solo albums to his credit and an extensive freelance recording career. He has performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Pass, George Van Eps, Mundell Lowe, Terrell Stafford, Joe Diorio, John Clayton, Bud Shank, Mose Allison, James Moody, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Rob MCConnell, Benny Green, Eddie Harris, Marvin “Smitty” Smith, Dr. Lonnie Smith and many other jazz luminaries. From 1996 to 1999 Frank toured as a member of the Gene Harris Quartet. He is the author of several texts on jazz guitar.

Pianist Joe Bagg discovered jazz while in college and immediately changed his major from computer science to music. Joe studied with jazz master Kenny Barron for two years. He has played and/or recorded with Bobby Hutcherson, Madeleine Peyroux, Larry Goldings, Charles McPherson, Anthony Wilson, Seamus Blake, Brian Lynch, Billy Higgins, Arthur Blythe, Ralph Moore, Marvin “Smitty” Smith, Joe LaBarbara, Alphonse Mouzon, Jack Sheldon and many more.

Bassist Luther Hughes has performed or recorded with jazz legends such as Gene Harris, Quincy Jones, Joe Henderson, Carmen MacRae, The Crusaders, Buddy Greco, Frank Wess, Teddy Edwards, Terry Gibbs, Buddy DeFranco, Jimmy Rowles, Tal Farlow, Bob Cooper, Kenny Burrell, Hampton Hawes, Willie Bobo, Dorothy Donegan, Rob McConnell, Mundell Lowe, Dave Pell, George Van Eps, Joe Pass, Joe Farrell, Horace Silver, Jack McDuff, Lionel Hampton, Joe Williams, David Matthews, Gloria Lynn, Jack Sheldon, Poncho Sanchez, James Moody, Scott Hamilton, Richie Cole, Karyn Allison, Bud Shank, Nick Brignola, Al Gray, Bill Watrous, Joe Diorio, Pat Metheny, Sweets Edison, Cat Anderson, Barney Kessel, Laurindo Almeida, David Benoit, Ernestine Andersen, Harold Land and Charlie Shoemake. A veteran of LA studios, he has recorded and performed on stage, and for film and television scores including Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show, “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” and “Boston Legal.”

Drummer Bill Goodwin has performed with many jazz instrumentalists such as: Bill Evans, Dexter Gordon, Art Pepper, Jim Hall, George Shearing and Bobby Hutcherson, and singers such as June Christy, Joe Williams, Tony Bennett, Mose Allison and Manhattan Transfer. He performed, toured and recorded with vibraphonist Gary Burton for three years and then joined the Phil Woods Quartet (now Quintet) at its inception in February 1974. He was also featured on Tom Waits' album Nighthawks at the Diner in 1975, and worked with Steely Dan during the mid-70's.

The special guest vocalist is Sandi Shoemake. A staff vocalist at N.B.C. from 1965-1971 she also free-lanced with C.B.S. and A.B.C., performing regularly on the Andy Williams Show, The Jerry Lewis Show, The Red Skelton Show, The Lennon Sisters-Jimmy Durante Show and on numerous specials for Bing Crosby, Doris Day, and Dean Martin. During this time she remained active as a soloist and was hired by the legendary Nelson Riddle as his featured vocalist. When husband Charlie Shoemake was performing in L.A. with George Shearing and others, Sandi was always welcomed to the stage. She continues to perform and record and has appeared on all of Charlie Shoemake’s recordings and two of her own. Leonard Feather claims that Sandi Shoemake is “one of the most underrated vocalists on the contemporary scene.” Zan Stewart of the LA Times states: “Sandi Shoemake has an incredibly pure, bell-like sound with an imaginative and beautiful style of phrasing. She is one of the finest interpreters of ballad material anywhere!”

Join the VJC in celebrating the music and life of the pianist, George Shearing. Hear the “Shearing Sound” as it was intended to be heard: with piano, vibes, and guitar over bass and drums to create a shimmering texture unlike any other.
The Shearing Sound at the VJC, Saturday, June 7, at 8 p.m., is made possible thanks to generous financial support from Ed Anthes and Mary Ellen Copeland as well as the Vermont Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. Hospitality provided by the Hampton Inn of Brattleboro. Underwriters are the Brattleboro Reformer, VPR and WFCR.
Tickets for the Shearing Sound at VJC, June 7, are $20 general admission, $15 for students with I.D. (contact VJC about educational discounts); available at In the Moment in Brattleboro, or online at www.vtjazz.org. Tickets can also be reserved by calling the Vermont Jazz Center ticket line, 802-254-9088, ext. 1.

Cool Jazz Personified: the music of George Shearing. Alumni of Shearing’s working bands tour his legendary sound
Saturday, June 7th, 8 p.m., at Vermont Jazz Center.

Short Summary
Who: “Sounds of Shearing,” a tribute to George Shearing. With West Coast All-Stars: Charlie Shoemake, vibes; Frank Potenza, guitar; Joe Bagg, piano; Luther Hughes, acoustic bass; Bill Goodwin, drums and special guest vocalist Sandi Shoemake
What: Music composed or made famous by George Shearing. Alumni from his working bands play the Shearing repertoire.
When: Saturday, June 7th, 2014 at 8:00 PM
Where: The Vermont Jazz Center, 72 Cotton Mill Hill, #222, Brattleboro, VT 05301
Tickets available: online at www.vtjazz.org by phone 802 254 9088, in person at In The Moment, Main St., Brattleboro, VT.

GUILFORD, Vt. -- Friends of Music at Guilford, now in its 48th season, presents an "A Cappella à la Carte" evening on Saturday, June 14, as the finale to its annual calendar. As usual, the evening's three-part menu of membership meeting, all-community potluck, and a cappella concert takes place at Guilford Community Church, just a short distance from Exit 1 off Interstate 91.

The festivities begin at 6 pm with a brief and merry Friends of Music membership meeting. Folks can sign up on the spot and participate in voting for the upcoming year's board of trustees, as well as symbolically ratify the current board's actions in the fiscal year just ending. Preliminary plans for the 49th annual season of concerts are shared with everyone present.

This half-hour gathering leads at 6:30 to an All-Community Potluck created by those who have come to break bread together. Hors d'oeuvres, salads, side dishes, and entrées of all kinds make for an eclectic, often multinational meal. An assortment of warm-weather beverages is supplied. Desserts are reserved for a post-concert reception.

At 7:30 the diners, and others coming just for the music, converge on the church's sanctuary for an hour-long concert. This year three performing groups are on the musical menu, including The WhatAreWeDoingThis Four, a barbershop-style quartet; Honest Harmony, a quartet who will perform Renaissance madrigals and drinking songs; and the Guilford Chamber Singers, a ten-member group performing a variety of part-songs and four works being premiered at this event.

Three members of TheWhatAreWeDoingThis Four began singing together almost nine years ago in Springfield, Vt., and got introduced to, and then hooked on, barbershop by the fourth, who then moved away. Paul Cooper, lead, and Steve Squires, bass (a sub for regular member David Willis), are also members of the Guilford Chamber Singers. The other voices are Vaughn Hadwen, tenor, and Ruth Zezza, baritone. Their repertoire ranges from Tin Pan Alley to gospel and whatever strikes their fancy. Songs on this program include "What'll I Do?" by Irving Berlin (1924), "Turn Your Radio On" by Albert Brumley (1938), and "I Only Have Eyes for You" by Al Dubin and Harry Warren (1934), among others familiar and not so well known.

Ijod Schroeder, baritone and director of Honest Harmony, lives now in Leyden, Massachusetts. He sang with the Chamber Singers last Christmas, has served as a trustee of the organization, and was featured in the 2011 production of "Elisha Jaqueth Goes to War." Other members of Honest Harmony include alto Cindy Naughton, tenor John Vance, and soprano Barbara Mathews, also residents of the Pioneer Valley. While Ijod performs Renaissance and medieval dance and theater, his trio of companions are all accomplished instrumentalists in addition to diverse vocal, directorial, and acting talents. Honest Harmony explores the historical repertoire of small ensemble singing in the 12th through the 20th centuries and performs regularly at Old Deerfield and other venues in the Valley.  

The Guilford Chamber Singers, working with director Tom Baehr for the past two years, are preparing 19th- and 20th-century part-songs and arrangements of traditional tunes, as well as a few new pieces in a series set by Baehr to texts of entertaining gravestone poetry from the New England region, including Vernon, Vt. Included in this performance is a setting of Longfellow's "Stars of the Summer Night,""Early One Morning" (trad. English), and the Gaelic blessing "Deep Pieace," among other selections. Members of the Chamber Singers for this concert include sopranos Sharry J. Manning and Jody Graves; altos Nancy Anderson, Beth McKinney, and Joy Wallens-Penford; tenors Paul Cooper, Ted Lemon, and Peter Tracy; and basses Charles Butterfield and Steve Squires.

This musical "smorgasbord" is capped off by a festive potluck dessert reception.

The public is invited to attend one, two, or all three of the evening's "menu" items. Guilford Community Church, which is handicap accessible, is at 38 Church Dr. in the Algiers village of Guilford. Pass the Guilford Country Store on Rt. 5 heading south, take the first left on Bee Barn Rd. and another left on Church Dr.

Admission is free, with donations encouraged to support the Friends of Music organization, which offers its core annual programs on a donations-only basis and provides community outreach programs for both the Guilford Central School and area seniors through grants and fund-raising. Its annual Messiah Sing raises money for organizations offering services to the homeless at holiday time.

For further information, contact the Friends of Music office at (802) 254-3600, e-mail office@fomag.org, or visit www.fomag.org.

Have you ever wanted to travel back in time?

That's what we'll be doing in this week long journey through the course of music history. We will combine music and other artistic expressions to recreate a variety of musical periods starting all the way back in prehistoric times! We'll make instruments and act like composers. We'll listen to the differences in styles from one period to the next, and draw pictures of what we hear. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of how music has been shaped over time in a playful and engaging environment. Each child’s creativity will be our time machine, which might even take us into the future!  Tuition $150 / Financial Aid Available.

TIME TRAVELING THROUGH MUSIC For Ages 7-12

July 28-Aug 1, 2014, 10 am - 12 pm

Tuition $150

 Led by Heather Sommerlad

To register and for a full list of summer programs:

Call the Brattleboro Music Center at 802-257-4523

Or visit  http://www.bmcvt.org/summer-programs

July 21-25, 2014, 10am-12pm

 The Brattleboro Music Center's Camp Presto is the perfect week long adventure for children who are interested in music, but not sure whether to commit to learning an instrument.

While learning the basics of playing the violin, campers will work together to complete a musical story book. Each child will tell a story through a simple violin composition, incorporating the very basics of note reading and rhythm, while simultaneously learning alternatives to musical notation.

Students will learn to perform their musical ideas, culminating in a final class CD that they can take home to share with their family & friends!

In the process, students will learn about other composers and the stories they have told through music. Each child will be free to design their composition with poetry and art, learning to appreciate the music they hear as the composers and performers they have become!

Camp Presto is led by Heather Sommerlad.  Heather is member of the BMC Music School faculty, where she teaches individual violin lessons, leads the "Tigers String Ensemble" for our youngest players, teaches group lessons through the Music-in-the-Schools program, and directs the Prima Orchestra. 

Heather was born and raised in El Paso, TX, where music became the foundation for her continuing studies at Bennington College.  At 16, she began playing with the El Paso Symphony under the direction of Gurer Aykal, an opportunity which prompted the beginning of her professional career.  During her time at Bennington, Heather worked closely with emerging composers, performing a countless number of new works.  As first violinist of the Bennington College String Quartet, she traveled with the group to perform and teach in Kingston, Jamaica, and the Czech Republic. Today, Heather continues to promote new music as a regular performer for Brooklyn Emerging Artists, as well as the experimental folk band, Horse's Mouth. She has recently returned to the southern Vermont area having spent the past several years teaching both group and private violin classes in New York City. Heather is dedicated to nurturing passion, dedication, and enthusiasm in all her students to maintain a healthy balance of technical proficiency and musical integrity.

Camp Presto will be held at the Brattleboro Music Center, July 21-25, 2014, 10am-12pm.  Tuition is $150, financial aid is available.

To register for Camp Presto, or see a full listing of summer music programs for all ages, visit www.bmcvt.org or call the Brattleboro Music Center at 802-257-4523.

Twilight Music continues its 12th annual Twilight On The Tavern Lawn series of folk, world beat, rock, jazz, zydeco, Celtic, swing, blues and bluegrass summer concerts on Sunday, June 15 with Kat Wright and Brett Hughes’ Americana music quartet. The seven concert series continues every other Sunday through August 24. All concerts begin at 6:00 pm in downtown Putney on the Putney Tavern lawn (bring a lawn chair or blanket) or at Next Stage at 15 Kimball Hill in case of rain. The series is sponsored by the Town of Putney, Soundview Paper Company, Next Stage Arts Project, The Stockwell Brothers and many other Putney businesses and organizations. The concerts are free to the public (donations are accepted) and food will be available. For more information, call 802-387-5772 or visit www.twilightmusic.org.

Kat and Brett’s Burlington, VT-based band features the pair’s soaring vocal harmonies and Brett’s acoustic and electric guitar playing. Their harmonies evoke timeless mountain traditions and bluesy soul, all lonesome and heartfelt, whether they’re singing their own songs or the inspired covers they re-interpret.


The 2014 Twilight on the Tavern Lawn concert series schedule is:


Sunday, June 1 SIMBA - Eight member Funk and World Beat band featuring blazing horns and scorching percussion


Sunday, June 15 KAT WRIGHT & BRETT HUGHES – Americana music quartet featuring soaring vocal harmonies evoking timeless mountain traditions and bluesy soul 


Sunday, June 29 THE CHRIS KLEEMAN BAND - Hard driving, house rocking, in your face Blues


Sunday, July 13 BEAUCOUP BLUE - Americana and acoustic Blues music by the Philadelphia-based father and son team of David and Adrian Mowry 


Sunday, July 27 PLANET ZYDECO - High Energy accordion/guitar driven dance music of Louisiana


Sunday, August 10 THE STOCKWELL BROTHERS - Newgrass and contemporary folk music with brothers Bruce, Barry and Alan

Sunday, August 24 THE SNAZ – Original, indie rock band featuring four Vermont teenagers

For more information, call 802-387-5772 or visit www.twilightmusic.org.

A Cappella Workshop

Starting Sunday, June 22, the  Brattleboro Music Center will be hosting a 2-week a cappella workshop for teens.  The workshop is led by Keira Carmichael and Riley Goodemote; and focuses on Collegiate Style a cappella arrangements of traditional & popular music, beat boxing and more

Overview:

A fun and musically educational co-ed a cappella camp for teens ranging in age from 13 to 19.  The workshop will cover basic a cappella theory and beat boxing skills.  Participants will prepare at least 5 to 6 songs for live performance. Focus will also be placed on building skills that give students the independence to begin their own groups and lead rehearsals.

Repertoire:

Workshop will focus on rock, pop and other less know genres of music arranged in the collegiate a cappella idiom.

To supplement and diversify, the workshop may include a limited number of pieces from the following traditions:

• British Isles and early American folk singing
• Barber Shop
• Renaissance Madrigals and Motets
• Jazz choir standards
• Show tunes/Musical theater

Schedule:

The camp will run for two weeks from Sunday, June 22rd to Thursday July 3rd. Rehearsals will take place from 12:30 to 4:00 pm every afternoon Sunday through Thursday, with no rehearsal on Friday or Saturday.

In place of rehearsal on Thursday, July 3rd, participants will perform a recital for family & friends.

Get your tickets NOW for a great evening of music! Please join the Friends of Brooks Memorial Library in this fund raising event to celebrate James Joyce and Bloomsday. Dublin in Song and Story with musician and Irish folklorist Tom O'Carroll will be presented on Thursday, June 19, at 7:30 PM, in the Library's Main Room. 

Dublin born folklorist, folk-singer and instrumentalist Tom O'Carroll brings a wealth of stories, humor, wit and history to his performances. In this program Tom tells the tales and sings the songs of his native city. This capital city on the River Liffey has an abundance of history and colorful characters and Tom will introduce you to some of them. This program is ideal for those interested in Irish Literature.

Tom has played at concerts, festivals, colleges, libraries and pubs all over the U.S. and Canada, as well as his native Ireland, including a stint for one month in Seoul, South Korea. Whether playing a plaintive air on the tin whistle or singing and playing rousing traditional songs to the accompaniment of the guitar or the bodhrán (Irish drum), Tom will captivate all with his lively program of Irish culture. Tickets are $15 and $10 Friends of Library members. Available at the Main Circulation desk and from Brattleborotix.com.

Location Main Room Brooks Library. Contact Jerry Carbone, 802-254-5290, tom@tomocarroll.com

PUTNEY- Thursday, June 26th at 7:30pm, Martin Grosswendt will bring his masterful take on American roots music to the intimate stage of Sandglass Theater in Putney, VT. In this rare appearance, Martin is accompanied by guitarist and singer Susanne Salem-Schatz. Tickets are $16 general, $13 for students and seniors and can be reserved by email at info@sandglasstheater.org or by calling 802-387-4051. 

Martin Grosswendt is an extraordinary instrumentalist and powerful singer. He draws from a wide range of American roots music and is particularly well known as an interpreter of country blues of the 20’s and 30’s.

His performances include classic Delta and East Coast blues, Southern old time music, and Creole and Cajun music from Southwest Louisiana, playing guitar, mandolin, five-string banjo, and fiddle. He’ll be joined by Susanne Salem-Schatz, a gifted singer and his partner in the band Honky Tonk Masquerade. 

Make reservations by email : info@sandglasstheater.org
phone : (802) 387-4051

More info at sandglasstheater.org

Listen to Martin Grosswendt

Twilight Music continues its 12th annual Twilight On The Tavern Lawn series of folk, world beat, rock, jazz, zydeco, Celtic, swing, blues and bluegrass summer concerts on Sunday, June 29 with an evening of hard driving, house rocking, in your face blues by The Chris Kleeman Band. The seven concert series continues every other Sunday through August 24. All concerts begin at 6:00 pm in downtown Putney on the Putney Tavern lawn (bring a lawn chair or blanket) or at Next Stage at 15 Kimball Hill in case of rain. The series is sponsored by the Town of Putney, Soundview Paper Company, Next Stage Arts Project, The Stockwell Brothers and many other Putney businesses and organizations. The concerts are free to the public (donations are accepted) and food will be available. For more information, call 802-387-5772 or visit www.twilightmusic.org.

The Chris Kleeman Band is "Vermont's best kept blues secret." From his first record produced by B.B. King and his 2002 appearance with Mr. King at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Kleeman has kept the blues alive and well. Chris' blues are multi-spectral, rolling from stinging slide guitar to deft rag-time; from the southern styles of Mississippi John Hurt, Robert Johnson, Blind Willie McTell all the way up that big river to the blues of Chicago and Muddy Waters and Elmore James, with the Piedmont Blues of people like Blind Boy Fuller and Brownie McGhee thrown in. While blues-based, his trio also incorporates high-powered instrumentals along with influences from many genres.

Next up in the 2014 Twilight on the Tavern Lawn concert series is Philadelphia-based, Americana and acoustic blues duo Beaucoup Blue on Sunday, July 13.

I remember a friend telling me, a long time ago, that I should go hear this band called Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains who were playing in a parking lot on Elliot Street that afternoon. I had doubts about the venue and didn't go. My loss. Last night, Johnny Hobo was back, or at least, his inventor, Pat “the Bunny” Schneeweis, with a new band, Ramshackle Glory. As it turned out, their homecoming show at the Church Saturday night turned out to be the highlight of my weekend if not the whole month of June.

I didn't expect a lot from this band, but after sampling a few tracks online, I concluded that We Are All Compost In Waiting is the punk rock anthem of our time, and wondered why I'd never heard of them before. Their stage presence was casual, with the ten of them arrayed around the drums at the back of the room. A trio of trumpet, trombone, and clarinet stood up on the riser in the back, no doubt to entertain the short people in the audience (I never did see Pat, who was behind the moshpit at floor level). And while their sound is not exactly traditional punk, it's definitely punk in spirit.

We had been joking before the show that if they didn't play We Are All Compost, we were going to have to request it, not realizing that songs that sound like the anthems of our time sometimes are. They played it just three songs in, and to our surprise, the audience knew every word, which says something about the power of this band. The rest of the set had the crowd in a rapture of pogoing, moshing, singing, and crowd-surfing, successful crowd-surfing at that. Only a few guys almost landed (gently) on their heads.

Ramshackle Glory are a loud, chaotic, melodic, heart-rending mess live, and there's no replacing the energy of a live performance. But their records have the added benefit of clarity, and this is a band that makes you want to listen to the lyrics. Schneeweis has a way with the meaningful non sequitur, and his straight narratives pack a punch. Dark, yes, but hopeful too. Niki Berger's vocals lighten the mood and her accordion playing gives it all a nostalgic quality as though these are stories that could be told anywhere, anyday.

Luckily for us, Ramshackle Glory have Brattleboro roots, or we might not have gotten to see them. As it is, their east coast tour includes the Middle East in Boston and a club in Brooklyn, so they've clearly been noticed. I, for one, hope they carry on with their spirited selves, because the world needs truth-tellers who can make you sing along.

The evening started with Flaming Dragons of Middle Earth, another large band with a variety of instruments and onstage roles for its many participants to manipulate and play. We didn't catch their whole set but what we did see was fascinating. Whether they were doing high level conceptual art or cultural parody or future music of a type I don't yet know is up for grabs, but it was definitely interesting.

Future Collectivite and musician Jonas was up next as If Not I Than Who Then, which features Jonas on drums and looped vocals with more vocals on top. Sometimes his looped vocals are ethereal, other times percussive. It depends on what he's going for and what happens. The audience loved him and cheerfully participated in shoutalongs when asked.

Local metal band Discomfort (are we meant to be discomforted by their awesome sound?) were the middle group, playing to a happy crew of moshers of both sexes, mostly guys but infiltrated by a surprising number of death-defying females who would bounce in, bounce around, and bounce out again without so much as mussing their hair. The music was metallic and loud; we enjoyed the roar.

According to an organizer, The Future Collective have “at least 20 shows coming up,” by their own count. Expect to see them announced throughout the summer, leading up to a big season finale in late August. Yes, Future Fest 3 is coming soon, featuring over 50 acts, a carnival, spontaneous art, joy, amusement, and “fun fun fun.” Support them, thank them, go to their shows. Shows are all ages and substance-free.

Twilight Music continues its 12th annual Twilight On The Tavern Lawn series of folk, world beat, rock, jazz, zydeco, Celtic, swing, blues and bluegrass summer concerts on Sunday, July 13 with Philadelphia-based, Americana and acoustic blues duo Beaucoup Blue. The seven concert series continues every other Sunday through August 24. All concerts begin at 6:00 pm in downtown Putney on the Putney Tavern lawn (bring a lawn chair or blanket) or at Next Stage at 15 Kimball Hill in case of rain. The series is sponsored by the Town of Putney, Soundview Paper Company, Next Stage Arts Project, The Stockwell Brothers and many other Putney businesses and organizations. The concerts are free to the public (donations are accepted) and food will be available. For more information, call 802-387-5772 or visit www.twilightmusic.org and www.beaucoupblue.com.

Beaucoup Blue, the father and son team of David and Adrian Mowry, features two soulful voices and acoustic slide guitar virtuosity. From blues to bluegrass, their traditional and contemporary styles mesh into an innovative and authentic sound. They pretty much cover the full range of Americana music quite uniquely in their songwriting and how they choose to represent classic material. During their years together as a duo they have received numerous awards including “Grand Prize Winner of the Billboard Magazine World Song-Writing Contest,” and the “Grand Prize Winner of the Telluride Blues & Brews Acoustic Competition,” as well as top 40 on AMA’s Americana, Roots, & Folk radio charts.

Next up in the 2014 Twilight on the Tavern Lawn concert series is an evening of high energy accordion/guitar driven dance music of Louisiana by Planet Zydeco on Sunday, July 27.

Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present Pennsylvania-based, acoustic folk trio The Stray Birds and the indie roots music husband/wife team of Mike Merenda and Ruth Ungar (formerly of the acoustic stringband The Mammals) at Next Stage on Thursday, July 24 at 7:30 pm.

Drawing upon the richness of American folk music traditions, the signature power of The Stray Birds sound lies in outstanding songwriting spun with a stirring subtlety and grace. The Stray Birds were born of a compelling collaboration between two unique writers and vocalists - the pure, luxurious voice of Maya de Vitry and Oliver Craven's richness of tone and depth of delivery. Grounding their sound is the unshakeable groove of bassist Charles Muench.

Their full-length debut “The Stray Birds” was lauded by radio stations and listeners across the country, and named to the Top 10 Folk/Americana Releases of 2012 by NPR. Passionate live performances led to appearances on NPR’s Mountain Stage, the Philadelphia Folk Festival, the Kerrville Folk Festival and the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival.

“Super-talented acoustic trio whose virtuosity doesn't get in the way of their soul. Rich vocal harmonies, tight acoustic arrangements, heart-wrenching songs.” - Fly Magazine

After thousands of concerts across tens-of-thousands of miles, Woodstock, NY-based Ruth Ungar & Mike Merenda have emerged as one of acoustic America’s most revered musical duos. Mike is an artfully prolific songwriter with an indie rock soul and feather-touch vocals. The daughter of fiddle legend Jay Ungar and country singer Lyn Hardy, Ruthy is an earthy country-blues singer with the unmistakable stage presence of a natural-born performer. In 2000, the couple met Tao Rodriguez-Seeger (grandson of the legendary folk singer Pete Seeger) and formed The Mammals, an acoustic stringband that toured the world over the next seven years, and performed with the likes of Arlo Guthrie and Pete Seeger.

“Some of the best songwriting of their generation.” - LA Weekly

Next Stage is located in the former United Church at 15 Kimball Hill in downtown Putney, VT. Tickets for this concert are $16 Advance / $18 At the Door. For information, call 802-387-0102. Advance tickets are available at www.nextstagearts.org, Turn It Up in Brattleboro and Offerings Jewelry in Putney. For more information, visit, www.thestraybirds.com, www.mikeandruthy.com, www.www.nextstagearts.org and www.twilightmusic.org.

THERE’S STILL TIME to add music to your child’s summer! 

The Brattleboro Music Center has openings in two of its summer programs starting next week: Beginning Guitar Camp for kdis ages 8-13, and Time

Traveling Through Music for 7-12 year olds.

Beginning Guitar Camp 

Beginning Guitar Camp runs from July 28 - August 1, 3:30 - 5:30 pm, for kids ages 8 to 13. 

Spend the week at camp learning beginning guitar basics in a group setting. Bring your acoustic, classical or electric (and amp) guitar. Learn the basics of good hand position, basic reading skills and how to find and use different resources to learn to play many styles of music for the guitar. Karen Horton is a public school music teacher at Twin Valley Schools and French horn player in the Windham Orchestra. She has taught beginning group lessons for guitar players for many years. A short informal performance will take place on the last day of class for parents and friends.  Tuition is $150.

Time Traveling through Music

Time Traveling Through Music runs from July 28-August 1, 10 am - 12 pm for kids ages 7 to 12.

Have you ever wanted to travel back in time?  That's what we'll be doing in this week long journey through the course of music history. We will combine music and other artistic expressions to recreate a variety of musical periods starting all the way back in prehistoric times! We'll make instruments and act like composers. We'll listen to the differences in styles from one period to the next, and draw pictures of what we hear. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of how music has been shaped over time in a playful and engaging environment. Each child's creativity will be our time machine, which might even take us into the future!  This camp is led by Heather Sommerlad.  Tuition is  $150

Call the BMC  as soon as possible to register ! 802-257-4523

Twilight Music continues its 12th annual Twilight On The Tavern Lawn series of folk, world beat, rock, jazz, zydeco, Celtic, swing, blues and bluegrass summer concerts on Sunday, July 27 with an evening of high energy accordion/guitar driven dance music of Louisiana by Planet Zydeco. The seven concert series continues every other Sunday through August 24. All concerts begin at 6:00 pm in downtown Putney on the Putney Tavern lawn (bring a lawn chair or blanket) or at Next Stage at 15 Kimball Hill in case of rain. The series is sponsored by the Town of Putney, Soundview Paper Company, Next Stage Arts Project, The Stockwell Brothers and many other Putney businesses and organizations. The concerts are free to the public (donations are accepted) and food will be available. For more information, call 802-387-5772 or visit www.twilightmusic.org.

Zydeco music is characterized by nimble accordion playing backed by a driving rhythm section. For the past eleven years, Planet Zydeco has been bringing the dance hall music of Louisiana to clubs and festivals throughout New England and New York. They are pleased to welcome Cannon Labrie, who also plays with popular Cajun band Yankee Chank, on accordion and vocals. Other members are Peter Petengill and Nick Keil on guitars and vocals, Alan Bradbury on bass and vocals, Doug Plavin on drums and Suzanne Wozniak on rubboard. 

Next up in the 2014 Twilight on the Tavern Lawn concert series is the newgrass and contemporary folk music of The Stockwell Brothers on Sunday, August 10.

For more information, call 802-387-5772 or visit www.twilightmusic.org.

A.C.O.R.N. NATURE AND MUSIC FESTIVAL TICKETS NOW ON SALE

Local Festival to Take Place at Guilford Fairgrounds on Sept. 27, 2014

The first ever A.C.O.R.N Nature and Music Festival (A Community of Resilient Neighbors) is now selling tickets to this exciting, family-friendly, local event taking place at the Guilford Fairgrounds on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2014. During the day, participate in a myriad of workshops focused on nature, wilderness skills, and resiliency. In the evening, listen and dance to amazing music.

Get your tickets now at www.acornfest.org.  Regular, student, elder, and youth tickets are available. Kids ages 5 and under are free. Tickets grant you admission from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. and include parking, kids activities, as well as access to workshops and music.

Headlining the festival will be the gypsy jazz, theatrically dazzling, Caravan of Thieves. (www.caravanofthieves.com) Also playing will be local favorites: world music Gaia Roots, funk-meets-fiddle Gaslight Tinkers, and roots reggae Heirloom Seeds.

Workshops cover a wide range of topics: Tracking, Fire by Friction, Knifemaking, Thanksgiving Ceremony, Hide Tanning, Spoonmaking, Tiny Ash Baskets, Singing, Herbal Medicine, and Inner Tracking are just some of what is available. Workshops are being led by a variety of local and regional teachers, including some from Wolf Tree Programs, Vermont Wilderness School, Mountainsong Expeditions, Earth Angel Herbals, Kroka Expeditions, Flying Cloud Camp, Bee Fields Farm, Roots School, and Maine Primitive Skills School.

A full list of workshops and instructors is available at www.acornfest.org. 

Food and craft vendors will be on site selling locally made food and goods. Interested vendors can contact vendors@acornfest.org.

ACORN Nature and Music Festival is a project of the Vermont Wilderness School.  

For more information about the festival please contact info@acornfest.org

...

Contact: Ben Riseman 

Phone: 802-490-4194

Email: info@acornfest.org

After eighteen years of rehearsals only on Wednesday nights at 7:00, the Brattleboro Women’s Chorus is adding a second time on Thursday mornings from 10:00-12:00 at the Centre Congregational Church on Main St. in Brattleboro. The nineteenth fall session begins on September 3^rd and 4^th. If you have never sung with the Chorus, join them for the first rehearsal to see what you think. All women and girls over 10 are welcome, and there are no auditions. Songs are learned mostly by rote and by ear, and music is an eclectic mix that is spirited and spiritual. As founder/director Becky Graber says, they are “good songs to live with” over the course of the session and beyond. 

The Chorus presents two concerts the week and weekend before Thanksgiving, and while many singers enjoy performing, some prefer to sing weekly and not participate in the concert. There is a participation fee, and financial aid is available to make Chorus accessible to all women. For more details, see BrattleboroWomensChorus.org or email bwchorus@gmail.com or call Graber at 802-254-8994.