Much Deserved

Tuesday April 20 is Arts Advocacy Day in Middletown and, on Monday evening at 5 p.m. in the Middletown Room of First & Last Tavern on Main Street, the Middletown Commission on the Arts presented its choices for the 2010 Arts Advocacy Awards.  Marco Gaylord, music director of both the Middletown High School Band and the Middletown Symphonic Band, was recognized for his stellar work upgrading the instrumental music offerings in town (his cohort at MHS, choir director Michael Gosselin could not attend as he was stranded in England due to the ash strewn by the Icelandic volcano.) Gaylord's work with "MHS Goes to the Symphony", the biennial joint concert with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, has raised the quality of the school's music and musicians and provides keen insights into the workings of a major music ensemble and the professional lives of its members.

Also honored was the Greater Middletown Chorale and its music director Joseph D'Eugenio.  Maestro D'Eugenio has shaped the vocal ensemble into one of the most impressive amateur singing groups in the state, if not the Northeast.  In its 3+ decades, the GMC has presented major choral works, sung for the Governor, traveled to Europe, and not once shied away from difficult material.  On May 2, the Chorale, augmented by voices from other choral groups and supported by a large orchestra, will present Mendelssohn's magnificent oratorio, "Elijah", at 4 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Middletown High School.  To find out more about the GMC and the next performance, go to www,greatermiddletownchorale.org. 

MCA Chair Joyce Kirkpatrick served as Master of Ceremonies and Mayor Sebastian Giuliano bestowed the awards upon the recipients and spoke about their contributions to the people of Middletown.  All in all, a delightful late afternoon.