Reader's Theater Back in Action This Sunday

The two actors pictured on the left are acting out a scene from "Better Late" – they are, in fact, John Mahoney and Linda Kimbrough from a 2001 production of the play in Chicago, IL.  This Sunday, Readers Theater returns to the Hubbard Room of the Russell Library for a 2 p.m. reading of the Larry Gelbart play.  Gelbart, best known for his work on the "M*A*S*H" television series, originally wrote the piece in 2006 – the version you'll see and hear is the 2011 revision.  Either way, it's a comedy with dramatic overtones, about end-of-life issues, old age, love, lost love, and more.  The cast, directed by Naomi Kamins, features Pat Farrell, Henry Coe, Ben Werblow, and Richard Kamins.

The event is free and open to the public.  Doors open at approximately 1:30 p.m.

Readers Theater returns to the Hubbard Room on November 17 for a reading of "Mary Jane", a play by Amy Herzog ("4000 Miles").

Learning the Value of Ethics Through Music

In a week when Middletown residents will protest the elimination of the position of Arts Coordinator for the City on Tuesday evening, guitarist/composer Amanda Monaco and her ensemble will perform music inspired by the "Pirkei Avot" translated as "Ethics of Our Fathers." These ethical and moral principles are teachings gleaned from the Mishnah, described as "an edited record of the complex body of material known as oral Torah that was transmitted in the aftermath of the destruction of the Temple in 70 C.E." 

The performance takes place at 7 p.m. on Thursday May 31 in the Hubbard Room of The Russell Library, 123 Broad Street in Middletown as part of Noah Baerman's refreshing "Jazz Up Close" series.  Pianist, composer, author, and educator Baerman created the series when he was "named Artistic Director of Resonant Motion, Inc., an organization that seeks to explore and deepen connections between music and social causes" (read more at www.noahjazz.com).  He has brought musicians from around the country to the Library where they perform original material and answer questions from the audience.  Ms. Monaco, who has been a friend and musical associate of Mr. Baerman since high school, is the first performer for the "Sound Belief" series, a program of music inspired by the artist's religious beliefs, faith, and studies. (Author's note: I had the honor of presenting Ms. Monaco's "Pirkei Avot: Volume I" at Congregation Adath Israel several years ago. The performance was quite moving.)

For Thursday's event, the guitarist and Baerman will be playing  newer songs based on the "Pirkei Avot" alongside the expressive vocalist Tammy Sheffer, recorder master Daphna Mor, bassist Henry Lugo, and percussionist Rogerio Boccato.   Like all events at The Russell Library, the performance is free and open to the public.  For more information, click on bit.ly/2IO0hFz.

Here's a piece from Volume 1 of "The Pirkei Avot Project" featuring Ms. Monaco and Ms. Mor plus bassist Sean Conly, percussionist Satoshi Takeishi, and vocalist Ayelet Rose Gottlieb:

Readers Theater, "Buyer and Cellar", Monday 3/12

Readers Theater returns to the Hubbard Room of The Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, in Middletown on Monday March 12 to present "Buyer & Cellar."  The 2013 play, written by Jonathan Tolins, takes place (mostly) in the basement of Barbra Streisand's home in Malibu, California, where the mega-star keeps a mall in her basement.  No, really, she does - there are pictures to prove it (see below - there is no "fake news" in the EYE).  The one-person play tells the fictional story of an out-of-work actor who gets the job of managing the mall and his relationships with his boyfriend, Ms. Streisand's personal secretary, James Brolin, and the STAR!!  It's a delightful premise and a very funny "What if?" story.

For the Readers Theater production, co-directors Anne Cassady and Richard Kamins decided to create a five-person cast instead of one actor playing all the parts.  To that end, the staged reading features the talents of Robert Donahue, Julie Greeman, Elizabeth Dougan, Michael D'Agostino, and Jerry Rankin.



Doors to the Hubbard Room (not pictured) open at 6:30 p.m. and the play commences at 7.  Since the Library closes at 6 p.m., you just enter from the Court Street doors in the parking lot.  The play is free and open to the public.

At 5:30 p.m. that day, the City of Middletown and its Commission on the Arts celebrates Arts Advocacy Day by honoring the works of Vintage Players and artist David Schulz.  The event takes place in City Hall on DeKoven Drive and should leave you enough time to get to the Library.  You can and should do both - I understand the next snow storm starts later in the evening.

Saturday Jazz (Up Close + Solo)

News@Wesleyan

Pianist, composer, educator, and author (he also plays guitar and sings) Noah Baerman is the curator of Jazz Up Close!, a program sponsored by the Russell Library, the Shoreline Arts Alliance, the Middletown Commission on the Arts (and others. This Saturday September 23, Mr. Baerman, alto saxophonist Kris Allen, and bassist Henry Lugo welcome Brazilian-born drummer and percussionist Rogério Boccato for the "Crossing Cultures" program to take place at 1:30 p.m. in the Hubbard Room of the Russell Library, 123 Broad Street.

Boccato, who has worked and/or and recorded dozens of contemporary musicians including bassist John Pattitucci, composer Maria Schneider's Orchestra, vocalist Michael Franks, and UCONN/Storrs Professor of Music Earl MacDonald, teaches at the Manhattan School of Music and has served on the Percussion Faculty at the Hartt School/University of Hartford.  He also has a long association with artists from his home country including Milton Nascimento, Dori Caymmi, Hermeto Pascoal, and the late Antonio Carlos Jobim.

This should be a fascinating concert, with good insights into the world of percussion and creative music.  Bring your questions!  For more information, go to russelllibrary.org.

Here's Senhor Boccato playing with Hartford natives Luques & Zaccai Curtis (The Curtis Brothers) on their "Completion of Proof" album:

Pianist, composer, and educator Laszlo Gardony returns to The Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main Street in Middletown, on Saturday (9/23) at 8 p.m. for a concert of solo piano music.  Professor Gardony, who is on the faculty of the Berklee College of Music in Boston, is a frequent visitor to The Buttonwood.  He's in town to celebrate the release of his latest Sunnyside Records album, "Serious Play", a delightful collection of works including a number of originals and standards such as "Georgia on My Mind" and John Coltrane's "Naima."  The pianist pays with great fire, great emotion and has a lifetime love for melody and improvisation. I know for a fact he loves playing in the intimate performance space because of the receptive audiences and how close people sit.  

For ticket information, go to buttonwood.org/event/lazlo-gardony-cd-release-concert/ or call 860-347-4957. To find out more about the pianist, go to www.lgjazz.com.

Here is the title track of his splendid new album:

Indra Rios-Moore at Russell Library Thursday

This Thursday (1/14), the Russell Library, 123 Broad Street in Middletown welcomes the fine vocalist Indra Rios-Moore and her band for a 7 p.m. concert in the Hubbard Room. Indra, a long-time friend of Middletown resident Rani Arbo, issued her 3rd CD in 2015, the lovely "Homeland" - produced by Larry Klein (Joni Mitchell, Melody Gardot), the CD came out in August and is filled with fascinating tunes, including great covers of songs by Dock Boggs (see below), David Ruffin ("What Becomes of the Broken-hearted"), Pink Floyd ("Money") and David Bowie ("Heroes").  The album includes stunning versions of Duke Ellington's "Azure" (lyrics by Irving Mills and "Solitude" (the words were composed by Eddie De Lange).

The concert will feature her "working band" (all of whom appear on the CD) - they include Benjamin Traerup (saxophones), Uffe Steen (guitars) and Indra's husband Thomas Sejthen (bass). Anyone who attended her previous shows know how powerful a singer/interpreter Indra is and how well the band's sounds complements her vocals. Also, the intimacy of the Hubbard Room is a perfect fit for the intimacy of the music. The show is free and open to the public.

For more information about the concert, call 860-347-2528 ext 171.  To learn more about the singer and her music, go to www.indrariosmoore.com.  

Here's the Dock Boggs tune to whet your appetite:

Jazz Up Close (and pleasantly personal)

That's Noah Baerman in that "serious" pose on the left.  That makes sense as he is serious about his music, about his teaching, and about the ability to reach people through music and have them lead positive lives.  To that end, Mr. Baerman has started a program at Russell Library in Middletown he calls "Jazz Up Close" - it's a concert but the musicians talk to and with the audience, explaining what they are attempting to do with their music, why they do what they do and more.  Playing jazz is more than playing the notes; it's about teamwork, about communication, and about creativity (and much more).

This Saturday at 2 p.m. (March 28), the 2015 season of "Jazz Up Close" commences with Mr. B (piano) leading at quartet with with bassist Henry Lugo, drummer Willard Dyson and special guest, guitarist Freddie Bryant (pictured left). Besides his busy solo career, Mr. Bryant has worked with the great vocalist Salif Keita, trumpeter Tom Harrell and the Mingus Big Band. He and drummer Dyson have worked together on a number of occasions as well as recording together on 2 of his 7 CDs.  His latest, "Dreamscapes: Solo, Duo & Trio" (self-released), was issued in 2014 and features saxophonist Chris Potter and bassist Scott Colley. Mr. Bryant is equally versed in jazz, pop, and classical music and has a fluid style that swings, often with unabashed glee.


To find out more about the series, go to www.russelllibrary.org. To find out more about Freddie Bryant, go to www.freddiebryant.com.  Check out all the good work of Noah B at www.noahjazz.com.

(This post also appears, in an edited version, on my blog, at steptempest.blogspot.com.)

Author Elisabeth Petry "Overcoming the Odds"

The Middlesex County Historical Society presents author Elisabeth Petry who will speak on the topic, “Overcoming the Odds: Anna Louise James and Ann Petry Gamble and Win” on Tuesday, February 24 at 7:00 pm.  The program, co-sponsored by Russell Library, will be held in the Hubbard Room of the library located at 123 Broad Street, Middletown.  The illustrated talk will expand on essays included in the recently published book, "African American Connecticut Explored" (The Driftless Connecticut Series & Garnet Books/Wesleyan University Press), and will illuminate the lives and work of these two remarkable women.

Petry, the great-niece of Anna Louise James and daughter of Ann Petry, will reveal the reasons Miss James became the first African American woman to obtain a pharmacy license and operate a pharmacy for more than forty years in Old Saybrook.  She will also discuss the writings of her mother, a best selling novelist, and will include readings from her essay, “Just Like Georgia, Except for the Climate: Black Life at Mid-Century in Ann Petry’s The Narrows,” which appeared in "African American Connecticut Explored".

A native of Old Saybrook, Elisabeth Petry is a writer and former journalist and lawyer.  Her first book, a collection of letters that she edited, is titled "Can Anything Beat White?: A Black Family’s Letters".  Her second is "At Home Inside:  A Daughter’s Tribute to Ann Petry", published in 2008.  Liz has also taught English and is conducting a weekly writer’s workshop for military veterans.  She lives with her husband, Lawrence Riley, in Middletown.

Copies of "African American Connecticut Explored" as well as copies of Petry’s books will be available for purchase and inscription.  Russell Library is handicap accessible.  For further information, contact the Historical Society at 860-346-0746.

Tom Callinan Comes Home to Sing War Songs

The Middlesex County Historical Society presents the CD-release concert for Middletown native Tom Callinan’s latest recording entitled “We Owe Allegiance To No Crown” on Tuesday, April 1, at 7:00 pm in the Hubbard Room at Russell Library, 123 Broad Street in Middletown.  The recordings contains seventeen songs from and about the War of 1812, along with contemporary compositions (mostly original), based on facts, legend, and lore and will be available for purchase at the conclusion of the concert. 

Viewed by many as "America's Second War of Independence," the War of 1812 is often overlooked or overshadowed by the American Revolution and the Civil War.  But many events of that conflict are burned into the American consciousness such as the burning of the Capitol and White House in Washington, D.C. and the failed bombardment by the British of Fort McHenry that inspired Francis Scott Key to pen the words of the "The Star-Spangled Banner." A little known fact of the war was that Federalist opposition to "Mr. Madison's War," particularly in New England, almost caused Northern states to secede from the union … nearly 40 years before the Civil War.

1814 was the year that most impacted Connecticut during the War of 1812, and of the seventeen songs on the CD six relate to people and events in Middlesex County during this bicentennial year.  In honor of the April 8^th raid and burning of the fleet in Essex, Tom has penned a trilogy: the lively "Save The Sloops, Brigs & Schooners"; the lament "Pine, Oak, & Tar"; and an attempt to address the many still-unanswered "Burning Questions At Potapaug".  "Enough!" recounts the valiant resistance of the Clinton militia, while "Irish Luck & Pluck" chronicles the naval journey of Captain Thomas Macdonough, who chose Middletown as his adopted home.  The period piece "The Constitution And The Guerriere" touts the victory of Captain Isaac Hull, who spent time in Middletown before taking command of "Old Ironsides".

A highly regarded folksinger, songwriter, storyteller, sea-chanteyman, and multi-instrumentalist, Mr. Callinan is now in his 37^th year as a full-time creative and performing artist.  During that time, he has cultivated a reputation as a collector and presenter of songs from America's past, as well as a creator of songs in the styles reminiscent of historical periods.  In recognition of his talent and achievements, Tom was named Connecticut’s first Official State Troubadour.  He and his wife, Ann Shapiro, founded CRACKERBARREL ENTERTAINMENTS, an agency that provides enrichment and family programming, primarily in the Eastern United States.

Russell Library is handicap accessible and this program is free and open to the public.  For further information, contact the Historical Society at 860-346-0746.  

The Historical Society Presents

On Tuesday March 4, the Middlesex County Historical Society presents a talk by local historian James Sarbaugh on Native American tribes in the Middletown area and their interactions with British settlers. The talk is a wonderful exploration of the clash and combining of cultures in the colonial era.  

The event, which is free and open to the public, takes place at 7 p.m. in the Hubbard Room of the Russell Library, 123 Broad Street in Middletown. For more information, go to www.middlesexhistory.org or call 860-346-0746.  

Author & Professor Victor Triay in The Hubbard Room 2/18

Story of Cuban Underground Freedom Fighters to be Topic of Historical Society Program

Havana, Cuba, 1960. The euphoria following the nation’s successful revolution the previous year has waned among large sectors of the population.  Cuba’s new leader, Fidel Castro, after having promised to restore democracy to the troubled island, is moving the country toward a Communist dictatorship.  In response, democratic forces launch an anti-government insurgency to save Cuba from totalitarian darkness.  This struggle forms the basis of the trilogy of historical fiction that is The Unbroken Circle series.  The story centers on the middle class Leon family who is caught up in a world of warfare, betrayal, and separation during the early years of the Cuban Revolution.

In Book I, The Struggle Begins, Goyo Leon, a devoted teacher and family man, is recruited into the anti-Castro underground after his father is killed at the hands of Castro’s henchmen.  He and other family members subsequently become more deeply involved in the pro-democracy struggle every day.  Told with heart-pounding suspense of a Cold War saga and the poignancy of a family drama, The Struggle Begins sets the stage for Book II, Freedom Betrayed, the story of the Goyo’s and other family members’ participation in the Bay of Pigs invasion.  After the invasion, the two youngest members of the Leon family are separated from the family after being sent away on an airlift of Cuban refugee children.

In a program sponsored by the Middlesex County Historical Society, Victor Triay, the author of these spellbinding books, will speak about how he came to write the series, about the characters, and about the history behind the fiction at a program to be held on Tuesday, February 18 at 7:00 pm in the Hubbard Room at Russell Library.  He will also recount his experiences researching the many events depicted in the books.  

Triay, the son of Cuban exiles, was raised in Miami, a center of the Cuban exile community.  He received his PhD. in History from Florida State University in 1995 and has been a professor in history at Middlesex Community College since 1992.  His first book, Fleeing Castro: Operation Pedro Pan and the Cuban Children’s Program, was followed by Bay of Pigs: An Oral History of Brigade 2506, which received the 2001 Samuel Proctor Oral History Prize of the Florida Historical Association.  Copies of Books I and II in the Unbroken Circle series will be available for purchase and inscription.  Russell Library, located at 123 Broad Street, Middletown, is handicap accessible.  This program is free and open to the public.  For further information, contact the Historical Society at 860-346-0746.

Russell Library News (Very Good News)

The person on the left is Chris Angeli, former Head of Circulation at Russell Library. On the right is Brandie Doyle, who has just been named the new Head of Circulation at the Library.  Ms. Angeli is now Head Librarian at Milford Library. Below is the press release (thanks to the Middletown Patch for the photograph):

Russell Library Promotes Brandie Doyle to Head of Circulation Services

Russell Library in Middletown, CT has announced the promotion of Brandie Doyle to Circulation Services Department Head.  Among other duties, she will be responsible for supervising Circulation staff; planning and managing the circulation of materials; registration of borrowers, and interlibrary loans; overseeing maintenance of the adult circulating book collection; and selecting materials for the adult fiction collection.

Brandie was the Business and Career Resources Librarian with Russell Library for two years. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Bachelor of Social Work degrees from Arizona State University in 2006.  Brandie earned a Master of Library and Information Science degree from Simmons College in 2011 and completed the New England Library Leadership Symposium in 2013. She is Chair of the Connecticut Library Association’s Customer Service Committee and a member of the American Library Association, Public Library Association, New England Library Association, and Connecticut Library Association. She has also written for Public Libraries Online, the companion website to the print publication Public Libraries. Her contributions may be found at http://publiclibrariesonline.org/author/brandiedoyle/

For Adam's Sake at Russell Library

The Middlesex County Historical Society is pleased to present Allegra di Bonaventura who will discuss her book, For Adam’s Sake, in the Hubbard Room at Russell Library at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, November 19. For Adam’s Sake has been described by John Demos, the author of Unredeemed Captive, as “A work of astonishing ingenuity, intellectual and emotional depth, and (most of all) brilliant writing.” It is the story of two families: Joshua Hempstead, a well-respected farmer and tradesman in New London, Connecticut and his slave of thirty years, Adam Jackson. Hempstead’s remarkable diary—kept from 1711 until 1758—is the basis of this engrossing narrative of family life and the slave experience in the colonial North. Significant primary documents from churches and various civic and private archives also serve as source materialdescribes the complexity of this master/slave relationship and traces the intertwining stories of two families until the eve of the Revolution. Slavery is often left out of our collective memory of New England’s history, but it was hugely impactful on the central unit of colonial life: the family. In every corner, the lines between slavery and freedom were blurred as families across the social spectrum fought to survive. In this enlightening study, a new portrait of an era emerges.

For Adam’s Sake describes the complexity of this master/slave relationship and traces the intertwining stories of two families until the eve of the Revolution. Slavery is often left out of our collective memory of New England’s history, but it was hugely impactful on the central unit of colonial life: the family. In every corner, the lines between slavery and freedom were blurred as families across the social spectrum fought to survive. In this enlightening study, a new portrait of an era emerges.

Allegra di Bonaventura is Assistant Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Science at Yale University. She received a Ph.D. in History from Yale as well as a Juris Doctor.  She also holds a B.A. in History and an M.A. in German from Middlebury College. Her responsibilities include the academic affairs of the graduate programs in the Humanities, African American Studies, East Asian Studies, European and Russian Studies, International Development & Economics, and International Relations. She will have copies of the book for purchase and inscription.


 

Russell Library, located at 123 Broad Street in Middletown, is handicap accessible.  The program is free and open to the public.  For more information, contact the Historical Society at 860-346-0746.

 

 

Music Inside & Out

South Green/Union Park looks very pleasant in this picture but too empty for a Tuesday night.  This week (7/30), the Park sound fill with people to enjoy the sounds of the Trevor Davis Jazz Quintet with guest vocalist Carolyn Reeves.  Mr. Davis is well-known around this area not only as a successful commercial real estate person but also as a patron of the arts. He's also a fine jazz drummer who plays in various spots around town.  For this night, he's joined by the fine bassist Mike Asetta as well as Steve Donovan (keyboards) and John Smayda (saxophones) plus Ms. Reeves, a local singer/songwriter who's going to moving to the Left Coast fairly soon. During the intermission, Tre Davis, the drummer's son, will sing and play piano.  Bring your lawn chairs, a libation or 2 and a sweater because the long-range forecast calls for clear skies and cooler temps.  The event is, as always, free and open to the public.  For more information, go to arts2go.org, the on-line presence of the Middletown Commission on the Arts, sponsor of the weekly Summer Sounds Concert series.

The weather also looks promising for the 4th concert in the Wednesday Wadsworth Mansion Concert Series, held on the spacious back lawn of the the Long Hill Estate, 421 Wadsworth Street. The concert, originally scheduled to be the 5th and final show of the summer, is actually a "first" for the series - Quartetto Vivo is the first chamber music ensemble to play outdoors in the series, now in its 11th season. Not sure of the program for this Wednesday but a quick look at their website - www.quartettovivo.com - displays a repertoire that ranges from Bach to Haydn to Zappa and plenty of stops in-between.  The Estate grounds open at 5:30 p.m. and the music starts at 6:30. For more information about the Music at the Mansion series, go to www.wadsworthmansion.com.

Thursday evening August 1, The Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, presents Indra Rios-Moore, who performs under her first name in concert at 7 p.m. in The Hubbard Room.  Indra, born in New York City to a Puerto Rican mother and African American mother, attended Smith College where she studied, among other subjects, classical vocal music.  She now lives in Denmark with her husband, saxophonist Benjamin Traerup.  When they first moved back to Traerup's homeland, they joined forces with bassist Thomas Sejthen. The trio's debut CD was recorded and issued shortly after the relocation - the album features vocals and fiddle from Indra's friend Rani Arbo (who now lives in Middletown.)  The new recording, "In Between", came out in 2012 and won the Danish Jazz Award for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year.  Because of the spare instrumentation, Indra's voice really stands out - she is a passionate singer who really inhabits each song, enunciating the lyrics yet imbuing the words with honest emotion.  To find out more about the group and the music, go to indra.dk.  The library website is russelllibrary.org.

And, if that's not enough, Indra will also appear at the Sunken Garden Poetry series at the Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington on Wednesday August 7 opening for Billy Collins.  For more information, go to sunkengardenpoetry.org.

All 3 of the concerts in Middletown are free and open to the public so you should really take advantage of this great music.

Talking About Writers of the Civil War

The Middlesex County Historical Society presents "Shock and Awe in 1862: American Writers and the Meaning of the Civil War" on Thursday March 7 at 7 pm in the Hubbard Room of Russell Library 123 Broad Street. Trinity College Professor Christopher Hager will trace the different ways American authors including Hawthorne, Melville, Emerson, and Davis responded to the shocking turns of events that marked the second year of the Civil War. There will also be copies of his new book, Word by Word: Emancipation and the Act of Writing (Harvard University Press) for sale and inscription. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 860-347-0746.

Are You Ready For "Ready Player One"?

One Book One Middletown Ready Player One Gaming Kick-off

Friday March 1 - 3PM-6PM  - Hubbard Room

Come play with us on the XBox 360 Kinect to celebrate the One Book One Middletown novel "Ready Player One" by Ernest Cline on Friday, March 1st from 3PM-6PM in the Hubbard Room at Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown.  We will be trying to achieve our own high scores on a variety of nostalgic 80s video games while enjoying pizza and other 80s sound bytes.  No registration is required. Copies of Ready Player One are available for check-out in the first floor lobby.

Starting Your Vegetable Garden From Seeds At Russell Library

You won't be growing seeds at the library, but it is there that you'll hear a talk on how to grow seeds
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Thursday, February 21
7:00pm
Hubbard Room

Find out how to successfully start your garden from seeds. Whether for economic, health or environmental reasons, an increasing number of Americans are taking a much more active role in producing their own food. One of the most direct ways of pursuing this goal is growing a vegetable garden in your yard or a community garden. Once the decision is made to grow a garden, the next step is to decide how to provide the plants for your garden, to buy them or grow them from seed. This can be a fascinating process that not only saves you money, but also allows you a much greater variety of vegetables from which to choose. And surprisingly, it's not really that difficult to produce healthy seedlings that will thrive in your garden.

Beekeeping For Beginners At Russell Library Next Week

From Russell Library:
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Wednesday, February 6
7:00 pm
Hubbard Room

If you want to learn about an exciting and interesting hobby with delicious results and are thinking about starting a bee hive or are just curious about what's involved with keeping bees, this introductory lecture on beekeeping is for you.

Beekeeper Adam Fuller will discuss bee behavior and biology, bee hive management, and essential equipment for the backyard beekeeper. He is owner of A & Z Apiaries in Hampton, CT and a beekeeper with more than 30 years of experience.

This lecture is free and open to the public, but we do ask that you call to reserve a seat: (860) 347-2520.

In case of inclement weather, the program will be held on Wednesday, February 13 at 7pm.

Live at Russell Library

Here's a good-looking and potentially fine sounding concert tip from The Russell Library:

This Saturday (December 1), violinist Emil Altschuler and pianist Artem Belogurov will perform Danzas Españolas. This beautiful and fiery program explores the works of composers such as Falla, Ravel, and Poulenc who were inspired by the music and historical events of Spain.

One of America’s finest up and coming virtuoso violinists, Emil Altschuler (pictured above) performs at a world class standard and possesses a commanding stage presence. He holds degrees from Juilliard School and Yale School of Music.  Master violinist, Erick Friedman, wrote of him: '...a very gifted violinist who possesses the talent and capability to become a truly outstanding violinist of his generation...and sound and accuracy of intonation that are truly extraordinary.”

Pianist Artem Belogurov (pictured left) is a rising young artist whose lively and expressive performances have delighted audiences in the United States and Europe.  He received his early training at the Stolyarsky School of Music in Odessa, Ukraine and his Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from the New England Conservatory in Boston.   He is currently a student of Peter Serkin.  His extensive repertoire ranges through three centuries of solo and chamber works.  Artem has been praised for his “grace, elegance and high artistry” and has given numerous solo and chamber recitals throughout the United States and Europe.

This concert takes place at 2 p.m. in the Hubbard Room and, of course, is free and open to the public.