Visual arts
• Floral painting class with Peter Granucci: It's spring, the flowers are blooming and we are all captivated by the rush of color and the excitement of new growth. In this floral painting class, led by Peter Granucci, you will create exuberant and exciting paintings full of passion, vibrancy and color. Learn to paint dynamic background and experience freedom in painting.
The Saxtons River Art Guild invites you to join them on Saturday, May 14, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at The United Church in Bellows Falls, for this day of painting with one of New England's foremost artists and teachers. All skill levels in oil, pastel, and acrylics are welcome. Call Kathy at 802-463-9456 or Donna at 603-835-2387 for cost information and to register for the workshop.
Film
• “See What I'm Saying” at the Latchis: The Vermont Interpreter Referral Service (VIRS) will host its sixth annual Yolande Henry Community Fund fundraiser at the Latchis Theatre in Brattleboro on Saturday, May 14, at 4:15 p.m., with a screening of the award-winning film, See What I'm Saying: The Deaf Entertainers Documentary.
Scott Bowles of USA Today wrote about this movie: “Hilari Scari's powerful and moving film about the unsung community of deaf entertainers does something few documentaries accomplish: It takes us into a world we know little or nothing about and not only enlightens, but entertains. Intertwining the story of four fascinating artists, “See what I'm Saying” manages to touch on universal themes of human nature while still allowing us to peek inside a vibrant community that, before this, was relegated to a handful of high profile deaf celebrities.”
Pizza slices provided by Hillside Organic Pizza will be for sale before the show. The Latchis' concession stand will also be open. Raffle tickets will be on sale for cash prizes. All proceeds from ticket, raffle, and pizza sales will benefit the Yolande Henry Community Fund, which pays for sign language interpreters for family events in Vermont not covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for ages 4-12 $5, and free for kids under age 4. For more information, contact virs@sover.net or call 800-639-1519 (V/TTY) or 802 254-3920 (V/TTY).
Music
• Legion Band performs: The annual spring concert will be presented by the Brattleboro American Legion Band, co-directed by Bruce Corwin and Raymond Brown, on Wednesday, May 11, at 7:30 p.m., at the Legion Home on Linden Street. There is no admission charge, but a free will offering will be accepted.
The first half of the program, under the direction of Brown, opens with the overture Sunburst by Erik Morales, a composition depicts the peaceful, awe-inspiring moments after a thunderstorm, and An Irish Ayre for Winds, an original work by Warren Barker, replete with gentle melodies reminiscent of traditional Irish ballads. Then it is on to one of John Williams' movie soundtrack blockbusters, the Superman Suite for Concert Band, followed by Frank Ticheli's Shenandoah, inspired by the freedom and beauty of the folk melody and the natural images evoked by the words. Music from the Broadway hit Chicago, is next, and the first half of the program concludes with Jerry Bilik's American Civil War Fantasy, a brilliant arrangement of music popular during the mid-19th century.
The second half is directed by Corwin and will start with The Liberty Bell by John Philip Sousa, followed by a march new to the band. Gallant Marines. Several sections of the band will be featured in such numbers as Woodwind Marmalade, featuring the clarinets, flutes and saxophones; Flight of the Flutes, a special number featuring just the flutes; and Lassus Trombone, featuring the trombone section. The more serious piece of the evening will be a number entitled The Power of One, which may be classed as a modern day fugue.
The program also includes a tango, El Choclo, and ends with the old favorites The Armed Forces Salute and God Bless America.
• 'Get Lucky' party in Saxtons River: On Friday the 13th of May, the funky trio Green Zone will be playing from 7:30-10:30 p.m. at Pleasant Valley Brewing in Saxtons River.
Green Zone was formed in 2009 when bassist Mark Crowther and guitar troubadour Ben Mitchell of Jake's Level hooked up with Johnny Yuma, drummer and founder of Simba to make a tight little trio, playing funk, ska, soul, and reggae. Admission is free. Come prepared to dance.
• Supper and Dance in Guilford: The town of Guilford's 250th anniversary celebration, a year-long series of events in 2011, features a “Dance a Month” at Broad Brook Grange. The series continues with an evening of country & western and swing dancing with the Swingin' Doors on Saturday, May 14, from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Admission is free, with donations welcome.
The event will be preceded by another in the series of suppers produced by the Brattleboro Area Interfaith Youth Group. They will serve a chili supper between 5 and 7 p.m., the cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. Pre-schoolers are free and no reservations are required.
• Hans Hielscher in Estey Organ concert: The Estey Organ Museum and First Baptist Church are pleased to present organist and carillonneur Hans U. Hielscher of Wiesbaden, Germany, in concert on the Estey pipe organ May 15 at 3 p.m. at First Baptist Church on Main Street in Brattleboro.
This unique program will include works by Guilmant, Pasini, Rheinberger, and Rawsthorne. The concert is benefits the Estey Organ Museum and there is a $15 suggested donation.
Since 1979, Mr. Hielscher has served as Organist-Carillonneur (Director of Music) at the Wiesbaden Marktkirche and Municipal Organist at the Wiesbaden Kurhaus Concert Hall. Since 1962, he has delighted audiences with more than 2,800 organ recitals throughout the world in such venues as Paris, Milano, London, Liverpool, Ely, Salisbury, Norwich, Wells, Canterbury, Prague, Budapest, Bern, Zürich, Oslo, and Stockholm. His passion for the instrument and music is contagious.
Hielscher suggested the idea for the concert when he brought a tour of 35 German organists to Brattleboro in 2009 to see the home of the world famous Estey Organ Company. During that visit he had a chance to play the pipe organ at First Baptist Church as well as demonstrate a variety of organs at the Estey Organ Museum in the historic factory buildings on Birge Street. He vowed to return and perform.
Find out more about the Estey Organ Museum at www.estyorganmuseum.org.
• Ellis Paul in Putney: Twilight Music presents Ellis Paul, one of the leading voices of the American singer/songwriter world, with fellow contemporary folk troubadour Seth Glier, at Next Stage in Putney on Saturday, May 14, at 7:30 p.m.
Paul is one of the top songwriters to emerge out of the fertile Boston folk scene. With his infectious melodicism, literate lyrics and honest performing style, he helped create a movement that revitalized the national acoustic circuit with an urban, literate, folk rock style that helped renew interest in the genre in the 1990s and has bridged the gulf between the modern folk sound and the populist traditions of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger more successfully than perhaps any of his songwriting peers.
A passionate and energetic performer with a keen sense of the human condition, Glier writes thoughtful lyrics that seem to amplify the cry of the ordinary heart. The 22-year-old singer/songwriter, pianist and guitarist has quickly established himself on the national scene performing over 200 shows a year and has shared stages with such diverse artists as James Taylor, Mark Knopfler, The Verve Pipe and Edwin McCain.
Next Stage is located in the former United Church at 15 Kimball Hill in downtown Putney. Tickets for this concert are $16 general admission, $14 students and seniors. For ticket reservations and information, call 802-254-9276. The concert is presented in conjunction with Next Stage Arts Project. For more information, visit www.ellispaul.com, www.sethglier.com and www.twilightmusic.org.
• Bruce Molsky at Sandglass Theater: Master fiddler, singer, guitarist, and banjo player Bruce Molsky will be performing at the Sandglass Theater in Putney on Sunday, May 15, at 7 p.m.
Tickets will be $15 on the day of the performance, $12 in advance. There are available through http://cattailmusic.com, or by calling Scott Ainslie at 802-257-7391.
• Jazz protegy plays in Guilford: Wendy Redlinger's Soirees Musicale will host the Bob Stabach 4tet, with special guest artist 16-year-old jazz phenom Dave Millazzo on Sunday, May 15.
Last July, Millazzo performed with Bob Stabach's group at Redlinger's to a wowed and appreciative audience witnessing a young musician at the beginning of a promising musical career. Since then, he has won a full scholarship to the Berklee College's Summer Jazz Workshop and was selected as the only saxophonist for the Dave Brubeck Institute's Summer Jazz Colony in California with all expenses paid.
The Bob Stabach 4tet includes seasoned musicians Eugene Uman, piano; George Kaye, bass; Tim Gilmore, drums, and Bob on sax. The concert begins at 4;30 p.m., with an optional potluck intermission at at 5:30 p.m., at Redlinger's home on Tater Lane in Guilford. For more information, call 802-254-6189. Suggested donation is $8 to $15.
• Singers sought for Beethoven's Ninth: On June 12, the Windham Orchestra, under the direction of Hugh Keelan, will present the magnificent Ninth Symphony of Ludwig van Beethoven as the orchestra's season finale on the lawn outside Lawton Hall at the Brattleboro Retreat.
A festival chorus will be created for the triumphant last movement, one of the most famous pieces of music of all time. This is an unmissable opportunity for singers to participate in this great work. Rehearsals begin on Wednesday evening, May 25, with the full rehearsal schedule to be found on the Brattleboro Music Center website. All singers are heartily encouraged to call choirmaster Susan Dedell via the Brattleboro Music Center at 802-257-4523 for more information about how to participate.