Issue 22 • December 2019 • Facebook.com/TalkArts
IT’S ALL ABOUT
ARTS
Supporting Local Arts and Culture
MURIEL ANGELIL
DECEMBER 2019 In This Issue Muriel Angelil Paintings, Sculpture, Books and More by Janice Williams
Artists of Springhouse Gallery at Springhouse Senior Living By Karen Ann Levy, Writer/Curator
A Bridge Over..... Historical Waters by Curt Naihersey
Triggers, A Christmas Story! by Johnny Horner
The Local Music Corner by Perry Persoff
To Do Around Town in December by Tess McColgan
Boston Skyline Chorus brings angelic a capella stylings to the holiday season By Mary Ellen Gambon
Poetry Compiled by Curt Naihersey FOR SANGEETA PERSAUD by Steven Levin DIASPORA by Phyllis Bluhm
Special
• Holiday Art Market • Ruth Brownstein Featured at Canvas Fine Arts Gallery SoWa • Boston Compass Artists Reception & Exhibit at BNN Neighborhood Art Gallery • Horizon I Art Exhibit at Square Root Caffe • The Little Art Lending Library at Art Studio 99 in Roslindale • MIT Endicott House, Dedham • Centre Cuts Salon and Spa, Roslindale
Support local artsts and buy from them whenever you can! It’s All About Arts Magazine December 2019
IT’S ALL ABOUT ARTS www.itsallaboutarts.com facebook.com/TalkArts ROSLINDALE ARTS ALLIANCE www.roslindalearts.org facebook.com/Roslindale-Arts-Alliance-129685993761701 ART STUDIO 99 www.artstudio99.com facebook.com/Art-Studio-99-145566388819141 Twitter @artstudio99 Instagram - janice_art_studio_99 Published by It’s All About Arts by Janice Williams, Editor Copyright 2019 - All Rights Reserved Glenn Williams - 617-543-7443 glennsmusic.williams@gmail.com Janice Williams - 617-710-3811 janice@artfulgift.com TO ADVERTISE - REQUEST OUR MEDIA KIT ALL ADVERTISING REVENUE GOES TO THE IT’S ALL ABOUT ARTS YOUTH ART SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. MORE
On Exhibit at BNN Neighborhood Art Gallery
Art Work from Boston Compass Artists Brain Arts Organization, a 501(c)(3) non-profit brought to you by the musicians, artists, writers, and enthusiasts of the Boston area. Your daily guide, strictly focusing on the independent & underground music / art / film scenes and communities in Greater Boston and New England at large, and the often marginalized cultures that comprise and support them. The Boston Compass is a 4-page free newspaper distributed monthly to over 300 community spaces across the Greater Boston Area. With approximately 6k issues printed monthly, each issue serves primarily as a directory of curated music, art, and film events, focusing on non-commercial and under-represented artists in our community. https://brain-arts.org
November and December 2019 Reception on Thursday Dec. 12 6-9pm RSVP: mdouglas@bnnmedia.org It’s All About Arts Magazine December 2019
BNN Charles J. Beard II Media Center 3025 Washington Street Egleston Square, Boston, MA 02119 http://www.bnnmedia.org
Muriel Angelil – Paintings, Sculpture, Books and More By Janice Williams
“…an environmental artist who uses nature as a metaphor for the interplay of physical states and human emotions”, so, says Muriel Angelil, a multi-talented, Egyptian born artist from Amesbury. Muriel Angelil is a graduate of the American University of Beirut, Rhode Island School of Design and holds an MFA from Vermont College in Montpelier, Vermont. Her work is intense yet playful. Angelil paints and prints (acrylic, watercolor, encaustic), is an outdoor environmental sculptor, writes (novels and poetry) and teaches (experimental painting short workshops) in her studio in Amesbury. Her creative energy is boundless and is always evolving. Angelil’s early art career involved working with fabric. She has taught textile arts and design at various colleges in the Boston area. She also taught different forms of fiber arts at adult education centers and museums throughout New England. Angelil has created many site-specific installations in parks and nature centers in the greater Boston area. In the early 1990’s, she joined the Reclamation Artists who created outdoor installations with a political thrust, notably at Big Dig sites before construction began. Angelil is the chairperson of the abstract group at the Newburyport Art Association and belongs to the printmakers group and the watercolor group. When asked “who are your favorite artists”? Angelil quickly answered - “Mark Rothko, Helen Frankenthaler, Georgia O’Keefe and Gerhard Richter”. You can readily see these influences in her latest paintings. One sees a mastery of abstract painting technique yet a fluid connection with nature and living in her work. Angelil is a published author of three It’s All About Arts Magazine December 2019
books: “Back to the Past, A Daughter of the Nile” (a fascinating story of growing up Christian in an Islamic Alexandria, Egypt in the 40’s): “In Close Embrace” and “justsaying”, both books of poetry. leaves by Muriel Angelil at the Lawrence airport amazed to see fields of grass no buildings, no people, is this the USA? I wondered, newly arrived from Egypt one bright September day my destination was Lowell to study textiles abroad. A shuttle full of people winding down a road lined with trees welcoming me with oranges, purples, golds, Yellow, and reds ‘like a technicolor movie,’ I exclaimed, pressed to the window of the car marvelous multitude of colors! later I sent leaves of gold sealed in special envelopes to my mother in Alexandria, tokens of love from my new home.
Muriel Angelil – Paintings, Sculpture, Books and More By Janice Williams continued
Angelil eagerly shares her talents and life’s journey. Her work is spiritual and ethereal. According to Angelil, “My dad’s passing in 1996, propelled me towards spiritual experiences. I have studied shamanism, energy healing, spiritualism, Buddhism and much more. These experiences have opened up a new creative thrust in my life and career”. Angelil’s next big exhibit will be at the Provident bank in Newburyport from January 2020 to June 2020. Her work is now available printed on many designs such as clothing and pillows (https://www.art-a-porter.com/en/muriel.angelil). Follow Angelil at https://www.instagram.com/murielangelil/ More info at https://murielangelil.com/
It’s All About Arts Magazine December 2019
Artists of Springhouse Gallery at Springhouse Senior Living By Karen Ann Levy, Writer/Curator While Springhouse Senior Living doesn’t have resident artists, their residents happen to be a group of intelligent, cultured and creative retired professionals, many of whom are artists by hobby and even a handful of professional artists representing a lifetime of artwork. An Independent Living Gallery Committee plans each gallery show. As a collaboration of residents, the gallery committee focuses on all forms of art, enjoying planning unique shows, each with a different feel from the last. The Gallery Committee connects with other residents at Springhouse and local Artists from throughout Boston to show in the Gallery. On Friday, November 15 the Springhouse Gallery was excited to launch their yearly resident art show for it’s eighth year running. This year the Gallery opened with over 20 residents work. Residents were welcome to submit art of any medium. This year our gallery curator received beautiful works of poetry, crochet and needle point works, paintings in watercolor, oils and acrylics, photography, sculptures and more. Here are some residents who are highlighted artists from this years show:
JOAN LUSTIG
Joan Lustig is a multifaceted award winning artist who works in acrylics, monotypes, mixed media and jewelry. Her designs are spontaneous and intuitive and develop as the work progresses. As the interaction of color, texture and shapes grow, she draws from her inner experiences to resolve the work. Her vision is to have a response from the viewer, based on their own feelings or emotions to the piece. In addition to exhibiting and winning awards in museum shows and galleries, she has had several solo shows. “I was fortunate to have studied at Brooklyn College when Mark Rothko, Ad Reinhardt, Barnett Newman, Jimmy Ernst and other gifted instructors were there…” Joan has worked in many media and found monotypes to be exciting. A monotype or monoprint has been described as a one of a kind piece of artwork, created by transferring an image to paper that has been painted on plexiglass, glass or metal. The image is transferred by hand rubbing, or on an etching press, resulting in unique painterly textures and surface effects. This year Joan submitted two of her abstract oil paintings to the resident gallery show. Education & Affiliations, Past & Present: Bachelor of Arts in Design, Brooklyn College; National Association of Women’s Artists (NAWA); Artists’ Guild at Northwood University; Ceramic League of the Palm Beaches; Florida Artists Group (FLAG); National Collage Society; Florida Craftsmen, Artists of Palm Beach County. It’s All About Arts December 2019
Artists of Springhouse Gallery at Springhouse Senior Living Continued
CARMEN HURWITZ
Carmen is a highly educated Designer originally from Mexico City. She was a certified calligrapher in Mexico City and keeps active currently in calligraphy by creating beautiful designer cards for family and friends. Carmen has a unique anddeveloped aesthetic from having progressed from an expressive upbringing to working at Harvard School of Design as the assistant to the Dean and redesigned the interior of the Dean’s suite. “Currently, I enjoy and connect with art that expresses my culture and family. For this years resident show she is displaying “Para Andres” (For Andres.) This sculptural piece was made as a Christmas gift in a dia de las muertos style that Carmen’s son, Andres loves so much, as well as integrating a Feliz Navidad spin.
SANDY GREEN
Sandy is an award winning artist who began as a teenager with a fortunate admission to the High School and Music and Art in Manhattan. Following year’s stint in a conservative Syracuse University she tested for Cooper Union Art School, then teaching everything new and adventurous in fine arts and design. “After a few year in textile design, my husband and family came to give me new satisfaction and support. I was able to paint and explore many different styles and medium, from Sargent and Homer to Matisse and Picasso, from drawing in charcoal to pastels to water colors, oils and hope to continue... Art is long, time is short.”
It’s All About Arts December 2019
Artists of Springhouse Gallery at Springhouse Senior Living Continued
FUZZY DOWNS
Fuzzy is our inspiring 108 year old resident whom became an artist as her third career at age 85. After retiring as a Physician at age 65, Fuzzy realized she wasn’t ready for retirement. At 65 she studied and became an archaeologist, exploring the world, going into tiny caves and holes none of the other archaeologists could fit into. Retiring once more at 85, Fuzzy created a whirlwind of cartoons reflecting daily life and happenings at Springhouse and moving onto a variety of mediums. Fuzzy is known best for painting remarkable watercolor scenes, often representing movement of the wind or scene in a beautiful and unique way. This year Fuzzy submitted two watercolor scenes, one of Boston and another of icicles on a window.
GROUP COLLABORATION
This Frida Kahlo watercolor was made as a group activity by our Allen House Group (memory care) as part of a weekly therapeutic art group facilitated by a master’s level Art Therapy student from Lesley University.”
Springhouse Gallery is open to the public and the resident show will be running until the last week of December 2019. Stay tuned to the Springhouse Facebook page to keep up to date with our past and present shows, all shows are six weeks long and we look forward sharing our resident artists as well as local artists from around Boston. 44 Allendale Street, Boston, MA 02130. https://www.facebook. com/Springhouse-Senior-Living-Community-190881027625897/ - https://www.springhouseboston.org/
It’s All About Arts December 2019
Buy from Local Artists Holiday Art Market JANICE WILLIAMS ART Seasons Original Art Cards Set of 4 Blank inside 4x6 with envelope $10.00 (includes shipping) To Purchase contact janice@artfulgift.com
STEPHEN LEVIN ART 1. Coasters, set of 4 Brooches, Original Photograph. $18.00 2. 5x7 Print on Slate, w/stand. Night Blooming Cereus. Original Photograph. $75.00 3. 5x7 Print on Slate, w/stand. Daisies. Original Photograph. $75.00 To purchase contact: stephenjlevin@gmail.com
DAVID KULIK ART African Queen $20.00 T Shirts To see more styles and to purchase https://www.davidkulikart.com It’s All About Arts Magazine December 2019
A BRIDGE OVER…..HISTORICAL WATERS
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by Curt Naihersey
Time corrodes everything - people, places, and things. But sometimes events crop up to rectify that sense of impermanence. Recently, in Hyde Park, a redeveloped bridge was dedicated to two sisters who exemplified morality and social equality in an era not usually thought of as progressive or uplifting. Through determination and persistence, Angelina and Sarah Grimké persevered in their controversial plight to denounce slavery and establish the voting rights of women… in the mid-1800s!! They were among the first FEMALE public speakers on any subject, at a time when even men were condemned for speaking out against slavery. Fifty years before the 19th Amendment granted women citizens in the United States the right to vote, they led a group of Hyde Park women to vote in the local election. Their march and vote was the first in Massachusetts and the publicity it gained hoped to galvanize many more throughout the country. Thus, in an attempt to rewrite the historical male narrative to make it more inclusive, and through the efforts of the Hyde Park Historical Society, the renaming of the Dana Ave. bridge to become The Grimké Sisters Bridge is now a reality.
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One of the speakers at the well-attended dedication was the curator for the Historical S o c i e t y, E l i s a B i r d s e y e . I n p r e commentary, she insisted that the sisters should be known, recognized, and honored for their abolitionist and suffragette activities. “To have the courage to stand up when you don’t know what the outcome is, that’s really something else. It’s really important to recognize and to honor the fact that there might not have been much
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of a women’s suffrage movement if they hadn’t spoken out as much as they did.”
Here is her speech. After the ceremonies, we chatted with Elisa:
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Good morning! And it is a very good morning. Thank you, Mayor Walsh, fellow speakers, and guests. I promise to be brief given the weather. When it comes to historical figures being memorialized in this country, women have been largely overlooked. And since what is visible becomes accepted history, to fail to honor the role women have played in the struggles for equality and human rights denies not only the women themselves their just recognition, it deprives all future generations of understanding what happened fully in any given historical moment.
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Knowledge of history is critical to understanding where you are now. If you don’t know how you got here, it’s almost impossible to make changes for the better. I’d like to recognize Patrice Gatozzi and Boston Women Inc. who are here to celebrate with us. This organization was founding in Hyde Park to recognize strong women, both past and present, who exemplify the character of Angelina and Sarah. They have been honoring the Grimke Sisters for many years with an award in their name at their Annual “Women Amongst Us Tea” celebrated in March – Women’s History Month. They invite you to join them in 2020 for the 10th Anniversary Tea on March 21st at Granite Links as they pay tribute to four incredible women who are making a difference today in their Boston communities. My name is Elisa Birdseye, and I stand here representing the Hyde Park Historical Society. We were founded in 1887 by Theodore Weld, the husband of Angelina Grimke, shortly after the founding of Hyde Park itself as an independent town in 1868. Hyde Park was one of the first planned communities in the country, created as the vision of the 20 Associates who purchased land and built homes on Fairmount Hill. Sarah and Angelina and her husband and children lived in one of those houses, less than a mile from this location. Hyde Park has been the home of many people of historical interest including John Bachelder, the historian of the Civil War; Rebecca Lee Crumpler, the first African American woman physician in the country; artists John Joseph Enneking and Childe Hassam; William Monroe Trotter, one of the founders of the NAACP; hall of fame
baseball player George Wright; our beloved late Mayor, Tom Menino. It is the home of Camp Meigs, the site where the MA 54th Regiment mustered as one of the first African American regiments who fought for the Union in the Civil War. But sisters Sarah and Angelina Grimke are among the most important. Today, by dedicating this bridge in their honor, we are reminding people of the work done by two of the greatest figures in the Abolition and Women’s Rights movements. Sarah and Angelina Grimke are remarkable in any age, but even more so for the time they lived. In 1835, from her home in South Carolina, Angelina wrote an impassioned letter to William Lloyd Garrison in Boston, stating her position on slavery and abolition: “If persecution is the means which God has ordained for the accomplishment of this great end, EMANCIPATION; then…I feel as if I could say, let it come; for it is my deep, solemn, deliberate conviction, that this is a cause worth dying for.” This was 25 years before the start of the Civil War, which finally ended the formal legal status of slavery with the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. Angelina and Sarah became leading figures of the Abolition movement, speaking to mixed audiences of men and women, called in those days “promiscuous audiences”, which got them condemned from the pulpit of conservative Congregationalist houses of worship in New England. Angelina was the first woman in America to address a state legislature, and she did so on the subject of abolition. She spoke from personal knowledge with great power.
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What became clear to both Sarah and Angelina, was that in order to fully accomplish their goals as abolitionists, they would have to also have freedom from the roles and expectation of women at the time. They would need to have the right to vote. And in 1870, they led the first Women’s March in the country, here in Hyde Park, and cast a vote in a local election It is fitting and right to name a bridge in honor of these humble, yet towering women. A bridge symbolizes both movement and connection. There has been movement towards justice for human rights. Let us not forget the struggle, the dedication, the sacrifice of everyone who has made that progress possible. Let their struggle inspire and remind us to always be an active participant in the life of our community, to vote in elections, to stand up against injustice wherever we see it. Maybe, as a young student from the Grew or the Roosevelt or the Renaissance school moves over this bridge, they will be inspired by the words that are stated on the plaque to learn more about the women who are honored here, and will be the next warrior for justice that will move us forward to a better day for everyone. ********************************************
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1. How did you personally come into contact with the people who reconstructed the bridge? Councillor Tim McCarthy described the process very well. He knew of the Grimkés through the Hyde Park Historical Society. When the reconstruction process was happening, there was a discussion at City Hall about a renaming opportunity…it was a four million dollar project, one of the
oldest city owned bridges (1908), and it was a perfect opportunity to honor someone from Hyde Park. Councillor McCarthy suggested the Grimké sisters to Joyce Linehan, Chief of Policy. Joyce reached out to me (we’ve known each other a long time, pre-dating her city hall days, from working on campaigns together. My late husband, Jimmy Cawley, knew her even longer from the punk rock era.) She reached out to me, as someone on the Hyde Park Historical Society, to see if we’d be interested in supporting this. We absolutely were!! So the letter was written and sent in, some other organizations supported it as well, and the rest, as they say, is history…
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2. Was the plan specifically to honor the Grimké Sisters always at the forefront or part of a urban dialogue to be more inclusive to women? I think it was decided very quickly that the Grimké sisters were the right people to honor, especially in this year of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment.
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3. One of the other speakers, Tania Del Rio, director for the Mayor’s Office of Women’s Advancement, emphasized the importance of offering role models for young girls. Do you believe this mode will be enhanced further? Is part of your job to discover new worthy personages to honor in this way? I think that people learn from what they see. If a cause or a person is invisible, it will be lost to memory. It’s ridiculous to think that women or other marginalized groups have not contributed to the expansion of the human spirit. Every single person who has ever lived has contributed in some way, positive or negative. It’s imperative that a full, well-rounded story, however unpleasant or shameful it may be,
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is laid open to sunshine. It’s the only way we move forward and make things better. Yes, we should absolutely honor more women and other groups.
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It is not a specific mission of the Hyde Park Historical Society to discover new honorees, but I can tell you we’re in the process of doing research and planning to put a memorial on the unmarked grave of Rebecca Lee Crumpler, the first African American woman physician in the country, who lived for some time in Hyde Park. https://cfmedicine.nlm.nih.gov/physicians/ biography_73.html
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4. How can any City aid and correct further oversights? In a male dominant society, will it need more female representation to ensure other female historical figures get their due? I think the Mayor of Boston has been very supportive of changing the face of City
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Government, having women in some key policy roles, and creating the Office of Women’s Advancement. If you look at the new City Council, it is majority women, and women of color, at that! Women are changing things all on their own. It’s a long time coming, but in some ways a short time…we’ve only had the vote for 100 years, and look where we are! As Sarah Grimke’ said, ““I ask no favors for my sex. I surrender not our claim to equality. All I ask of our brethren is, that they will take their feet from off our necks, and permit us to stand upright …” It is my hope that as this last generation of oppressive old, misguided men dies off, the younger generations will have much less difficulty with equity and equality. There are plenty of thoughtful, supportive male allies out there, and together all of us can make the world better.
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TRIGGERS A Christmas Story
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by Johnny Horner
T’was the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring - not even Santa Claus. He sat quietly in his favorite armchair, close to the fire, with a blank look on his face, deep in thought. Every now and then, he would bring his hand up and stroke his chin back and forth. After a few seconds he would let out a quiet “hmmm”, then reach over to his tobacco pouch and repack his pipe while the exhaled blue smoke languished lazily over his head in a vague opaque cloud. Meanwhile, his wife Martha was scooting all around the living room, back and forth to the kitchen, tying a bow here, hanging a stocking or tinsel there, sprinkling sugar on cookies and cakes, muttering and chattering this and that, giving instructions to the elves and letting everyone know how she was beside herself with one crisis after another and how glad she was that Christmas only came once a year. In other words, she was literally creating the whole world. The elves, on the other hand, were contributing to the chaos, noise, and confusion just by being their usual mischievous selves. Every now and then Martha would stop and exclaim to the whole world: “My lord, I don’t know whether you’re elves or gremlins the way you behave.” They would all stop and look at each other, then break out in hysterical laughter while Martha would throw up her hands and disappear back into the kitchen after the whole troop of magical little creatures would continue on with instructions from Santa as how to prepare for the sleigh ride later that evening. The truth was, they were all just playing with the toys. On this particular Christmas eve the elves got away with their shenanigans far too long for Santa seemed pre-occupied with some deep mysterious thought that appeared to trouble him. Finally, Martha had enough of Santa’s dark mood and thought it quite inappropriate. “After all, it is Christmas, not a funeral!” she said. The elves heard this and all came to a screeching halt, then let out a long “Ooooohhh!” With her hands on her hips and a look on her face that would have frightened the devil, Martha stood in front of Santa, who was still oblivious to everything. At this point, one of the elves could be heard saying under his breath: “Boy - is he gonna get it!!” Martha just stood there steaming for a minute, hoping that Santa would take her cue and snap out of it. Finally, she had to say: “Mr. Claus…just what are you doing? You’re about as far away from Christmas as the Fourth of July!” Still, Santa just repacked his pipe without hearing a word, stood up, looked at her and said: “Excuse me, dear.”, walked over and re-stoked the fire, then sat back down and carried on his contemplation.
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Martha just dropped her jaw with her eyes wide open in utter amazement, let out a final “My lord, I give up!”, then retreated back to the kitchen. The elves were all doubled over and rolling on the floor with joy and laughter. Still, Santa said nothing!! Finally, Ole Saint Nick had reached a decision. He sat straight up in his chair, adjusted his glasses. tossed back a shot of Christmas cheer and called for Martha and all the elves to gather ‘round the fire. After they were all seated, he stood up and walked over to the fire to face them. “Now please…” he said in a soft reflective tone of voice while looking down at his pipe in hand. “Give me your undivided attention, for this year I have come to a very serious decision concerning Christmas.” Everyone took in a deep breath, looked at each other, and exclaimed “…Oh my!” Then Santa said: “Now-now-now, it’s nothing to be alarmed over, I assure you. It’s just that this year Christmas will be a little bit different - actually a lot different.” Then, one of the more outspoken elves stood up and said: “What do you mean a lot different? We will have Christmas, won’t we?” Santa replied: “Yes! yes!, but not in the way you’re used to.” Upon hearing this, everyone got excited and slightly alarmed. A charge of confusion could be felt racing around the room, then Santa said: “Settle down - let me explain.” At once, they all took a shot of Christmas cheer - even Martha. With eyes still wide open and with quivering lips and nervous looks on their faces, they all stared at Santa waiting for an explanation. Santa stood motionless for a second, quiet, then pulled down his glasses to the end of his nose and peered out over the top of the rims, swept his eyes across the room back and forth, looking them all right in the face. “This is the biggest decision I’ve ever had to make. As you all know, the world today is in a state of extreme violence everywhere and far too many innocent people are killed - victims of this senseless, selfish, perverted behavior. For example, in America it seems that within the past few months there is a shooting every week - and sometimes more than one - from airports to college campuses to public schools, city streets or newspaper offices, and just about anywhere at any time. This has got to stop and I have a solution which involves an unprecedented compromise I will tell you as we go along. But right now though I need your complete and trusting cooperation.” Everyone was quietly taken aback and quite in agreement with everything Santa had said. They trusted his judgement and pledged to help him any way they could. With that commitment in mind, they all raised their glasses for one final toast. “To Christmas” they said, “May it be the best one ever!” Soon Santa gave out his first instructions: leave all the presents in the workshop, harness Rudolph and the reindeer, then fill the sleigh with the empty sacs. After this was done, he went over to Martha who was standing by the back door with tears in her eyes. With a soft linen handkerchief, he lovingly wiped her cheeks. He pulled her close to him, hugged her, and then kissed her saddened ________________________________________________________________________________!
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lips. They stood in an embrace for an eternity of minutes with a questioning look on Martha’s face and an austere expression of confidence on Santa’s. Then she said to him before he turned to go: “I don’t know what it is you have in mind, but somehow I feel it’s for the best and worth a try. Be careful - I love you.” “I love you too Martha and I truly hope this works.” With that he bounded up onto the sleigh, cracked his whip, and off they flew into the night. But this year, there was no “HO-HO-HO”………. //
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Christmas eve came and went. Although it was a long night for Santa, dawn finally broke and all over the world people were waking up with wonderful expectations in anticipation of a beautiful Christmas day. In every home, droopy-eyed and half-asleep Moms and Dads made their way downstairs towards the kitchen for coffee while the kids raced downstairs, literally bouncing off the walls with joy and excitement. The first shouts of horror and disappointment obviously came from the children who by this time had all invaded the living rooms, but now stood still, shocked and amazed by what they didn’t see beneath the trees - there were no presents under any trees, anywhere in the world! Some children just sat down and cried, while others searched frantically throughout the house - top to bottom, room to room - thinking it was some cruel joke played on them by who-knows-who. Maybe this year the grinch really did steal Christmas. Jaws and coffee cups were both dropped by parents, some of whom flooded police departments with telephone calls and exclamations of “HURRY, WE ‘VE BEEN ROBBED!” Finally after a while, everybody got the picture . From all over the world, in all languages, a big “Aw gee - how could this happen?” could be heard coming from every household. Still there was another mystery yet to come.
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It took about two to three hours, but eventually around noon the news reports came filtering in. At first no one believed it - the explanation was as bizarre as the actual event itself. The TV news videos showed the evidence as clear as day. From all around the world, in every country, the same reports and clear videos of all types of guns, bombs, and explosives - from military to private owners: no triggers or detonation devices! Immediately, all the factories around the world started production of new triggers and detonators, but they too mysteriously vanished into thin air. How strange it was that they would all disappear. The whole world was indeed mystified. Everyone wondered what it was all about - why just the triggers - why not the whole gun or bomb? The answer came soon. Around three o’clock in the afternoon on Christmas day the news reported that g-mails had been sent to all the world’s leaders with an apology for no presents and an explanation for the disappearance of the triggers. To further hold the world spellbound, it was reported that the g-mails were sent by one, Santa Claus. It was further reported that at five o’clock in every country, all the leaders were to read the ________________________________________________________________________________!
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g-mail to the people and that on the next day, all the newspapers were to print the gmail for everyone to read. Five o’clock came, and from living rooms to barrooms, wherever there was a TV, people were anxiously awaiting the answer. And this is what the g-mail said: “First of all, I’m sorry for spoiling Christmas this year by having no presents for anyone, but this was unavoidable and I hope you will forgive me. Instead of presents, my gift to you this year is of a nature that is far more important than anything material. As you all know, there is too much violence in the world today and it must stop!! My decision to solve this problem was a hard one to make. I deliberated and struggled over what to do for a long time. Finally it came to me. I loaded the sleigh with all my empty sacs and instead of delivering presents, I collected all the triggers and detonators, loaded them onto my sleigh, then flew them to the edge of the atmosphere and flung them all towards the sun where they will eventually be consumed and destroyed - gone forever - and with that, a chance for the whole world to start over with a new conviction of love, compassion, and understanding for empathy to see the value of Life and not destroy it. To promote and profligate creative ideas that will ensure the true progress of civilization. That, my dear people, is my gift this year. I hope you won’t be too disappointed and will try to see the wisdom in my judgement. Merry Christmas, with love to all. - Santa” Of course everyone realized there was nothing to forgive, for this g-mail fortunately made the entire world shed tears of joy and caused Santa to be loved by all forever. //
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That night, all was quiet at the North Pole. In Santa’s house, the fire was gently popping and crackling and the entire Clause entourage were gently contemplating and wondering if they had done the right thing. Suddenly, one of the elves stood up and said: “Ssshhh…listen…do you hear that?” Everyone cocked their heads a bit to the side with questioning looks on their faces. Going outside to the porch, they all stood with mouths agape looking into the distance and listening. In the background of the swirling winter winds, there could be heard the strains of Silent Night, softly sung with emotion, coming in every direction from the voices of the people on Earth. Santa, Martha, and all the elves held each others hands until the song ended until all that was heard was the wind. Then Santa looked out over the snowy landscape into the darkness and said: “I hope this was the best Christmas ever!”
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THE LOCAL MUSIC CORNER
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- Perry Persoff
Let’s take a step back to something I learned about only a couple of days before it was unleashed on Saturday October 26th: the second annual Live Music Day on WMFO 91.5FM/Tufts Free Form Radio. They had live bands or performers in all the live long day. And while I am sorry I did not know about it in time to inform you ahead of time, at least it is still an excuse to check the station out, the different shows and hosts they have, and of course, the bands and artists you may discover from giving the station a listen. A few of my favorites who performed were Samantha Farrell, Jenee Halstead, Sarah Levesque, Bird Mancini, Adam Sherman, and The Cast Irons. From listening, I want to learn more about Frank Rowe, Corin Ashley, and Larry Newman.
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Naturally I want to plug my own radio station as well, WUMB 91.9FM, by thanking the station’s listeners for the recent Fall fundraiser that was the station’s most successful evah! You are the people who keep all the non-commercial stations you love alive to make special radio in the first place. Whether you donate $5 or $10 or $500, no doubt your station thanks you greatly. Not to mention your fellow music fan listeners…
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December is the time of year we typically look back on the year, to review what we thought was most notable. In this context, it almost strikes me as a surprise how many artists have told me they are working on something new. You’re right, what we call
the end of the year is ultimately just another line in the cosmic sand. And if you are an independent worker, you hope you are always working on the next thing. Please allow me the poetic license and I will tell you of these artists and projects shortly.
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First: on the heels of Thanksgiving, if we have a roof overhead, food in our stomachs, and good people to spend life with, it’s never a bad time to pause and “give thanks.” It’s always an appropriate time to appreciate having any of those things. With that in mind, it is nice that at least in December it is traditional to see there are many benefit concerts for organizations that help the homeless. Here are a few coming up in December (hopefully there are more):
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There are two annual benefits for the Somerville Coalition For The Homeless. One is at The Burren in Somerville on December 4th. If you love traditional and Celtic sounds, the performers at this show may make it the one for you.
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Then on December 12th it’s Chandler Travis’ 14th or 15th annual Christmas Cavalcade for the Homeless, holding forth at Once Lounge in Somerville. Joining Chandler’s merry musical mavens will be multitudes of Boston area musicians from Soul to Rock, too many to mention even in limitless cyberspace and always talented and entertaining.
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Chandler & his Philharmonic will also lead a Christmas Cavalcade for the Homeless show on the Cape, December 15th at the Mansion Ballroom at the Ocean Edge Golf Course in Brewster, MA. With a multitude of local musicians that is largely different from the Somerville extravaganza,
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December 2019
this show will benefit the Housing Assistance Corporation of Cape Cod.
New Orleans. What a terrible time to not be in Boston…
The city of Lowell has noted a problem with homeless youth. Their third annual Mayor’s Holiday Fest For Homeless Youth - a Rock & Roll Fundraiser, will be December 12th at Zorba’s Music Hall on Market Street in Lowell. John Powhida, Abbie Barrett, and Kelly Knapp (of both The Darlings and Chuck McDermott’s band) are but a fraction of the talent expected to rock for the cause, joining house band Love Train.
It’s been two years since Dan Blakeslee put out The Alley Walker. The album was clearly an excellent band effort. And if you talk to Dan, he’ll tell you that he loves playing with his band. But sometimes the Muse dances with different moves. And Dan is now excitedly working on a solo effort. He hopes to have the new album ready for release in the summer. Aaahh… summer.
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And now for a virtual stream of conscientiousness run of new projects in the works:
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The trio Hank Wonder has completed tracks for it’s second release. It’s now on to the mixing stage for producer Zach Hickman (Charlie Rose had produced the band’s 2017 debut Little Mysteries). The band has some A1 talent to back them. Besides Mr. Hickman on bass, they have Sean Staples on mandolin and Dave Brophy on drums. It’s been a prolific few months for Mr. Staples. The album he produced with Lisa Bastoni came out very recently.
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Grain Thief, the Americana/Bluegrass pickers led by former snow plough driver Patrick Mulroy (always good to note in Wintertime) has either recorded a new single or they are all singing around a microphone as you read this. Look for the song this month. The band is hoping to record more songs in the spring for a new album. But first, they have to spend the last weekend of January at Folk Alliance in
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This brings us back to Chandler Travis. Chandler is working on three or four albums. Yes, albums, he writes. He is aiming for Groundhog Day to release one of them. Perhaps it will have a Caribbean vibe so we can all feel optimistic, regardless of what Punxsutawney Phil sees in February. Punxsutawney Phil, thee groundhog. You may not know how to spell him, but you certainly know of him. Meanwhile, Chandler & band recorded a song last winter in Jamaica called “Smokey’s” - which definitely does not sound like it was recorded in New England last Winter… Hopefully it will be on one of those forthcoming albums.
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That will do it for now. Until next time, support live and local music whenever you can. It supports you.
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Happy Holidays, everyone. And let’s raise a glass to all the holiday hosts. If you are one of them - especially if you’ve given a “holiday orphan” a place to be - thank you!
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December 2019
T
ess’s December To-Do List Do Something Artful Today Skate at the Frog Pond Open Daily (as of November 21st) Boston Common Skate atop Boston Common’s beautiful Frog Pond this season. Admission is based on height -- if you’re under 58” tall, admission is free, if you’re taller, it’s still only $6. Skate rental is available, as are locker rentals and even a skating buddy named “Bobby the Skating Seal” for your little ones still learning to navigate the slippery ice. Visit their website for hours of operation: https://bostonfrogpond.com/winter-programs/pricing-season-passes/
4th Annual RVMS Holiday Market on Birch Street Thursday, December 5th, 4:00-8:00pm Birch Street (and surrounding businesses) Roslindale, MA 02131
The Holiday Market on Birch Street is a festive event to bring residents, visitors, and local businesses together to celebrate and shop for the season. The event will take place on Birch Street between Corinth and South Streets. Birch Street will be closed to vehicular traffic for the evening. There are 10 exciting vendors lined up to sell items inside the BPD Emerald Society, specials and festivities will be happening in the Courtyard & all throughout Roslindale Village. Come out with friends and neighbors to shop locally for the holidays. Read event details, find the list of vendors, and business happenings on the RVMS website: https://roslindale.net/annual-programs/holiday-market/
Do Something Artful Today
Read event details, find the list of vendors, and busiBay State Model Railroad Museum Holiday Open House Saturday, December 7th & Sunday, December 8th, 11:00am-3:00pm Bay State Model Railroad Museum, 760 South Street, Roslindale, MA 02131
Visit The Bay State Model Railroad Museum for their Annual Holiday Open House and feast your eyes on all things trains! Attend on Sunday to visit with Santa Claus inside YMAA Boston just downstairs from the museum, where YMAA will also host kids’ holiday activities. Learn more on the event page: https://www.facebook.comevents/1015274855481296/
It’s All About Arts Magazine December 2019
Tess’s December To-Do List (continued) Do Something Artful Today Small Artworks Holiday Art Exhibition Saturday, December 7th, 12:00-5:00pm & Sunday, December 8th, 12:00-3:00pm The Hidden Art Gallery, 25 Myrtle Street, Boston, MA 02114 The Hidden Art Gallery is hosting a Holiday Art Exhibition featuring affordable original artworks, made my local artists. The Hidden Art Gallery was founded in 2011 with a mission to invite young art collectors who are in the market to purchase works of art from award winning artists. Also, to invite the community to join them for workshops and provide educational resources for artists learning to paint. See the list of artists for this exhibit and get tickets on their website: http://www.thehiddenartgallery.com/ Friends of Roslindale Branch Library’s Annual Posada Navideña Saturday, December 14th, 9:30am-12:00pm BCYF Roslindale Community Center, 6 Cummins Hwy, Roslindale, MA A true Mexican and now Roslindale tradition - the Nativity re-enactment of Joseph and Mary seeking lodging. Come dressed warm and ready to carol for “Posada” or “Shelter” around the Village accompanied by Mariachi Estrella de Boston and expect to be greeted with goodies for the children, warm tamales, champurrado (hot chocolate) and other Mexican treats. The group will depart from the Roslindale Community Center at 10:30am sharp to Adams Park and participating businesses, then will return to the community center to end the celebration where the Friends of the Roslindale Library will greet everyone with books, piñatas and goodie bags for the kids. The Roslindale Community Center’s Knitting club will be selling their products.Learn more about the event on their website: https://friendsofroslindalelibrary.org/posada-navidena/ Hanukkah at the Museum of Fine Arts Wednesday, December 14th, 4:30-10:00pm Charles Hayden Planetarium, Museum Of Science Driveway, Boston, MA 02114 The MFA invites you to come together for an evening of art, music, and activities in celebration of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights. Immerse yourself in history and tradition with a tour of the MFA’s Judaica collection, catch an array of musical performances by artists from around the world, and view a one-of-a-kind menorah created by a local artist before participating in a community candle lighting. This event is free and open to the public. Learn more here: https://www.mfa.org/event/community-celebrations/hanukkah?event=6043
Do Something Artful Today
Wishing you and yours Happy Holidays & a Happy New Year It’s All About Arts Magazine December 2019
ABOUT
Tess McColgan comes from a big family full of artists and has always enjoyed embracing local talent.She’s lived in many places throughout New England including York, ME and Dover, NH, and moved to Boston at age 14. In 2015 she moved to Roslindale where she found a sense of community that resonated with her. She started as the Program Manager for Roslindale Village Main Street in April 2018 and loves being a part of the volunteer-driven organization that works so hard to support local businesses and to make Roslindale Village a destination where everyone wants to eat, shop, play and collaborate. Tess’s background includes customer service, clinical research, volunteer management & recruitment and Human Resources. In her free time, she doodles and plays with acrylic paints on canvases, writes in her journal, attends yoga classes, and gets out in nature as often as possible. Photo: Bruce Spero Photography at brucespero.smugmug.com
Roslindale Village Main Street
www.roslindale.net RVMS was established in 1985 as one of the first urban Main Street Programs in the nation, with the help of then City Councilor Thomas M. Menino and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Today, Roslindale Village is a thriving commercial hub, with free public wifi in Adams Park, and a fabulous Farmers Market. And, there are now 20 Main Street Districts in the City of Boston. We are proud to have been the first one!
HORIZON I See this fabulous exhibit through December 2019 at: The Square Root Caffe 2 Corinth Street, Roslindale, MA Come for the ART. Stay for wine, beer, sandwiches, sweets.....and more Live music, comedy, etc. in the evening. A great place!
Negative Horizon - 24 x 30 - oil - by Donna Tessari
Participating Artists: Phyllis Bluhm Robert Boyle Alan DeMola Lisa Goren Stan Eichner
Ruth LaGue Sherwin Long John Monteiro Janice Regolsky Donna Tessari
More http://www.artstudio99.com/CalltoArts2018.html It’s All About Arts Magazine December 2019
Ruth Brownstein Landscapes December 1-31, 2019
EAST ANTARCTICA MELTING GLACIER “To see what is in front of one’s nose needs a constant struggle.” George Orwell “My show Landscapes is a contemplation and an exercise in illuminating the global climate crisis. Through my art I hope to add to the urgent work being done worldwide to curtail this crisis and to play whatever part I can to wake myself up and to wake up others to what is right in front of our noses”. Ruth Brownstein Reception First Friday SoWa December 6, 2019 Canvas Fine Arts Gallery 460 Harrison Avenue, 21C Boston, MA 02118 Ruthbrownstein.com canvasfinearts.com
Boston Skyline Chorus brings angelic a capella stylings to the holiday season By Mary Ellen Gambon A capella singing, popularized in recent years by groups like Pentatonix and Take 6, has been a part of the fabric of American culture since the late 1800s. Sung by both African American and white Americans at that time, it was a means of people expressing themselves in harmony without the use of background instruments. Popularized in the early 1900s in barbershop quartets, this four-part harmony style of singing is now surging around the globe with groups comprised of dozens of members. The Boston Skyline Chorus, an all-female Lexington-based group, will be part of a three-group performance entitled “Joys of the Season” on Saturday, December 14 from 2 to 4 p.m.at Cary Hall in Lexington. BSC will be joined by their mostly male counterpart group, Vocal Revolution, both of which have won numerous awards for their vocal prowess. High school group the Lexington Madrigals, which won the WGBH 2019 televised music competition, “Sing That Thing!,” will join these professional adult choruses. Vocal Revolution
Erin Blanchfield, the group’s public relations director, has been singing in the group since 2016, first as a lead and as a tenor for more than a year and a half. “Vocal Revolution and Boston Skyline Chorus have been rehearsing at the same spot for the last five years, so we knew each other,” she said. “We never did many collaborations until the Barbershop Harmony Society, which Vocal Revolution is part of, started making the rules more relaxed for mixed choruses.” The two groups participated in Boston’s second annual A Capella Festival, which was attended in July by nearly 900 people at the Herter Park Amphitheater on Soldier’s Field Rd.in Allston. The festival included groups of all sizes singing everything from traditional barbershop standards like the “Theme from Cheers” to “Happy” by Pharrell Williams. It’s All About Arts December 2019
Boston Skyline Chorus brings angelic a capella stylings to the holiday season By Mary Ellen Gambon continued This year, Boston Skyline Chorus invited Vocal Revolution to join the group in its annual fundraising performance. Both of the choruses are non-profit organizations, so the money raised from the December 14 show will pay for activities and trainings. “It’s worked out so nice,” Blanchfield said. “We were able to bring in the winners of ‘Sing That Thing!,’ the Lexington High School Madrigals. It’s really cool, because we’re all Lexington-based choruses.” She added now that there is a growing audience for barbershop performances, as well as for groups to share the stage. Each group will have a portion of the show for a performance. At the end, the groups will combine for a piece designed for both male and female voices, Blanchfield said.Tickets are $20 to $25. They can be purchased at https://vr-xmas19.brownpapertickets.com/. Blanchfield said there are currently are 37 active members of the Boston Skyline Chorus, with adult members of all ages ranging from attorneys to housewives. Three new members have joined within the past few months. Vocal Revolution is about twice the size of its female counterpart. “We already started adding holiday music into our repertoire this summer,” she said. “We added a Hanukkah song and try to vary what we sing so that we are all-inclusive. And there are some pretty neat arrangements that you wouldn’t normally hear.” In addition to these main groups, the Boston Skyline Chorus has members who have formed two quartets: Bari’d Treasure and Fever Pitch. (Bari’d is a play on the word baritone.) Bari’d Treasure won Most Improved Quartet this year. Both quartets will sing at the concert. “These members decided to form two competing quartets, and we are really proud of them,” Blanchfield said. “They both compete each year in Springfield during the regional competition.” The Boston Skyline Chorus and Blanchfield are no strangers to competitions. They competed in “Sing that Thing!” in 2016 and 2017. They also compete every year in the Sweet Adeline’s International Competition each year in Region One, which has about 20 competing choruses. “In 2018, we got the ‘Most Improved Chorus Award’ and increased our score by 38 points,” she said. “This year we placed sixth out of all the choruses. We keep climbing up every year, so it’s pretty exciting to see.” Blanchfield explained that she originally joined the Boston Skyline Chorus as a social outlet. However, while it brings her a huge amount of joy, people often don’t realize the amount of time and effort it takes to develop the perfect harmony. It is part art, part science, part sport, but always a creation of camaraderie and commitment. It’s All About Arts December 2019
Boston Skyline Chorus brings angelic a capella stylings to the holiday season By Mary Ellen Gambon continued “I work full-time and I have two small daughters, so I am very busy as it is,” she said. “But I was looking for something, for me, to make me happy.” Blanchfield had sung previously in high school and with another barbershop entity called Harmony Inc., so she thought this group was music to her ears – literally and figuratively. “Singing just makes you so uplifted,” she said. “Even if you’ve had a bad day, you go to chorus and you’re with all of these women who have the same goal and excitement and commitment to learn. It’s really improved my well-being, and I love these women. They’re so much fun.” She added that she didn’t just learn how to sing, “but how to sing well.” “Our director, Wendy Pachter, is very good at incorporating education into all of our rehearsals,” Blanchfield explained. “She focuses on technique and vocal production and how we shape our mouths to get the sound so that we don’t get tension in our throats. It’s not just singing for fun, but we’re actually learning.” She added that Pachter has completed the Sweet Adeline’s Director Certification Program (DCP) and she scored more than 500 points at Regional Competition. Because of this, she was awarded the “Harmony 500” director status in May 2018. Education is paramount in the barbershop style, because, while the dynamics of a song must build, one part cannot overshadow another. Depending upon the number of people who participate in a given performance, members have to learn to listen to and blend with each other’s parts – lead, tenor, baritone and bass. “On top of that, we hire different coaches to come at least three times a year,” Blanchfield said, which adds more definition to their skills. “We’re always trying to improve ourselves to get ready for competition.” Blanchfield says the group also uses “tape checkers.” Singers tape their individual rehearsals to submit to tape checkers, who give them advice on improving technique and where their notes may be sharp or flat, among other things. “You can’t just go every Tuesday and expect to be good,” she said. “You have to practice during the week. And then you have the fun stuff, like extra performances that come up.” One of these performances is on December 4. It is a free event called “Caroling at Crafty Yankee.” “We will be going caroling from the Crafty Yankee beginning at 6 p.m.,” Blanchfield said. “It is a marvelous shop in the heart of Lexington.” The two-hour event will take place at 1838 Massachusetts Ave. in Lexington. While the members tackle each song with precision, there is an abundance of harmony among members, according to Blanchfield. “Some members have gone to movies and plays with each other,” she said. “And we support each other through our highs and lows. It’s All About Arts December 2019
Boston Skyline Chorus brings angelic a capella stylings to the holiday season By Mary Ellen Gambon continued “When I don’t go to practice one week, I feel it,” Blanchfield added. “It just sparks joy in me to hang out with all of these women.” She said her favorite song to perform is “Happy Together.”b“I sing tenor, which only a handful of us do,” she said. “That song really allows the tenor part to shine.” Blanchfield also said she hopes to inspire the next generation of singers and songstresses. In April 2017 and April 2018, the Boston Skyline Chorus performed at POMS, the Patrons of Music Students, an a capella festival for high school students where the group served as mentors. Other noteworthy performances include being included in the Wicked Local Best Years Expo on October 29, 2016 at Gillette Stadium. “I couldn’t believe we followed Florence Henderson from ‘The Brady Bunch,’” she said. “I will never forget that.” Blanchfield stressed the group is always looking for new members, and you do not have to be a professional singer to join. To learn more about the Boston Skyline Chorus, visit www.bostonskylinechorus.org or visit their Facebook page. Rehearsals are held Tuesdays from 7 to 10 p.m. at Temple Emunah, 9 Piper Road in Lexington. Guests and prospective members are welcome at all rehearsals.
Joys of the Season An afternoon of holiday a cappella music!
December 14th, 2019 Saturday from 2pm-4pm Cary Hall 1605 Massachusetts Ave, Lexington, MA 02420 You are in for a marvelous treat! A varied holiday selection of music by three award winning groups:
Boston Skyline Chorus Lexington High School Madrigal Singers Vocal Revolution Tickets are available online. https://vr-xmas19.brownpapertickets.com $25 premium seating $20 general admission Boston Skyline Chorus is a 501 (3)(c ) organization
It’s All About Arts December 2019
FOR SANGEETA PERSAUD
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On Canal Number 2, On the Demerara River, They pray to their version of god and all the saints.
!They pray they might survive each day, They pray they might have food, That the water will be fit to drink.
!And they try to pray away the devils infiltrating their dreams trying to do them harm.
!They pray the demons
that make them pant and faint, howl and bark, Will be driven from their souls and leave them unpossessed.
!2.
Find the pastor, that man of God, To hold Sangeeta down, To drive those demons out.
!Press hands to her head,
his hands to her stomach, And pray she will stop heaving.
!“Bring her to the church,” they say,
“Ungodly people can not understand certain things, Like driving out spirits!”
!3.
Now Sangeeta, Now free. No longer dying on Canal number 2, Now you are the river Conceived by clouds finding your source in the Maccari Mountains
!Flow to your tributaries, Sangeeta, Leap and laugh Down the Demarara, Visit the islands at its mouth Feed the tributaries With rain from above And our tears
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December 2019
Now be possessed by a clear bright sky, A brilliant sun, A better day, Another life.
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- Steven Levin
[This poem is based on a true story of the young girl Sangeeta Persaud who died due to an exorcism that was performed on her. Some of the phrases are direct quotes that were included in an article about her, and also from a prayer book.]
!! ! ! ! DIASPORA !I have seen the moment of death **************
the soul escaping from the body as clear as white on black the flesh suddenly without bounce eyes open wide but blind What is not clear Is where do all those souls ago that pile up day by day, hour by hour, mini-second by mini-second like a blinding snowstorm I think they float to the ground Those not destined to !find a new home spend eternity in dark places. The lucky ones slither to the roots of trees, swim up the trunk and to the branches, and finally to the tips where they reach up hoping to find God and a final resting place.
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- Phyllis Bluhm
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It’s All About Arts Magazine
December 2019
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Join us at the Mansion, for some outstanding upcoming events!
Writers’ Retreat Weekend
January 18 - 19, 2020
Writers Workshop with Hank and Paula as your personal mentors. This exclusive workshop will focus on honing your opening pages, strengthening your plot, polishing your writing, and pitching your work.
Valentine’s Weekend
February 15 - 16, 2020
This Valentine's you deserve a romantic evening away with the one you love. Escape the bustle of the city, in the old world charm of the MIT's Endicott House Mansion. Enjoy the culinary creations of Chef Edward Cerrato and apres dinner drinks by the fire.
Jane Austen Afternoon Tea
March 7, 2020 Celebrate your favorite author for a delightful afternoon tea at our lovely turn-of-the-century estate. Invite all your friends for a wonderful day, as "one cannot have too large a party."
Advance Registration Required: mitendicotthouse.org/themed-events