Flute Music & Talk at Desmond Center

The Alice Desmond Center for Community Enrichment is a beautiful setting with wooded paths, scenic views of the Hudson, and, luckily, home to many song birds. While many works of Classical music have been inspired by nature, there is a particular affinity between the flute and the songs of birds. Many composers have written works inspired by birdsong specifically for Flute Ensemble.

Among them are these selections which Kemyndable Trio (a mash-up of Amy-Deb-Ken) will perform:

Trio in D - F.A. Hoffmeister:

Franz Anton Hoffmeister (1754-1812) was an Austrian composer and music publisher. By the 1780s he had become one of Vienna’s most popular composers, with an extensive and varied catalogue of works to his credit.

The Bird Fancyer’s Delight: John Walsh (1665-1736), arrangement by Stephanie Proulx (Deb’s daughter):

John Walsh (1665-1736) was an English music publisher possibly of Irish descent. He was appointed musical instrument-maker-in-ordinary to the king in 1692. Walsh secured the rights to Handel’s Rinaldo. Handel is reputed to have commented that Walsh should write the next opera, while Handel published it.

Birds: Herman Beeftink:

“In the late 1990’s, I was lucky enough to write music for over 100 films and TV series. I am currently pursuing my other passion for composing performance pieces, such as Birds,” said Beeftink.

The concert also includes Dance of the Hummingbirds by Halpner; The Cuckoo in the Forest (from Carnival of the Animals) by Saint-Saens; and On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring by Frederick Delius.

As with previous Kemyndable concert/ lectures, a PowerPoint presentation with biographical and historical background on the composers and works presented will be given on April 14 at 10:30am, at 6 Albany Post Road, Newburgh.

To register: 845-565-1326.

Photo Contest: You Be the Judge

Orange County Land Trust (OCLT) has helped to protect nearly 6,500 acres of land through the negotiation of conservation agreements with private landowners, property donations and the acquisition of private property. To preserve iconic Sugar Loaf Mountain, OCLT has developed a photo contest to illustrate the beauty of this landmark and hopefully spur donations, and the public is invited to be the judge!

Sugar Loaf Mountain has been photographed from many angles over the years and stands as a stunning natural backdrop for many nature shots in the area. Now, OCLT is shining a light on a project that will permanently protect water resources, forest, and wildlife habitat while securing the firstever public access to the mountain for outdoor recreation. OCLT has entered into an agreement with the landowner to purchase over 300 acres that comprises Sugar Loaf Mountain.

For the Sugar Loaf Mountain Photo Contest, avid and hobby photographers alike have competed for the chance to win prizes. “Whether you’re new to the area or you’ve lived here all of your life, Sugar Loaf Mountain has always stood as a natural landmark that changes only with the seasons,” says OCLT Executive Director Jim Delaune. “Photo submissions highlighting the beauty of the mountain underscore the importance of protecting it for future generations.”

All entries were reviewed by the editor at Strauss News, who selected the top 10. These ten photos are situated on the OCLT Facebook page, and all community members can vote by hitting “like” on their favorite photo now through April 14. The photo that receives the greatest number of likes, wins. The winner will be announced on April 15.

To donate to the Save the Mountain campaign, visit www.oclt.org.

Paramount Theatre: THE ORCHESTRA

During Electric Light Orchestra’s (ELO) original 13-year period of active recording and touring, they sold over 50 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling music groups of all time. THE ORCHESTRA is a band that features members of the ELO.

Mik Kaminski is the original violin wild man, shattering traditional notions of stage propriety with a classical instrument. You have to sort through his Yorkshire accent to get to his jokes.

Eric Troyer’s distinctive voice and keyboards have been a staple of the band for more than 30 years. Troyer has managed to survive years of exposure to the highest levels of rock and roll insanity with his good humor intact.

Parthenon Huxley was with ELO Part II from November 1998 to 2000. “Hux” composed four songs for THE ORCHESTRA’s first studio album.

Gordon Townsend was the first choice to replace ELO founding member Bev Bevan on drums, playing down an unshakable back beat beneath the band’s often complex musical arrangements.

Glen Burtnik’s extensive showbiz career includes a stint on Broadway as Paul McCartney in Beatlemania, a Billboard #2 smash hit, Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough, ten years as frontman for rock legend Styx, and several short runs as bassist for ELO Part II.

Louis Clark enjoys letting loose on his electric cello especially during the “rockier” songs. He can also be seen and heard on acoustic and electric guitar at each show and occasionally performing 2nd violin alongside Mik Kaminski. Since the passing of his father in early 2021, Louis is now the group’s sole arranger and orchestral conductor.

The former ELO members perform on April 22 at 8:00pm in the Paramount Theatre, 17 South Street, Middletown. Tickets: www.MiddletownParamount. com or call 845-346-6145.