Valley Classical Concerts presents revered chamber musicians Espressivo! at Smith College
Northampton— On Sunday, March 9th at 3 p.m., Valley Classical Concerts, in cooperation with the Smith College Department of Music, presents Espressivo!, four of the Northeast’s most revered chamber musicians, at Smith College.
As Espressivo!, violinist Jaime Laredo, cellist Sharon Robinson, violist Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, and pianist Anna Polonsky will perform piano quartets by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johannes Brahms, and Antonín Dvořák.
Espressivo! was formed specifically to play the relatively rare piano quartet repertory. When they performed in Northampton in March 2024, VCC Board member David Gang commented that “it was one of the finest chamber music concerts I have ever heard.”
The concert is on Sunday, March 9th at 3 p.m. at Smith College’s Sweeney Hall, located at 51 College Lane in Northampton. At 2 p.m., there will be a pre-show Q&A with the artists and longtime NEPM host John Montanari. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art presents a ‘Free To Be… You and Me Groovy Grown-up ‘70s Party’
Amherst— On Friday, March 7th at 7 p.m., The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, in celebration of its “Free to Be. . . You and Me: 50 Years of Stories and Songs” exhibit on view through April 6th, presents a ‘Free To Be… You and Me Groovy Grown-up ‘70s Party.’
Dust off your bell bottoms and anything crocheted and join Joshua Sitron and Myka Plunkett for a groovy sing-along, piano karaoke, and dance party inspired by the hit 1970’s record and book, “Free to Be…You and Me.” Prepare to laugh, dance, sip, and sing your heart out with other “Free to Be” lovers as they play through the groundbreaking 1972 children’s album of songs and stories. There will be a sing-along, karaoke, and a costume contest. Lyrics will be projected for all to see and sing-along. 1970’s attire is strongly encouraged.
The 21+ party is on Friday, March 7th at 7 p.m. at The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, located at 125 West Bay Road in Amherst. Light refreshments, beer, and wine are included with ticket purchase. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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Justice Dance Performance Project presents ‘Unmuting’ at Berkshire Community College
Pittsfield— On Thursday, March 6th at 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., Justice Dance Performance Project presents “Unmuting” at Berkshire Community College.
This brave and powerful piece, offered under Justice Dance Performance Project’s Stepping Out program, focuses on the complicated road to discovering voice and being heard within carceral settings and after returning to the community. First-person stories from lived experience break open issues of incarceration through spoken word, dance, and song that movingly portray questions of confinement, choice, separation from family, accountability, and freedom.
The performances are on Thursday, March 6th at 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. at Berkshire Community College’s Boland Theater, located at 1350 West Street in Pittsfield. It is free and open to the public. A talk-back will follow each performance. More information can be found online.
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‘Hormone Wisdom & Wellness’ workshop at Greenhouse Yoga
Great Barrington— On Saturday, March 1st from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Intimacy Coach Mary Campbell and Pelvic Rehab Specialist Laura Rowan present a Hormone Wisdom & Wellness Workshop at Greenhouse Yoga.
Many women will spend a third of their lives in menopause, but the impact of hormonal shifts that take place in midlife has often been minimized by the medical community. In January and February, a group of local women’s health professionals led by Campbell and Rowen sponsored workshops about the hormonal shifts women experience throughout their lives at yoga studios in Hudson and Chatham, N.Y. The remarkable turnout for these workshops demonstrates women’s burgeoning desire for more information, so this third workshop is being offered in Great Barrington.
The group of local professionals will include Intimacy and Relationship Coach Carly Detterman, Menopause Society Certified Provider Sarah Natan, and Board Certified Holistic Nutritionist Thais Harris. The workshop will address the hormone transitions during the menstrual lifespan. From the start of menstruation, maternal, into peri, and through post menopause. There will be an open discussion around the stigma, myths, and taboo regarding menstruation, and share strategies and tools to gain body literacy. All workshop participants will receive a Hormone Rhythm Journal which includes a monthly to annual tracking tool, a symptom overlap chart for postpartum and perimenopause, and helpful tips for lifestyle, movement, nutrition, as well as questions to ask your provider.
The all-ages workshop is on Saturday, March 1st from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Greenhouse Yoga, located at 47 Railroad Street in Great Barrington. More information can be found online. Proceeds will benefit the Elizabeth Freeman Center.
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OLLI presents ‘Now Is the Time to Talk About What is Going On’ with Professor Deborah Alecson
Pittsfield— On Tuesday, March 4th at 1:30 p.m., OLLI presents ‘Now Is the Time to Talk About What is Going On’ with Professor Deborah Alecson in-person at Berkshire Community College.
This program offers an interpretation of what is going on politically and socially since the election of Donald Trump through the lens of thanatology, the study of death, dying, and bereavement. It is a vision of human behavior that does not see “us and them” or “good and evil.” It is an understanding that comes from that which is our most profound commonality, mortality and our greatest fear, death.
Deborah Golden Alecson, MS, is a retired professor in the field of thanatology (death, dying, and bereavement.) She has taught courses at Excelsior College, Williams College, and through OLLI at Berkshire Community College. She is the author of “Lost Lullaby” and “We Are So Lightly Here: A Story about Conscious Dying, and Complicated Grief: A Collection of Poems,” has published articles about grief in academic journals, and a monthly column for The Berkshire Eagle called “Musings on Mortality.” She is also volunteer coordinator for the death with dignity organization, Final Exit Network.
The in-person program is on Tuesday, March 4th at 1:30 p.m. at Berkshire Community College, located at 1350 Wet Street in Pittsfield. It is free and open to the public. More information can be found online.
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Berkshire Community College to host open house
Pittsfield— On Saturday, March 8th from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Berkshire Community College will host an open house.
Thinking about college, but not sure where to start? Earning an associate’s degree from Berkshire Community College (BCC) is a great way to get a quality education, save money, and transfer to a four-year school or enter the workforce. The open house is a chance to learn more about attending BCC, financial aid, and how you may qualify for free tuition.
Prospective students and their guests are invited to meet one-on-one with BCC representatives from various offices. Participants can speak with faculty about the programs that interest them, take a campus tour, and learn about paying for college, transferring to a four-year school, internships, and career opportunities.
The open house is on Saturday, March 8th from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Berkshire Community College, located at 1350 West Street in Pittsfield. All attendees will receive breakfast, a discount at the BCC Bookstore, and a chance to win BCC swag. More information can be found online.
