Bits & Bytes: ‘The Organ Masters’; ‘ESCAPE’ art talk; antique restoration lecture; BCArc scholarships

Berkshire Bach Society’s ‘The Organ Masters’ to highlight works by Bach, Buxtehude

Peter Sykes. Photo: Susan Wilson

Housatonic — On Saturday, Feb. 9, at 4 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Meeting of South Berkshire, Berkshire Bach Society will present organist Peter Sykes showcasing the 1893 Johnson Organ in a program titled “The Organ Masters,” with works by J.S. Bach and Bach’s idol, Dieterich Buxtehude.

Bach was only 12 or 13 when he copied out organ works by Buxtehude as part of his musical education, and could study firsthand Buxtehude’s improvisational and complex toccatas, fugues and fantasias. It was enough to motivate him to travel 250 miles, mostly on foot, at age 20 to hear the aging master in Lübeck in the winter of 1705. Sykes has chosen a program of three Buxtehude organ pieces that demonstrate the diverse musical forms and styles that so fascinated Bach: the Prelude in G Minor, BuxWV 148; the Ciacona in E Minor, BuxVW 160; and the chorale prelude “Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland,” BuxWV. The program will also include four works by Bach that were directly influenced by Buxtehude: the partita on “O Gott, du frommer Gott,” BWV 767; the Toccata in C Major, BWV 566; the Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor, BWV 582; and Bach’s own setting of the chorale prelude “Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland,” BWV 659.

Tickets are $25 general admission and $20 for Berkshire Bach Society members. For tickets and more information, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or contact Berkshire Bach Society at (413) 528-9555 or info@berkshirebach.org.

–E.E.

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‘ESCAPE’ art exhibit to host talk with Alexander Ross

Alexander Ross. Photo courtesy Davis Gregory Art

Great Barrington — Davis Gregory Art will present artist Alexander Ross in an informal talk about his work Friday, Feb. 8, at 3 p.m. at the Geoffrey Young Gallery, 40 Railroad St. Ross’ work is on view in the gallery’s current exhibition, “ESCAPE.”

Organic, otherworldly, humorous, and unsettling, Ross’ imaginative works of art both delight and provoke. Using green modeling clay, he transforms “figments of his imagination” into drawings and paintings that cause the viewer to question. Ross’s work has been exhibited extensively in major museums and galleries nationwide, and featured in prominent New York galleries since the 1990s, including David Nolan Gallery, Paul Kasmin Gallery, Elizabeth Dee Gallery, Matthew Marks Gallery, Mary Boone Gallery and Feigen Contemporary.

Due to limited seating, advance reservations will be given priority. For reservations and more information, contact Davis Gregory Art at (413) 528-4493.

–E.E.

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Sheffield Historical Society to offer lecture on restoring antique furniture

Sheffield — On Friday, Feb. 8, at 7:30 p.m., at Dewey Hall, the Sheffield Historical Society will present antique furniture restorer Mark Ziobro, who will give a talk at on the fundamentals of restoration.

Ziobro has been restoring antique furniture for over 50 years. His talk will discuss how he got his start, the various woodworking skills and techniques that he has utilized and developed, and some of the more noteworthy pieces he’s restored. He will accompany his lecture with photos and examples of his finished work. Audience members will learn how they can care for their antique furniture, as well as gain insight into how restoration can bring a piece back to its former glory.

The talk is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. For more information, contact the Sheffield Historical Society at (413) 229-2694 or sheffieldhistoricalsociety@gmail.com.

–E.E.

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Berkshire County Arc accepting applications for 2019 scholarships

Pittsfield — Berkshire County Arc has announced its 2019 scholarship award program. High school seniors pursuing undergraduate education in the field of human services are eligible to apply, and students pursing degree programs including psychology, social work, special education, rehabilitation counseling and related courses of study will be given consideration.

The selection of award winners will be based upon prior involvement in volunteer or paid activities with individuals with disabilities, the potential to contribute to the field of human services, and academic achievement. An independent panel of community members will select the winners and determine the amount of each award up to the scholarship maximum of $1,500. The awards are made possible through fundraising efforts including Berkshire County Arc’s Annual Golf Classic, which has raised more than $100,000 for scholarships.

Applications are available through area high school guidance offices or by contacting the Berkshire County Arc office at (413) 499-4241 x244. The application deadline is Friday, March 22, 2019.

–E.E.