Sunday, February 16, 2025

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BITS & BYTES: ‘Breathtaking Baroque’; ‘Healing Pittsfield;’ Rhythm and Rhyme Symposium; ‘Girl Rising’ at Simon’s Rock; Trio Jota Sete at BMS

Students from Hong Kong, Germany and India participating in morning workshops at Mount Everett Regional School throughout the week, creating group pieces in spoken word poetry and music.

‘Breathtaking Baroque’ to conclude 2017 Leaf Peeper Concert Series

Eugenia Zukerman. Photo courtesy Leaf Peeper Concert Series

Great Barrington — “Breathtaking Baroque” will conclude Clarion Concerts’ 37th Leaf Peeper Concert Series Saturday, Oct. 21, at 5 p.m. at Saint James Place. The annual Newell Jenkins Memorial Concert will remember American musicologist and conductor Jenkins, who founded Clarion Concerts in 1981.

The concert will feature Anthony Newman on harpsichord; Steven Taylor on oboe; Peter Kolkay on bassoon; and the series’ music director, Eugenia Zukerman, on flute. The evening will begin with George Frederick Handel’s Quartet in F major, Op.2, No.4, HWV389; followed by Philipp Friedrich Böddecker’s Sonata Sopra La Monica for bassoon and harpsichord; and Georg Philip Telemann’s Trio Sonata in a minor for flute, oboe and continuo, TWV 42:a4. The second half of the concert will encompass Jean-Baptiste Loeillet’s Sonata in F major for flute, oboe, bassoon and harpsichord, Op.2, no.2; Bach’s Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue in d minor, BWV903; and Telemann’s Quartet in d minor for flute, oboe, bassoon and harpsichord, TWV43.

Tickets are $25. For tickets and more information, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or contact Clarion Concerts at (413) 551-9901.

–E.E.

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‘Healing Pittsfield: A Conversation About What Divides Us’

Rev. Sheila Sholes-Ross

Pittsfield — On Sunday, Oct. 22, at 3 p.m., the Pittsfield Area Council of Congregations will host a forum titled “Healing Pittsfield: A Conversation About What Divides Us” at First Baptist Church.

The forum will feature a panel of speakers including Multicultural BRIDGE director Gwendolyn Hampton VanSant; NAACP – Berkshire County Branch president Dennis Powell; Greylock Federal Credit Union CEO John Bissell; and Rev. Dr. James Lumsden, pastor of First Church of Christ. Following initial presentations, Rev. Sheila Sholes-Ross of First Baptist Church and Rabbi Josh Breindel of Temple Anshe Amunim and will pose questions to the panel, after which the floor will be opened to questions from the audience.

“There are issues that divide us,” said Sholes-Ross. “What we need to do first is name them. And if we can’t name them, then we need to have a conversation about why it’s hard to do so.”

–E.E.

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Mount Everett to present Rhythm and Rhyme Symposium at the Mahaiwe

Students from Mount Everett Regional School at a World Education Alliance symposium on water resources protection in Nanjing, China, in winter 2017. Photo courtesy Mount Everett Regional School

Great Barrington — As part of its Global Education Program, Mount Everett Regional School will present the Rhythm and Rhyme Symposium, an international collaborative event centered on the themes of spoken word poetry and music, Thursday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m. at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center.

Each year the World Education Alliance, of which Mount Everett is a member, provides exchange opportunities and collaborative experiences. This year Mount Everett has been selected to host students from Hong Kong, Germany and India. Students are participating in morning workshops throughout the week, creating group pieces in spoken word poetry and music. Mount Everett has invited students from Monument Mountain Regional High School; Lenox Memorial Middle & High School; and Stissing Mountain Junior/Senior High School in Pine Plains, New York, to participate.

The performance is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Mount Everett Regional School at (413) 229-8734.

–E.E.

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Simon’s Rock to host ‘Girl Rising’ event

Image courtesy Girl Rising

Great Barrington — On Saturday, Oct. 21, at 6 p.m., Bard College at Simon’s Rock, in association with Girl Rising and Marah Koprowski, will present selected chapters from “Girl Rising,” the film that sparked a global movement for girls’ equality. On hand to talk about the film, its subject matter and the organization will be Girl Rising CEO Christina Lowery and event sponsor Koprowski.

“Girl Rising” tells the true stories of nine girls living in the developing world, striving beyond circumstance and overcoming nearly insurmountable odds to achieve their dreams. Written by acclaimed female writers and voiced by actors including Meryl Streep, Liam Neeson, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Amitabh Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor, Freida Pinto and Priyanka Chopra, the stories of “Girl Rising” have reached millions of people around the world, inspiring many to take action and lead change in their own communities.

The event is free with a suggested donation and reservations are required. All proceeds will benefit Girl Rising through the Girl Rising Impact Fund and its global campaign for girls’ education and empowerment. For more information or to make reservations, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or call (413) 528-7400.

–E.E.

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Berkshire Music School to present Trio Jota Sete

Jason Ennis. Photo courtesy Berkshire Music School

Pittsfield — Berkshire Music School will present BMS guitar faculty member Jason Ennis with Trio Jota Sete Friday, Oct. 20, at 7 p.m.

Ennis’ musical style is influenced by of a wide range of Brazilian musical traditions. His Trio Jota Sete project, which features drummer Conor Meehan and bassist Mary Ann McSweeney, weaves together original material, selections from Brazilian composers, and arrangements of choice jazz and pop standards. Joining the trio will be saxophonist Michael Zsoldos, a regular collaborator with the group.

Tickets are $20 for the general public and $10 for BMS students as well as other students age 18 and under. Wine and beer will be available for purchase. For tickets and more information, contact BMS at (413) 442-1411.

–E.E.

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The Edge Is Free To Read.

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