Chatham Central School District presents the Yale Spizzwinks(?)
Chatham— On Friday, November 3rd at 6 p.m., Chatham Central School District presents the Yale Spizzwinks(?), America’s oldest underclassman a cappella singing group.
The love of fine singing, fun, and fellowship allows the Spizzwinks(?) to entertain any audience anywhere with perfect harmony, infectious enthusiasm, and timeless wit. Maintaining a broad repertoire of arrangements including jazz standards, ballads, show tunes, pop, rock, traditional Yale College songs, and comedic numbers, they create an amazing performance. No Spizzwink performance would be complete, however, without a generous dose of choreography and their unique brand of humor. It is this perfect blend of humor, musicality, and showmanship that leaves audiences all over the world begging for more.
The all-ages concert is on Friday, November 3rd at 6 p.m. at Chatham High School on Woodbridge Avenue in Chatham. Tickets are $5 for adults or $10 per family at the door.
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Music at the Manton music series at the Clark presents Miriam Elhajli with Tendai Muparutsa
Williamstown— On Saturday, November 4th from 7 p.m. to 8:45 p.m., Music at the Manton music series at the Clark presents Miriam Elhajli with Tendai Muparutsa.
Miriam Elhajli is a folk singer, composer-improviser, and musicologist living in Brooklyn. A participant in both the vibrant avant-garde and the folkloric communities of the borough, she has collaborated with musicians such as Shahzad Ismaily, Jen Shyu, Mali Obomsawin, Jason Lindner, and Chris Dingman. Elhajli released her debut LP “Observations” in 2020 and her sophomore “The Uncertainty of Signs” earlier this year on Numina Records, a label she founded to aid in the documentation of traditional women’s music in the Maghreb and beyond. Numina is set to release Elhajli’s third record this summer. Elhajli is a researcher at the Association for Cultural Equity.
Tendai Muparutsa is an ethnomusicologist and music educator from Mutare, Zimbabwe. He currently serves as an artist-in-residence at Williams College, where he teaches African courses, directs the Zambezi marimba band, and co-directs the Kusika dance company.
The concert is on Saturday, November 4th from 7 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. in the Manton Center Auditorium at the Clark Art Institute on South Street in Williamstown. Tickets are $10, $8 for members, $7 for students, and $5 for children ages 15 and under. Advance registration required. Registration and more information can be found online.
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Congregational Church of Stockbridge’s ‘Music on Main’ series presents violinist Muneko Otani, cellist Ronald Feldman and pianist Hui-Mei Lin for an afternoon concert
Stockbridge— On Saturday, November 4th at 3 p.m., the Congregational Church of Stockbridge’s ‘Music on Main’ series presents violinist Muneko Otani, cellist Ronald Feldman and pianist Hui-Mei Lin for an afternoon concert of works by Boulanger, Beethoven, and Brahms.
As first violinist of the renowned Cassatt String Quartet, Muneko Otani has appeared at major venues in the US, Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Asia including Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center and Library of Congress. She serves on the faculties of Columbia University, Williams College, and Mannes College, and she has taught at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. Ms. Otani has held fellowships at the Tanglewood Music Center, Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, and Yale University, as assistant to the Tokyo String Quartet.
Ronald Feldman, critically acclaimed cellist and conductor, has appeared as guest conductor with the London Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, Quebec Symphony, plus three seasons at Symphony Hall and Tanglewood. Mr. Feldman joined the Boston Symphony at age 19. His chamber music affiliations have included the BSO Chamber Players, Boston University and Williams College Chamber Players. In performances he has collaborated with Emanuel Ax, Yo-Yo Ma, Garrick Ohlsson, and Gil Shaham. Currently he directs the award-winning Berkshire Symphony at Williams College, where he is Artist in Residence, Lecturer and Chamber Music Coordinator.
Pianist Hui-Mei Lin, a native of Taiwan, made her New York solo debut at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall as winner of the Artists International Audition. Concert tours have taken her to Italy, Canada, France, Taiwan, and throughout the U.S. As a chamber musician, Hui-Mei has performed with cellist Carter Brey of the N.Y. Philharmonic, flutist Robert Stallman, soprano Berenice Bramson at Weill Recital Hall and the Cassatt String Quartet in NY. She has appeared frequently with her cello partner Peter Seidenberg and has also collaborated with pianist Bari Mort. She received her Bachelor of Music degree from the Hartt School of Music and went on to Juilliard, where she was awarded a full scholarship to the Master’s program. In 2002, she received a Doctoral of Musical Arts degree from the CUNY Music Graduate Center in N.Y. Dr. Lin has served on the faculty of Sacred Heart University and as Artist in Residence at Kings College.
The concert is on Saturday, November 4th at 3 p.m. at the Congregational Church of Stockbridge on Main Street in Stockbridge. There is a $25 suggested donation at the door. Proceeds of this concert series help support the music ministry of the church including a refurbishment of their rare and historic 1908 Steinway B piano. More information can be found online or by calling 413-298-3137 ext. 1.
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South African Wine Dinner at Frankie’s Ristorante with Dare Bottleshop & Provisions
Lenox— On Thursday, November 2nd at 6 p.m., Dare Bottleshop & Provisions hosts a supper club featuring mesmerizing wines from south of the equator at Frankie’s Ristorante.
Guest wine expert and fine wine distributor Jeff Slavin of Hangtime Wines will be headlining the evening, taking guests through a voyage of South African wine country through a 4-course pairing menu featuring five wines. Jeff has traveled extensively in the region and is proud to call each of the featured winemakers friends.
The dinner is on Thursday, November 2nd at 6 p.m. at Frankie’s Ristorante on Main Street in Lenox. The cost is $120 including gratuity. Guests will enjoy special discounted pricing on all wines featured that evening through Dare Bottleshop & Provisions. Reservations can be made online. More information can be found online.
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Berkshire County Historical Society presents a discussion of the history of Broadhall, the historic home currently known as the Country Club of Pittsfield
Pittsfield— On Thursday, November 2nd at 5:30 p.m., Berkshire County Historical Society Executive Director Lesley Herzberg and Board President Cynthia Farr Brown will discuss the history of Broadhall, the home of Sarah Morewood, currently known as the Country Club of Pittsfield.
“The Country Club of Pittsfield’s club house has a rich history,” said Lesley Herzberg. “This lecture will explore that history looking at what is fact and what is local lore. Famous residents and visitors to the house include Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, John Tyler, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, Elkanah Watson, General Benjamin Lincoln, and more.”
The event is on Thursday, November 2nd at 5:30 p.m. at the Country Club of Pittsfield (CCoP) on South Street in Pittsfield. Tickets are $35 and $30 for members of the CCoP and BCH and will include a tour of the building followed by refreshments. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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Berkshire School’s Theater Department presents ‘Middletown’, a play written by Will Eno
Sheffield— From November 2nd through November 4th at 7:30 p.m., Berkshire School’s Theater Department presents ‘Middletown’, a play written by Will Eno.
When Mary Swanson arrives in Middletown, she’s hoping for a fresh start, a place to have a family and experience some small town peace and quiet. Through meetings with local residents, she starts to see that there is more to this town than its oddly honest exterior. As she develops a friendship with her neighbor, longtime resident John Dodge, she begins to understand that beneath it all there is something much more complex going on. Theater Program Director Jesse Howard says “Middletown is an offbeat, funny, and heartbreaking human portrait of a town whose residents are stuck in the murky middle of things while reaching for a handhold on the way to the next step.”
The cast features local students Luka Davis (Sheffield), Chloe Howard (Sheffield), Stella Howard (Sheffield), Ellie Grimmett (Lenox, MA), Hannah LaPier (Sheffield), and Diana Splawn (Sheffield).
The performances are November 2nd through November 4th at 7:30 p.m. at Berkshire School’s Allen Theater on Undermountain Road in Sheffield. There is a $2.00 suggested donation at the door. The play runs about two hours with one 15-minute intermission. The play tackles mature themes and is best suited for audience members 13 years of age and up. More ore information can be found by emailing Jesse Howard at jhoward@berkshireschool.org.
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Berkshire South’s 8th Annual Arts & Crafts Festival
Great Barrington— On Saturday, November 4th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Berkshire South hosts its 8th Annual Arts & Craft Festival.
There will be over 25 incredible Berkshire-based vendors selling handmade dresses, quilts, decorations, jewelry, prints, photographs, paintings, baked goods, instruments, and more. This is the perfect opportunity to peruse local vendors and find unique gifts for family and friends. Come see what Berkshire crafters are making and get a head start on your holiday shopping. There will be live music by The Midnight Anthem, decadent crépes from Crepe Royale, and tacos from The Taco Shack food truck.
The free outdoor festival is on Saturday, November 4th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Berkshire South on Crissey Road in Great Barrington. It will be moved indoors in case of bad weather. More information can be found online.
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Clark Art Institute offers free gallery tours for parents and caregivers with infants
Williamstown— On Friday, November 3rd at 10:15 a.m., the Clark Art Institute hosts a tour of its permanent collection galleries for parents and caregivers with infants.
In this special program, parents and caregivers bring their infants into the galleries for a guided visit and the opportunity to socialize with other community members in a casual environment. The informal tour includes a unique look at the Clark’s permanent collection. Each month offers a different selection of artworks.
The free tour is on Friday, November 3rd at 10:15 a.m. at the Clark Art Institute on South Street in Pittsfield. Strollers and front baby carriers welcome. More information can be found online.
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South Williamstown Community Association hosts a community breakfast in Williamstown
Williamstown— On Saturday, November 4th at 9 a.m., South Williamstown Community Association hosts a community breakfast in Williamstown.
There will be coffee, tea, muffins, scones, egg dishes, fruit, and other good things to eat.
The breakfast is on Saturday, November 4th at 9 a.m. at the Second Congregational Church on Hancock Road in Williamstown. The breakfast is free, but donations are being accepted for the Williamstown Food Pantry at the door. All are welcome.
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Applications are now open for eligible Massachusetts households to apply for financial assistance this heating season
Massachusetts— The Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) announces November 1st as the start of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) 2023-2024 winter heating season.
Applications for home energy assistance are currently being accepted online, and income-eligible households may receive financial help to offset heating bills from November 1, 2023, through April 30, 2024. Both homeowners and renters can apply online. Households must meet specific eligibility requirements to qualify for aid, which will be paid directly to their heating vendor. Assistance for all sources of heat, including oil, electricity, natural gas, propane, kerosene, wood and coal, is available.
For more information, or to find your local LIHEAP agency, visit www.toapply.org/MassLIHEAP.
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CHP Berkshires prepares for November 1st open enrollment
Great Barrington— Open Enrollment for MA Health Connector insurance beginning November 1st, and the CHP insurance enrollment team is preparing to assist many more area residents who will now qualify for subsidized insurance plans.
The income limit for Health Connector plans has risen to $69,400 for an individual and $155,000 for a family of four, or 500 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). Previously, subsidized health plans were available only to people within 300 percent of the FPL. The state estimates that another 50,000 state residents will now qualify for Health Connector plans.
This expanded program will cover current Health Connector customers who will qualify for new or additional subsidy support, people who are transitioning out of MassHealth due to higher incomes, and people who previously were not eligible because they earned too much money. New Health Connector applicants are also eligible.
For information or an appointment to review insurance options, contact the CHP insurance enrollment team at enrollment@chpberkshires.org or call 413-854-2816.
