American Mural Project honors firefighters with free admission and special events
Winsted, Conn.— Through October 6th, the American Mural Project (AMP) will celebrate the courageous work of firefighters with free admission for firefighters, a special exhibit, family activities, and tours that highlight mural subject Melissa Bennett, a firefighter from Engine 257, Canarsie, in N.Y.
On Saturday, October 5th at 5 p.m., AMP presents “Firefighter and Trailblazer: A Conversation with Melissa Bennett.” Bennett’s story inspired artist Ellen Griesedieck so much that she set out to portray her on a massive scale, including her as part of AMP’s larger-than-life indoor mural. Griesedieck will talk with Bennett about the camaraderie and challenges of working alongside her firefighting team. This event is free. Register online. Doors open at 4 p.m. to explore the mural exhibit before the 5 p.m. talk. Beverages and snacks will be available for purchase. .
The special events run through October 6th at American Mural Project 90 Whiting Street in Winsted, Conn. More information can be found online.
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Chesterwood presents ‘Poetry on the Piazza’
Stockbridge— On Saturday, September 14th at 4:30 p.m., Chesterwood presents “Poetry on the Piazza,” an afternoon of contemporary poetry in collaboration with Voices of Poetry.
Set on the “piazza” of the historic studio overlooking the view of Monument Mountain, this event will feature the distinguished, award-winning poets Doug Anderson, Amy Dryansky, Martha Rhodes, and Hilde Weisert.
The event is on Saturday, September 14th at 4:30 p.m. at Chesterwood at 4 Williamsville Road in Stockbridge. It is free with a suggested donation of $10. It will be followed by a Q&A and a complimentary reception with the authors. Registration and more information can be found online.
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West Stockbridge Historical Society presents The Ensemble Chamarré
West Stockbridge— On Saturday, September 14th at 7 p.m., West Stockbridge Historical Society presents The Ensemble Chamarré.
The Ensemble Chamarré will offer a rare performance of the powerful and moving “Quartet for the End of Time” by Olivier Messiaen. Written and performed for the first time during WWII while Messiaen was a French prisoner of war, the piece was played by the composer and three fellow prisoners on inferior instruments before an audience of German officers and inmates in an unheated barrack on a painfully cold night in 1941.
The quartet embodies the extreme conditions of the camp and the emotions and struggles of the body and soul of the highly religious Messiaen. A guard at the Stalag where Messiaen was imprisoned recognized the composer’s genius, and loved the music so much that he broke many rules at the prison camp to supply Messiaen with materials and privacy to compose music. He also arranged for Messiaen’s release from the camp and his return to France, where the composer continued to live and work until his death in 1992.
The Ensemble Chamarré, featuring Catherine Hudgins on clarinet, Kate Wolfe on violin, William Rounds on cello, and Vitas J. Baksys on piano, has performed this extraordinary piece worldwide, earning praise from reviewers who cite their “mesmeric” and “brilliant” playing and their “amazing delicacy” and “musical wizardry”.
The performance is on Saturday, September 14th at 7 p.m. at West Stockbridge Congregational Church at 45 Main Street in West Stockbridge. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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Lich Gate Concerts presents a complete world-class orchestral performance of Vivaldi’s ‘The Four Seasons’ in Sheffield
Sheffield— On Saturday, September 14th at 4 p.m., Lich Gate Concerts presents a world-class orchestral performance of Vivaldi’s ‘The Four Seasons’ (‘Le quattro stagioni’,) the complete Violin Concerti with soloist Jorge Ávila.
Lich Gate Concerts invites you to immerse yourself in an exciting afternoon of orchestral chamber music under the graceful canopy of the wooden Pavilion in Sheffield Town Park. The Pavilion’s intimate setting provides the perfect acoustic, fresh breezes, and occasional bird calls, interspersed with the gorgeous music of the Baroque and Modernist periods.
Presenting for the first time an orchestral chamber ensemble, Artistic Director Jorge Ávila has curated an exciting program featuring works for string orchestra, from the Baroque and Modernist periods including the first movement, Allegro piacevole, of EDWARD ELGAR’S famous “Serenade for Strings in E minor, Op. 20”; Vivaldi’s spectacular “The Four Seasons”; and “Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 68, BB 76” by Béla Bartók.
The concert is on Saturday, September 14th at 4 p.m. at the Pavilion in the Sheffield Town Park at 53-59 Frederic Lane in Sheffield. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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15th Annual Berkshire Biodiversity Day at Berkshire Community College
Pittsfield— On September 13th at noon to September 14th at noon, Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) and Nature Academy of the Berkshires present the 15th Annual Berkshire Biodiversity Day at Berkshire Community College (BCC.)
Celebrating local biodiversity during a time of unprecedented global biodiversity loss, the 15th Annual Berkshire Biodiversity Day (also known as Berkshire BioBlitz) welcomes community members of all ages to join biologists, naturalists, and environmentalists to identify as many plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms as possible during a 24-hour period on BCC’s campus, which spans 180+ acres and boasts a diverse range of habitats, including meadows, forests, and wetlands.
This year’s program promises to be an engaging experience for all nature enthusiasts. The schedule is packed with guided walks, presentations, and demonstrations led by experts.
The event is on September 13th at noon to September 14th at noon at Berkshire Community College at 1350 West Street in Pittsfield. A detailed schedule and more information can be found online.
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Berkshire County District Attorney’s Office to host second annual ‘Dress for Success’ event
Pittsfield— On Friday, September 13th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Berkshire County District Attorney’s Office, with All-Ways Moving & Storage and Dress for Success of Western Massachusetts, will host a “Dress for Success” event, open to all people living in Berkshire County.
Dress for Success is an organization providing free professional clothing, training for job seekers, and working professionals. District Attorney Shugrue stated, “I am proud to be hosting this event for a second year. As a District Attorney I believe we must work in the community to support and advocate for all people, including those seeking a new start regardless of their background or circumstances.”
The free event is on Friday, September 13th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Pittsfield Holiday Inn at 1 West Street in Pittsfield. More information can be found online.
