The Mount announces summer programs, writer-in-residence Molly Rideout
LENOX — The Mount today announced its 2021 summer event schedule, with highlights that include outdoor performances, lectures, and the return of the SculptureNow exhibit.
“We knew we wanted to do as much outdoors as possible,” said Susan Wissler, executive director at The Mount. “We envisioned different locations throughout the estate as unique performance venues and tried to match the performances to the space, making each site-specific. We will be presenting live music on a newly built stage below the stable, hosting lectures in an open-air tent in the field at the top of the property, and using the entire estate for roving readings and performances.”
The Mount is continuing to finalize its season and will be announcing additional programs in the coming weeks, including the return of the in-person Summer Lecture Series and a new music series on Thursday evenings in August. Bird walks and outdoor yoga started in early May and will run through the end of summer.
2021 SEASON
SculptureNow 2021 at The Mount
June 1–October 13
A brand-new exhibition of 30 large-scale contemporary sculptures. On Sunday, June 20, there will be an opportunity for visitors to meet and speak with the artists. Monthly artist-led tours will be given July–October.
The Summer Lecture Series
Mondays in July & August at 4 p.m.
Tuesdays in July & August at 11 a.m.
Lectures from today’s leading biographers and historians, held under an open-air tent. Lineup to be announced in early June.
Concerts in the Dell
Thursdays in August 5–8 p.m.
A brand-new music series presented each Thursday evening in August. Lineup to be announced in early June.
Monthly StoryWalks
Each month, The Mount presents a new walk inspired by a children’s book. Opening day for each walk is sponsored by Southern Berkshire Kids and will include timed reservations to view the walk and receive a gift bag. The walk will remain up for viewing, without reservations, for the remainder of the month.
Close Encounters with Music
Sunday, June 13, 5 p.m. & 7 p.m.
West Side 5, the award-winning New York-based vocal jazz ensemble, offers an innovative take on jazz standards. The group has created its own unique sound, characterized by original arrangements, complex harmonies, and outstanding musicianship.
“Banderole” with Ian Spencer Bell
Wednesday, June 30; Thursday, July 1; and Friday, July 2 at 6:30 p.m.
Choreographer and poet Ian Spencer Bell returns to The Mount along with dancers Joshua Tuason and Vanessa Knouse to perform “Banderole,” a site-specific dance inspired by the architecture of Edith Wharton’s former home. Audience members will follow the dance through the grounds and gardens.
Jazz and Classics for Change
Sunday, July 11, 4 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.
The Armen Donelian Trio and vocalist Dominique Eade offer lyrically charged works and distinctive interpretations of well-known Jazz standards.
Poetry for the Birds with Peter Filkins & Sidney Wade
Thursday, July 15 at 4 p.m.
This afternoon of bird-themed poetry will include original works by Filkins and Wade, as well as classic poems by Elizabeth Bishop, Derek Walcott, Emily Dickinson, and Robinson Jeffers.
WordxWord Festival
Tuesday, July 20–Thursday, July 22
Each evening of this three-day event is a doubleheader starting with Walkin’ with WordXWord, in which poets present short pieces in response to works in the 2021 SculptureNow exhibition, followed by poetry and storytelling events. Details to be announced in June.
True Conversations: Meg Wolitzer & Heidi Pitlor
Wednesday, Aug. 4 at 4 p.m.
Heidi Pitlor, editor of “The Best American Short Stories,” delves deep into the writing life of best-selling author Meg Wolitzer.
Much Ado About Shakespeare
Wednesday, Aug. 11 at 6 p.m.
This concert will feature texts by William Shakespeare sung by cast members from Berkshire Opera Festival’s “Falstaff.” Artistic Director Brian Garman will explore how different composers were inspired by the words of the man largely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language.
True Conversations: Martha Hall Kelly & Heidi Pitlor
Tuesday, Sept. 7 at 4 p.m.
Heidi Pitlor, editor of “The Best American Short Stories,” delves deep into the writing life of best-selling author Martha Hall Kelly.
The Mount also announced the installation of writer-in-residence Molly Rideout’s multi-site, literary, and sculptural project “The Farewell.” The exhibit will be installed over Memorial Day weekend at both The Mount and the Bookstore in Lenox. The public is invited to watch the installation process. The artwork will remain up through the summer and is free to view.
Inspired by The Mount’s current exhibition on local photographer Augustus Martin, Rideout has delved into the local history of Lenox and Lenox Dale to discover more about this eccentric photographer. The culmination of Rideout’s creative exploration is a personal and historical essay that interweaves the photographer’s possible relationship with a young woman in Lenox Dale and her own parallel experience falling for an older man. The essay is layered with Rideout’s observations on the complicated relationship our culture has with aging and gender.
In September, the completed essay will be available as a limited-run artist book. A professional bookmaker herself, Rideout will design and produce the book and launch it with a reading at The Mount on Sunday, Sept. 19. Books are available for pre-order.
The Mount’s Edith Wharton writer-in-residence program is now in its seventh year. Past recipients include Elif Batuman, Julia Philips, and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah.
—A.K.
* * *
New Vocalis Youth Choir to hold auditions in June
GREAT BARRINGTON — A new youth choir is being formed under the leadership of Artistic Director Julie Bickford. Vocalis Youth Choir will be comprised of three groups: Training Choir for children ages 8-11, Senior Choir for youths ages 11-15, and Encore for teens ages 14-19.
“’Vocalis means ‘having a voice,’ in Latin,” explained Bickford, who is also choir director at Monument Mountain High School in Great Barrington. “Training one’s singing voice is essential, but developing a strong voice as a child and young adult, and having it supported and nurtured, is such an important confidence-building element, so the name really resonated with us.”
“Vocalis has been in its incubation stages for months now, as the board has been carefully building its tenets,” said president and co-founder Larissa Yaple. “It’s of the utmost importance to us that Vocalis be an organization for the 21st century. Along with being a choral organization, our equally fundamental focus is on inclusion and community, whether that’s within the choirs, within our respective communities, or in the broader Berkshires community. We intend to give back as much as we can.”
Auditions for Encore and Senior Choir will take place during the first two weeks of June, while Training Choir will take place later this year.
—A.K.
* * *
BCC to offer Food and Beverage Management Certificate this fall
PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Community College (BCC) announces the addition of a Food and Beverage Management Certificate to its hospitality program. Available in fall 2021, the Food and Beverage Management Certificate is a one-year, 28-credit program that prepares students for entry-level positions in the food and beverage industry. The program is designed to provide a basic understanding of the hospitality field, food and beverage operations, personnel, and supervision principles, as well as foundations of budgeting, accounting, and cost controls.
The new program is designed for recent high school graduates seeking a vocational program that will allow them to enter the workforce after just one year of training, as well individuals working in the food and beverage field who want to increase their skills. According to a recent UMass study, 70 percent of hospitality employees in the Berkshires work in food and beverage, and the need for well-trained workers in the industry is expected to increase.
In addition to completing standard coursework, students participate in an external cooperative learning experience in the field that matches their career interests and professional goals, providing real-world experience.
With the addition of this certificate, BCC’s Hospitality & Culinary Program will offer three career certification options: Food and Beverage Management, Lodging Management, and Culinary Arts Management. If desired, students can earn an associate degree in the newly consolidated Hospitality and Tourism concentration.
For information on how to apply, visit www.berkshirecc.edu/admission-and-aid/.
—A.K.
