Arts & Leisure

Arts Beat for July 8: Small Glories play the green

SMALL GLORIES bring their Canadian Prairie sound to Middlebury’s Festival on-the-Green at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 9.

Middlebury’s exciting Festival on-the-Green continues its 41st season on Tuesday, July 9, at noon, when Jon Gailmor, will present a Brown Bag Special musical performance for the whole family. At 7 p.m., The Small Glories, a musical tour-de-force duo planted on the Canadian Prairies, hits the stage with their songs of love, loss and environment, delivered with soaring, interwoven vocals on various combinations of stomping clawhammer banjo, guitar and harmonica. Then, at 8:30 p.m., the Heather Pierson Acoustic Trio will perform a wide selection of Americana originals ? folk, jazz, and blues ? with intricate instrumental arrangements and stirring three-part vocal harmonies.
On Wednesday, July 10, at noon, No Strings Marionettes, the husband-wife team of puppeteers Dan Baginski and Barbara Paulson, presents entertainment for the whole family. At 7 p.m., The Joe Davidian Trio featuring Amber de Laurentis, an American jazz trio comprised of some of the nation’s hottest up-and-coming young lions,will offer a mix of original works and jazz standards.  Then, at 8:30 p.m., Festival audience members will be treated to the Matt Flinner Trio. This group covers a wide variety of musical styles — all with the common ground of American roots music — offered up in fresh and original ways.
On Thursday, July 11, at noon, Mime Chris Yerlig willcapture the hearts of young and old alike with his performance. Then, at 7 p.m., OKAN, a Toronto-based Cuban quintet, will entertain with a fusion of Afro-Cuban, jazz, folk, classical and world influences. Then, at 8:30 p.m., the LowDown Brass Band hits the stage. LDB deftly synthesizes the gritty sounds of Chicago with the high energy street beat of New Orleans, the Crescent City.
On Friday, July 12, at noon, magician Tom Verner will present magic for the kids in all of us. Then, at 7 p.m., Soule Mondewill perform. This is fluid funk, crafted for the dance floor but supported by an extensive grasp of jazz improvisation. That will be followed at 8:30 p.m. by Big Night. Inspired by past and current music and dance from southwest Louisiana and Texas, and dedicated to the idea that every person deserves an opportunity to two-step, Big Night is a group of Burlington-based musicians playing a mix of Cajun, western swing, Zydeco and classic country.
As always, the festival comes to a spirited conclusion on Saturday evening, July 13, at 7 p.m. with the Vermont Jazz Ensemble Big Band Street Dance. Come promptly at 7 p.m. to learn a few dance steps with Jim Condon.
Although all festival events are free, donations are always gratefully accepted. For more information call 462-3555 or visit festivalonthegreen.org.

KLIMT & SCHIELE: EROS AND PSYCHE
For the last Great Art Wednesday film of the season, Middlebury’s Town Hall Theater is excited to screen the new documentary film, “Klimt & Schiele: Eros andPsyche,” at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 10.
This sumptuous film contrasts the heady sensuality of Klimt’s work (pictured, right) with Schiele’s stark, evocative nudes and shows both artists at work during a tumultuous time for both Vienna and the rest of central Europe as well as the art world.
“Klimt & Schiele: Eros and Psyche,” recounts the start of the Vienna Secession, a magical art movement formed in the late 1890’s for art, literature and music, in which new ideas are circulated, Freud discovers the drives of the psyche, and women begin to claim their independence.
Note that this film features paintings and drawings of nude figures and sexual situations and may not be suitable for all audiences.
Tickets are $13/$8 students and include fees. Tickets may be purchased at townhalltheater.org, by calling 802-382-9222, at the THT box office Monday-Saturday, noon to 5 p.m., or at the door one hour before show time. The THT is located at 68 S. Pleasant Street in Middlebury.

POINT COUNTERPOINT CELEBRATES 40TH ANNIVERSARY
The Point CounterPoint faculty musicians will present their 40th evening of chamber music at Middlebury’s Town Hall Theater on Friday, July 12, at 7:30 p.m.
The professional musicians who teach at Point CounterPoint Chamber Music Camp on Lake Dunmore hail from prestigious music institutions and from many parts of the world.
This faculty performance features: Ari Streisfeld (pictured, left), Anne Lanzilotti, David Kaplan, Joann Whang, Jessica Tong, Romina Monsanto and Isabel Ong. This year’s musical program includes Three Madrigals from Book VI by Carlo Gesualdo, arr. Ari Streisfeld; Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 66; Light and Matter by Kaija Saariaho; and Brahms’ String Sextet No. 1 in B Flat Major, Op. 18.
Although admission to the concert is free, donations to support Point CounterPoint are welcome. Town Hall Theater is located at 68 S. Pleasant Street, Middlebury.

COMPASS OPENS NEW EXHIBIT
A new exhibit, “Carolyn Shattuck: Into My Space,” opens at the Compass Music and Arts Center with a reception at 5 p.m., on Friday, July 12.
Shattuck is in every sense a lifelong artist. Living now in Rutland and for part of the year in Florida’s Key West, Shattuck has devoted almost 40 years to creating art. In this exhibit, she presents a selection of her still life paintings, several of her skillfully colored, patterned and layered prints and textured collages, and her ingenious, meticulous and sculptural Book Art.
The exhibit, which runs through September, is free. The Compass Music and Arts Center is located in Park Village at 333 Jones Drive in Brandon (Park Village used to be the Brandon Training School, located 1.5 miles north of downtown Brandon off Arnold District Rd.) For more information, visit cmacvt.org.

TWANGTOWN PARAMOURS AT BRANDON MUSIC
The Twangtown Paramours are firm favorites with Brandon Music audiences and return to perform on Saturday, July 13, at 7:30 p.m.
The music of The Twangtown Paramours has been called “Sophisticated Americana,” and is a hybrid of the Nashville and Austin music scenes. This husband and wife acoustic duo, made up of MaryBeth Zamer and Mike T. Lewis, is known for their well-crafted and award-winning songs, top-notch lead singing, and fine harmonies.
Concert tickets are $20. A pre-concert dinner is available for $25. Reservations are required for dinner and recommended for the show.Venue is BYOB. Call 802-247-4295 or e-mail [email protected] for reservations or for more information. Brandon Music is located at 62 Country Club Road in Brandon.

SILENT MOVIE FESTIVAL WITH LIVE MUSIC IN BRANDON
The Silent Movie Festival with live music continues at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 13, at the Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, located at 1 Conant Square. This month’s offering is “Woman in the Moon” (1929) directed by German filmmaker Fritz Lang (“Metropolis”). “Woman in the Moon” laid the groundwork for all of the great outer space movie tales to come, complete with melodramatic plot and eye-popping visuals.
Live music for the silent film will be provided by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based performer and composer who specializes in scoring and presenting silent films. In accompanying films live, Rapsis uses a digital synthesizer to recreate the texture of the full orchestra. He improvises the music in real time, as the movie is shown.
Admission is free; donations are encouraged, with proceeds to benefit the Town Hall’s ongoing restoration.

SUNDAY SESSIONS AT LPV
The Sunday Sessions continue at Lincoln Peak Vineyard on Sunday, July 14, from 2 to 4 p.m. with Richard Ruane & Beth Duquette.
Ruane and Duquette are a Vermont-based acoustic duo performing original music with a clear traditional-roots influence that is steeped in tradition, but of its own time. They are known for their strong, imaginative vocals and harmonies, often compared to classic sibling harmony duos.
Wine is available by the glass, and there will be a good selection of Vermont cheese, sausage, crackers and chocolate available. Music is rain or shine on the covered porch (indoors if it’s pouring). Lincoln Peak Vineyard is located at 142 River Road in New Haven. More information is at lincolnpeakvineyard.com.

BRANDON SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
The Brandon Area Chamber of Commerce free summer concert series, “Music at the Riverbend,” located behind the Brandon Inn continues this Wednesday, July 10, at 6 p.m., with the Brandon Town Band ,who will be the opening act for The HandyMen, a Vermont trio playing blues, classic rock, New Orleans funk and quirky crossover tunes, at 7 p.m.
Join the folks who come out and relax with quality music, friends and neighbors; everyone enjoys free popcorn. Adult beverages are served up by the Brandon Inn, available in the outdoor lounge area, so you won’t miss a single note of the music. For more information, contact the chamber at 802-247-6401 or [email protected].

FRENCH MUSIC AT COLLEGE
The Middlebury College School of French presents their own Clementine DuBost on piano, and rising French violinist David Petrlik, in a concert of French music at 8 p.m., on Wednesday, July 10, in Robison Hall at Middlebury College’s Mahaney Arts Center.
In Petrlik’s young career, he has performed as soloist and chamber musician in several of Europe’s most prestigious concert halls, and has been a prizewinner in several international competitions such as the IV International Jascha Heifetz Competition for Violinists in Vilnius, and the Felix Mendelssohn Competition in Berlin.
A post-concert reception will be held in the lobby.
It’s free. The public is welcome at this language schools event, but please help the students respect the language pledge by limiting the speaking of English during the event.

MICHELE FAY BAND IN HANCOCK
The Michele Fay Band will kick off the Summer Concert series on the new bandstand on the Hancock town green, Route 100 in Hancock, on Thursday, July 11, at 6:30 p.m.
The band features original and Americana music that brings forth a comfortable groove of folk, swing, and bluegrass-influenced songs that are woven seamlessly together.
The band’s performances are both energetic and unpretentious, appealing to a wide range of audience. Its growing musicianship is increasingly being well received throughout the region as it continues to gather its well-deserved recognition.
The Hancock concerts are free and open to the public. Bring your lawn chair and enjoy. A rain site is available.

BASIN BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL
The 25th Annual Basin Bluegrass Festival will take place from Thursday, July 11 through Sunday, July 14 in Brandon, featuring 11 different bands, morning and afternoon workshops on Friday and Saturday, and much more. The festival is held at the end of Basin Road and will be well signed from Brandon. Food and craft concessions and cover for rain or shine are provided. Tenters are welcome, bring lawn chairs.
Day tickets are $30 Friday and Saturday, $15 Sunday, purchased on site. Weekend at the gate, $65. Much more information is available at basinbluegrassfestival.com, or contact Linda Berry, [email protected], phone: 802-236-1096.

CARILLON SERIES AT COLLEGE
The 34th annual Middlebury College Carillon Series continues on Friday, July 12, at 6 p.m., with Tatiana Lukyanova, carillonneur at the Congregational Church, New Britain, Conn., and former associate carillonneur, St. Petersburg, Russia. All of the concerts are free and open to the public, and can be enjoyed on the steps of Mead Chapel or on the surrounding lawns.
Mead Memorial Chapel is located on the campus of Middlebury College at 75 Hepburn Road. For further information, call 802-443-3168 or visit go.middlebury.edu/carillon.

BRISTOL BAND CONCERT
The Bristol Band Concert Season continues on Wednesday, July 10, at 7 p.m., on the Town Green. Concerts are held every Wednesday evening through the Wednesday before Labor Day, Sept. 2. The Bristol Band has presented outdoor summer band concerts in the gazebo on the town green every Wednesday evening in the summer since shortly after the Civil War. Bring a lawn chair, blanket or picnic dinner and enjoy an evening of small town entertainment. It’s free.
There is often a fundraiser barbeque before each concert. Call 802-453-5885 for details.

BLUES JAM IN BRANDON
The monthly (second Saturday of the month) Blues Jam, hosted by Tom Caswell at Sister Wicked in Brandon will take place at 8 p.m. on Saturday, July 13. A signup sheet for musicians is available. Singers, guitarists, bassists, drummers, keyboardists, harmonica players; everyone is welcome to come and play the blues. Nothing but the blues from 8 until late. For more information, call 802-236-3368.

BACH BASH IN GRANVILLE
Last but not least,The 21st Annual Bach Bash will take place on Saturday, July 13, in the Granville Town Hall. Professional and amateur musicians celebrate the music of Bach and others in this day-long event that features a public concert at 7 p.m.

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