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February 4, 2023

The Chestertown Spy

An Educational News Source for Chestertown Maryland

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Arts Arts Notes News News Notes

The Changing Chesapeake set to open at CBMM on March 1

February 3, 2023 by Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum Leave a Comment

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The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s exhibition, The Changing Chesapeake, will open to the public on Wednesday, March 1 in the Steamboat Building gallery.

CBMM’s upcoming exhibition The Changing Chesapeake gathers perspectives of artists from across Maryland and surrounding areas, including Louisa Zendt’s oil painting, “Prime Time.”

Artists were asked to reflect on how climate change and the impact of humans on the environment shapes their Chesapeake community, how the way they identify with and are inspired by the Chesapeake has evolved, what they would want someone 100 years from now to know about life and community traditions in the Chesapeake, and their vision for the future of life in the region.

The Changing Chesapeake will invite guests to explore the perspectives of artists from across Maryland and surrounding areas. The works were selected through a community panelist review process and include traditional media such as photography and painting, as well as stop-motion animation, found-object art, quilting, original songwriting, embroidery, poetry, and sculpture.

Just a few of the unique works featured: Peter Panyon’s music video, “Can’t Work the River,” presents the first-person perspective of a waterman facing a disappearing livelihood. Using quilt and crochet techniques, Laura Guertin’s fiber artwork, “Ghosts of the Coast,” portrays a window that frames its titular spirits, which are trees dying from saltwater intrusion. Writer Anna Marhefka’s creative nonfiction piece, “And still, she beckons,” reflects on her relationship with the Bay as a child and adult through memories of boating and fishing.

Stephen Walker’s oil painting, “Bay Life,” is among the works featured in CBMM’s exhibition The Changing Chesapeake, which opens on March 1.

Sharon Dennis’ painting “Anchor of Hope Cemetery” portrays graves dating to the Revolutionary War falling into the water along an eroding shoreline. In his photo-artistic montage “Tangier Abandoned,” Tom Payne presents a fantastical depiction of Tangier Island underwater, which may become Tangier’s eventual fate. An oil painting by Sharon Malley, “Momfords Poynt from Space” examines the beauty and gracefulness of rivers as they intersect the land, by imagining John Smith’s map of the Chesapeake from space.

“Our concept for The Changing Chesapeake was to break down barriers and encourage artists of all types and experience levels to find their voice, share their personal histories, passions, fears, and hopes, and convey how the Chesapeake shapes and is shaped by individual and community identities,” said Curator and Folklife Center Manager Jen Dolde. “These artworks document how cultural traditions are evolving and transforming in an era of dynamic change. They are a human response to environmental, economic, and internal and external factors that often seem beyond our control.”

The panel selected more than 75 works, which will be on exhibition through Feb. 25, 2024, with public programming slated for spring 2023. CBMM members and the selected artists will be invited to view the exhibition and mingle during an opening event on Thursday, March 2 from 5-7pm. CBMM members can register now at bit.ly/ChangingChesapeakeOpening.

Filed Under: Arts Notes, News Notes

The Mainstay Celebrates Mardi Gras with James Day and the Fish Fry

February 2, 2023 by The Mainstay Leave a Comment

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The Mainstay is observing the flavor and excitement of Mardi Gras with a special Fat Tuesday (February 21st) concert. The featured artists are the Philadelphia-based band James Day and the Fish Fry.

James Day is originally from the Mississippi Gulf Coast town of Biloxi. He spent his twenties living in New Orleans sucking up all the real New Orleans music he could. His day jobs included being a fish fry man, which is the name of the classic New Orleans band he put together after moving to Philadelphia. They perform all styles of New Orleans music: A gumbo mix of Street Parade music, Cuban Rumbas, Swamp Pop, and Zydeco. The material covers all the familiar idioms of that style: backbeat drumming, slapping upright bass, fat tone guitar, squeezing accordion, scratchy frottoir, Cajun fiddle and ripping harmonica. The players include Ron Howard on piano, organ, and accordions, Greg Snyder on “all manner of guitars”, Willie James on upright bass, Stephan Tolnay on drums, Alan “Gator” Yandziak on baritone and tenor saxophones, and James Day on “hollerin’ and harmonicas.”

Showtime for this special concert event is 7 pm. Tickets are $20 in advance of the show and can be purchased online at mainstayrockhall.org. Phone reservations are accepted by calling (410) 639-9133 (tickets reserved by phone are $25 when paid at the door). The Mainstay is located at 5753 N Main Street in Rock Hall, Maryland. Its regular calendar of local, regional, and nationally touring artists features a live performance every week of the year (February through December) in a variety of music genres.

The programs of the Mainstay are also supported in part with funding from the Maryland State Arts Council and the Kent Cultural Alliance.

Filed Under: Arts Notes Tagged With: Arts, Chestertown Spy, local news, The Mainstay

Authors & Oysters: Dr. Richard Gillin

February 2, 2023 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

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A Guide to Hiking the Liberal Arts: The Washington College Kiplin Hall Program

The Bookplate is happily continuing their popular Authors & Oysters event series at The Retriever Bar in 2023. Academy Award-Winning author Ernest Thompson featured in the most recent Authors & Oysters event on January 18th. Next up on Wednesday, February 8th at 6pm, all are invited to The Retriever to hear local author Rich Gillin present “A Guide to Hiking the Liberal Arts”.

A Guide to Hiking the Liberal Arts is the highly engaging story of an annual travel abroad experience for students at Washington College, the twelfth oldest college in the United States, and the oldest in Maryland. Fittingly, students visit Kiplin Hall, the ancestral English home of the Calvert family, who founded Maryland. From there, they explore the surrounding countryside of North Yorkshire and that of West Cork, Ireland.

Tracking the evolution of the program over twenty years, Gillin vividly details the ways in which daily hiking excursions enable students to deeply connect the experience of landscape to the study of English literature. As students push themselves physically, they are asked to consider how the specific environment informs and textures the poetry and prose they read. Moreover, the visceral struggle of climbing a mountain in cold, wet, windy weather enriches each student’s self-awareness and heightens their connection to the world at large. Students also gain a sense of personal achievement and learn first-hand how to get along with others in often difficult and uncomfortable circumstances. Ultimately, these hikes serve as touchstones that enable students to journey within and without to source tangible insight into the relationship between literature, landscape, and place.

“Professor Richard Gillin was my senior advisor and taught my English Lit-Romanticism class at Washington College, and it was such an eye-opening and interesting course. His lectures were famously popular and incredibly articulate, thought-provoking, curious, and insightful… This wonderful book on hiking is escapism for 2021.”

– Laura McIntyre, Washington College class of 1989

For more event details contact The Bookplate at 410-778-4167 or contact@thebookplate.net. This event is free and open to the public. Reservations are not required. The next Authors & Oysters event is scheduled for 3/8 with Allyson Rice. All events are held in the back room of The Retriever, located at 337 ½ High Street in Chestertown, Maryland.

Filed Under: Arts Notes Tagged With: Arts, Chestertown Spy, local news, The Bookplate

Grand Re-Opening of RiverArts Popular Gift Shop

February 1, 2023 by Chestertown RiverArts Leave a Comment

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For most people, a trip to a favorite museum or art gallery wouldn’t be complete without a stop at the gift shop. Always a magnet for shoppers seeking something handmade and unique, RiverArts Gift Shop goes a step farther, serving the entire community with a treasure trove of artistic items.

Newly expanded and redesigned, the shop will have a grand re-opening on First Friday, February 3, from 5 to 7 pm. You’ll find it in a new location featuring an even greater variety of one-of-a-kind items created by RiverArts members in a space more conducive to shopping.

Whether browsing for yourself or a gift for your Valentine, you’ll find a curated selection of textures and materials including paintings, photos, woodcraft, pottery, metal, paper, knitted and woven items, basketry, jewelry, wearables and more — all with a certain artistic flair.

The new open design makes shopping a pleasure.  Signs will now alert you to new artists and items you might like to check out. Another new feature is a special display showcasing the work of RiverArts Clay Studio artists.

Prices at RiverArts are set to please with a variety of affordable merchandise. Feel even better about your purchases knowing you are supporting a local artist and that a portion of every sale goes to support RiverArts and its many community programs for children and adults.

Until Valentine’s Day, any purchase will enter you in a drawing for a ceramic piece by Marlayn King, one of RiverArts most popular artists known for her decorative work and varied techniques.  There will also be three prizes that include a mini bottle of wine with two RiverArts glasses.

Regular hours are W-F 11am to 4pm, Sat 10am to 4pm, Sun 11am to 3pm.  However, for those who need to do some last minute Valentine’s Day shopping the gift shop will be open Tuesday, February 14, 11-4.

While visiting the gift shop also take in RiverArts new exhibit, “Merging Perspectives”. In celebration of Black History Month the February exhibit will feature both local and regional black artists who work in a broad range of media. The show will take place in the updated gallery space and run through February 25.

The RiverArts Gallery and Gift Shop as well as KidSPOT are located at 315 High Street, in the breezeway. For more information visit www.chestertownriverarts.org or call 410-778-6300.

Filed Under: Arts Notes Tagged With: Arts, Chestertown Spy, local news, RiverArts

The Artists’ Gallery Celebrates First Friday with Stephen Walker

January 30, 2023 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

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“Ice Boats,” oil on canvas, 16″x12″ by Stephen Walker

The Artists’ Gallery is happy to announce that it is celebrating twenty years of operation in Chestertown! On top of that, on First Friday, February 3rd, The Artists’ Gallery will continue to celebrate by featuring original compositions by their newest exhibiting artist, Stephen Walker. Stephen is a national award-winning artist who has exhibited his work in oil, pastel, serigraphs and bronze sculptures for over 37 years. Stephen has a BA in education from Florida Atlantic University and a Masters in sculpture and drawing from the University of Memphis. Over the years, he has taught art and photography at both high school and college levels. Walker is currently an active member of the Working Artists Forum in Easton, St. Michaels Art League, Ocean City Art League, Rehoboth Art League, and the American Society of Marine Artists. He offers sculpture workshops at the Academy Art Museum in Easton, MD. When asked about the opportunity to join The Artists’ Gallery in Chestertown as an exhibitor, Walker said, “I moved to the Eastern Shore nearly five years ago with the intent to pursue oil painting… I enjoy searching for imagery and challenging myself to interpret the people and places that are all around. I am flattered to be invited to join The Artists’ Gallery and thrilled that I can hang my art alongside these exceptional artists.”

Throughout his career, Walker has had a variety of works in the public eye- “Pollack-tician,” a “Party Animal” for the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities and “Henny Penny,” for the Ocean City Art League. He fabricated Gail Rothschild’s “Muted Belles,” a permanent sculpture installation in front of the University of Memphis Art Museum. In addition, he completed his Warhol-style “Four Wheel Drive” series, a four panel, 16 ft. wide serigraph installation showcased at the Memphis Convention Center. In addition, he has built movie sets for “Great Balls of Fire,” “The People vs. Larry Flint,” and “The Client.” Most recently, two of Walker’s paintings were chosen to be part of “Changing Chesapeake,” a year-long exhibit (2023-24) at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels. One of his paintings was selected by Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum to be used for marketing the show and was reported to have garnered a comment from Jerry Saltz, a well known art critic from New York City.

The public is invited to visit The Artists’ Gallery on First Friday, February 3rd from 5-8 p.m. for light refreshments and to meet the artist. Stephen Walker’s paintings will be featured in The Artists’ Gallery throughout the month of February. Located at 239 High Street in Chestertown, The Artists’ Gallery is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10-5 and Sunday from 12:30-4:30. For more information, please visit www.theartistsgalleryctown.com, www.facebook.com/6goodpainters or call the gallery at 410-778-2425.

Filed Under: Arts Notes Tagged With: Arts, Chestertown Spy, local news

WAF Presents Check to Academy Art Museum

January 28, 2023 by Working Artists Forum (WAF) Leave a Comment

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Betty Huang, President of the Working Artists Forum, was very pleased, on behalf of WAF, to present a check to Sarah Jesse, Director at the Academy Art Museum in Easton, in the amount of $1,000.

Working Artist Forum is an active art organization with a membership of over 100 professional artists that has enjoyed a relationship with the Academy Art Museum for many years and meets monthly there.

WAF has requested a specific distribution of the donation in order to encourage and support the arts in the community.  $200 is earmarked as a WAF award for an entry in the Museum’s Annual Members Exhibition entitled “Best of Eastern Shore Scene,” and $300 to support artists-in-need that wish to take classes at the Academy. Lastly, $500 is to be used to support children-in-need to attend the Academy’s summer camp program.

An important part of the mission of WAF is to sponsor numerous art exhibit opportunities for its members, both locally and beyond, throughout the year, including the well-known and well-attended Local Color exhibit held at Christ Church in downtown Easton during the week of Plein Air Easton in July.

Through the support and purchase of paintings by artists who have been juried into the Local Color art show, WAF has been actively promoting and encouraging the arts with its contributions of art supply DickBlick.com gift cards to 33 school art departments of local schools each year.

For more information on WAF, visit WorkingArtistsForum.com

Filed Under: Arts Notes Tagged With: Academy Art Museum, Arts, local news

Church Hill Theatre Announces Cast for Sense and Sensibility

January 27, 2023 by Church Hill Theatre Leave a Comment

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With great delight, Shelagh Grasso, director of the upcoming production of Sense and Sensibility, has chosen an outstanding cast for an exciting adaptation of the Jane Austen classic. While still set in Regency England, her actors will zip around the stage on wheels and make split-second costume changes.  A New York Times review called Kate Hamill’s adaptation, “A Whirlwind of Delicious Gossip.”

The story follows the three Dashwood sisters as they seek security after the death of their father, when a half-brother and his conniving wife inherit the entire fortune. As in almost every Romance Novel, a good marriage is the best way out of a bad predicament. But how is a girl to find the right man? Can she trust anyone? Luckily, Austen heroines almost always find the best answers.

Photo: L to R – Top row: Max Hagan, Heather Robuck, Heather Joyce-Byers. Second row: Jesse Goodman, Connor Christopher. Third row: Carly Maurla, Colleen Minahan. Fourth row: Howard Mesick, Ian Stotts. Standing in front: Natalie Donoso, Shannon Carter. Not pictured: JW Ruth, PA Keating, Jen Friedman, Gil Rambach, Melissa McGlynn

The two Dashwood sisters of marriageable age, the practical Elinor (Shannon Carter) and the emotional Marianne (Natalie Donoso) are supported by younger sister Margaret (Carly Maurlas) and their mother (Colleen Minahan). Their spineless older half-brother John (Jesse Goodman) and his wife Fanny (Melissa McGlynn) provoke the problem. Fanny’s mother Mrs. Ferrars (Penelope Anne Keating) and two brothers, Edward (JW Ruth) and Robert (Connor Christopher) may (or may not) provide solutions.  Kindly relations of Mrs. Dashwood, Sir John and Lady Middleton (Gil Rambach and Heather Joyce Byers) do provide them a new home, where the exuberant Mrs. Jennings (Jen Friedman) takes them on as a pet project.  Add in the social climbing Steele sisters Anne (Heather Roebuck) and Lucy (Melissa McGlynn), the respectable Colonel Brandon (Howard Mesick) and the dashing John Willoughby (Max Hagen), stir well, heat almost to the boiling point, and you have Sense and Sensibility!  Ian Stotts plays a doctor and a servant, and the entire ensemble takes on the essential responsibility of providing gossip.

Sense and Sensibility will open at Church Hill Theatre on Friday, March 17 and run weekends through Sunday, April 2. Local theater buffs have been anticipating this production for more than a year, so make your reservations early.  Ticket information at our website: www.churchhillthreatre.org or by calling 410-556-6003.

Filed Under: Arts Notes Tagged With: Arts, local news, Pickering Creek Audobon Center

United Way Elects New Board Members

January 26, 2023 by United Way of Kent County Leave a Comment

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United Way of Kent County (UWKC) has announced the addition of three new Board members.

Matthew Groppe of Worton is an executive at Purolator International and has held previous board positions with International Shipping Associations. He and his wife are one-year residents of Kent County.

Johnnie Johnson served as Director of Admissions at Georgetown College in Georgetown, KY, prior to joining Washington College as Vice President for Enrollment Management in September 2022. He has also served as the Affiliate Presidents Council Coordinator with the National Association of College Admissions Counseling (NACAC), as president of the Kentucky Association of College Admissions Counseling (KYACAC), as a board member of the YMCA Black Achievers Program and is a proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.

Amanda Nelson Parks, a native of Kent County, is the owner and operator of Fit Flock, LLC, located in Chestertown. She is the Vice President of The Chester River Wellness Alliance and a volunteer with Kent County 4-H and The Maryland Business Roundtable. Her main passion is health and wellness.

L-R: Matthew Groppe, Johnnie Johnson, Amanda Nelson Parks

They join current Board members DeLia Shoge, President, Robert Altieri, Muriel Cole, Carol Droge, Nina Fleegle, Martin Knight, Rebecca Murphy, Nina Ogor, Susan Storm, and David White. Every effort is made to maintain a board that reflects the county’s racial, ethnic, age, religious, and geographic diversity.

The United Way of Kent County strives to improve our community by building partnerships and bringing together diverse stakeholders from 23 agencies to focus on three areas: Health, Education, and Financial Stability. UWKC promotes an inclusive environment that leverages the unique contributions of Kent County individuals and organizations to create opportunities collectively and effectively for a better life for all.

The annual fund-raising campaign is underway. Donations may be made at any time via the website: unitedwayofkentcounty.org or by mail to United Way of Kent County, P.O. Box 594, Chestertown, MD 21620.

Filed Under: Arts Notes Tagged With: Arts, Chestertown Spy, local news

Upcoming Events at the Avalon Theatre

January 25, 2023 by Avalon Foundation Leave a Comment

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“1964”: The Tribute. Friday, January 27, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD                                                                                                        

“Best Beatles Tribute on Earth” Rolling Stone

For those who never saw The Beatles perform LIVE and always wanted to know what it must have been like, this is as close as anyone could possibly get to…FEELING the MAGIC of that special time!  The Beatles toured (and changed) the world in the early 1960s, but now only a precious few remain who actually saw them perform live, who actually felt the “mania” that brought them to world acclaim.

Today, all that remains are a few scant memories and some captured images in pictures and on poor quality film and video. “1964” meticulously re-creates the “MAGIC” of The Beatles’ early, live performances with artful precision and unerring accuracy. http://1964web.com/

Skribe with Daphne Eckman. Saturday, January 28, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Stoltz Listening Room, 40 E. Dover Street Easton, MD, Tickets: $25

They call it ‘garage folk,’ perhaps because the music is crafted without any more polish than it needs to showcase the allure of its soulfully delivered down-to-earth lyrics.” Visit Annapolis.

This show is a sure-fire way to heat things up on a wintry Saturday night in the Stoltz! Renowned for creating what’s been dubbed “garage folk Americana,” Skribe has shared the stage with artists like The Decembrists, Gregg Allman, G. Love & Special Sauce, Yarn, and so many others!

How to describe Skribe’s sound? It’s rhythmic acoustic strumming and plucking with emphatic vocals that epitomize the musical landscape of Annapolis’ small-town feel. https://www.skribestudios.com/

Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams. Thursday, February 2, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. The Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD, Tickets: $30                                                                        

“Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams are partners in music and in life, a husband and wife who work together as a duo as well as accompanying some legendary names in American music.” AllMusic.com

After a 7-year stint in Levon Helm’s band and frequent guest appearances with Phil Lesh, Little Feat, Jorma Kaukonen, and Jack Casady, multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter Larry Campbell and singer-guitarist Teresa Williams finally brought the crackling creative energy of their 30-year marriage to the stage in 2015.

Their music comes from an organic place, with a mixture of all of the influences in their lives. In their songs you’ll hear a little Tennessee twang, a dab of Delta blues, and some folky fascination. It’s Americana, but more.  https://www.larryandteresa.com/

Journos with Bryan Russo & Ryan Abbott “In the Key of WTF” Album Release! Friday, February 3, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Stoltz Listening Room, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD.

“Smart lyrics and great musicianship. Journos plays the role of court jester: Clever and chaotic rabble-rousers whose job is to remind the monarchy of its mortality.” PopRiot Music

Award-winning journalist and lyricist Bryan Russo teams up with workhorse punk-rocker Ryan Abbott to produce a terrific collection of deep-thinking, hard-drinking songs.

A scathing editorial, Journos’ debut full-length album “In the Key of WTF” is a sonic statement that neither buries the lead nor misses the point. Russo’s lyrics recall the snark of Elvis Costello and dry humor of Randy Newman, while Abbott’s hooks relentlessly propel this hard-driving quintessential record.

“In the Key of WTF” is a palate cleanser for an audience saturated with the static of televised news commentary, but it also does the trick turned up with your car windows down on a hot August night.  http://www.bryanrusso.com/  https://journos.hearnow.com/

High Voltage: AC/DC Tribute. Saturday, February 4, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

High Voltage, the nation’s premier AC/DC tribute band, consists of five veteran musicians putting it all on the line every time they take the stage to give audiences the most authentic AC/DC live performance possible.

Next to the real thing, Baltimore’s own High Voltage is the most entertaining AC/DC live show you will see. For over 10 years, they have delivered the pure energy, excitement, and concert experience that true AC/DC fans around the world have grown to expect.

High Voltage performs the very best AC/DC songs and the most recognizable hits, spanning the full range of epic hit songs from the Bon Scott era through the days with Brian Johnson at the helm.

Be prepared to rock to AC/DC’s biggest hits (“You Shook Me All Night Long”, “Highway To Hell”, “Back In Black”, “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”, and “Hells Bells”), as well as fan favorites (such as “Shoot To Thrill”, “Sin City”, “For Those About to Rock”, and more).  https://www.highvoltage.rocks/

Ivy League of Comedy- Skirmishes of the Sexes. Friday, February 10, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. The Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

Celebrate Valentine’s Day (or don’t!) with tales of love and not-love, bad dinners and good dates, broken cars and unbroken dreams…all served with a fresh comedic twist!

The Ivy League of Comedy is a premier group of stand-up comedians touring America, known for their elite brand of clever comedy. You’ve heard their brilliant comedic voices on late-night TV and Comedy Central. Now come see them live on the Avalon stage!

The Ivy League of Comedy offers audiences original, well-written comedy that doesn’t resort to playing on stereotypes or picking on the audience. They bring you stand-up comedy’s funniest and brightest.   https://www.ivystandup.com/

Across The Harbor. Saturday, February 11, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

Baltimore is teeming with melodies and magic.

This ephemeral show celebrates both the jovial and the lamenting sounds found in the rowhouses, sidewalks corners, concert stages, and local sessions of Baltimore. Across The Harbor will transport you through time and space as the themes of “home” and “belonging” are explored.

You can expect to hear the songs of The Honey Dewdrops, Letitia VanSant, and Caleb Stine, each with a unique twist. The list of traditionally rooted instrumentalists is astonishing: David McKindley-Ward, Alex Lacquement, Patrick McAvinue, Laura Byrne, Brad Kolodner, Meghan Mette, Sam Guthridge, Jonathan Vocke, Matt Mulqueen, Sean McComiskey, and EJ Shaull-Thompson.

Never before have all of these artists performed together, traded tunes and re-imagined songs. Collaborating for Across The Harbor is the artists’ gratitude for the Baltimore music community, personified.   https://www.alexlacquement.com/across-the-harbor.html

An Evening with Jorma Kaukonen. Saturday, February 25, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

“A gifted writer, Kaukonen shares insight into a life well lived, with a certain amount of luck, a great deal of determination, and a towering love of music.” Relix.com

Jorma Kaukonen is a Grammy nominee, a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and a leading practitioner of fingerstyle guitar…and he also happens to be a founding member of two legendary rock bands: The Jefferson Airplane and the still-touring Hot Tuna.

In addition to his work with Hot Tuna, Jorma has recorded more than a dozen solo albums on major labels and on his own, beginning with 1974’s “Quah” and continuing with his recent acoustic releases on Red House Records—2007’s “Stars in My Crown” and his new CD “River of Time”, produced by Larry Campbell and featuring Levon Helm.

Join Jorma for this special evening of insightful life stories and great music in the Avalon! https://jormakaukonen.com/

An Evening with George Winston. Saturday, March 11, 2023. Door: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

George Winston is undeniably a household name.

He’s inspired fans and musicians alike with his singular solo acoustic piano songs for more than 40 years while selling 15 million albums. A tireless road warrior playing nearly 100 concerts annually, live performance for Winston is akin to breathing.

Join him in the Avalon for a special evening of evocative music from his latest release, “Night”—it’s a chance to take a step back from our perpetually busy lives to let our minds adventurously wander. https://www.georgewinston.com/

Guy Davis. Thursday, March 16, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Stoltz Listening Room, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

“Truth be told, there just aren’t many who can deliver Americana in as interesting and entertaining a manner – or give acoustic traditional blues such a contemporary sound – as Davis…” The Blues PowR Blog

American roots artist Guy Davis once said, “I like antiques and old things, old places, that still have the dust of those who’ve gone before us lying upon them.”

Blowing just enough dust off roots music to see its beauty is something Guy has excelled at for over twenty years of songwriting and performing. His reverence for the music of the blues masters who’ve gone before him has been evident in every album he’s ever recorded or concert he’s given. Guy’s musical storytelling is influenced by artists like Blind Willie McTell and Big Bill Broonzy, and his musicality by artists as diverse as Lightnin’ Hopkins and Babatunde Olatunji. http://guydavis.com/wp/

The Met: Live in HD 12 pm Lohengrin (Wagner). March 18, 2023, 12pm. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, Md.

Wagner’s soaring masterpiece makes its triumphant return to the Met stage after 17 years. In a sequel to his revelatory production of Parsifal, director François Girard unveils an atmospheric staging that once again weds his striking visual style and keen dramatic insight to Wagner’s breathtaking music, with Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin on the podium to conduct a supreme cast led by tenor Piotr Beczała in the title role of the mysterious swan knight. Soprano Tamara Wilson is the virtuous duchess Elsa, falsely accused of murder, going head-to-head with soprano Christine Goerke as the cunning sorceress Ortrud, who seeks to lay her low. Bass-baritone Evgeny Nikitin is Ortrud’s power-hungry husband, Telramund, and bass Günther Groissböck is King Heinrich.

This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

Medium Debbie Wojciechowski. Saturday, March 18, 2023. Doors: 7:30 p.m.; Show: 8 p.m. Stoltz Listening Room, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

During her interactions with audience members, Debbie draws on her extensive background and experience to deliver sensitive messages in a respectful manner from loved ones who have passed on to the “other side.”

Ever since her metaphysical journey began before she was 21 with two near-death experiences and the loss of her parents, Debbie has sought to learn more about her special gift…and to share it with others. Along with her formal certification as a Medium from the Lisa Williams International School of Spiritual Development, she has had a successful career in mental health and grief counseling with federal law enforcement.

Debbie feels both humbled and privileged to channel special messages from beyond to her audience.  https://www.mediumdebbie.com/

Goldpine. Thursday, March 23, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Stoltz Listening Room, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

“I love these guys…their never-ending onslaught of bold harmony is undeniable.”  Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes)

Exposing the pains of severed relationships and unearthing the pursuits of love and purpose, Goldpine is cathartic, moody, raucous, and relevant…all intertwined into one.

Veterans of making soul-stirring music, Ben and Kassie have been offering their own brand of raw Americana for years to audiences large and small. Recent winners of the 2022 Rocky Mountain Songwriter Contest at the Red Lodge Songwriter Festival, and finalists in the Kerrville Folk Fest 2021 New Folk Competition, the duo’s bold harmonies are clearly a channel for their highly charged songwriting.

They put their hearts and souls into their music, as evidenced by their self-produced debut LP, “One”, a snapshot of the current season of their lives — symbolizing a new beginning and an homage to their past— leading them to where they are now.

Sonny Landreth & Cindy Cashdollar. Friday, March 24, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. The Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

Meet Sonny Landreth and Cindy Cashdollar, the Louisiana slide guitar wizards whose trademark bottle neck chops and dobro and steel string talents culminate in world renowned showcases of guitar virtuosity.

Revered for his unique slide guitar technique, Sonny Landreth has collaborated with many legendary performers, including John Hiatt, Jimmy Buffett, Mark Knopfler and Eric Clapton.

Five-time Grammy winner Cindy Cashdollar’s expertise is in great demand on both steel guitar and dobro. She’s worked with many leading artists in various genres including Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Rod Stewart, and Ryan Adams.

Performing a mix of original songs with contemporary and traditional blues and roots music, their shows are electric, virtuosic, and tastefully delivered by two great instrumental masters.

The Met: Live in HD, 12:30 pm Falstaff (Verdi). Saturday April 1, 2023, 12:30pm. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover St, Easton, Md.

Baritone Michael Volle stars as the caddish knight Falstaff, gleefully tormented by a trio of clever women who deliver his comeuppance, in Verdi’s glorious Shakespearean comedy. Maestro Daniele Rustioni takes the podium on April 1 to oversee a brilliant ensemble cast that features sopranos Hera Hyesang Park, Ailyn Pérez, and Jennifer Johnson Cano, mezzo-soprano Marie-Nicole Lemieux, tenor Bogdan Volkov, and baritone Christopher Maltman.

This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

Chris Barron of the Spin Doctors. Friday, April 7, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Stoltz Listening Room, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

Chris Barron, the singer and founding member of Spin Doctors, is known these days for solo shows that have all the lyric poetry and singing virtuosity that Spin Doctors fans appreciate, along with a range of expression and songwriting that will delight and surprise.

Chris plays nifty chords on an old Gibson to masterfully crafted songs that are poignant yet wistful and funny, all the while singing in a manner that’s sweet and somewhat different from what you would expect if you only knew his hits, “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” and “Two Princes”.

Live, his stage patter is almost as entertaining as his singing. A powerful storyteller, at once hilarious and thought provoking, Chris sets up his songs with anecdotes from a life on the road, from opening for and encountering legends like the Rolling Stones to Polar expeditions.  http://thechrisbarron.com/home

The Met: Live in HD, Der Rosenkavalier (Strauss). Saturday April 15, 2023, 12pm. Avalon Theatre, Easton Md.

A dream cast assembles for Strauss’s grand Viennese comedy. Soprano Lise Davidsen is the aging Marschallin, opposite mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard as her lover Octavian and soprano Erin Morley as Sophie, the beautiful younger woman who steals his heart. Bass Günther Groissböck returns as the churlish Baron Ochs, and Markus Brück is Sophie’s wealthy father, Faninal. Maestro Simone Young takes the Met podium to oversee Robert Carsen’s fin-de-siècle staging.

This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

Glenn Miller Orchestra. Friday, April 28, 2023. Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7 p.m. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, MD

“A band ought to have a sound all of its own. It ought to have a personality.”  – Glenn Miller

Formed in 1938, the Glenn Miller Orchestra — which would later include the likes of Tex Beneke, Marion Hutton, Ray Eberle, Paul Tanner, Johnny Best, Hal McIntyre, and Al Klinck — soon began breaking attendance records all up and down the East Coast.

They would also go on to create record-breaking recordings that defined a world-changing era, such as “Tuxedo Junction”, “In the Mood”, “Moonlight Serenade,” “Pennsylvania 6-5000”, and “Chattanooga Choo-Choo”, among so many other classics.

Don’t miss this opportunity to capture the enduring magic of Glenn Miller Orchestra’s unique sound on the Avalon stage!

The Met: Live in HD, Champion (Blanchard). Saturday, April 29, 2023 12:55pm. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, Md

Six-time Grammy Award–winning composer Terence Blanchard brings his first opera to the Met after his Fire Shut Up in My Bones triumphantly premiered with the company to universal acclaim in 2021–22. Bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green is the young boxer Emile Griffith, who rises from obscurity to become a world champion, and bass-baritone Eric Owens portrays Griffith’s older self, haunted by the ghosts of his past. Soprano Latonia Moore is Emelda Griffith, the boxer’s estranged mother, and mezzo- soprano Stephanie Blythe is the bar owner Kathy Hagan. Yannick Nézet-Séguin takes the podium for Blanchard’s second Met premiere, also reuniting the director-and-choreographer team of James Robinson and Camille A. Brown.

This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

The Met: Live in HD, Don Giovanni (Mozart). May 20, 2023 12:55pm. Avalon Theatre 40 E. Dover Street, Easton, Md

Tony Award–winning director of Broadway’s A View from the Bridge and West Side Story, Ivo van Hove makes a major Met debut with a new take on Mozart’s tragicomedy, re-setting the familiar tale of deceit and damnation in an abstract architectural landscape and shining a light into the dark corners of the story and its characters. Maestro Nathalie Stutzmann makes her Met debut conducting a star-studded cast led by baritone Peter Mattei as a magnetic Don Giovanni, alongside the Leporello of bass-baritone Adam Plachetka. Sopranos Federica Lombardi, Ana María Martínez, and Ying Fang make a superlative trio as Giovanni’s conquests—Donna Anna, Donna Elvira, and Zerlina—and tenor Ben Bliss is Don Ottavio.

This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

The Met: Live in HD, Die Zauberflote (Mozart). Saturday, June 3, 12:55pm. Avalon Theatre, 40 E. Dover St, Easton Md

One of opera’s most beloved works receives its first new Met staging in 19 years—a daring vision by renowned English director Simon McBurney that The Wall Street Journal declared “the best production I’ve ever witnessed of Mozart’s opera.” Nathalie Stutzmann conducts the Met Orchestra, with the pit raised to make the musicians visible to the audience and allow interaction with the cast. In his Met-debut staging, McBurney lets loose a volley of theatrical flourishes, incorporating projections, sound effects, and acrobatics to match the spectacle and drama of Mozart’s fable. The brilliant cast includes soprano Erin Morley as Pamina, tenor Lawrence Brownlee as Tamino, baritone Thomas Oliemans in his Met debut as Papageno, soprano Kathryn Lewek as the Queen of the Night, and bass Stephen Milling as Sarastro.

This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

Filed Under: Arts Notes Tagged With: Arts, Avalon Theatre, local news

Allegro Academy’s Singing Programs for Youth and Adults

January 25, 2023 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

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Allegro Academy, now in its new location in the heart of downtown Easton, will be offering two singing programs for musicians of all ages in 2023.

The Allegro Children’s Chorus will be reinstated with the first session beginning February 8.  Singers will take part in six weekly rehearsals on Wednesday evenings, 5:15- 6:30pm, in which they will explore vocal production, rhythm skills, and musicianship through songs and activities.  Choristers will also participate in performances in community events and with local artists.  Allegro Children’s Chorus is available to singers age 8 and up.  The cost for the per session is $50 and need-based scholarships are offered to all participants. All voices are welcome.

Adults singers are invited to register in the 4-week course, Singing 101, where participants will discover what it takes to be a singer.  Classes will be held Fridays February 10, 17, 24, and March 3 from 10:00-11:30am. Singers will learn or perhaps re-visit techniques used in vocal music through the study of proper breathing, pronunciation, voice types, and basic note reading. This course is perfect for those who wish to more intentionally use their voice or brush-up on technique. No experience is necessary to participate.

Singing programs will take place at Allegro Academy, 114 N. Washington St, Easton and will be led by Artistic Director, Amy Morgan.  Morgan is an accomplished musician whose education includes a Bachelors degree in Piano Performance from Salisbury University and Masters Degree in Choral Conducting from Messiah University. Amy has extensive experience as a choral, operetta, and musical theatre director, is a member of the American Choral Directors Association, and is an active musician the Easton community.

The mission of Allegro Academy is to offer exceptional music education and performance experiences to the greater Talbot County Area and to make these offerings affordable to all. Its programs are partially funded by generous contributions from the community, Talbot Arts, and the Maryland State Arts Council.  For more information please visit www.allegroacademyeaston.com or call 410-603-8361.

Filed Under: Arts Notes Tagged With: Allegro Academy, Arts, local news

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