Identical twins Peter and Will Anderson, Juilliard-trained jazz  virtuosos known for their fresh interpretations of swing-era greats, return to the Eastern Shore  on Friday, August 1 for a 7:30 PM performance at the Oxford Community Center. Their show, A Tribute to Duke Ellington, is part of the ongoing Jazz on the Stage at OCC series.

Praised by The New York Times as “virtuosos on clarinet and saxophone,” the Andersons don’t  just perform jazz—they bring its story to life. “We love to incorporate an educational element  into the shows themselves,” said Peter Anderson. “Audiences love learning about the  composer while absorbing the music.”

Their Ellington tribute will feature classic arrangements, live storytelling, and the wit and charm  that have made them favorites at venues like Blue Note, Birdland, and the Kennedy Center.  “Ellington’s music is just beautifully written,” Peter said. “It’s hard to screw up Duke.”

Executive Director Liza Ledford says, “We’re thrilled to welcome the Anderson Twins back to  Oxford. Their connection to this music is deep, their artistry is world-class, and their  performances are always unforgettable.”

Ticket options include:

General Admission Seating: $65

VIP Experience: $150, includes front cabaret seating, two complimentary drinks, a meet-and greet with the artists, and an elegant post-show dessert and bubbly reception created by Chef Mark Salter.

The Andersons last appeared on the Shore at the Monty Alexander Jazz Festival and previously  performed at OCC. “We love the area—we’re from Maryland originally,” said Will Anderson. “It feels like coming home.”

Tickets for the August 1st performance are available now at(http://www.oxfordcc.org/jazz or by  calling 410-226-5404. Doors open at 7:00 PM; a cash bar will be available.

Gabriel Lehman, They Come Out at Night, 24” x 30”.

On Friday, July 18, from 5 to 7 p.m., the Zebra Gallery will open two new shows featuring artists Gabriel Lehman and Evan Fitzgerald.

Gabriel Lehman’s show, “A Bird’s Eye View,” will feature his fanciful, dreamlike landscapes with a particular emphasis on clouds, imbuing a sense of joy and wonder into his art. Lehman is a self-taught artist who started painting in 2009 after a career in construction with a focus on flooring for 14 years. Despite not having any formal training, Lehman’s unique perspective and whimsical style quickly gained him a following.

Lehman is also offering painting classes from July 14 to 19 to learn his secrets to gorgeous clouds and fantastic creatures.  Classes offered include “Three-Color Clouds,” where students will learn the secrets of capturing the softness, depth, and movement of clouds while transforming three simple colors into breathtaking skyscapes. The “Sunset Skies” class offers students an enchanting journey through the colors of dusk as they learn to paint breathtaking sunsets on 16” by 20” canvases. In this immersive class, students learn how to capture the delicate gradients, vibrant hues, and ethereal beauty of the sky at its most magical moments. The “Rays of Light” class guides students through techniques to achieve the perfect balance of light and shadow, subtle color blending, and atmospheric perspective, making the clouds look like they could float right off the canvas. This class invites participants to explore the endless possibilities of acrylic paint while creating stunning skyscapes that will brighten any space. All skill levels are welcome to all of these classes.

Evan Fitzgerald’s current work explores the ideas of persona. The word persona is rooted in the Latin word for a theatrical mask. Carl Jung described persona as a social mask that we all put on – something to embody, a different mask for a different setting. By obscuring the subject’s face, their headdresses are the focal point. The individual is merely a pedestal for displaying these objects.

“Both of these artists bring such creative and whimsical works to the gallery. I hope visitors will be mesmerized by the details these painters bring to their paintings. We are thrilled to have them exhibiting here,” shares Susan Schauer John, owner of the Zebra Gallery.

For more information or to sign up for Gabriel Lehman’s class, call 410-253-9131 or email

[email protected]. The Zebra Gallery is located at 5 North Harrison Street in Easton, Maryland (across the street from the Historic Tidewater Inn). The gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to  5 p.m. or by appointment. For further information, visit www.sfsfiber.art or www.thezebragallery.com.

On Sunday, July 6, The Mainstay is excited to welcome the powerful and frequently referred to as “magical” acoustic duo The Nields to their stage. Often heralded for their DNA-infused sibling harmonies (think Everly Brothers, The McGarigle Sisters, and of course the Andrews Sisters), Nerissa and Katryn’s shows are also coupled with their oft-hilarious stage banter, and direct engagement with their audience. As evidence of their high esteem in the acoustic music world, they have opened for James Taylor, The Band, The Indigo Girls, and Ani DiFranco. They have been headlining major coffeehouses and folk festivals for the last thirty years and have 16 CDs to their credit.

Katryna and Nerissa live in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts. In addition to their touring schedule they also lead a very popular children’s singing class in Western, Massachusetts called Hootenanny, which draws new pre-school-aged fans to their already substantial grassroots following.

Apple Music describes their sound as “equal parts The Beatles, the Cranberries, and Joni Mitchell.” A concertgoer perhaps put it best when they said “If you don’t like The Nields you need to get your ears checked.”

Showtime for this special Sunday Mainstay 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.

Easton, MD – On Thursday, June 5, the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra (MSO) honored two major cultural leaders with its 2025 Legacy Awards at a sold-out Gala Dinner in Easton, Maryland. Now in its 27th year as the regional professional orchestra of the Delmarva Peninsula, the MSO presented its National Legacy Award to Deborah Rutter, immediate Past President of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and its annual Legacy Award to Maestro Julien Benichou, Past Music Director of the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra.

In presenting the awards, MSO Chairman Jeffrey Parker stated, “Deborah Rutter has inspired all of us in America’s arts community as the long-time leader of our national arts center, and Julien Benichou dramatically raised the professional quality of our orchestra, and expanded its season and its supporter base.”

Deborah Rutter, in her 11 years heading the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, has provided the Nation with leadership across the broadest range of the arts, including arts education, multi-disciplinary arts training, support and enrichment; and symphonic music, opera, theater, contemporary dance, ballet, vocal music, chamber music, hip hop, comedy, international music and jazz.

She oversaw the Kennedy Center’s first physical expansion with the REACH, which opened in September 2019, and transformed the Center’s mission into one inclusive of diverse art forms. In 2022, she conceived and opened the permanent exhibit Art and Ideals: President John F. Kennedy. Rutter previously served as President of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and held leadership roles at the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and Seattle Symphony Orchestra.

Julien Benichou served for 17 years as Music Director and Conductor of the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, transforming it from a community ensemble into a fully professional orchestra. Appointed in 2004—under the leadership of then Board President Andrea Barnes—Benichou was quickly embraced by the MSO community, including early patron Lucienne Wolf, who supported him like family.

Under his charismatic leadership, audiences across the region grew steadily—not only for the music, but to experience the energy and warmth Julien brought to the podium. He worked tirelessly alongside the MSO Board to expand performances across the Delmarva Peninsula, including outreach to Rehoboth Beach and the creation of the now-beloved Toast to the New Year concerts, which will celebrate their 11th season this December.

One of Julien’s long-held dreams became reality in 2019 with the founding of the Elizabeth Loker International Concerto Competition (ELICC). Despite a brief interruption due to COVID-19, the competition has become a central feature of the MSO’s season.

In 2020, while most orchestras suspended operations, Benichou—together with MSO leadership—rapidly developed the “Season of Strings,” safely performing at the Church of God in Easton and livestreaming every concert to continue serving audiences during the pandemic.

Julien also led the MSO in special performances at the Embassy of France in Washington, DC, and in collaboration with the Washington Opera Society. His 17-year tenure left a profound artistic and organizational legacy. It is not an overstatement to say that the MSO as we know it today owes its very existence to his leadership. In 2024, he was knighted by the Ambassador of France with the title Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

Deborah Rutter, in her keynote remarks, emphasized the need to “continue to support the artist wherever they feel welcome, supported, empowered and unencumbered to share their art and express their creative talent.” She called on artists and leaders alike to embrace their roles as citizen artists, a concept she co-developed with Yo-Yo Ma during her time at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, advocating for artists to engage deeply with their communities and to consider the broader impact of their work.

The Legacy Awards Dinner featured a performance by the MSO’s principal string musicians, remarks from Music Director Michael Repper on the future of the Orchestra, and a lively auction that included a chance to conduct the MSO at its 2025 Holiday Joy concert, a private plane excursion over the Chesapeake Bay, an eight-day European Viking cruise, and a private dinner for eight with celebrity chef Jordan Lloyd.

ABOUT THE MID-ATLANTIC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

The Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra (MSO) is the only professional symphony orchestra serving southern Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore with a full season of programs. The MSO is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council, the Talbot County Arts Council, the Worcester County Arts Council, the Sussex County (Delaware) Council, and the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, Inc.

A complete schedule of the 2025-2026 season’s Masterworks and Ensembles programs, including venues, times, and other details, is available at www.midatlanticsymphony.org.

The Talbot County Free Library and Bayside Quilters of the Eastern Shore are proud to present a special installation of quilts to celebrate TCFL’s 100th Anniversary. The installation will be displayed at the Easton Branch of the Talbot County Free Library from May 29 to October 3, 2025. 

The installation features 64 beautifully designed and constructed quilts created by Bayside Quilters guild members and hung throughout the library. The quilts display a range of styles – including traditional, contemporary, modern, appliqué, hand and machine quilting and art. 

From the exuberant swirls of a modern appliqué quilt to traditional quilts honoring the Eastern Shore and the natural world – visitors are sure to be dazzled by the array of colors, patterns and themes on display.

The collaboration is a part of the library’s year-long Centennial Celebrations – a brochure with information on the Bayside Quilters and the quilts displayed will be available at the Circulation Desk for the duration of the installation. 

The Bayside Quilters of the Eastern Shore is a guild committed to the creation, study, and sharing of quilts and quilt making, and have been proudly serving the community for over 30 years. 

“Outreach is core to our mission statement … We are honored to help celebrate the Talbot County Free Library’s 100th Anniversary. The art and craft of quilting goes hand in hand with reading” reports a Guild representative. “Whether it’s learning how to quilt through How-to books, getting inspired by reading fiction or nonfiction or just taking a break. Audible books can be checked out through Hoopla. Listening to a book while stitching is another way quilters use the library services.”

Bayside Quilters meet on the 2nd Wednesday of the month from 9a.m. to about noon at the Trappe Volunteer Fire Company, 4001 Powell Ave, Trappe, MD. Visitors are welcome, and everyone is invited to join. For more information visit, baysidequilters.com, or check out on Facebook at Bayside Quilters of the Eastern Shore.

For more information about the installation and the Talbot County Free Library, visit www.tcfl.org, or call (410) 822-1626. \

Once a year, something extraordinary happens in the forest at Adkins Arboretum. The sound of music weaves between tree trunks, rustles new leaves, and flows under bridges, beckoning curious ears closer. Forest Music is a unique live music experience featuring young musicians and their mentors who are participating in the two-week National Music Festival in Chestertown, MD. The musicians are situated at intervals on the Arboretum’s wooded trails and play for event attendees who meander the trails at their own pace. 

Over the years, Forest Music has featured the sounds of violins, clarinets, horns, bassoons, double basses, and even steel drums. The repertoire is equally diverse,

ranging from classical masterpieces by Bach to timeless hits by the Beatles and even original compositions explicitly crafted for the Arboretum’s forest. The event draws a vibrant mix of more than 300 visitors from the Festival, the local community, and beyond. 

While the National Music Festival provides numerous performance opportunities, Forest Music is its most unique. It offers the musicians an opportunity to participate in a performance art event, experience the acoustics beneath a woodland canopy, and interact one-on-one with the visitors who pause on the trails to hear them play. 

This year’s event sponsors include the Caroline County Council of Art, the Maryland State Arts Council, Unity Landscape, and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor Catherine Joyce. 

Forest Music takes place on Thursday, June 12 from 2–4 pm. Light refreshments will be served, and wine will be available for purchase. Golf carts with drivers will be available for less mobile individuals. Advance registration is requested. Tickets are $10 per person. 

To register, visit adksinarboretum.org or call 410-634-2847. 

A 400-acre native garden and preserve, Adkins Arboretum provides exceptional experiences in nature to promote environmental stewardship.