CONCORD: On June 10, The Umbrella Arts Center and A La Luz present "Into the Oceanic: A Documentary Film and Creative Projection," a companion dual-film screening event to accompany the visual arts exhibition, Points of Return. Focusing on restoring underwater habitats, the documentary film examines how artists and scientists can apply their skills to provide foresight and clarity in regard to the climate emergency, our relationship with the environment and our historical responsibility for what occurs in it. The documentary will be screened at 7:30pm in The Umbrella’s newly constructed Main Stage Theater 144 along pre-recorded  remarks by Dr. Gary Husband.

Prior to the screening, visitors are invited to participate in a host of related, guided activities at The Umbrella to round out the film and exhibition experience. From noon to 2pm, families with young children are invited to a Free Family Art Drop-In workshop with ocean-themed crafts. At 4:30pm, A La Luz (curators Gonzaga Gómez-Cortázar and David Cass) will lead a guided tour of the expansive Points of Return exhibition, which will include a special one-day creative video projection installation in The Umbrella’s Black Box Theater. Optional boxed dinners from Saltbox Kitchen may be pre-purchased while RSVPing for the screening, and will be served at 5:30pm prior to the film. Additional light refreshments will be available for purchase from The Umbrella concessions. The events are free and open to the public, but RSVP required.

Featuring 27 international artists exploring wide-ranging aspects of the climate emergency and creative solutions, Points of Return is the first physical exhibition of the acclaimed online exhibition of the same name, and will remain on view through June 25 in person, or in The Umbrella’s 360 VR enabled virtual gallery tour viewable at TheUmbrellaArts.org/POR. The Umbrella is ADA accessible, offers free lot and street parking, and is conveniently located
off Route 2 and 2 blocks from the Fitchburg Line.

CONCORD: Beginning June 8, Concord Art presents "Quiet Light," curated by Nina Nielsen and John Baker. This exhibition brings together the work of 23 artists across a variety of media. The show honors the unique, intimate relationship between art and viewer —an ephemeral experience, as if shrouded in quiet light. It will be on view through August 8.

As celebrated Boston gallerists, Nielsen and Baker have sought out artists whose work expands upon the “intimacy so difficult to put into words” which exists between a viewer and a work of art. Nielsen and Baker emphasize the power of art to prompt deep questions; as Baker says, “Great paintings and sculptures are mysterious gifts. They offer us potential entrance into the rarest faith in life.”

Artists in the exhibition: Sachiko Akiyama, Jake Berthot, Robert Contois, Damien DiBona, Porfirio DiDonna, Maureen Gallace, Gregory Gillespie, Anne Harris, Mildred Howard, Sungjoon Joh, Carol Keller, Willy Meyer-Osburg, Sue Miller, Nina Nielsen, Harvey Quaytman, Martin Ramirez, Paul Rotterdam, Vincent Sferrazza, Duane Slick, John Walker, Christopher Wilmarth, Albert York and
Daisy Youngblood.

Nielsen founded Nielsen Gallery in 1963, at 179 Newbury Street in Boston, with the goal to provide challenging art exhibitions that emphasize the timeless questions we individually face in our daily life. Nielsen Gallery was presented the International Association of Art Critics (AICA) award for Best Show in a Commercial Gallery in the United States in 2005, for the exhibition The Privilege of Solitude: Alfred Jensen and Forrest Bess, and again in 2009 for the exhibition of West Coast artist Jay DeFeo’s Applaud the Black Fact. Today, after many years, Nielsen Gallery enjoys the honor of representing the estate of Porfirio DiDonna.

A catalog of the exhibition will be available at Concord Art. For more information, contact Executive Director Kate James at katejames@concordart.org or Assistant Director Natalie Reiser at nataliereiser@concord.org. You may also call Concord Art at (978) 369-2578.

BEDFORD: Honor our veterans, especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of freedom. Bedford's Memorial Day events begin at:

CONCORD: The Concord Orchestra presents “Songs of Spring” at 8pm on May 20, and 3pm on May 21 at the Performing Arts Center at 51 Walden. The orchestra, directed by guest conductor Nathaniel Meyer, performs a program of Giuseppe Verdi’s Nabucco Overture, Franz  Schubert’s Rosamunde Overture, and Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 2. A pre-concert talk by the conductor is scheduled for Saturday at 7:15pm. Patrons are invited to stay after the performance on Sunday to chat with new Music Director Zeke Fetrow and learn about the concerts planned for next season. Subscription cards for the 2023-2024 season will be available at the concert and also available online starting in May. Tickets for adults and seniors are $25. Admission for youth under 18 is free. For tickets and information, call (978) 369-4967 or visit www.concordorchestra.com.

The winner of the inaugural Vincent C. LaGuardia Conducting Competition and a finalist and prizewinner of the American Prize in Conducting, Nathaniel Meyer received the Wrexham Prize in Music from Yale and the Artistic Excellence Award from Indiana University's Jacobs School
of Music, where he studied with David Effron and Arthur Fagen, earning a M.M. in Orchestral Conducting, and serving as assistant conductor of the Opera and Ballet Theater.

Says Meyer, “It is so moving, and so thrilling to encounter the tremendous harmonic mastery and sheer melodic inventiveness of these three great Romantic artists at the height of their compositional power! They have such passion, inspiration, and heartfelt emotion to share with all of us, as musicians and audience members, through their timeless scores - expressions of their deepest joys and sorrows, heroic victories and moments of tragic despair. Their music has as much relevance and resonance today, as ever before—these compositions are truly a soundtrack to our lives. Like Spring itself, we return to these beloved pieces again and again, experiencing the beauty and fragrance of the flowers, the birds, the sunshine, as if for the first time. And we experience the spirit of renewal, the awakening of nature, embodied in their Song.”

Nabucco was Verdi’s first successful opera. The overture contains many of the familiar themes from this opera, based on the biblical story of King Nebuchadnezzar. Despite the serious subject, the music is delightful with many dramatic contrasts. Schubert’s Rosamunde Overture, written
early in his career, begins with a lovely, lyrical Andante section, followed by an exciting Allegro Vivace.

Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 was written in 1877 while Brahms was staying in a picturesque lakeside town in Austria. It is an audience favorite, with light-hearted, cheerful melodies in the first movement – interrupted briefly by sinister sounding brass and percussion, a passionate slow
second movement that opens with a lovely cello theme, a scherzo that alternates between a lively dash and a relaxed stroll, and a brilliant finale.

CONCORD: On May 20, the Rotary Club of Concord will conduct a one-day donation drive of personal care items not covered by food stamps for Open Table food pantry in Maynard. The following items are requested: Diaper Sizes:  3, 4, 5, 6, Baby Wipes, Laundry Detergent, Dish Soap, Toothpaste and Shampoo. These are the same items we collected earlier this year, but this will be a ONE-DAY event as part of a Rotary Day of Service. Items can be brought to two locations from 10am-3pm: A New Leaf parking lot, 74 Commonwealth Ave., W. Concord and Crosby’s Marketplace on Sudbury Road in Concord. 

More than 500 Rotary clubs, over 15,000 Rotarians spanning five states and three countries will join forces on May 20 to tackle wide-ranging projects. Throughout the day, Rotarians will undertake dozens of projects including planting vegetable, flower, and pollinator gardens, clearing walking and hiking trails, collecting food and other essentials for veterans, and preparing and serving meals to those experiencing homelessness. 

This international initiative includes projects in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Bermuda, and Brazil.  The Day of Service is a coordinated network of Rotary Clubs and their members dedicated to improving the communities they serve. Literally every community from each of the eight Rotary Districts involved will be impacted by what happens on May 20. For more information on Day of Service projects, please visit,  www.rotarydayofservice.org.

CONCORD: The Concord Museum Guild of Volunteers is pleased to present the 34th Annual Garden Tour on June 2 and 3. Garden lovers will be able to tour six glorious private gardens, many on historic and spectacular properties, from 9am-4pm, rain or shine. Each of the private gardens reflect the individual interests and passions of the owners and their families and will inspire both new and accomplished gardeners. For example, one garden features a traditional knot garden with formal boxwood hedges and colorful flowers inside the beds, raised gardens, cutting gardens, and many flowering trees.  Another garden includes an exact replica of Henry David Thoreau’s cabin, built by the homeowner’s son, as well as other unique garden features, perennial beds, and a recently installed pollinator garden, all overlooking the Concord River. While photography is not permitted during the tour, the Garden Tour booklet provided to each ticket holder provides a detailed description of each garden and the plants found there.

The Garden Tour is self-guided and self-paced. Ticketholders may visit the gardens on either or both days, however each garden may only be visited once. Tickets may be purchased online in advance at www.concordmuseum.org or on the days of the tour at the Concord Museum. Early Bird tickets, available online only through May 12, are $30 for Concord Museum members or $40 for non-members.  Tickets purchased from May 13 through the day of the tour are $35 for Concord Museum members and $45 for non-members.  Ticket booklets, with a map and address for all six gardens, can be picked up at the Concord Museum on June 2 from 9am-4pm, or on June 3 from 9am- 2pm. Ticket booklets are not available for pickup before June 2.

Proceeds of the Garden Tour fundraiser provide critical support to the Concord Museum’s education initiatives. The Garden Tour is coordinated by the Museum’s Guild of Volunteers; Pam Nelson is chairing this year’s Garden Tour committee.
 
The Concord Museum educates visitors of all ages about the history of Concord and its continuing influence on American political, literary and cultural life. The Museum’s nationally significant collection serves as a catalyst for changing exhibitions, extended classroom learning, dynamic programs and publications relevant to an ever-changing world. Founded in 1886, the Museum is the center of cultural enjoyment for the region and a gateway to the town of Concord for visitors from around the world. In 2021, the Museum completed a decade-long renovation project, including a complete redesign of its 16 permanent galleries and construction of the Rasmussen Education Center.

CONCORD: Get ready to learn the ukulele, or pick it back up again! Sample a Concord Conservatory of Music (CCM) Ukulele group class and see why the Uke is a fun and popular instrument to learn and play with friends. Sign up for a free trial group class for beginners on Wednesday, April 5 at 6pm for the Ukulele Crash Course.

Already have some experience, the Uke 2: The Sequel at 7pm will help to hone your fundamental playing skills. These fun and engaging courses connect you to other like-minded musicians in a social and supportive environment. The 6-week semester begins on April 12.

The Ukulele Crash Course offers a fundamental approach to learning the ukulele for students of varied musical backgrounds. You’ll learn the first position notes and chords on the ukulele and about tablature, basic note reading, chord diagrams, and basic strumming patterns. Get ready to learn how to play single-note melodies and basic chords for songs.

If you’re no longer a beginner and ready for a lot of fun while developing your skills, sign up for the Uke 2: The Sequel trial class. You’ll work on movable chord shapes, more diverse strumming patterns, and fingerpicking while playing a range of genres and styles, including pop and folk songs, Irish tunes, and Renaissance music.

Sign-up for your free trial ukulele group class at concordconservatory.org/instruction-programs. For information on the complete list of CCM offerings, visit ConcordConservatory.org, email info@concordconservatory.org, or call (978) 369-0010. The Concord Conservatory of Music is located at 1317 Main Street within the West Concord Union Church on the 2nd floor. Financial assistance is available.

Open Table is benefitting from local Rotarians’ grant funding and donation drive. The Maynard-based charity is dedicated to fighting hunger and building healthy communities in 21 local communities, including Acton, Boxborough, Concord, and Maynard. Open Table’s mission is to end hunger by providing healthy food in ways that respect the dignity and diversity of the people it serves.

"We are so grateful for this partnership with the Rotary Club of Concord and the Rotary Club of Acton-Boxborough," states Alexandra DePalo, executive director of Open Table. "Many of the individuals and families we serve need the personal-care items that these clubs will collect. This initiative will have a major positive impact on so many members of our community."

The Concord and Acton-Boxborough clubs have partnered to provide a total of $5,000 in Rotary grant funding to Open Table. The two clubs are also conducting a donation drive to provide Open Table with personal-care items are not covered by the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP.  They are seeking donations from the general public of the following five sets of personal-care items:

- Diapers: Sizes 3, 4, 5, and 6. Each month, Open Table needs 260 each of these sizes. The largest box of any brand in those sizes will be great because Open Table needs two (2) boxes of each size per month.
- Baby Wipes – Standard Size: 24 to 36 packets per month.
- Laundry Detergent and Dish Soap: 400 units per month.
- Toothpaste and Shampoo: 400 units per month.

Here, alphabetically, are Concord’s and Maynard’s nine donation-bin locations:

- Action Unlimited, 100 Domino Dr., Concord
- Coldwell Banker, 11 Main Street, Concord
- Concord Teacakes, 59 Commonwealth Ave., Concord
- Frame-ables, 111 Thoreau St., Concord
- Keller Williams Realty Boston Northwest, 200 Baker Ave. Suite 205, Concord
- Middlesex Bank, 64 Main St., Concord
- Minute Man Arc Early Intervention, 1269 Main St., Concord
- Spirits Liquor Store, Maynard Crossing, 4 Digital Way, Suite 3,  Maynard (next to
Market Basket)
- The Thoreau Club, 275 Forest Ridge Rd., Concord

And here, alphabetically, are Acton’s and Boxborough’s seven donation-bin locations:

- Boxborough Liquors & Convenience, 1233 Massachusetts Ave., Boxborough
- Citizens Bank, Gould’s Plaza, 270 Great Rd., Acton
- Donelan's Supermarket, Gould’s Plaza, 248 Great Rd., Acton
- Extra Steps Pediatric Therapies, 222 Main St., Acton
- Gould’s Clothing, Gould's Plaza, 260 Great Rd., Acton
- Roche Brothers Supermarket, 387 Massachusetts Ave., Acton
- Stop & Shop Supermarket, Powder Mill Plaza, 100 Powder Mill Rd., Acton

Members of both the Rotary Club of Concord and the Rotary Club of Acton-Boxborough are "People of Action" in "Service above Self" - both locally and worldwide. To learn more, visit RotaryClubOfConcord.org and ActonBoxboroughRotary.org. For additional information, contact Acton-Boxborough President Steve Jones-D'Agostino at either abrotaryclub@gmail.com or email the Concord at info@rotaryclubofconcord.org.