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Annual West Virginia Mission Festival Returns to First Church Bedford

BEDFORD: Following a two-year pandemic-enforced hiatus, Bedford’s First Church of Christ, 25 Great Road, is bringing back its annual West Virginia Mission Festival, to be held from 5-8:30pm, Saturday, May 21. In addition to live Appalachian folk music by the popular duo Tim & Maggie, and a Southern-style pulled-pork supper, the festival will also feature free children’s activities, plus a variety of arts & crafts and baked goods for sale. Supper – featuring smoked pulled pork, sides and dessert - will be served from 5-8pm. Cost is $15 per person or $40 per family. First Church will donate 100 percent of the proceeds from this event to fund its ongoing humanitarian mission work in West Virginia.

The highlight of this year’s Mission Festival is the music of Tim & Maggie. This popular duo from Athens, West Virginia has spent decades studying and performing early American/ Appalachian music, including tunes from England, France, Ireland and Scotland. They play various instruments, including banjo, guitar, flutes, spoons and bones. Tim & Maggie will perform three musical sets: 5:30-6pm; 6:30-7pm; and 7:30-8pm.

For almost 10 years, the church’s West Virginia Mission Project has helped fight poverty in Appalachia by supporting nonprofit organizations in and around Princeton, a town located in one of the poorest counties in southeast West Virginia. These community groups are dedicated to making home repairs for local residents, supporting after-school and summer children’s programs, and hosting arts activities for at-risk youth. The entire community is invited to the 2022 West Virginia Mission Fest to sample the fine cooking of First Church chefs and enjoy some lively Appalachian folk music.

This benefit will also help bring hope and optimism to a naturally beautiful part of the United States with deep and distinctive cultural roots. Free parking is available behind the church. For further information, visit firstchurchbedford.wordpress.com or call 781-275-7951.

PHOTO: Douglas Dussault of Bedford, helped repair homes in West Virginia recently as part of Bedford’s First Church of Christ West Virginia Mission Team.

Concord Orchestra presents “American Voices”

CONCORD: Concord Orchestra presents “American Voices” at 8pm on Saturday, May 21 and Sunday, May 22 at 2pm. The orchestra, directed by Jeffrey Rink, performs Jan Swafford’s Adirondack Interlude, Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D Major, Charles Griffes’ The Pleasure Dome of Kubla Khan, and Aaron Copland’s Billy the Kid Suite. Performances take place at the Performing Arts Center at 51 Walden. A pre-concert talk by the conductor is scheduled for Saturday at 7:15pm. All concerts of the 2021-2022 Concord Orchestra season are planned and directed by finalists auditioning for the position of Music Director.

In 2001, Jeffrey Rink made his conducting debuts with The New Japan Philharmonic, the Tokyo Philharmonic and the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and conducted a sold-out performance of Chinese and Western music in Carnegie Hall. During his 20 years in Boston, Rink served as Music Director of Chorus pro Musica, the Newton Symphony Orchestra, the New England Philharmonic, Concert Opera Boston and Assistant Conductor to Sir Christopher Hogwood with the Handel and Haydn Society. Rink served from 2007-2018 as Music Director of the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra. He is a recipient of the Jacopo Peri Award for outstanding contributions to the art of opera in New England.

This season, the Concord Orchestra features several young performers who participated in the annual young artist competition. The competition is open to musicians of high school age or younger who live in eastern Massachusetts. This season the winners were chosen by a panel of orchestra members and Eric Culver, consulting conductor. Winners of this season’s competition perform at the March and May concerts.

Ayaan Ahmad (pictured), winner of the young artist competition, performs Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D Major. Ahmad, a resident of Sharon, Massachusetts, began studying the violin at the age of four with Daniela Rubenstein. Since 2015, he has been studying with Jan Mark Sloman at the Cleveland Institute of Music as well as Ryan Meehan of the Calidore String Quartet. In 2015, Ahmad won first prize at MMTA’s Bay State Competition. In November of 2020, he won the Massachusetts round of the MTNA junior strings competition as well as the eastern division round, advancing to the final national round. In the summer of 2021, Ahmad was accepted into
and attended the Perlman Music Program where he worked with esteemed teachers such as Li Lin and Catherine Cho, and performed and worked with world renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman.

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.

A Baroque Extravaganza May 21

BEDFORD: On Saturday, May 21 at 7pm at First Parish in Bedford, 75 The Great Road, the Music Committee is sponsoring a fantastic concert, “A Baroque Extravaganza”. It will feature a chamber orchestra playing Vivaldi’s “Spring” from “The Four Seasons”, a Concerto Grosso by Handel and J.S. Bach’s spectacular cantata, “Wir müssen durch viel Trüsal”, BWV 146. For the “Spring” concerto, the violin soloist will be First Parish’s own, Carlough Faulkner-Carroll; the opening movement will also feature Dorothy Anderson-Perales, recreating a heartfelt dance she choreographed for First Parish for Easter 2021. The Bach cantata has an excellent line-up of soloists including Cynthia Mork, Benjamin Sears and two wonderful guest soloists as well as a semi-chorus drawn from the First Parish adult choir.

One of the most thrilling movements of the cantata is the opening “Sinfonia” which features a virtuosic organ solo which will be played on their historic Hook & Hastings instrument by returning First Parish favorite, Heinrich Christensen, Music Director and Organist of King’s Chapel in Boston. Heinrich was the featured organ soloist in the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Benjamin Britten’s “War Requiem” at the beginning of this month and got rave reviews.

The orchestra is made up of some incredible players, including regular members of the Lexington and Portland Symphony orchestras, the Handel and Haydn Society and subs for the Boston Symphony Orchestra. I have high expectations for the quality of this event.
The program will be broadcast on Zoom for those who won’t be able to attend in-person. Visit www.uubedford.org for more information.

Teen Volunteering at the Concord Free Public Library Information Session

CONCORD: Are you a teen or caregiver of a teen in need of community service hours? Look no further than the Concord Free Public Library! Join Teen Librarian Cary Stough Monday, May 23 from 6:30-7pm for a short informational session on the many opportunities available to teens, from craft preparation to creating and facilitating their own programs. This session will also serve as an abbreviated tour for those who have not had the pleasure of visiting the newly renovated building.

Teen volunteers have been the source of much of what makes the Concord Free Public Library such a vibrant, unique community space. It has been our honor to assist students from CCHS and elsewhere achieve their required community service hours. Given the library’s new expansion, the need for extra help has never been greater or more welcome. If you cannot make the session, or would like more information about the teen volunteering opportunities beforehand, please visit the Library website.

No registration required. Event will begin in the Teen Lounge and end in the Children’s Room.

Russell Robb to Give Career & Finance Talk at Concord Library

CONCORD: On May 25 at 6:30pm in the Main Library, join Russell Robb for a presentation and discussion of his new book Your Money Mentors: Expert Advice for Millennials. Please register for the talk at www.concordlibrary.org.

Your Money Mentors offers advice for millennials and their parents on how to succeed in the years post college graduation. Co-written by a millennial, and based on the author’s sixty-plus years of experience in finance, the collective advice is full of data, current research, anecdotes, and suggestions regarding mentors, continuing education, internships, careers, starter jobs, setting financial goals, budgeting, and money matters concerning marriage. The book is presented in three parts: Foundations for Success, Careers, and Making Your Money Work.

Robb's presentation will focus on the following:

Why Focus On Millennials ?
High School and College Internships= Jobs
A paradigm shift from lifetime employment
Handling Money is a Life Skill
Use of financial formulas
Opportunities And Serendipity
Avoiding Underemployment

Russell Robb is the author of Buying Your Own Business, 2nd ed. (Adams Media), M&A TODAY, a monthly newsletter, Selling your Business (Adams Media), and Your Money Mentors: Expert Advice For Millennials (Rowan/Littlefield). He is a graduate of Trinity College School, Port Hope, Ontario, Canada and the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton (Undergraduate), and he served 2 years in the U.S. Marine Corps. Robb has worked for American Express and Colonial Management, and he is involved with Lincoln Canoe and Kayak Company and Tully and Holland Investment Bank.

Iris Show in West Concord

WEST CONCORD: Enjoy the sight and smells of spring! The Iris Society of Massachusetts (ISM) is holding an iris show with over 200 iris blooms on display. The show is being held on Memorial Day, Monday, May 30 from 1-4pm at the Harvey Wheeler Community Center, 1276
Main Street. Admission is free, the building accessible, with ample parking.

In addition to the array of beautiful, scented irises, companion plants will be on view as well as floral arrangements that use irises to reflect the show’s theme of “Moving forward, looking back.’ Potted iris plants and rhizomes will be on sale. Everyone is welcome to enter identified irises as well as floral arrangements that reflect this year’s theme. Both iris entries and arrangements must be received at the show between 8 and 10am.

Members of the society will be on hand to answer general questions about irises as well as more specific horticultural queries. For more information, visit www.massirises.org.

Six Spectacular Concord Gardens: 33rd Annual Concord Museum Garden Tour

CONCORD: Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, “When I go into a garden, I think, if it were mine, I should never go out of it.” After two years of watching spring’s beauty through windows and screens, the time has come to experience the great outdoors! The Concord Museum Guild of Volunteers are pleased to present the 33rd annual Garden Tour in an in-person format. Garden lovers like Emerson will be able to tour six glorious private gardens, many on historic and spectacular properties, on Friday, June 3 and Saturday, June 4 (rain or shine) from 9am to 4pm.

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 of the unique and completely owner designed gardens, has a multitude of variegated foliage. It includes a wide range of plants, including cranesbill, Clematis, Hosta, and unusual grasses and ferns. The front terrace is modeled after a garden in Provence with mounds of boxwood complementing the stone structure. Moving from France to Italy, another garden features a somewhat formal Palladian setting with a long rectangle of lawn and plantings.

Still another property was carefully designed to transition the formal perennial garden surrounding the swimming pool to a practical vegetable garden and fruit trees. These give way via a scenic gate to a semi-wild area that features birch trees amongst naturalized grasses. The terrace near the house provides an expansive view over the open field below.

The river figures prominently in another owner’s garden design, with a table, benches, and hammocks for river viewing. Care has been taken to incorporate native plantings in the garden design to benefit birds, animals, and pollinating insects while also providing eye-catching blooms. A meadow with fruit trees, grasses, and wildflowers provides a serene landscape, with the cultivation of grapes and blueberries evokes Concord’s agricultural heritage.

The Garden Tour is self-guided and self-paced. Tickets are good for either or both days, however each garden may only be visited once. Garden goers should arrive at 9am to pick-up maps and programs prior to starting out at the Concord Museum. Tickets may be purchased online at www.concordmuseum.org or the day of the tour. Advance tickets may be purchased through May 29 and save $5. Become a member of the Museum and save $10! Member tickets Early bird: $30; Regular $35. Non-member Tickets: Early-Bird $40; Regular $45.

Hungry to Help: Children’s Bag Event with Open Table at the Concord Free Public Library

CONCORD: The Concord Free Public Library (CFPL) is introducing a new, monthly program for elementary school children brought to you in partnership by the Library and Open Table, a local food pantry serving Concord and surrounding communities. This hands-on program will take place May 25 and June 29 from 3pm-4pm in the Children’s Activity Room at the CFPL’s Main Branch. Different stories and activities will be used each month to help educate children and facilitate discussion on food insecurity. Children will decorate a bag and fill it with food provided by Open Table in support of the Open Table Kids' Bags program. Kids who attend will also learn about Open Table and the positive impact their organization makes for children and others in the community.

Food Donations - (Optional) Have your child bring a food donation. Shopping with your child is another great way to involve them. Needed Donations

In-Need - If you or someone you know needs food assistance, please leave a message at 978-369-2275 or email info@opentable.org.

For more information about Library programs and services, call 978-318-3301 (Main Branch) or 978-318-3350 (Fowler Branch) or visit www.concordlibrary.org.

Recruiting for the Friends of the Bedford Council on Aging Board

BEDFORD: The Friends of the Bedford Council on Aging (FBCOA) are looking for new board members to expand their positive impact on the COA. You have an opportunity to really make a difference without requiring a huge obligation in time or effort.

The Friends of the Bedford Council on Aging (FBCOA) was established as a non-profit to financially support the programs and services of the Bedford Council on Aging (COA). It is entirely supported by donations and fundraising. They meet six times a year on the 3rd Tuesday of September, October, November, January, April and June at 1pm. They need help with:

Membership: Collect and record dues. Track membership.
Outreach: Connecting to members via email and social media throughout the year.
Fundraising: Initiating one fundraising event each year.

If you are interested, please call (781) 275-6874 or email bobbiennis@msn.com, or visit them online at www.facebook.com/FBCOA.

Everyone’s Birthday Bash

CARLISLE/MAYNARD: Sanctuary has declared Saturday, May 14th, “Everybody-who-missed-celebrating-their-birthday-due-to-that-darn-pandemic Day.” For all the folks who didn’t get to celebrate their birthday in proper style over the past couple of years, versatile performer and music producer Mac Ritchey (pictured) and friends are inviting you to the dance party of the century.

Ritchey himself is celebrating his belated 50th (a few days before his 51st), and his idea of a good time on his birthday is exactly this: live music, friends, a dance party, community, and a warm spring evening. Mac (of Carlisle) who will play oud, bouzouki, didjeridu, and sing vocals, will be joined by musician friends Ken Hickey of Boxborough, MA on drums & vocals, Mike Payette of Dracut, MA on bass and vocals, Marshall Goff of Newton/Waltham, MA on guitar and vocals, Neil Kruszkowski of Groton, MA on saxophone and vocals, and Dave Boyd from Portugal on keyboards, bodhrán, and vocals.

With a diverse set list targeted towards dancing and a party atmosphere, the evening will be a two-set night with a six-piece band plus guests. Within the evening, there will be mini-sets featuring Walk Like A Cow, the recent collaboration between Ritchey and Dave Boyd that turns classic rock tunes on their heads with oud (Arabic lute) and bodhrán (Irish frame drum). Dave Boyd is coming over to join us from Portugal because that’s what a good friend does for his buddy’s birthday party. Adding fun to the party will be lighting design by VFX Design Studios and birthday cake for all!

Tickets $15 in advance at www.sanctuarymaynard.com/Event/Details/141 or $20 at the door. Doors open at 7pm and the party starts at 8pm. Sanctuary has a full bar and table service. Arrive early enough to order dinner in one of Maynard's many fine restaurants and bring it with you. Proof of vaccination or negative test required.

Concord Players presents Titanic: The Musical

CONCORD: The “unsinkable” ship, the Titanic, sets sail on her maiden voyage across the North Atlantic carrying more than 2,200 souls on a collision course with destiny. It was the “Ship of Dreams” for the passengers on board: The 3rd Class, immigrating to America for a better life; the 2nd Class, hoping to live a leisured lifestyle in imitation of the upper classes; and the 1st Class, striving to maintain their privileged positions forever. A fateful collision with an iceberg simultaneously dashed all of these dreams.

This year, 2022, marks 110 years since this historic event unfolded. While there have been many large-scale catastrophes since the Titanic went down, we continue to be drawn to this tragedy as few events have captivated our imagination so deeply. How could a monument to man’s ingenuity and engineering meet such a terrible fate? What was it like for the passengers and crew in those fateful last few hours?

The Concord Players are pleased to present the Tony Award winning production of Titanic: the Musical with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston and book by Peter Stone. The musical opened on Broadway on April 23, 1997 and went on to win five Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

Both Yeston and Stone knew the idea was an unusual one for a musical. The story is unique to the turn-of-the-century British culture with its rigid social class system while romanticizing progress through technology. Said Yeston “I think if you don’t have that kind of daring damn-the-torpedoes, you shouldn’t be in this business. It’s the safe sounding shows that don’t do well.”

According to Stage Director Douglas Hodge of Sherborn “We all know how this doomed journey ended, but very little about the 2,200+ souls aboard.” He prefers to focus on the hopes and dreams of some of those passengers. “The distinct lines of class were on full display which, some say, led to the inequity of who lived and who died.” But it is not only the passengers we get to know – the officers and crew are just as much a part of this epic saga.

With a large and amazingly talented cast, a full orchestra under the direction of Ben Oehlkers, ingenious sets and stunning costumes, the audience may find it hard to believe they are sitting in a community theater and not on Broadway. Performances are April 29, 30, May 6, 7, 13 & 14 at 8pm and May 1 & 8 at 2pm at The Performing Arts Center, 51 Walden Street.
Tickets are $28 with reserved seating. Masks and proof of vaccination are required for admittance. For tickets and more details regarding The Concord Players Covid-19 Policy, visit www.concordplayers.org.

Concord Conservatory of Music Presents Fiddler Jenna Moynihan in Concert

CONCORD: The Concord Conservatory of Music, 1317 Main Street, will present Scottish fiddler and experimentalist Jenna Moynihan for a 7pm concert and 5pm masterclass on May 7. Widely regarded as an incredibly talented acoustic musician, Jenna’s also well-known for her versatile and inventive fiddling, which draws strongly from the Scottish tradition but is not limited by it.

Jenna's music is playful and upbeat with exceptional skillfulness, perfected intricate and lively bowing, and with her toes in constant motion. New England-born artist and guitarist Owen Marshall will join Jenna for this concert. Collaborators before, they complement each other’s playing exceptionally well—as he too has been immersed in the various textures and sounds of the Celtic music spectrum for decades.

In her masterclass before the concert, Jenna will walk through a few of the unique characteristics of Celtic music styles and cover essential forms, ornamentation, and phrasing. Students will walk away with exciting techniques to practice and a couple of beautiful tunes to play.

Jenna graduated from the Berklee College of Music in Boston and received two honors given annually to one outstanding string player: the Fletcher Bright Award and The American Roots Music Award. She continually collaborates with many professional artists and groups and soloed for the Boston Pops at Symphony Hall.

Tickets can be purchased online in advance at www.concordconservatory.org or at the door: $45 for the masterclass and concert tickets, $20 for the concert only, or $25 for the masterclass only (both events are free for students 18 and under).

Korean Family Month Celebrations at the Concord Free Public Library

CONCORD: The Concord Free Public Library is partnering with the Korean Cultural Society of Boston to bring a celebration of Korean culture through the month of May.

Exhibition of Minwha (Korean Folk Painting)
Enjoy an exhibition of Minwha (Korean Folk Painting) from May 2–31 in the Main Library Gallery. The exhibition features Seongmin Ahn, Insun Cho, Sunhee Hur and Jaeok Lee. More information about the artwork can be found at https://concordlibrary.org/news-events/exhibits

Korean Art and Craft
Children are invited to enjoy a celebration of Korean Art and Craft on Saturday, May 14 from 2-4 pm in the Children’s Library at the Main Library. No registration is required. Featured activities include:

Folding color papers, with Isabelle Rhee (Heejin Kim)
Clay cookies with Korean patterns, with clay artist, Jaeok Lee
Cori Ahn will read from her book, My Name is Kimchee
Children can have their photos taken in front of a cutout of a traditional Korean dress.
play traditional Korean games like Ddakgi.

Sijo Poetry
Middle school students, high school students, and adults are invited to learn about Sijo, a traditional form of Korean poetry on Saturday, May 14 from 2:30-4:00pm at the Main Library. Professor Emeritus David McCann of Harvard University will share his expertise on Sijo, which is a Korean verse form related to haiku and tanka. David has translated and published a large number of sijo, both Classical as well as contemporary, and for several years at Harvard taught the course Writing Asian Poetry where students wrote poems following models in Classical Chinese, the Japanese haiku, and the sijo. His own book of sijo poems, Urban Temple, was translated into Korean and published in Korea. Register for this program at www.concordlibrary.org.

Music
Enjoy Korean music on Saturday, May 21 at 7pm at the Main Library. Three Korean traditional instruments - Gayageum (Korean traditional zither), Janggu (drum), and Ajaeng (string instrument with a bow) - will be played by well known performers Kyung Sun Kim, Jihye Park, and Yoona Kim. Dr. Mina Cho, the founder of the 'International Gugak Jazz Institute', will also add fun by improvising on a keyboard with Yoona Kim. Register for this program at www.concordlibrary.org.

These events are generously sponsored by The Friends of the Concord Free Public Library.

Trevor Simon Honored as Minuteman's Outstanding Vocational Student of the Year for 2022

LEXINGTON: Congratulations to Trevor Simon, a senior Plumbing student from Waltham, who was named Minuteman High School’s Outstanding Vocational Student of the Year. He received an award in a prestigious ceremony recently, hosted by the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators (MAVA) at Mechanics Hall in Worcester. Each vocational-technical high school in Massachusetts selected one student for the Outstanding Vocational Student of the Year Award.

Trevor was also the recipient of Minuteman’s Plumbing All-Star Award for the Class of 2022. He works for SDH Plumbing and Heating of Waltham through Minuteman’s Cooperative Education (Co-Op) Program. Trevor was co-captain of the school football team. Upon graduation, he plans to continue working in the plumbing trade as he pursues a Journeyman’s license while enrolled in evening courses.

Trevor was nominated by Guidance Counselor Diane Dempsey and Plumbing Teacher Kyle Romano. Both praised him warmly for his diligence and maturity.

“He’s a super respectful young man,” Dempsey said.

“Trevor is a respectful, bright, compassionate, and determined individual,” Romano said. “He is an honest and focused team player. Trevor has always been a positive example for his classmates in the Plumbing program. His teachers and peers have admiration for Trevor, as do his employers and coworkers.”

First Church Bedford to Host Two-Day Rummage Sale

BEDFORD: Bedford’s First Congregational Church, 25 Great Road, will host its Spring Rummage Sale on two days this year: 1 to 4 p.m. Friday, April 29; and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 30. Admission is free and a $1 donation at the door will benefit the Bedford Food Bank. This year’s sale will feature a wide variety of white elephants, books, puzzles, household goods and small appliances, sports equipment, children’s toys and games, and costume jewelry. (No clothing, shoes, or soft goods will be sold.) Free parking available behind the church. Handicapped accessible. For more information, call 781-275-7951 or visit www.firstchurchbedford.wordpress.com.

Emerson Hospital 5k Run~Walk for Cancer Care
Registration Now Open for 23rd Annual Event; High-Performance Shirts for All Registrants!

CONCORD/ACTON: Registration is open for Emerson Hospital’s 23rd annual 5k Run~Walk for Cancer Care at www.emersonhospital.org/5k. All proceeds go directly to support patients who receive cancer care at Emerson. In addition to the 5k, there will be a one-mile Kids’ Run and medals for the top finishers.

There are two ways to participate: Join the in-person event on Saturday, May 7 at 8am at Nara Park in Acton, which includes free breakfast from Blackbird Cafe, and ice cream from Kimball Farm. Or, sign up to do the virtual event with flexibility to complete the 5k anytime between May 1 – May 15. Visit the website for details, to register, and make a donation. All registrants will receive a Run~Walk high-performance race shirt.

The Run~Walk event is a great opportunity to meet up with friends, neighbors, and loved ones. Encourage everyone you know to come out and exercise while raising money to support people in the community with cancer.

All funds raised will provide compassionate care, including therapeutic acupuncture and massage therapy, support groups, transportation, and more for people who receive cancer care at Emerson. Patients value these supports to aid their healing. For more information, email runwalk@emersonhosp.org, call Emerson’s Development Office at 978-287-3084, and follow on Facebook and Instagram @EmersonHospital5K.

Beyond the Notes Springs Forward to Present First Mini Concert of 2022!
Featuring Concord native & violinist Sarah Whitney

CONCORD: It is no secret that live music has taken a hit since the pandemic began, but that has not stopped Concord native and violinist Sarah Whitney from finding innovative ways to present creative COVID friendly concerts to the community. On April 23 at 7:30pm, Whitney will take the stage at First Parish Church in partnership with Powers Gallery and Concord Conservatory to present her highly acclaimed concert series Beyond the Notes Minis for an unforgettable evening of music, artwork, and community! Limited capacity to allow for social distancing. Performed by violinist Sarah Whitney, the program will highlight the works of Black composers and feature some of the rising star students from the Concord Conservatory. Pieces will be performed alongside exquisite artwork from Powers Gallery for an evening of collaborative music making you will not want to miss!

Beyond the Notes Minis is a COVID safe live mini-concert series that highlights the works of Black composers and supports social justice. For this series, Beyond the Notes will take the stage in support of humanitarian efforts in Ukraine, donating 10% of all proceeds to Good360. Having presented over 10 COVID friendly concert series since the pandemic began, Whitney has been creating lots of buzz in the Concord community and beyond with her innovative, fresh take on presenting concerts. According to a recent audience member, "The Beyond the Notes Minis have delighted audiences with almost two years of bold and immersive concert experiences that have TRULY gone 'Beyond the Notes!' Not only does this series deliver performances of the highest caliber, but it also supports wonderful organizations doing important work!"

Since this series began in 2020, Beyond the Notes has presented outdoor concerts, indoor concerts, and virtual concerts, has partnered with The Umbrella Arts Center and Powers Gallery, and featured special guest appearances from Sarah Kenner, creator of The Hungry Musician blog, composer Jonathan B. McNair, and composer Jessica Meyer. Beyond the Notes has raised funds for The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), The Center for Constitutional Rights, Race Forward, Direct Relief, Common Cause, The Voter Participation Center, Leadership Conference Education Fund, Southern Poverty Law Center, and Campaign Zero. Beyond the Notes is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non profit arts service organization.

Praised by the Washington Post for her "marvelous violin acrobatics," violinist Sarah Whitney is known for her musical versatility and has been heard worldwide across stages in Europe, Asia, South America, Africa and the United States. She is recognized as a performer, teacher, entrepreneur and advocate for bringing fresh new ideas to classical music. As former founding member and violinist of the NYC-based string quintet SYBARITE5, Sarah performed over 1,000 concerts around the world, had three albums reach the top ten on the Billboard Charts, premiered the first-ever Concerto for String Quintet and Orchestra with the South Carolina Philharmonic, Midland Symphony Orchestra, and Duluth-Superior Orchestra, was the first string quintet to win the Concert Artists Guild Competition, and performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Alice Tully Hall, the Library of Congress, the Aspen, Caramoor, Chautauqua, Grand Teton and Ravinia Festivals.

All attendees must provide proof of full vaccination by showing a vaccination card, a photo of the card, or a digital vaccine record. Anyone exempt from/ineligible to receive the vaccine or unable to verify vaccination status must present proof of a negative PCR COVID-19 test result taken within 72 hours OR healthcare-professional-administered negative rapid test within 24 hours of the time of entry. Regardless of vaccine status, ALL patrons must wear a properly fitted CDC-approved face mask. The venue will operate at limited capacity with distanced seating.
Tickets cost $30/person and $15/student for advanced purchase. Tickets will be available at the door for $35/person and $15/student cash or check only. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.gobeyondthenotes.com.

Assabet River Bluff Conservation on Warrant for Concord Town Meeting

WEST CONCORD: During the 2022 Concord Town Meeting, which starts May 1, residents will have a chance to approve the purchase of a 7-acre property along the Assabet River in West Concord through two articles. If the measures pass, 1 acre of the land will be available for affordable housing, and the remaining 6 acres will be conserved as open space for public enjoyment. The wooded property, called Assabet River Bluff, is located along Old Marlboro Road and Upland Road, not far from the West Concord Train Depot. It abuts the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail and overlooks a bend in the river. The landowners have given the Town the chance to purchase this land until July 29. If the Town fails to act on this opportunity, the land will be sold to a private developer.

The effort is being spearheaded by a coalition of local organizations, including the Concord Land Conservation Trust (CLCT), Sudbury Valley Trustees (SVT), the Concord Housing Development Corporation (CHDC), and the Town of Concord Department of Planning and Land Management (DPLM). The Concord Municipal Affordable Housing Trust and the Concord Housing Foundation are also financially supporting the project.
The one-acre portion that is to be purchased for affordable housing purposes includes an existing two-family home. If the effort to purchase the land is successful, CHDC plans to construct three additional units of housing for a total of five permanently affordable homes.

“Assabet River Bluff is recognized for its ecological values, climate benefits, cultural history, and recreational opportunities,” said Polly Reeve of CLCT. “By protecting this land, we will ensure it provides these benefits for generations to come.”

“This is a unique opportunity to bring conservation interests and affordable housing interests together to prevent maximization of market rate housing development on the site and to create five new affordable housing units in support of the Town’s open space and affordable housing goals. With this initiative, Concord is already being viewed as a model for other communities in the Commonwealth,” said Lee Smith, Chair of the CHDC.

Article 26, found in the Annual Town Meeting Warrant, asks voters to set aside $1 million of Community Preservation Act funds (CPA) toward the $2.8 million purchase price. Additional funds will come from the Concord Municipal Affordable Housing Trust Fund, the Concord Housing Foundation, and a fundraising campaign launched by CLCT and SVT that has already raised over $900,000. The Town has also applied for grants that, if awarded, will help to offset the purchase price.

Article 25 will provide initial funding toward the purchase of the property, which will be reimbursed to the Town if the grant is awarded, because grant funds will not be available until December 2022.
“This collaborative effort to achieve two Town goals has been a valuable experience,” said Marcia Rasmussen, Concord’s Director of Planning and Land Management. “These seven acres have long been identified as a priority for protection in both the Concord Open Space and Recreation Plan and Housing Production Plan.”

Christa Collins, SVT’s Director of Land Protection who is also a Concord resident, added, “This is a rare chance to protect some woodland in the West Concord Village Center, where it will benefit so many. We urge Concord residents to vote Yes on Articles 25 and 26 in support of the purchase.”

To help Concord residents learn more about the conservation effort, CLCT and SVT are hosting public walks across the Assabet River Bluff property on April 22 and 24. Walk leaders will discuss the ecological significance of the property and will describe some of the wildlife species that find habitat on the land. Full details about the walks and the conservation effort are available at www.svtweb.org/ARB.

Concord Conservatory of Music Presents Mile Twelve

WEST CONCORD: On Friday, April 29th at 7:30 pm, the Concord Conservatory of Music (CCM) presents Mile Twelve, a thought-provoking and energetic string band from Boston. Although their sound is rooted in traditional bluegrass, Mile Twelve surveys a broader landscape on their newest album, City on a Hill. Experience Mile Twelve live and you’ll see why they won the 2020 IBMA New Artist of the Year Award.

All five band members bring their own influences and interpretations into the music, resulting in a project that feels contemporary, thoughtfully crafted, and relevant. The lineup features Catherine “BB” Bowness (banjo), Korey Brodsky (mandolin and guitar), Ella Jordan (fiddle), Evan Murphy (guitar, lead vocals), and Nate Sabat (bass, lead vocals). With innovative arrangements and expert execution, Mile Twelve captivates its audience with their music. They are recognized for their originality, talent, and commitment to address societal concerns—they use lyrics to bring relevant stories to the forefront.

The Mile Twelve concert is part of the 2021-2022 CCM American Roots Series. Generous donors and support from the Concord Cultural Council have made it possible to bring the concert series to our community. $25 tickets for adults and free for students 18 and under. Purchase tickets in advance online at www.ConcordConservatory.org or at the door. For information, call 978-369-0010 or email info@ConcordConservatory.org. Concord Conservatory of Music is located at 1317 Main Street in the West Concord Union Church.

The Garden Club of Concord Announces the Return of Its Annual Plant Sale

CONCORD: The Garden Club of Concord is excited to announce that its annual plant sale will return on May 7 at the Tri-Con Church, 54 Walden Street, Concord Center from 8:30am – 12:30pm, rain or shine. A wide variety of plants will be for sale, including perennials, shrubs, vines, groundcovers and houseplants, most of which come from the established local gardens of Garden Club members. Beautiful arrangements will be available for purchase. These and all the plants will make wonderful Mother’s Day gifts! In addition, a bake sale table will offer delicious treats and will feature items home baked by members of the Club.

The Garden Club of Concord was founded in 1928. It sponsors education and community service projects throughout the year and maintains town gardens at the Town House and the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. Funds raised from the annual plant sale are distributed to local projects that reflect the Club’s horticultural mission. Grants have been distributed to the Concord Council on Aging, Gaining Ground, Minuteman Arc for Human Services, Concord Division of Natural Resources, Grounds for Learning at the Thoreau School and many others. In addition, the Club provides one $500 college scholarship.

Concord Conservatory Hosts Bluegrass Band Scramble

CONCORD: Here’s your opportunity to become a member of a cool bluegrass band. Join Concord Conservatory of Music’s Bluegrass Band Scramble on April 30 from Noon to 4pm to meet and perform with other musicians who love bluegrass! Plan for a fun and enjoyable afternoon in a stress-free zone—there’s no competition, only an incredible learning and skill-building experience.

Accomplished banjo player and CCM faculty member Rich Stillman will lead the Scramble. The Scramble is for anyone who dreams of playing in a band, needs some guidance, and doesn’t quite know how to begin. It’s also for those experienced players who want to play with new musicians and hone their skills.

To ensure well-formed bands, musicians sign-up for the Scramble individually, and bands are created by picking names out of hats, one for each instrument. Bandmates then have a two-hour practice session, with coaching from CCM instructors, to prepare songs and stage patter for a three-song turn in front of a sound system and a live audience.

To reserve your spot, sign-up and pay the $20 registration fee in advance at https://concordconservatory.org/news-events/bluegrass-band-scramble/
If you decide to join the Scramble last minute, you can also register at the door.

Everyone is invited for the live and free concert after the Scramble at 4pm. For more information call 978-369-0010 or email info@ConcordConservatory.org. Concord Conservatory of Music is located at 1317 Main Street in the West Concord Union Church.

It’s Revolutionary! Free Patriots’ Day Celebration at the Concord Museum

CONCORD: “Here once the embattled farmers stood and fired the shot heard round’ the world.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Concord Museum is celebrating Patriots’ Day – the day the American Revolution began and the “shot heard ‘round the world” – in true Revolutionary style on April 18, with a free outdoor Minuteman Encampment and free admission to the Museum.

“I haven’t a man who is afraid to go!” On April 18, from 10am to 4pm visit the brave Acton Minutemen Company in an encampment on the Museum’s lawn and see them drilling with muskets to prepare for battle, cooking over a firepit, and demonstrating colonial spinning and weaving.

On Patriots’ Day the public is also invited to experience the newly renovated Concord Museum, which includes an interactive April 19, 1775 gallery. The new permanent exhibit has the largest collection of April 19th objects anywhere assembled - including muskets, swords, and powder horns that were at the North Bridge. A centerpiece of the gallery is a 12 by10-foot media screen that depicts 24 hours of the battle in just 6 minutes! Interwoven throughout the exhibit is new information about the role of women and people of color – both enslaved and free who participated and fought on that day.

Throughout the day, families can join drop-in activities to learn about life and craft in the colonies. Kids can try using a feather quill and ink to write like a revolutionary, make and decorate their own tricorn hat, and play colonial games. Visitors should also be on the lookout for a Red Coat from the British Army roaming the galleries looking for Provincial rebels. Be sure to talk with him about the experiences of the Red Coats on April 19th!

Leading up to Patriots’ Day - Town Night, April 12, 5pm to 7pm, Towns throughout Massachusetts mustered at the North Bridge on April 19, 1775, and the Museum is offering free admission and Revolutionary themed programming to the public on Town Night, April 12, 5pm to 7pm. Drop by the Lisa H. Foote History Learning Center to explore Revolutionary muskets and arms with expert Joel Bohy, Director of Historic Arms and Militia for Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers. Listen to a spotlight talk by foremost expert, Jane Kamensky, on a John Singleton Copley portrait. This program is followed by an in-person and virtual forum at 7pm titled History 1776: Conversation with Harvard Professor Jane Kamensky. On April 12th, all programs are free and open to the public. To register for the forum, go to www.concordmuseum.org.

Concord Women’s Chorus Free Program of Beauty & Renewal

CONCORD: Join the Concord Women’s Chorus on May 7 at 4pm for a free program of beauty and renewal, as they welcome their friends and supporters back to a special live, in-person concert. This concert will take place at Trinity Episcopal Church, 81 Elm Street. “Days of Beauty” offers works of promise, joy, and stunning harmonies. At the heart of the concert are graceful works by composer, Ola Gjeilo, whose whose jewels for women’s voices (“Days of Beauty,” “The Rose,” and “Seasons”) offer a rich and reflective landscape. The program includes pieces by composers Cécile Chaminade, Emma Lou Diemer, Gwyneth Walker and the Wailin’ Jennys.

Concord Women’s Chorus is directed by Jane Ring Frank, now in her 29th year. They perform a wide range of classical and contemporary music, with emphasis on works written for women’s voices. Face coverings and proof of vaccination will be required. Good will offerings are always appreciated. For more information: concordwomenschorus.org.

Read to Daniel the Cat! at the Concord Free Public Library

CONCORD: Did you know that reading to animals boosts reading skills and emotional and social skills for children? The Concord Free Public Library invites children to read to Daniel the Cat (also known as “Dan the Man”) in the Children’s Garden on the third Wednesday of each month between 2pm and 3pm. Daniel is a certified therapy cat through Pets and People Foundation. The upcoming dates to read to Daniel are April 20, May 18, and June 15. This event is for children ages 5 and up. Children are invited to register for their own individual 10 minute session with Daniel. Register in advance by visiting the Events Calendar at www.concordlibrary.org.

The Cure for Hate: A Former White Supremacist's Journey from Violent Extremism to Radical Compassion

CONCORD: Kerem Shalom of Concord is pleased to host Tony McAleer online on April 3 at 4pm. McAleer was an affluent, middle-class private school student and the son of a doctor. Yet, he ended up at the Aryan Nations compound in Idaho, falling in with and then recruiting for some of the most notorious neo-Nazi groups in Canada and the U.S. After fifteen years in the white supremacist movement and becoming a movement leader, accomplished propagandist, and operator of one of the first white supremacist websites, he left the highest ranks of these groups and co-founded Life After Hate. What led him to disengage from the violent far-right cause and how does he work today to get others to deradicalize—to exit from hate groups, heal, and become "formers"?

Learn how people are drawn to violent extremism, how the ideology takes hold, and the best ways to help someone leave hate behind. McAleer will draw on his memoir, The Cure for Hate, which details both his personal story and his insights into deradicalization, providing a path back from hatred.

Kerem Shalom is offering this special program, at no charge, as part of its ongoing L.E.D. (Learn, Explore, Discuss) series. Visit keremshalom.org to register for the Zoom link. Contact the office at 978-369-1223 or ksadmin@keremshalom.org with any questions.

Rotary Celebrates 90 Years with Live Music at Spring Pops

CONCORD: Join the Rotary Club of Concord in celebration of its 90 years of service at Spring Pops with the Concord Band and jazz vocalist Cindy Scott on April 8 at 8pm at 51 Walden. This fundraiser in support of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Lowell’s newly renovated two-family house in Concord will help provide a home for deserving families. Doors open at 7pm for guests to enjoy refreshments and bid on auction items. Due to Covid concerns, there will be auditorium style seating. Admission is $30 per person. Reservations may be made at www.rotaryclubofconcord.org, by clicking on “Pops Fundraiser” in the banner at the top.

Two years ago Cindy Scott was to be featured with the Concord Band at Rotary’s Pops, cancelled due to Covid. Now she’s back, the Band is back and Rotary wants you to join the celebration. Cindy is recognized as a singer’s singer. Her technical mastery and commitment to the lyric and musical expression has earned her loyal fans around the world. Hailing from Tupelo, Mississippi, Cindy Scott has lived a life steeped in all forms of American roots music, jazz, gospel, and southern soul. She also plays flute, bamboo flute, guitar and hand percussion, and is a composer and lyricist. In 2016, Cindy relocated from New Orleans to Boston to join the faculty of the esteemed Berklee College of Music as Associate Professor of Voice.

For over 90 years, Concord Rotarians have served the local and international community in hundreds of ways. This year they enjoyed providing hands-on work at the Habitat site. Habitat’s model gives families a “hands up, not a hand out” as the families provide “sweat equity” in the construction and take on an interest-free mortgage. Learn more about why they are passionate about encouraging your support for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Lowell at https://lowellhabitat.org.

How to Reduce College Costs at the Concord Free Public Library

CONCORD: The Concord Free Public Library will offer a free virtual workshop entitled “How to Reduce College Costs: Strategies You Need to Know” on April 6 at 7pm. This workshop introduces little-known financial strategies parents can use to reduce college costs, improve admissions chances, and increase scholarship opportunities. Learn income, asset, and borrowing tools as well as the new FAFSA rules and how they will impact what you pay for college. The workshop is hosted by My College Planning Team. Register in advance at https://concordlibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/how-to-reduce-college-costs-strategies-you-need-to-know to receive the Zoom link. For more information about Library programs and services, call 978-318-3301 (Main Branch) or 978-318-3350 (Fowler Branch), or visit www.concordlibrary.org.

Local Students Named to The Dean's List at MCPHS University

ACTON/CONCORD: MCPHS University is pleased to announce the students who have been named to the Dean's List for the Fall 2021 semester:

Guslicia Fallah is a native of Acton, Mass. and is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Guslicia will graduate from the Boston, Massachusetts campus in 2024.
Joelle Perron is a native of Acton, Mass. and is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography degree. Joelle will graduate from the Boston, Massachusetts campus in 2023.
Owen Haddadeen is a native of Concord, Mass. and is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Premedical Health Studies (Optometry) degree. Owen will graduate from the Boston, Massachusetts campus in 2023.

The Dean's List recognizes those students with a full-time course load who have achieved outstanding scholarship with a 3.5 GPA or higher for the academic term.

The mission of MCPHS University is to prepare graduates to advance health and serve communities worldwide through excellence, innovation, and collaboration in teaching, practice, scholarship, and research. Founded in 1823, MCPHS University is the oldest institution of higher education in the City of Boston. In addition to the original Boston campus, the University has campuses in Worcester, Massachusetts, and Manchester, New Hampshire, as well as robust online learning options. The University currently offers more than 100 unique baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral degree programs and certificates covering a variety of health-related fields and professions.

Musical Mondays in April at the Concord Free Public Library

CONCORD: The Concord Free Public Library hosts free musical concerts on Mondays at 10:30am for children ages 0 - 6 years and their caregivers at the Main Library.

On Monday, April 4, enjoy a fun-filled sing-along jam session with Mr. Seth (pictured). Sing and dance to original and traditional interactive family music. Join in with voices, instruments, and imagination. To register, visit https://concordlibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/musical-mondays-seth-hanson.
On Monday, April 11, Julie Stepanek will host a Music And Movement program featuring songs kids know and some songs kids might not know. Attendees will stretch, stomp, sing, and shake out the sillies - all to the sweet sounds of the ukulele. To register, visit https://concordlibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/music-and-movement-with-julie.
On Monday, April 25, Rockabye Beats’ music will have you bopping and moving along in no time! Rockabye Beats’ music is reminiscent of founder Marcos Valles’ Puerto Rico. Their songs offer a range of styles from rock n’ roll to calypso to funk and even blues. To register, visit https://concordlibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/rockabye-beats-4.

For more information about Library programs and services, call 978-318-3301 (Main Branch) or 978-318-3350 (Fowler Branch), or visit www.concordlibrary.org.

Open Bluegrass Jam at Concord Conservatory on Thursday Evenings

CONCORD: Attend the Open Bluegrass Jam at the Concord Conservatory of Music (CCM), located at 1317 Main Street in the West Concord Union Church, on Thursday evenings from 7:30pm– 9pm to connect with other musicians, hone your playing skills, and have lots fun. Get coaching and guidance from CCM faculty member and mandolinist Max Anderson and other experienced guest musicians who lead the jams.

The Jam is open to bluegrass players at all levels – guitar, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, dobro, bass, and singers. Join Max as he calls the tunes, posts the charts, and leads the group (at a manageable speed) through the great repertoire of tunes and songs from the bluegrass tradition. The jam provides a terrific opportunity to play with other musicians. Attending a jam is an invaluable experience as it teaches improvisation, tone, dynamics and overall musicality. For those who don’t play an instrument but appreciate great music, you’re welcome to join the fun too!

The Thursday evening Jam continues now through May 26 with the exception of April 21 (spring school vacation week). The Open Bluegrass Jam is fee-free, though a $10 contribution is greatly appreciated to support the program.

Visit www.ConcordConservatory.org, email info@concordconservatory.org, or call (978) 369-0010 to learn more about the Jam and CCM.

Emerson Hospital’s Comprehensive Gastroenterology Program Is Destination for Screenings, Procedures & Advanced Care The Only Hospital-Affiliated Outpatient
Endoscopy & Digestive Health Center In the Region

Emerson endoscopy center (230).gastroenterologists

CONCORD: Emerson Hospital is pleased to announce the opening of Emerson Endoscopy & Digestive Health Center (the Center), a convenient destination for outpatient digestive care. The Center, located at 310 Baker Avenue, a short drive from the hospital, is led by fellowship-trained physicians and combines easy access to comprehensive care, state-of-the-art equipment, and local, experienced subspecialists.

Providing the full spectrum of diagnosis and treatment in an outpatient setting, the Center is home to Concord Gastroenterology Associates' board-certified physicians: John Dowd, DO, Andrea Fribush, MD, and Jennifer Nayor, MD. The team provides a personalized approach to patients with various digestive health conditions, renowned for creating a trusted partnership using a holistic method to care for the whole person, not just their disease.

"Emerson strives to help everyone in our community achieve their full potential for health and wellness," said Christine Schuster, RN, MBA, President and CEO, Emerson Hospital. "Our highly-skilled physicians and staff have the expertise to manage complex and routine GI conditions. We are excited to bring the latest advances in digestive health to the community with our new and convenient outpatient Center."

Emerson partnered with PE GI Solutions to design, build, and manage the Emerson Endoscopy & Digestive Health Center, the region's only hospital-owned outpatient endoscopy center. The Center is designed to enhance patients’ experience and provide a dedicated environment for digestive health care. It is now open for screenings and procedures, including colonoscopies. In addition, the Concord Gastroenterology Associates physicians and office staff will move to the Center for office visits this spring.

Patients can expect expert, compassionate, and convenient care, the latest health, safety, and privacy features, free parking, and fast access to Emerson Hospital if needed. In addition, patients requiring highly-specialized procedures, including endoscopic ultrasound and suturing, and advanced bariatric endoscopy, have quick and convenient access to Marvin Ryou, MD, and Christopher Thompson, MD, fellowship-trained, experienced sub-specialists at Emerson Hospital. This makes it easy for patients who will no longer need to travel for these procedures.

Emerson Endoscopy & Digestive Health Center earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Ambulatory Surgery Center Accreditation - a designation of quality that reflects a commitment to providing safe patient care.

For more information about Emerson's Gastroenterology program and its Endoscopy & Digestive Health Center, and to make an appointment, visit www.emersongi.org or call 978-295-2800.

End Hunger New England Announces Plan to Send up to 1 Million Meals to Ukraine & Refugee Centers

PEMBROKE: EndHungerNE announced that it has started a funding campaign to package and ship up to one-million meals to Ukraine and refugee centers in surrounding countries. The plan is to raise $350,00 in the next 2 months. All of the money tagged for the Ukraine will be used for food.

Matthew Martin, the organization’s Development Coordinator stated, “We have been working on this for a while and just coordinated with a shipping and distribution partner to get our meals overseas. The situation in Ukraine is dire, our volunteers and supporters have been asking if we were going to get involved – and the answer to that is YES! We’ll start packaging this weekend.”

“The financial and volunteer support we have experienced over the past two years has been incredible. Over 1200 volunteers are regularly showing up at our Pembroke facility – brownie troops, high schoolers and sports teams, local civic and church groups, seniors – it's just been amazing! The more funding we can acquire, the more meals our volunteers can pack.”

To make a donation or volunteer, please visit www.endhungerne.org. Checks can be made out to The Outreach Program (parent non-profit of EndHunger NE) and sent to 93 Whiffletree Lane, Marshfield, MA 02050. Please write Ukraine on the memo line and please check with your company to see if they offer a corporate match or are seeking to support the mission of EndHungerNE.

Alexander Technique Workshop Presented by Concord Conservatory, April 9

CONCORD: The Concord Conservatory of Music, located at 1317 Main Street in the West Concord Union Church, welcomes guest lecturer Lisa Sailer who will present a workshop on the Alexander Technique on April 9 at 11am. As a violinist and certified Alexander Technique teacher, she’ll teach us how to move around and live with a greater sense of ease and comfort—how to let go of tensions and bad habits that affect our everyday lives. This workshop is open to the public with a $15 fee for non-CCM students. Advance registration required.

The Alexander Technique is an educational method used worldwide for well over 100 years. By teaching how to change faulty postural habits, it enables improved mobility, posture, performance, and alertness along with relief of chronic stiffness, tension, and stress. As Lisa explains, “While the Alexander Technique is commonly sought out by performers or people looking for relief from pain, anyone can benefit from it. No matter who you are or what you do, the Alexander Technique can help you move through life in an easier and more present way.”

For musicians, there’s no question that playing an instrument at times can be physically demanding on our bodies. In this workshop, Lisa will provide tips on injury prevention and how to become more aware of what your body is doing while playing an instrument. The Technique can help relieve pain through learning better coordination of the musculoskeletal system as well as enhance playing any instrument. Athletes, singers, dancers, and musicians use the Technique to improve breathing, vocal production, and speed and accuracy of movement.

Register in advance at https://concordconservatory.org/programs/alexander-technique/ Visit www.ConcordConservatory.org, email info@concordconservatory.org, or call (978) 369-0010 to learn more about CCM.

Umbrella Serves Up an Exultant Celebration of Love and Acceptance for Returning Audiences

CONCORD: Having rearranged the back half of its theater season around omicron, The Umbrella Stage Company welcomes audiences back on an energetic high note with the exuberant musical, Head Over Heels (April 15 - May 8, 2022), fueled by the newly minted Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, The Go-Go's.

Called “a hilarious, exuberant celebration of love and beauty in its infinite varieties,” (EW) this laugh-out-loud love story was created by the visionaries behind recent Umbrella favorites, Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Avenue Q.

A gleeful mash-up of a Tudor-period court drama and 80s pop-punk jukebox, the show follows the escapades of a royal family and their subjects driven by a prophecy on an outrageous journey to save their beloved kingdom from extinction—from losing its "Beat".
The characters' explorations of gender-fluidity, sexual awakening, beauty and acceptance are acted out in a hilarious series of adventures and entanglements set to such infectious hit songs as “We Got the Beat,” “Our Lips Are Sealed,” “Vacation,” “Heaven is a Place on Earth” and "Mad About You". Along the way, they discover the key to their realm’s survival lies not out there – but within each of their own hearts.

Directed by Umbrella Stage Company Producing Artistic Director Brian Boruta, with music directed by David Wright and choreography by Lara Finn, the show “is nothing short of pure joy on stage. It is bright, it is bold, and it is unabashedly brave in its celebration of love and identity.”

The cast includes Damon Singletary*, Katie Pickett, Bri Ryder, Temma Boudreau, Bob Saoud*, Lillian Salazar, John Breen, H.C. Lee, Erica Lundin, Ashley Nicole Martin, Isabella Rivera, David Rodrigues, and Hannah Shihdanian.

The Umbrella Stage Company has earned audiences' trust for its rigorous COVID safety measures, and will continue to closely follow or exceed public health guidelines for the protection and comfort of its artists and attendees. The Umbrella is ADA-accessible, LGBTQ friendly with marked all-gender bathrooms, and a proud partner in the Massachusetts Cultural Council's Card-to-Culture Program. Tickets $15-$44 at www.TheUmbrellaArts.org/BoxOffice.

Enjoy a Scrumptious Dinner and Support the Council on Aging

BEDFORD: Mark your calendars Monday, April 11 for either a takeout or dining in dinner at Red Heat Tavern, 152 Great Road (The Whole Foods Plaza).Starting at 5pm, Red Heat Tavern has generously offered to donate 15% of ALL sales, dine in or take out, to support the Council on Aging in Bedford. All proceeds go to programs at the Bedford COA.

Just to mention a few:

contributing to the memory café that supports those with dementia
helping to operate the fix-it shop
during Covid times funding exercise programs which pre-pandemic were self-sustaining
sponsoring day trips and informational programs
movie night which includes popcorn and drinks and Netflix
funding seasonal and holiday parties
… and much more

So, why cook dinner April 11 When you could enjoy a delicious meal and support your local Council On Aging?

The Concord Orchestra presents “Poetry without Words”

CONCORD: The Concord Orchestra presents “Poetry without Words” at 8pm on March 26, and on March 27 at 2pm. The orchestra, directed by Filippo Ciabatti, performs George Walker’s Lyric for Strings, Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, and Antonin Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8. Performances take place at the Performing Arts Center at 51 Walden. A pre-concert talk by the conductor is scheduled for Saturday at 7pm. All concerts of the 2021-2022 Concord Orchestra season are planned and directed by finalists auditioning for the position of Music Director.

A native of Florence, Italy, Filippo Ciabatti is the Music Director of the Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra, the Dartmouth Opera Lab, and the Interim Music Director of the Dartmouth’s Choral Ensembles. In 2018-2019, he led the Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra in an Italian tour in collaboration with the Orchestra Toscana dei Conservatori in prominent venues and festivals, including the Puccini Days in Lucca. Other highlights of the season include an all-Beethoven concert with Israeli pianist Sally Pinkas, and a collaboration with the NPR show “From The Top”, hosted by American pianist Jeremy Denk. In 2020, Ciabatti conducted the world premiere of a new secular oratorio composed by the renowned jazz composer Taylor Ho Bynum and has collaborated on a project with the Martha Graham Dance Company. Ciabatti holds degrees in piano, choral conducting, and orchestral conducting from Italy and the United States.

This season, the Concord Orchestra features several young performers who participated in the annual young artist competition. The competition is open to musicians of high school age or younger who live in eastern Massachusetts. This season the winners were chosen by a panel of orchestra members and Eric Culver, consulting conductor. Winners of this season’s competition will be soloists at the March and May concerts.

Katherine E Liu (pictured), 17, winner of the young artist competition, performs Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2. Ms. Liu started her musical studies at age three and performed publicly at Boston’s Steinway Hall one year later. She has received top prizes in numerous piano competitions, including Grand Prize at the VI Chopin International Piano Competition in Connecticut, the Soloists of New England Competition, and First Prizes at the III Krystian Tkaczewski International Piano Competition, the Steinway Society Piano Competition, 2019 NEC Preparatory Concerto Competition, the 2020 Kosciuszko Foundation Chopin Competition for Young Pianists, the 2019 Rosewood Fanning International Piano Competition, and the 2021 Lowell Philharmonic Concerto Competition, among many others. Katherine has performed with the Boston Pops at Symphony Hall as a Grand Prize winner of the Fidelity Investments Young Artists Competition.

Pre-concert recitals featuring competition honorees precede the concerts on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday night at 7:15 p.m., pianist Naomi Yamaguchi performs, and on Sunday afternoon at 1:15 p.m. cellist Andrew Kim performs.

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.

Purim Mitzvah Masquerade & Open Table Food Drive at Kerem Shalom

CONCORD: Kerem Shalom, of Concord, invites the community to its Purim Mitzvah Masquerade & Open Table Food Drive on March 20 at 1pm. Enjoy carnival games, bouncy house, costume parade, crown decorating, food & household drive to benefit Open Table, Tzedakah, and Hamantaschen, and participate in our Get Out the Vote Big Send and Afghan Adjustment Act Postcard Campaign!

1pm Children’s Purim Spiel and Sing-a-long, presented by students
1:30pm Mitzvah Projects & Games for Families with Children
2:30pm Megillah Reading for All Ages
2:45pm Mitzvah Projects & Games for Adults
3:30pm Purim Variety Show and Singalong for Grown-Ups

Sales to benefit charitable causes include hand-made Ugandan crafts, Pottery by Susan Chormann of Wholehearted Pottery, and Origami Earrings by Lisa Corfman. Costumes encouraged, masks required.

Kerem Shalom is a vibrant, diverse, and welcoming Jewish community where tradition and innovation are celebrated. The synagogue offers a unique one-day-a-week Hebrew School and rich adult learning opportunities. Kerem Shalom is located at 659 Elm Street. See keremshalom.org for additional information.

PHOTO: Hamantashen are a triangular filled-pocket pastry, associated with the Jewish holiday of Purim. The name refers to Haman, the villain in the Purim story. They'll be for sale at Kerem Shalom's Purim Mitzvah Masquerade on March 20!

Several Women Complete Build It! Carpentry Program at Minuteman Technical Institute
In Collaboration with North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, Based in Dorchester, and Mass. Career Technical Initiative

LEXINGTON: In an industry with fewer than 11 percent of female workers, a class of mostly women celebrated the completion of a 15-week carpentry program for adult students this month at Minuteman Technical Institute in Lexington – the adult learning division of Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical High School.

The students -- nine women and one man – signed symbolic letters of commitment to work in the carpentry and construction trades during a ceremony with their families on Feb. 22. Currently, fewer than 11 percent of construction workers are women, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The program, “Build It!” was free for qualified applicants and funded with Career Technical Initiative grants through Governor Baker’s Workforce Skills Cabinet. Students participated in classes on weekday evenings and Saturday mornings.

Isylah Haynes of Milton signed her certificate of commitment with her daughter and son, Ani and Kaii, both age 11, and partner, Deric Quest, by her side, along with the support of her three other children, Raheed, 16, Najee, 26, and Kaysean, 28. She is currently fielding multiple offers of employment.

“I felt honored to sign my letter of commitment to the carpentry industry,” Haynes said. “As a Black woman in this brand new world of opportunity and financial freedom, I sat proudly amongst my sisters in the trades – my graduating classmates – and my hugely supportive family.”

Haynes said when she received her certificate she felt “strong” and “truly empowered.”

“I felt I had crossed over into this industry that never stops giving opportunities to learn and grow,” she said. “I felt like once again my life was evolving and I was full of gratitude.”

The other students were:

Katus Brown of Medway, who has accepted employment with Retail Construction Specialties (RCS).
Kim Cooper of Dorchester, who has accepted employment with Sweeney Drywall Finishes
Christine Dunbar of Lowell, who has accepted employment with OWI Contractors
Sophia Garcia of Dorchester, who has accepted employment with Chandler Architectural Products
Janelle Marsh of Malden, who has accepted employment with Finish Installations of New England
Kelly Monteiro of Randolph, who has accepted employment with Performance Contracting, Inc. (PCI).
Alana Parkinson of Dorchester, who has accepted employment with FINE Install
Kayla Raposo of Woburn, who has accepted employment with Sweeney Drywall Finishes
Zherine Riley of Taunton, who has accepted employment with Central Ceilings

The students completed the curriculum from North Atlantic States Carpenters Training Fund and earned five industry-recognized credentials, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Construction Safety credential. Minuteman works closely with and uses instructors from the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, which is based in Dorchester, and several local business partners, including Central Ceilings, Chandler Architectural Products, FINE: Finish Installation of New England, Gold Guard Installations, OWI Contractors, RCS, PCI, Sunrise Erectors, Sweeney Drywall Finishes Corporation, and T.J. McCartney Construction.

Minuteman Technical Institute has begun another 15-week Build It! adult carpentry program for the spring and will offer another course in September 2022 in collaboration with Commonwealth Corporation and the MassHire Career Centers. Women and people of color are strongly encouraged to apply. For more information, visit minutemanti.org or call 781-861-7151.

PHOTO: Adult students in Minuteman Technical Institute's BuildIt! pre-apprentice carpentry program received certificates of completion on Feb. 22. Pictured here (back row, from left): Kelly Monteiro of Randolph, Sophia Garcia of Dorchester, Katus Brown of Medway, Kayla Raposo of Woburn, Alana Parkinson of Dorchester, Janelle March of Malden, Zherine Riley of Taunton, (front row) Isylah Haynes of Milton, and Kim Cooper of Dorchester. Not pictured is Christine Dunbar of Lowell.

Rishell and raines joni lohr photo credit

Paul Rishell & Annie Raines to Perform at Concord Conservatory

CONCORD: The Concord Conservatory of Music will present one of the world’s great blues duos, award-winners Paul Rishell and Annie Raines for a concert and masterclass on Saturday, April 2, 5pm-7pm.

With 6 albums together, numerous Blues Foundation award nominations, and performing American Roots music as well as their own compositions all over the world, they are the perfect pair to lead a blues masterclass. Equally passionate about their craft and devoted to the study and performance of a wide range of blues styles, you’ll learn from the best. Paul and Annie will discuss the unique elements of acoustic and electric blues styles, and highlight the deep connection between the two. Using examples from the blues repertoire, they will work with students to demonstrate how blues music uses interlocking parts and special instrumental techniques to create a rich musical experience.

Paul and Annie’s impressive resume includes performing and recording with other great musicians, such as John Sebastian, Susan Tedeschi, Pinetop Perkins and Rory Block. They have opened for Ray Chares, Dr. John, and Little Feat, and performed on international radio and TV shows including Late Night with Conan O’Brien and A Prairie Home Companion, and PBS’s Arthur.

Paul has reached what Boston Phoenix writer Ted Drozdowski called “a place deep and resonant as Robert Johnson’s crossroads, where authenticity, soul, and a sense of purpose and commitment ring out in every note he sings and plays.” Paul’s original music has been used in plays, films, and countless television shows including Friends, Oprah, and A&E’s Biography. He has built up a stellar reputation over 40 years as a performer, teacher, and torchbearer of the country blues tradition. Annie has added vocals, mandolin, piano, and other instruments to her musical arsenal, while being recognized by top professionals and fans worldwide as the “queen of the blues harmonica.” She’s enjoyed yearlong stints with the Tarbox Ramblers and the Susan Tedeschi Band, going on to perform on Susan’s first three albums.

Tickets for the masterclass and concert are $45 or the concert only for $20. Both are free for students 18 and under. Purchase tickets at www.ConcordConservatory.org or tickets at the door. To attend events at CCM, you must show proof of full vaccination.

Knitting for Kids at the Concord Free Public Library

CONCORD: The Concord Free Public Library (CFPL) will host a free 4-week knitting workshop at the Main Library for children in grades 2 and up on Mondays beginning March 21 at 4pm. Knitting is a great activity to encourage children’s creativity, concentration, relaxation, and even math skills! This program is perfect for beginners as well as children looking to advance their skills. Diane Johnson of Knit and That will teach children the basics of knitting - knit/purl stitch, casting on or off, and increases/decreases - while helping each child make their own stuffed bunny rabbit. The workshop includes yarn, knitting needles, and a pattern. The workshop is intended for registrants to attend all four weeks. Register by visiting the Event Calendar at www.concordlibrary.org.

Art into Action! Sparking Global Change Through Art⁠–⁠ivism with COAR at the CFPL

CONCORD: Kids - want to make the world a better place and engage in global citizenship through art? Join COAR on Saturday, March 26 at 10:30am and move art into action!

Members from COAR (Communities Organizing Against Racism) are partnering with the Concord Free Public Library to create a quilt filled with ideas on how to build a community with empathy, equity, and understanding. For each quilt square, the Bezos Family Foundation will contribute $5 to programs meeting global needs. Learn more about the Students Rebuild program and the mission of COAR. Enjoy a few stories and create some art!

No registration needed. This program is intended for all ages. Program will take place in the Commons Area at the Main Library. For more information about Library programs and services, visit www.concordlibrary.org.

Minuteman Receives Skills Capital Grant to Expand Robotics and Automation Will Enhance Automated Warehouse, Supply-Chain Management Programming

LEXINGTON: The Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical School District recently received a $150,000 Skills Capital Grant from the Commonwealth to expand robotics and automation programming. The funding will be used to teach students Industry 4.0 skills amid a rapidly expanding logistics automation and supply chain management industry.

Logistics automation and supply chain management are crucial aspects of today’s global economy, which have only increased in importance since the pandemic began. Minuteman is expanding its programming in response to student interest and the needs of the workforce. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there has been a 140% increase in employees in the transportation and warehousing industry since 2012.

“This is a perfect example of supporting a form of career technical education that directly energizes the regional workforce and the economy,” said Edward A. Bouquillon, Superintendent-Director of Minuteman. “The Skills Capital Grant provides for technology and skills needed today in a rapidly changing global market.”

Through Governor Charlie Baker’s Workforce Skills Cabinet, this year’s Skills Capital Grants will total $3.3 million and benefit 20 schools across the state. Since 2015, 407 grants totaling $105 million have benefited 207 schools or educational organizations.

Minuteman’s business partners, including Abel Womack, Festo Didactic, and Locust Robotics are serving as advisors to the new programming.

“Exposing, inspiring, and teaching students about cyber-physical systems – the building blocks of the smart factory revolution – opens up so many successful career pathways,” said Mark Downey, chair of Minuteman’s Engineering Advisory Committee, a 1987 Minuteman alumnus and applications manager for Analog Devices of Wilmington. “Minuteman’s hands-on curriculum introduces students to these opportunities, which are critical to the modernization of Industry 4.0 and growing markets.”

Minuteman has letter of support from Quinsigamond Community College for a potential articulation agreement, which could allow Minuteman’s high school and adult students to receive course credit toward an associate degree. Simultaneously, Quinsigamond students could access Minuteman’s automated warehouse for hands-on learning.

“The logistics and supply chain industries have been rapidly automating and as a result requiring more technological skills within its workforce,” said Jennifer Stephens, chair of Minuteman’s Robotics Automation Advisory Committee and robotics and automation instructor for Mount Wachusett Community College. “Students entering this field need hands-on experience to develop the needed competencies to work in the industry. The Skills Capital Grant will provide the funding for the acquisition of the technology and equipment to support the development of these skills.”

The expanded capacity will allow for an increase in students who want to enroll in the Robotics and Automation career major at Minuteman High School. The funding will also benefit students in the Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing majors, as well as adult evening students in Minuteman Technical Institute.

Minuteman’s new building, which opened in 2019, features a warehouse designed to teach students skills in the logistics industry. With the help of the grant, the goal is to fund technology to grow the space into full-service, automated warehouse with racking systems, materials to handle equipment such as pallet movers and forklifts, and an automated inventory control system. Students will gain skills in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR) and Mechatronics.

Minuteman students will sequence and run the software and automated equipment and systems as part of the expanded logistics automation programming. Students will earn industry-recognized credentials that cover skills in distribution, warehousing, inventory management, data analyses, invoicing, purchasing and supply chain activities common to many occupations.

PHOTO: Alexander Lavernchik, a tenth-grade Engineering student from Stow, observes Robotics instructor Tina Collins operate a numeric test board at Minuteman High School in the fall of 2021.
Photo by Reba Saldanha/Minuteman High School

Virtual Poetry at the Library: Poetry of Visions for a Nation in Balance

CONCORD: The Friends of the Concord Free Public Library invite you to join renowned poets Sean Hill and Michael Kleber-Diggs who will read from their luminous, moving poetry on Black experiences in America, with home and family at its heart and visions for a nation in balance, March 6 from 3-4pm. A Q & A period follows.

Born and raised in Milledgeville (GA), Sean Hill is the author of Dangerous Goods, awarded the Minnesota Book Award in Poetry, (Milkweed Editions, 2014) and Blood Ties & Brown Liquor, named one of the Ten Books All Georgians Should Read in 2015 by the Georgia Center for the Book, (UGA Press, 2008).

Poet, essayist, and literary critic Michael Kleber-Diggs reads from his debut collection, Worldly Things, (Milkweed Editions, 2021), winner of the Max Ritvo Poetry Prize, finalist for the 2022 Minnesota Book Award in Poetry, and A New York Times Book Review "New & Noteworthy Poetry" Selection.

The Virtual Poetry at the Library Series is sponsored by the Friends of the Concord Free Public Library. [Register for Zoom Link]

Concord Chamber of Commerce Presents Business Seminar on Avoiding Payroll Pitfalls

CONCORD: Concord’s Chamber of Commerce recently launched a business webinar series specifically targeted to help small to mid-size Concord businesses and is hosting “Avoiding Common Pitfalls With Payroll” presented by Sheldon Prenovitz on Thursday, March 3 at 8am. Sheldon Prenovitz has been working with businesses for many years helping them through the changing regulations of both Federal and State governments. The webinar will cover best practices in payroll issues encompassing periods, timing of payrolls, vacation policies, time and attendance, proper HR compliance, and more. The goal of the seminar is to cover the most cost-effective ways to manage payroll in order to maximize profits and cash flow as well as, being fully compliant with government agencies.

Sheldon Prenovitz was a trail blazer when he opened one of the first Professional
Employer Organizations in Metro West. His experience in insurance and HR/Payroll has helped thousands of business owner stay compliant with state and local organizations. After merging his business into ConnectPay 5, Sheldon has been working with businesses owners helping with their payroll needs.

This webinar is free to all Concord Chamber of Commerce members. Non-members $25. (Fee may be applied to a Chamber membership) To register, visit https://concordchamberofcommerce.org.

Read and Discuss the Newbery Medal Winner at the Concord Free Public Library

CONCORD: The Concord Free Public Library invites children to join a book discussion group on Wednesday, March 16. Discuss the 2022 Newbery Medal Award winner The Last Cuentista by Donna Barbra Higuera. Read and discuss this new science fiction classic, with pizza as part of the discussion! This program will take place in the new Children's Library at 151 Main Street from 2pm-3pm. Please register at the library website so they can reserve a copy for you in advance of our meeting. The book is recommended for children ages 10 and older. For more information about Library programs and services, call 978-318-3301 (Main Branch) or 978-318-3350 (Fowler Branch), or visit concordlibrary.org.

CPT Online Webinar: "Turning Angst into Action: Talking to Our Children about the Climate Crisis"

CONCORD: The Center for Parents and Teachers will present a free online webinar, Thursday, March 3 at 7:30pm - "Turning Angst into Action: Talking to Our Children about the Climate Crisis." Our children are angry, scared, surprised, defiant, unsure, oblivious and concerned. They are all, or none of the above. As the climate crisis gains prominence in the news and takes center stage in the classroom, in our homes and in our local community are you prepared to answer questions your children are asking? Harriet Shugarman will share information, ideas and advice from her more than 25 years of experience working on the climate crisis. She will be joined by Sarena Sabine for an engaging conversation and online presentation.

Harriet Shugarman is the Executive Director and founder of ClimateMama, and author of the 2020 book How to Talk to Your Kids About Climate Change, Turning Angst to Action. She has worked for more than 25 years with governments, international organizations, and educational institutions on climate and sustainability issues as an economist, policy analyst, and educator, including 13 years with the International Monetary Fund as a representative of the IMF at the United Nations. Harriet is a professor of Climate Change and Society and World Sustainability at Ramapo College of New Jersey. Sarena Sabine, a 2015 Concord-Carlisle High School graduate is currently a second-year Psychology Ph.D. student at the University of Washington working in the Human Interaction with Nature and Technological Systems (HINTS) Lab.

To receive the zoom link for this free webinar register here: https://3march2022howtotalktokidsaboutclimatechange.eventbrite.com

For more information on the Center for Parents and teachers, visit centerforparentsandteacher.org.

Concord Conservatory Presents Carnival of Animals

CONCORD: Join the Concord Conservatory of Music (CCM) for a music, and movement celebration on Saturday, March 5 from 11:30am–12pm. The free Carnival of Animals – Dalcroze Performance Day will introduce children to the world of music and movement using the lighthearted musical journey of movements by the French composer Camille Saint-Saens. The music for each movement represents a different animal, from the "hee-haw" of the violins to the "roar" of the pianos.

CCM’s youngest students from their Music Makers and Musical Gateway classes will perform for our community. Everyone is welcome to see how they embody music joyfully through creative movement, improvisation, and expression. In their movement-based music curriculum classes, they’ve been introduced to concepts like rhythm, melody, and harmony in a social and imaginative way. The students gain a strong music foundation which will undoubtedly inspire them for a lifetime of music education and enjoyment.

Visit www.ConcordConservatory.org, email info@concordconservatory.org, or call (978) 369-0010 for more information. To attend events at CCM, you must show proof of full vaccination. Concord Conservatory of Music is located at 1317 Main Street in the West Concord Union Church.

Alive with Birds: William Brewster in Concord
A special exhibition opening at the Concord Museum

CONCORD: “To my great surprise, the Farm was simply alive with birds, the entire morning.” William Brewster, April 7, 1893.

The Concord Museum is pleased to collaborate with Mass Audubon on the special exhibition, Alive with Birds: William Brewster in Concord, opening in the Museum’s Wallace Kane Gallery on March 4 through September 5. Alive with Birds is the first and most comprehensive exhibition on William Brewster (1851 -1919), the first president of Mass Audubon and one of the country’s earliest advocates for the protection of birds and their habitats.

The exhibition also showcases 20 paintings and sculptures from Mass Audubon’s Museum of American Bird Art by acclaimed artists, including John James Audubon, Frank Weston Benson, Anthony Elmer Crowell, Charley Harper, David Sibley, Leonard Baskin, and Barry Van Dusen, each of whom depicted birds formerly or currently native to Concord’s landscape. In 2019, Mass Audubon received a gift of 143 acres of the October Farm property, which has been renamed Brewster’s Woods Wildlife Sanctuary.

“This exhibition weaves together art, science, and history to tell the story of a truly fascinating figure,” says Erica Lome, Peggy N. Gerry Curatorial Associate, Concord Museum. “The works of art on display tie everything together, illustrating the diversity of birds species represented by William Brewster in his writings, as well as the artists who, from past to present, have found inspiration in this subject.”

David Wood, Curator, Concord Museum, continued, “For thirty years William Brewster labored to make a few hundred acres on a bend on the Concord River a better place for birds. This collaborative exhibition demonstrates that his singular efforts continue to pay rich dividends.”
A centerpiece of the show is a meditative exploration of Brewster’s Woods in a 10-minute media presentation. William Brewster’s own words, taken from his journal entries, guide the visitors in discovering the wonders of this natural landscape and his own photographs, taken in the late 19th century, are compared side-by-side with scenes today showing how little has changed in the intervening years.

As a youth, William Brewster explored the fields, meadows, and marshes just beyond his home on Brattle Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts, collecting eggs, nests, and specimens to study. Rather than follow his father’s footsteps into banking, Brewster remained devoted to the field of ornithology, of which he was primarily self-taught. After his marriage to Caroline Kettell in 1878, Brewster built a house in Cambridge which included a library and museum to hold his growing collection of mounted birds. He became the curator of mammals and birds at the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University in 1885. In 1890, Brewster bought a tract of woodland on the Concord River with a farmhouse situated on Monument Street dating back to the eighteenth century. The property spanned 300 acres and Brewster renamed it October Farm. Brewster spent the last thirty years of his life exploring October Farm and recording his observations.

Alive with Birds: William Brewster in Concord is a collaboration with Mass Audubon. For a full list of programs visit www.concordmuseum.org.

Concord Conservatory Presents Rachel Sumner, a Masterclass & Concert

CONCORD: Singer-songwriter Rachel Sumner came to Boston and Berklee College to pursue a flute career but found her calling in bluegrass music and songwriting. Known for writing songs shaped by painful personal experiences, Sumner will be performing her songs in concert at the Concord Conservatory of Music on Saturday, March 12 at 7pm. Hear Rachel’s original tunes and learn about her writing process. She’ll also discuss works by her favorite modern songwriters (like, but not limited to, Gillian Welch, Josh Ritter, Anais Mitchell, Joanna Newsom).

Sumner will present a masterclass prior to the show from 5-6pm that explores the ties between traditional and modern folk songs and how we as writers can look to those old songs and find something new and original within them.

Rachel spent her early career on the bluegrass circuit, singing and writing with the acclaimed Boston group Twisted Pine. Rachel’s current solo work has a new clarity and conviction. Intricate yet forthright, these are songs we can believe in. Her crown jewel is “Radium Girls (Curie Eleison),” which won the grand prize at the 2021 John Lennon Songwriting Contest’s folk category. The ballad tells the tragic story of women factory workers in the early 20th century who painted “glow in the dark” watch and clock dials using powdered radium. The workers were all exposed to massive amounts of radiation poisoning, which led to various forms of cancer and other ailments. She’s working on a full-length debut album of originals – filled with learning and suffering, justice, heartbreak, and craving too much of the world. You can hear Rachel on stage around New England with an instrument in her hands, nectar, and venom in her throat. She’s been hitting the road with a band she affectionately calls Traveling Light, a tight-knit, powerhouse string band.

Tickets for the masterclass and concert are $45 or the concert only for $20. Both are free for students 18 and under. For tickets and information, visit www.ConcordConservatory.org, email info@concordconservatory.org, or call (978) 369-0010. To attend events at CCM, you must show proof of full vaccination. Concord Conservatory of Music is located at 1317 Main Street in the West Concord Union Church.