Cape Ann Symphony proudly announces the opening of the 2024/25 Musicians Unleashed Concert Series with Bluegrass And Beyond, on Saturday, October 26, 2024 at 3:00 PM at The Unitarian Universalist Church, 10 Church Street, Gloucester. The ticket price for Bluegrass And Beyond is $40 for Adults. Call CAS at 978-281-0543 or go to http://www.capeannsymphony.org to purchase tickets. Premiering in 2019, the Cape Ann Symphony’s Musicians Unleashed programs are small intimate chamber concerts performed by members of the Cape Ann Symphony at unique performance venues on Cape Ann. Musicians Unleashed concerts have become a wonderfully popular series with an overwhelmingly enthusiastic audience response.
“The Musicians Unleashed Series gives our musicians and our audience members an opportunity to connect in a more relaxed intimate setting, ” points out CAS Board President John Todd, “ Bluegrass And Beyond is a terrific start to the concert series! The lively afternoon features a wide range of music and showcases not only instrumental skills but vocals. The musicians will all be singing and playing fiddle, bass and guitar!”
Bluegrass And Beyond is an intriguing blend of American and international Bluegrass, country and folk music played and sung using violin, guitar and bass instruments. This afternoon of fiddle, guitar and bass as well as vocals features CAS Concert Master Scott Moore, fiddle, vocals; Erica Pisaturo, fiddle, vocals; George Clements, guitar, vocals; Charles Clements, bass, vocals playing a program of creative and varied compositions.
“Bluegrass And Beyond explores folk music, rooted here in America and across the Atlantic,” according to CAS violinist Erica Pisaturo, “Audiences experience our take on traditional American songs and instrumental music, then journey overseas with us to Hungary, Finland, Sweden, and the UK. Folk-inspired original tunes by members of the group round out the program. As performers and musicians, we love blurring the boundaries of genre and experimenting with different ingredients and flavors to make the old and timeless into something new and vibrant. This music is full of energy, simple and tenderhearted at times, but always ripe with passion. Audiences will be engaged and immersed, and leave feeling inspired and invigorated by this age-old music.”
program includes: Long Time Traveler, Jack of Diamonds, Shady Grove, Chinquapin Hunting, and Fall on My Knees; Bartok’s 44 Duets for Two Violins; Vasen’s The Dragonship and Gudda; Ost’s Fantomen; plus Wayfaring Star of the Strawstack Medley; Return from Helsinki; Citi Na Gcumman; Calum Sgaire; Boatin’Up Sandy; Hartford’s On The Road, and two pieces written by our performers : George Clements’ As The Crow Flies and Scott Moore’s Mando Jam.
About the Musicians
Scott Moore was born and came of age in rural Kentucky. He began his career as a violinist and composer as a four-year-old in New York. He’s been a soloist with a number of orchestras, played Mozart for the Archduke of Austria, and has given an impromptu recital in Carnegie Hall for an audience of ghosts. In 2018, he began performing, from memory, the complete Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin by J. S. Bach. A composer as well, he has composed six adventurous new scores for the Louisville Ballet, including As You Like It in August 2022. This native Kentuckian is now a resident of Gloucester. He and his wife violinist Erica Pisaturo, also a member of CAS and playing and singing in Bluegrass And Beyond, moved to New England in the fall of 2019.
Violinist Erica Pisaturo is a native of New England, where she began her violin studies at the age of four. After earning a BA in Music and Art History from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, she went on to earn an MFA at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia. While in the South, Ms. Pisaturo played violin in a number of professional symphony orchestras, including the Hilton Head Symphony and Savannah Philharmonic, both of which she also served as Orchestra Librarian. She has toured and traveled the world extensively including studying architecture in Italy and making music on tour in China and Japan. She and her husband, CAS violinist Scott Moore moved to Gloucester in 2019 and Ms. Pisaturo now plays with the Cape Ann Symphony and Symphony By The Sea.
Bassist, teacher and twin brother of fellow Bluegrass And Beyond performer George Clements, Charles Clements began playing music at an early age. A 10 year voyage through piano, viola, trumpet and electric bass led Mr. Clements to the double bass in high school which he began to study privately with Nancy Kidd and play in jazz ensembles and youth orchestras. He attended the New England Conservatory of Music, earning his Bachelor’s Degree studying with Boston Symphony bassist Todd Seeber. Mr. Clements went on to receive his Master’s Degree at Manhattan School of Music in New York, studying with New York Philharmonic bassist and jazz talent David Grossman. He was a New World Symphony fellow from 2011-2014 and now is a substitute in the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Clements now resides in the Boston area playing with a variety of different ensembles and collaborating on a wide range of projects ranging from folk to baroque.
Musician, songwriter and teacher George Clements is a New England based guitarist and singer/songwriter steeped in American folk music traditions. In the fall of 2019 Mr. Clements became involved with an off-Broadway show called, The Simon & Garfunkel Story, playing Paul Simon.
The Clements brothers played together in the modern acoustic group, The Lonely Heartstring Band, releasing two albums on Rounder Records, Deep Waters (2014) and Smoke & Ashes (2017). The group traveled and performed all over the US and Canada as well as Scotland, New Zealand, Germany and Switzerland. They were the recipient of the 2014 IBMA momentum award and played the stages of Grey Fox Festival, Rockygrass, Red Wing Roots and many others. George and Charles Clements are currently working on a new project together called The Clements Brothers. Their debut album, Dandelion Breeze, will be released by the end of the year.
Bluegrass And Beyond is Saturday, October 26 at 3:00 PM at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 10 Church Street, Gloucester. Ticket prices for Bluegrass And Beyond are $40 for Adults. Call Cape Ann Symphony at 978-281-0543 or go to http://www.capeannsymphony.org for tickets.
Spread The GMG Love By Sharing With These Buttons:
Come celebrate with us tonight at the opening reception for Willie Alexander: Goya’s head found on Half Moon Beach at Jane Deering Gallery (19 Pleasant St., Gloucester, MA) from 5:00 to 7:00PM! It’s the first solo exhibition at our gallery for the artist!
WILLIE ALEXANDER Goya’s head found on Half Moon Beach Opening Reception Tonight, 5:00-7:00 PM
The exhibition continues through November 3, 2024. Gallery hours: Friday & Saturday 2-5 PM. Sunday 2-4 PM and by appointment williesalexander@comcast.net
art is art, process is process…it’s about communicating with the world
Willie Loco Alexander
“Growing up I was encouraged to make art and music. I remember my mom–she played violin in the Cape Ann Symphony–showing me how to cross hatch to give my drawings more depth.
“My Grandpa Doggett sent us the Currier and Ives calendar every Christmas and I remember enjoying the illustrations. We had Van Gogh and Grandma Moses on the wall. In 5th grade I won the “Clean Up, Fix Up, Paint Up” poster competition with my drawing of a Native American. Miss Wentworth, my classroom teacher, told me that she wouldn’t have picked mine.
“Moments in life have significance.
“It was a the Museum School and then Goddard College that I started playing rock n’ roll with my first band, The Lost, in 1964.
“Through my entire musical career, I have never stopped making visual art. In the sixties and seventies, I filled my “Holy Babbles” with scribbles, pinups and drawings.
“Making art is something I’ve always done–like brushing my teeth, tying my shoes, walking in the woods.”
Opening Friday October 11 at Jane Deering Gallery — Willie Alexander | Goya’s head found on Half Moon Beach with a reception for the public from 5-7pm. Willie Alexander is … musician, artist, inventor, poet, collector, archivist, seeker. And foremost, a humanist. His drawings, paintings, collages are vibrant portraits of spontaneous reactions to moments in life, all of which have significance. Enjoy the ongoing journey of this artist extraordinaire. The exhibition continues through November 3rd at 19 Pleasant Street, Gloucester. Please note gallery hours for this show: Friday & Saturday 2-5pm; Sunday 2-4pm and by appointment. 917-902-4359.
–News from Jane Deering, October 2024
IMAGES 1. Artist: Willie Alexander Title: Untitled 2024 Medium: Acrylic on canvas Dimensions: 30" x 40"
2. Artist: Willie Alexander Title: Moments c.2020 Medium: Collage on paper Dimensions: approx 24" x 16"
Incoming October event news sent from Annisquam Village Church:
Annisquam Village Church proudly announces the opening of the 2024/25 Music Series on Saturday, October 19 at 7:30 pm with Devil’s Box and Glory of God: The Soul of the Violin from Paganini to Penderecki to Bach, Bluegrass, and Beyond. Violinist, composer and AVC Artist-in-Residence Scott Moore embarks on this musical journey celebrating the violin at the Annisquam Village Church.
A solo recital/lecture led and performed by Moore answers the questions, “When is a fiddle a violin, and why has it been called ‘the devil’s box’?”, “How did a gourd become a $20 million work of art?”, and “What were the dark secrets behind Nicolò Paganini’s otherworldly abilities on the instrument, and did history’s first rock star really make a deal at the crossroads?” In this tour-de-force program, Moore illuminates how music is also geometry, physics, theology and a window on the cosmos itself; and how Bach can inspire us to be better humans, 300 years after his death.
David Benjamin, Chair of the Annisquam Village Church Music Committee, looks forward to this unique evening of music, “Join Moore, our multi-talented AVC Artist-in-Residence, on a thousand-year musical journey, fiddle in hand—no magic carpet required!”
AVC Artist-in-Residence Moore gave audiences a sneak peek of the program this past summer and audiences were captivated. According to Gloucester’s Victoria Cowling Chu, “Scott Moore is superb! With an international keyboard performer as my mother, I grew up surrounded by world famous musicians. Scott would fit right in. He has such mastery of his instrument and his art that, without a single sheet of music, he gives us beautiful music drawn from the most varied roots, and makes it seem like he’s just improvising on a lazy afternoon.”
ABOUT SCOTT MOORE
An enthusiastic collaborator on stage and in the recording studio, violinist and composer Scott Moore has forged a reputation as a skillful and inventive musician unbound by genre. Since moving to Gloucester in 2019, the Kentucky native has become Concertmaster of the Cape Ann Symphony and Symphony by the Sea, while creating new scores for productions by the Louisville (KY) Ballet and theater group Lanes Coven. He and his wife, Erica, operate Open String Recordings, providing creative, professional string arrangements for bands, solo artists, composers, and filmmakers. As AVC Artist-in-Residence, his portfolio includes solo and group performances ranging from Bach and bluegrass to Thelonious Monk, and a growing list of world premieres.
EVENT:
Devil’s Box and Glory of God: The Soul of the Violin from Paganini to Penderecki to Bach, Bluegrass, and Beyond
is Saturday, October 19 at 7:30 PM at the Annisquam Village Church, 820 Washington Street Gloucester. The ticket price is $30, Suggested Donation. For further information, Call: 978-281-0376 or email: avchurch820@gmail.com
Image: Annisquam Village Church Artist-in-Residence Scott Moore
Spread The GMG Love By Sharing With These Buttons:
Bernstein! Gershwin! Respighi! Cape Ann Symphony Orchestral Spectacular kicks off the 73rd concert season. Enjoy this update from the Cape Ann Symphony:
—-
About the first concert of CAS 73rd Season
“The orchestra will play four timeless pieces by three brilliant composers! All these pieces are colorful, sparkling creations brimming with life and feeling” says CAS Conductor and Music Director Maestro Yoichi Udagawa. “We will take our audience on a musical journey around the world to Gershwin’s Paris, Bernstein’s New York City, Bernstein’s stirring interpretation of Candide’s adventures through Europe and Latin America and finally, Respighi’s Rome. What an afternoon of unforgettable music! The musicians and I can’t wait to go on this journey with our audience!”
George Gershwin‘s An American in Paris (a jazz-influenced symphonic tone poem) for orchestra was first performed in 1928 and inspired by the time Gershwin spent in Paris and his love for the city. It brings to mind the sights and energy of the French capital during the Années folles or, in America, the Roaring Twenties. Gershwin scored the piece for the standard instruments of the symphony orchestra plus saxophones and automobile horns commonly used on autos in the 20s. He even brought back four Parisian taxi horns for the New York premiere of the composition, which took place on December 13, 1928, in Carnegie Hall, with the New York Philharmonic.
Born in Lawrence MA, Leonard Bernstein was a conductor, composer, pianist, music educator, author, and humanitarian. Symphonic Dances from West Side Story is an orchestral suite in nine movements by Leonard Bernstein and adapted from his hit Broadway musical, West Side Story, an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet set on the Upper West Side in 1950’s New York City. Bernstein selected 9 excerpts and put them together into a single piece titled Symphonic Dances from West Side Story.
The nine movements are:
1.”Prologue”: Tensions grow between the two gangs in the musical.
2.”Somewhere”: In a dream, friendship unites the two gangs.
3.”Scherzo”: In the dream, the gangs leave the city and find themselves in a “playful world of space, air, and sun”
4.”Mambo”: Returning to the real world, the gangs participate in a competitive dance at the gym.
5.”Cha cha”: Maria and Tony first meet and dance together.
6.”Meeting scene”: They speak their first words to each other.
7.”Cool”: Riff, the leader of the Jets, encourages his gang to harness their impulsive hostility.
8.”Rumble”: In a gang battle, Riff, Bernardo (the leader of the Sharks), and Tony are killed.
9. “Finale”: The two gangs, realizing that violence is no solution, reconcile and unite, fulfilling the vision of “Somewhere”.
Bernstein’s Overture to Candide is from his musical Candide. In 1953 playwright Lillian Hellman suggested that they adapt Voltaire’s 1758 novella Candide for the stage. The musical premiered on Broadway in 1956 to mixed reviews and closed in 1957. In 1959 a full-scale production of Candide with a revised book opened in London’s West End at the Saville Theater. In 1966 Candide was performed at the Center Theatre Group at the University of California in Los Angeles. In 1971 the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera Association mounted a production which included a complete revision of Hellman’s book and a substantial shuffling of musical numbers.In 1973 Harold Prince and Hugh Wheeler devised a new version which opened at the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Chelsea Theater in December. This single-act production was Candide’s first critical and popular success. In 1982 New York City Opera produced Candide in its original version, a full length two-act production. In 1988 the Scottish Opera in Glasgow, produced a new version which included even more music. In 1989 Bernstein decided it was time for him to re-examine Candide. His revised version of Candide was presented by the London Symphony Orchestra. In the Spring of 1997 Candide’s 1982 version was performed on Broadway. It had been more than twenty years since Candide had a Broadway production. During the Leonard Bernstein Centennial in 2017, Candide received 342 performances in 25 countries. According to a 2018 survey Candide has become became one of the most performed operas worldwide.
Ottorino Respighi was an Italian composer, violinist, teacher, and musicologist and one of the leading Italian composers of the early 20th century. Respighi’s Pines of Rome, tone poem for orchestra in four movements premiered in 1924 in Rome. It is the Italian composer’s tribute to scenes around his country’s capital, some contemporary and some recalling the glory of the Roman Empire. It is Respighi’s most frequently performed work. Pines of Rome is the second in a series of three tone poems by Respighi known as the Roman trilogy. It was preceded by Fountains of Rome (1914–16) and followed by Roman Festivals (1929).
About Yoichi Udagawa
Founded in Gloucester in 1951, the Cape Ann Symphony is a professional orchestra of over 70 players from throughout the New England area. They perform a subscription season of four concerts per year plus several Pops and youth concerts. The Symphony Board of Directors named Yoichi Udagawa the Music Director and Conductor of the Cape Ann Symphony in the summer of 2000 after a yearlong search. In addition to his leadership of Cape Ann Symphony, he is Music Director and Conductor of the Melrose Symphony Orchestra, and the Quincy Symphony Orchestra and a cover conductor at the Boston Pops Orchestra. Frequently invited to guest conduct, Maestro Udagawa has worked with many different orchestras including the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, Nobeoka Philharmonic Orchestra, the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of Boston, the University of Texas Symphony Orchestra, the Indian Hill Symphony, the Garden State Philharmonic, the Brown University Orchestra, the Syracuse Society for New Music, the Boston Conservatory Orchestra, the Midcoast Symphony Orchestra, the Newton Symphony, the Austin Civic Orchestra, and the Mid-Texas Symphony. Maestro Udagawa is at home in popular and contemporary music as well as the standard symphonic repertoire. He is known for his relaxed manner and ability to speak from the podium which has helped new audiences as well as enthusiasts gain a greater appreciation for symphonic music. His programs often include premieres of new works – some specially commissioned for the orchestra — as well as great orchestral works across the symphonic repertoire and lively Pops programs. He is also an integral part of the Cape Ann Symphony Youth Initiative.
Yoichi Udagawa, the son of a nuclear physicist father and singer/artist mother, was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. His family immigrated to the United States soon thereafter. He began playing the violin at age four and made his conducting debut at age fifteen. After receiving a music degree from the University of Texas at Austin, he continued advanced studies in conducting with Gunther Schuller, Seiji Ozawa, Morihiro Okabe, and Henry Charles Smith. A fan of many different styles of music, Mr. Udagawa also enjoys performing gospel music in addition to his conducting activities. He is also an accomplished violinist and an avid fan of exercise and yoga.
Photo credits:
Photo: Cape Ann Symphony Music Director and Conductor Yoichi Udagawa
Season tickets
Cape Ann Symphony 73rd concert season kicks off on Sunday, September 29 at 2:00 pm at the Manchester-Essex High School Auditorium on 36 Lincoln Street in Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA with TheOrchestral Spectacular Concert.Season subscriptions for the four concert season are available to purchase. Single ticket prices are $50 for adults, $45 for senior citizens, $20 for students of any age with valid Student ID; $5 for youth 12 years old and under. For information, call 978-281-0543 or visit www.capeannsymphony.org
Special theatre classes are offered year round and weekly drop ins are welcome at the Y!
So, what’s happening this month? Cape Ann YMCA Theatre Specialist Heidi Dallin details the current fun schedule of intensive theatre classes for all ages :). Jump in and try one!
September Tuesdays | Intensive Scene Study for ages 9-16
Do you have a Pre teen or Teen interested in developing their skills as an actor? Does your actor have an audition coming up? Scene Study & Acting Techniques, intensive workshops for young actors age 9-16 taught by professional actress & Gloucester native Heidi Dallin, at the Cape Ann YMCA. Students will explore both classical and contemporary theatrical scenes and monologues to learn more about given circumstances, script analysis, character development and vocal interpretation as well as practice listening and responding in character, and learning new acting techniques. Scene Study teaches young actors how to craft the arc of the scene, and it gives them the opportunity to practice creating different characters. Scene Study and Acting Techniques at the Cape Ann Y is designed to provide young people an outlet to discover their creative potential through building self confidence, and developing communication and teamwork skills to use in their daily life as well as introducing them to the skills necessary for professional theatre. Classes are on Tuesdays from 4pm to 6pm at the Cape Ann YMCA. Sign up here: Scene Study Class
September fridays | The Power of Improv ages 7-16
The Power of Improvisation, an all ages class for ages 7-16 where young actors can learn the basics of improv through fun and engaging games, with an emphasis on team building, listening & thinking on your feet taught by professional actress & Gloucester native, Heidi Dallin, at the Cape Ann YMCA. Through improv, young actors learn every day tools for life: risk-taking, quick thinking, support, trust, confidence, teamwork, and acceptance. Actors will learn and perfect the 4 C’s of improv: creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and communication Improv training helps young actors to learn how to think faster, to be a confident public speaker, to think more creatively, to perform better in auditions, and most importantly to have FUN on stage! The Power of Improv at the Cape Ann Y is designed to provide young people an outlet to discover their creative potential through building self confidence, and developing communication and teamwork skills to use in their daily life as well as introducing them to the skills necessary for professional theatre. Classes are Fridays: from 4pm to 6pm at the Cape Ann YMCA. Sign up here: PowerofImprov
AND For Our Younger Actors A two week Theatre Intensive
september mondays | Explore Acting! : Intro to the Basics of Acting for Ages 5-8
Do you have a young actor at home? Are you a young actor looking to hone your skills as an artist? Are you interested to learn about being on the stage? Explore Acting!, an introduction to the basics of professional acting for ages 5 to 8 years old taught by professional actress & Gloucester native Heidi Dallin, at the Cape Ann YMCA. The intensive class is a great way for young actors of all levels of experience to develop their skills on stage and build their confidence. The class will introduce young actors to basic theatre concepts such as ensemble, pantomime and creating bold memorable characters. Young actors will develop stage presence, listening skills, sensory awareness, and focus through theatre games, public speaking, and storytelling and learn about acting techniques and making choices onstage. Explore Acting! at the Cape Ann Y is designed to provide young people an outlet to discover their creative potential through building self confidence, and developing communication and teamwork skills to use in their daily life as well as introducing them to the skills necessary for professional theatre. Classes are Mondays: from 4pm to 6pm at the Cape Ann YMCA.
The timeline for Theatre Productions starts long before opening night.
The spectacular Holiday Delights pre production and auditions are coming soon.
YMCA Actors on the stage. summer camp. Photo Credit: Photos by Sassy Square
Spread The GMG Love By Sharing With These Buttons:
Opening Reception: Saturday September 7 from 4-6 PM
Location: Jane Deering Gallery
The exhibition runs Saturday September 7 through Sunday, October 6, 2024 and will conclude with a closing reception on October 6 from 4-6pm. Note Gallery hours: weekends, Friday and Saturday 1-5, Sunday 1-4 — and by appointment by contacting the artists directly
Heidi Dallin heralds the impressive 2024-2025 Cape Ann Symphony Season! Mark your calendars and choose your seats 🙂
—–
Cape Ann Symphony Opens 73rd Season
Cape Ann Symphony proudly announces the launch of the orchestra’s 73rd concert season on Sunday, September 29 at 2:00 PM at the Manchester-Essex High School Auditorium.
“Our 73rd season certainly is a season of spectacular performances,” says Cape Ann Symphony Board President John Todd. “Each concert is filled with dazzling music masterpieces played by our virtuoso CAS musicians who will be joined by two amazingly talented and world renowned guest artists: cellist Owen Young and pianist Myron Romanul; and our own Cape Ann Symphony Chorus returns with Brittany Betts, our new Choral Director and all is led by our incomparable Music Director and Conductor Yoichi Udagawa. I highly recommend getting your season subscription NOW so you will not miss a concert!”
Cape Ann Symphony Music Director and Conductor Yoichi Udagawa looks forward to opening the CAS 73rd Season in September,
“The 2024-25 Season of the Cape Ann Symphony will be a great one. We’re starting off with an Orchestral Spectacular that features An American in Paris by George Gershwin, Symphonic Dances from West Side Story and the Candide Overture by Leonard Bernstein and The Pines of Rome by Ottorino Respighi. These are some of the most incredible pieces written for orchestra, and it will be an exciting concert.
In November, we will be presenting our annual Holiday Pops. The Cape Ann Symphony Chorus will be featured, and we are welcoming Brittany Betts, the new director of the chorus.
In March 2025, audience favorite Owen Young will join the orchestra as soloist in a performance of Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto No. 1.
Our May concert will feature pianist Myron Romanul playing Rachmaninoff‘s gorgeous Piano Concerto No. 2. Myron Romanul was a soloist with the Cape Ann Symphony in his youth, and in addition to being a fabulous pianist, he is a conductor at the Munich National Theater. The romantic and passionate Symphony No. 2 by Jean Sibelius will also be on the program. The Cape Ann Symphony’s 2024-25 season is full of masterpieces and unbelievable virtuoso soloists. The incredible musicians of the orchestra and I can’t wait to prepare and present it to our amazing audiences!”
Photo credits:
Photo: Cape Ann Symphony Music Director and Conductor Yoichi Udagawa
Photo: March 2025 Concert Guest Artist BSO Cellist Owen Young
Photo: May 2025 Guest Artist Internationally Renowned Pianist Myron Romanul Photo Credit : Martina Rall
Photo: New Cape Ann Symphony Chorus Director Brittany Betts
Cape Ann Symphony 73rd concert season kicks off on Sunday, September 29 at 2:00 pm at the Manchester-Essex High School Auditorium on 36 Lincoln Street in Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA with TheOrchestral Spectacular Concert.Season subscriptions for the four concert season are available to purchase. Single ticket prices are $50 for adults, $45 for senior citizens, $20 for students of any age with valid Student ID; $5 for youth 12 years old and under. For information, call 978-281-0543 or visit www.capeannsymphony.org
The Cape Ann Symphony recently announced that Rockport’s Wendy Betts, longtime Director of the CAS Chorus will retire and her daughter multi-talented musician Brittany Betts will take over as Choral Director for the CAS Chorus.
‘’We are thrilled to have Brittany Betts join us as the new Director of the Cape Ann Symphony Chorus. She is a fabulous musician and will do an amazing job conducting the chorus. We will be collaborating with her and the wonderful singers of the chorus at the Holiday Pops concerts, and are really looking forward to it!”
–Yoichi Udagawa, Cape Ann Symphony Music Dir & Conductor
Brittany Betts will make her debut with the CAS Chorus during the CAS annual Holiday Pops Concert on November 30 and December 1.
Message from Brittany Betts
“I am honored to be carrying on the tradition of choral excellence with the Cape Ann Symphony Chorus that my mom, Wendy Betts, so beautifully crafted for 16 years, ” says Brittany Betts, “I believe music has the ability to bring people together for good and, together with Maestro Udagawa and the symphony, the chorus and I will help bring our community together with beauty, skill and fun. The Symphony continues to grow and expand their skillfulness, and so it stands, at this new time for the chorus, we should do the same. In order to fulfill this growth, we will be changing things up a bit and holding auditions a week before rehearsals begin in order to build a smaller chorus of about 40 singers. We are hoping some of our local high school students might like to participate too! I also want to share that I am thrilled that Priscilla Walter, pianist extraordinaire, has agreed to be the chorus accompanist this year! She is an excellent musician who has been sharing her musical gifts on Cape Ann for years and we are blessed to have her with us once again.”
Brittany Betts
Cape Ann Symphony Chorus Auditions
Cape Ann Symphony Chorus Auditions will be held on Saturday September 7 from 10 am -Noon and Wednesday September 12 from 6 pm – 8 pm. If you are interested in auditioning, please contact Brittany Betts atbrittanybetts@gmail.com
CAS Chorus Rehearsals will be Wednesdays September 18-November 20 from 7 pm – 9 pm at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Lanesville along with 2 rehearsals with the orchestra during the week of the concerts. The Cape Ann Symphony 2024 Holiday Pops Concerts are:
Saturday, November 30, 2024: 2:00 PM Dolan Performing Arts Center, Ipswich High School. Ipswich, MA
Saturday, November 30, 2024: 7:30 PM Manchester-Essex High School, Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA
Sunday, December 1, 2024: 2:00 PM Manchester-Essex High School, Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA
The Cape Ann Symphony launched The Cape Ann Symphony Chorus under the directions of Wendy Betts at the 2005 Holiday Pops Concert. . The group has performed with the Cape Ann Symphony at Holiday Pops Concerts in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 2013, 2014. 2015, 2016. 2017, 2018, 2019,2021 and 2022. “I am excited to share that Maestro Udagawa and I have put together a fun Holiday POPS program for 2024, ” continues Betts, “The chorus will be presenting five beautiful and fun pieces to reflect the holiday and winter season – filled with traditional favorites and new to us pieces. You can expect to tap your feet to a medley of broadway Christmas tunes, and to feel cozy and reflective as the choir sings a tender lullaby about winter and time passing by. We will then honor our Jewish and Christian friends’ traditions with a medley of Hanukkah pieces which you will end up wanting to sing along to, and a stunningly beautiful favorite of the classical choral realm, John Rutter’s “What Sweeter Music”. And we will top it all off with a rousing gospel piece, “Rejoice! How Great Our Joy” which reflects the jubilance of the Christian Christmas tradition. You will want to stand and clap for sure (and we want you to do so)! Now, don’t worry, we will be inviting the audience to join their voices as one big choir on the sing-a-long as has been a long favored tradition at the Holiday Pops Concerts. So grab your ticket, do your vocal warm-ups and let’s celebrate the season TOGETHER this November!”
Brittany Betts brings with her a different approach to the choral world having primarily worked as a trumpeter, djembefola (someone who skillfully plays the djembe, a West African drum) collaborator, worship leader, jazz singer and composer. She performs with the David Whitney Orchestra, Riverside Renaissance Swing Band, Cantemus Chamber Chorus and the vocal trio, ONE. In 2023-2024, she served as Artist-in-Residence at First Church Congregational in Swampscott, composing sung liturgies and songs for their Advent and Lenten services. Ms. Betts traveled the country and abroad as a Glocal (local and global combined) Musician Educator and Worship Coordinator with the Global Mission Unit of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America for 10 years. During that time she also served on the music staff of Visible Music College in Memphis, TN where she taught voice, music theory, rock bands, the World Music Ensemble and a guided improvisation class.
Cape Ann Symphony Chorus Auditions will be held on Saturday September 7th, from 10 am – Noon and Wednesday September 12 from 6 pm – 8 pm. If you are interested in auditioning, please contact Brittany Betts via email here: brittanybetts@gmail.com
The Cape Ann Symphony Holiday Pops Concerts are Saturday, November 30 at 2 pm at the Dolan Performing Arts Center at Ipswich High School on 134 High Street, Ipswich, MA; Saturday, November 30 at 7:30 pm and Sunday, December 1 at 2 pm at Manchester-Essex High School auditorium on 36 Lincoln Street in Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA . Single ticket prices are $50 for adults, $45 for senior citizens age 65 and above, $20 for Students of any age with a valid student id; $5 for youth 12 years old and under. For tickets and information, call 978-281-0543 or visit http://www.capeannsymphony.org.
Spread The GMG Love By Sharing With These Buttons:
Images: Exciting sightings! Shoreside views looking in the direction of Milk Island and Twin Lights from Long Beach neighborhood. Feeding and fast maneuvers between Twin Lights and Good Harbor Beach with the extended feeding seen in the images closest in line to Milk.
Spread The GMG Love By Sharing With These Buttons:
Heidi Dallin shares the Press release and cast photo by Sassy Square. Link for tickets here
Disney’s The Little Mermaid JR. is playing at the Cape Ann YMCA, 7 Gloucester Crossing Road, on Thursday, August 1 and Friday, August 2 at 5pm. Based on one of Hans Christian Andersen’s most beloved stories, Disney’s The Little Mermaid JR. is an enchanting look at the sacrifices we all make for love and acceptance. The talented young cast of North Shore residents features over 40 young actors led by Director Heidi Dallin and her YMCA Theatre Team.
The Little Mermaid JR.takes place in a magical kingdom beneath the sea, where a beautiful young mermaid named Ariel longs to leave her ocean home to live in the world above. But first, she’ll have to defy her father, the king of the sea, escape the clutches of an evil sea witch and convince a prince that she’s the girl with the perfect voice. Based on the 2008 Broadway production and the 1989 animated feature film, The Little Mermaid JR contains all of the songs from the Academy Award® winning animated feature film as well as three new songs from the Broadway show. The musical includes the classic Disney hits : Part of Your World, Under the Sea, Kiss The Girl and Poor, Unfortunate Souls.
For information on purchasing tickets please visit MermaidTickets or call the Cape Ann YMCA: 978-283-0470. Tickets are $15 for Adults and $10 for Children.
Disney’s The Little Mermaid JR. is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized materials are supplied by Music Theatre International
Photo Attached : The Cape Ann YMCA’s Little Mermaid Company Photo Credit: Sassy Square
Spread The GMG Love By Sharing With These Buttons:
Upcoming show invitation from Gloucester gallery owner, Jane Deering:
Please join us for the Opening Reception of ‘Lines of Thought | Contemporary Women Artists Draw’ on Thursday August 1st from 5-7pm. The opening will also have Dick Luecke on classical guitar. He’s terrific.
As Art Critic Robert Hughes wrote:
Drawing never dies, it holds on by the skin of its teeth, because the hunger it satisfies – the desire for an active, investigative, manually vivid relation with the things we see and yearn to know about – is apparently immortal…”
The gallery is pleased to include artists—Meg Alexander . Gabrielle Barzaghi . Ann Conneman . Linda Ekstrom . Celia Eldridge . Paige Farrell . Renata Fryshara . Lilian Hsu Anne Johnstone Ann Ledy . Kat O’Connor . Whitney River . Marie Schoeff . Emily Speed . Joan Tanner
JANE DEERING. Jane Deering Gallery. Summer gallery hours: Thursday 4-7pm . Fri & Sat 1-5pm . Sun 1-4pm
Spread The GMG Love By Sharing With These Buttons:
Gloucester, Ma. (July 26, 2024)—At each end of Stop & Shop’s lot on Thatcher Road, two ‘electric vehicle fueling station’ bays with two EV charging spots each are being constructed for public use. They’ll have kiosks running advertisements and should be up & running soon (ETA 2-4 weeks). This is the 8th Stop & Shop Massachusetts EV supermarket installation for the Volta crews.
charging stations today
photos: charging station installation for Stop & Shop, Thatcher Rd; detail from Google maps showing charging stations in Gloucester, Ma. as of July 2024.
Good Morning Gloucester 