November 10, 2016
The Addison Independent
ARTS+LEISURE Real Estate
Calendar
Health
Entertainment
Reviews
Feature Interviews
Maiden Vermont welcomes Elisabeth von Trapp to Salisbury Elementary for a rehearsal before their two performances at the Town Hall Theater in Middlebury on Saturday. INDEPENDENT PHOTO/TRENT CAMPBELL
‘Hills are Alive’ with Maidens & Trapp
L
adies and gentlemen, heat up those curlers, shine those shoes and get ready to roll out the red carpet, because a celebrity’s coming to town. Elisabeth von Trapp — yup, the same von Trapp family that influenced the making of the classic and beloved film The Sound of Music — will be singing two shows with Maiden Vermont at the Town Hall Theater in Middlebury on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.
BY ELSIE LYNN PARINI
Wait? Back up, how exactly did Addison County’s barbershop chorus convince a soloist star like von Trapp to perform with them?
But Sontum ran it by Bourtney anyway, and Bourtney jumped at the opportunity. “My mother taught me to ask,” Bourtney said. “If you don’t ask, you never know.” After a few scheduling conflicts, they secured this week for two performances — that was almost two years ago. Sontum sends a big thank you to the Town Hall Theater and their resident groups for shifting their schedules to accommodate von Trapp’s availability. Last week, von Trapp joined the Maidens for one, and only one, rehearsal at Salisbury Elementary.
“There was a lot of begging,” Maiden Vermont director Lindi Bourtney blurted with a giggle.
“She was wonderful,” said Bourtney. “She was very complimentary of us.”
No really? Well, Cathy Sontum (who joined the Maidens 10 years ago) and her husband Steve were listening to one of Elisabeth von Trapp’s holiday albums in winter 2014 and had the idea. “It was really Steve’s idea,” said Sontum. “Quite honestly I didn’t think she would be able to come and sing with us.”
ELISABETH VON TRAPP
“Maiden Vermont is a wonderful group of upbeat and vibrant women who take their music seriously, but deliver their program of eclectic songs with joyful enthusiasm, sincerity and clarity of tone,” von Trapp wrote in a post-rehearsal email. “It was a pleasure to hear them singing such mellifluous and smooth harmonies. Their music is charmingly touching, uplifting and cheerful.” SEE MAIDENS ON PAGE 4
PAGE 2 — Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, November 10, 2016
ART
Irma Cerese ON EXHIBIT AT EDGEWATER GALLERY ON THE GREEN, MIDDLEBURY
P
Now in her 80s, Cerese is still working on the small scale. Aside from the practical physical considerations,” she said, “Working small allows me greater freedom to experiment in a number of ways — more abstract subject matter, more unusual color relationships. A failed 1”2x12” or 6”x6” can be taken into stride more easily than a larger one.”
ainter Irma Cerese hopes for more reactions to her work like this one: “They make my mouth and eyes water with the beauty of the shapes and colors.”
Cerese uses acrylic paints on square canvases. Her colors, whether muted or bold, are always richly laid. The landscape is gently blocked out into not-quite-defined shapes: hills and their shadows, bodies of water and reflections in them, shapes that are mountains, trees, and occasionally a rooftop. Serene scenes, painted from photographs taken across New England, that Cerese calls “a celebration of visual experience.”
BY ISABEL LOWER
That smaller pieces are more affordable is “an important point for me,” Cerese said. (These small pieces are priced at $425 a painting.) She doesn’t shy away from discussing practical side of being a working artist. After school, she said, “I had to get a non-art job to earn money,” which turned out to be in the health insurance industry. “Then we moved to New York City and I was able to quit that job for five years after my daughter was born and worked at painting when she was asleep. I was able to earn some money from my painting then, but had to return to outside work, still painting at night and weekends.”
Cerese will be exhibiting nine new pieces at Edgewater Gallery at the Falls in November and December as part of the gallery’s “7 Artists for Our 7th Birthday” show. “It was an easy decision to include Irma in our holiday small works show,” said Edgewater’s Kate Smith. “She’s been with us from the very start as a part of Edgewater’s original stable of artists when we opened in November of 2009. Irma has always enjoyed a strong base of collectors, and has remained a favorite, even as we’ve grown and expanded our offerings. We love Irma.”
Cerese left painting for several years, but says, “I knew I had to get back to it when putting on different colors of eyeshadow became a highlight of the day.” This was 1999. She was living in Massachusetts, and she had retired early. She began painting smaller scale works than before and said she exhibited work wherever she could. She entered local competitions and won awards, and eventually her work was being shown in galleries across New England, including Edgewater in Middlebury.
The nine pieces Cerese will show are all contained in canvases just 12-inches by 12-inches in size. “This gem-like collection of 12-inch, square paintings — gorgeous, evocative color impressions — range from semi- to mostly abstract landscapes,” Smith said. “Their size and price point makes them perfect for those who’ve been wanting to start a collection. And in groupings of multiples, these paintings are a visual treat!” Smaller is how Cerese prefers to work. After art school (In the 1960s, Cerese attended the Academy of Art in Chicago, where she grew up, and then the School of the Art Institute on a scholarship) she maintained a studio in New York until 1985. In her large loft space, Cerese said, her work “followed the custom of the times and I made paintings as large as I could carry — in the 54”x54” range. This was fine when I had a loft studio but many years later my circumstances changed and I started working in smaller format — 16”x16” or so.”
“I KNEW I HAD TO GET BACK TO IT WHEN PUTTING ON DIFFERENT COLORS OF EYESHADOW BECAME A HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY.” — Irma Cerese
Cerese paints from photographs taken on family trips around New England. Her favorite landscapes, she said, are those that look like they would make a good painting, with elements like “dramatic lighting effects, peaceful views, seasonal colors, but not so much panoramic vistas. Some places just ask to be used as subject matter, repeatedly, such as nature preserves, which have been subject of dozens of paintings.” Of the new works she will be showing at Edgewater this month, there are three in Acadia, Maine, titled “Cadillac Mountain #9,” “10,” and “11.” “#9” shows the first sunlight burning as a spray of lemon color across a black hilltop. “#10” the sun hasn’t risen; instead the sky is a dark orange, a stand of Cadillac Mountain #9, #10 and #11 (top to bottom) – 12"x12" – $425 each.
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
Addison Independent
CERESE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2
trees forefront of the muted, gray water of the bay is brushed in cranberry color. “#11” is at first glance much softer than the first two views of this iconic scene, however Cerese’s rough, wide strokes of burnt orange over pale yellow, layered horizontally between scratched in black islands and a white-gray sky make the piece glow stronger the longer you gaze at it. Other paintings in this group are across Vermont, which Cerese says “is such a beautiful place that it begs to be the inspiration for painting.” “The Green Mountains #10” shows views we here have been enjoying this past month, a hillside lit up with fiery fall foliage. You may have noticed Cerese’s system for titling her works, named after the places where she took the photograph that would serve as “the model” for the painting. “However,” Cerese said, “this is done merely for identifying the place and for avoiding titles that are descriptive.” She uses a landscape “both as a point of connection and departure but I don’t wish to tell a story, or
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, November 10, 2016 — PAGE 3
accurately describe the observed world. Instead, I convert the primary elements of what inspired me to take the photograph in the first place into an underlying loosely geometric structure. So I don’t seek to inspire people viewing my work with this or that place; I aim to produce evocative work that is compelling in its own right.”
“I DON’T WISH TO TELL A STORY, OR ACCURATELY DESCRIBE THE OBSERVED WORLD. INSTEAD, I CONVERT THE PRIMARY ELEMENTS OF WHAT INSPIRED ME.” — Irma Cerese
Cerese’s work can be described as on a spectrum from abstract to representational. Of the new pieces, the most abstract is “Blue Hill Farm #6,” which could be interpreted as a simple abstract color study, but her attention to value and easy but thoughtful vertical ‘scribbles’ tell us it’s clearly a layered landscape. “Knight Pond #9” is somewhere in the middle. Smudging and blurring creates trees’ reflection on the water and
the impression of a canopy of leaves. “Boothbay Harbor #3,” with its clearly defined trees and highlights indicating water is an example of her more representational work. Regardless of where they fall on the spectrum of representational to abstract, Cerese’s paintings have in common a focus on color relationships. Geometric planes of color provide structure, and texture created with brush and palette knife and brings the landscape to focus. As with many abstract painters, Cerese’s work is not about recreating an image, but rather a combination of evoking the atmosphere of a place with the visceral, tactile process of painting. “One of my greatest pleasures in life,” Cerese said, “is manipulating paint on a surface, and has been since childhood. There are always new ways to do that manipulation, even though the changes may be incremental and subtle.” Cerese is very conscious of the way her palette has shifted over her career. “Originally, I wanted to reproduce the color effects as photographed; nowadays I am far more likely to use colors from a source outside of the model photo.” When asked what she still finds new in painting, Cerese said: “A response from a viewer like the one I quoted earlier makes each painting feel like a new beginning.”
PAGE 4 — Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, November 10, 2016 Barbershop singing is quite different from CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 von Trapp’s normal folk sounds. The Chicago Tribune described von Trapp’s style as “soft with an astonishing clarity about disappointment, the power of love and coming of age... Her music reflects her classical training and her love of folk music.”
MAIDENS
MAIDEN VERMONT IS A SOULFUL, SMILING, SINGING SISTERHOOD. — Tracy Corbett, Panton MAIDEN VERMONT NOURISHES MY CREATIVE SOUL. — Diane Hare, Middlebury MAIDEN VERMONT IS A WONDERFUL GROUP OF WOMEN... AS WE SING TOGETHER WE BECOME ONE VOICE IN HARMONY AND IT FEELS TRANSCENDENT. — Laurie Cox, Ripton AS ONE OF THE FEW CHARTER MEMBERS I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SEEING AND HEARING US GROW AND IMPROVE. — Sarah Harrison Lynn, Middlebury MAIDEN VERMONT PULLS IN LEARNING, COMMUNITY, SERVICE, JOY, AND FRIENDSHIP IN ONE REHEARSAL PER WEEK PLUS OUR PERFORMANCES. IT’S PURE JOY! — Barbara Marlow, Middlebury WHAT’S NOT TO LIKE ABOUT THIS?! — Deb Van Schaack, Starksboro
I AM SO THANKFUL TO BE A PART OF THIS WONDERFUL CREATIVE COMMUNITY. — Monica Collins, Hancock MAIDEN VERMONT IS A WONDERFUL CHORUS I LOVE TO SING WITH ALL THE GREAT LADIES IN IT. — Pat Heise, Colchester
Compare that to the doo-wop sound and cheery dance moves of Addison County’s own Barbershop chorus... well, it’s different. Ask Bourtney — who retired from a 30-plus year career as a barbershop chorus director at a high school in New York City, moved to Ripton with her husband in 2002, then jumped right back in and started up Maiden Vermont two years later — what’s it all about? And she’ll tell you it’s all about the overtones. “They call it Angel singing,” said Bourtney. “When they’re singing right, I feel it in my knees. It’s wonderful.” But ask any of the 40-plus members of Maiden Vermont, and they’ll tell you something different. It’s about “friendships, collaboration, happiness, transcendence, sisterhood, history, beautiful music, family, learning, creativity and community.” “Elisabeth said she felt the sense of community,” said Bourtney after the rehearsal last week. “That’s what music can do... We all have one thing in common: When you walk in that door, you’re home. People come for the music, but they stay for the friendships.” But Bourtney gets frustrated every once in a while, after all, these are voluntary members not professional singers... “I have to be really understanding,” she said. “I never have the same chorus every week.” Yet Bourtney teaches the Maidens what she can. “Barbershop teaches singers how to listen,” Bourtney continued. “You have to listen louder than you sing. That’s how you get your blend... that’s what makes us exceptional.” Saturday’s performances will feature two halves: The first will be a set by Maiden Vermont; you can expect the energetic sounds and choreography that come with the Maiden’s best hits. The second half will feature von Trapp as a soloist with her guitar and saxophone accompanist Christopher Peterman, then Maiden Vermont will join in for a few songs. The show is called “The Hills Are Alive,” which Bourtney said, hints at von Trapp’s origins (she’s the granddaughter of Maria and Baron von
Elisabeth von Trapp will perform with Maiden Vermont on Saturday at the Town Hall Theater in Middlebury. NDEPENDENT PHOTO/TRENT CAMPBELL
did you know?
Elisabeth von Trapp has a passion for tandem bike riding with her husband. She recently returned from a four-week bike tour, pedaling through the hills of Tuscany, Italy from Parma to Rome, discovering with great anticipation what is around the next bend.
Trapp) without being misleading. “I identify with all seven children in the film The Sound Of Music, in that I totally enjoy music and believe, as my relatives proved their whole life long, that the act of singing a song can bring hope and joy to the listener’s heart,” said von Trapp, who lives with her husband Ed Hall in Waitsfield. “I most deeply identify with the child ‘Kurt,’ since that member of the seven von Trapp children represents my own father, Werner von Trapp. I believe that he instilled the love of singing in my heart at a very young age and encouraged me all through my childhood and early adult life to pursue a musical career.” Tickets are $20, $15 for seniors and students. Proceeds benefit the Maiden Vermont scholarship that is given annually to a graduating senior from Mount Abraham, Middlebury Union, Vergennes or Otter Valley High School who is pursuing a degree in music education. For more information about Maiden Vermont visit www.maidenvermont. com. For more info about the show visit www. townhalltheater.org or call 802-382-9222.
MAIDEN VERMONT HAS BLESSED ME WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO... MAKE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC WITH WOMEN I MIGHT NEVER HAVE MET. — Cathy Sontum, Middlebury MAIDEN VERMONT IS A COMMUNITY WHERE WE CAN BE OURSELVES AND LOVE WHAT WE ARE DOING TOGETHER. — Sally Foster, Brandon IT'S GOOD FOR MY SOUL. — Jane Burton, Weybridge WE BRING OUT THE VERY BEST IN EACH OTHER. — Susan DeSimone, Monkton MAIDEN VERMONT IS A DREAM COME TRUE. — Melody Mundorf, Middlebury
Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, November 10, 2016 — PAGE 5
IN TOWN
Puss in Boots comes to town BALD MOUNTAIN THEATER TOURS 13 VERMONT TOWNS
B
ald Mountain Theater presents a 13-town Vermont tour of their wildly original, all-ages adaptation of the classic story Puss in Boots, or How to GetAhead in the World.
What does it take to get ahead in the world? When a third son inherits nothing but a cat, he prepares to starve. But this is no ordinary cat! In this Rochester theater company’s fast and fun new adaptation, Puss in Boots is ambitious, driven to push his master to the top. Which begs the question for the son — and for us all — what kind of success do we want?
wonderfully vivid characters. Characters change on the fly, dialects flying every which way, and physical comedy is the rule of the day,” said Bowen.
Block as Puss in Boots, Tristan Rich-Goding as the third son, and Christine Meagher and Toby Mueller-Medlicott as every other character and sometimes more than one at a time.
“One of the most difficult aspects of this role,” said actor Tristan Rich-Goding, who plays the third son, “is training myself not to laugh. The script is funny whether you’ve heard it once or a hundred times.”
Suitable for ages 6 and older. 1 hour running time.
In addition to original songs and music by Justine Calnan-Cavacas and sets by Robert Melik Finkle, the play features Burlington actress Dana
Expanded from the original story, this lively adaptation by Bald Mountain’s creative director Ethan Bowen features a small, yet dynamic, cast playing many roles paired with a driving score that bursts into song.
tour dates
Saturday, Nov. 12 2 and 7 p.m., ART Theater, Hannaford Career Center, Middlebury.
Wednesday, Nov. 16 7 p.m., Holley Hall, Bristol.
“This story is the American dream gone wild and we had a blast peopling the work with
one two three THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS WEEK FEEL THE LOVE FOR HOLLEY HALL SATURDAY 12 NOV.
Come share the love, and SUNDAY NOV. support Bristol’s Holley Hall restoration this weekend. Bristol thespians Diana Bigelow and Jim Stapleton will recreate the roles of Melissa Gardner and Andrew Makepeace Ladd III in A. R. Gurney’s popular performance piece, “Love Letters,” as a benefit to improve the acoustics of Holley Hall, Bristol. Saturday, Nov. 12, 7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 13, 2 p.m. Refreshments available during intermission.
13
SNAP A PIC, WIN MIDD CASH This month, you can win $50 of Middlebury Money (accepted at over 100 local businesses) by sharing how you #shopsmall in Middlebury. What to do: Tag #experiencemiddlebury with a photo of how you #shopsmall in Midd. It can be shot of a great find, your favorite item in use, a window display, a scene from shopping downtown or anywhere else around town... whatever makes you feel proud of shopping locally.
WOMEN’S CHORUS CELEBRATES SEASON FRIDAY 18 NOV.
Next Friday, the Ladies’ Night Out Women’s Chorus will host their 7th Annual Advent Concerts. This year will feature harpist Heidi Soons of Colchester. On the set list: Gustav Holst’s “4 Hymns from the Rig Veda” as well as a collection of mostly a cappella songs celebrating Thanksgiving, Advent and Christmas. The ladies will perform on Friday Nov. 18, at 7 p.m., at Champlain Valley Unitarian Universalist Society in Middlebury. A $10 free will offering is requested.
Tickets available at the door of each venue: $15 for adults, $10 for under 10 and over 65, and family of four $40. Reservations can be made by calling or emailing Bald Mountain Theater. For more info visit www.baldmountaintheater.org or call (802) 767-4800.
Thursday, Nov. 17 7 p.m., Vergennes Opera House, Vergennes.
Friday, Nov. 18 7 p.m. Sat & Sun Nov.19-20 2 p.m. Spice Studio, Rochester
PAGE 6 — Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, November 10, 2016
T HEATER
OWN HALL
Merchants Row, Middlebury, VT Tickets: 802-382-9222 • www.townhalltheater.org Fri 11/11 7:30pm $10 ROCK ON FILM
WOODSTOCK
Academy Award® winning documentary of the landmark music festival. Grooviness is assured
Sat 11/12 2:30pm & 7:30pm $20 Adults/ $15 Seniors and Students
MAIDEN VERMONT THE HILLS ARE ALIVE
FEATURING ELISABETH VON TRAPP Vermont’s own female barbershop chorus pairs up with Elisabeth Von Trapp to create a stellar day of music.
Wed 11/16 11am $10/$5 Students
EXHIBITS ADDISON COUNTY IN PROFILE: SILHOUETTES FROM THE HENRY SHELDON MUSEUM ARCHIVES. On exhibit through December at the Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History, 1 Park St., Middlebury. 3882117 or www.henrysheldonmuseum.org. BLOOM AND DOOM: VISUAL EXPRESSIONS AND REFORM IN VIENNA 1900. On exhibit through Dec. 11 at the Middlebury College Museum of Art, Overbrook Gallery. 72 Porter Field Road, Middlebury. (802) 4435007. THE SPIRIT OF THE SEASON: MY FAVORITE THINGS. On exhibit Nov. 4-Jan. 31 featuring a holiday themed show by the ensemble company of the Brandon Artists Guild. An opening reception will be held 5-7 p.m. on Nov. 4. All are welcome. Brandon Artists Guild, 7 Center Street, Brandon. (802) 247-4956. EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN ART. Ongoing exhibit, featuring landscapes by American painters Jasper Cropsey and John Frederick Kensett alongside sixteenth- and seventeenth-century European religious and devotional images and American and European sculpture. Cerf Gallery at the Middlebury College Museum of Art, 72 Porter Field Road, Middlebury. (802) 443-5007.
GREAT ART WEDNESDAYS
FOLLOWING A THREAD. On exhibit through Nov. 13 featuring paintings by Ashley Wolff. Jackson Gallery on the lower level of Town Hall Theater, 68 South Pleasant Street, Middlebury. 802-382-9222.
Great artists such as Van Gogh, Pissarro, Sargent – among other famous masters – are featured in an innovative and extensive exhibition from The Royal Academy of Arts, London.
INDEPENDENCE MUST BE WON: THE ART OF ELLEN VIERECK. On exhibit for 2016 at Mount Independence State Historic Site. 497 Mount Independence Road, Orwell. 802-948-2000 or www.historicsites. vermont.gov/MountIndependence.
PAINTING THE MODERN GARDEN: MONET TO MATISSE
Fri 11/18 8pm $20
MIGRATION A FILM BY SAS CAREY
This experiential film will immerse you in the arduous annual journey of nomadic reindeer herders trekking through Mongolian wilderness from the Taiga forest to the rich pastures of the summer camp in the tundra. 7pm reception; Filmmaker Q&A follows the screening.
Sat 11/19 7pm $17/$10 Students
NT LIVE: FRANKENSTEIN
Academy Award®-winner Danny Boyle directs Benedict Cumberbatch (Creature) and Johnny Lee Miller (Frankenstein) in this thrilling production.
Sat 11/19 5-7pm Opening Reception
NINTH ANNUAL HOLIDAY SHOW of Original Works by Local Artists (Pictured right Out to Pasture by Mike Mayone)
Sat 11/26 2pm & 5pm $10/ $5 students
THE INTERNET CAT VIDEO FESTIVAL III
A new compilation of the internet’s best cat videos. Suitable for all ages. Proceeds to benefit Homeward Bound and Town Hall Theater.
7 ARTISTS FOR OUR 7TH BIRTHDAY: A SMALL WORKS SHOW. On exhibit Nov. 1-Dec. 31 featuring the works of Sara Katz, Patty Sgrecci, Irma Cerese, Hannah Sessions, Amy Brnger, Michael Egan and CJ Hockett. Edgewater Gallery at the Falls, 1 Mill Street, Middlebury. 802458-0098. POST POP: PRINTS OF KEITH HARING. On exhibit through Dec. 11. Following the illustrious career of Keith Haring from 1982, when he made his first silkscreen prints, to his death from AIDS related complications in 1990. Middlebury College Museum of Art, 72 Porter Field Road, Middlebury. (802) 443-5007. ROBERT F. REIFF GALLERY OF ASIAN ART. Ongoing exhibit of East Asian ceramics. Middlebury College Museum of Art, 72 Porter Field Road, Middlebury. (802) 443-5007. ‘PEACE ON EARTH.’ On exhibit Nov. 4-Jan. 7 featuring the good in people, the beauty of this world, and that as human beings, we are all in this together. The exhibit was an open call to artists for that which celebrates and strengthens the ideals of ‘Peace on Earth’. The resulting compilation of work presents an eclectic view of the theme. Compass Center, 333 Jones Drive, Brandon. (802) 247-4295. PERSONAL NARRATIVE. On exhibit Nov. 2-25, featuring 75 images selected by Susan Burnstine that through symbolism, metaphor and personal stories, are ultimately an exploration of self. Opening reception on Friday, Nov. 11, 5-7 p.m. PhotoPlace Gallery, 3 Park Street, Middlebury. (802) 388-4500. HAVE AN EXHIBIT YOU WANT PUBLISHED?
let us know
NEWS@ADDISONINDEPENDENT.COM
Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, November 10, 2016 — PAGE 7
OUT OF TOWN
Passages concert brings Zora String Quartet
P
aramount Theatre presents its first concert of the 9th Annual Passages at the Paramount – Young Concert Artists Series on Sunday, Nov. 13 at 3 p.m. with the Zorá String Quartet.
“We have been so very proud and happy to have presented 28 fabulously talented young classical musicians at SUNDAY NOV. the very beginning of their Paramount Theater, Rutland formidable soloist careers,” said Bruce Bouchard, Director of The Paramount Theater in Rutland. “The relationship with Young Concert Artists has been a terrific one and has fed us a steady stream of some of the most accomplished young musicians in the world. We have a very loyal audience, but have struggled in our attempts to grow the attendance. Responding to input from our diehard Passages fans, we have decided that by moving each concert to Sundays at 3 p.m. it might be a more user friendly time and therefore more accessible, particularly given that the VSO audience is used to the Sunday afternoon concerts.”
13
The Zorá String Quartet features violinists Dechopol Kowintaweewat and Seula Lee, violist Pablo Muñoz Salido, and cellist Zizai Ning. Their accomplishments (get ready, it’s a long list) include: • Grand Prize and Gold Medal of the 2015 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition • 2015 Coleman National Chamber Music Competition in California • 2015 Young Concert Artists International Auditions • Sander Buchman Award As a result of winning the Fischoff Competition, they toured the Midwest and appeared at the 2016 Emilia Romagna Festival in Italy. During the 2016-2017 season, the Zorá gives its New York and Washington, D.C. recital debuts in the Young Concert Artists Series and performs concerts at numerous venues around the U.S. The Quartet was selected to participate in the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Chamber Music Encounters program in June 2016, which concludes with a performance at Alice Tully Hall. In the summer of 2016, the Zorá also appears at Chamber Music Northwest and the Oregon Music Festival, and last year, they participated in Chamber Music Residencies at the Banff Centre in Canada and Norfolk Chamber Music Festival in Connecticut. The ensemble also participated at the Center for Advanced Quartet Studies of the Aspen Music Festival in 2014, working intensively with Earl Carlyss, the Takács Quartet, the Pacifica Quartet, and the
up next
American String Quartet. The Zorá collaborated with Pulitzer-Prize-winning American composer Caroline Shaw and the NOTUS Contemporary Ensemble in fall 2013. In spring 2014, the Quartet was selected as the string quartet in residence to perform and study manuscripts at the Beethoven-Haus in Bonn, Germany.
Sunday January 8, 3 p.m.: Young Concert artists Narek Arutlyunian, clarinetist will play with Yun-Chin Zhou, pianist.
The Quartet’s members earned prestigious Chamber Music Performer’s Diplomas from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, and served as the Graduate Quartet in Residence at the Jacobs School of Music under the tutelage of the Pacifica Quartet and Atar Arad. The Zorá is Quartet in Residence at the Curtis Institute of Music during the 2016-17 season.
Sunday March 12, 3 p.m.: Dasol Kim, pianist. Sunday April 23, 3 p.m.: Stephan Waarts, violinist.
DINE THE UNITED WAY United Way of Addison County P.O. Box 555 Middlebury, VT 05753
802.388.7189 www.UnitedWayAddisonCounty.org Don’t just go out to eat, go out to eat AND feed another. When you dine at these restaurants during Dine the United Way, a portion of your ticket sales will come back to the United Way of Addison County. We will then turn that money around to support the programs and services in our community working to fight hunger. Don’t see your favorite local restaurant? Encourage them to participate.
OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2016 Mister Up’s Restaurant & Bar 25 Bakery Lane Middlebury • 388-6724 15% of sales on November 10
Hatch 31 31 Main Street Bristol • 453-2774 20% of sales on Nov 4-5
Green Peppers Restaurant 10 Washington St. Middlebury • 388-3164 15% of sales on Oct 17, 24, Nov 7, 14
Middlebury Inn Morgan’s Tavern 14 Court Square Middlebury • 388-4961 15% of sales from November 9-11
51 Main 51 Main Street Middlebury • 388-8209 Donating meals to families in need.
Daily Chocolate 7 Green St. Vergennes • 877-0087 10% of sales from November 1-5
Fire & Ice Restaurant 26 Seymour St. Middlebury • 388-7166 10% of sales on November 17 & 22
Bobcat Café 5 Main St Bristol • 453-3311 20% sales on November 9
Storm Café 3 Mill St. Middlebury • 388-1063 10% of breakfast & lunch sales November 8-10
Jessica’s at Swift House Inn Stewart Lane Middlebury• 388-9925 Donating $1 per person who dines at Jessica’s
Mary’s at Baldwin Creek 1868 North Rt 116 Bristol • 453-2432 100% cream of garlic sales Nov. 9-12, 16-19 Stone Leaf Teahouse 111 Maple Street, Middlebury • 458-0460 $1 of all pots of tea sales every Wednesday Oct. 26 - Nov. 23
Join us for some fun, great food, and support your local United Way. For more information, please visit www.UnitedWayAddisonCounty.org
PAGE 8 — Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, November 10, 2016
CALENDAR
kids pick
If you have pounds of winter squash staring at you, join Gillian at Middlebury Recreation Center on Nov. 12 from 1-2:30 p.m. to learn all about the tasty meals you can make with winter squash this season. It’s a fun and supportive environment for all. Can't make it on Saturday? Check out pages 10-11 for a butternut squash soup recipe by Kathy Walls. — Eliza Eaton, MiniBury.com
ARTS
MEET THE PRESS: PETER PLAGENS IN MIDDLEBURY. Thursday, Nov. 10, 4:30 p.m., Mahaney Center for the Arts, Robison Hall. In his talk titled “If you think painting is dead, take a look at art criticism,” Peter Plagens, painter, novelist and art critic for Newsweek and the Wall Street Journal, discusses life as an art critic and answers questions. Info: www. middlebury.edu/arts or 443-3168. OPENING RECEPTION IN MIDDLEBURY. Friday, Nov. 11, 5-7 p.m., PhotoPlace Gallery, 3 Park Street. An opening reception for “Personal Narrative,” an international exhibition of photographs that through symbolism, metaphor and personal stories, are ultimately an exploration of self. Juried by Susan Burstine. TEDXMIDDLEBURY: PLAYING THE GAME IN MIDDLEBURY. Sunday, Nov. 13, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Mahaney Center for the Arts, Robison Hall. The theme of TEDxMiddlebury is “Playing the Game,” which aims to highlight the ways we learn to navigate games and the systems that surround us. Tickets $20/$15/$8. Info: www.middlebury.edu/arts or 443-3168. PAINTING THE MODERN GARDEN: MONET TO MATISSE IN MIDDLEBURY. Wednesday, Nov. 16, 11 a.m., Town Hall Theater. Great artists such as Monet, Van Gogh, Matisse, Sorolla and many others feature in an innovative and extensive exhibition from The Royal Academy of Arts, London. Tickets $10/$5 students. SISTER-TO-SISTER SUMMIT IN MIDDLEBURY. Saturday, Nov. 19, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Kirk Alumni Center, Middlebury College. Sister-to-Sister Summit with workshops such as improv theater, a capella singing, dancing, yoga and cupcake decorating. All events are free and include breakfast, lunch and snacks. To register or organize transportation contact Karin Hanta 443-5937.
CRAFTS CRAFT FAIR IN BRISTOL. Saturday, Nov. 12, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Mount Abraham Union High
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
WHAT YOU WANT TO DO NOVEMBER 10-20, 2016
School. Start your holiday shopping early! The Mount Abraham Union High School craft fair and silent auction features a wide variety of crafts from wood products, clothing, specialty foods, jewelry, quilts, silk scarves, cards and artwork. Fundraiser for the Class of 2017 Project Graduation. A homemade lunch, bake sale, silent auction and raffle will also take place. ARTISAN FAIR IN MIDDLEBURY. Saturday, Nov. 12, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., The Residence at Otter Creek. Get a head start on holiday shopping with locally crafted gifts including hand woven scarves, holiday earrings, greeting cards, holiday foods and live music. Info: 388-1220. TEN THOUSAND VILLAGES CRAFT SALE IN MIDDLEBURY. Friday, Nov. 18, 3-6 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 19, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Memorial Baptist Church, 97 South Pleasant St. 25th annual Ten Thousand Villages craft sale featuring gifts, home décor art pieces and accessories handcrafted by fairly paid artisans around the world. Ten Thousand Villages is a nonprofit program of the Mennonite Central Committee. All proceeds are sent back to the program. Handicap accessible. Cash and check sales only.
DANCE DANCING IN WEYBRIDGE. Friday, Nov. 11, 6-8 p.m., Weybridge Elementary School. Friends of Weybridge Elementary presents the opportunity to dance, visit with friends and neighbors, enjoy seasonal treats and bid on items in a silent auction. Live music by Rick Klein and David Carpenter, and caller Luke Donforth. Admission by donation. Info: 545-2113. CONTRADANCE IN BRIDPORT. Saturday, Nov. 12, 7-9:30 p.m., Bridport Community/Masons Hall. Contradance in Bridport featuring Boston-based caller Angela deCarliss calling to live music by Red Dog Riley. $5-10/person (sliding scale). Info: 462-3722. AFRICAN MUSIC AND DANCE ENSEMBLE IN MIDDLEBURY. Tuesday, Nov. 15, 8 p.m., Mahaney Center for the Arts, Robison Hall. The music of this student ensemble demonstrates the study of many musical Africanisms: complex polyphony, musical
Addison Independent
FAMILY FAMILY PHOTO DAY IN SALISBURY. Sunday, Nov. 13, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Salisbury Community School. The Friends of the Salisbury Community School will hold a family photo day at the school. MAGIC WITH ADAM IN MIDDLEBURY. Tuesday, Nov. 15, 6-8 p.m., 51 Main. Our favorite magician is back! Adam Fisher’s table side shows are the perfect balance of clever tricks, alluring illusions and witty entertainment for all ages.
FILM “WOODSTOCK” IN MIDDLEBURY. Friday, Nov. 11, 7 p.m., Town Hall Theater. Town Hall Theater’s Rock on Film series continues with “Woodstock.” Tickets $10. Info: www.
townhalltheater.org or 382-9222. “MIGRATION” IN MIDDLEBURY. Friday, Nov. 18, 8-10 p.m., Town Hall Theater. “Migration,” an immersive film about the lives of Mongolia’s reindeer herders, will have its East Coast premiere at Town Hall Theater. The evening begins with a reception at 7 p.m. and ends with a Q&A with director Sas Carey. $20. Info: www.townhalltheater.org or 382-9222. “RIGHT NOW, WRONG THEN” IN MIDDLEBURY. Saturday, Nov. 19, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., Dana Auditorium. A film director arrives in town a day early, meets a fledgling artist, and they start to fall for each other. Then, quite unexpectedly, the story begins again, but things appear different. In Korean with English subtitles. Info: www.middlebury.edu/ arts or 802-443-3168.
MUSIC MAIDEN VERMONT’S FALL SHOW “THE HILLS ARE ALIVE” IN MIDDLEBURY. Saturday, Nov. 12, 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Town Hall Theater. Maiden Vermont presents their fall show, “The Hills are Alive.” The first half of the
FAMILY PHOTO DAY! YES, WE ALL LOVE THOSE GREETING CARDS WITH GOOFY PHOTOS. DON'T MISS IT THIS SUNDAY AT THE SALISBURY COMMUNITY SCHOOL.
program will feature bell-like sounds of this multi-generational group of women who raise a cappella singing to a new level. The second half features their guest artist, Elizabeth Von Trapp. $20/$15 students and seniors. Info: www.townhalltheater.org or 382-9222. CLASSICAL TRIO PERFORMANCE IN BRISTOL. Saturday, Nov. 12, 7 p.m., WalkOver Concert Room, 15 Main Street. Annemeike McLane, piano, Letitia Quante, violin and Emily Jane Taubl, cello, will perform 18th-19th century music. $15 advance; $20 at the door. Info: walkover@mac.com or 453-3188 ext 2. DADDYLONGLEGS IN BRANDON. Saturday, Nov. 12, 7:30 p.m., Brandon Music. Rick
19th SEE CALENDAR ON PAGE 17
sale
conversation, structured improvisation, recurrent patterns, layered ostinati, timbral variety and tonal variations. Info: www. middlebury.edu/arts or 802-443-3168.
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, November 10, 2016 — PAGE 9
Anniversary
0
$
enrollment when you join with a friend
19
$
enrollment for an individual
Sale on Nov. 3 - 14 only
middfit.com | 175 wilson road | 388-3744
PAGE 10 — Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, November 10, 2016
Meet the chef
Kathy Walls from The Vermont Soup Company
S
ome think of Kathleen (or Kathy) Walls as Souper-Woman. (Common that pun is too good to pass up!) Walls is the owner and soup-maker for The Vermont Soup Company — a company she founded not quite two years ago — but that is only half her identity. When her 10-gallon pot, veggie peeler, chopping block and cape — er, rather, apron — are stuffed neatly into her kitchen cupboards, Walls works as a bankruptcy lawyer.
BY ELSIE LYNN PARINI
the New York City native has a long history working in restaurants. “People took chances on me,” Walls said of her time in professional kitchens. “I learned a lot.” After that, it was her two sons (now 15 and 16 years old) who helped her develop her culinary training. Walls recalled how they used to cook food from a different country every week — just to keep it interesting — and they’d learn about different flavors and ingredients. “Now,” Walls said of her two Middlebury Union High students, “they’re my test-tasters and biggest critics.”
When Walls decided to make a go of her soup business about a year and a half ago, she first approached the Middlebury Natural Foods Co-Op as a vendor. At the time they carried some premade soups and made “IT’S ABOUT some in house; but none were as local as Walls’. She PUTTING BIG uses as many local products SMILES ON as possible, including PEOPLE’S FACES... vegetables from Gildrien, Elmer and Golden Russet I REALLY LOVE IT.” Farms, and subsidizing with other products from Black — Kathy Walls River Produce.
Walls earned her degree from Vermont Law School in South Royalton in 1993 and has been practicing since. She has her own practice in Middlebury, The Law Office of Kathleen Walls PC. “I do very much appreciate helping people through the process of bankruptcy,” Walls said. “They’re often on the verge of losing their home or something like that because of a loss of income... I see people in this transition, and there’s a lot of anxiety, anger and fear. I have to help them through that process. It’s a good thing.” But the gratification of Walls’ work isn’t usually immediate. “It’s a good thing in the long run,” she clarified.
So she goes home to her 1784 Middlebury house, puts down her pen and briefcase and trades her suit jacket for the apron. Then she grabs the 10-gallon pot and gets to work chopping, peeling, boiling, stirring and blending — Souper-Woman is cooking up some instant gratification. Sometimes she’s making soup for her soup company; other times she’s making prepared meals for another side business she started about 3 years ago — Flavors of Home. “One of the reasons I do this,” Walls said about cooking, “is to give myself something that makes people happy... and food makes people happy.” Though Walls has no official culinary training,
Short story: the Co-Op agreed to sell her soup. “I’m appreciative of the Co-Op for being an incubator and being patient as I learn how to grow my business,” said Walls. “I’ve been very surprised how well Vermont Soup Company has done... It was pleasantly unexpected.” Walls creates all her own recipes and is always coming up with new flavors for the changing seasons. The latest variety is a roasted pumpkin soup — that hit the shelves last Friday. Oh, and BTW, 5 percent of Vermont Soup Company profits benefit HOPE in Middlebury. Whether delivering prepared meals to people who need that little bit of extra help, making as big a batch of homemade soup for the Co-Op as her kitchen will allow, or selling soup at her CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
Kathy Walls stands in her home kitchen in Middlebury where she pre Vermont Soup Company.
Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, November 10, 2016 — PAGE 11
BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
y
From The Vermont Soup Company, made by Kathy Walls.
INGREDIENTS:
PREPARATION: Melt the butter slightly over medium heat and then add the onions. Adding the onions before the butter is fully melted will help prevent the butter from burning. Let the onions cook, stirring occasionally, so that they release their moisture. When most of the liquid has evaporated, add the honey, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens and appears caramelized. Add the butternut squash, stirring them into the onions. Stir until the squash becomes soft, after about 10 to 15 minutes. If the squash is not tender after 15 minutes, continue to cook before you add the water, stirring occasionally, until
2 tablespoons of butter 1 large onion, sliced thin 1/4 cup of honey 2 large butternut squash, peeled, cored and diced
Water to cover 1/8 cup fresh thyme leaves 1 pint heavy cream (optional) Salt to taste
they soften. When they are soft, add the water only to cover (you can add more water later if you prefer a thinner consistency) and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Strip the leaves off the thyme sprigs and add to the soup and continue to simmer until the squash is very tender. Blend with an immersion blender, or with a conventional blender in small batches, until smooth. Adjust the consistency by adding water if desired. Add salt to taste. If you want a richer soup with a milder flavor, add 1 pint of heavy cream before blending, reserving some to drizzle on the soup once it is in bowls.
KATHY'S TIPS: “YOU DON’T HAVE TO USE STOCK; LET THE VEGETABLES SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.” “USE AS LITTLE WATER AS POSSIBLE TO GET THE MOST FLAVOR IN YOUR SOUP.”
CHEF CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10
Farmers’ Market booth, Walls thinks of it all as a “CSF” — that’s “Community Supported Food.” “It’s about putting big smiles on people’s faces,” she said. “I really love it.” This isn’t just talk; Walls is headed to Italy this month for a WWOOF program (it’s a volunteer opportunity to travel and work world-wide on organic farms); she’ll be helping on a farm near Sienna just in time for olive harvesting.
epares all of her homemade soup for The INDEPENDENT PHOTOS/TRENT CAMPBELL
PAGE 12 — Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, November 10, 2016
WINTER GARDEN
keep memories of summer alive
T
New Guinea Impatients flowering in the Parent-Child Center greenhouse in Middlebury.
he outdoor gardening season in Vermont — a six-month affair that lasts from May till October — has surely come to an end for this year. But creative gardeners have all manner of ingenious ways to continue their passion even though the days are short and winter winds are howling.
BY JUDITH IRVEN
THE WINTER GARDENER
Many of us nurture indoor plants, such as African violets, philodendron and begonias, on a year-round basis. So when winter arrives it is easy to augment these with some long-term houseguests that spend the other six months of the year outdoors. One friend was telling me about her ‘avocado forest’ which resides on her deck during the summer and takes up residence in her dining room for the winter. If they are to do well indoors it is critical to provide your winter houseguests with adequate light. A wide windowsill or low table set as close as possible to a south-facing window is the ideal spot for your winter garden.
Many of our favorite cooking herbs — including chives, savory and sage — are perennial plants, meaning that their tops die back when the weather gets cold and then re-emerge next spring. However, given both warmth and light, these same plants will remain green all winter long. And, providing the ground has not frozen solid, even in chilly November it is still not too late to pot up a few from your garden. Take a small spade or a sharp knife and separate some side roots from the parent plant (which remains in the ground for next spring). Now replant your root cuttings in new potting soil — I like to use one that includes some time-release fertilizer. Set the pot in a sunny spot and water the soil gently. Soon green shoots will emerge and before long you will have enough to flavor your soups and omelets. Most flowering garden plants, either annuals or perennials, do not take kindly to being uprooted and brought indoors for the winter. However some well-known patio plants, such as rex begonias and geraniums make great winter houseguests. Rex begonias are primarily grown for their beautifully patterned leaves — their flowers
PHOTO/JUDITH IRVEN
always seem like an afterthought — which means they will grow well even in winter’s lower light intensity. Just be sure not to over-water them. Patio geraniums (with the Latin name Pelargonium, and quite a different plant from the garden geraniums known as Cranesbills) are perennial plants with cheery colorful flowers and slightly pungent leaves that originated in Southern Africa. Given the short days they may only bloom sparsely indoors, but come next spring they will be ready to resume their flowering on your deck or in a hanging basket. For successful indoor gardening it helps to use a jet of water to wash all the plants you bring in from the outdoors, thus knocking off any insects or eggs which might want to hitch-hike into your home. And once indoors avoid overwatering them; it helps to let the soil go almost dry between waterings.
INVEST IN A GREENHOUSE If at some point you find that windowsill gardening is somewhat confining, perhaps a small heated greenhouse would help you through those ‘other CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
Addison Independent
GARDEN
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, November 10, 2016 — PAGE 13
six months.’
Child Center is a green oasis. It is also a hive of activity as the young parents attending PCC work together to raise all manner of edibles while their children play nearby.
There are many different approaches to greenhouse gardening and lots of different plants you can grow. Some people use an unheated greenhouse as a ‘season-extender’ where they start their seedlings early and perhaps continue growing warm weather crops later into the fall. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12
For others a heated greenhouse becomes a whole new growing space where they cultivate vegetables, flowers or both throughout the whole winter. In what follows I will tell you about two different heated greenhouses that are very similar in size but used in completely different ways — one ornamental and the other functional.
Camellia japonica ‘C.M. Wilson’ flowering in Judith Irven’s greenhouse last January. PHOTO/JUDITH IRVEN
A MID-WINTER RETREAT
Camellias are woody shrubs with shiny green leaves that originate in south-east Asia. Ornamental camellias, while related to the plant that produces leaves for black teas, have huge saucer-like flowers in colors from red to pink to white. Some varieties begin blooming in October, whereas others wait for the winter solstice to start flowering, and then continue until the spring equinox. Each of my larger camellia plants now produces upwards of 30 blossoms in one winter — bliss to behold on a snowy January day!
Eight years ago Dennis Bates of Vermont Sun Structures built just such a greenhouse for us. It is attached to the south wall of our dinning room and has thermo-pane glass panels, double-insulated ‘knee-walls’ and flooring.
I also enjoy a thriving collection of succulents — primarily echeverias with their rosettes of plump leaves that almost look like flowers. Unlike cactus or agaves, echeverias do not have nasty spines — a very important point in their favor.
It measures 18 feet long and 10 feet deep, which is large enough to provide plenty of room for my ornamental plants, together with a small table and a couple of chairs for people. And although I set the thermostat so that the temperature stays above 50 F, even in mid-January the sun pushes the daytime temperature up to the mid-70s.
I like to leave the succulents in the greenhouse during the summer — they enjoy the heat and it is an easy way to avoid getting them overwatered by the rain.
Both greenhouses have the long axis running eastwest. This ideal orientation means that front glass wall and sloped roof both face south and capture the maximum sunlight. And both greenhouses have a solid north wall that is attached to a warm building, thus sharing precious heat.
Because they are renowned for their beautiful flowers in winter, I decided to experiment with growing camellias in my greenhouse, with excellent results. I now have ten plants, all of which I purchased from Camellia Forest, a specialist nursery in North Carolina.
And finally I always find some room for a few cooking herbs, including the classic foursome — parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme — plus a good sized bay-laurel bush, all of which will provide me with flavorful leaves all winter long.
A GREEN OASIS In wintertime the greenhouse at Middlebury’s Parent
The greenhouse which was designed and constructed especially for the center by Jonathan Hescock of Vermont Victory Greenhouses and has been a huge success, both in producing healthy food and also for teaching new gardeners. In the winter a heater keeps the space from getting too cold (a new thermostat will be added soon) and as the days get longer and the sun heats the greenhouse there are three windows that open automatically to provide ventilation (a very nice feature). I chatted with Shari Johnson, a UVM Extension Master Gardener who volunteers as a mentor for the PCC greenhouse program. She ran off an impressive list of the various crops they grow there — all kinds of salad greens which are harvested multiple times using a ‘cut and come again’ technique, as well as radishes, peas, patio-style tomatoes and even potatoes. They grow the crops in deep planting trays that line the entire south wall, providing maximum sunlight. Each autumn they also bring in some plants from the outside, both culinary herbs as well as a few nasturtiums, impatiens, marigolds and geraniums to make everything cheery. The gardeners keep a vigilant eye open for aphids, and quickly apply insecticidal soap to quell an infestation at the outset. And in the new year, as the days get longer, they will be sowing seeds for vegetables to be planted in their outdoor gardens when spring arrives — and so the cycle of life in the garden continues.
HURRY! Order byst Nov. 21
DELICIOUS Healthy Gifts! Starting from just $17.99
Pre-Order Your
Holiday Citrus Now! Oranges • Grapefruit Tangerines Mixed Citrus Small cases available Pick up the week of December 5th-9th Order forms available in-store or at www.middleburyagway.com
Place Your Order
TODAY!
MIDDLEBURY AGWAY 338 Exchange St., • 388-4937 Mon. - Fri. 8-6, Sat. 8-5, Sun. 9-4 Open 7 Days
YOUR YARD, GARDEN AND PET PLACE™
PAGE 14 — Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, November 10, 2016
MUSIC
ARTS+LEISURE
The Addison Independent
Find the beat. Look for it in the new Arts + Leisure section every Thursday. 802-388-4944
ads@addisonindependent.com
David Torn will perform an evening of improv on Wednesday at Mahaney Center for the Arts in Middlebury. PHOTO/WES ORSHOSHI/EMC RECORDS
David Torn
G
uitarist and composer David Torn presents an evening of solo improvised guitar music on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 7:30 p.m., at the Mahaney Center for the Arts in Middlebury. Torn’s layered, textural approach to guitar has graced recordings by David Bowie, Madonna, John Legend, Tori Amos WEDNESDAY NOV. and k.d. Lang. He has also contributed to many film Mahaney Center for the Arts, scores both as composer Middlebury (The Wackness, The Order, Friday Night Lights, Lars and the Real Girl) and as a musician/texturalist (Adaptation, The Big Lebowski, Twilight, No Country for Old Men). Concert admission is free.
16
“HIS WORK IS VERY SPIRITUAL. AND HAS AN EPHEMERAL QUALITY THAT I ADORE.” — David Bowie Torn’s improvised solo guitar performances use looping, technology, and unorthodox techniques to create a canvas of sound which he spatters with guitar notes. He describes his performance as “realtime composition, but it’s about relaxing into it, enjoying the flow of sound, letting the music happen in its own time — and being open to the unexpected.” For more information, call (802) 443-MIDD (6433) or visit www.middlebury.edu/arts.
Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, November 10, 2016 — PAGE 15
Bristol’s WalkOver strings together a concert
T
his Saturday, Nov. 12, Annemeike McLane, Letitia Quante and Emily Jane Taubl will perform at the WalkOver Concert Room on Main Street in Bristol. The three string musicians will play Haydn’s “gypsy” Trio, No. 39 Hob. XV, 25, in G Major; Schubert’s “Notturno” Trio, SATURDAY NOV. Op. Post 148 (D. 897) in Eb major, WalkOver Concert Room, Bristol the Adagio; and Mendelssohn’s Trio No. 1, Opus 49 in D minor.
12
All three performers have national and international backgrounds and performance schedules. A fortunate convergence of professional timing brings the three of them together in Vermont for this joyful collaboration as chamber musicians. With roots in the chamber musical genre, the musicians, fully grounded in professional technique, create a trio that brings deep expressive playing to beloved material through dimensions in color, articulation, warmth, nuance and verve.
With its natural acoustics and warm and intimate ambiance, the WalkOver Concert Room is the perfect setting in which to partake of a performance of this 18th and 19th century music. The experience replicates rooms in which this music was first heard and was intended to be heard by the composers. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Reduced tickets prices for for youth and affordability considerations. Reservations and information at walkover@mac.com and (802) 453-3188 x 2.
Emily Jane Taubl, cello, Letitia Quante, violin, and Annemeike McLane, piano, will perform a classical concert at the WalkOver Concert Room at 15 Main Street in Bristol on Saturday.
live music Paradiddles. Thursday, Nov. 10, 7-9 p.m., 51 Main, Middlebury. Abraxas. Friday, Nov. 11, 8:30-10:30 p.m., 51 Main, Middlebury. The Dave Keller Band. Saturday, Nov. 12, 7:30 p.m., Burnham Music Series, 52 River Road, Lincoln. DaddyLongLegs. Saturday, Nov. 12, 7:30 p.m., Brandon Music. Linda Draper. Saturday, Nov. 12, 9-10:30 p.m., 51 Main, Middlebury. Blues Jam. Wednesday, Nov. 16, 8-10 p.m., 51 Main, Middlebury. Left Eye Jump. Friday, Nov. 18, 8-10 p.m., 51 Main, Middlebury.
“MUSIC, I THINK, IS BEST WHEN IT HONESTLY EXPLORES PERSONAL DEMONS, AND IT STIRS AROUND IN THE SILT OF THE PSYCHE TO FIND OUT WHAT’S REALLY THERE.” — Tom Morello
The Good Parts Band. Saturday, Nov. 19, 8-10 p.m., 51 Main, Middlebury.
PAGE 16 — Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, November 10, 2016
the movie CERTAIN WOMEN — RUNNING TIME: 1:47 — RATING: R If your heart thrills in anticipation of Jack Reacher, you’d do best to avoid Certain Women. If, on the other hand, you appreciate a piece of art that wraps you deeply in an uninvited, probably unwanted emotion, you may want to sink into this beautifully made movie. You decide. Kelly Reichardt has no intention of creating a story on screen. She has created instead an emotion through her use of dialogue and landscape. Almost nothing happens on screen. It is the emptiness she creates that drops us with silent certainty into her intended emotion: loneliness. She paints for us the silence of the vast landscape of southern Montana that can reduce its residents to the size of ants. So beautiful to tourists passing through, so empty sometimes to solitary residents. Michelle Williams in Certain Women (2016).
We meet three of these. Laura (Laura Dern) is a small town lawyer trying to convince a client (Jared Harris) that he has no basis for a worker’s compensation claim. Gina (Michelle Williams) and her insipid husband Ryan (James le Gros) visiting an old man with their offer to buy the pile of sandstone that has lain forever untouched in his driveway. Beth (Kristen Stewart), newly licensed lawyer, must drive twice a week to a distant job four hours each way from her hometown to deliver a one hour lecture on school rules to a small group of adults. One in the class is Jamie (Lilly Gladstone), a worker on a ranch where there is no one in her life except the horses she cares for. She wants to know Beth better. There is no sense of communion, no emotional connection between any of these women and the men they know. As Reichardt revisits each of these scenes, we learn that nothing has changed for the women, and we begin to understand that nothing will. That is what this corner of the American vastness is. Yes, there are
ordinary lives out there somewhere but there are also people deeply alone. And no one paints aloneness in a vast landscape as beautifully as Kelly Reichardt. She has done it with silence, endless straight roads, land so flat we can see to the horizon and distant mountains. In that place, a life being lived is very small. In a given theater, some walk out, some ask “what was that about?” Others are slow to leave, enveloped as they are in an emotion created by an extraordinary director. Those of us still there are wrapped in an abject sense of loneliness that may have no connection to our lives outside that theater. The actors have caught Reichardt’s tone perfectly and each shows us her solitary core while cinematographer Christopher Blauvelt captures her strange and affecting vision. Anyone who watches this movie will feel the cold core of these women’s lives. That’s why we’re there. There is no next twist or next turn. When the lights go up, you’ll be feeling very much alone. — Reviewed by Joan Ellis
the books THE SOUND OF A WILD SNAIL EATING — BY ELISABETH TOVA BAILEY Sometimes I find a slim, meditative book is just the thing. Elisabeth Tova Bailey’s book is just that. Bailey is confined to bed to recuperate from an illness and a capricious friend, instead of bringing false cheer in the form of purchased cut flowers, tromps out to the fields and digs up a wild violet, plants it in a pot and places it next to Bailey’s bed. When Bailey is awake in the night, as she often is as a result of her condition, she detects the faint but sure sound of munching. Thus begins her lovely, careful, and nuanced observance of the snail she discovers in the pot, on the violet. The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating (Algonquin Books) is ultimately a story of survival and resilience, showing us how a small part of the natural world can illuminate our own human existence, while providing an appreciation of what it means to be fully alive. The hardcover edition of this award-winning book was an Indie Next Pick, and a Library Journal Best Book of the Year. Bailey has received several Pushcart Prize nominations, and the essay on which this book is based received a Notable Essay Listing in Best American Essays. Winner of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, she lives in Maine. — Reviewed by Jenny Lyons of the Vermont Book Shop in Middlebury.
TIME FOR SOUP BOOKS! Chicken Soup with Rice, by Maurice Sendak DK Soup, by Eric Schlosser Soup of the Day: 365 Recipes for Every Day of the Year, by Kate McMillan Soup Nights: Satisfying Soups and Sides for Delicious Meals All Year, by Betty Rosbottom Soup Swap: Comforting Recipes to Make and Share, by Kathy Gunst Soup for Syria: Recipes to Celebrate Our Shared Humanity, by Barbara Abdeni Massaad
Addison Independent
Hannaford Career Center. Bald Mountain Theater presents their original adaptation of “Puss in Boots” or “How to get ahead in the world.” Suitable for ages six and older. Tickets available at the door. $15 adults; $10 under age 10 or over 65; $40 family of four. Info: www. baldmountaintheater.org or 767-4800.
CALENDAR CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
Ceballos, David Gusakov and Matt Witten perform as DaddyLongLegs. Tickets $20. Venue is BYOB. Reservations recommended. Info: 247-4295 or www.brandon-music.net.
“LOVE LETTERS” IN BRISTOL. Saturday, Nov. 12, 7 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 13, 2 p.m., Holley Hall. A. R. Gurney’s “Love Letters” will be presented at Holley Hall, sponsored by the Bristol Gateway Players. Donations at the door will benefit “Let’s Hear It for Holley Hall.” Refreshments will be available during intermission of the 90-minute presentation.
DAVID TORN ON GUITAR IN MIDDLEBURY. Wednesday, Nov. 16, 8 p.m., Mahaney Center for the Arts, Robison Hall. Experimental guitarist, film composer and former David Bowie sideman David Torn gives a concert of solo electric guitar improvisations. Free. Info: www.middlebury.edu/arts or 802-443-3168.
BLUEGRASS GOSPEL PROJECT IN VERGENNES. Saturday, Nov. 19, 7:30 p.m., Vergennes Opera House. Beautiful voices and unforgettable melodies will once again fill the Vergennes Opera House to the rafters. Info: www.vergennesoperahouse.org.
“PUSS IN BOOTS” IN MIDDLEBURY. Saturday, Nov. 12, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 16, 7 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 17, 7 p.m., ART Theater,
the American present through song, story and some gymnastics. Directed by Cheryl Faraone. $12 public; $10 college ID holders; $6 students. On sale Oct. 31. Info: www. middlebury.edu/arts or 802-443-3168. “FRANKENSTEIN” IN MIDDLEBURY. Saturday, Nov. 19, 7-10 p.m., Town Hall Theater. Due to popular demand, Town Hall Theater is bringing back the National Theater’s production of “Frankenstein” starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Johnny Lee Miller. $17/$10 students. Info: www. townhalltheater.org or 382-9222.
“GREASE” IN VERGENNES. Thursday, Nov. 17, Friday, Nov. 18, 7 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 19, 3 p.m., Vergennes Union High School. VUHS presents their fall musical “Grease.” Tickets are available at Everywhere for Everybody in Vergennes and the VUHS auditorium lobby Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-noon and evenings. $12 adults; $10 students. Info: 877-2938.
PIANO RECITAL IN MIDDLEBURY. Thursday, Nov. 17, 7:30 p.m., Mahaney Center for the Arts, Robison Hall. The fall piano concert by Diana Fanning’s students. Info: www. middlebury.edu/arts or 802-443-3168.
THEATER
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, November 10, 2016 — PAGE 17
“MARY POPPINS-THE MUSICAL” IN BRISTOL. Thursday, Nov. 17, Friday, Nov. 18, 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 19, 2 p.m. matinee and 7:30 p.m., Mount Abe Union High School. MAUHS presents “Mary Poppins-the Musical” for its fall show. Tickets are available at Martin’s Hardware on West Street in Bristol. All seats are reserved. $12 adults; $8 senior citizens/ kids under age 12. AMERICAN SUNRISE/SUNSET IN MIDDLEBURY. Thursday, Nov. 17, Friday, Nov. 18, Saturday, Nov. 19, 7:30 p.m., Seeler Studio Theatre. The 24-person company explores
LIMITIED TIME ONLY NOVEMBER 1 - DECEMBER 31, 2016
ARTS+LEISURE Go ahead, put your feet up.
$
16 Creek Road | Middlebury | 388-6054 www.countrysidecarpetandpaint.com Mon. - Fri. 7:30 - 5:30, Sat. 8 - 3
100 REBATE Expires 12/12/16 Qualifying products include: Skyline Gliding Window Panels, Pirouette Window Shadings, Silohuette Window Shadings, Vignette Modern Roman Shades, Duette Honeycomb Shades
The Addison Independent
Let our real estate section do the work for you.
802-388-4944
ads@addisonindependent.com
PAGE 18 — Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, November 10, 2016
realestate
did you know ? CALL 802-388-4944
ADVERTISE ON THIS PAGE.
70 Court Street, Middlebury, VT
802-989-7522
champlainvalleyproperty.com
BillBeck.com MIDDLEBURY
$339,000
Renovated 4-bdrm, 2-bath Ranch with spacious addition. Open sun-filled family room/kitchen/dining area, fabulous master bedroom suite. Spacious screened porch, walk-out basement. Oversized 2-car attached garage, plus insulated heated detached garage.
MIDDLEBURY: MARBLE WORKS LUXURY CONDOMINIUM Completely renovated and offered as a turn-key property. This 2-BR, 2BA home has been beautifully upgraded, decorator-furnished and well-maintained to meet the needs of the most discriminating buyer. $415,000
MIDDLEBURY
For more information visit www.acbor.org or www.houselogic.com
$199,000
Well maintained 1800’s farmhouse with 2 acres of land (very nice soil). Features one hopes to find in an older home – wide pine floors, fireplace, large mudroom, plus many nice updates – including newer windows and heating system. Easy drive to town!
NEW
LISTING
MIDDLEBURY
YOU CAN SAVE SOME MONEY THIS THANKSGIVING BY INSTALLING A DIMMER SWITCH FOR THE DINING ROOM LIGHTS. DIMMING A BULB’S BRIGHTNESS BY 10 PERCENT DOUBLES THE BULB’S LIFESPAN. MOST CFLS DON’T WORK WITH DIMMERS, BUT YOU CAN CREATE MOOD LIGHTING WITH INCANDESCENTS AND LEDS. THE DIMMER SWITCH COSTS ABOUT $10.
EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY MIDDLEBURY: This 1.2 acre, 2,930 sq. ft, 5 BR house sits on the edge of town providing both a rural feeling and views to the Green Mountains. Nicely proportioned rooms, 2 enclosed porches with slate flooring to enjoy pastoral views. Detached 3-car garage. Additional 13 acres of contiguous land available. $319,000
$195,000
Two bedroom condo. Great location in the desirable Overbrook community. There is hardwood flooring, stainless steel appliances, spacious light filled space with a full basement for storage. One car garage and a very nice deck complete the space.
FERRISBURGH: Contemporary 3 BR home (+ separate 1 BR apt.) with Adirondack & Lake Champlain views . Open floor plan w/spacious living room & dining room fireplace. Outbuildings and storage sheds. 10 Acres high tensile fencing. Additional land available. $650,000
802-388-7983 Bill Beck Real Estate
Follow us
All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 as amended which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or persons receiving public assistance, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertisement for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination, call HUD Toll-free at 1-800-424-8590. For the Washington, DC area please call HUD at 426-3500.
Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, November 10, 2016 — PAGE 19
PAGE 20 — Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, November 10, 2016
Residence