April 18,2024 CI

THE CONCORD INSIDER

‘The magic of the music’

Kearsarge Chorale’s spring performance

“Ifyouhaven’tbeenfollowingtheKearsarge Chorale,you’vebeen missingout-missingouton 15yearsofthemagicof theirmusic,”accordingto long-timeaudiencemember LindaBarnesofSalisbury.

Inthisfifteenthanniversaryyear,concertsareto takeplaceonMay25and November23.

Joinyourneighborson Saturday,May25at3p.m.at KearsargeRegionalHigh SchoolinNorthSuttonfora programofBroadway, movieandotherpopular musicalworks.

Weeklyrehearsalshave beenunderwaysincemidFebruaryforthespringconcertatKearsargeRegional HighSchool,“AnAfternoon attheTheater.”This matineewillincludeshow tunesfromWestSideStory, MammaMia,MaryPoppins, Godspell,MyFairLady, PhantomoftheOperaand

more.Morethan30singers whocometogetherfrom Andover,Bradford,Salisbury,NewLondon,Elkins, Sunapee,Sutton,Newbury andWarnerareparticipatingwithanagerangeof about30tonearly90.

DavidAlmond,thenorganistandchoirmasterfor NewLondon’sFirstBaptist Church,in2008invitedarea singerstojoininatributeto thegreatEnglishcomposer, RalphVaughanWilliams. Theresultwassopowerful andrewardingthatmanyof thesingerswantedtocontinueasagroup.Thegroup soonbecameknownas KearsargeChorale,andwas incorporatedasanon-profit in2009withamissionto provideanoutstandingmusicalexperiencefortheenjoymentandeducationof singers,andenrichmentof thebroadercommunity.

Communityenrichment indeed.Sinceinception,fall

andspringconcertshave beenofferedinNew Londonatvenuesincluding FirstBaptistChurch,Colby SawyerCollege,OurLadyof FatimaCatholicChurchand currentlyKearsargeRegionalHighSchool.NewportMeetingHouse,New LondonHospital,and WilmotCommunityCenter havealsofeaturedChorale singers.

UndercurrentArtisticDirector,AlexAger,Kearsarge Chorale’smusichasranged from16thto21stcentury, classicaltopop.Ageristhe K-12musicteacherforthe SunapeeSchoolDistrict whereheteacheselementarygeneralmusicand

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Asmall groupof KearsargeChorale singers,with ChairLinda Barnessecondfromleft,rehearsewithArtisticDirectorAlexAger.

middleandhighschool bandandchoir.Previously hewastheK-8music teacheratAndoverElementary/MiddleSchoolforfive years.

WithaMasterofMusicin MusicEducationfrom BostonUniversityandBachelorofScienceinMusicEducationfromPlymouth StateUniversity,Ager joinedthechoraleinthefall of2017asasingerinthe basssectionandhasbeen ArtisticDirectorsince 2019.

TheChorale’scurrentcollaborativepianistisfounder DavidAlmond,whoserved asArtisticDirectorforsix years.Hehasspentalifetimeinmusicasanorganist, choirdirector,conductor, composerandarranger.He hasservedasorganist/choir directoratdifferenttimes forFirstBaptistChurchand St.Andrew’sChurch(both inNewLondon)andnowas organistatFirstCongregationalChurchinHopkinton. DonaldCoxofNewLondon servedasArtisticDirector oftheChoralebetweenAlmondandAger.

SalisburysopranoLinda Barnes(mother-in-lawto theaudiencememberofthe samename),nowtheChair ofKearsargeChorale,was oneofthosesingersinthe tributetoVaughanWilliams 15yearsagoandrecently commentedthatgoingtorehearsalonwinterevenings issometimesdifficult.

“Butbytheendofthe

evening,Iamjoyful,relaxed andfilledwithprideatthe camaraderieandachievementsofourgroup.”She alsopointedoutthehealth benefitsofsinging:exercisingthebrainaswellas thebody,fosteringdeep breathing,reductionof stresslevelsandenhanced immunesystem.

Whatdoaudiencemembersexperience?Forone listenerthefirstwordthat comestomindis“community.”Thereissomething foreveryone,thevery youngalongsideseniors, sharinginthejoyoftheperformance.Theaudienceis collectivelyenrichedbythe communicationbetween theperformersandthosein attendance,andexperiences arangeofemotionsstirred bythepowerfulsongs,she said.Foranotherlistener, theimmediateresponseto

theNovemberconcertwas of“beautifulsinging”that ledto“joy,emotionanda senseofpeace,”and“asense ofbelongingandcommunity.”Inagreementisoneof theChorale’syoungermembers,altoHannahHerrick ofNewbury,whostatedthat “singingwiththeChorale hasgivenmeacreative outletduringtheearlyyears ofmotherhood,allowingme topausetherhythmsoflife withlittlekidstodosomethingthatisjustformeand toengagewiththecommunityinameaningfulway.”

Youcanalsofollowthe KearsargeChoraleontheir websiteatwww.kearsargechorale.organdtheirFacebookpage.Thoseinterested insingingwiththeChorale inthefallforaNovember23 concertshouldcontact kearsargechorale@ gmail.com

TheSongweavers Women’sChoruswithDirectorJennieO’BrienpresentaspecialEarthDaythemedconcert,Mother Earth,OurHomeonSaturday,April20at5p.m.at theSouthCongregational Church(27PleasantStin Concord).

Joiningthesingerswillbe theSongweaverdrummers performingWestAfrican stylerhythms,co-directedby GraceandLindseySchust presentingmusicfromvariousgenresthatreflect thoughtsonourhome,Earth. Theconcertwillfeature tunessuchas“ThisLandis YourLand,”“FieldsofGold,” “WilltheCircleBeUnbroken,”and“I’dLiketo TeachtheWorldtoSing.” ThiseventispartofCCMS’s 4othAnniversaryYearcelebration.

SongweaversisNew Hampshire’sfirstall women’schorusandall women’sdrumgroupandis anensembleoftheConcord CommunityMusicSchool. FounderCarolynParrott stronglybelievedthateveryonecansingandcreated anensembleandcommunity whereallwomenarewelcome.Songweavershasbeen singingandcreatingcommunityeversince!

Ticketsare$20foradults and$15forchildren(under 18)orolderadults(65+). Ticketscanbepurchasedonlineatccmusicschool.org,in personattheMusicSchool, orbycallingusat603-2281196.Alimitednumberof ticketsmaybeavailableatthe door.Learnmoreatccmusicschool.org/event/songweavers-concert-motherearth-our-home/

book of the week

‘The Weaver and the Witch Queen,’

by Genevieve Gornichec

(2023,412pages, Genre:Historical Fantasy)

Twelveyearslater, Gunnhildhasgrown intoapowerfulwitch,and SignyandOddnyarestill livingontheirfamilyfarm whenaraidingpartyinvades anddestroystheirwayoflife. Signyiscapturedduringthe raid,andOddnyisdeterminedtofindhersister, whomshefearshasbeen soldintoalifeofslavery. Throughmysticaland strangeoccurrences, Gunnhild’sandOddny’s pathscrossagainastheyare

Thisbooktakes placeinNorwayand tellsthestoryof Gunnhild,ayoung womanfroma prominentfamily, whodoesn’tfeellikeshe fullybelongsinherplacein society.Shestrugglesinher relationshipwithherparents:hermother,whotreats herharshlyandexpectsher tobehaveaccordingtoher station,andherfather,who isoftenawayonofficialbusinessandreallyhasnoclose bondwithhisdaughter. However,Gunnhildtakessolaceinherfriendshipwith SignyandOddny,twosisters fromapoorfamily.Thegirls aresoclosetheytakeablood oath,bindingthemtogether forever.Theirdevotionto eachotheristested whenavisiting seeressenvisionsa darkcloudovertheir friendship,andsays thatoneofthemwill causedevastation forthemall.

determinedtosaveSignyand maintainthebondforgedbetweenthethreeofthemin childhood.

Ireallyenjoyedthe strengthofallthefemale charactersinthisstory;they allmaketheirfeelingsand voicesheardandcarvetheir ownpathsinlife.

Thesettings,culturalattributes,andsomecharactersarebasedonhistorical accountsfromtheViking Age,theIcelandicsagas,and thewritingsofAhmadibn Fadlan,anambassadorfrom Baghdadwhochronicledthe livesoftheVikingsextensively.Theblendofhistory andfantasticalelementswas seamlessandmakesthis bookaverycompellingread.

VisitConcordPublicLibraryatwww.concordpubliclibrary.net

Emily Kosowicz

By CHLOE RATTEE Monitor staff

Arushofexcitedpeople pouredoutofthelobbyof theMcAuliffe-ShepardDiscoveryCenterwhen CameronWaller,who worksbehindthefront desk,announcedthatitwas just15minutesuntilthe eclipsereachedtotality.

Thecenterheldaviewing partyMondayafternoon, April8,duringtheunique event,andanyonecould parkachaironthelawnfor free.Butasidefromthe crowdoutside,visitorsalso decidedtoseewhatthemuseumhadtooffer–700

passesweresoldby3p.m., easilysurpassingthepeak 400passessolddailyduring thecenter’sbusiesttime, Februaryvacation.

RaeDuncan,whoalso worksatthefrontdesk,said thattheysawtheirusual familiesandseniors,but todaytherewerealotmore singleadults.

Thecenterwasreadyfor thefloodofviewers.The outsideareawasstocked withsnacksanddrinks.

Neartheentrance,there wasatentwhereattendees couldgeteclipseviewers sincethecenterranoutof glasses.

Viewerswerevirtually thesameastheglassesbut theyhadtobeheldinplace. Thecenterhadbeenselling eclipseglassesforthelast 18monthsandranoutmultipletimes.

ABowfamilywasprobablyoneofthemostexcited groupsthere.Theystoodtogetherlookingupwiththeir eclipseglasseson.Thekids andadultsallworebig smiles,butgrandmother EllenGraham’swasthe biggest.

“Whatagorgeousdayfor it,”Grahamsaid.“Mylast eclipsewasin1945andwe usedpinboxes[toseeit].”

ForMaggieHoward,of RhodeIsland,itwasthe firsttimeshesaidshetraveledtoseeaneclipsebut notthefirstoneshe’sseen–therewasoneoverProvidencewhenshewas12,she said.

“Weusedthepinhole methodandmydadputout abucket,wedidn’thave these[eclipseglasses],”she said.

Otherthanpullingupa chairandgrabbingasnack, thecenterwasprepared withmultipleactivities whilevisitorswaitedfortotality.

TheBoramfamily,from Seattle,wasvolunteeringat thediscoverycentertobe besidetheirdaughter, WallisBoram,whoworksas aneducationcoordinator there,thatday.Parents CarrieandBrianwererunningatablewithKatieMarinoff-Silk,directorofdevelopment.

Thetableheldsuppliesfor visitorstomakeCyanotype sunprints,whereyoucould

testoutthedifferentlevels ofasunscreenSPFby drawingwiththemand seeinghowmuchsunpasses through.Theactivityaimed toprovideeducationabout stayingsafeinthesun.

Meanwhile,theyounger Boramwashelpingtoman thetelescopedisplay,where viewersofallheightscould catchaglimpse.Shesaidshe andtherestoftheteamhad beenseriouslyplanningfor theeclipseforaboutayear andahalf.

Alsostandingbytohelp withthetelescopeswasinternJJDeVito,ahighschool senior.Ithappenedtobe DeVito’sfirstday.

Inside,MorganandColt Bertrandandtheirthree childrenmakesolareclipse drawingswithchalkalongsidetheir81-year-oldgreat-

grandmother,TaraVan Meter.MorganBertrand andVanMetermadea drawingtogether,which Bertrandsaidwouldbea goodwaytorememberthe event.

“Thisissomethingwereallywantedtodobecause we’renotsureshe’sgoingto seeanotherone,”Morgan Bertrandsaid.

TheCapitalQuiltersGuild hadanexhibitsetupinside thatdisplayedthequilters’ work.Attendeescouldvote ontheirfavoriteone.Asign notedthatthequiltersused theeclipseasinspiration, eachinterpretingthetheme viadifferentfabricsand techniques.

HayleySteiberbrought hertwoyoungdaughters fromKittery,Maine.She saidgoingtothecenterto

seetheeclipsewasanobrainer.

“Theybothreallylove space,”Steibersaid.“Iwas tryingtoexplaintothem theconceptofaneclipse anditjustwentrightover theirheads.”

PAGE 8

Asthemoonslowlymade itswaytowardcoveringthe sun,theenvironmentbegan SEE

Turning 65

Turning 65 is a big milestone in a person’s life. For most, it’s also the time to apply for Medicare. Most commonly now you apply for Medicare Part A and/or Part B on the Social Security website. I’m told by my clients who are new to Medicare that they feel fortunate to have me “hold their hand” and help them through the process. I will hold your hand too if you want my assistance as you face this dilemma of decisions.

Much of my consultation time is going through the appropriate steps of someone just getting their Medicare active. But this seems to be the most daunting step for most that I meet with. You can enroll in Medicare online by going to SSA.gov. Medicare alone is not enough, and that's where I come in to help you understand your Medicare options. Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare Supplement (Medi-gap) plans and Medicare Drug plans are complex and the fact that you can have my knowledge (at no cost to you) to help you decide the right choice for you at this milestone in your life will give you peace of mind. Well, that’s what my clients tell me at least.

Hundreds gather to view eclipse

tochange.

Itwasn’tdarkout,butit gotnoticeablydimmer,and chillier,thanthe66degrees andsunnydaythatitwas twohoursprior.People chattedabouttheskytowardthenorthgetting muchdarker.

Aftertotalitywasover,

somepeoplebeganpacking uptheirthings,butnoone wasinarush.

FromConcord,Coleand MackenziePadulasatona blanketinthegrasswith theirson,whosnackedon twodifferentapples.They’d beentotheDiscovery Centerbeforeandwere happytobeback.

“Wehadhisfirstbirthday here,helovesspaceships,” Mackenziesaid.“[The eclipse]wasgreat,itwas awesome.”

A Senior Living Community

Active seniors can enjoy an exciting lifestyle with fun daily activities. Granite Ledges of Concord is a lively community which supports our residents’ independence, while offering the security of a 24-hour staff, as well as personalized care services when they are needed.

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Sign up for the free, weekly email newsletter covering science and technology tidbits from award-winning journalist David Brooks.

concordmonitor.com/ newsletters

CHLOE RATTEE /Monitor staff

Volunteers and Seattle-natives Brianand Carrie Boram working with the center'sdirector of development Katie Marinoff-Silk.

TheNHFurnitureMastersarepleasedtofeature theworkofthreenew membersinourspringexhibition:DanFaia,Mike Korsak,andPhilipMorley. Thisexhibitcelebratesthe creativityanddedication

ofournewestmembers andbringstogetheradiversearrayoftalent.

Asyouviewtheexhibition,youwillrecognize eachmaker’suniquestyle anddedicationtothetraditionoffinefurniture

making.TheNHFurniture Masterscelebrateour30th anniversaryin2025and wearethrilledtocontinue expandingourmembershipandintroducingour audiencetonewmakers.

OurNewMembers Showwillbeondisplay throughJune14.TheNH FurnitureMastersGallery islocatedat49S.Main StreetinConcordand openMonday-Friday from8:30a.m.-5p.m. Learnmoreatfurnituremasters.org/exhibitiongallery/

SKIT,theSunapee KearsargeIntercommunity Theater,presentsOlympus OnMyMind,afunny,sometimespoignant,off Broadwaymusicalfeaturing godsbeingnaughty!

Lessonsarelearned,delightfulsongsaresung,toes aretappedandthisgemwill leaveyouwonderingabout yourknowledgeof mythology.

HereJudyThackaberry, playingCharis,shocksthe restofthecast;AngelaTarleton,KristiUpton,Susan Schott,KevinTarleton, LarryFuller,DaveMunn, Sully&BenGonyaw.

ShowdatesareApril19& 20at7:30;April21at1:30at WarnerTownHall.

Tickets$20/$15students/seniors,atMainStreet BookEnds,MorganHill Bookstore&Tatewell Gallery,andatskitnh.orgor atthedoor.ProceedsbenefitSKIT’sscholarship fund.

EMPLOYMENT

Help Wanted

COME JOIN OUR TEAM

Are you looking to join a team of fun staff which includes 3 house Golden Retrievers? You are in luck! Because ...

Is currently hiring for the following positions:

Massage Therapist

Housekeeping

Front Desk

Please apply at 62 Doris Ray Ct. Laconia NH 603-524-0111

CARETAKER POSITION

Ragged Mt. Fish and Game Club is looking for a permanent live-in Caretaker for our beautiful recreational members’ Club in Andover, New Hampshire. The Caretaker resides in a lovely three-bedroom home in the heart of the Club that is suitable for a family. The Club of 50 members and 40 mainly seasonal homes has a pond, tennis courts, hiking trails and several communal buildings in a picturesque rural setting in 1300 acres of forest. Andover is a quaint New England town and has a private prep school and top ranked public elementary and middle schools.

Primary responsibilities include: Road maintenance, snow plowing, general building and grounds maintenance. Record keeping and basic computer skills needed. Positive hard-working person with can-do attitude essential. The position is structured as a contractor so requires an LLC.

Please contact:

Sooze Hodgson at doctorsooze@gmail.com and Chris Wardell at christopherwardell1@yahoo.com

training coordinator at (603) 669-7516.

LACONIA SCHOOL DISTRICT

Looking for highly motivated individuals to join Laconia Middle School for the 2024-2025 school year!

Music Teacher

Grade 7- English Language Arts Teacher

Grade 6- ¾ Science and ¼ Social Studies Teacher

NH Certification required.

Interested candidates please send district application, resume, 3 letters of reference, certification, and transcripts to:

Aaron Hayward, Principal, 150 McGrath Street, Laconia, NH 03246

Anticipated Special Education Life Skills Teacher

NH Certification required.

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities certification a plus.

Interested candidates please send district application, resume, 3 letters of reference, certification, and transcripts to:

Katherine Wilson, Student Services Administrator, 150 McGrath Street, Laconia, NH 03246

Applications will be accepted until positions are filled. Salaries are commensurate with experience.

E.O.E.

GILFORD SCHOOL DISTRICT

Seeking dynamic candidates to join our school community for the 2024-2025 school year. The successful candidates should seek to cultivate a learning environment that promotes collaboration, innovation, critical thinking and self-direction.

District Openings

Elementary Classroom Teacher

High School Science Teacher

(certification in Chemistry & Physical Sciences preferred) English Teacher

All positions are open until filled. NH Certification required for all teaching positions. Salary commensurate with experience. Excellent benefit package.

For more information and consideration, candidates should apply online at www.sau73.org

Gilford School District is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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