1794 Meetinghouse Performing Arts Center Summer 2012
Celebrating 25 Years
145
Years
PROUD Past FOCUSED on the F uture of our
We’ve been proudly supporting the Arts & solidly investing in our Banking Communities for 145 Years
978-249-3200 • www.atholsb.com Athol | Ashburnham | Baldwinville | Barre | Gardner | Winchendon
2012 Summer Program
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1794 Meetinghouse
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2012 Summer Program SUMMER 2012 SEASON at a GLANCE Thursday, July 12, 2012 at 7:30 PM
JUNE
PAMELA MEANS
Saturday, June 9, 2012 at 7:30 PM
SOUTHERN RAIL
Sunday, June 10, 2012 at 4:00 PM
QUABBIN VALLEY PRO MUSICA Thursday, June 14, 2012 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, July 14, 2012 at 7:30 PM
VICKI GENFAN
Sunday, July 15, 2012 at 4:00 PM
GATHERING TIME
GUY MENDILOW
Thursday, July 19, 2012 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, June 16, 2012 at 7:30 PM
Thursday, July 26, 2012 at 7:30 PM
Sunday, June 17, 2012 at 4:00 PM
Saturday, July 28, 2012 at 7:30 PM
& AUBREY JOHNSON
DARLINGSIDE
REBECCA HARTKA & GREGORY HAYES
Thursday, June 21, 2012 at 7:30 PM
TIM ERIKSEN
Saturday, June 23, 2012 at 7:30 PM
CHRISTINE OHLMAN & REBEL MONTEZ
Sunday, June 24, 2012 at 4:00 PM
GLENN JONES
Thursday, June 28, 2012 at 7:30 PM
DIGNEY FIGNUS
Saturday, June 30, 2012 at 7:30 PM
SAMANTHA FARRELL JULY
Sunday, July 1, 2012 at 4:00 PM
JUDITH GORDON
Saturday, July 7, 2012 at 7:30 PM
GIBBON the TROUBADOUR Sunday, July 8, 2012 at 4:00 PM
LAURA SIERSEMA
JOLLY BEGGARS
RAYMOND MORIN SAMIRAH EVANS
& HER HANDSOME DEVILS
AUGUST
NORTHERN ROUTES: 4 ADVENTURES IN NEW MUSIC
In the month of August, the 1794 Meetinghouse will present the best in adventurous, underground music with performances by artists working across a spectrum of experimental styles, from acoustic fusions of folk and improvisation to electronic textures and soundscapes. The August schedule is presently being developed and will be determined and announced in late June 2012... so stay tuned and check our web site for an updated schedule.
Please visit our web site at
www.1794meetinghouse.org where you can view our complete 2012 summer schedule, get information about individual performers and purchase tickets online. You can even listen to individual artist’s music and watch their videos... just click on their link.
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1794 Meetinghouse Dear Friends, In 1987 a small group of dedicated individuals with a passion for the performing arts, had a dream to create a cultural center in north central Massachusetts. That vision was the inception of the 1794 Meetinghouse Performing Arts Center; offering performing arts and theater of every genre, to everybody. As we now approach our 300th production at the Meetinghouse, we reflect upon the past and set our sights toward the future… and we come to realize how intricate the relationship is that we share with you. We cannot achieve our goals without your help. 2012 marks the 1794 Meetinghouse’s 25th year as a performing arts center; the performance arts, local cultural centers, and artists are facing severe budget cuts by way of cancelled grants, decreased Local Cultural Arts Council support, and the prospect of a significant decrease in core arts-and-culture spending in the next two years. In response, we are making our strongest effort ever to galvanize our supporters and the cultural community into action. Your support is more important to our survival than ever before. But the door swings both ways and it is critical to understand the mutual importance we hold for each other. The live performing arts at the Meetinghouse are not simply a frill or luxury. There are very few things more nurturing than live performances of music and theater. It’s wonderful to watch a good movie and it’s wonderful to see a good TV program or something funny on YouTube or listen to a good recording, but there’s nothing like being in the room where something live is being created and produced right in front of you, and you get to feel every aspect of it. I think it does integrate into your soul and make you a better person. This year we will play host to an ever-expanding range of professional, and community performances including heart-stopping bluegrass, traditional and eclectic rock, classical, jazz, blues, soul, and new age music. And the excitement is already building in anticipation of our August Series: Northern Routes - 4 Adventures in New Music. Throughout August, the Meetinghouse will present the best in adventurous, underground
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2012 Summer Program music by artists working across the spectrum of experimental styles, from acoustic fusions of folk and improvisation to electronic textures and landscapes. Please spread the word and bring your friends and family with you to any future shows. Filling the house is essential to our financial success and benefits performers and audiences alike. Lets keep it local and always remember, we are the “best deal in town”. We depend on your continued support. Sincerely, Niles Larson, President
We gratefully acknowledge the support of our advertisers, sponsors, donors, volunteers, and performers. Our season is supported in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, and by the Athol, New Salem, Orange, Pelham, Royalston, Shutesbury, Wendell, and Warwick Cultural Councils, local agencies supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
1794 Meetinghouse wishes to express our deepest appreciation to WJDF 97.3 FM for, once again, being our annual season’s sponsor. Since its beginning, WJDF has influenced the communities it serves and always responded to the public’s needs by enabling individuals, groups, and communities to tell their own stories, to share experiences and, in a media-rich world, to become creators of, and contributors to media.
Official 2012 Season’s Sponsor
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1794 Meetinghouse GENERAL INFORMATION Restrooms are available outside the building and to your right. This includes a wheelchair accessible facility.
Handicap access is available via the ramp along the left side of the Meetinghouse. Please notify us — in advance, if possible — of any special needs, and we will guarantee you an appropriate seat.
Information about upcoming events is available on our web site,
www.1794meetinghouse.org. You can also receive notices from us through the mail or email by signing the guest book in the foyer. We do not share your name or address with any other organization!
Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of the management.
No smoking in the Meetinghouse. No photography, audio or video recording during performances except with the express consent of 1794 Meetinghouse, Inc.
North Quabbin Woods Visitor Center & Artisan Gift Shop Visitor inf ormation information and fine, locally made gifts— kitchenw ar e, carvings, kitchenwar are, books, furnitur e, furniture, glassw orks, and mor e! glassworks, more! Conveniently located at Routes 2A & 122 1 East Main Street Downtown Orange Open Tu-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat 11am-4pm or visit us on the web at www .northquabbinw oods.or g www.northquabbinw .northquabbinwoods.or oods.org
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Disco ver North Quabbin Discov arts and cultur e on our culture ne ww eb site! new web
2012 Summer Program Where to purchase tickets: • • • •
Online, at our secure web site, www.1794meetinghouse.org At Bruce’s Browser 1497 Main Street, Athol • 978-249-3978 At New Salem General Store 410 Daniel Shays Hwy (Rt. 202), New Salem • 978-544-8177 At the door, unless sold out
1794 Meetinghouse Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a dual purpose: to preserve the historic 1794 Meetinghouse structure, and to serve the North Quabbin community by offering a varied range of accessible, enjoyable, high quality programs. The concerts in the Meetinghouse are our most visible activity, but we also offer internships, prizes, and scholarships to area high school students and maintain the beautiful historic building that serves as our home. In addition, we provide support and a home base for the Quabbin Valley Pro Musica, the region’s community chorus.
Monday thru Friday noon – 11pm Kitchen open until 10pm nightly
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1794 Meetinghouse Staff Michael Ruocco..........................................................................Executive Director Dr. Charles Heffernan................................Director, Quabbin Valley Pro Musica
Officers and Trustees Niles Larson..............................................................................................President Lynn Boudreau..........................................................................................Secretary David Van Iderstine...................................................................................Treasurer Patrick Borezo Jo-Ellen Boskind Heather Brissette Henry Cramer Jean Derderian
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Lisa DeWitt Adam Frost Marcia Gagliardi Janet Kraft Diane Lincoln
William Howe Oldach Rik Rolski Jane Williams William Williams
2012 Summer Program
Best wishes to 1794 Meetinghouse for a wonderful season
2 Belchertown Road • Pelham, MA 01002 • 413-253-7797 11
1794 Meetinghouse GET INVOLVED
Attend and enjoy our concerts. Bring your friends, too. You’ll have a
good time, and your support and enthusiasm will help ensure that we can continue to bring you a wide selection of quality events.
Make a donation at whatever level you can. Your ticket price only
covers a fraction of the cost of presenting these events. A contribution to our Annual Fund gives much-needed support to our many artistic and educational programs. Underwriting a Named Event can be a way to commemorate loved ones or to share your favorite kind of music with the community. Other specific gift opportunities include funding for theatrical lighting, building restoration and maintenance, concert sponsorships, and inscription gifts honoring a friend or family member, and, of course, advertising in this program guide next year.
Volunteer by selling tickets, painting shutters or helping at a fundraiser. Your time and skills are always welcome. We’re a small group and fun to work with. Even one person’s help makes a big difference to us — and it will to you too.
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2012 Summer Program
Young PATRICK BULLIS Knew What He Wanted To Be From A Very Early Age.
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PATRICK BULLIS, CPA
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1794 Meetinghouse
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2012 Summer Program
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2012 Summer Program
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1794 Meetinghouse Saturday, June 9, 2012, at 7:30 PM Champagne Reception for the opening of the 2012 Season at 6:45 P.M.
SOUTHERN RAIL www.southernrail.com
Exciting top-notch Bluegrass The music of Southern Rail is high-energy exuberant fun, with riveting harmonies, irreverent humor, and sparkling banjo and mandolin solo work. Their recordings have graced Bluegrass Unlimited’s Top 30 Singles Chart for a combined total of 32 months, and that same insiders’ publication describes Southern Rail as “one of the most significant groups in contemporary bluegrass...the cutting edge of creativity.” Their success is evidenced by a heavy touring schedule and many wellreceived recordings. Jim Muller, guitar and lead vocal Sharon Horovitch, acoustic bass and harmony vocals Rich Stillman, banjo and harmony vocals John Roc, mandolin, harmony vocals Sponsored by: Butler’s Decorating Center, Prudential Prime Properties, and Uptown Package Store, Athol, MA Adults $15. Children 12 and under FREE.
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2012 Summer Program Sunday, June 10, 2012, at 4 PM
QUABBIN VALLEY PRO MUSICA Resident choral group of the 1794 Meetinghouse Charles Heffernan, conductor
Quabbin Valley Pro Musica is directed by Dr. Charles Heffernan, Professor Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He directed the Keene, New Hampshire Chorale for more than twenty years. QVPM will perform Leopold Mozart’s Missa Brevis, originally ascribed to Leopold’s son Wolfgang. The program also includes offerings by two choristers, Carolyn Brown Senier’s “Speranza” with lyrics by her husband Richard Senier, and Allison Pollitt’s “Light of Dedication,” with references to passages from Genesis. The program opens with Wolfgang Mozart’s “Ave Verum Corpus.” Dr. Heffernan has selected music by the late Massachusetts twentieth century composer, Randall Thompson, including an “Alleluia” and four parts of Frostiana, with words from Amherst poet Robert Frost. Judy Johnson of Orange will accompany the 40-member chorus on keyboard, and Mary Carfagna of Petersham will add her cello to the Missa Brevis. Sponsored by William Howe Oldach; Breezeway Farm Consulting, John Ryan & Linda Overing, in memory of Edyth Overing, longtime 1794 Meetinghouse board and QVPM member; and Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust Adults $15. Children 12 and under FREE.
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1794 Meetinghouse Thursday, June 14, 2012 at 7:30 PM
GUY MENDILOW & AUBREY JOHNSON www.guymendilow.com
One of Boston’s most original world-music acts. Get ready for a musical voyage awash with warm harmonies, intricate textures and spellbinding vocal improvisations. Award winning performers Guy Mendilow and Aubrey Johnson breathe new life into centuries-old Sephardi romanzas and canticas. Epic tales of sailors and love lost to the seas, of fantastic dreams and the intrigue of kings and queens abound in arrangements that crackle and evolve in rich musical storytelling. Now, for the 2012/13 season only, Israeli-born composer Guy Mendilow (twice voted Boston’s Best World Music Act - Boston Phoenix) and Aubrey Johnson (voice faculty, Berklee College of Music, Boston) break away from theaters, festivals and from their sextet to offer a special duo presentation geared especially for the intimacy of smaller venues.
Sponsored by Athol Savings Bank Adults $15. Children 12 and under FREE.
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2012 Summer Program Saturday, June 16, 2012, at 7:30 PM
DARLINGSIDE
www.darlingside.com Darlingside resides at the intersection of rock, classical and folk Under one roof in New England’s Pioneer Valley, Darlingside came together with five songwriters, a mandolin, a cello and violin, guitars and drums, a chorus of voices, and a van named Chauncey. Holed up in their home between a cornfield and the Connecticut River, they forged a seamless, exhilarating sound at the intersection of rock, classical, and folk music. The band is currently rolling out an innovative subscription album, Pilot Machines, and shaking rafters along the eastern seaboard with their vibrant live shows. Following 2010’s self-recorded EP 1, Darlingside teamed up with producer Nathaniel Kunkel (Sting, Crosby/Nash, Maroon 5) in 2011 to turn their house into a hi-fi recording laboratory and playground. The result was Pilot Machines, an insistently melodic collection of new songs that feel both familiar and ground-breaking. The band is now in the midst of an ambitious release, with three 7” records and a string of exclusive pre-release events ramping up toward the full-length album in Summer 2012. Sponsored by Athol Daily News and Workers’ Credit Union Adults $15. Children 12 and under FREE.
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1794 Meetinghouse Sunday, June 17, 2012 at 4 PM
REBECCA HARTKA & GREGORY HAYES www.rebeccahartka.com Virtouso cello and piano Active as a soloist, chamber musician and educator, cellist Dr. Rebecca Hartka released her debut CD “Folkfire” in October 2010, receiving critical acclaim as well as radio play on both WFCR and WAMC Performance Place. Her international solo debut in 2007 in Vietnam was reviewed by a local paper as “... no less than magical and eloquent.” As comfortable in a café as a concert hall, Hartka has appeared in venues such as the Boston Center for the Arts, the Rockwood music club in New York and Club Passim in Cambridge, MA. She has recently appeared at the Dweck Center for Contemporary Culture in Brooklyn, NY. Joining the cellist on stage will be internationally known pianist, Gregory Hayes. Hayes has taught piano and harpsichord at Dartmouth College since 1991. He is a busy chamber musician and orchestral keyboard player, and has appeared as soloist with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. Sponsored by Fiske, Murphy & Mack Funeral Home, Orange, MA Adults $10. Children 12 and under FREE.
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2012 Summer Program Thursday, June 21, 2012, at 7:30 PM
TIM ERIKSEN
timeriksenmusic.com Stark Songs and Breakneck Picking… Hardcore Americana
Tim Eriksen is acclaimed for transforming American tradition with his startling interpretations of old ballads, love songs, shape-note gospel and dance tunes from New England and Southern Appalachia. He combines hair-raising vocals with inventive accompaniment on banjo, fiddle, guitar and bajo sexto - a twelve string Mexican acoustic bass creating a distinctive hardcore Americana sound that ranges from the bare bones of solo unaccompanied singing, through the stripped-down voice and bajo sexto, to the lush, multi-layered arrangements of northern roots American music. Eriksen’s own compositions, which NetRhythms UK described as “strange and original works,” have been featured in films like the Billy Bob Thornton vehicle Chrystal and the upcoming documentary Behold the Earth. Eriksen’s other notable work has included extensive contributions to Anthony Minghella’s 2004 Oscar-winning film Cold Mountain as well as collaborations ranging from hardcore punk and Bosnian pop to symphony orchestra and the 2010 Grammy-nominated album Across the Divide with Afro-Cuban world-jazz pianist Omar Sosa. Sponsored by Athol/Orange Rotary Club Adults $15. Children 12 and under FREE.
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1794 Meetinghouse Saturday, June 23, 2012 at 7:30 PM
CHRISTINE OHLMAN & REBEL MONTEZ with special guest MITCH CHAKOUR
www.christineohlman.net Saturday Night Live’s queen of blue-eyed rock n’ soul
Christine Ohlman is the current, long-time vocalist with the Saturday Night Live Band, who sang at SNL’s 25th Anniversary telecast, Bob Dylan’s 30th Anniversary bash at The Garden (with George Harrison, Chrissie Hynde, and others), the 2009 Obama Inaugural Gala in Washington, D.C., The Lincoln Center “American Songbook” series with Sting, Lou Reed and Van Dyke Parks. She appears on Grammy nominees A Tribute To Howlin’ Wolf (with Taj Mahal and Lucinda Williams) and Charlie Musselwhite’s One Night In America (with Marty Stuart); Ohlman sings the theme song for NBC’s 30 Rock. With Christine is her band Rebel Montez (Michael Colbath-bass; Cliff Goodwinguitar; Larry Donahue-drums). “I’ve come here tonight to set your souls on fire,” she’ll tell an audience. And she will.
Mitch Chakour, stellar musician, music impresario and former music director for Joe Cocker will be a special guest joining Ohlman and Montez. Get ready for a show that’s incendiary and eclectic! Sponsored by Linqsongs Publishing, Royalston, MA; and Workers’ Credit Union Adults $15. Children 12 and under FREE.
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2012 Summer Program Sunday, June 24, 2012, at 4 PM
GLENN JONES
www.frontporchproductions.org/artist/glennjones
The best guitarist you never heard of
Glenn Jones has led Boston’s “avant -garage” instrumental rock band, Cul de Sac, whose musical adventures are documented on nine albums to date, including a soundtrack for cult-director Roger Corman, and collaborations with guitarist John Fahey and former Can vocalist Damo Suzuki. A 30+ year devotee of the so-called American Primitive school of acoustic steel string guitarists, Glenn has been playing guitar since the age of 14. Jones has performed with and written extensively about the leading lights of the American Primitive guitar style, John Fahey and Robbie Basho. Sponsored by Athol Daily News Adults $15. Children 12 and under FREE.
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1794 Meetinghouse Thursday, June 28, 2012 at 7:30 PM
DIGNEY FIGNUS www.digney.com
Sophisticated blend of blues, folk and cajun
Digney Fignus is a Boston based singer/songwriter. His latest CD, Last Planet on the Left further cements Digney’s standing as one of the most complete and thought-provoking songwriters gracing the roots/Americana landscape. Lyrically positive and musically as brilliant as ever. “Fig’s” songs have more hooks and lures than a fishing tackle box. If his music doesn’t get you moving, check your pulse and see if you’re still alive!” Doug Sloan of Metronome Magazine says of Fignus, “Sounding like Randy Newman in his heyday, Digney wrangles up songs that bubble with grooves so infectious, you’re going to need a good liniment to work them out.” Digney arrived on the music scene playing guitar and singing in a three-piece Boston punk band called the SPIKES. Digney’s big break came when he won the MTV basement tapes with his hit song and video The Girl With The Curious Hand. Digney’s shows are high-energy full throttle fun that feature contagious songs you’ll be singing the next day. Sponsored by Highland Press, Athol, MA Adults $10. Children 12 and under FREE.
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2012 Summer Program Saturday, June 30, 2012 at 7:30 PM
SAMANTHA FARRELL
www.samanthafarrell.com
Singer/songwriter, jazzy folk rock vocals
Samantha Farrell is a sparkling young singer-songwriter who’s been criss-crossing the country and wowing audiences from the left to the right coast. It’s been a very good year for the Boston native who got her start in Los Angeles. Recently described by the Huffington Post as possessing “a liquor-honey voice, deft guitar work, and slightly melancholic tones that meld to form an aching and elegant aural tapestry,” she’s been reviewed by major music mags such as Relix, played for at-capacity venues across the country and New England, and independently released an album and EP which knocked Whitney Houston out of her number seven position on the national iTunes charts. An independent artist to the bone, she’s building something special, one show, one song, one fan at a time. Her music has been heard on several major network television shows (NBC’s “Shark”, CW’s “One Tree Hill” & “Privileged”) as well as numerous independent movies. Sam’s album, Luminous was entered into the first round for consideration of a 2010 Grammy nomination.
Sponsored by Stan’s Liquors, Athol, MA Adults $10. Children 12 and under FREE.
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1794 Meetinghouse Sunday, July 1, 2012 at 4 PM
JUDITH GORDON
www.smith.edu/music/faculty_gordon.php Classical piano solo
Judith Gordon gave her New York debut recital at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1990. She has performed concertos by Mozart, SaintSaëns, and Ravel with the Boston Pops Orchestra, and works by Bach,Schumann, Rachmaninoff, Hindemith, Berg, and Boulez with ensembles that include St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Boston Modern Orchestra Project and the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra. She has worked with a wide range of living composers, among them Martin Brody, Peter Child, Alan Fletcher, John Harbison, Lee Hyla, Peter Lieberson, and Donald Wheelock, almost all of whom have written works for her. In 1997 she was selected by the Boston Globe as “Musician of the Year.” She joined the Smith College music faculty in 2006. Ms. Gordon has collaborated in performance and on recordings with artists including singers Lisa Saffer, Janice Felty, Mary Nessinger, Krista River, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, William Hite, and James Maddalena; cellists Andres Diaz, Rhonda Rider, and Yo-Yo Ma; violists Cynthia Phelps, Marcus Thompson, and Roger Tapping; violinists Rose Mary Harbison and Andrew Kohji Taylor; flutists Fenwick Smith and Adam Kuenzel; Imani Winds, the Jacques Thibaud String Trio, and the Borromeo, Daedalus, and Lydian String Quartets. Adults $10. Children 12 and under FREE.
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2012 Summer Program Saturday, July 7, 2012, at 7:30 PM
GIBBON the TROUBADOUR
www.gibbonthetroubadour.com
A 21st Century Caricature of a 16th Century Minstrel. Powerful 12 String Guitar and Vocals A seasoned musician-entertainer, Garlod Amadon accompanies himself on accoustic twelve-string guitar in a powerful vocal performance. In true troubadour spirit, his pictorial introductions possess a unique edge that shapes each of his lyrical compositions into captivating ballads. Amadon hails from Athol, Massachusetts. Throughout the 70’s, the entertainment scene in New England sparked Garold’s strong desire to travel and bring his music to college towns and resort areas. Before leaving the northeast he averaged 150 club dates per year and accumulated over 60 performances in musical theatre in several lead roles with two community theatre groups. A Garold Amadon performance will swing you from a light jazzy format to heart-felt original versions of 70’s folk-rock ballads. He’ll set you sailing across the wild briny ocean swells with rich samples of original and traditional seafarin’ tunes that are sure to raise many a tankard in stouthearted fashion. Adults $10. Children 12 and under FREE.
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1794 Meetinghouse Sunday, July 8, 2012 at 4 PM
LAURA SIERSEMA www.laurasiersema.com
Dreamy, Lush, Fiercely Original Folk Her dreamy voice is sure to delight the audience as she transforms the folk music of her childhood into new and visionary works.
Laura Siersema didn’t know music was her purpose in life until she went away to college—by then the family had moved to Florida. During classes at University of Florida she wrote lyrics on napkins and, in-between classes, stole away to the auditorium to play the piano for hours. Standing next to the bar inside a dimly lit Folk City one night, awaiting her turn to play, an epiphany came and lingered for a moment: “This is where I belong.” Music was a low simmering desire that seemed to take forever to establish itself in real life. She bought a piano, gave lessons, accompanied New York Women’s Chorus for a few years… and took her first classical voice lessons with Natalie Burgess. Appearing with Laura are Billy Klock, drums; and Wim Aver, fretless bass. Adults $10. Children 12 and under FREE.
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2012 Summer Program Thursday, July 12, 2012 at 7:30 PM
PAMELA MEANS
www.pamelameans.com Politically-Provocative, Folk, Jazz, Singer/Songwriter. A Fierce Kamikaze Guitarist
Pamela Means is an acclaimed musical provocateur, independent, nationally and internationally touring artist whose “mad-guitar-and-vocal skills,” razor wit poetry and irresistible charm have captivated audiences across the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia. She performs both high energy and politically informed acoustic music in over 150 shows each year at colleges, theaters, clubs, coffeehouses, and festivals. She is a favorite at Black History Month and Women’s Month celebrations, Gay Pride events, and Take Back the Night rallies. With Truth as ammunition, a Pamela Means performance brings the struggle for social justice and human dignity to the forefront of a new generation. Pamela has shared the stage with artists including Ani DiFranco, Joan Baez, Neil Young, Shawn Colvin, Richie Havens, Patty Larkin, Melissa Ferrick, Violent Femmes, Pete Seeger, Janis Ian, Holly Near and many others. Adults $10. Children 12 and under FREE.
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1794 Meetinghouse
DEDICATED TO PLAYING THE BEST MUSIC EVERY DAY
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2012 Summer Program
PROUD TO BE CELEBRATING OUR 17TH YEAR ON THE AIR WJDF is the 1794 Meetinghouse’s 2012 Season Sponsor 33
1794 Meetinghouse Saturday, July 14, 2012 at 7:30 PM
VICKI GENFAN
www.vickigenfan.com Singer/songwriter, guitarist extraordinaire With a mastery of the acoustic guitar that borders on pure alchemy, audiences are mesmerized by the waves of sound Vicki Genfan creates with just two hands and her voice, drawing on folk, jazz, pop, soul, and world music. Using 29 alternate tunings and the percussive technique she calls “slap-tap,” audiences find the addition of her pure, expressive vocals to be the perfect accompaniment on many of her songs. Vicki adds warmth and humor to create an unforgettable evening of music that leaves the audience always wanting more. Perhaps her most celebrated award came in the form of first prize in the 2008 Guitar Player Magazine’s Guitar Superstar competition. Jim Fusilli of the Wall Street Journal, noting that the magazine is a “male-dominated domain,” stated: “It’s a stunning victory, a barrier shattered.” Vicki has been recognized among the world’s greatest guitarists at festivals such as The International Montreal Jazz Festival, Germany’s Open Strings Guitar Festival, Italy’s Soave Guitar Festival, as well as at venues and Performing Arts Centers across the U.S. and abroad. Sponsored by Witty’s Funeral Home, Orange/Athol, MA and Patrick Bullis, CPA, Athol, MA. Adults $15. Children 12 and under FREE.
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2012 Summer Program Sunday, July 15, 2012, at 4 PM
GATHERING TIME
www.gatheringtimetrio.com Stunning Folk Harmonies Miraculous three-part vocal blends uplifted by fine, noteperfect acoustic, electric and bass guitar - all this plus light, precise percussion...just the right amount...create the wall of sound and wave of memories we now know as Gathering Time. With a stylistic breadth ranging from the dyed-in-thewool folk sound of Peter, Paul & Mary to the folk-rock harmonic complexity of Crosby, Stills & Nash, Gathering Time is a trio that’s “getting a whole beehive-full of buzz” on the Long Island and national folk scene right now. Undeniably, their original songs reveal the influences of The Byrds, Simon & Garfunkel, Joni Mitchell, The Eagles and many more harmonizing favorites from the golden era of ‘60s folk-rock and the melodic magic of ‘70s acoustic rock. Glen, Hillary & Stuart are fast becoming known for their seamless vocal blend, memorable melodies, meaningful lyrics and easy-going, fun chemistry on stage. Bob McKillop of MaineFolkMusic.com writes, “Gathering Time has perfected two separate but related art forms: three part harmony and having a ball on stage! When they harmonize, some sort of fundamental, cosmic concordance occurs that makes you very happy that you have ears.” Sponsored in memory of Dorothy Hayden and Tom Hayden by their family and friends. Adults $15. Children 12 and under FREE.
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1794 Meetinghouse Thursday, July 19, 2012, at 7:30 PM
THE JOLLY BEGGARS
www.thejollybeggarsmusic.com Rich, traditional Celtic music
The Jolly Beggars bring the rich tradition of Celtic music to audiences all over the North Eastern United States. Made up of students from the Hartt School of Music in West Hartford, CT, their traditional songs and musical arrangements have exposed many music lovers to the joys of Celtic music.They tell traditional stories from Irish folklore and intersperse their musical arrangements with traditional reels and jigs. Characterized by their tight harmonies and use of mandolin, pennywhistle, guitar, bass, bodhran, spoons, and more, The Jolly Beggars have quickly built a solid following and continue to spread their music through New England and the Tri-State area. The band performs music that is largely Celtic in origin (Irish and Scottish), with some pieces coming from an extension of that music in other cultures. Sponsored by Athol 250th Anniversary Celebration and William Kessler Investments, Athol, MA Adults $10. Children 12 and under FREE.
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2012 Summer Program Thursday, July 26, 2012 at 7:30 PM
RAYMOND MORIN
www.sortofrecords.com/pairdown
Ambitious Acoustic Guitar Playing Original Songs and Bluesy Melodies
Raymond Morin comprises half of the group Pairdown: Pairdown is the folk-blues & experimental group co-founded by singer-guitarists David Leicht & Raymond Morin. They’ve released two albums, the eponymous EP (2006) and Holykyle (2009), both featuring inter-dependent fingerstyle guitar work blended with inventive songwriting. Since late 2005, Pairdown has performed on bills with notable acoustic and experimental acts including Brokeback, Jack Rose, Wooden Wand, Red Horse, The Impossible Shapes, Great Lake Swimmers, David Daniell, Milo Jones, D. Charles Speer, The Ditty Bops, Dodo Bird, Luke Doucet, Odawas, and Eleni Mandell, Death Vessel and Micah Blue Smaldone. Morin also owns and operates the label Sort Of Records, which has released over twenty albums of “challenging music in limited edition, hand-made packaging… everything from ragtime acoustic guitar music to abrasive out-jazz, jangly pop and post-punk.” Adults $10. Children 12 and under FREE.
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1794 Meetinghouse Saturday, July 28, 2012, at 7:30 PM
Champagne Reception for the closing of the 2012 Season at 6:45 P.M.
SAMIRAH EVANS and her HANDSOME DEVILS
www.samirahevans.com
Jazz singer with a mellifluously dynamic voice In New Orleans, a city known worldwide for its music, Samirah was one of its most popular jazz and blues vocalists. She first performed at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in 1990, and became a regular fixture as either a leader or featured vocalist for 14 consecutive years. She has toured Europe, Asia, and both North and South America as a headliner, and shared stages with a multitude of legendary artists from B.B. King and James Brown, to New Orleans own Queen of Soul, Irma Thomas. Samirah’s live performance repertoire runs the gamut from raunchy blues to jazz smooth as silk. She has often been compared to Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Wilson, and Etta James. Like many jazz and blues artists, Samirah dedicates time to perpetuating indigenous American music. Her success has continued in New England, and she has been heard at many popular theaters, nightspots, and supper club venues throughout the region. The instrumental musical talent of her “handsome devils” is truly amazing and virtuosic. Sponsored by Tully Mountain Produce, Royalston, MA and Miller’s River Cafe, Orange, MA Adults $15. Children 12 and under FREE.
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2012 Summer Program AUGUST2012 Progressive, Experimental Music Series Throughout August
NORTHERN ROUTES
4 ADVENTURES IN NEW MUSIC
In the month of August, the 1794 Meetinghouse will present the best in adventurous, underground music with performances by artists working across a spectrum of experimental styles, from acoustic fusions of folk and improvisation to electronic textures and soundscapes. The August schedule is presently being developed and will be determined and announced by late June 2012... so check our web site for artists, dates and details. This series is sponsored by Franklin Community Co-op/Green Fields & McCusker’s Markets, Greenfield & Shelburne Falls, MA and Orange Innovation Center, Orange, MA
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The Law Office of Pamela E. Oddy, P.C. Helping you preserve your assets with Wills, Trusts, Elder Care Law, Estate and Nursing Home Planning
220 Exchange Street, Athol, MA Tel: 978 249-7511 • Fax: 978 249-7506 E-mail: haven.oddy@verizon.net
Supporting the Arts!
IS A GREAT THING TO DO
State Representative Denise Andrews Thanks to the 1794 MEETING HOUSE for your leadership in enriching and investing in our vibrant communities! www.deniseandrews.org
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1794 Meetinghouse 1794 Meeting House brings music to your ears. Collective Copies gives form to your words. We offer print-on-demand, self-publishing, promotional materials, finishing services, books from our Levellers Press, and excellent service on both sides of the river. Amherst • 413.256.6425 Florence • 413.586.5829
www.collectivecopies.com
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2012 Summer Program Preschool, Kindergarten & Grades 1–6 An affordable independent school with a unique curriculum based on direct contact with the natural world, kindness, and attention to the individual.
The Village School
On the Common, Royalston 978-249-3505 www.villageschoolma.org
T homas R. O’C onnor , D irector
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1794 Meetinghouse 1287 South Main Street P.O. Box 375 Athol, MA 01331-0375 Tel: 978 249-7967 or 978 249-2236 Fax: 978 249-2276 The North Quabbin’s Family Vet www.aanimalhospital.com
Stephen Chase Contracting Restoration & Preservation Services Royalston, Massachusetts
978-249-4860 Construction Supervisor #044817 certified EPA Lead-Safe Renovator
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Noël’s Nursery Trees • Shrubs • Annuals/Perennials • Mulch Soil Amendments • Statuary • Supplies 5 Acres of Nursery Stock 77 Tully Road • Orange, MA • 978-575-0570
Lisa M. Carey, CPA Certified Public Accountant
525 Main Street Athol, MA 01331
Tel: 978-249-7852 Fax: 978-249-7854 lmcarey1@verizon.net
Harlem Gospel CHoir
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William Howe Oldach AT T O R N E Y AT L AW
Wills, Trusts, and Estates Real Estate & Mortgage Lending Services Reverse Mortgages Family Law • Guardianships/Adoptions Business Law • Civil Litigation Social Security/Disability 18 Dunbar Place Athol, MA 01331 Tel: 978 249-7977 / Fax: 978 249-7199 www.oldachlaw.com
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All Lines of Insurance Competitive Rates • Great Service
Lyman Signs & Truck Lettering Family owned & operated for over 50 years. Your full service sign center.
Truck Lettering Digital Printing Magnetic Signs Banners Gold Leaf Race Graphics Plastic Letters
45 State Road, Phillipston, MA 01331 978.249.6672 | www.lymansigns.com
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Breezeway Farm Consulting GRANT WRITING | PROJECT MANAGEMENT SERVICES E x pe r t s i n c o ns truc ti o n a nd g ra nt m a n a g em en t
Bringing communities into the 21st century.
222 Wendell Road | New Salem, MA 01355 978.544.8505 | breezewayfarm1@hughes.net
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2012 Summer Program SEE US TODAY FOR HOUSE, CAR AND BUSINESS INSURANCE!
www.cornerstoneinsurance.com
Union Music Amplifiers guitars pro audio drums keyboards effects lessons repairs rentals band instruments sheet music lowest prices 508-753-3702 142 southbridge st. worcester, ma www.unionmusic.com
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1794 Meetinghouse Performance Sponsors are one of 1794 Meetinghouse’s
most valuable and valued resources. Without their underwriting and in-kind contributions, our performances would be impossible to produce. We cherish this partnership and wish to express our appreciation. And so should you. Patronizing local businesses that support your local arts is essential to making our communities thrive. Anyone who contributes to local prosperity, also prospers. WJDF FM 97.3 – 1794 Meetinghouse Season’s Sponsor Athol Daily News Athol Savings Bank Athol 250 Anniversary Patrick Bullis, CPA Butler Decorating & Prudential Prime Properties J.W. DeWitt Fiske, Murphy, & Mack Funeral Home Franklin Community Co-op/Green Fields & McCusker’s Markets Highland Press Hume Equipment Kessler Investments King Phillip Restaurant & Motel Leonard Opticians Linqsongs Publishing C&M Longsworth Miller’s River Café Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust William Howe Oldach, Attorney at Law Orange Innovation Center Original Tire Rotary Club of Athol/Orange Stan’s Liquors Tully Mountain Produce Uptown Package Store Witty’s Funeral Home Workers Credit Union In memory of Dorothy Hayden and Tom Hayden from their family and friends In memory of Edyth Overing from Linda Overing and John Ryan & Breezeway Farm Consulting
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2012 Summer Program We wish to express our sincere thanks to the following individuals and businesses that have donated to the 1794 Meetinghouse, Inc., during the past year. Contributions, sponsorships and underwriting account for over 90% of our annual income. Joan Abboud Bette Abrams-Esche Arthur & Marilyn Adams Denise Andrews Athol 250th Anniversary Athol Daily News Athol Savings Bank Athol YMCA Athol/Orange Community Television Athol/Orange Rotary Club Cynthia Barnes Robert Bauver Baxter Chiropractic Al & Bonnie Benjamin Karl & Doris Bittenbender The Blind Pig Jo Ellen Boskind Lynn Boudreau Althea Brammhall Breezeway Farm Bruce’s Browser Patrick Bullis Patience Bundschuh Butler Decorating C&M Longsworth Sallie Camden Cardinal Brook Trust Lisa Carey Castine Movers Jules Chametzky Steven Chase Linda Clark Jeanne Clayton Collective Copies Robert A. Colnes Victor & Mary Colo Cornerstone Insurance Peter & Candace Cross Margo Culley David & Karen Davis Joann Deacon Elizabeth Devlin Diemand Farm David Drake
Karen Duplissie Amy Fagin Ben & Margaret Feldman Lisa Finestone Fiske, Murphy, Mack Funeral Home Rice Flanders Norman & Barbara Ford Clifford J. Forster, Jr. Shawn A. Foster David Gauthier Verne Goldsher, D.D.S. Greenfields Market Hannaford Supermarket Robert & Pamela Harris Edna Haven Hayden Family Fund Charles Heffernan Bo & Janet Henderson Heyes Forest Products Higgins/O’Connor Funeral Home Highland Press Carol B. Hillman Helene Holmes Hometown Bank Richard & Julia Hubbard Huhtala Oil Richard W. Hyland Inn at Clamber Hill J.W. DeWitt James Jackson Michael & Judith Jewett John & Virginia Jewett (in memory) Carl Johnson Paula & Robert Johnston Kessler Investments Debra Kierstead Kimball-Cooke Insurance Donald & Nona King King Phillip Restaurant & Motel Dave & Anne Marie Kittredge Randy & Diane Kohlstrom Janet Kraft Beverly Larkin Larry’s Variety/Larry’s Meat & Produce
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1794 Meetinghouse Gerard & Joanna Leclerc Leonard Opticians Andrew & Debora Lichtenberg Diane Lincoln Linqsong Publishing C&M Longsworth Frederick W. Lyman Lyman Signs Mo Lyons Mary C. McCarthy McCusker’s Market Thomas & Lillian McDonough Miller’s River Café Constance Milusich Margery E. Moretzsohn George Morin Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust Mt. Tully Kennels New Salem Preserves Newcomb Motors Noel’s Nursery North Quabbin Community Co-op North Quabbin Community Coalition North Quabbin Woods John O’Keefe Pamela Oddy William Oldach Orange Community Band Orange Innovation Center Orange Oil Co. Original Tire Linda Overing Mary-Ann Devita Palmieri Anthony L. Palmieri Emil Pauli, D.M.D. Dale & Lorna Peterson Nick Plakias Prudential Foundation Prudential Prime Properties
Nan Putnam Theresa A. Quinn Phil & Carla Rabinowitz Red Apple Farm Rise Richardson Alice Robbins David & Myra Ross John Ryan Jane & Steven Schoenberg Philip & Andrea Shaughnessy David Skillicorn Judy Smith David Spackman Jean Stabell Stan’s Liquors Phyllis Stever Phyllis Stone Target Marketing Leslie Taylor Jim & Pat Tedford Kathleen Thaw Nicholas Thaw Richard Trousdell Tully Mountain Produce Twentieth Century Illuminations Union Music Uptown Liquors Richard Verock Village School Jane Vondell Walmart of Orange Witty’s Funeral Home WJDF 97.3 FM Henry & Annie Woolsey John Woolsey Workers’ Credit Union Mr. & Mrs. George Wright William Zamagni, Sr.
If you would like to join this list, please send your donation today! We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and all donations are fully tax-deductible. We appreciate support from the Town of New Salem, Local Cultural Councils, and the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. Thanks also to the members and supporters of the Quabbin Valley Pro Musica, the Central Congregational Church of New Salem, and to all our hardworking board members, staff, volunteers, and friends. If we haven’t listed your name or if we have made an error, please let us know. Thank You.
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The Law Office of Pamela E. Oddy, P.C. Helping you preserve your assets with Wills, Trusts, Elder Care Law, Estate and Nursing Home Planning
220 Exchange Street, Athol, MA Tel: 978 249-7511 • Fax: 978 249-7506 E-mail: haven.oddy@verizon.net
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Real RealInvestment Investment RealFood, Food,Real Real People, People, Real McCusker’s Market
Green Fields Market
3 State Street, Shelburne Falls
144 Main Street, Greenfield
Mon-Fri 8-8 Sat 9-6, Sun 10-5 (413) 773-9567
Open Daily
7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (413) 625-9411
Find us on FACEBOOK: Franklin Community Co-op We economy. Weare areaacooperative cooperativeselling sellingquality qualitygoods goodsto topromote promote health health and and build build aasustainable sustainable local local economy. One Co-op...two stores. Owned by 2,100 member households. Everyone welcome to shop!
One Co-op...two stores.
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Owned by 2,100 member households.
Everyone welcome to shop!
2012 Summer Program Pet Hotel and Store Boarding Grooming Farm Feeds Supplies
Birds Reptiles Fish Small Animals
138 Fryeville Road • Orange, MA • 978-575-0614 www.mounttullykennels.com
Newcomb Motors 95 New Athol Rd • Orange, MA • (888) 839-7142 5 Star Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep Dealer Since 1990 www.newcombmotors.net Proud to Support the Fine Arts We build barns... “YOUR BARN, YOUR WAY” Our lumber comes from sustainably managed local forests Also your source for Siding, Molding, Paneling, Flooring and Fabral Metal Roofing
HEYES FOREST PRODUCTS, INC. 34 Daniel Shays Highway, Orange, MA 01364
(978) 544-8801
www.heyesforest.com
123 South Main Street, Athol 978-249-BACK • fax: 978-249-7982 57
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2012 Summer Program Orange Community Band
Presenting Our Summer 2012 Schedule Friday, June 22, 7:30 pm; on the Bandstand Friday, June 29, 7:30 pm; on the Bandstand Friday, July 6, 7:30 pm; on the Bandstand Friday, July 13, 7:30 pm; on the Bandstand For Information, Visit Us At: www.orangecommunityband.com
Friday, July 20, 7:30 pm; on the Bandstand Friday, July 27, 7:30 pm; on the Bandstand
What is Rotary?
There are more than 32,000 Rotary Clubs and over 1.2 million members worldwide. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. Since its inception in 1925, the Rotary Club of Athol/ Orange has supported hundreds of charities and touched thousands of people through its many programs. If you would like more information about how you can get more involved in our communities through ROTARY, call TED LEDGARD at 978-248-2001.
Service Above Self... They Profit Most Who Serve Best
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do the arts matter?
he arts operate at the core of human identity and existence. They operate at the cutting edge of a science that is now trying to unravel the puzzle of consciousness and identity. How did we come to know, to understand, to grow? When did the pieces fall into place? Not on some graph. The graph is proof and proof comes afterwards. Proof is important to science because scientists start with speculation and conjecture to arrive at reality. The Arts’ job is to change reality, to challenge it, not prove it and explain it. Now your little detour to the 1794 Meetinghouse probably hasn’t got much to do with the national performing arts in their grand scheme, but it is important right here, right now because there’s been a growing pressure on the arts to justify themselves, to prove their case, make their graphs and their pie-charts. We know the ripple effect of funding the arts leads to better dollar multipliers than many other expenditures and we know that cities with strong arts opportunities are more vibrant and attract more business and tourism. So, what else do we know, and have studied and measured? We know that countries with strong cultural identities demonstrate greater social cohesion, and so on. Basically, all sorts of studies have been done, key-performance indicators, measured and indeed graphed. But there is more. We must remember the arts do more than just that. Artists process experience and make experience available and understandable. They change people’s lives, at the risk of their own. They change countries, governments, history, gravity. After gravity, culture is the thing that holds humanity in place, in an otherwise constantly shifting and, let’s face it, tiny outcrop in the middle of an infinity of nowhere. What I’m saying I don’t think anyone would deny, and yet no one seems prepared to constantly value that the arts give people the chance to make sense of the experience of their lives, their brief lives, and the tool to communicate that unique sense in another person or people. Thank you for stopping by, I hope you’ll return. The experiment continues. Michael Ruocco, executive director
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BROTHERS
The 1794 Meetinghouse
North Quabbin’s Center for the Performing Arts.
There’s Beautiful Music in Your Own Backyard! Just 20 minutes from Amherst... 30 minutes from Northampton... and only 40 minutes from Brattleboro, Keene, or Worcester. 1794 Meetinghouse is centrally located and close to everywhere! For $15 or less, you can hear artists you’d pay three to four times as much to hear elsewhere in the area. This popular acoustic hall is great for listeners and a favorite for performers. Located on the Common in beautiful New Salem, Massachusetts. 26 South Main Street 978-544-5200 Visit us online to view our season schedule, listen to and watch performers, make a tax deductible contribution, or purchase tickets to any of our events. www.1794meetinghouse.org
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We’re Part of Your Community
We understand what
this community means to you and your family. It means security. Togetherness. Strength. Caring. Friendship. This community is a place where you matter. This community is where you make a difference in people’s lives. We share these values. It’s our job to make sure you understand what’s happening in your community by bringing the issues that matter the most to you clearly and responsibly. It’s a job we take seriously. We’re proud to be part of your community and prouder still to call you our neighbor. ATHOL DAILY NEWS is The North Quabbin Region’s Own Daily Newspaper Since 1934, Including the towns of Athol, Orange, Warwick, Erving, Wendell, New Salem, Royalston, Phillipston, and Petersham. Visit our Website: www.atholdailynews.com • Email Us: adn@atholdailynews.com
225 Exchange St., Athol, MA • 978-249-3535