DANCE - FINE ARTS - MUSIC - THEATER - WRITING

ARTBITS by Richard B. Harper


VOLUME 14 * * All Arts News On the Web * * December 15, 2011

STUFF YOU SHOULDN'T MISS

      ArtBits always features a calendar of the goings on of Franklin County artists. Check out these events around Franklin County. Each issue includes the entire text of our weekly newspaper column.


      Stop in for live music and more at the Fairfax Music Sessions at the Foothills Bakery in Fairfax most Saturday afternoons at 1 p.m., at various restaurants around Franklin County throughout the week, at the Bayside in St Albans Town most Sunday afternoons, and the Cambridge CoffeeHouses at 7 p.m. on the first and third Wednesday of every month.
     These gatherings bring new opportunities, gossip, "show-and-tell" and occasional workshops. The booked performances and acoustic Open Mike Nights feature music, readings, and more from the best new artists in Vermont.

      Find links to these events and more in our Spotlight!

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LIGHTING UP THE SEASON

      The Northern Vermont Ballet and the 802 Quartet perform Winter Illuminations at the BFA Performing Arts Center on Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m. The seasonal multi-media event will include original choreography danced en pointe by Northern Vermont Ballet's student company. The program includes Tchaikovsky's Andante Cantabile, Vivaldi's Four Seasons, and Corelli's Christmas Concerto.
      Maryellen Vickery and the Ballet School of Vermont in St. Albans offer classes in Ballet, Pointe, Performance, Tap, Modern, and Jazz in two St. Albans studios. They include the American Ballet Theater National Training Curriculum. Ballet School danced in the SASPA staging of Camelot and performed the contemporary ballet Hummingbird at the Flynn.
      802 Quartet is a professional string quartet and the Quartet in Residence at Monteverdi Music School. Jane Bearden, violin, Laura Markowitz, violin, Paul Reynolds, viola, and Suzanne Polk, cello each live in Vermont because they "enjoy playing music in this natural and inspiring setting." The group reaches out to contemporary composers and non-classical musicians to expand their repertoire.
      There will be a special pre-show fundraiser on Sunday. Ballet is Sweet! at Chow!Bella will begin at 3:30 p.m. Admission for adults/extra children is just $6 (Ballet School student ticket holders enter free) to Ballet is Sweet!
      Admission to the Winter Illuminations is $10 for balcony and $15 on the floor. Tickets are available in advance at 802-393-8655, online at theballetschoolonline.com, or at door. Ticket holders can receive a 10% discount off pre-show dining at Chow!Bella or 10% off at Twiggs post-show with reservations, thanks to show sponsor, Chow!Bella & Twiggs.


ART ON THE WALLS

ST. ALBANS--Visions of Franklin County, the local art project on display at the Village Frame Shoppe & Gallery, concludes on Saturday. Local artists contributed to this project by painting frames that gallery owner D.J. Pattullo used to frame 11x14 plate glass mirrors.
      The Visions mirrors are part of a silent auction to benefit the Swanton-Missisquoi Valley Lions Club.
      All the mirrors can be viewed here.


ON STAGE LIVE

ENOSBURG FALLS--L.E.A.P.S., the Enosburg Falls After School Program, presents Greedy Greta Visits Christmas Town By Em Frappier in the Middle High School Auditorium starting this evening and running Friday and Saturday evenings, all with a 7 p.m. curtain.
      Admission is $5 adults or $3 students with the proceeds to benefit LEAPS.


ST. ALBANS--Chow Bella presents Summer Sounds favorites The Fizz tomorrow evening at 8 p.m.
      With Dave Kleh, vocals, guitars, keyboards; Jim White, keyboards and vocals; Bob Greenlese, drums and percussion; and Howard Ring, bass, this group "sounds like Steely Dylan on the 'Dark Side of the Moon'." We are reasonably sure it will not rain on them inside Chow.
      Call 802.524.1405, email, or click here for more info.


SOUTH BURLINGTON--Franny O's presents Justice in the final show of their 2011 Stand Up And Shout tour on Friday at 9:30 p.m.
      "It has been a great tour filled with many great memories and people," Scott Guptill said. They will have all of the Justice swag on sale. The rock band includes Chris Fleury, lead vocals and drums; Scott Belisle on bass and backup vocals; Todd Dunn, lead and rhythm guitar; and Mr. Guptill, rhythm guitar and backup vocals.
      Admission is free.


MONTGOMERY--The Montgomery Historical Society hosts Carols and Candles in Pratt Hall on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. The evening will include community caroling, stories, light refreshments, and more.


SOUTH BURLINGTON (MARK YOUR CALENDARS)--Tickets for Round Two of the 8084 Reunion Tour at Higher Ground on June 29, 2012, are on sale now. Makes a good stocking stuffer.
      The concert features the original members of 8084, Randy Smith, vocals; Andre Maquera, pyrotechnic guitar; Frank Barnes, bass; and Gary Spaulding, drums. 8084 has performed high energy rock since 1982. They have shared the stage throughout the United States, Quebec, and the Maritime Provinces with Aldo Nova, April Wine, Edgar Winter, Blue Oyster Cult, Toto, and more.
      "Don't be left out in the cold this time around," Randy Smith said.
      Admission is $14. Click here for more info and tickets.


FRANKLIN COUNTY BOOKSHELF

ST. ALBANS--The St. Albans Library Mornings, Muffins & Mysteries program features Pearl Diver by Sujata Massey at the library this morning at 10:30 a.m. The multilayered, suspense includes missing women, a dazzling engagement ring, antiques, and a rich Asian cultural background.
      The St. Albans Library also hosts a Holiday Open House this evening from 5 - 7:30 p.m. The gathering celebrates the holidays with kids' crafts, light snacks, sleigh rides, and door prizes. A special visitor wearing a big red suit will be appear in the Youth Room from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.


FAIRFIELD--Bent Northrop Memorial Library presents Winter Festival: An Evening of Story on Friday at 6:30 p.m.
      The evening begins with Vermont storyteller Willem Lange's tales of Christmas. Children may share their own stories with Santa. Weather permitting, other activities include the Driedel game, cookie decorating, hot cocoa, snowshoes, and perhaps a sleigh ride. The evening will close with a short movie in the loft.


VYO NEWS

     The Vermont Youth Orchestra Association serves more than 500 students from Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York each year with exceptional choral, orchestral and chamber music performances, master classes with renowned musicians, coaching from some of the best music teachers in the region, and exciting opportunities within the community. Many Franklin County students participate each season.
      Audition times (by appointment only) are still available for mid-season VYO auditions. Instrumental Auditions will be held today, 5 - 8 p.m. Young String Players tomorrow, 4 - 6 p.m. and Saturday, 2 - 4 p.m. Choral auditions on Monday, 5 - 8 p.m. and Tues at 3:30 - 6:30 p.m. Young musicians may schedule an audition by email or with the information and registration form here.
      The VYOA has appointed Rosina Cannizzaro to the position of Executive Director. Ms. Cannizzaro works as a musician and arts teacher with students of all ages and musical abilities as well as to cultivate arts and music-based programming for teaching artists, public service programs and school music education programs. She most recently served as the Program Associate Manager for The Academy, a program of Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School and the Weill Music Institute.


CLICK HERE: ART SITE OF THE WEEK

     Photographer and guerilla 3-D artist Ann Laberge of Essex Junction was an Industrial Design major at Mass College of Art where she hoped to learn to create air-cushioned bedpans. Her site includes her art statement, abstract, Jamaica, nature, Nepal, 3-D and other galleries (including signs that caught her fancy); and contact info.


FRANKLIN COUNTY BOOKSHELF

      ArtBits features a quick weekly peek at the bookshelf or night stand of the folks you know in and around Franklin County. That popular feature has a page of its own at the Franklin County Bookshelf here on the AAC site.


SUPPORT LIVE ARTS IN YOUR TOWN!


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      This article was originally published in the St Albans Messenger and other traditional print media. It is Copyright © 2011 by Richard B. Harper. All rights reserved. Archival material is provided as-is. Links are not necessarily maintained (if a link in this article fails, try Google.com or your favorite search engine).
      Thanks to recent misuse of copyright material on the Internet by individuals and archival firms alike, we emphasize that your rights to this article are limited to viewing it and printing it for personal use only. You must receive explicit permission from the All Arts Council and the author before reprinting or redistributing this article in any medium.