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The Hampshire Music Club, Western, Northampton, MA (2026)

11/06/2021

GOOD NEWS ABOUT CLASSICAL MUSIC
FROM
THE HAMPSHIRE MUSIC CLUB
Friday, November 5, 2021 - Sunday, November 14, 2021

Vol. III, No. 2.

Faces of the American Federation of Musicians, Local 171.

"This concert is being brought to you by the American Federation of Musicians, James C. Petrillo, President."

Dear Friends,

How many times did we, growing up, hear these words intoned at the beginning or end of a radio broadcast? On "The Bell Telephone Hour?" or "The Voice of Firestone?"

Mr. Petrillo is gone now, and with him the once inevitable announcements, but the American Federation of Musicians is still with us. On October 19th, they celebrated their 125th anniversary.

The inability of the musicians' union and the Springfield Symphony Orchestra to agree on a new contract, or continue to operate under the old one, has led to an unusual situation: the Orchestra has no musicians, and the musicians have no orchestra.

In a typical factory labour dispute, the factory owns the means of production and can lock the workers out. A symphony orchestra is different: the labour force are the means of production, and can deprive the employer of revenue. That is what is happening in the present case.

The musicians of the Springfield Symphony found a way to operate without an employer: they incorporated themselves. The new organisation, called MOSSO (Musicians of the Spingfield Symphony Orchestra) has been granted tax-exempt status as a "501(c)(3)" organisation. Contributions are not taxable to the corporation, and are potentially deductible from the taxable income of donors. Those of us who have been giving money to the Springfield Symphony can now give it to MOSSO, as well - or instead.

Local 171 members started MOSSO, and are members of it. However, the organisations are separate. Last week we learned about MOSSO. This week's story is about the union.

The American Federation of Musicians formed in 1896 to improve the treatment of professional musicians by the organisations that employed them. Musicians worked in hotels, restaurants, bars, clubs, and on cruise ships. They were treated like day labourers, paid only for the time they spent actually performing. There were no pensions, no paid vacations, and no health insurance. Many employers took unfair advantage of the situation. The A.F. of M. has given musicians the means to bargain collectively. This became particularly important with the advent and growth of the recording and broadcasting industries.

"Our" Local, 171, is the Greater Springfield, Berkshire County, and Vermont Musicians Association. It covers all of what we know as "Western Mass.", plus Vermont and the Connecticut towns of Enfield, Suffield, and Somers, It also includes some of the New York State towns on our western border. That is a lot of area.

Members who work in organised environments, like symphony orchestras, get the pay and benefits specified in the Local's contract with management. Freelance musicians benefit from Union membership, as well. The Union establishes a guaranteed minimum pay rate. It fights for fair living wages and decent working conditions for all its members.

Musicians joining Local 171 pay initiation fees to both the Federation and the Local. After that, they pay annual dues of $137 to the Local.

Contracts between the Musicians Union and employers are truly local. The Federation is made up of all the Locals in the United States amd Canada. It sets the framework and provides resources, but does not negotiate directly with orchestras. The Locals do that. Each Local makes its own deal with its employing entity. The terms differ from contract to contract. Members of the Boston Musicians Association, Local 9-535, have a contract with the Boston Symphony Orchestra that determines their pay and benefits. The pay and benefits of Local 171 in Springfield are determined by the contract they make with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra.

Some Local 171 members play in other orchestras, as well. Springfield's concertmaster, Masako Yanagita, is also concertmaster of the Queens (NY) Symphony. She is a member of both Local 171 here and Local 802 in Queens.

Some people, even here in Massachusetts, object to labour unions. Incoming Local 171 president, Beth Welty, reminds us that unions created the middle class in this country, and have raised people's standard of living from subsistance levels.

For the past year, Local 171 has been in the hands of a trustee appointed by the national organisation. That is expected to end today, when the Local's newly elected leaders take office. We will learn more about that in next week's issue.
News

Thursday last week, I attended a remarkable concert at the University of Massachusetts. The guest artist was a violinist from New York, Jennifer Koh. It was sponsored, not by the Department of Music and Dance, but by the Asian and Asian American Arts and Culture Program. It took place not at Bezanson Recital Hall, nor in the newly named Randolph Bromery Concert Hall at the Fine Arts Center, but at Bowker Auditorium in Stockbridge Hall.

I must confess that I attended this concert mainly because I had never been to Bowker Auditorium and wanted that experience. For many years, it was the locale of all major UMass events - concerts, convocations, plays, and commencement ceremonies. As the student population grew, Bowker was no longer adequate for those purposes, and the Fine Arts Center was built.

Ms. Koh's playing is best described as "breathtaking", and her violin bow sacrificed many of its strings in the course of the concert. The concert began with J.S. Bach's Violin Partita No. 2 in D minor, and ended with Bach's Violin Sonata No. 2 in A minor. The programme between included music Ms. Koh commissioned from Missy Mazzoli, George Lewis, Ken Ueno, Nina Shekhar, Anjna Swaminathan, and Vijau Iyer.

Ms. Koh will be performing this evening at the Brattleboro Music Center. See the events listing for details.

Many well-known classical composers were born between the fifth and fourteenth of November: Couperin, Joplin, and Leopold Mozart, among others. Their birthdays will be acknowledged and their music played by the classical music hosts of New England Public Radio. I like to present those who are lesser known around here, or whose music has fallen out of favour.

Composer William Alwyn was born in Northampton (England) on November 10, 1905. and died September 11, 1985. He wrote five symphonies, music for films, and for piano. I had never heard any of it before today. Here is his harp and flute sonata. I think you will like it.

A few people have asked how to find a recording of the October 15 performance by MOSSO. Unfortunately, MOSSO was unable to record it for public viewing.

You could be sick of people reminding you that Eastern Daylight Time ends early Sunday morning, so I will not.

This is the place to share news about classical music. No other organisation does what we do. If you learn of anything relevant that might interest the rest of us, please let me know.

Let us all be classical music evangelists. Feel free to copy, print out, and distribute the information you find here.

Many of the concerts listed are free to enjoy, but producing them costs money. The Hampshire Music Club encourages all of us to contribute to the sponsors.

Best wishes,
Peter Jones
Classical Music Evangelist.
Join the Club!

Most of us attend concerts alone or with a companion. Getting together with others promotes feelings of community and strength in numbers. Although few in number, we can be great in spirit. The application for membership explains The Hampshire Music Club in more detail. Press the button to read the application.
Application
To join the Hampshire Music Club,
Print and complete the application.
Send the completed application with a check for annual dues to:
The Hampshire Music Club
P.O. Box 60177
Florence, MA 01062
If you like Good News, why not forward it to a friend? Anyone can get a free subscription by activating this link: SUBSCRIBE
Good News Events
Friday, November 5 - Sunday, November 14, 2021

Times, locations, and conditions shown may change before the event. This is particularly true of COVID limitations. Please check the websites for the most current information.

ALL EVENTS ARE LIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

Friday, November 5

7:30 p.m. Brattleboro Music Center: Jennifer Koh, violin. Violin partitas and sonatas of J.S. Bach. $25. Brattleboro Music Center, 72 Blanche Moyse Way, Brattleboro.https://bmcvt.org/

Sunday, November 7 (EST)

2:00 p.m. Sage Chamber Music Society: Discussion with fortepiano builder Richard Hester prior to 3:00 p.m. concert. Sweeney Concert Hall, Smith College. https://mailchi.mp/69df9f4ccb51/live-stream-now-available-live-from-the-sanctuary-13404881?e=d3944bac70 LIVESTREAM

3:00 p.m. Sage Chamber Music Society: Schubertiade VII, Monica Jakuc Leverett, Jiayan Sun, fortepiano. Free. See link above. LIVESTREAM

3:00 p.m. Early Music Brattleboro. Dana Maiben, Christian Beeuwkes, Mollie Glazer. French and German 18th century chamber music. $20, sliding scale. West Dover Congregational Church, 104 Vermont Rte 100, Dover, Vermont. Further information: 802-254-2273.

4:00 p.m. Ashuelot Concerts. Louisa Stonehill, violin, Paul Cohen, cello, Nicholas Burns, piano. Music of Schumann, Mozart, and Dvořák. Tickets $0-30 must be purchased on line in advance. See website for details. The Moody Center, 206 Main Street, Northfield. https://ashuelotconcerts.org/events/category/concerts/ HYBRID EVENT

7:00 p.m. Musicians from Decoda. Mendelssohn Piano Trio in D Minor, with two Deerfield Academy chamber ensembles. Masks required. Free. Wachsman Recital Hall, Deerfield Academy, Old Main Street, Old Deerfield. https://www.decodamusic.org/calendar/deerfield-2021

Wednesday, November 10

12:30 p.m. Music in the Noon Hour: Get Bach II. Iva Dee Hiatt Visiting Artist Tristan Teo, piano and Smith College faculty present Bach’s Keyboard Concerto in D Minor with string quartet and continuo. Free. Sweeney Recital Hall, Smith College. Sign up for livestream. https://www.smith.edu/about-smith/performing-arts/performance-calendar?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D524229112 LIVESTREAM

7:30 p.m. Opus One Chamber Orchestra. Elizabeth Chang, Kathryn Lockwood, Edward Arron, faculty coordinators. General $10, Seniors/students/employees $5, UMass students free. Bezanson Recital Hall, 151 Presidents Drive, Amherst. https://www.umass.edu/music/events/opus-one-chamber-orchestra-3

Friday, November 12

7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Mount Holyoke College Flute Choir concert. McCulloch Auditorium, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley.
https://events.mtholyoke.edu/event/flute_choir_concert_1858 CAMPUS COMMUNITY ONLY

7:30 p.m. BMC Guest Artist: Michael Arnowitt, piano. Suggested donation $20. Brattleboro Music Center, 72 Blanche Moyse Way, Brattleboro. https://bmcvt.org/

Saturday, November 13
9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. String Pedagogy Weekend, Part I. UMass Amherst. General $95, Alumni $60. https://www.umass.edu/music/event/umass-string-pedagogy-weekend-2021 ZOOM EVENT

7:30 p.m. UMass Chamber Choir: “This Shining Night”. Tony Thornton, conductor. Free. Bezanson Recital Hall, 151 Presidents Drive, Amherst. https://www.umass.edu/music/events/umass-chamber-choir

Sunday, November 14
9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. String Pedagogy Weekend, Part II. UMass Amherst. https://www.umass.edu/music/event/umass-string-pedagogy-weekend-2021 ZOOM EVENT

10/30/2021

GOOD NEWS ABOUT CLASSICAL MUSIC
FROM
THE HAMPSHIRE MUSIC CLUB
Friday, October 29, 2021 - Sunday, November 7, 2021

Vol. III, No. 1.

Maestro Kevin Rhodes Conducts MOSSO, October 15, 2021

Dear Friends:

In the uncertainty over the future (and present!) of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, the musicians decided to take matters into their own hands. They organised as a separate entity, Musicians of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, MOSSO for short.

Two weeks ago, on October 15th, MOSSO put on a symphonic performance, themselves. They played under the direction of Kevin Rhodes. Music Director of the Traverse City (Michigan) Symphony Orchestra, and long-time Maestro of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. Music Reviewer Mark Auerbach was there. Here is his review for the Westfield News. Clifton J. Noble, Jr., also reviewed it for the Republican. You can find his article on MassLive.

[The remainder of this article is quoted, lightly edited, from a press release issued by MOSSO earlier this week.]

Buoyed by the success of this event, MOSSO is planning future concerts in the area.
Maestro Kevin Rhodes was overwhelmed by the audience’s tumultuous response: “I have to say something about our incredible patrons who filled Symphony Hall. While incredible enthusiasm from the audience was a constant feature of every performance I’ve had the pleasure to conduct in Springfield in 20 years, the unbridled passion and love shown to the musicians and the music were completely unprecedented.”

Maestro Rhodes added, “This concert was entirely produced by MOSSO. In order to accomplish this amazing feat, the musicians had to learn an incredible number of new tasks and skills in concert production. They collaborated with numerous city departments and businesses, managed finances, solicited grants, sponsorships and donations, marketed and promoted the concert...all within six week’s time.”

“The thing I would really like to emphasise,” concluded Maestro Rhodes, “is the reason they did this. It was not to save their own jobs in Springfield, but rather, because of the love and passion they feel for classical music and our audiences. This is, in addition to the most committed belief in the mission, value, and power of live music, and the importance of being a positive force in a community standing for excellence and joy, what our musicians demonstrate every time they walk on stage.”

Martin Kluger, Principal Timpanist, reported to the Springfield Symphony Orchestra Inc. Management Committee that live audiences had no concerns about attending a performance with COVID restrictions in Symphony Hall: “Sold out attendance with incident-free observance of COVID precautions at the October 15th event, on top of the outpouring of voluntary donations that MOSSO received online and at the door, prove that the classical music audience in Springfield and environs is ready to support performances.”

MOSSO members hope Mr. Kluger's report will reassure the SSO's board of directors about the viability of future live symphony concerts in Springfield.

According to longtime Assistant Concertmaster Marsha Harbison, donations to MOSSO continue to arrive: “As of October 25, MOSSO has received over $40,000 in contributions from over 120 individual donors in the area. This money will be used to produce additional MOSSO events, ensuring that professional classical and symphonic music continues to be a part of Springfield’s cultural identity.” Mrs. Harbison added that MOSSO had recently received its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt determination letter from the IRS.

Mr. Kluger added, “MOSSO does not wish to be a rival or competitor to the Springfield Symphony Orchestra.” He said that the musicians are hopeful that the SSO will schedule concerts for a 2021-2022 season while working towards an agreement with the musicians and Maestro Kevin Rhodes.

Beth Welty, Assistant Principal Second Violin, is the President of MOSSO. She says, “Yes indeed, MOSSO does want to collaborate with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra Inc. to deliver music to our audience. However, in the absence of a sensible agreement that demonstrates a positive vision for the SSO’s future, MOSSO will continue to produce musical events. We are moving forward with concerts to be announced shortly. MOSSO is committed to bringing live music to our community and providing work for our musicians.”

Thomas Bergeron, Principal Trumpet, says, “The musicians poured incredible amounts of their own time and energy into producing the event on October 15th. Why? Because we believe in the City of Springfield and we believe in the power of symphonic music to bring our community together. I started my musical career as a member of the Springfield Symphony Youth Orchestra 25 years ago. I would not be the musician I am today without the support and inspiration that experience provided.”

For further information about MOSSO’s upcoming programs, to join the mailing list, and to contribute towards future concerts, visit MOSSO at: SpringfieldSymphonyMusicians.com, or find MOSSO on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

News

Last Sunday, Friends of the Stone Church, in Gilbertville, presented an organ concert by Wesley Hall. It took place in the former church, now the Stone Church Cultural Center. It was followed by the dedication of the former parish hall to benefactors Donald and Kaye Boothman. For this part of the program, mezzo-soprano Jennifer Fijal joined Mr. Hall for a Musical Surprise. The Pioneer Valley was represented at this concert by at least six members of the Hampshire Music Club.

Musical Potpourri:
The final session of our Musical Potpourri series took place last Wednesday, October 27, at the Florence Civic Center. Noted conductor E. WAYNE ABERCROMBIE discussed and played the music of Randall Thompson. After a review of Thompson's career as a composer and teacher, Prof. Abercrombie discussed three specific works: "Frostiana," "Alleluia!", and "The Testament of Freedom."

Musical Potpourri will return for its tenth season on September 28, 2021. If you have program suggestions, please send them to me.

Coming up:
Next week, the Tuesday Morning Music Club will hold an open meeting at the South Congregational Church in Springfield. "Open Meeting" means FREE and open to the public. I shall not be collecting the usual $10 admission fee that day. But I shall be there, and I hope to see you, too! Please come! We strongly recommend that masks be worn inside, and that social distancing protocols be observed.

Schubertiade in Northampton
The seventh program of Jiayan Sun's 2019-2020 series will finally take place next Sunday, the seventh. The pianists (on this occasion, fortepianists) will be Tuesday Morning Music Club pianists MONICA JAKUC LEVERETT and JIAYAN SUN. The former is Elsie Irwin Sweeney Professor Emerita at Smith College; the latter, Assistant Professor of Music at the college. Here is Prof. Jakuc Leverett's announcement:

Not classical, but classic:
The Valley Light Opera is returning soon, live, to the Academy of Music in Northampton. The production will be of Gilbert & Sullivan's PIRATES OF PENZANCE. Evening performances will take place on Saturday, November 6 (That's next weekend!), Friday, November 12, and Saturday, November 13. Matinees are being offered on Sundays, the 7th and 14th. We may purchase tickets either on line, or in person at the Academy box office.

This is the place to share news about classical music. No other organisation does what we do. If you learn of anything relevant that might interest the rest of us, please let me know.

Let us all be classical music evangelists. Feel free to copy, print out and distribute the information you find here.

Many of the concerts listed are free to enjoy, but producing them costs money. The Hampshire Music Club encourages all of us to contribute to the sponsors.

Best wishes,
Peter Jones
Classical Music Evangelist.
Join the Club!

Most of us attend concerts alone or with a companion. Getting together with others promotes feelings of community and strength in numbers. Although few in number, we can be great in spirit. The application for membership explains The Hampshire Music Club in more detail. Press the button to read the application.
Application
To join the Hampshire Music Club,
Print and complete the application.
Send the completed application with a check for annual dues to:
The Hampshire Music Club
P.O. Box 60177
Florence, MA 01062
If you like Good News, why not forward it to a friend? Anyone can get a free subscription by activating this link: SUBSCRIBE
Good News Events
Friday, October 27 - Sunday, November 7, 2021

Times, locations, and conditions shown may change before the event. This is particularly true with COVID restrictions. Please check the websites for the most current information.

ALL EVENTS ARE LIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

Friday, October 29
7:30 p.m. UMass Faculty Concert: Joshua Michal, horn. Free. Bezanson Recital Hall, 151 Presidents Drive, Amherst. https://www.Umass.edu/music/events/faculty-concert-joshua-michel-horn-2

Saturday, October 30
7:00 p.m. EOHS: Speaks of Rivers. Sarah Briggs and Gregory Diehl, violins, Ashleigh Gordon, viola, Wayne Smith, cello, Susan Dedell, piano, Daniel Callahan, film. $20. Brattleboro Music Center, 72 Blanche Moyse Way, Brattleboro. https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?actions=4&p=5

8:00 p.m. International Fortepiano Salon No. 7. Highlights from the 2021 AFP Workshop. Catskill Mountain Foundation. Music of Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Viardot, Brahms, and Liszt. Free. Register here. LIVESTREAM

Sunday, October 31
4:00-5:30 p.m. An Evening of Opera and (Musical) Dance. McCulloch Auditorium, Pratt Hall, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley. https://events.mtholyoke.edu/event/an_evening_of_opera_musical_dance LIVE FOR CAMPUS COMMUNITY ONLY

Monday, November 1
7:30 p.m. UMass Amherst Faculty Concert. Edward Arron, cello, and Jeewon Park, piano. Music of J.S. Bach, Felix Mendelssohn, Arvo Pärt & Sergei Rachmaninoff. Bowker Auditorium, Stockbridge Hall, 80 Campus Center Way, UMass, Amherst, Free. https://www.umass.edu/music/event/faculty-concert-edward-arron-cello-jeewon-park-piano

Tuesday, November 2
10: 30 a.m. Tuesday Morning Concerts. Larry Picard, organ. + Masako Yanagita, violin, & Estela Olevsky, piano. South Congregational Church, 45 Maple Street, Springfield. Free. https://www.tuesdaymmc.org/

Thursday, November 4
7:30 p.m. UMass Faculty Concert: Gilles Vonsattel, piano. Bach: French Suite, Beethoven: Waldstein, Appassionata sonatas. Free. Bezanson Recital Hall, 151 Presidents Drive, Amherst. http://www.umass.edu/music/events/faculty-concert-gilles-vonsattel-piano

Friday, November 5
7:30 p.m. Brattleboro Music Center: Jennifer Koh, violin. Violin partitas and sonatas of J.S. Bach. $25. Brattleboro Music Center, 72 Blanche Moyse Way, Brattleboro. https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?actions=7&p=1

Sunday, November 7
2:00 p.m. Sage Chamber Music Society: Discussion with fortepiano builder Richard Hester prior to 3:00 p.m. concert. Sweeney Recital Hall, Smith College. https://mailchi.mp/69df9f4ccb51/live-stream-now-available-live-from-the-sanctuary-13404881?e=d3944bac70 LIVESTREAM

3:00 p.m. Sage Chamber Music Society: Schubertiade VII, Monica Jakuc Leverett, Jiayan Sun, fortepiano, string quartet. Free. LIVESTREAM, See link above.

4:00 p.m. Ashuelot Concerts. Louisa Stonehill, violin, Paul Cohen, cello, Nicholas Burns, piano. Music of Schumann, Mozart, and Dvořák. Tickets $0-30 must be purchased on line in advance. See website for details. The Moody Center, 206 Main Street, Northfield. https://ashuelotconcerts.org/events/category/concerts/ HYBRID EVENT

10/24/2021

GOOD NEWS ABOUT CLASSICAL MUSIC
FROM
THE HAMPSHIRE MUSIC CLUB
Friday, October 22 - Sunday, October 31, 2021

Vol. II, No. 54.

Catching Up With John Montanari

Dear Friends,

For thirty-five years, John Montanari was part of our daily lives, the morning classical music host on WFCR, now called NEPM, at 88.5 on your FM dial. There we heard five hours of music every morning, brought to us by "listeners like you."

John began that phase of his radio career in 1988, when his locally produced show replaced Robert J. Lurtsema's Morning Pro Musica on WFCR. Over the years, he collected and curated the station's classical music record library, from vinyl LPs to digital CDs. During that time, he selected for broadcast music he thought we would like to hear, as well as music we should listen to at least once. John retired from WFCR in 2013. Thanks to him, and to the station's management, the radio station built a strong regional reputation as a source of recorded classical music.

But that was then; what about now? Now, John spends most of his time at home, listening to the music he wants to hear. He looks for new and better ways to hear it. He rejoiced in the advent of compact disc recordings because they were more durable, and easier to handle than LPs. Now, he relies on music streaming services that provide high quality sound with less fuss and nothing to dust.

A fun fact: John was an Uber driver for aix years, until the pandemic struck. He gave over ten thousand rides to people from over forty countries. Many of those people were visiting the Valley for the first time, but others were local workers and students who depend on the service for transportation. He says the money was "good, but not great", and he enjoyed the chance to have conversations with many different people. Since he stopped doing that, he has enjoyed the additional free time.

John is still the Artistic Director of Valley Classical Concerts. As we all do, he is looking forward to a return of their live performances at the Sweeney Concert Hall at Smith College. Valley Classical was the subject of the Good News feature on October 1st. You will see the schedule there.

A few weeks ago, John and I had an enjoyable hour-long conversation. At the end, I asked what words of wisdom he had for us:

"Always be willing to listen to something new."

News

Last week's lead story contained an embarrassing error. The name of CAILIN MARCEL MANSON, Artistic Director of the NERO Orchestra, was misspelt. NERO'S inaugural concert will take place at All Saints Episcopal Church in South Hadley tonight. See the schedule for details.

Last Tuesday's meeting of the Tuesday Morning Music Club was a special one, and I am sorry if you were not here. In the first half of the program, MONICA JAKUC LEVERETT performed for our audience of 58. Fellow TMMC pianists Jiayan Sun and Nancy Babb were there to listen.

The last time the piano trio of CLIFTON J. NOBLE, JR., NORIYO FUKUI DUBALDO, flute, and AARON LAKOTA, oboe, played for a live audience was in February, 2020. They reported themselves thrilled to return to the Tuesday Morning Music Club last Tuesday. Mr. Noble had composed a trio for flute, oboe and piano especially for the occasion, and the trio performed it for the first time. We in the audience were overwhelmed. Stay tuned for more news about the Club next week.

On Wednesday, Justina Golden and The Amiable Consort demonstrated the evolution of vocal music. They gave us a program of music spanning five hundred years, from circa 1100 to the beginning of the seventeenth century. They showed us many innovations in the way music was sung during that period, from a single chant to a mixed chorus.

The final session of our Musical Potpourri series will take place at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, October 27, at the Florence Civic Center, 90 Park Street, Florence. Noted conductor E. WAYNE ABERCROMBIE will discuss and play the music of Randall Thompson. After a review of Thompson's career as a composer and teacher, Prof. Abercrombie will discuss three specific works in detail: "Frostiana," "Alleluia!", and "The Testament of Freedon."

This Sunday, the Holyoke Civic Symphony will return live to the Forum at Holyoke Community College. This concert will be free, and there are COVID restrictions. Go to their website for details. The concert, at 3:00 p.m., will be accessible via Zoom.

Also this Sunday, the Catalyst Quintet with Anthony McGill will appear at Music@Amherst.

Niccolò Paganini was born on October 27, 1782. Here is a video (probably kinescope) of Jascha Heifetz playing Paganini's Caprice No. 24. That theme has inspired dozens of variations in addition to a rhapsody thereon by Rachmaninoff.

This is the place to share news about classical music. No other organisation does what we do. If you learn of anything relevant that might interest the rest of us, please let me know.

Let us all be classical music evangelists. Feel free to copy, print out and distribute the information you find here.

Many of the concerts listed are free to enjoy, but producing them costs money. The Hampshire Music Club encourages all of us to contribute to the sponsors.

Best wishes,
Peter Jones
Classical Music Evangelist.

10/18/2021

GOOD NEWS ABOUT CLASSICAL MUSIC
FROM
THE HAMPSHIRE MUSIC CLUB
Friday, October 15 - Sunday, October 24, 2021

Vol. II, No. 53.

Dear Friends,

The four people pictured above have two things in common: They are all classical composers, and they are not part of the "Three B's" - or four, if you count P.D.Q. Bach. Their music is not frequently heard in concerts by the Boston Symphony, nor the London Symphony, nor the New York Philharmonic. In the opinion of many, they have been neglected. More about them later.

Since the COVID epidemic curtailed live orchestral performances, more attention has been given to "diverse" composers - those whose works are not frequently performed by European and North American orchestras. Last year, the Pioneer Valley Symphony Orchestra put on a series of virtual seminars, "Musical Mosaic: America's Composers of Color". Each episode, led by a distinguished scholar, focused on the perspectives of Black, Latino, Asian-American, Syrian American and Chickasaw composers. However, in the present context "diverse" can also encompass once popular composers and works that have been dropped from the classical repertoire over the years.

Recently, singer and conductor Caitlin Marcel Manson decided to establish a new permanent, professional orchestra that would not only include more composers, but also diversify the orchestra's composition. The result is NERO, the New England Repertory Orchestra. There are several other entities having the same acronym. To find the orchestra on the web, type "NERO Orchestra" into your browser.

Back to the composers pictured above: They are, from upper left, Louise Farrenc, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Joseph Bologne, and F***y Mendelssohn. NERO will perform compositions from all of them this season.

The NERO Orchestra is the newest of the fourteen professional symphony orchestras in Massachusetts. It is composed of about 30 players, under the direction of Prof. Manson.

The orchestra's inaugural concert will take place at All Saints Church in South Hadley on Friday, October 22, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. The programme will include "Four Novelletten" by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. Pay what you can afford. Reservations are required, and will close on October 20. Details and ticketing information are found here.

In addition to its dedicated concerts, NERO will be partnering with area choruses and other organisations to present programmes. On November 12, they will be joining the Clark Univeristy Chorus in their fall concert, "Loss, Consolation and Hope". Joseph Bologne's Symphony No. 2 is on that programme.
News

I do not write critical reviews of performances. However, I sometimes bring to people's attention concerts that I have attended.

Last Sunday afternoon, I attended what became the final instalment of the Old Deerfield Sunday Afternoon Concert Series. It featured Bella Voce, who specialise in songs from the American Songbook. The trio consists of Teri LaFleur, soprano, Lisa Woods, mezzo-soprano, and Jerry Noble, baritone and pianist. The concert took place in the music room of the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association museum in Old Deerfield. It was a small crowd that afternoon.

I have seen Bella Voce perform many times before. Their concerts are always fun. This one went true to form. The singing, piano accompaniment, choreography and timing were perfect. At at the end, the series sponsor, Martha Terry, presented floral tributes to each of the performers.

Bella Voce will present their 2021 Christmas concert at the North Hadley Congregational Church on Sunday, November 28th, at 2:00 p.m. It will be listed with that week's events.

More Good News:

The much-anticipated return of the musicians of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra to Symphony Hall this evening has sold out. However, the performance will be livestreamed, with access through the orchestra's website. Tonight's performance will be by MOSSO, not the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, although the players are the same. Kevin Rhodes, Music Director of the Traverse City (Michigan) Orchestra, will conduct.

After more than a year, the South Hadley Chorale is rehearsing again, under the direction of Alexandra Ludwig. The choristers will all be masked during rehearsals. It will be interesting to see how that works out.

The Tuesday Morning Music series at Springfield's Trinity United Methodist Church will continue this Tuesday at 10:30 a.m., with a piano trio and a piano solo, all by beloved local artists. The trio are NORIYO FUKUI DUBALDO, flute, AARON LAKOTA, oboe, and CLIFTON J. NOBLE, Jr., piano. The piano soloist will be MONICA JAKUC LEVERETT. The price of a ticket is ten dollars. However, I shall have guest tickets available for my readers. You will find me just inside the hall, at the Treasurer's table.

Wednesday's Musical Potpourri presentation by Musical Mosaic was enthusiastically received. Sue Kurian, flute, Meg Kelsey Wright, piano, with Lynn Lovell, bass, put on a wonderful programme of music by French composers.

The Frederick Historical Piano season finale is now available online. Here is the link.

Next week's Musical Potpourri will demonstrate the evolution of vocal music from a single musical line to the four we hear today. The presenter will be singer and teacher JUSTINA GOLDEN, with The Amiable Consort: Natalie Maggs, soprano, Katrina Turner, and Nina Wurgaft, mezzo-sopranos.

The Holyoke Civic Symphony will open its season at 3:00 p.m. at Holyoke Community College. The orchestra does not charge for concerts. They do have expenses, though, so contributions will be received at the door.
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