GLENS FALLS, NY — Renowned quilter Connie Harris Farrington, with over five decades of quilting expertise, presents a captivating collection of 18 whimsical quilts. These masterpieces, created over the past 30 years, pay homage to women from all walks of life, spanning various eras. They vividly encapsulate the aspirations, achievements, and grievances of these remarkable women. Using a medley of fabric, thread, and ink, Connie Harris Farrington skillfully weaves a thought-provoking narrative that combines vibrant visuals with colorful language.
Connie’s unique and innovative approach to quilting has garnered her over 100 awards and prizes in both national and international competitions. Her creations have been featured in numerous magazines, attesting to her exceptional talent and creativity.
A distinguished alumna of Green Mountain College, Syracuse University, and Yale Divinity School, Connie’s passion for quilting is only rivaled by her love for genealogy and tending to her bountiful organic vegetable garden in Queensbury, NY.
To showcase this extraordinary collection, the Crandall Public Library presents the “Two-Sided Quilts” Pop-Up Exhibition, which coincides with the Folklife Center’s 30th anniversary. The exhibition will be held from November 16th to 18th, 2023, with a special reception on Thursday, November 16th from 5-8pm. Informal gallery talks will be conducted at 10am and 2pm each day.
Event Details:
Pop-Up Exhibition: November 16-18, 2023
Reception: Thursday, November 16, 5-8pm
Informal Gallery Talks: 10am and 2pm each day
Location: Crandall Public Library, 251 Glen Street, Glens Falls, NY 12801
“Two-Sided Quilts” is proudly presented by the Folklife Center at Crandall Public Library, an institution renowned for its innovative programs, gallery exhibitions, and research special collections. It is committed to showcasing the rich history and cultural heritage of the upper Hudson valley and southern Adirondacks of upstate New York. This event is made possible in part by funding from the New York State Council on the Arts, supported by the Governor’s office and the NYS Legislature.
About Crandall Public Library: Crandall Public Library is a hub for community engagement, offering a wide range of programs, exhibitions, and research collections. It is dedicated to preserving and celebrating the cultural heritage of the upper Hudson valley and southern Adirondacks of upstate New York. The library’s mission is supported by funding from the New York State Council on the Arts, with the generous support of the Governor’s office and the NYS Legislature.
Alltown Fresh® convenience marketplace and kitchen announces its delicious new Thanksgiving Fixings Kit. Their teams of chefs are serving up a holiday feast straight from their kitchen and onto your table, right in your neighborhood. The chefs will do all the cooking and you get to decide what’s on the menu. This is what Alltown Fresh® hospitality is all about – fresh and delicious convenience.
A New England hospitality brand that is successfully expanding throughout the East Coast, Alltown Fresh® is celebrating Thanksgiving with all the fixings: from beautiful Roast Turkey Breast, Gravy and Cranberry Sauce to Mushroom Stuffing, Mashed Yukon Potatoes, Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Chorizo, Green Bean Almondine and more… you get to select the holiday menu and Alltown Fresh® chefs will prepare it all for you in advance. All you need to do is order it in advance and arrange a pick-up time convenient for you.
To learn more about all your tasty options for the Alltown Fresh® Thanksgiving Fixings, please visit: https://alltownfresh.com/thanksgiving/ . Orders for the Thanksgiving Main Dish (Turkey breast, Turkey Gravy, Cranberry Sauce) must be placed by Monday, November 20 and will be available for pick-up during the week of Thanksgiving. Orders of Thanksgiving Sides must be placed 48 hours in advance and can be picked up prior to Thanksgiving week. Let the Alltown Fresh® chefs make your Thanksgiving Feast both delicious and convenient!
ALLTOWN FRESH® THANKSGIVING FIXINGS KIT FEATURES:
Main Dish (serves 4-6 people):
Turkey breast, turkey gravy and cranberry sauce
Sides (choose one or many):
Mushroom Stuffing
Mashed Yukon Potatoes
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Roasted Brussel Sprouts w/ Chorizo
Dressing
Herb Roasted Carrots
Green Bean Almondine
Apple-Walnut Salad w/ Citrus Vin
ABOUT ALLTOWN FRESH®:
As part of Global Partners LP family of brands, the team behind Alltown Fresh® believes people shouldn’t have to sacrifice better, fresh food choices when they’re on-the-go heading to friends for the holidays, or just too busy to cook at home. Therefore, the concept provides better-for-you options with the highest of standards and flavor – so you can feel good about what you’re putting in your body, no matter your busy schedule. The team of chefs at Alltown Fresh® works to create innovative, fresh, and delicious meals for their guests during the holidays and every day. The concept also provides a warm sense of community, a space to gather and unmatched hospitality. For the complete Alltown Fresh® menus, please visit alltownfresh.com.
ALLTOWN FRESH® LOCATIONS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD & THROUGHOUT NEW ENGLAND:
Alltown Fresh® Ayer, 28 Harvard Road, Ayer, MA 01432
Alltown Fresh® Easton, 491 Foundry Street, Easton, MA 02334
Alltown Fresh® Hopkinton, 92 W. Main Street, Hopkinton MA 01748
Alltown Fresh® Hudson, 240 Washington Street, Hudson MA 01749
Alltown Fresh® Marlboro, 656 Boston Post Road, Marlboro MA 01752
Alltown Fresh® Plymouth, 22 Long Pond Road, Plymouth MA 02360
Alltown Fresh® Bolton, 129 Boston Turnpike, Bolton CT 06043
The Glens Falls Symphony continues its 40th anniversary season with a concert of music from around the world entitled, “International Colors” on Sunday November 12, 2023 at 4pm. Performing at the Glens Falls High School auditorium, the ensemble of musicians from all over the Northeast will present a concert of pieces from Argentina, France, and Italy. First on the program is a delicate portion of music from renowned Argentinian composer, Astor Piazzolla. Mr. Piazzolla, whose compositions and performances on the traditional accordion-like instrument associated with tango music, the bandoneon, made him a singularly popular figure in Argentina for how he elevated and expanded tango music, wrote his own version of Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” for violin and orchestra. Called “Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas” (known in English as “The Four Season of Buenos Aires”), the Glens Falls Symphony’s Concertmaster (Principal First Violin) Michael Emery will perform as soloist in the “Autumn” movement.
Photo provided by Glens Falls Symphony.
The program also features a work from the French composer Maurice Ravel about the early French composer Couperin. In honor of this performance of music by a French Baroque-era composer, the Symphony will also be presenting a free screening of the award-winning 1991 film “Tous les Matins du Monde” about the French Baroque composer Marin Marais. This free screening takes place on Wednesday, November 8, at 2:30pm at Crandall Library Community Room. Ravel’s work, “Le Tombeau de Couperin” explores the many different sounds and colors of the orchestra. This second concert of the 40th season concludes with cheerful music by Felix Mendelssohn’s with the Symphony No. 4, known as the “Italian.” This vibrant work brings the lively sounds of the Italian countryside to life with rhythmic and cheerful melodies.
About Concertmaster Michael Emery, Violin
Mr. Emery blends performance with teaching to create an active musical career. He has collaborated in chamber music with many international artists, including Ruggiero Ricci, Elizabeth Pitcairn, André-Michel Schub, and Emanuel Ax. Michael is a concertmaster and frequent soloist with orchestras in New York and California and has performed as a soloist and concertmaster in Asia, as well as several major European cities. Mr. Emery has performed in collaboration with many contemporary composers, including Gunther Schuller, Jennifer Higdon, Joan Tower, Ezra Laderman, Lowell Liebermann, Tommie Haglund, Richard Danielpour, and John Corigliano. Mr. Emery earned his MM in Performance from the Manhattan School of Music as a scholarship student with Erick Friedman and Raphael Bronstein and served as concertmaster of the Manhattan Symphony.
Events
Wednesday, November 8 at 2:30pm, Crandall Public Library Community Room “Sound+Film” series, featuring free screening of “Tous Les Matins du Monde”
Sunday, November 12 at 3pm, Glens Falls High School Auditorium Pre-Concert Talk, free, with Charles Peltz
Sunday, November 12 at 4pm, Glens Falls High School Auditorium “International Colors” Concert of Astor Piazzolla “Autumn”, Maurice Ravel “Le Tombeau de Couperin” and Felix Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4, “Italian”
Tickets
4-Concert Season Tickets: Tier 1: $140/ Tier 2: $120/ Tier 3: $96 NEW! Family Season Ticket: Two Adults and Two Children: $220 for all four concerts. Single Tickets to one concert: Adult: $30/$33/$26 Single Student Ticket: $12 Location: Glens Falls High School Auditorium, 10 Quade St, Glens Falls, NY 12801
For more information, contact Jennifer Brink at (518) 793-1348 or exdir@gfso.org www.theglensfallssymphony.org Glens Falls Symphony Office (518) 793-1348 Located upstairs in the LARAC Gallery building: 7 Lapham Place in Glens Falls Office hours: Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
About Glens Falls Symphony
The Glens Falls Symphony, begun as a community amateur orchestra in 1977 at the then-named Adirondack Community College. Celebrating 40 years this season, the symphony successfully moves into its fourth decade of music-making as a professional orchestra since its incorporation in 1983. Since Maestro Charles Peltz’ arrival in 2000, the fully professional Glens Falls Symphony has performed a dynamic repertoire, regularly including musical premieres and world-renowned guest artists while expanding musical offerings to include family concerts, summer pops programs and more. Cited as “one of the great orchestras of our country” by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Joseph Schwantner, the orchestra comprises professional musicians who come from all over the Northeast to perform.
On Tuesday, October, 16th, Glens Falls resident, Dakotah R. McNabb, age 19, was taken into custody and charged with grand larceny in the third degree, and criminal possession of stolen property in the third degree.
McNabb reportedly stole a vehicle in Glens Falls and drove it to a business on Route 9 in Moreau. He left that stolen vehicle, and then stole a tow truck from the business.
McNabb was located in Glens Falls by the Glens Falls Police Department. He was arraigned at Moreau Town Court and remanded to the Saratoga County Correctional Facility without bail. The vehicles were returned to their owners.
McNabb was previously arrested last year for allegedly stealing a car from a business in Kingsbury. He was later found with the car in the town of Wilton. McNabb was charged with grand larceny and unauthorized use of a vehicle in that case.
As a boy growing up in Canada, all I ever wanted to do was play hockey. I never gave things like jobs and careers much thought, I never figured out what I wanted to be when I “grew up”, and I certainly did not purposefully set out to become a teacher.
I struggled in school, especially math, and never seemed to find my way. I rarely did my homework, and studying was like a foreign concept. That being said, there was one aspect of school I did love, and that was writing. I was even entered into a Young Writer’s Conference in Grade 5 with some influential Canadian authors, but unfortunately some rather poor experiences in high school English, with a rather unsupportive teacher, extinguished my desire to write. Needless to say, had you asked me at the end of high school if I would become a teacher, you probably would have been laughed at. Despite my own struggles with academics growing up, I have been an educator for the past eleven years or so, in four countries, and have loved every minute of it.
if there is something that teaching in four countries, with four different curriculums has taught me; it is that they are all pretty much the same. Apart from subtle little differences, Math is Math, and English is English.
Some children excel in school and some children struggle. There is no one perfect curriculum that caters to the specific educational needs of each and every child, and inevitably, there will come a time when all parents, will be faced with the same questions: How do I know if my child is doing well, and how will I know if my child needs help?
While no two children have the same needs, if you recognize any of the following behavioral cues in your child it may be time to reach out for help.
1. Homework Blues:
Homework is an important part of a child’s education. It is meant to consolidate learning that occurs in the classroom, encourages independent learning, time management, and a host of other factors. However, if homework struggles have become a nightly ritual, and if tantrums, a poor attitude, procrastination, screaming, and kicking all sound familiar, then this may be your child’s way of asking for help.
2. Avoiding School:
This one is classic.“Moooom. I don’t feel well. I don’t want to go to school today. Cough. Cough.” Let’s be honest – we all tried this at one point or another, usually with a very low success rate. Generally speaking, it is usually very obvious when a child is too ill to attend school, and while it is perfectly normal for most children to want the odd day off, if this type of behavior starts to happen on a regular basis, it could be a warning.
3. Lacks Motivation Or Carelessness:
Everyone can relate to this one. There are times in life when you really don’t want to complete a task, you don’t put forth very much effort, and simply do the minimum to get by. However, children typically have a natural tendency to want to please the adults in their life, whether parent or teacher. If your child is regularly unmotivated by school and shows no interest whatsoever, it’s time to find out why. There is always a reason. Perhaps they are not being challenged enough, or perhaps the work is too challenging. Either scenario can manifest in disinterest and a child who is unmotivated by school.
4. Poor Grades/Test Results:
Tests are no fun. Ever. It doesn’t matter how old you are, or when you take them. And while I usually caution about reading too much into test scores, like it or not, they are an important part of every child’s education, and when used in the right ways, they can also be an accurate indication of how well your child is progressing at school. If their test scores are consistently low, or do not seem to be in line with their normal school achievement, then it could be time to find out why.
5. Suffers From Low Self-Esteem Or Anxiety:
Anxiety can be quite natural at times. However, the type of anxiety I am talking about here is extreme. Does your child seem stressed out, become physically ill, extremely fearful, or worry constantly about schoolwork?This type of behavior can be worrisome in children, and if left unchecked, can present as low self-esteem; severely limiting confidence and the ability to succeed academically.
6. Dishonesty:
If engaged and interested in school, most children will want to talk about the exciting things they have been learning. There is nothing quite like a child who has learned something new and had a “light bulb moment”. They want to share their newfound knowledge with anyone who will listen. Consider the alternative for a moment.
How often have you heard these lines?
Parent: “What did you learn at school today?” Child: “Nothing.”
“Do you have any homework tonight?” “No.”
“Do you have any studying to do?”“No.”
This will resonate to anyone who has teenagers in the house. However, if you are consistently hearing these responses from your child it should be a red flag, especially for children in upper grades.
7. Poor Time Management Skills Or Independence:
A very important skill, that a lot of schools and curriculums are trying to instill, is for children to be independent learners and take ownership of their education. Try telling this to a ten year old who just wants to play video games or watch television. But, if it seems that homework takes way too long to complete, there is non-stop nagging to get it completed, or always finding out about assignments at the last minute, then your child could benefit from receiving some extra help.
8. Hopelessness:
Have you or your child given up hope completely? Does it seem like you have tried every possible solution, but nothing seems to work?Unfortunately, this is a very common occurrence in a lot of households. Most parents are very supportive of their children. They try helping with homework, only to be met with tears, tantrums, and resistance. Parents try showing alternative methods for solving problems, only to be told, “My teacher won’t let us do it that way.”
If it seems that all you are doing is pulling out your hair and nothing works, then it may be time to seek outside help to get your child (and your own sanity) back on track.
Before I wrap this up, let me tell you one last short story. I remember trying to learn my times tables as a child. I vividly recall my mother making flashcards and setting the timer on the microwave. Ten minutes practice after dinner, every night. What I remember next is not the actual practice, and not even the fact that I eventually managed to learn my times tables. No, I remember the floods of tears that accompanied that practice each and every night.
Why is this important you may ask? Well, as an adult who is getting closer and closer to his fourth decade, I can tell you that I still remember those struggles growing up. They are ingrained into my memory, and something I constantly assess as a teacher. My goal as a teacher has always been to make sure every student I come across has a better time in school than I did, and looks back at their time with fonder memories than I do.
I am not naïve enough to think that children under my tutelage have never struggled with any of the issues above, in fact quite the contrary, I’m sure many of them have. The simple point I am trying to make, is that if you wonder about any of the behavioral cues or signs above, then ask for help. You are not alone. Your child’s teacher can provide a wealth of knowledge and insight into the fascinating little creature that is your son or daughter. Alternatively, hiring the services of a professional in-home tutor can pay for itself over and over again, by addressing all these needs and more.
Nourishing Minds Tutoring has been the leader in private tutoring in the Capital Region for over 9 years. We offer qualified, reliable, and knowledgeable tutors who are expert teachers. We take the time to develop a rapport with each student to enable them to reach their fullest academic potential. Simply put, we believe that it is our job to make learning happen.
If you are in need of academic support of any kind, please contact us for a free consultation. Our services range from Pre-K through College, including special needs, test preparation, and homeschooling support. We offer competitive rates and referral programs in which you can earn free tutoring. You can get in touch with us by visiting our website https://nourishingmindstutoring.com/
On Monday, October 16th at 5:45 AM, a fuel truck was stolen from Rutland Fuel Company in Rutland, Vermont… The fuel truck was recovered later the same day in Glens Falls, after the truck seemingly ran out of fuel. The 2023 Frieghtliner, owned by Scot Sullivan, was carrying 800 gallons of fuel. No arrests have been made.
The truck was located at 1:35 PM in Glens Falls,and reported to police by Kelsey Duprey of Glens Falls: “I was pretty shocked to see the truck where I am right now just because of how far away it is,” Duprey said.
The truck had been seen early in the morning being operated in an unsafe manner. The concerned citizen called the Rutland Fuel Company and left a message regarding the vehicle being driven recklessly.
Owner, Scot Sullivan posted on Facebook for help. There was a sighting reported by a woman from Ticonderoga who spotted the truck and posted a video of the alleged thief wearing a hardhat and vest. She called the police.
Sullivan credits the use of social media for helping to recover the truck: “I think it helped law enforcement, and it certainly helped us track where he was. People of all walks of life were sharing it and we were getting reports of the truck in Pittsford, in Brandon, in Middlebury, in Vergennes,” Sullivan said.
In this episode, our hosts Mike Nelson and Derek Foster interview Morgan Pellitteri, the man behind TechSmart Inspections! While he worked white collar and with other employees in the past, Morgan rededicated himself to a new calling – running an entire home inspection operation himself! What made him make the change? How has he achieved success? Listen to this episode and find out!
LAKE GEORGE, N.Y. – This winter, Lake George, N.Y., will welcome a pair of magical celebrations to delight people of all ages:
In December, Lake George Winter’s Dream, a brand-new outdoor immersive multimedia experience, will unfold at the Fort William Henry historical fortress. Surrounding visitors in light, sound, original music, video projection and interactivity, the experience will recall the rich emotions, sensations and magic of the winter season. The attraction will unfold in the Fort’s outdoor courtyard and on its four bastions.
Next Door to Fort William Henry, at Festival Commons in Lake George, Winter Realms: The Wintertainment Destination will enchant visitors with ice skating, dazzling lights, larger-than-life motifs, a sculpture park, igloos, Santa’s Village, a Polar Ice Bar, and a variety of other winter attractions.
Winter Realms will open on Friday, Nov. 24, 2023, coinciding with Lake George’s Lite Up the Village Holiday kickoff event. Tickets for Winter Realms will go on sale Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. Winter’s Dream will open in early December. To join the waiting list for Winter’s Dream tickets, or receive updates, please visit LakeGeorgeWintersDream.com.
Winter’s Dream is created and produced by the award-winning multidisciplinary studio Moment Factory. Established in Montreal, Moment Factory is an international studio that has crafted more than 525 projects worldwide, including productions with Madonna, Billie Eilish, the Toronto Zoo, Sony, the Boston Museum of Science and the Lumina Night Walk series.
Winter Realms, created by the artists behind the famous Ice Castles, will debut a new, more weather-resistant winter experience. The unique blend of artistry and winter wonder will ensure unforgettable winter memories for visitors even when winter weather is scarce.
Photo provided.
“Lake George is first with family fun all summer and fall. Now, we hope it will be the leading place for new and memorable wintertime family entertainment, too,” said Warren County Winter Coalition Chairman Vincent Crocitto II.
Lake George Winter’s Dream and Winter Realms received financial support from Warren County as part of the public-private effort to foster year-round tourism and local employment. Both events are supported by Warren County Tourism/Visit the Lake George Area of the Adirondacks and the Warren County Winter Coalition.
Tickets for these events will be sold separately to allow visitors to select the most convenient entry times for their groups. For more information, please visit LakeGeorgeWintersDream.com and www.winterrealms.com.
About the Warren County Winter Coalition: The Warren County Winter Coalition is a non-profit group of Lake George area business and community leaders working to expand wintertime employment opportunities for local people, generate new revenue for local businesses and sales and occupancy tax revenue for Warren County, and foster the development of year-round tourism in the region. Vincent Crocitto II is president of the Coalition.
Glens Falls Symphony will present a special performance of Lucinda y Las Flores de la Nochebuena by Evan Mack and Josh McGuire, American composers, librettists, pianists and friends.
The opera stars of Seagle Festival, in Schroon Lake, NY along with our fully professional symphony musicians will present this coming of age, Christmas opera based on the Mexican folktale of the poinsettia.
Students from Queensbury, Lake George, Warrensburg, Ticonderoga, Crown Point, Keene Valley, homeschool associations, and more will be attending this school-day concert at the Warrensburg Middle School/ High School Auditorium on Friday, November 17 with three 48 min performances starting at 9:00am.
The Glens Falls Symphony takes great pride in the tradition of the children’s concert which shares music made on instruments with hundreds of years of history. Glens Falls is the smallest city in America to support a fully professional symphony, making this opportunity both unique, and important for the rural school districts it will be serving. “With an array of electronic devices and access to the internet, kids have so much at their fingertips” said Senator Betty Little. “However, there is nothing like the sound of a live symphony. The Glens Falls Symphony is phenomenal. These students are in for a very special and memorable treat.”
Executive Director Jennifer Brink says “Sharing the tremendous range of the orchestra sounds with young people who may never have heard these instruments before is a wondrous thing. We are delighted that after several years of planning, the children in our region can hear the talented musicians of the Glens Falls Symphony in a concert designed just for them. We hope to continue this program with new concerts each year so that the Glens Falls Symphony forms a critical piece of every local child’s cultural education. We feel we have a duty to share this great art with children, and to contribute to building the arts audiences of tomorrow.”
When asked about why he chose Lucinda for this program, Music Director Charles Peltz shares, everyone loves a unique Holiday gift and the Glens Falls Symphony is putting a bow on a special theatrical present for the children of our communities. Our colleague the eminently gifted composer Evan Mack has offered to co-produce with the Glens Falls Symphony his wildly successful children’s opera “Lucinda”. We love his tuneful tale of old Mexico and the legend of the poinsettia. The musicians of the orchestra are eager to make music- and magic! – with Evan and the Seagle Colony as we bring to life this charming musical miniature.
Each character in Lucinda will be represented in brilliant fusion of the opera with a traditional children’s Mexican story regarding the birth of the poinsettia flowers! This could be the first and only opera that many Adirondack Park students experience. This beautiful opera educates children, touches their hearts and illuminates the understanding, and true meaning behind the power of gift giving. One objective of presenting live music by professional musicians in this way is to inspire more young people to take up band and orchestra instruments when the opportunity comes.
The concert is supported by a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts. The Charles R. Wood Foundation, and the JM MacDonald Foundation.
The 2023-24 Glens Falls Symphony 40th Anniversary concert season is sponsored by Glens Falls National Bank.
About Glens Falls Symphony
Since Maestro Charles Peltz’ arrival in 2000, the fully professional Glens Falls Symphony has performed a dynamic repertoire, regularly including musical premieres and world-renowned guest artists while expanding musical offerings to include family concerts, summer pops programs and more. Cited as “one of the great orchestras of our country” by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Joseph Schwantner, the orchestra comprises professional musicians who come from all over the Northeast to perform.
About Seagle Festival
Seagle Festival is the premiere opera and musical theater producing organization in the Adirondack Region of upstate New York, and the oldest and one of the most distinguished summer vocal training programs in the United States, founded in 1915 by renowned singer and voice teacher Oscar Seagle. Over our 100+ year history, Seagle Festival has transitioned from a successful family-run business to a well-established non-profit organization, run and staffed by leaders in the field of opera and musical theater performances and vocal training, and overseen by a committed and diverse board of directors.
The non-profit corporation Seagle Music Colony, Inc. doing business as Seagle Festival has deep roots in the town of Schroon Lake, New York but serves a much larger community of artists and staff that have participated or worked at Seagle Festival and now live and work across the country and around the world. The mission, vision and values of Seagle Festival include a commitment to the highest quality performances for our devoted audiences and top-notch vocal training for aspiring vocalists of all backgrounds and identities.
About Evan Mack
Believing that opera should be theater grounded in climatic expression that delivers larger-than-life stories and music that harnesses the full athletic thrill of singing, Evan Mack has devoted much of his compositional life to opera and song. His first major operatic composition, where he served as both composer and librettist, was Angel of the Amazon. “Angel” premiered in May of 2011 by Encompass New Opera Theatre at the Baryshnikov Arts Center in New York City and was subsequently released on CD worldwide by Albany Records. Two years later, Fresno State Opera Theater premiered The Secret of Luca. This was the first of several collaborations with librettist Joshua McGuire. In August 2016, their American grand opera Roscoe premiered at Seagle Music Colony to rave reviews. Roscoe received its orchestral world premiere with the Albany Symphony starring Metropolitan Opera star Deborah Voigt. In between the two large scale projects, Mack & McGuire found time to write the first ever opera for Twitter #IsOperaDead – an opera in 5 acts lasting one minute and forty seconds.
Their Christmas opera for children, Lucinda y las Flores de la Nochebuena is quickly becoming a holiday standard with yearly productions by San Francisco Opera, Opera in the Heights and Fresno State Opera, who commissioned the opera. The one-act opera The Ghosts of Gatsby premiered by Samford Opera in Birmingham, AL in 2019 and won the National Opera Association’s Argento Chamber Opera Competition. Mack & McGuire’s latest, Yeltsin in Texas! premiered in 2020 by TCU and Opera in the Heights. It’s now in development to become a musical comedy!
Evan Mack has proven as deft at song writing as he is in opera. His song A Little More Perfect is a setting of Justice Anthony Kennedy’s final paragraph of the Marriage Equality Decision by the Supreme Court in 2015. Premiering at Seagle Music Colony in 2015, it has quickly become a favorite of many baritones including Michael Mayes, Daniel Okulich and Michael Miller to name a few. The song had its professional premiere at the Glimmerglass Festival in 2016 and the orchestral premiere at the Fort Worth Opera Festival in 2017. His new cycle If Only Lenny Were Here, which celebrates the life of Leonard Bernstein had its world premiere with the Schenectady Symphony in October of 2018.
Evan was named “2018 Professional of the Year” by Musical America, was a composing fellow at the John Duffy Composers Institute and a resident artist at Yaddo. He is currently published with Hal Leonard, Alfred, and Amazon. Evan is a Teaching Professor at Skidmore College. He lives in Ticonderoga, NY with his wife, Kristin and two sons, Carter and Henry.
About Joshua McGuire
Joshua has written librettos for The Secret of Luca, (based on the novel by Ignazio Silone) and Roscoe (based on the novel by Pulitzer Prize winner William Kennedy) with music by Evan Mack. In October 2016, Roscoe received a full performance by the Albany Symphony featuring soprano Deborah Voigt in the lead role of Veronica. His collaboration with Mack also produced Lucinda y Las Flores de la Nochebuena, a children’s opera commissioned by the Fresno State Opera Theatre. Since premiering in 2016, the opera has played for over 25,000 children, including annual performances by the San Francisco Opera Guild. Mack & McGuire’s one-act opera The Ghosts of Gatsby, based on the life of Zelda Fitzgerald, won the the National Opera Association’s 2019 Dominick Argento Prize for contemporary opera, with subsequent productions by Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory and Opera Las Vegas, among others.
Yeltsin in Texas! — a comedy about the fall of the U.S.S.R. commissioned and premiered by Opera in the Heights and Texas Christian University in February 2020 — is currently being expanded and developed into a full-length musical theatre piece with The Blueprint Project. McGuire is currently developing A Nearer Mother with Evan Mack (based on the life of AIDS activist Ruth Coker Burks), as well as a multimedia opera entitled Siddhartha (after the novel by Hermann Hesse) with composer Murray Hidary.
In 2015, McGuire was commissioned to write a libretto for Washington National Opera’s American Opera Initiative, and the resulting one-act opera, Alexandra, with music by David Clay Mettens, was premiered at the Kennedy Center. He is also the author of The Secret of Music: a look at the listening life, a book of essays on music and mindfulness. McGuire is the recipient of fellowships from Yaddo, Opera America, and the the American Center for New Works Development.
McGuire currently teaches at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music. He studied at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where he pursued Master’s work in both guitar and orchestral conducting, holding assistantships in both areas. As an undergraduate at Vanderbilt University, he took the Bachelor of Music summa cum laude as well as High Honors in English Literature for his thesis on musical structures in the work of James Joyce. He currently resides in Nashville with his wife, pianist and conductor Jennifer McGuire, their son Thomas, and a basset hound.
Contact the symphony to reserve your seats for your school, organization, association, church group etc. Good seats still available. Transportation funding available by request.
CONCERT PROGRAM:
Lucinda y Las Flores de la Nochebuena by Evan Mack and Josh McGuire 9:00am / 10:30am / 12:15pm Friday November 17, 2023 Opera Singers Conducted by Richard Kagey, Seagle festival Orchestra Conducted by Charles Peltz Warrensburg Middle/High School Auditorium
Visit the Symphony website at www.theglensfallssymphony.org Call the Symphony office at 518-793-1348 Mailing address: Glens Falls Symphony, PO Box 2036, Glens Falls NY 12801 Office Location: Upstairs in the LARAC Building, 7 Lapham Place, Glens Falls NY 12801
In this episode, our hosts Mike Nelson and Derek Foster interview four students at the Blue Collar College – Tim, Jonathan, Jawid and Edon! Their incredible stories showcase the strength of the Blue Collar spirit – between preserving heritage, community values, working hard to chase those dreams, and even acts of genuine heroism, the future for the next generation of Blue Collar workers is looking bright!
