Belchertown photographer’s work on display at State House
State Sen. Jake Oliveira, D-Ludlow-D, invites residents to visit a new exhibit now on display in the Massachusetts State House Senate Gallery, titled “Quabbin – Yesterday and Today,” which highlights the history, legacy and natural beauty of the Quabbin Reservoir region.
“Whether you’re planning a trip to the State House during school vacation week or just looking for a reason to stop by Beacon Hill, this exhibit offers a terrific opportunity to connect with a defining piece of Western Massachusetts history,” said Oliveira.
The exhibit features contemporary photography from Belchertown-based nature photographer Ed Comeau. These images are paired with historical photographs from the Digital Commonwealth Massachusetts State Archives, as well as rare late-1800s images from the Friends of the Quabbin collection, offering a window into the communities that once thrived in the Swift River Valley before the reservoir was created.
“The Quabbin is such a wonderful place to visit,” said Comeau. “Along with its beauty, it is an incredible engineering feat that brings millions of gallons of water from Western Massachusetts to the metro Boston area.”
This exhibit was made possible through a grant from the Mass Cultural Council to the Friends of the Quabbin. The photographs will be on exhibit until the end of May.
Comeau’s work can be viewed at ComeauPhotography.com and on Instagram at @edcomeauphotography.
An Evelyn Harris Community Sing-In to be held on April 30
A public gathering and sing-along will be held on Thursday, April 30 at the First Churches of Northampton to the music that the late Evelyn Harris taught in Northampton: freedom songs. The program will feature the Ujima Singers, the Afrocentric music collective founded by Harris at the Northampton Community Music Center and singalongs with alumni of the Ku’umba Women’s Choir. Doors open at 6:45 p.m. and music begins at 7 p.m.
Though this is a free event, those with the means are invited to contribute toward the Evelyn Harris scholarship fund, a new scholarship that will be awarded to a young Black or Indigenous Northampton Community Music Center student annually. Donations can be made at ncmc.net/donate.
NYC pianist and singer-songwriter to headline a May 2 show at The Parlor Room
New York City pianist and singer-songwriter Kenny White headlines a show at The Parlor Room in Northampton on Saturday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m., with guitarist Kevin Barry and opening act Spottiswoode.
White, a veteran musician who has worked with artists including Linda Ronstadt, Gladys Knight and Mavis Staples, built a long career as a touring keyboardist, producer and arranger before focusing on his own songwriting. Known for witty, emotional performances, he has released multiple albums, including his latest, Long List of Priors, and recently toured with Stephen Stills and Judy Collins.
Opening the show, Spottiswoode is an award-winning Anglo-American songwriter and longtime frontman of Spottiswoode & His Enemies. His solo work, often compared to artists like Leonard Cohen and Nick Cave, has been featured in film and television and earned multiple Independent Music Award nominations.
Pioneer Valley Jewish Film Festival returns April 30
The Pioneer Valley Jewish Film Festival returns April 30-May 6, featuring 13 international films across seven area venues.
Marking its 20th year, the film festival launches on Thursday, April 30, with an opening night screening of French film “Once Upon My Mother.”
“This year’s festival showcases films that widen our lens on themes of identity, memory, culture, and community,” said Deb Krivoy, the Springfield JCC’s COO and Festival Director. “It’s an outstanding lineup of narrative features, documentaries, and short films that will, for sure, inspire conversation and connection.”
Tickets are $14 and can be purchased online at springfieldjcc.org/pvjff. Tickets are sold at the door subject to availability; advance purchase is recommended as films do sell out. Screenings at Amherst Cinema, Greenfield Garden Cinemas and South Hadley’s Tower Theaters are ticketed through their respective box offices. For more information, trailers and show times, visit the PVJFF online at springfieldjcc.org/pvjff or call 413-739-4715.
Folklore Society to host ‘Acoustic Songs of the Sixties Night’
The Pioneer Valley Folklore Society will host a special “Acoustic Songs of the Sixties Night” on Saturday, May 2 at 7 p.m. at First Church, 165 Main St. in Amherst.
Part of the monthly Song & Story Swap series, the event invites the public to perform or listen to hits and rarities from the 1960s. Performers must use acoustic instruments and are encouraged to register in advance via facebook.com/events/26156977410651565 or by emailing Paul Kaplan at paulkaplanmusic@gmail.com. Appearance slots and song choices will be first come, first served.
While admission is free, a $5-10 donation is suggested to benefit the Folklore Society. Additional details and registration links are available at pvfs.us.
For more information contact Paul Kaplan at 413-687-5002.
Arcadia Players to present ‘Making Overtures’ on May 2
Arcadia Players will present “Making Overtures” on Saturday, May 2 at 2:30 p.m. at Wesley United Methodist Church in Hadley.
The program features Georg Philipp Telemann’s “Water Music: Hamburg, Ebb and Flow,” composed in 1723 to celebrate Hamburg’s maritime heritage, with music evoking the River Elbe and scenes from mythological water spirits to boatmen’s dances. Also on the program are overtures by Johann Caspar Fischer and Johann Bernhard Bach.
The ensemble is directed by Andrus Madsen. Tickets are available at arcadiaplayers.org or at the door.
Deborah Way to present ‘What Wears You’ at ECA Gallery
Artist Deborah Way will present an exhibition of abstract, wall-hung fabric sculptures from May 2-28 at ECA Gallery in Easthampton. An opening reception is scheduled for May 2 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The work explores clothing as a reflection of identity, values and social status, using layered textiles and concealed spaces to suggest the tension between outward appearance and inner life, as well as themes of memory and nostalgia.
Gallery hours are Tuesday and Thursday from noon to 2 p.m. and Wednesday from noon to 3 p.m. More information is available at easthamptoncityarts.com.
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William Baczek Fine Arts to hold opening reception on May 2
William Baczek Fine Arts will mark its 30th anniversary with a group exhibition on display until June 6. An opening reception with the artists will be held Saturday, May 2, from 4 to 6 p.m.
The show features both established and newly represented artists, reflecting the gallery’s long-running program that spans abstraction and realism across painting, sculpture and new media. Founded in 1996, the gallery has expanded from a focus on local representational artists to an international roster, building a reputation for technically accomplished, thoughtfully composed work.
The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. More information is available at wbfinearts.com or by calling 413-587-9880.