6 Arts Notes

The Orion String Quartet Comes to the Ebenezer Theater in Easton

June 6, 2021 by Chesapeake Music
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The Orion String Quartet, back row, from left to right are Timothy Eddy, cello; Steven Tenenbom, viola; and Daniel Phillips, violin; and in the front row, Todd Phillips, violin.

A treat awaits our 2021 Festival goers! The renowned Orion String Quartet will perform Beethoven’s “Razumovsky” String Quartet in C Major on June 10. And on June 12, the Quartet will join pianist Robert McDonald, to delight the audience with Brahms Piano Quintet in F minor.

The members of the Quartet, violinists Daniel and Todd Phillips, violist Steven Tenenbom and cellist Timothy Eddy are season artists of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. They are especially drawn to Beethoven and recorded his complete string quartets over a five-year period. During 2017-18, their 30th anniversary season as a quartet, they performed all these quartets over six evenings at the Mannes School of Music where they held the position of quartet-in-residence for 27 years.

Daniels Phillips notes, “We are completely exhausted when we play Beethoven. His music is very demanding, physically, emotionally and spiritually. At the same time, he uses very simple notes, which everyone can understand to the greatest effect on the listener. It is brilliant. Beethoven famously said to musicians who complained how difficult his music was, that he gave them ‘music from the Gods.’ This is how we feel!”

Admired for their diverse programming that juxtaposes masterworks of the quartet literature with key works of the 20th and 21st centuries, the Orion is on the cutting edge of programming through commissions from composers ranging from Chick Corea to Wynton Marsalis and a creative partnership with the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company. “The collaboration with Marsalis was fortuitous,” Phillips said. “Given a commission by the Chamber Music Society, Marsalis chose to write a string quartet. We were the lucky recipients. He wove brilliantly the American music he grew up with in New Orleans into classical form. Very challenging for us, but it turned out to be a genius piece of music.”

The Orion Quartet is named after the Constellation Orion as a metaphor for the personality each musician brings to the group in its collective pursuit of the highest musical ideals.

“We each want to play the way we want to play,” Phillips muses. “To achieve a great sound requires good chemistry, and good ensemble skills; one must learn how to listen, know how much to lead and how much to follow. If you always follow, you will be late. If you always lead, the others don’t have a chance to make their voice heard. It is an ongoing interesting challenge to get the balance right. Ultimately, it is a very democratic process,” he concludes.

Festival 2021 is thrilled to have the Orion String Quartet join us as a group for the first time to celebrate our 36th Anniversary year. Sponsors of this year’s Festival include Talbot Arts, the Maryland State Arts Council, Paul and Joanne Prager, and our donors. Chesapeake Music now has additional tickets for sale for all six in-theater Festival concerts. Please go to chesapeakemusic.org to order tickets for the in-theater or live-streamed performances or for a complete program listing.

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“Subconscious Snapshots, The Birth of Ideas” with Lori Dever is Main Street Gallery’s Summer Show

June 5, 2021 by Spy Desk
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Artwork by Lori Dever

Lori Dever, a member of the Main Street Gallery Cooperative is the featured artist for the gallery’s July/August show. Titled “Subconscious Snapshots, The Birth of Ideas” this show of her recent work has sprung from her subconscious, the East New Market artist says.

“Lately my mind has been wandering with snapshots of intimate images” Lori explains. These intimate images come to life as she guides her pencil around her sketchpad and lets her mind connect the dots of the image as it emerges. “While moving the pencil around and trying to find its shape, my mind opens to a meditative state and the subject starts to emerge from my subconscious” she says. The artist finds comfort in this process and describes it as “spacing out” or losing herself in a shape, color or idea. “I don’t recall painting some of my paintings at all.” she says. “Depending on whether I am working on a painting, abstract or realistic, I always end up losing myself to my subconscious.”

Lori has titled these new pieces by the date they were created in her sketchbook. The first of this new suite for example, is a drawing titled simply 2/6/21.

She has done this, she says, because she likes to hide her original idea within the play of shapes and colors and doesn’t want the title to give her subject away. She’d rather have viewers draw their own ideas of her subjects.

Lori studied painting at the Columbus College of Art and Design but she says she has been drawing as far back as she can remember, doodling on corners of papers, making swirls and circles. The subjects of Lori’s works almost always reference the human body in some way, be it male or female. ” I need the human spirit around me to keep me connected with what is going on in the world, and I believe it is the most predominant thing in my work. I love reflecting my life into my work. It tells my story, my piece of heaven.”

“Subconscious Snapshots, The Birth of Ideas” opens on Thursday, July 1 and runs through Sunday, August 29. There will be two artists receptions on Second Saturdays, JULY 10 and AUGUST 14 from 5-8 pm. The receptions are free and open to the public. The gallery is located at 518 Poplar St. in Cambridge’s lively Arts and Entertainment District and directly across the street from Jimmie and Sooks Restaurant.

Note the new open hours for the exhibit which are Thursday, Friday and Sunday from 11-5 and Saturday from 10-8. Patrons may also schedule a private visit by calling 410-330-4659 or they may shop online at the gallery’s website: www.mainstgallery.net, The gallery provides curbside pickup and free local delivery.

Main Street Gallery members are taking all sanitary precautions to ensure the safety of its visitors and are wearing masks while in the gallery and ask that all visitors do the same. Main Street Gallery is Cambridge’s only artist-owned and run cooperative and is currently reviewing work from prospective members and guest artists. Please contact the Gallery if you are interested in being a part of this vibrant artist community.

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The Reviews are Glowing for Studio B Art Gallery’s Spring Plein Air Workshop

June 4, 2021 by Spy Desk
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“Washington Street Morning” by Master Jove Wang

The reviews are in and everyone agrees, the Studio B Art Gallery Plein Air Workshop with Master Jove Wang was a hit. Studio B Art Gallery hosted the inspirational workshop with the master painter in mid-May of 2021, a perfectly timed event that took advantage of COVID-19 restrictions lifting and normalcy returning to downtown Easton, Maryland.

Master Jove Wang is a highly sought after world-renowned artist, award-winning plein air painter, professor, and author. His career spans more than three decades and he has won numerous awards. Master Wang’s demonstration at the 15th Plein Air Easton Competition in 2019 was a highlight of the festivities.

Studio B Art Gallery was pleased to host Master Wang for the downtown Easton workshop that included a special opening night exhibit with intimate conversations and first looks at new art. Workshop students and gallery patrons enjoyed the reception where six new pieces by Master Wang were sold.

“Sunday Lunch” by Master Jove Wang

Workshop participants came from all over and had a wonderful experience. The reviews from the students were glowing:

“This was my second workshop with Master Jove Wang. Jove is a true master, professional, brilliant artist, and compassionate teacher. When I planned to attend his first workshop, I was a bit intimidated by his reputation and the beauty of his work. However, almost immediately he put the group at ease with his teaching style and one-on-one attention to each student. His daily presentations are well thought out, serious discussions of theory and principles of painting, composition, and brush technique. He usually does a few demonstrations throughout the workshop and sends the students off to paint. As he comes around to check on each student’s progress, he instantly perceives the pluses and minuses and patiently and gently points out areas for improvement. Yet he is generous with his praise when you are on track. This second workshop was a refresher for those repeat students, yet he also worked closely with a brand new painter to help her get started. I have recently sold three of my paintings using Jove’s principles. I consider that a great investment!“

“View from Tidewater” by Master Jove Wang

-Georgette Toews

“I had what I consider a most fortuitous opportunity to study in a workshop with Jove Wang, a recognized master artist when he came to show his paintings at Studio B Gallery in Easton, Maryland. I was ecstatic when I learned that the topic of concentration was to be street scenes, as that is one of the most challenging subjects in the plein air repertoire. Each day began with lessons about the principles to follow; composition, drawing, simplification, manipulation of subject matter, initial paint layer, color, mass and line in the second layer, light vs dark, cool vs warm, brushstrokes and edges. It was a large amount of information to be aware of while dealing with setting up equipment in the street, traffic and pedestrians in constant motion, and trying to concentrate on identifying the overall mood and focus of the complex scene. Jove opened up his vast knowledge and experience to us by demonstrating several plein air paintings from beginning to completion, allowing us to observe every brush stroke. Of course it is now up to us students to incorporate in our work what we were privileged to witness.”

Plein Air Workshop students pose with Studio B Art Gallery owner Betty Huang and Master Jove Wang.

-Biruta Hansen

“Jove learned from the old masters and shared his knowledge and experience freely. During the demos, it was akin to watching magic, where from seemingly unrelated brushstrokes, a street scene including its essence suddenly emerged. During the workshop, Jove described the importance of a composition and what makes it interesting. He talked about music created by shapes, lines and points as part of a good painting. Jove Wang has created an inspiring and outstanding experience during our five day workshop.

I would be missing a big part of the rewarding experience if I did not mention Betty and Eddy – our hosts. I was made welcome and part of the family. They created a wonderful warm inclusive atmosphere that I cannot wait to experience again in the future. Master Jove described good art as having a soul, and during the workshop, the experience has captured my soul.”

Master Jove Wang’s painting demo outside the Tidewater Inn during the 2021 workshop

-Alla Piltser

“It was great to have the opportunity to study with Jove again. His love for art is evident in his paintings and in his approach to teaching. He shared important concepts such as ‘point, line, mass’ to help participants in our workshop progress—and to help us find the music in our art! I enjoyed watching him paint and ‘carve out’ shapes with thick paint. Amazing and so inspiring!”

-Carol Frost

“The Jove Wang workshop was a great success for me! The town of Easton provides a perfect background for Plein Air painting and Jove is the best leader for exceptional artistic results! Moreover, Betty Huang’s organizational skills made the five day challenging learning process interesting and enjoyable! I look forward to painting in Easton with Jove Wang next year! Thank you Jove and Betty! Love Easton!”

-Karen Spencer

Visit Studio B Art Gallery at 7B Goldsborough Street in Easton, Maryland or online at www.studiobartgallery.com to view original paintings by all the gallery’s exceptional artists. You can purchase directly on the website, call to arrange a private viewing (443-988-1818), or stop into the gallery during open hours.

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Botanical Art League Forming on Eastern Shore

June 4, 2021 by Spy Desk
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Lee D’Zmura, a longtime teacher of botanical art programs at Adkins Arboretum, and Anna Harding, botanical artist and botanical art teacher at the arboretum, are partnering to establish a botanical art league on the Eastern Shore. The league is open to anyone who has studied botanical drawing or painting at any level and is interested in meeting others who share their interest.

“The botanical art tradition combines science and art….Botanical artists seek to understand plants’ structure and communicate this knowledge to their audience in an aesthetically pleasing manner.” (Botanical Art & Artists)

The group’s first meeting will be held at the Arboretum on Wednesday, June 9 at 10 a.m. Discussion will include where and how to meet, programs to offer, and topics of importance to those attending. If you are interested in joining the Botanical Art League, email Anna Harding at [email protected].

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Members and Founders Show at DCA

June 3, 2021 by Spy Desk
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Handmade pottery by the late Mary Hester

June in the galleries at DCA features the Annual Members Show in the Main Gallery along with “A Lasting Legacy: Art from DCA’s Founders” in the Front Gallery. This is the opportunity DCA takes each year to thank members for their support and to showcase their best original work. This year, select pieces from several of DCA’s founders will be featured as well, including work by Beebe Winterbottom and the late Mary Hester. Both were members of DCA’s first Board of Directors, and Mary Hester later served as President.

Through the efforts of Bob Tolley, Shirley Brannock and John Bannon – all graduates of the Maryland Institute of Art, educators and practicing painters – DCA was founded in 1970 and continues to serve as a cultural arts center as well as the designated Arts Council for Dorchester.

The exhibit will run through June 26. Gallery hours are Thursday noon – 6:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. DCA will be open to the public on Second Saturday, June 12 through 8:00 p.m. The reception will be held via Facebook live starting at 6:00 p.m. Watch for a surprise pop-up exhibit, too!

DCA Annual Membership Meeting

Also in June, the DCA Annual Membership meeting will be held on Sunday June 27, outside at DCA. Reception 4:00-4:30 p.m., with business meeting 4:30-5:30 p.m. The slate of officers to be presented for vote are as follows: Caroline Cline, President; Marlene Lashuk, Vice President; Betsey Harrington, Treasurer; Honor McNally, Secretary; Rick Hester, Executive Committee Board Appointee. The agenda will include the awards presentation for winners in the Annual Members Show. Members are asked to RSVP if they plan to attend: 410-228-7782.

Dorchester Center for the Arts is dedicated to enriching Maryland’s Eastern Shore community through high quality, engaging programming in the visual, literary, musical, and performing arts. To learn more, stop by 321 High Street, call 410-228-7782 or visit online at www.dorchesterarts.org. Find us on Facebook! Programs at DCA are supported by the Maryland State Arts Council.

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Dorchester Center for the Arts Announces Summer Fun for Kids

June 2, 2021 by Spy Desk
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Summer arts at DCA

Dorchester Center for the Arts will be presenting nine weeks of creative summer fun for youth, both onsite and off. The program kicks off with four weeks of “Art in the Park”, arts experiences for all ages at four separate parks in Dorchester County. DCA will be traveling with supplies and instructors to four County parks: Hurlock, East New Market, Church Creek and Cambridge. Activities will be held at one park each week, daily from 10:00 a.m. – noon, at no charge for participation. All are welcome. No registration needed.

Week 1: East New Market (June 21 – June 25) “Friendship Park” located on Railroad Avenue next to the post office.

Week 2: Cambridge (June 28 – July 2) Pavilion next to the tennis courts on Glasgow Street.

Week 3: Hurlock (July 5 – July 9) Pavilion next to Hurlock Athletic Complex, between MD Route 392 and Poplar Street.

Week 4: Church Creek (July 12 – July 16) Located on Church Creek Road, Route 16.

Next up, five weeks onsite at DCA will provide even more enriching, creative fun. All materials are provided for each session. Children must be the ages stated on the class descriptions. Grouping is designed according to attention span, hand size, and manual dexterity, not creative maturity. Camp meets daily noon-2:30 p.m. Each week is $75 for DCA members, $90 for non-members. Scholarships are available – please call 410-228-7782.

Week 1: “Face It!” Experiments in Portrait Art (July 19 – July 23) Youth will spend the week experimenting with all things portraiture. For ages 9 and up.

Week 2: “It’s A Jungle Out There!” (July 26 – July 30) Youth will take a summer journey into the animal kingdom through a variety of visual art projects. For ages 6 to 8.

Week 3: “Wild Things” (August 2 – August 6) Discover imaginary creatures, strange new worlds, time travel, and more! Ages 9 and up

Week 4: “Artsy Upcycle” (August 9 – August 13) Students will create wonderful, whimsical art with found objects and repurposed materials. Ages 7-10.

Week 5: “Exploring the Classics” (August 16 – August 20) Students will explore the works and techniques of the great artists of the world as they make their own masterpieces. Ages 9 and up.

Additional activities for youth, adults and families will be offered this summer at DCA. Visit online at www.dorchesterarts.org for complete program catalog and registration, or stop by 321 High Street in Cambridge. Programs at DCA are supported by the Maryland State Arts Council.

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Artists in Dialogue with Landscape on View through September at Adkins Arboretum

June 2, 2021 by Adkins Arboretum
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“Chorus,” by Falls Church, Va., artist Marc Robarge

There are glittering crystals, lichens crocheted from yarn and rivers of sticks glowing brilliant red under the green leaves of the Adkins Arboretum forest. After a year’s postponement due to the COVID-19 shutdown, once again the woodland trails are full of surprises as the Outdoor Sculpture Invitational returns.

Responding to the show’s theme, Artists in Dialogue with Landscape, seven artists from the mid-Atlantic region and California have created eight sculptures along the wooded paths. The show is on view June 1 through Sept. 30. On Sat., July 10, the artists will talk about their work during a guided sculpture walk from 3 to 5 p.m.

As might be expected as we emerge from months of quarantine, the pandemic has deeply affected these artists. One of the show’s most playful works, “Containment Conundrum,” is also one of the most serious. Columbia, Md., artist Jillian Storms, assisted by her daughter, Katherine Elicker, used the spiky seedpods of sweetgum trees to call to mind the uncertainty surrounding the spread of COVID. Tangled amid spiraling vines, they are both comical and menacing as they appear to leap from the sculpture onto surrounding vines and branches, just as the virus spread in unexpected ways.

“Shelter in Place,” by Bridgette Guerzon Mills of Towson, Md., is a cozy pair of chairs and a small table tucked under a pine tree. Encrusted with an enchanting array of mosses, twigs and nests mingled with crocheted lichen and leaves, it invites thoughts about how the natural world became a haven for people seeking solace and renewal in nature. While not specifically about the quarantine, “Chorus,” by Marc Robarge of Falls Church, Va., presents a ring of branches sprouting strange ceramic pods that look almost as if they are singing. With a disk of oak providing an inviting seat at the center of the circle, this sculpture offers a meditative place to sit and listen to the forest’s sounds.

“Frozen,” by Laurel, Md., artist Melissa Burley, considers another pressing issue—climate change. Burley travels frequently for her job as an art handler and has encountered sudden weather events like the unprecedented cold and blizzard conditions that hit Texas last winter. As if hoarfrost had suddenly sprung up under the trees, glinting mirrors and sparkling shattered glass lie on the forest floor, while crystals from an old chandelier hang like icicles in nearby branches.

Several of the artists explore natural cycles of death and renewal. For “An Ending Is a Beginning,” Elizabeth Miller McCue of Yardley, Penn, wound vines sprouting hundreds of green patinated bronze leaves in and out of two fallen trees to conjure the irrepressible urge of nature to renew itself. In his second sculpture, “Seeds of Light,” Robarge also focused on nature’s potential by hanging seed-like shapes made of ceramic and stained glass from a cedar arched over the mossy path. On a sunny day, light glows through the pale green glass at the center of each seed.

In two large sculptures titled “Wood about Wood I & II,” Bozman, Md., artist Georgia Goldberg and her collaborator, Marco Hyman-Romero of Oakland, Calif., highlighted two large fallen trees by laying bright red sticks along their sides. Often unnoticed in the forest, these decaying tree trunks are vital to the forest’s ecosystem as the slowly rotting wood provides habitat and nutrition for both plants and animals. As with all the works in this show, these sculptures invite thoughts about the intricate ways that nature constantly revitalizes itself, humans included.

This show is part of Adkins Arboretum’s ongoing exhibition series of work on natural themes by regional artists. It is on view through Sept. 30 at the Arboretum Visitor’s Center located at 12610 Eveland Road near Tuckahoe State Park in Ridgely. Contact the Arboretum at 410-634-2847 or [email protected] for more information.

Adkins Arboretum is a 400-acre native garden and preserve at the headwaters of the Tuckahoe Creek in Caroline County. For more information, visit adkinsarboretum.org or call 410-634-2847, ext. 0.

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Chesapeake Chamber Music Festival 2021 Week Two Lineup

June 1, 2021 by Chesapeake Music
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Orion String Quartet, back row, from left to right are Timothy Eddy, cello; Steven Tenenbom, viola; and Daniel Phillips, violin; and in the front row, Todd Phillips, violin.

Week two of Chesapeake Music’s 36th annual Chesapeake Chamber Music Festival will kick off with a concert on June 10 at 5:30 p.m. by the Orion String Quartet to celebrate the Festival’s 36th Anniversary year. The members of the Quartet, violinists Daniel and Todd Phillips, violist Steven Tenenbom and cellist Timothy Eddy are season artists of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Three concerts featuring 10 artists will be presented live during week two at the Festival’s new permanent home, the Ebenezer Theater, at 17 South Washington Street in Easton, Maryland. The concerts will be held in full compliance with state and local Covid-19 regulations, as well as streamed on the web.

Week Two Schedule

June 10, 5:30 p.m. – Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Opus 115 and Beethoven’s String Quartet in C Major, Opus 59 No. 3 (Orion String Quartet)

June 11, 5:30 p.m.. – Mozart’s Piano Trio in C Major, Beethoven’s Serenade in D Major, Opus 25 for flute, violin, viola, and Schubert’s Fantasia for Piano, Four Hands, in F minor

June 12, 7:30 p.m. – Festival Finale – Beethoven’s Clarinet Trio in B-flat Major, Opus 11, Prokofiev’s Sonata in D Major for flute and piano, Opus 94, Brahms Piano Quintet in F minor, Opus 34 (Orion String Quartet)

Week Two Artists

Week 2 Artists

Catherine Cho, Violin/Viola

Marcy Rosen, Cello

Tara Helen O’Connor, Flute

J. Lawrie Bloom, Clarinet

Diane Walsh, Piano

Robert McDonald, Piano

Orion String Quartet

Daniel Phillips, Violin

Todd Phillips, Violin

Steven Tenenbom, Viola

Timothy Eddy, Cello

Sponsors of this year’s Festival include Talbot Arts, the Maryland State Arts Council, Paul and Joanne Prager, and our donors. Chesapeake Music now has additional tickets for sale for all six in-theater Festival concerts. Please go to chesapeakemusic.org to order tickets for the in-theater or live-streamed performances or for a complete program listing.

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Behind the Scenes at the Chesapeake Chamber Music Festival

May 29, 2021 by Chesapeake Music
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Marcy Rosen on cello, Artistic Co-Director of the Chesapeake Chamber Music Festival

Much goes into the planning of the annual Chesapeake Chamber Music Festival, but the true backbone of a successful Festival is the engagement of world-class musicians and the selection of inspiring musical programming that creates an intimate bond between the performers and the audience. This is the responsibility of the Festival’s co-artistic directors, cellist Marcy Rosen and violinist Catherine Cho.

The 36th annual Chesapeake Chamber Music Festival will be held June 4–12 at its new home, the Ebenezer Theater at 17 South Washington Street in Easton, Maryland. The Festival’s two-week program of six concerts featuring 15 artists will be presented live as well as streamed on the web. For this year’s Festival, Marcy and Cathy have created a compelling program of chamber music masterworks by Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, and Schumann, among others, as well as intimate duo performances of music by Joseph Bologne, William Grant Still, William Bolcom, and Amy Beach.

The Festival’s opening extravaganza on June 4 will introduce Chesapeake Music’s new Steinway & Sons concert grand piano and feature Mozart’s Piano Trio in G Major and Dvořák’s Piano Quartet in E-flat Major. On June 11, the piano will again be in the spotlight with performances of Mozart’s Piano Trio in C Major, Beethoven’s Serenade in D Major, and Schubert’s Fantasia for Piano, Four Hands, in F minor.

“I really, really wanted to play the Mozart piano trio in C Major! – but I needed to give it to another cellist [Timothy Eddy],” Marcy exclaimed in a recent interview. “It’s important, after all, to distribute the repertoire fairly evenly among the performers at a festival. It’s going to be beautiful! – I don’t get to play it, but I get to listen. Fortunately, I do get to play in the Mozart G Major piano trio at the opening concert. So, I’m happy with that.”

Catherine Cho on violin, Artistic Co-Director of the Chesapeake Chamber Music Festival

After choosing the Festival participants, Marcy and Cathy ask the musicians what they would like to perform, and from those suggestions, they endeavor to create concert programs that are both audience-pleasing as well as interesting for the artists to work on. Given time constraints, the musicians aren’t able to rehearse together until they come to Easton on May 31st. They then spend their time in day-long rehearsals on preparation for the Festival. This was not always the case, as Marcy recalled, “In the early years of the Festival, we only had one or two concerts, so there was time for sailing on the rivers or the bay, but with these expanded concerts, we don’t have time to do that now! It’s the growth of the Festival that is most amazing to me over these 36 years, starting with that first concert which we did in somebody’s house, growing to what is now two weeks of concerts and building the faithful audience that we have.” She later added, “Each year, audience members say, ‘This was the best Festival ever!’ and so we want to try to meet that standard and be the best Festival yet once again!”

There will also be a bit of déjà vu at this year’s Festival. At one of the early Festivals, pianist Diane Walsh, clarinetist Lawrie Bloom, and Marcy performed Beethoven’s Clarinet Trio in B-flat Major, Op. 11. “This was one of the first pieces we played way back when –,” Marcy explained, “and we will play that piece together again – bringing it full circle from when we were kids!”

All chamber music festivals are almost certain to include some of the great masterworks, and this year’s Festival is no exception. However, Marcy and Cathy have also included some little-known compositions as well as compositions by women and composers of color, who historically have been underrepresented in chamber music programming. “Diversity is very important to classical music,” Marcy stated, “and diverse and inclusive programming is now much more prevalent in classical music organizations.” Marcy and Cathy hope to be able to include interesting new works and premiers in future Festival programming.

The live-streaming of the Festival concerts from the Ebenezer Theater is also new for Chesapeake Chamber Music. Marcy is very interested in this opportunity, “I think that virtual concerts—like the Virtual Virtuosi! concert last year— helped Chesapeake Chamber Music broaden its exposure tremendously. So, we now will reach more people than we ever have. The Virtual Virtuosi! concert was really one of the first to make the necessary shift during the pandemic from live to virtual. And it was all due to the musicians’ willingness to make ‘home movies’ or stream available pre-recorded concerts. But that was low-tech, and now everything is wonderfully high-tech. There’s been a quick learning curve on everybody’s part to make virtual concerts better and better. I believe that concerts will continue to be live before an audience as well as live-streamed as we go forward. I hope Chesapeake Chamber Music will continue to do both, and I think the new theater will make this possible. But I do think that people are still most interested to attend concerts in person.”

“We have programmed a lot of really exciting music for this Festival,” Marcy added. “I’m very excited to watch Diane Walsh and Ieva Jokubaviciute perform the two Schumann pieces for four hands seated at the same piano. And Diane and Robert McDonald will do the same, performing Schubert’s beautiful Fantasy in F minor at another concert.” Cathy added, “And for the first time we’ll have violist Molly Carr, who was recently featured in the ‘Rising Stars’ concert, as well as the Orion String Quartet playing Brahms’ great Piano Quintet in F minor – this is very exciting!”

“I’m excited about all the performances,” Marcy remarked, “those I’m in and those I watch. It will be wonderful to go back to doing what we do; these have been very lean times for all of us. Playing for an empty hall – you have to give every ounce of your being and imagine that there’s an audience enjoying and responding to this incredible music. Having a real live audience opens huge doors for us! And what’s great about the Festival is the time we get to spend with one another – performers and audience members. We are greatly looking forward to being able to share this music with as many people as possible this summer.”

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Kevin Fitzgerald, Recent Paintings at Troika Gallery

May 29, 2021 by Troika Gallery
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Sand Bar Distance, 36 x 48, oil on canvas, by Kevin Fitzgerald.

Recent Paintings, a Troika Gallery exhibit featuring new oil landscape paintings by artist Kevin Fitzgerald opens on June 4, 2021, during Easton’s First Friday Gallery Walk. Meet the artist from 5 to 7 pm.

Fitzgerald’s paintings are highly sought after and known for their timeless and ethereal quality. Kevin has a great reverence for the land and sea and fully expresses it in his tonalist paintings characterized by neutral hues, muted atmospheric tones, and mystery. “Be brief, use the least to say the most. To gain the particular is to lose the infinite. Painting is a solitary communication and strives to go beyond words,” Fitzgerald comments.

Inspired by French mid 19th-century romantic landscape painters, Fitzgerald’s paintings are evocative and spiritual. His fields of color are both suggestions and subtle depictions.

Kevin studied with Raoul Middleman at the Maryland Institute College of Art and pursued his M.F.A., under a full fellowship at George Washington University. An educator and painter, his work is collected by a former president, known celebrities and private collectors both here and abroad.

Art by all of the Troika Gallery Artists is on display with new work constantly refreshing the gallery’s exhibition spaces. Bronzes, oils, pastels, ceramics, porcelain, watercolors, pencil drawings and commissioned portraits are a hallmark of Troika Gallery which features The Finest of Fine Art.

Troika Gallery at 9 South Harrison Street, is open Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 11 am to 6 pm, or by appointment. For more information, visit troikagallery.com. Kevin Fitzgerald, Recent Paintings is on view until August 3, 2021.

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