A Musical Balance - The Convergence Project
Saturday, June 8th, 8 p.m., at Vermont Jazz Center

The music composed and performed by Eugene Uman, pianist and leader of the Convergence Project, achieves a difficult feat: it balances on an artistic tightrope between fresh, innovative and exploratory on one side, and accessible, understandable, exceedingly enjoyable and fun to listen to on the other. What keeps the project unified is the integrity of the compositions, the shared vision of the group’s members and the careful balance of jazz harmonies with Colombian rhythms.

The Convergence Project is aptly named. Led by Uman, artistic director of the Vermont Jazz Center, the group is a convergence of six extraordinary musicians, each of whom brings individual influences and flavors to Uman’s rich compositions.

WESTMINSTER, VT—Lisa Bianconi, Music Director at Kurn Hattin Homes for Children, has been chosen as one of 217 quarterfinalists from across the U.S. for the first-ever Music Educator Award presented by the Grammy Foundation® and the Recording Academy®. Bianconi was one of three Vermont music teachers chosen to move on to the quarterfinals round from a total of 30,000 nominations submitted from all 50 states.

The Grammy Music Educator Award was established to recognize current music educators from K-college, in both public and private schools, who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education and who demonstrate a commitment to maintaining music education in the schools. The award will have its inaugural presentation during Grammy Week in February, 2014.

Twilight Music presents an evening of traditional Irish music with a modern edge by McAuley, Horan, O’Caoimh at Hooker-Dunham Theater & Gallery on Friday, May 31 at 7:30 pm. Accordionist/vocalist Mick Mcauley and fiddler Winifred Horan are both long-time members of Irish-American supergoup Solas, which has recorded ten albums to worldwide critical acclaim and been praised by the Boston Herald as “the best Irish traditional band in the world.” Guitarist Colm O’Caoimh is a founding member of the counties Kilkenny, Carlow and Waterford-based Irish group Caladh Nua.

After meeting and playing together in Dublin in the early 1990s, Winifred Horan and Mick McAuley joined forces in Solas, a band that Winifred founded in 1994 with Seamus Egan, John Doyle, John Williams and Karan Casey. The sound of Winifred’s fiddle and Mick’s accordion have become an integral part of the Solas sound, while the quintet has become one of the most widely successful and highly respected bands in Irish music.

Four Bedroom, 2 Bath House on 1 acre
Off Western Ave, 171 Greenhill Pkwy
Two car garage and breezeway attached to house, large family room.
Perennial gardens and stone walls. Close to all schools and Memorial Park. Retreat hiking trails behind house.
Call 802-380-1400.

Riders and horse enthusiasts from all over New England converged at Kurn Hattin Homes’ Westminster campus last weekend for the Two-As-One-Horsemanship® Clinic, presented by renowned horse trainers and riding clinicians Bob Jeffreys and Suzanne Sheppard of Middletown, NY. The Two-As-One philosophy, developed by Jeffreys and Sheppard, focuses on teaching riders steps toward better communication with their horse, improved connection and partnership, and a higher degree of harmony between horse and rider, resulting in enhanced riding performance.

Event organizer, Sara Stine is the Director of Kurn Hattin’s therapeutic riding program. Stine said she was glad to be able to share Kurn Hattin’s facilities with the public, and to give others a sense of the type of programming the school offers. “This is a different kind of riding instruction. It’s about building trust and respect with the horse, and seeing things from another perspective.”

Come to Hilltop Montessori School on Saturday May 18th from 9-2pm for a great Multi-Family Tag Sale. We'll have a bouncy house for the kids, food, baked goods and lots of great quality tag sale items. The hot commodities will be toys, kids sporting equipment, kids clothing amongst other treasures! We've also got a SubZero Freezer and foosball table for sale! Stop by after the Farmer's Market. We're right up the hill off of Guilford Street Extension at 120 Summit Circle. See you there! More info call 257-0500.

4 bedrooms, 2 baths, large family room and nice landscaping with perennial gardens and stone walls. Attached breezeway and two car garage.1 acre lot. Close to all schools and Memorial Park. Quiet neighborhood. 171 Greenhill Parkway off western Ave in Brattleboro. Asking 240,000.00.  Contact info 802-380-1400.

Come and join us at Canal Street Beads for an open house on Friday May 3rd from 10:30am to 8:30pm. Receive 20% off on all beads and supplies. Enter a raffle to win one of three great prizes. Refreshments too!

The Windham Foundation has awarded Vermont Partnership for Fairness and Diversity a $5,000 grant to support its 2nd Annual Vermont Vision for a Multicultural Future Conference. The conference will be held November 7th – 8th, 2013 at the Grand Summit Hotel at the Mount Snow Resort in Dover, Vermont.

The Vermont Vision conference allows leaders from different sectors to generate actionable ideas in a participant-driven process. The conference’s unique format, facilitated by Adrian Segar, engages participants in deciding what is discussed and presented, by whom, when and how.

Twilight music presents Northampton, Massachusetts-based singer/songwriter Heather Maloney with her band (Ken Maiuri on bass and J.J. O’Connell on drums), plus multi-instrumentalist and singer Sam Moss at Hooker-Dunham Theater & Gallery on Friday, April 26 at 7:30 pm.

Rooted in what she calls “adventurous folk,” Heather Maloney’s smart, catchy and soulful music features literate songwriting that explores themes of spirituality, transformation, and impermanence. Maloney’s brand new self-titled CD is the third album for the songwriter hailed by The Huffington Post for “lyrics that cut to the chase.” DigBoston wrote that she “deserves the type of cult following that has allowed the likes of Aimee Mann and Ani DiFranco that long standing success and influence they have had.” As a classically trained vocalist who once aimed for the opera, there is a strength and certainty in Maloney’s voice that provides a solid foundation for the vocal playfulness throughout her work.