Artscene With Erika Funke

Michael Connor, Music Director & Conductor of the Williamsport Civic Chorus, speaking with WVIA's Fiona Powell about their spring concert, "Music for Peace & Reflection: The Music of Ola Gjeilo" to be presented on Sunday, May 29, 2022, at Saint John's Newberry United Methodist Church, 2101 Newberry Street in Williamsport at 3:00 pm. For more information: www.williamsportcivicchorus.org/

Sally Coveleskie, native of Scranton, who served as National Director of Institutional Sales at Steinway & Sons in NY for over 25 years; Peter Goodrich, who worked at Steinway for more than 25 years, becoming V-P of Concert & Artist Activities, Worldwide; & Laura Friedman, artist & illustrator in NY, who has worked for over 20 years as exhibit developer/designer at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History. They spoke about their collaboration on their celebrated children's book, "Henry the Steinway & the Piano Recital", recently reissued after 20 years by GIA Publications of Chicago. There are 2 other books in the series. For more information: www.henrythesteinway.com/

Carl Frankel, Co-President of the HAL, & Hilary Eldridge, Artist Coordinator for AYE 11, speaking about the Annual Art Youth Expo, "Collab Culture", presented by the Hazleton Art League on June 3 & 4, 2022, at the Hayden Family Center for the Arts, 31 West Broad Street in Hazleton, PA. Hours on Friday, 6:00 to 10:00 pm; Saturday 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm. www.hazletonsartleague.org/ 570 455-3333

Jessica Serrenti, Head of IT & Digital Services, and Jenny Shoener, Assistant to the CEO, speaking about the history of the Scranton Public Library, its wide-ranging services, and the 11th annual "Swingin' on Vine" event to benefit the Library, to be held Friday, May 27, 2022 at 500 Vine Street, from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. There will be live music, light fare, and more. 21+ to enter. www.albright.org/

Dr. Alan Baker, Artistic Director of the Lyric Consort, speaking about a concert titled, "Make it a Double," to be presented Sunday, May 22, 2022, at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Wyoming Avenue in Scranton, at 3:00 pm. There will be spirituals, love songs jazz standards and a newly commissioned work in memory of Dr. Steven Thomas. www.lyricconsort.com/

John Vaida, violin, & Amy Iwazumi, viola, co-founders of NEPACMS, joined by James VanDemark, double bass, speaking about the season finale of the Northeastern PA Chamber Music Society, on Saturday, May 21, 2022, at 7:00 pm, at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 35 S. Franklin Street in downtown Wilkes-Barre. On the program, music by Larsen, Ridout and Schubert, with cellist Lisa Caravan & pianist Hwaen Ch'uqi. The musicians will perform Saturday afternoon at 3:00 at the Fine Arts Fiesta on Public Square in Wilkes-Barre, as well.www.nepacms.org/ (Libby Larsen told her story to bassist Matt Heller)

Brenda Grunza, Co-President, and Ann Manganiello, Music Director and Conductor of the Catholic Choral Society of Scranton, speaking about the group's 73rd Annual Spring Concert, Friday, May 20, 2022 at 7:30 pm at St. Ignatius Church in Kingston, PA, and Sunday, May 22 at 7:00 pm at Holy Rosary Church, 316 William Street in Scranton. There is no admission charge, but there will be a free will offering. www.catholicchoralsociety.org/

Artists Jack Swersie and Jill Swersie of the Poconos, speaking about the special exhibition they are curating, "Love & Peace" at the Dutot Museum and Gallery, 24 Main Street, Delaware Water Gap, PA. There will be an Artist Reception on Saturday, May 21, 2022 from 6:00 to 9:00 pm, with music, food and wine. Those who attend are invited to dress in 1960s/70s attire. The Gallery will be open Sunday, May 22 from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. Facebook.com/jack.swersie

Gerardo Edelstein, Music Director & Conductor of the Williamsport Symphony Orchestra, speaking about the final concert of the 2021-2022 season, "Music from Around the World," on Tuesday, May 17, 2022, at the Community Arts Center in downtown Williamsport at 7:30 pm. www.williamsportsymphony.org/ www.caclive.com/

Maxim Furek, music journalist & author, speaking about his recent book titled "Somebody Else's Dream: Dakota, The Buoys & 'Timothy' " issued by Sunbury Press, in anticipation of a book talk and signing at the Osterhout Library on S. Franklin Street in downtown Wilkes-Barre, on Monday, May 16, 2022, at 5:00 pm. www.maximfurek.com/

Dr. Alan Baker, Artistic Director & Conductor of the Choral Society of Northeast Pennsylvania, speaking about a concert titled, "Anglican Gems" featuring Britten, Handel, Stanford and more, with organist Mark Laubach, at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 35 South Franklin Street in downtown Wilkes-Barre, Sunday, May 15, 2022, at 3:00. www.choralsociety.net/

Greg Funfgeld, Music Director & Conductor of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem, speaking about the 114th Annual Bethlehem Bach Festival, May 13 & 14 and 20 & 21, 2022, featuring the Bach Choir and the Bach Festival Orchestra, Soloists & the Bel Canto Youth Chorus of the BCofB; Artist-in Residence Eliot Fisk and more. The B Minor Mass will be streamed live online on May 21, in addition to the in-person performance at Packer Memorial Church on the Lehigh University campus. www.bach.org/

Dr. Adam Pratt, Associate Professor of History at the University of Scranton, speaking about a project funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities titled, "Scranton's Story; Our Nation's Story" and the third theme centering on the Indigenous History of NEPA. There will be a lecture/discussion with Dr. Nicole Eustace of NYU, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for her book, "Covered with Night" on Wednesday, May 11, 2022 at 5:00 pm at the Loyola Science Center on the U of S campus; & Wednesday, May 18 at 5 pm at the Albright Memorial Library in Scranton featuring Dr. Samantha Seeley of the University of Richmond, author of "Race, Removal & the Right to Remain." www.scranton.edu/scrantonstory

Bill Payn, Music Director & Conductor of the Susquehanna Valley Chorale, speaking with WVIA's Fiona Powell about the group's return to in-person performances with a spring Pops Concert featuring "Music of Queen" and pieces by Elton John & Billy Joel on May 13 & 14, 2022, at 7:30 each evening at Weber Auditorium on the campus of Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove. www.svcmusic.org/

Maureen McGuigan, Deputy Director of the Lackawanna County Department of Arts and Culture, speaking about the arts in the community and country at this point in the pandemic, and about the upcoming events supported by county grants, including a partnership for Mother's day with Artworks Gallery and Studio on May 7, 2022, at the Electric City Trolley Museum, 300 Cliff Street, Scranton, on the property of Steamtown Historical Site. There will be a co-presentation of the ballet "Peter & the Wolf" on June 11 at 2:00 at Covington Park with Ballet Theatre of Scranton and the NEPA Philharmonic. For more information, it is Lackawanna Arts and Culture on Facebook.

Dr. David Steinau, Associate Professor & Department Head of Music at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, speaking about the concert to celebrate the life and legacy of the late Cyril Stretansky, emeritus director of choral activities at Susquehanna University, on Saturday, May 7, 2022, at 7:30 pm, in Weber Chapel Auditorium. The program will feature the Faure Requiem and more. The concert is open to the public without charge or tickets. www.susqu.edu/

Beth Romanowski, founder of The Bench Project in Shavertown, PA, speaking about the development of the concept and its expansion across the country. For information about the benches, the journaling and where to find current locations or develop a bench on your own, www.thebenchproject.net/

Nancy Sanderson, Executive Director of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, speaking about the 50th anniversary season and the final Masterworks concert on Saturday, May 7, 2022, at 8 pm--an all-Tchaikovsky program conducted by Melisse Brunet at the Peoples Security Theatre at Lackawanna College in Scranton. For more information: www.nepaphil.org/

Sophie Till, Associate Professor of Violin/Viola & Director of the String Project at Marywood University in Scranton, and Skye Steele, violinist and educator from NY & creator of "A People's History of Strings", speaking about their yearlong collaboration culminating in the String Project's Spring Gala Concert celebrating its 20th anniversary with Skye and his band on hand. Monday, May 2, 2022 at 6:30 at the Sette LaVerghetta Center on the Marywood campus. Admission is free and the public is invited. www.marywood.edu/ www.sophietill.com/ www.skyesteele.com/

Susan Minsavage, vocalist, educator, writer and speech language pathologist, speaking about Dr. Steven Thomas, her husband, who passed away on July 12, 2020. Dr. Thomas was Professor of Music and Chair of the Division of Performing Arts at Wilkes University; conductor and music director of The Arcadia Chorale, and tenor with The Lyric Consort. There will be a memorial concert, "Celebrating Dr. Steven Thomas" on Sunday, May 1, 2022, at 4:00 pm, at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 35 S. Franklin Street in Wilkes-Barre. Admission is free, but free will offerings will be accepted to support the Arcadia Chorale's Dr. Steven Thomas Memorial Fund. www.arcadiachorale.org.