Culture

On Sunday, March 24 at 3 pm, the Windham Orchestra, under the direction of Hugh Keelan, continues its commitment to offering extraordinary opportunities for young artists and music lovers with “Pathways to Imagination & Performance” at the Latchis Theater in Brattleboro, VT.

Anchoring Sunday’s performance is Dmitri Shostakovich’s 1945 Symphony No. 9. Although originally intended to be a celebration of the Russian victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

From masterwork to the local works of our community’s young composers, the Windham Orchestra performs a medley of original compositions by elementary and middle school students. This unique opportunity creates a pathway for bringing the artistry and imagination of young composers into reality.

The old guard was the Who (two week ago’s concert).

Punk’s vanguard was the Sex Pistols (Americans could argue for the Ramones & the New York Dolls, but Britain had far and away the more vibrant movement and the Pistols were its undisputed leader and last week’s
concert).

This week our concert band is a member of punk’s rearguard: the Buzzcocks. This 1981 concert was the band’s last till they reformed in 1989.

It’s amazing to me now that such a good band would have failed. However, the punk & new wave movement spawned more bands than could be supported and many good ones fell by the wayside and others never got the recognition they probably deserved (XTC and Husker Du come to mind).

When vocalist Karrin Allyson steps to the microphone, you can’t predict what style or language she’ll be performing in. The best part is, it doesn’t matter.

Allyson is referred to as a jazz vocalist, and has climbed to the pinnacle of the genre since recording her debut album, I Didn’t Know About You, in 1992. She is now regarded among the top vocalists in jazz. Releasing her 13th album last year, Allyson has put together a career that has brought her to top stages around the world, performing at major jazz festivals in Brazil, Japan, Australia and Europe, as well as the most legendary venues in the United States, including regular appearances at New York’s Blue Note and Birdland. Along the way, Allyson has garnered four Grammy Award nominations, most recently for her 2012 album ‘Round Midnight.