<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" >

<channel><title><![CDATA[The Great North Woods Center for the Arts - News]]></title><link><![CDATA[https://www.gnwca.org/news]]></link><description><![CDATA[News]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 16 Apr 2026 12:30:01 -0400</pubDate><generator>Weebly</generator><item><title><![CDATA[Pianist Sarah Hagen To Bring Music Of Women Composers]]></title><link><![CDATA[https://www.gnwca.org/news/pianist-sarah-hagen-to-bring-music-of-women-composers]]></link><comments><![CDATA[https://www.gnwca.org/news/pianist-sarah-hagen-to-bring-music-of-women-composers#comments]]></comments><pubDate>Thu, 22 Feb 2024 17:10:40 GMT</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.gnwca.org/news/pianist-sarah-hagen-to-bring-music-of-women-composers</guid><description><![CDATA[       &#8203;Canadian pianist Sarah Hagen will be performing at the Great North Woods Center for the Arts in Columbia on Friday, March 8, at 7 p.m., as part of the Women&rsquo;s History Month celebration. In addition, an art display featuring the works of the women of the Connecticut River Artisan Group will be available for viewing (from March 1-April 12), along with a special display titled &ldquo;Domesticated&rdquo; from local artist Michele Johnsen.Hagen&rsquo;s show &ldquo;Wonder Women!&rd [...] ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-none " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a> <img src="https://www.gnwca.org/uploads/2/1/0/2/21028180/hagen-sarah-2022-172_orig.jpg" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%"></div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph">&#8203;<span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">Canadian pianist Sarah Hagen will be performing at the Great North Woods Center for the Arts in Columbia on Friday, March 8, at 7 p.m., as part of the Women&rsquo;s History Month celebration. In addition, an art display featuring the works of the women of the Connecticut River Artisan Group will be available for viewing (from March 1-April 12), along with a special display titled &ldquo;Domesticated&rdquo; from local artist Michele Johnsen.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">Hagen&rsquo;s show &ldquo;Wonder Women!&rdquo; delves into the remarkable stories and piano music of forgotten female composers from the classical repertoire. This recital will highlight piano works by 18th and 19th century composers, including Clara Schumann, C&eacute;cile Chaminade, Delphine von Schauroth, and others. Included will be stunningly gorgeous music by Marianna Martines, who lived in the same circles as Haydn and Mozart, and often joined Mozart in piano duets at the musical soir&eacute;es she and her sister held in their Viennese home.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">&ldquo;I began performing this program after purchasing a disappointingly thin volume of music by female composers about 20 years ago,&rdquo; says Hagen. &ldquo;After reading through the music, I remember shutting the book and thinking to myself, &lsquo;There must be more music than this, and certainly more music of a better quality.&rsquo;&nbsp; I simply didn&rsquo;t feel the collection fairly represented the music that had been created by women during the 18th and 19th centuries. So I set out on a musical treasure hunt, searching online, through old collections of music, and in libraries. I have found that good music is getting easier to find as scholars take more of an interest in researching these remarkable women.&rdquo;</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">Hagen&rsquo;s extensive touring has taken her across Canada, to Sweden, France, Germany and Italy, and twice to New York City&rsquo;s Carnegie Hall. Awarded as Artist of the Year by both Ontario Contact (in 2017) and the BC Touring Council (in 2015), and called by The Guardian (in Charlottetown) as the Best Classical Performance of 2014. Sarah&rsquo;s interpretations have been described as &ldquo;outstandingly inventive&rdquo; and &ldquo;played flawlessly.&rdquo; Her animated personality comes through as well during her shows. The Edmonton Journal wrote, &ldquo;Her comic timing is as solid as her musical meter.&rdquo;</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">&ldquo;This is a special program you won&rsquo;t want to miss,&rdquo; said GNWCA President Charlie Jordan. &ldquo;Sarah&rsquo;s music and dynamic personality serves up a night to remember.&rdquo; Tickets are $20 and on sale at&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.gnwca/" target="_blank">www.gnwca</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">&nbsp;and at the door on the night of the performance. For more information, call 603-246-8998.</span></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[James "Russ" Fitch Receives 2023 GNWCA Appreciation Award]]></title><link><![CDATA[https://www.gnwca.org/news/james-russ-fitch-receives-2023-gnwca-appreciation-award]]></link><comments><![CDATA[https://www.gnwca.org/news/james-russ-fitch-receives-2023-gnwca-appreciation-award#comments]]></comments><pubDate>Mon, 22 Jan 2024 21:32:04 GMT</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.gnwca.org/news/james-russ-fitch-receives-2023-gnwca-appreciation-award</guid><description><![CDATA[ The GNWCA Appreciation Award for 2023 was announced this week. This year it goes to longtime music, arts and theater benefactor James &ldquo;Russ&rdquo; Fitch of Massachusetts and New Hampshire.In presenting the award, GNWCA President Charlie commented that &ldquo;Russ&rdquo; Fitch has been a strong supporter of the arts in the North Country over the years. As such, this year&rsquo;s award was presented on behalf of the three partner organizations who are working together at the Great North Woo [...] ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<span class='imgPusher' style='float:left;height:0px'></span><span style='display: table;width:auto;position:relative;float:left;max-width:100%;;clear:left;margin-top:0px;*margin-top:0px'><a><img src="https://www.gnwca.org/uploads/2/1/0/2/21028180/editor/james-russ-fitch-for-plaque.jpg?1705959190" style="margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 10px; border-width:0; max-width:100%" alt="Picture" class="galleryImageBorder wsite-image" /></a><span style="display: table-caption; caption-side: bottom; font-size: 90%; margin-top: -10px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;" class="wsite-caption"></span></span> <div class="paragraph" style="display:block;"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">The GNWCA Appreciation Award for 2023 was announced this week. This year it goes to longtime music, arts and theater benefactor James &ldquo;Russ&rdquo; Fitch of Massachusetts and New Hampshire.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">In presenting the award, GNWCA President Charlie commented that &ldquo;Russ&rdquo; Fitch has been a strong supporter of the arts in the North Country over the years. As such, this year&rsquo;s award was presented on behalf of the three partner organizations who are working together at the Great North Woods Center for the Arts in Columbia, which includes the Great North Woods Center for the Arts, the Connecticut River Artisan Group and the Carriage Lane Players. The plaque reads: &ldquo;Presented to James &lsquo;Russ&rsquo; Fitch for his dedicated and enthusiastic support of live music performances, theater and the visual arts in the Great North Woods and the surrounding region.&rdquo;</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">Fitch, who owns a camp in Clarksville, has been a benefactor of live concerts, theater and the visual arts. In 1962 his father acquired the lot of land on Lake Francis. He was raised in Sterling, Mass., on his grandfather's farm. He now lives in Stow, Mass., not far from Sterling. He said that he is the youngest of eight children, &ldquo;so there were 10 people at the dinner table,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Music was in the air a lot back then. My brother subscribed to RCA record club so we had plenty of vinyl to spin. The &rsquo;30s, &rsquo;40s, &rsquo;50s and more.&rdquo;</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">Fitch has been a designer and builder of what he calls &ldquo;mechanical things, systems and buildings&rdquo; from his high school years to the present. &ldquo;I always liked the arts in general. I have been on the Citizen's Advisory Board for a Public Broadcasting Radio station in Worcester, Mass., for the past 15-plus years. I was taught to help others when you can; I'll give a hand up but not a hand out. I support the arts because the arts serve everyone.&rdquo; He also supports eight institutes twice a year plus some in between, he said. &ldquo;I love the North Country.&rdquo;</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">This is the fifth year of the GNWCA Music Appreciation award. It was first presented to the late Carolyn and Brad Brooks in 2019, the late David Killam in 2020, the late Roland Cotnoir in 2021, and to Paul Daniels in 2022.</span></div> <hr style="width:100%;clear:both;visibility:hidden;"></hr>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Mrs. Lincoln And Civil War Music on Feb. 11]]></title><link><![CDATA[https://www.gnwca.org/news/mrs-lincoln-and-civil-war-music-on-feb-11]]></link><comments><![CDATA[https://www.gnwca.org/news/mrs-lincoln-and-civil-war-music-on-feb-11#comments]]></comments><pubDate>Mon, 22 Jan 2024 17:59:30 GMT</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.gnwca.org/news/mrs-lincoln-and-civil-war-music-on-feb-11</guid><description><![CDATA[       History buffs will be treated to a presentation by Sally Mummey as Mary Todd Lincoln, taking place at an afternoon show at the Great North Woods Center for the Arts in Columbia on Sunday, Feb. 11. Sally&rsquo;s presentation sees her becoming a walking, talking, three-dimensional reenactment of the former First Lady as she addresses audiences in the role of Mrs. Abraham Lincoln. This one-of-a-kind performance will also feature Civil War-era music played by the local music ensemble North Wo [...] ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-none " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a> <img src="https://www.gnwca.org/uploads/2/1/0/2/21028180/mtl-good-image-professional_orig.jpg" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%"></div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">History buffs will be treated to a presentation by Sally Mummey as Mary Todd Lincoln, taking place at an afternoon show at the Great North Woods Center for the Arts in Columbia on Sunday, Feb. 11. Sally&rsquo;s presentation sees her becoming a walking, talking, three-dimensional reenactment of the former First Lady as she addresses audiences in the role of Mrs. Abraham Lincoln. This one-of-a-kind performance will also feature Civil War-era music played by the local music ensemble North Woods.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">Sally, a resident of Bloomfield, Vt., spends time researching historical figures and their environment, and embodies the subject as if their knowledge was her own. &ldquo;When I do Mrs. Lincoln, I know what Washington City looks like. I know the political parties. I know if I can describe something&ndash;like how there&rsquo;s a pig farm two miles in back of the Executive Mansion. It&rsquo;s just so when someone asks me a question, I would be able to answer it.&rdquo;</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">Dressing in accurate period garb for her performance is important to her. &ldquo;All of my clothes are well-researched, so it&rsquo;s just like you step back to meet me in my time period,&rdquo; she said.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">Her interest in these performances stem from a lifetime fascinating with history. Her husband, Paul Raffanello, is someone who shares her love for reenactments and living history. &ldquo;When I started to reenact, he was doing the Revolutionary War and then went into the Civil War. We knew each other as friends and we saw each other at events,&rdquo; explained Sally. The two eventually joined forces, and Paul today takes part in her presentations&ndash;Paul is a dutiful Pinkerton agent by &ldquo;Mrs. Lincoln&rsquo;s&rdquo; side during the show as part of the private detective agency that was a precursor to the Secret Service.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">Her reenactment career has included an event that saw Sally riding alongside documentarian Ken Burns, well-known for his Civil War series on PBS. &ldquo;They were honoring Ken Burns, and we were all going to go to a dinner,&rdquo; said Sally. &ldquo;They arranged to have Ken Burns ride in the carriage with Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln. The cavalry soldiers were behind us, and a period carriage carried us. And he looked and said, &lsquo;Yes, look, people are coming out of their buildings. That&rsquo;s exactly what they would have done.&rsquo; We&rsquo;re going by the highway and people are coming out of their buildings and looking. It was a fascinating evening with him. And I learned a lot.&rdquo;</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">She subsequently went on to participate in Civil War encampments, as well as sharing her portrayal of Mrs. Lincoln in schools and libraries. Sally also became a member of the New Hampshire Humanities and Solo Together organizations.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">Sally&rsquo;s performance of Mary Todd Lincoln at the Great North Woods Center for the Arts will be a two-act production, with period music provided by North Woods. Music will be performed before the presentation and during the intermission of the show, covering notable songs from the era, including The &ldquo;Battle Hymn of the Republic,&rdquo; &ldquo;When Johnny Comes Marching Home,&rdquo; &ldquo;Battle Cry of Freedom&rdquo;&ndash;and even a vocal rendition of Lincoln&rsquo;s campaign song, &ldquo;Lincoln and Liberty Too.&rdquo; The band is comprised of Monica White and Kim Egan on fiddles, Jo Beth Dudley and Cindy Martindill on flutes, Tom Jordan on keyboard and Charlie Jordan on mandolin and fiddle. The band will also be attired in period 1860s clothing.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">The GNWCA performance will take place a day before what would have been Abraham Lincoln&rsquo;s 215th birthday. As Mary Todd Lincoln, Sally&rsquo;s presentation will cover her life, along with the lives of women during the Civil War era. She&rsquo;ll speak on her meeting and marriage to Abraham Lincoln, his campaign, and his wife&rsquo;s role in advising him throughout his presidency. In the second half of the performance, Mary Todd Lincoln will announce to the audience that she and her husband are off to a show at the theater&ndash;with her subsequently detailing the aftermath of her husband&rsquo;s assassination at Ford&rsquo;s Theatre in 1865.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">The show will take place at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 11, at the Great North Woods Center for the Arts in Columbia. Tickets are $20, with half price for young people ages 5-18. Tickets are available at&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.gnwca.org/" target="_blank">www.gnwca.org</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">&nbsp;and at the door on the day of the show. For more information, call 603-246-8998.</span></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[TubaChristmas In Colebrook December 23]]></title><link><![CDATA[https://www.gnwca.org/news/tubachristmas-in-colebrook-december-23]]></link><comments><![CDATA[https://www.gnwca.org/news/tubachristmas-in-colebrook-december-23#comments]]></comments><pubDate>Thu, 14 Dec 2023 16:56:40 GMT</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.gnwca.org/news/tubachristmas-in-colebrook-december-23</guid><description><![CDATA[       The annual TubaChristmas concert, featuring tuba, euphonium and baritone players, makes its way back to the North Country on Saturday, Dec.. 23, starting at 1 p.m. The popular event is hosted every year by the Great North Woods Center for the Arts. The concert generally runs about an hour.TubaChristmas is held in Trinity United Methodist Church on Bridge Street in Colebrook&mdash;which allows for a large amount of seating capacity. While admission is free, there will be a freewill donatio [...] ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-none " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a> <img src="https://www.gnwca.org/uploads/2/1/0/2/21028180/tubachristmas-2022_orig.jpg" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%"></div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph"><span>The annual TubaChristmas concert, featuring tuba, euphonium and baritone players, makes its way back to the North Country on Saturday, Dec.. 23, starting at 1 p.m. The popular event is hosted every year by the Great North Woods Center for the Arts. The concert generally runs about an hour.</span><br /><span>TubaChristmas is held in Trinity United Methodist Church on Bridge Street in Colebrook&mdash;which allows for a large amount of seating capacity. While admission is free, there will be a freewill donation box at the door to benefit the GNWCA. It is not known how many tuba players will be on hand until that day, but in years past there have been upwards of 21 or more taking part.</span><br /><span>This year&rsquo;s conductor will be Andrew Tobin. Tobin himself has participated in the event each year with former conductor Doug Nelson leading the band. Nelson has retired from conducting and Tobin, who lives in Lancaster and teaches in Groveton, has taken over the baton. This will be his second year as the TubaChristmas conductor.</span><br /><span>Tuba players come from all over the Northeast and parts of Canada to take part in the Colebrook event&mdash;which is one of five TubaChristmas concerts in New Hampshire this year. TubaChristmas shows in New Hampshire began on Dec. 3 in Keene, followed on Dec. 9 in Wolfeboro, and then Dec. 16 in Plaistow and Dec. 17 in Manchester. (For a list of shows taking place around the world, visit tubachristmas.com.)</span><br /><span>This is the 50th year of TubaChristmas, which was conceived in 1974 by Harvey Phillips as a tribute to his teacher and mentor, William J. Bell, who was born on Christmas Day 1902. The first TubaChristmas was conducted by Paul Lavalle in New York City's Rockefeller Plaza Ice Rink on Sunday, Dec. 22, 1974. Traditional Christmas music performed at the first TubaChristmas was arranged by American composer Alec Wilder, who ironically died on Christmas Eve 1980. Wilder composed many solo and ensemble compositions for tuba and euphonium. He was a loyal supporter of every effort to improve the literature and public image of the instruments.</span><br /><span>Organizing the show again this year for the GNWCA is musician Brian Hathaway. Calex Environmental is sponsoring the TubaChristmas players for the Colebrook show. TubaChristmas is an organized, non-profit organization and performers are required to pay a small fee in order to participate. The sponsorship of Calex Environmental takes care of that fee for them.</span></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Genticorum Bringing Music Of Quebec To GNWCA On Nov. 18]]></title><link><![CDATA[https://www.gnwca.org/news/genticorum-bringing-music-of-quebec-to-gnwca-on-nov-18]]></link><comments><![CDATA[https://www.gnwca.org/news/genticorum-bringing-music-of-quebec-to-gnwca-on-nov-18#comments]]></comments><pubDate>Tue, 07 Nov 2023 18:06:13 GMT</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.gnwca.org/news/genticorum-bringing-music-of-quebec-to-gnwca-on-nov-18</guid><description><![CDATA[    Dylan Ladds Photo.    The Great North Woods Center for the Arts will present Genticorum, an internationally acclaimed trio of performers from Quebec, in the theater on Nov. 18, starting at 7 p.m. The show promises to be a &ldquo;foot stomping&rdquo; evening that will warm everyone up on a cool November night. The band last performed at the GNWCA in October 2019.Over the past 20 years Genticorum has become a fixture in the world, trad, folk and Celtic music circuit. The band&rsquo;s albums ha [...] ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-none " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0px;margin-right:0px;text-align:center"> <a> <img src="https://www.gnwca.org/uploads/2/1/0/2/21028180/genticorum-photo-for-pr_orig.jpg" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Dylan Ladds Photo. </div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34); font-weight:400">The Great North Woods Center for the Arts will present Genticorum, an internationally acclaimed trio of performers from Quebec, in the theater on Nov. 18, starting at 7 p.m. The show promises to be a &ldquo;foot stomping&rdquo; evening that will warm everyone up on a cool November night. The band last performed at the GNWCA in October 2019.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34); font-weight:400">Over the past 20 years Genticorum has become a fixture in the world, trad, folk and Celtic music circuit. The band&rsquo;s albums have met with critical acclaim in Canada, the United States and Europe. Known for its energy and stage presence, Genticorum has given more than 1,000 concerts in more than 15 countries.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34); font-weight:400">Firmly rooted in the soil of their native land, the energetic and original traditional &ldquo;power trio&rdquo; also incorporates the dynamism of today&rsquo;s North American and European folk cultures in their music. They weave precise and intricate fiddle, flute and accordion work, gorgeous vocal harmonies energetic foot percussion and guitar accompaniment into a big and jubilant musical feast. Their distinctive sound, sense of humor and stage presence makes them a supreme crowd pleaser.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34); font-weight:400">The band includes musician Pascal Gemme, a leading force in Quebec&rsquo;s traditional music scene. Known as much for his original compositions as his fine interpretation of traditional tunes, Pascal is the fiddler, singer and arranger of the band. From a young age, the fiddle music and songs of his native province have captivated him.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34); font-weight:400">Guitarist Yann Falquet is a very active and creative acoustic guitar player on the Quebecois music scene. He has explored many styles of music and completed a Bachelor&rsquo;s degree in jazz. Since then, he has developed a personal guitar style for Quebec folk music, inspired by the playing of the accompanists of different cultures (Brittany, Scandinavia, Ireland, North America).</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34); font-weight:400">Flautist/accordion player Nicholas Williams has developed a reputation as a versatile and sought-after musician in the traditional music scenes of Quebec and New England. His rhythmic yet nuanced style of flute playing draws from Irish and Scottish traditions, as well as from his studies of classical North Indian music.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34); font-weight:400">The show is sponsored by Rachel O&rsquo;Meara and Jamie Sayen. Tickets for the concert are $20 ($7.50 ages 5-12) and available online at&nbsp;</span><a href="http://gnwca.org/" target="_blank">gnwca.org</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34); font-weight:400">, or at the door on the night of the concert. For more information on this or other GNWCA upcoming events, visit&nbsp;</span><a href="http://gnwca.org/" target="_blank">gnwca.org</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34); font-weight:400">&nbsp;or call 603-246-8998.</span></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[GNWCA Dance Party Gets Ready To Rock Back To ‘70s]]></title><link><![CDATA[https://www.gnwca.org/news/gnwca-dance-party-gets-ready-to-rock-back-to-70s]]></link><comments><![CDATA[https://www.gnwca.org/news/gnwca-dance-party-gets-ready-to-rock-back-to-70s#comments]]></comments><pubDate>Mon, 30 Oct 2023 21:24:55 GMT</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.gnwca.org/news/gnwca-dance-party-gets-ready-to-rock-back-to-70s</guid><description><![CDATA[       Remember doing The Hustle? How about the hits of the Doobie Brothers, K.C. &amp; the Sunshine Band, ABBA, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Steve Miller Band? Then you must remember the 1970s.The Great North Woods Center for the Arts is bringing back this great decade of music and dance, and of course many more of these favorites, on Saturday, Nov. 4, starting at 7 p.m., at the Center in Columbia. It&rsquo;s part of the continuing Decades Dance Party series which are fundraisers for the Center.& [...] ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-none " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a> <img src="https://www.gnwca.org/uploads/2/1/0/2/21028180/1970s-groupcolorfor-pr_orig.jpg" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%"></div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph">Remember doing The Hustle? How about the hits of the Doobie Brothers, K.C. &amp; the Sunshine Band, ABBA, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Steve Miller Band? Then you must remember the 1970s.<br />The Great North Woods Center for the Arts is bringing back this great decade of music and dance, and of course many more of these favorites, on Saturday, Nov. 4, starting at 7 p.m., at the Center in Columbia. It&rsquo;s part of the continuing Decades Dance Party series which are fundraisers for the Center.<br />&ldquo;We&rsquo;ll have concessions selling our usual assortment of soft drinks, water and snacks,&rdquo; said Charlie Jordan, President of the GNWCA. &ldquo;The dancers will be inside the larger theater room.&rdquo; Everyone is encouraged to dress in their 1970s threads and come in for an autumn night of dance and music.<br />&ldquo;We&rsquo;re excited to host this fun night of music from the era raging from classic rock to disco,&rdquo; said Jordan. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ll be decorated throughout the building with funky lighting, and dancers will have plenty of room to dance the night away. If you want to just come and listen, that&rsquo;s fine too. There will be plenty of comfortable seating.&rdquo;<br />Jordan said that many people have asked for more of the decades dance parties, coming off the successful nights of the &rsquo;80s and &rsquo;60s dances. Said Jordan, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s your chance to dance the tunes you grew up with.&rdquo;<br />Admission is $15 per person, and all proceeds will go to the GNWCA, which is a multi-arts center on the former Shrine of Our Lady of Grace property in Columbia. For more information about this and other GNWCA shows, or to purchase tickets online, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://gnwca.org/" target="_blank">gnwca.org</a>, or call 603-246-8998. So come on down to Funkytown and dance the night away.<br /><br /><span></span></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Ozark Banjo And Guitar Meets Ottawa Valley Fiddle And Stepdance At GNWCA On Oct. 21]]></title><link><![CDATA[https://www.gnwca.org/news/ozark-banjo-and-guitar-meets-ottawa-valley-fiddle-and-stepdance-at-gnwca-on-oct-21]]></link><comments><![CDATA[https://www.gnwca.org/news/ozark-banjo-and-guitar-meets-ottawa-valley-fiddle-and-stepdance-at-gnwca-on-oct-21#comments]]></comments><pubDate>Mon, 09 Oct 2023 18:13:06 GMT</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.gnwca.org/news/ozark-banjo-and-guitar-meets-ottawa-valley-fiddle-and-stepdance-at-gnwca-on-oct-21</guid><description><![CDATA[       The Great North Woods Center for the Arts is welcoming the return of renowned Ottawa Valley fiddler and stepdancer April Verch, along with her Missouri Ozarks clawhammer banjo partner, Joe Newberry, to the GNWCA in Columbia on Saturday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m.While Verch has performed for the GNWCA several times, this will be the first for Newberry.Growing up, Joe Newberry and April Verch absorbed traditions of home and hearth&ndash;in his Missouri Ozarks and her Ottawa Valley of Canada. Altho [...] ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-none " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a> <img src="https://www.gnwca.org/uploads/2/1/0/2/21028180/newberry-and-verch-pr_orig.jpg" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%"></div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">The Great North Woods Center for the Arts is welcoming the return of renowned Ottawa Valley fiddler and stepdancer April Verch, along with her Missouri Ozarks clawhammer banjo partner, Joe Newberry, to the GNWCA in Columbia on Saturday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">While Verch has performed for the GNWCA several times, this will be the first for Newberry.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">Growing up, Joe Newberry and April Verch absorbed traditions of home and hearth&ndash;in his Missouri Ozarks and her Ottawa Valley of Canada. Although they are on the road much of the year, the two musicians are fond of saying that they are rarely homesick, because their music means they always have a bit of home with them wherever they go.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">Joe Newberry comes from a family of singers and dancers. He took up the guitar and banjo as a boy and learned fiddle tunes from great Missouri fiddlers. April Verch grew up listening to her Dad&rsquo;s country band play for dances in the Ottawa Valley. She started step dancing at age three and fiddling at age six.&nbsp; In a Newberry and Verch show, audiences see first-hand the roots of their music, their love of performing, and their strong musical connection. Lively fiddle and banjo numbers combine with traditional dance steps to illustrate happy times when people made their own fun.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">Known around the world for his clawhammer banjo playing, Newberry is also a powerful guitarist, singer and songwriter. The Gibson Brothers&rsquo; version of his song &ldquo;Singing As We Rise,&rdquo; featuring guest vocalist Ricky Skaggs, won the 2012 IBMA &ldquo;Gospel Recorded Performance&rdquo; Award. With Eric Gibson, he shared the 2013 IBMA &ldquo;Song of the Year&rdquo; Award for &ldquo;They Called It Music.&rdquo; A longtime guest on "A Prairie Home Companion," he was a featured singer on the Transatlantic Sessions 2016 tour of the U.K., and at the Transatlantic Session&rsquo;s debut at Merlefest in 2017.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">Before launching her professional career, Verch was the first woman to win both the Canadian Grand Masters and Canadian Open Fiddling Championships. In 2000, she formed The April Verch Band, and together they have toured the world, performing in 18 different countries. She has released 14 solo recordings to date, receiving JUNO, Canadian Folk Music and Independent Music nominations and awards for several of those releases.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">Ever since Newberry and Verch met, and discovered a musical spark that few can match, they have toured across North America, Europe, and the U.K., including Nova Scotia&rsquo;s signature festival Celtic Colours International Festival, the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival in New York state, and Celtic Connections in Glasgow, Scotland.&nbsp; Their CD, &ldquo;Going Home,&rdquo; was released to wide acclaim in 2018.&nbsp; In 2021 they released &ldquo;On This Christmas Day,&rdquo; an album to accompany their annual Holiday Cheer Tours.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">Whether it is the power of two voices lifted in harmony or the sound of traditional tunes calling people to get up and move, these two masters of tradition put on an unforgettable show. And, when their feet kick up the dust in perfect rhythm and those two voices become one.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">Advance tickets for this concert are on sale at&nbsp;</span><a href="http://gnwca.org/" target="_blank">gnwca.org</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">&nbsp;or will be available at the door on the night of the show. This will be a GNWCA coffeehouse concert, with coffee, tea, hot apple cider, and snacks available as part of the admission price of $20. For more information, call 603-246-8998.</span></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Pettit And Gira To Perform GNWCA Coffeehouse Concert On Sept. 30]]></title><link><![CDATA[https://www.gnwca.org/news/pettit-and-gira-to-perform-gnwca-coffeehouse-concert-on-sept-30]]></link><comments><![CDATA[https://www.gnwca.org/news/pettit-and-gira-to-perform-gnwca-coffeehouse-concert-on-sept-30#comments]]></comments><pubDate>Mon, 25 Sep 2023 19:19:22 GMT</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.gnwca.org/news/pettit-and-gira-to-perform-gnwca-coffeehouse-concert-on-sept-30</guid><description><![CDATA[       The Great North Woods Center for the Arts is hosting a coffeehouse concert on Saturday, Sept. 30, at 7 p.m., with musicians Jocelyn Pettit and Ellen Gira.From Canada and the U.S., Jocelyn Pettit and Ellen Gira are a dynamic fiddle and cello duo. First meeting in Scotland in 2018, they joined their musical forces, and have since been gracing stages and captivating audiences in both North America and the UK.Fusing together traditional and contemporary influences, Jocelyn and Ellen create po [...] ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-none " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a> <img src="https://www.gnwca.org/uploads/2/1/0/2/21028180/jocelyn-ellen-crop-photo-justyna-krzy-anowska_orig.jpg" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%"></div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">The Great North Woods Center for the Arts is hosting a coffeehouse concert on Saturday, Sept. 30, at 7 p.m., with musicians Jocelyn Pettit and Ellen Gira.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">From Canada and the U.S., Jocelyn Pettit and Ellen Gira are a dynamic fiddle and cello duo. First meeting in Scotland in 2018, they joined their musical forces, and have since been gracing stages and captivating audiences in both North America and the UK.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">Fusing together traditional and contemporary influences, Jocelyn and Ellen create powerfully uplifting and soulful music.&nbsp; Their instruments weave a rhythmically driving and textured sound, with nuanced fiddle-cello interplay through delicate and fortissimo arrangements. They bring life and fire into their own original melodies, and high-energy tunes from Scotland, Ireland, North America, and Scandinavia-complimented by interwoven vocal harmonies, and lively stepdancing.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">From the West Coast of Canada, Jocelyn Pettit is a vibrant fiddle player, stepdancer, and singer.&nbsp; With grace and passion, she has delighted audiences and ignited stages across Canada and worldwide, appeared on national television and radio, and released two multi-award-nominated albums.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">From the East Coast of the United States, Ellen Gira is an accomplished cellist who has performed throughout North America and the UK.&nbsp; She has collaborated and recorded with numerous acclaimed traditional musicians, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Scottish Music at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">Performance highlights include Celtic Connections (UK), Niel Gow Festival (UK), Edinburgh Castle (UK), Harrison Festival of the Arts (CAN), Northwest Folklife Festival (USA), and Folk Alliance International (USA). They have also performed for HRH Prince Charles, and live broadcasts on BBC Radio 3. Their debut duo album, &ldquo;All It Brings,&rdquo; was released in July 2022.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">Tickets for this special show are $20 per person ($7.50 ages 5-12) and are available online at&nbsp;</span><a href="http://gnwca.org/" target="_blank">gnwca.org</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">, or at the door on the night of the show. Coffeehouse seating at tables will be available, along with complimentary coffee and snacks to enjoy along during the show. For more information, please call 603-246-8998.</span></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Coffeehouse Concert Sept. 8 Featuring Shetland Fiddle And American Piano]]></title><link><![CDATA[https://www.gnwca.org/news/coffeehouse-concert-sept-8-featuring-shetland-fiddle-and-american-piano]]></link><comments><![CDATA[https://www.gnwca.org/news/coffeehouse-concert-sept-8-featuring-shetland-fiddle-and-american-piano#comments]]></comments><pubDate>Thu, 24 Aug 2023 15:12:08 GMT</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.gnwca.org/news/coffeehouse-concert-sept-8-featuring-shetland-fiddle-and-american-piano</guid><description><![CDATA[    American pianist Neil Pearlman and Scottish fiddler Kevin Henderson will be bringing their blend of music to the Great North Woods Center for the Arts at 7 p.m. on Sept. 8. Courtesy photo.   The Scottish fiddle and American piano of the duo of Kevin Henderson and Neil Pearlman are bringing their transatlantic collaboration that has set stages alight from Scotland to California to the Great North Woods Center for the Arts on Friday, Sept. 8, starting at 7 p.m. The show is co-sponsored by Luti [...] ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-medium wsite-image-border-black" style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0px;margin-right:0px;text-align:center"> <a> <img src="https://www.gnwca.org/uploads/2/1/0/2/21028180/pearlman-henderson-pr_orig.jpg" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">American pianist Neil Pearlman and Scottish fiddler Kevin Henderson will be bringing their blend of music to the Great North Woods Center for the Arts at 7 p.m. on Sept. 8. Courtesy photo.</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">The Scottish fiddle and American piano of the duo of Kevin Henderson and Neil Pearlman are bringing their transatlantic collaboration that has set stages alight from Scotland to California to the Great North Woods Center for the Arts on Friday, Sept. 8, starting at 7 p.m. The show is co-sponsored by Lutie Bradeen.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">This is a coffeehouse concert and admission to the show includes coffee, tea, and a snack. There will be both table seating and theater style seating available.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">&ldquo;Our coffeehouse concerts are a fun night for people to come and bring their friends to hear world-class performers and troubadours in a relaxed table setting,&rdquo; said GNWCA President Charlie Jordan. &ldquo;And this duo is certain to delight the audience.&rdquo; Each known for his high-energy, Henderson and Pearlman bring a joyful and fresh approach to their music, their combined sound is fiery yet precise; moving from heart-wrenching airs to sparkling reels in the blink of an eye. The duo&rsquo;s debut album, &ldquo;Burden Lake,&rdquo; features original tunes from both Henderson and Pearlman in conversation with traditional Shetland melodies. Launched in January of 2020 at the Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow, the album has been lauded as &ldquo;cold pressed perfection&rdquo; by&nbsp;</span><a href="http://folkworld.eu/" target="_blank">folkworld.eu</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">, and received five stars in The Scotsman, and Fatea Magazine raves that &ldquo;the sheer virtuosity of the musicianship is breathtaking.&rdquo;</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">Kevin Henderson&rsquo;s fiddling draws on the rich music tradition of his native Shetland as well as decades touring with bands such as Boys of the Lough, Fiddlers Bid, Session A9 and Nordic Fiddlers Bloc. Neil Pearlman is recognized throughout the Celtic music world and beyond for his distinctive approach to the piano. He has worked with many of the world&rsquo;s top folk music artists and is in demand internationally as a collaborator, session musician and educator. For more on this great duo, visit their website at&nbsp;</span><a href="http://kevinandneil.com/" target="_blank">kevinandneil.com</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">Tickets for this show are on sale now at&nbsp;</span><a href="http://gnwca.org/" target="_blank">gnwca.org</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">, or at the door on the night of the concert. Tickets are $20 per person, $7.50 for ages 5-12, free for under age five. For more information, call 603-246-8998. The GNWCA is located at 1993 US Rte. 3 in Columbia, N.H.</span></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Old Blind Dogs Scottish Band Coming To GNWCA On Aug. 12]]></title><link><![CDATA[https://www.gnwca.org/news/old-blind-dogs-scottish-band-coming-to-gnwca-on-aug-12]]></link><comments><![CDATA[https://www.gnwca.org/news/old-blind-dogs-scottish-band-coming-to-gnwca-on-aug-12#comments]]></comments><pubDate>Tue, 01 Aug 2023 15:52:00 GMT</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.gnwca.org/news/old-blind-dogs-scottish-band-coming-to-gnwca-on-aug-12</guid><description><![CDATA[       One of Scotland&rsquo;s most well-known bands comes to the North Country for the first time when the Old Blind Dogs perform at the Great North Woods Center for the Arts in Columbia on Saturday, Aug. 12, beginning at 7 p.m.Like many of the early flag-bearing Scottish folk bands, the Old Blind Dogs line up has faced inevitable changes over the years, but the core values at the band&rsquo;s musical heart continue to beat strong. The current band line up consists of four of Scotland&rsquo;s f [...] ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-none " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a> <img src="https://www.gnwca.org/uploads/2/1/0/2/21028180/old-blind-dogs_orig.jpg" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%"></div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph"><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">One of Scotland&rsquo;s most well-known bands comes to the North Country for the first time when the Old Blind Dogs perform at the Great North Woods Center for the Arts in Columbia on Saturday, Aug. 12, beginning at 7 p.m.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">Like many of the early flag-bearing Scottish folk bands, the Old Blind Dogs line up has faced inevitable changes over the years, but the core values at the band&rsquo;s musical heart continue to beat strong. The current band line up consists of four of Scotland&rsquo;s finest traditional musicians at the top of their game. Original member Jonny Hardie (fiddle/vocals) is joined by Aaron Jones (cittern/guitar/vocals), Ali Hutton (pipes/whistles) and Donald Hay (percussion/vocals) and collectively they comprise one of the hottest live tickets on the traditional Scottish music scene today.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">The group celebrated 30 years on the road in 2022 by launching their 14th studio album &ldquo;Knucklehead Circus&rdquo; in Winter 2021. A joyous, uplifting and fun album full of compelling energy and intoxicating rhythm on which the band continues to innovate within their tradition while faithfully revealing its essence.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">Jonny Hardie co-founded Old Blind Dogs and over the years he has been involved in many other musical collaborations, has performed with/arranged or produced over 50 CDs in his career. He is joined in Old Blind Dogs by Aaron Jones, who plays bouzouki, guitar, bass, vocals. Donald Hay is a drummer andpercussionist with an exceptional ability to play with power, empathy, delicacy and drama. Coming from the fiddle-led rock&rsquo;n&rsquo;roll explosion &ldquo;Mystery Juice,&rdquo; over the last 20 years he has become one of the most highly sought-after percussionists on the Scottish and English folk scenes. Ali Hutton on pipes/whistles is from Methven in Perthshire, and was inspired at the age of seven to take up the bagpipes and rose through the ranks of the world famous Vale of Atholl Pipe Band. It was there that he was taught, alongside Ross Ainslie, by the late, great Gordon Duncan. He has since gone on to become a successful multi-instrumentalist on the Scottish folk music scene. His arsenal includes bagpipes, whistle and guitars. Ali has performed and worked alongside some of the most respected musicians and bands on the scene such as Capercaillie, Dougie Maclean, Carlos Nunez, Deaf Shepherd, Clueless, Steve Forman, Salsa Celtica, and Shooglenifty, to name but a few.</span><br /><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">Admission is $20 per person, $7.50 for young people 12 and under, and tickets are on sale now at&nbsp;</span><a href="http://gnwca.org/" target="_blank">gnwca.org</a><span style="color:rgb(34, 34, 34)">, or at the door the night of the concert. For more information, call 603-246-8998.</span></div>]]></content:encoded></item></channel></rss>