DavidsonNews.net Guide » Symphony

College orchestra plays to help others this year

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 11:58:53 +0000

Tara Chamra leads the Davidson College Symphony Orchestra in an outdoor performance Friday, Sept. 25, as a tune-up for their Oct. 7 concert. (Bill Giduz photo)

By EMILY MATRAS
Davidson College news office

Students in the Davidson College Symphony Orchestra are doing more than just tuning their instruments for the first concert of the year on Wednesday, Oct. 7. They’ve also been readying a new program called “Concerts for a Cause” that will collect donations for a charitable organization at each of four concerts this year.

The idea for “Concerts for a Cause” was born out of orchestra director Tara Villa Chamra’s recognition of student interest in community service. “I knew that many of my students are deeply involved with community service, but have felt that the student orchestra is isolated from other events on campus,” said Chamra. “We wanted a way to connect the two.”

Chamra recalled that a music department marathon concert put on after Hurricane Katrina raised about $8,000 in donations, and she thought something similar could be done for orchestra concerts. Last spring, Chamra sent out an email to her students asking what organizations they would like to support.

She received numerous responses, and narrowed the list down to Building Tomorrow, Habitat for Humanity, VH1 Save the Music and the American Stroke Foundation. The Oct. 7 concert will benefit Hole in the Wall Gang Camps, founded by Paul Newman in 1988 to provide camp experiences for children with serious medical conditions.

The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. in Duke Family Performance Hall and will feature Dvořák’s Symphony No.8, Torke’s Ash and Villa-Lobos’ Choros No.7.

Violist Amanda Preston ’11 agreed that “Concerts for a Cause” will make the concerts more poignant. “I am particularly proud to raise donations for Davidson’s own chapter of Building Tomorrow, a group that increases awareness about education in Africa and works hard to raise money to build and sponsor a school in Uganda,” said Preston. “I have been very active in the organization during my time at Davidson and cannot wait for more people to join our efforts.”

Chamra and her students are excited to share the “power of music” with the community, and to use its power to benefit others. She said, “Music has always expressed something beyond words. It’s organic to humans. In ancient cultures, music was a way of bringing people together not just for entertainment, but also for community. Through music, we can bring people together in support of something very important.”

Preston also believes the connection between music and community is a strong one. “I think music is one of the most powerful things on earth,” she said. “It can evoke such passion and emotion within you, which is similarly how involvement in a charitable organization feels. Plus, it allows the audience to enjoy some wonderful pieces by brilliant composers.”

At the beginning of each concert, an orchestra student will share with the audience information about the organization being supported that evening, and stress that 100 percent of the donations will be going to that organization. If the “Concerts for a Cause” program is successful, Chamra and her students would love to continue doing it in the future. Chamra hopes that about $1,250 can be raised at each concert.

“The ‘Concerts for a Cause’ program may also provide a broader audience for the students,” said Chamra. “It will help people to understand that orchestra is not just about playing Beethoven, it’s about sharing an experience.”

The other concert dates, and organizations being supported, are:

November 19, 2009 – American Stroke Foundation
February 18, 2010 – VH1 Save the Music
April 15, 2010 – Building Tomorrow
May 5, 2010 – Habitat for Humanity

Davidson is a highly selective independent liberal arts college for 1,800 students located 20 minutes north of Charlotte in Davidson, N.C. Since its establishment in 1837 by Presbyterians, the college has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars and is consistently regarded as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country. Through The Davidson Trust, the college became the first liberal arts institution in the nation to replace loans with grants in all financial aid packages, giving all students the opportunity to graduate debt-free. Davidson competes in NCAA athletics at the Division I level, and a longstanding Honor Code is central to student life at the college.
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Fireworks Saturday, beach music Sunday

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 20:10:48 +0000

Tony (Steven James) and Maria (Grace Kidd) in Davidson Community Players' "West Side Story," which concludes its run this weekend. See Theater below. (Bill Giduz photo)

With weather like this, beach music seems the only choice for a Concert on the Green. Come by the Davidson Village Green on Sunday at 6 and listen to Band of Oz. Also this weekend, Davidson Farmers’ Market, where it will be “Egg Day,” with musical accompaniment by Linda Lombard and David Olsen.

There’s also live music at Summit Coffee and a Saturday night symphony and fireworks event in Cornelius. Meanwhile, there are a few tickets left for Davidson Community Players’ “West Side Story.”

Just a reminder: We update this calendar continuously as we receive new listings. And check back Monday, when we publish our This Week calendar, looking at the week ahead.

WEEKEND JUNE 25-28

THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 7 p.m., Cornelius Town Hall, Catawba Avenue, Cornelius – State Rep. Thom Tillis (R-Cornelius) hosts a town meeting to oppose proposed tax increases by Gov. Beverly Perdue. More in our meeting notice.

THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 8-11 p.m., Summit Coffee, 128 S. Main St. – Live music: Sandcrawler.

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 8-11 p.m., Summit Coffee, 128 S. Main St. – Live music: Adam Whiting.

SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 8 a.m. to noon, downtown Davidson next to Town Hall – Davidson Farmers Market, with local farmers and vendors selling meats, produce, dairy products, baked goods, and other items. Music this week is Linda Lombard and David Olsen – Duo Pyrness. Chef Karl Hoffman will cook Grateful Growers pastured pork. It’s Egg Day, and the kids activity will be an egg comparison. More about this week’s schedule: www.davidsonfarmersmarket.org. DavidsonNews.net is pleased to be sponsor of the Davidson Farmers Market.

SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 6 p.m., Bailey Road Park, off N.C. 115, Cornelius – “Symphony and Fireworks.” Bring your picnic basket and spread out for an evening with Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. Gates open at 6 with pre-concert activities and concessions. A prelude performance by Michael Thomas will start the evening, followed by the symphony at 8:15. Fireworks will follow the concert. Details: www.corneliuspr.org/

SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 8-11 p.m., Summit Coffee, 128 S. Main St. – Live music: Rick Spreitzer.

SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 6-8 p.m., Village Green, Main Street and Concord Road – Concerts on the Green series goes to the beach, with Band of Oz, an eight-member band that has been around since 1977. They were inducted into the Beach Music Hall of Fame in 1997. Picnic contest theme: Beach Blanket Bingo. Full Concerts on the Green 2009 schedule, CLICK HERE>

THEATER AND FILM

THROUGH SATURDAY, JUNE 27, Davidson College Duke Family Performance Hall – Davidson Community Players presents “West Side Story,” conceived by Jerome Robbins, book by Arthur Laurents, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, music by Leonard Bernstein, directed by Melissa Ohlman-Roberge. Performances June 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27 at 8 p.m., and June 21 at 2 p.m. Tickets $22 adults, $20 students and seniors, except June 21 $20 seniors and adults, $15 children 15 and under. Reservations: 704-892-7918, or www.carolinatix.org See our most recent “Theater Notes” for more about the show.

Davidson Community Players' "West Side Story" opens Thursday and runs through June 27. (Bill Giduz photo)

JULY 23-AUG. 2, Davidson College Duke Family Performance Hall – “Barefoot in the Park,” directed by Alan Poindexter. Show times TBA. www.davidsoncommunityplayers.org

OCT. 8-25, Davidson Community Players’ Armour Street Theatre, 307 Armour St. – “Almost Maine,” directed by Melissa Ohlman-Roberge. www.davidsoncommunityplayers.org

GALLERIES & ART EVENTS

MONDAYS, 6-9 p.m., Creative Art Exchange, Cornelius – open figure drawing sessions, hosted by David Smith. $10 model fee. Contact davidbsmith@bellsouth.net to be added to the notification list.

"Interwoven" exhibit at Cornelius Arts Center.

CORNELIUS ARTS CENTER, Oak Street Mill, 19725 Oak St., behind the police station, Cornelius – Children’s Arts Project and Creative Art Exchange, through July 10: “Interwoven,” an exhibit of woven and mixed-media art by Bev Nagy and Karla Chambers. Gallery open Mondays to Thursdays, 9 a,.m. to 5 p.m. Details: 704-892-7323 or www.creativeartexchange.org

MERRILL-JENNINGS GALLERIES, 463 S. Main St. – “The Summer Show,” featuring new works by gallery artists. June through August the gallery will offer rotating original art by all the gallery regulars, with major exhibits by impressionist Dee Beard Dean, expressionist Charlotte Foust, landscapes by Susan Jennings and Ray Byram, folk art by Addie James, whimsical collages by Betsey Hampton, and more. Hours: Mon-Fri 10–5, Sat 10–3. For more information call 704-895-1213 and visit the website at www.merrilljennings.com

"New Water" by Herb Jackson, at Christa Faut Gallery.

CHRISTA FAUT GALLERY, 19818 North Cove Road, Jetton Village, Cornelius – Through June 30: “The Family Jewels: Small Paintings for Hard Times,” new paintings by Herb Jackson. Gallery hours: Tuesdays to Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., or by appointment. Information: www.christafautgallery.com or 704-892-5312.

WOODEN STONE, 445 S. Main St. – Functional fine art and hand-made objects. Gallery hours: Tuesdays to Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed Sundays/Mondays. 704-892-1449. www.woodenstonegallery.com.

Photos by Doug Vinez at So Alive.

SO ALIVE! GALLERY, 108 S. Main St. (next to Village Store) – “This is Africa,” an exhibit of photos by Doug Vinez. Also, new work from Larry Dukes, Jenny Kiker, Ryan Blythe, Jason Hendrickson, Michael Joe Moore, and Nora Bouknight. Gallery hours: Tuesday to Friday, 11-5; Saturday, 10-2; Sunday, 12-2; and by appointment. Info: mary@soalive.org.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

Library summer

Davidson public library branch, on the Village Green, has a variety of programs in the works this summer. Check out as the list is updated on the library’s blog, CLICK HERE>

WEDNESDAYS, JULY 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 , 6:30-9 p.m., Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, 202 S. Main St. – Rock Band Wednesday. Up to four can play the popular video game free, trying their hands at performing on computer “instruments.” Details: 704-892-0604.

FRIDAY, JULY 3, 5-10 p.m., Lowe’s YMCA, 170 Joe Knox Ave., Mooresville – Lowe’s YMCA hosts its annual July 3 Summer Celebration for families and children. Games, inflatables, rock climbing, jousting arena, face painting, balloon artist, and music by Lake Norman Orchestra. The night concludes with a fireworks display. Free shuttle bus from Peninsula Baptist Church, 687 Brawley School Road. Proceeds support the Y’s Community Outreach Campaign. www.ymcacharlotte.org

SATURDAY, JULY 4, 4:30 to 8 p.m., Village Green – Davidson Fourth of July celebration, with a parade of bicycles, strollers, and pets and an evening of music and games. Music by Rough Draft. $5 admission for children’s activities. (Note: This year’s Davidson July 4 celebration will not include fireworks.)

THURSDAY, JULY 9, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Davidson public library branch, on the Village Green, Main Street and Concord Road – A free program on the history and uses of Reiki, an ancient therapy promoting healing and relaxation, led by Reiki Master-Teacher Meredith DeSopo. Details on the library website.

TUESDAY, JULY 21, 7 p.m., Main Street Books, 126 S. Main St. – Main Street Readers book discussion, on “Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished War,” by Tony Horwitz. Free. Info: 704-892-6841.

SUNDAY, JULY 26, 2-6 p.m., Habitat for Humanity ReStore parking lot, 20414 N. Main St., Cornelius – Our Towns Habitat for Humanity is hosts its 2nd Annual Habitat for Humanity Car Show (rescheduled from a rain-out in May). Entries include sports cars, muscle cars, vintage cars, replicas, hot rods and show cars. They’ll have food, prizes, a DJ and dancing. Spectators will help judging, and prizes will be for best in show and best in class. All proceeds benefit Habitat for Humanity’s 4th Youth United Habitat home. Admission free. Car Show entry fees are $20 for early registration and $25 for day of event registration. Raffle tickets $5. To register your vehicle, contact Sarah Heithoff at Our Towns Habitat for Humanity at 704-896-9657 ext. 1120 or seithoff@ourtownshabitat.org.

TUESDAY, JULY 28, dusk, Ben & Jerry’s, 202 S. Main St. – Free outdoor movie on the wall, “Mall Cop.” Come early for trivia and games. Movie begins at dusk.

SUNDAY, AUG. 16, 6-8 p.m., Village Green, Main Street and Concord Road – Downtown Davidson Inc. presents another Concert on the Green, with the Stardusters big band. Picnic contest theme: “Elegant & Classy.” www.downtowndavidson.org DavidsonNews.net is pleased to be a co-sponsor of this concert.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 13, noon to 4 p.m., Ramsey Creek Park, Cornelius – Jewish Council of Lake Norman presents the first Shalom Lake Norman festival, with klezmer music, soloists, an Israeli dance group, children’s crafts and rides, ethnic food. Organizers hope it will become an annual celebration.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 13, 6-8 p.m., Village Green, Main Street and Concord Road – Downtown Davidson Inc. presents a Concert on the Green, with Tropic Culture. Picnic contest theme: Most Colorful … Taste the Rainbow. www.downtowndavidson.org

SUNDAY, SEPT. 27, 6-8 p.m., Village Green, Main Street and Concord Road – Downtown Davidson Inc. presents a Concert on the Green, with local singer songwriter Rusty Knox. Picnic contest theme: Most Unique … stand up and stand out. www.downtowndavidson.org

SATURDAY, OCT. 3, 8:30 a.m., Davidson United Methodist Church parking lot, 233 S. Main St. – 2009 5th annual Ride for Hope & Housing, a benefit for Davidson Housing Coalition. Sign up for 25k, 50k and 100k routes in Davidson and surrounding counties. Also, 5K family fun ride through Davidson neighborhoods. Registration and more information, CLICK HERE>

ONGOING EVENTS

50+ COFFEE CLUB, Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to noon, Davidson Parks & Recreation office, 416 Armour St. – Join the 50-Plus Coffee Club, meeting every Wednesday. It’s a relaxing social environment where you can meet old and new friends. Coffee, games, newspapers and pastries provided. No registration required, just show up! Info: 704-892-3349.

CHRONIC AND LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESS SUPPORT GROUP, first and third Wednesdays each month, 7-8:30 a.m., Davidson United Methodist Church Congregation Care House, 262 South St. – Individuals coping with an illness or who have family members coping with an illness welcome. Call the church office at 704-892-8277 to register and request child care. You do not need to be a member of the church to participate. Questions? Contact Karen Gray, Director of Congregational Care, at 704-947-0612.

SEPARATION AND DIVORCE SUPPORT GROUP, Tuesdays, 7-8:30 p.m., Davidson United Methodist Church Congregation Care House, 262 South St. – Facilitators Mark and Gayle Olenik provide resources to help you cope and work toward a new beginning. You do not need to be a member of the church to participate. Call the church office at 704-892-8277 to register and request child care.

NOW WHAT? GRIEF BEYOND THE FIRST YEAR, second Saturday each month, 9:30 a.m., Davidson United Methodist Church Congregational Care House, 262 South St. – If you are coping with the loss of a loved one for one year or more, we welcome you to join. Janet McKee and Bryan Readling will facilitate. You do not need to be a member of the church to participate. Register by calling the church office at 704-892-8277. Questions? Contact Karen Gray, Director of Congregational Care, at 704-947-0612.

DAVIDSON DASH SHUTTLE BUS – Mondays, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The Town of Davidson has begun service on a weekly shuttle bus called Davidson Dash. The bus will visit downtown, South Main Street, Sadler Square and the Harris Teeter shopping center near Exit 30. Cost: $1 per roundtrip. To reserve a space, call the recreation department before noon on the Friday before, 704-892-3349 or sign up on the recreation department website, d-recs.org. More information in our Jan. 8 news report, Town plans a weekly shuttle bus for seniors.

CALENDARS ON THE WEB

DAVIDSONNEWS.NET SCHOOL CALENDAR – Laurie Dennis’s most recent listing of school events, see our “schools” category. CLICK HERE>

DAVIDSON COLLEGE – For an up-to-date listing of events on the college campus, visit the college calendar page.

DAVIDSON UNITED METHODIST CHURCH – http://http://www.davidsonumc.org/Calendar

DAVIDSON COLLEGE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH – http://www.dcpc.org/

DAVIDSON ELEMENTARY PTA calendar, http://pages.cms.k12.nc.us/davidsonpta/calendar/

DAVIDSON PUBLIC LIBRARY BRANCH events – Events calendar on the library’s blog davidsonlibrary.wordpress.com/.

NORTH COUNTY REGIONAL LIBRARY events, Huntersville – Events calendar, www.plcmc.org

ST. ALBAN’S CHURCH online calendar – http://www.saintalbans-davidson.org/

ST. ALBAN’S SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD – http://www.stalbanssq.org/calendar.html

LAKE NORMAN SENIOR CALENDAR, at LKNSenior.com

YOUR COMMUNITY CONNECTOR – online listing of alternative and holistic health information and events. http://www.yourcommunityconnector.com/

SUBMIT YOUR EVENT

Send listings and press releases to us at editor@davidsonnews.net. Don’t forget to include a contact phone number, in case we have questions.

Summer begins with free movie, music

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 01:57:18 +0000

The first official week of summer in Davidson begins with a free kids’ movie at the public library at midday Monday. We’ve also got listings for music at Summit Coffee and a Saturday night symphony and fireworks event in Cornelius. Don’t forget the Saturday morning Davidson Farmers Market downtown. And there’s another Concert on the Green Sunday, with beach music by Band of Oz.

Just a reminder: We update this calendar continuously as we receive new listings. And check back Thursday, when we publish our Davidson Weekend Calendar.

WEEK OF JUNE 22-28

MONDAY, JUNE 22, noon, Davidson public library branch, Main Street and Concord Road – Free Monday movie, “Kung Fu Panda.” Details on the library website.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 4 p.m., Town Hall, 216 S. Main St. – Davidson Planning Department hosts a public workshop on potential uses of two large undeveloped parcels off Beaty Street, in the area north of Griffith Street. More in our June 23 news item.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 8-11 p.m., Summit Coffee, 128 S. Main St. – Live music: Open mic night.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 6:30-9 p.m., Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, 202 S. Main St. – Rock Band Wednesday. Up to four can play the popular video game free, trying their hands at performing on computer “instruments.” Details: 704-892-0604.