Putting the Hammer Down, Musically

The breeze is warm as it moves off the ocean and through the palm trees to your veranda.

As you and your significant other sip sweet cocktails, the sounds of a Caribbean steel drum band wafts through the air.

You both smile at each other and think: "Does it get any better than this? Is this not the sound of paradise?"

. . . . 

Oh hi. Sorry, I didn't see you there. I was lost in a reverie brought on by the sounds of the Pottstown High School Mallet Choir.

Click here and have a listen and you'll see what I mean.

So what in the world is The Pottstown High School Mallet Choir? Well, I'm glad you asked because FOB and relentless Pottstown School District promoter John Armato has already provided the answer.

"The Pottstown High School Mallet Choir is a course offered to high school students interested in learning mallet percussion technique and performing in a musical ensemble that values all of it's participants, no matter what obstacles they may face."

"Through practice, cooperation, mutual respect and a good attitude, the students have the opportunity to grow not only musically, but also as citizens of our school community."

So why am I serenading you with news of the mallet choir today? 

Smith Family Plaza, downtown Pottstown

Because in just two days time, April 30 to be exact, they will be leading off the high school choral concert, which begins in the Davenport auditorium at 7 p.m.

If you need more convincing, click on this link. I feel sure it will change your mind.

If you miss them Monday night, you'll get another shot to hear them from: 3 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, May 5 at Smith Family Plaza in front of Pottstown Borough Hall during downtown Pottstown's first First Saturday celebration of the season. (More on that day's other events in a coming post.)

The members of the group include;
Evelyn Bailey - Marimba; Donald Barthel - Congas; Michael Brant - Cowbell and Marimba; Indra Farrell - Cowbell and Shakers; Megan Nargane - Marimba; Christian Olmedo - Marimba and Shakers; Anthony "Grant" Sherman - Congas

More Free Music at Emmanuel Lutheran

The Westminster Kantorei, conducted by Andrew Megill and assisted by The Select Choir of Daniel Boone High School, will perform a free concert Sunday, April 29 at 4 p.m. at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 150 N. Hanover Street in Pottstown.


It is part of the Music at Emmanuel series.


(For more click on www.emmanuelpottstown.org or on Facebook.com/music.at.emmanuel)

The concert program will include:

• “Musikalische exequien” by Heinrich Schutz, 
• “The Glory and the Dream” by Richard Rodney Bennett, and 
• “Psalm 67” by Sven-David Sandström. 

 The stunningly beautiful funeral music of Schutz’s Musikalische exequien is considered one of the masterpieces of the early Baroque period, according to a release from Westminster Kantorei.

William Wordsworth’s poetic masterpiece “Intimations of Immortality” provides the text for Bennett’s "The Glory and the Dream", who, in addition to a 50-year career performing and writing jazz, has composed many classic film scores.

Sandström’s "Psalm 67" is a newly-commissioned work that received its world premier by this ensemble in October of 2011.

Special guests for this concert will be the select choir from Daniel Boone High School. Led by their conductor, Erin Benn, this outstanding high school ensemble will open the concert with performances of “I’ve Got the Music in Me” arranged by Deke Sharon and “With a Lily in Your Hand” by Eric Whitacre.

Founded in 2004, Westminster Kantorei is an auditioned chamber choir from the renowned Westminster Choir College specializing in early and contemporary music.

The ensemble, which is composed of approximately 24 graduate and undergraduate students, performs regularly with some of America’s leading specialists in Baroque music, including collaborations with violinist Nancy Wilson and vocal ensemble Fuma Sacra.

Recent seasons have included performances of Bach’s "Missa brevis in G Minor," cantatas, and passions, including the "St. Matthew Passion" at Avery Fisher Hall, with the Westminster Choir and the New York Philharmonic, conducted by Kurt Masur.

The ensemble has also performed works by Monteverdi ("Vespers of 1610, Sestina" and "Lamento della Ninfa"), Buxtehude ("Membra Jesu nostri"), Schütz, Schein, Telemann, Zelenka, Victoria, and Palestrina, as well as a concert of Latin American Baroque music.

Westminster Kantorei has also commissioned and premiered many works by such composers as Caleb Burhans, James Blachly, Doug Helvering, Philip Rice, Nathan Jones and Stefan Young.

This year, the ensemble premieres new works by Blake Henson, Daniel Elder, and the internationally acclaimed Swedish composer Sven-David Sandström, commissioned for the ensemble by the Soli Deo Gloria Foundation and the Westminster Choir College Department of Sacred Music.

MUSIC AT EMMANUEL is dedicated to bringing the live music of the highest calibre to the Pottstown community.

It is also dedicated to supporting young artists from our region as they develop their performing careers.

 All concerts in the 2011-12 season are offered free of charge to the public, and are funded by the generous support of individuals in our church and community who believe that great music has an essential place in our culture and community.

Pottstown Comes Through with Funds for Student Competition

Lindsey Havyer

Yesterday was the day Pottstown High School student and DECA stand-out Lindsey Havyer headed off to Utah to compete on the national level.

As regular readers of The Digital Notebook know from this March 16 entry, Lindsey needed to raise $1,200 to cover the costs of continuing her winning streak.

As we reported in this March 10 post, Pottstown's DECA team kicked some serious DECA-butt at the 61st Annual State Career Development Conference held recently in Hershey.

Among those kicking some butt was Havyer, a Pottstown High School junior who competed in the Community Service Project where she showcased her efforts of the “Pottstown Clean Up.”

In a letter to merchants, Lindsey described her project by writing: "many of you may remember me from last spring when I organized many of my friends and fellow students to help clean up the downtown of Pottstown. Several Saturdays and Sundays were spent with many teenagers cleaning the downtown streets in order to help our merchants find pride in their place of business."

Lindsey’s project placed 6th in the Community Service Project category competing against 25 other teams.

Lindsey and her crew cleaning up downtown

That success earned her a trip the National Competition in Utah, but it didn't earn here the money to pay for it.

That's where the Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority came in. They started a campaign not only to raise money to pay for her trip, but also to establish a scholarship fund to help other talented but financially challenged students.

Recently Shelia Dugan, PDIDA president, wrote The Digital Notebook to let us know how things turned out. 

"Lindsey is on her way to Utah. She is able to attain this trip due to the many private donations made from the merchants, business people and community throughout Pottstown. Thanks to a tremendous match made by Tom Hylton and his wife Frances, it took less than a week to raise more than $1,400 for the scholarship fund.

"Lindsey is leaving for five days and will be joining more than 15,000 other students who will compete in various areas of the competition. Lindsey will be competing specifically against other students for the DECA / Communtiy Service Project.

"PDIDA would like to thank everyone who helped support this cause and wishes to extend the scholarship to future students in need. 

"As we continue to prepare for events throughout the summer, a few merchants want to hold a fund raiser specific for this scholarship -- PDIDA is looking to do so in the fall -- our hope is to have participating merchants working together for a great cause.

"Thank you again for all your support, and we wish Lindsay the best of luck in all her future endeavors."

We at The Digital Notebook join Sheila in wishing Lindsey good luck in Utah.

All That Jazz (All Night Long, tonight)

Pottstown High School Jazz Band

The Pottstown School District is inviting the public to a night of free Jazz entertainment tonight,  Wednesday, April 25, 7 p.m. at Pottstown Middle School.

The night will be featuring all three jazz bands Pottstown School District has to offer starting off with the Elementary Jazz Band. 

The Elementary jazz band will be performing a number of original compositions and  arrangements by director, Mr. Brian Langdon.

These numbers include an arrangement of "Louie, Louie" which will be sure to get everyone rocking and a world premier of a Latin number titled "Devious."

Next up will be the Middle School Jazz Band under the direction of Benjamin Hayes. They will be performing a number of jazz charts including "Sweet Caroline" made famous by Neil Diamond and "Dynamite" made famous by Taio Cruz.

There's a pretty good chance the Middle School band will perform this little Duke Ellington number:



The night will be caped off by the award winning High School Jazz Band under the direction of Michael Vought.

If you haven't heard the high school jazz band yet, watch this video of them playing "The Running of the Bulls" and it might convince you to make time this evening for a great show:

 

This band has been awarded many superior ratings, section and soloists awards at local jazz festivals. 

They will be playing a few new charts that they haven't played in public so far.

These include "I Got You" by James Brown, "Free Ride" by The Edgar Winter Group and "Respect"  made famous by Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin.

If you need an early James Brown fix to get you started, here's an oldie and a goodie:



 Make sure you swing by for a great night of jazz that will feature all of Pottstown finest musicians.

They're Going Wild in Royersford

Blogger's Note: This latest from the Montgomery County Communications Office:

 

UPPER PROVIDENCE -- 

Come one, come all to Upper Schuylkill Valley Park on Saturday, April 28th from 1:00-3:00 pm to celebrate the grand opening of the Park’s latest exhibit, Schuylkill Wilds. 

The Schuylkill Wilds exhibit area will feature creatures and critters that can be seen in or near the Schuylkill River. The Schuylkill River, which meanders through Montgomery County for 42 miles, supports habitat for many native species. 

This exhibit will share some of these species with visitors in a fun and engaging manner.  Visitors will be able to view a few different mammals, various reptiles, amphibians and fish in this exciting new area. 

Hands-on activities for the kids will be included during this opening day event, and site staff members who created, designed and care for the new exhibition will be on hand to answer questions and share details regarding these creatures and their habitat.

All ages are invited to join us for this family friendly event. 

There is a $2 per person suggested donation. 

This event is weather permitting as some of the activities will be held out-of-doors, however park staff will be on hand, and the exhibit building will be open no matter the weather.  After the grand opening, the exhibit will be open daily for visitors to enjoy during regular park hours.

Upper Schuylkill Valley Park is located on Rt. 113 in Royersford, PA, directly across from Parkhouse (Montgomery County Geriatric Center). 

The park is open year-round, from 8 am to sunset, except major holidays. For more information about the Park, please visit http://parks.montcopa.org/upperschuylkillvalley.   

For further information about this program, visitors should call 610-948-5170.

Shad Festival Marks the Return of the Shad

It's that time of the year again. The shad are returning and so the festive among us are ...festiving?

Blogger's Note: Growing up as I did in New York's Hudson River Valley, I have attended my share of shad festivals.

A traditional way to cook shad.

I think one of the most remarkable memories was of eating shad cooked by being nailed to a board and placed in front of a hot fire at the shad festival in Cold Spring, N.Y. where I lived for several years.

As I recall, the meat was salty and, not surprisingly, smoky.

So I'm pleased to discover a similar tradition here in the Schuylkill River Valley.

Please find below information about a shad festival in Phoenixville and Mont Clare on April 28, sent in by the Schuylkill Canal Association:

MONT CLARE and PHOENIXVILLE – The various organizations involved with promoting the industrial history and heritage of the Schuylkill River in the greater Phoenixville area will be once again working together to present the 2nd annual Schuylkill River Shad Festival, scheduled for Saturday, April 28, 2012, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at two locations in Mont Clare and Phoenixville.

The Schuylkill Canal Association, the Phoenix Iron Canal & Trails Association, the Historical Society of the Phoenixville Area, the Phoenixville Green Team and Chester County Parks invite the general public to participate in the festival that will include history, education, recreation and overall fun on both sides of the Schuylkill River in the Phoenixville area.

The festival will highlight the historic significance of the role the American Shad fishery played in the growth of the river communities up and down the Schuylkill River during our nation’s infancy.

(Below is a schedule of events)

The event will also celebrate the return of the American Shad, thanks to improvements within our river over the past 50-plus years.

The fish ladder at Black Rock Dam

The removal of hazardous breached dams and the repair and construction of fish ladders on the remaining dams, including the passage built onto the Black Rock Dam completed by Exelon Generation in cooperation with Chester County Parks, has re-established the migratory route for the historic return of the American Shad as far north as Reading.

The Schuylkill River Shad Festival, partly sponsored by Exelon Generation, will be happening simultaneously at two specific sites throughout the day:
Lock 60 on the Schuylkill Canal in Mont Clare PA (Montgomery County);and
Black Rock Sanctuary and the Black Rock Dam Fish Ladder in Phoenixville (Chester County.)

Also included will be a hike starting at the Foundry Building, Main St, Phoenixville to the Cromby Station Trail Head of the Schuylkill River Trail and an organized bike ride taking advantage of the Bike Schuylkill, a free bicycle sharing program operated out of the Phoenix Cycle Shop, Bridge St, Phoenixville. Details of these activities are listed below.

At Lock 60

Lock 60 in Mont Clare

At Lock 60, the Association will host the LoopFest, a guided 5-mile water trail loop paddle down-and-back on the Schuylkill River and Canal; two guided paddles will be scheduled. It is free to participate in the loop paddle however a suggested donation of $5 per boat will gladly be accepted. The Association will coordinate several water sports activities, including the LoopFest, fishing derby, boat rentals and demonstrations. Raven Hill, a local bluegrass band, will play their knee-slapping and fun music during the afternoon on the stage in the Lock 60 Picnic Grove.

The Locktender’s House will be open, and lock openings will be scheduled along with history displays that highlight the navigation system and its impact on the American Shad river population.

The Native American Heritage Programs will present displays and stories related to the history of the Lenni Lenape Indians and their life along the Schuylkill River. In addition, the Historical Society of the Phoenixville Area will complement the Heritage Programs with an educational display on the Native American history specific to Phoenixville’s river community.

At Black Rock Dam and Black Rock Sanctuary

Black Rock Sanctuary

As the American Shad returns to throvide volunteers to host visitors at the Black Rock Dam Fish Ladder and hand out a very informative sheet related to the history of the dam created by Chester County Parks.


Chester County Parks will present an interesting educational program at the Black Rock Sanctuary; Chari Towne, Delaware Riverkeeper Network’s Schuylkill Watershed Specialist, will present The Weirs & Whys of Black Rock.

As the program is presented, Jay Erb, a Chester County park ranger, will guide the hike along the Sanctuary’s 1.5-mile Basin Trail. Participants will journey to the silt basin’s waste weir where they will learn about the 1940’s Schuylkill River Project which was one of the first environmental clean-ups in our nation’s history.

There is a $4 per person fee, children 12 and under are free and pre-registration is requested; contact Karen Marshall at 610-344-6923 or kmarshall@chesco.org to register.

Black Rock Dam circa 1900

Throughout the afternoon visitors can enjoy a self-guided hike along Black Rock Sanctuary’s Interpretive Trail to enjoy the rich, natural wonders that the sanctuary has to offer on this award winning 0.75 mile, ADA-accessible trail.

Along the trail you will see wetlands that provide habitat for mammals, reptiles, amphibians and migratory birds. Discover the history, geology, wildlife, plant life and habitats of the basin by visiting one of the many education stations along the way. A free trail map of the Sanctuary will be given to all visitors.



The Phoenixville Green Team and the Phoenix Iron Canal & Trail Association will coordinate a guided hike and a bike ride from downtown Phoenixville.

The guided hike will be from the Foundry Building’s parking area located on N. Main St to the Cromby Station Trail Head of the Schuylkill River Trail, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The bike ride will promote Bike Schuylkill, a free bike share program managed through the Phoenix Cycle Shop, Bridge St, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The bike ride will follow the trails on both sides of the Schuylkill River highlighting natural features and points of interest along the way.


At Lock 60 and Black Rock Sanctuary, parking and public amenities will be available. Food will be available at Lock 60 at a minimal cost and downtown Phoenixville restaurants will be open to all guests throughout the day. A handicapped-accessible shuttle bus will transport visitors from Lock 60 to the Black Rock Dam and Sanctuary throughout the entire event.


Unless otherwise stated, the festival is presented to the general public free-of-charge; however donations will gladly be accepted to help offset the overall costs of the event. For greater detail on all the activities planned for the day visit SCA’s website, www.schuylkillcanal.org or call 610-917-0021.



For more information, contact:

Betsy Daley, Schuylkill Canal Association, 610-917-0021, edaley@schuylkillcanal.com, www.schuylkillcanal.org


Mark Connolly, Phoenixville Green Team, Phoenix Iron Canal and Trails Association, 610-952-1285, markjconnolly@gmail.com, www.phoenixvillegreenway.org/, www.phxgreen.org/


Karen Marshall, Chester County Parks, 610-344-6923, kmarshall@chesco.org, www.chesco.org/ccparks/

You've Got to Know When to Hold 'Em

(Full blogger disclosure: I have been a paid grant writer for The Carousel at Pottstown for several years and, as a result, make no pretense of being objective about this project.)

It is an axiom of fund-raising that one of the best ways to get people to contributed to a good cause, is to offer them something in return.

Often enough, this is something donated and, as a result, everyone walks away happy.

But this Friday is a unique fundraising opportunity from which some people may well walk away decidedly unhappy.

Of course, that all depends on how well they play "Texas Hold 'Em Poker."

If you haven't seen this played on TV at some point, there's a good chance your TV isn't working, because this game is everywhere.

And this Friday, that game will be here in Pottstown for the First Annual Texas Hold 'Em Tournament sponsored by the Carousel at Pottstown and benefiting, you guessed it, The Carousel at Pottstown.

You can see the details at right.

Now I may not be much of a poker player ... OK, I am not a poker player at all ... but this sure looks like fun to me.

$50 bucks buys you snacks, soda, beer and the chance to leave with a minimum of $500 bucks in your pocket.

And, on top of it, you help raise money for what I consider to be a very good cause.

Understand, this is about more than just a set of pretty horses going around in a circle, this is about being unique.

According to the business plan drawn up by professional consultants for the group, this facility stands to attract 225,000 people to Pottstown every year.

Many of the panels that grace the carousel feature elements of
Pottstown's history or people, such as the late Derek Scott Saylor,
after  whom the carousel is named.
Carousel animals can also be sponsored.

When the Schuylkill River Trail connects to Phoenixville, making a straight shot from Philadelphia to Reading, people will come through Pottstown.

Why not give them enough to do here so they stay overnight, and triple the amount of money they will spend?

If Nathaniel Guest is successful in his efforts to establish a tourist railroad on the Colebrookdale Rail Spur, people will come to Pottstown.

When the Parks and Recreation Department completes is mini-golf course right next to the carousel building, people will come to Pottstown.

And while you might not be a carousel enthusiast, there are a lot of them out there. Ours, Philadelphia Toboggan Co. No. 9, was built in 1905 and is the second oldest all-wood carousel operating in America.

The Carousel attracted many visitors at Christmas time.

You can find out more about the project here.

If you weren't among the hundreds of people who came and had a close-up look at the carousel during the Christmas holiday, then you're really missing something.

You could come by this Friday, and take a look while you're winning hand after hand of poker.

Either way, helping to bring this project to life means everybody wins.