Composer Wins Prize
Tawnie Olson, who lives in New Haven, has won this year’s grand prize in the Barlow Endowment for Music Composition competition, which is administered by the school of music at Brigham Young University in Utah.
She won the prize for writing a work for ensemble groups. She competed against 355 other applicants from 36 countries. The $12,000 prize money is earmarked for the composition of a new work for unaccompanied choir. That work will have its premiere in 2019 at BYU.
Olson, a Canadian citizen, has served as composer-in-residence of the Women Composers Festival of Hartford. Olson received a bachelor’s of music from the University of Calgary, a master’s of music from Yale School of Music, a doctorate in composition from University of Toronto and an artist diploma from the Yale Institute of Sacred Music. barlow.byu.edu.
Laurel & Hardy at Hill-Stead
A silent movie night at Hill-Stead Museum, 35 Mountain Road in Farmington, on Nov. 3 from 6 to 8 p.m. with feature short films of the legendary comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. Pianist Donald Sosin and singer Joanna Seaton will provide musical accompaniment.
The night is being held in honor of the home’s original owner, Theodate Pope Riddle, who loved movies and often invited people for movie nights.
Admission is $20, $15 members, and includes pizza, popcorn and a beverage. Children 6 and younger are free. hillstead.org.
‘America’s Got Talent,’ but do you?
The TV reality competition show “America’s Got Talent,” going into Season 14, is holding auditions at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City on Nov. 2 and 3. Performers – all ages, all talents – also can audition online. To sign up for the open call or to submit an online audition, go to agtauditions.com.
A ‘Hamilton’ primer
Freelance theater writer Frank Rizzo gives an encore presentation of his talk “10 Things To Know Before You See Hamilton,” on Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. Mark Twain House & Museum, 351 Farmington Ave. in Hartford. Rizzo’s class at the Twain House in September sold out.
The class is timed with the “Hamilton” touring company’s stop at the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford, which will be Dec. 11 to 30.
Admission to the talk is $20. Twain House member and Let’s Go Arts! Cardholders get 10 percent off. marktwainhouse.org.
Matthew Shepard remembered
UConn Chamber Singers and CONCORA will perform a Music for Humanity concert at Asylum Hill Congregational Church, 814 Asylum Ave. in Hartford, on Nov. 4 at 4 p.m. to commemorate of the 20th anniversary of the death of Matthew Shepard, a University of Wyoming student who was killed in a gay-bashing attack in October 1998.
“Considering Matthew Shepard” was written by Craig Hella Johnson featuring lyrics taken from Shepard’s writing as well as passages about the group that picketed his funeral. Jamie Spillane, UConn director of choral activities, will conduct. CONCORA Artistic Director Chris Shepard will play piano. Admission is $20. ahcc.org
Art lectures
Painter-sculptor Eric Fischl will give a talk at Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts of the University of New Haven, 84 Lyme St. in Old Lyme, on Oct. 25 at 6 p.m. The talk will be preceded by a reception starting at 5 p.m. Admission is $15. RSVP is required. newhaven.edu/lyme.
Tristram Hunt, director of London’s Victoria & Albert Museum and a former member of British Parliament, will give a Paul Mellon Lecture at Yale Center for British Art, 1080 Chapel St. in New Haven. on Oct. 24 at 5:30 p.m. The topic of the lecture will be 19th-century British social critic John Ruskin. Admission is free. Space is limited and RSVPs are due by Oct. 22. To RSVP, email april.swieconek@yale.edu or ronnie.rysz@yale.edu.
In memory of
Farmington Valley Symphony Orchestra will dedicate the first performance of its season on Oct. 27 to Philip Janes, a Granby art gallerist who died Sept. 22. Before owning the Philip Janes Gallery, he owned Arts Exclusive Gallery in Farmington. He was an avid supporter of the orchestra. A reception will precede the concert from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in the Gray Conference Center Rotunda at the The University of Hartford in West Hartford. Donations to FVSO in Janes’ memory will be applied to the creation of The Philip Janes Memorial Conductor’s Chair. The concert, in the campus’ Millard Auditorium at 4:30 p.m., will feature pieces by Gershwin and Tchaikovsky. fvso.org/2018-2019-season/concert1.
Charter Oak Cultural Center in Hartford will host a tribute to Hartford historic preservationist and artist Sandy Parisky on Nov. 1 at 6 p.m. Parisky was part of the Parisky Charter Oak Temple Restoration Association. He also served on committees that helped to restore Bushnell Park, the Ancient Burying Ground and Pope Park. Parisky also was a water colorist. Several of his paintings will be on exhibit. This event is free and open to the public. charteroakcenter.org.
