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Ridgewood HS Jazz Bands to Present ‘Jazz in the Wood’

Ridgewood HS Jazz Bands to Present ‘Jazz in the Wood’

May 10,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

RIDGEWOOD, N.J. ,On Friday, May 13, Ridgewood High School’s award winning jazz ensembles will present an evening of big band jazz at their annual “Jazz in the Wood” dinner-concert to be held at the Woman’s Club of Ridgewood. The bands will be joined by special guest artist Mark Friedman, a renowned jazz saxophonist and Wyckoff resident, and longtime friend to the Ridgewood Music Program. Friedman will be the featured soloist with the RHS Big Band and Jazz Lab, playing music ranging from swing to bebop and Latin to funk. This gala event marks the culmination of Friedman’s three-month collaboration with the RHS jazz bands.

The dinner portion of the program will feature a three-course meal catered by Dawn’s Catering of Ridgewood, and will include a menu of salad, pasta, chicken and dessert with gluten-free and vegetarian options available. For children 12 and under, a kid’s menu option includes chicken tenders, and fries.

Having taught private lessons to flute, clarinet and saxophone students in the area for more than three decades, Mark Friedman has gained a reputation as one of the premier teachers in Bergen County. His students have been accepted to the most prestigious conservatories and universities in the country and are regularly selected to perform in honors ensembles at the County, Region, All-State and All-Eastern levels.

Mr. Friedman received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education and Jazz Performance from Jersey City State College (now New Jersey City University.) His teachers include Dick Volkart, Walt Levinsky, Dr. Richard Scott, Dan Trimbole, Dr. Alvin Fossner, Emile DeCosmo, and the great jazz legend, Phil Woods, whom he considered his mentor.

Mr. Friedman has toured, performed, and recorded with such great artists as Frank Sinatra, Buddy Rich, Tito Puente, the Big Three Palladium Orchestra, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Dizzy Gillespie, Manhattan Transfer, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the Four Tops, the Temptations, Frankie Valle, Andy Williams, Wayne Newton, the Dalton Gang and numerous others, including a Grammy Award© winning record with Machito.

Mr. Friedman is the director of the Indian Hills High School Band, and is on the music faculty at Ramapo High School.

The RHS Big Band and Jazz Lab are directed by Gary Fink and Jeffrey Haas, respectively, and feature many talented student musicians, including six who recently performed with the New Jersey Region I Jazz Ensembles. The bands will present songs in a variety of styles, including swing, bebop, New Orleans, Latin, rock and funk. Well known songs such as Earl Hagan’s Harlem Nocturne, Duke Ellington’s Perdido, Sonny Rollins’ St. Thomas, Joe Zawinul’s Birdland, and Phil Woods’ Randi will all be performed, and will feature Friedman along with several RHS soloists.

Dating back to the mid-20th century when such legendary jazz artists as Nelson Riddle, Sonny Igoe, and Red Mitchell could be heard in the music rooms, Ridgewood High School has enjoyed a long and distinguished history of excellence in jazz performance. With two big bands, a vocal jazz ensemble and various combos, the jazz program at RHS introduces students to music of different styles within the jazz genre. The Big Band and Jazz Lab have both been recognized with awards for excellent or superior performance at the NJAJE state jazz ensemble festivals, and have performed at venues around the country including Ryles Jazz Club in Cambridge, MA, Steamers Jazz Club and Café in Fullerton, CA, Bohemian Caverns in Washington, DC, the Town Centre in Virginia Beach, VA and Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood, CA. Guest artists who have worked or performed with the jazz program include: Darmon Meader, Byron Stripling, Conrad Herwig, Wayne Bergeron, Jeff Jarvis, Marvin Stamm, Ingrid Jensen, Dave Bargeron, Dave Stryker, Don Braden, Tom “Bones” Malone, Michael Philip Mossman, Andy Martin and many others.

There will be a seatings at 6PM and 8:30PM for “Jazz in the Wood,” and tickets are $40 per adult/$20 for children 12 and under. Tickets for the event are only available in advance, and can be purchased online at https://jazzinthewood2016.brownpapertickets.com. For more information, contact Nick Trent at (201) 805-8789 or via email at jazzinthewood@verizon.net.

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RIDGEWOOD YMCA ANNUAL FUNDRAISER, JAZZFEST IN THE GARDEN

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JAZZFEST IN THE GARDEN
Sat, May 21, 2016
Time: 6:30 PM – 10:30 PM

Location: Private Home, Ridgewood, NJ
Cost: $150 per person

RIDGEWOOD YMCA ANNUAL FUNDRAISER, JAZZFEST IN THE GARDEN, SET FOR MAY 21, 2016

[April 17, 2016] – The Ridgewood YMCA will hold “Jazzfest in the Garden”, its annual fundraiser, on May 21, 2016 from 6:30-10:30pm hosted by Ridgewood residents Stacy and Brian Hughes. Cost is $150 per person with proceeds to benefit the Ridgewood YMCA’s Good Works Programs.

Michael Davis, President of the Ridgewood YMCA Board of Directors said, “The Y’s Good Works Programs offer vital services to people who otherwise can’t get help elsewhere, such as individuals with cancer and Parkinson’s disease. We’re inviting the community to attend “Jazzfest in the Garden” and help support these critical programs”.

The event will feature an elegant festive menu, cocktails and a live Jazz band.

To purchase tickets for the event or inquire about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Rick Claydon, by calling 201-444-5600, ex. 320 or via email at jbatelli@ridgewoodymca.org.

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Announcing the Inaugural Season of the New Jersey State Children’s Chorus (NJSCC)

music_notes-theridgewoodblog
April 24,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Auditions to take place in May-June for Bergen County’s only community youth chorus
open to boys and girls in grades K-5

Ars Musica Chorale announces the formation of the New Jersey State Children’s Chorus for children in grades Kindergarten through five. Auditions for the NJSCC’s inaugural season will take place in the after school and evening hours on Tuesday, May 17th, Thursday, May 19th, Tuesday, May 24th, Thursday, May 26th, Monday, June 6th and Wednesday, June 8th at First Presbyterian Church, 722 East Ridgewood Avenue in Ridgewood, NJ. Requests for auditions can be submitted via the chorus website at www.njstatechildrenschorus.org. Weekly rehearsals will begin in September.

The only community youth chorus in Bergen County, NJSCC will consist of two ensembles. The Apprentice Choir is open to boys and girls in grades Kindergarten through two, and the Intermediate Choir is open to boys and girls in grades three through five. Both ensembles will feature approximately 40 singers. A third ensemble designed for middle school students is planned for the future.

The chorus will be led by Artistic Director Dusty Francis, accomplished choral singer, conductor, teacher, and current Music Director of Ars Musica Chorale. “Singing in a children’s chorus is a transformational experience, and it’s an opportunity Ars Musica believes every child should have,” said Francis. “Bergen County is fortunate to have many wonderful activities for children, but there is no community children’s chorus in the area. We saw the need and felt we were able to fill it with the formation of the New Jersey State Children’s Chorus.”

While auditions for the chorus are required, any child with an interest in choral singing is welcome to participate in the audition process. “I truly believe every child can sing, so our auditions are primarily designed to give children an opportunity to let their personalities and unique musical gifts shine through,” Francis explained. “We’re looking for children with an interest in music and the maturity necessary to participate fully in a weekly choral rehearsal.”

Rehearsals for both the Apprentice and Intermediate choirs will be held at First Presbyterian Church, 722 East Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ on Tuesday afternoons from September through June. The Apprentice Choir rehearses from 4:00–5:00pm. The Intermediate Choir rehearses from 5:30–6:45pm. Two performances are planned for the inaugural season.

Francis appreciates the value that school and religious choirs bring to the community and hopes NJSCC members would continue their involvement in these programs. “There are some truly wonderful existing music programs in Bergen County, and we’re working very hard to position ourselves not as a competing choir but a complementary choir,” said Francis. “Singers in NJSCC will learn valuable skills that can be transferred to their church and school music programs and to the rest of their lives.”

According to Francis, parent organization Ars Musica lends to NJSCC a depth of expertise, experience, and leadership with fifty years of successful artistic and financial operations. “We’re very fortunate to have Ars Musica as a resource as we launch our inaugural season,” he said.

Tuition for the full season (September through June) is $650 for the Apprentice Choir and $750 for the Intermediate Choir. Tuition includes all vocal instruction, rehearsals, music, staff, and applicable facility rental fees. A $50 non-refundable registration fee is due once a spot in the chorus is offered and accepted. Payment plans and financial assistance are available for those who qualify.

About the New Jersey State Children’s Chorus
The New Jersey State Children’s Chorus, an initiative of Ars Musica and based in Ridgewood, New Jersey, is Bergen County’s only community children’s chorus, fostering camaraderie and leadership through choral singing. Its mission is to achieve choral excellence through musicianship training, community building, and performance, empowering young people from every cultural and economic background to become leaders in their classrooms and their communities. The NJSCC consists of two ensembles. The Apprentice Choir is open to boys and girls in grades Kindergarten through two, and the Intermediate Choir is open to boys and girls in grades three through five. The inaugural 10-month season of the NJSCC will kick off in September, 2016 and auditions are scheduled for May and June. Weekly rehearsals for both the Apprentice and Intermediate Choirs will be held in Ridgewood, NJ on Tuesday afternoons/evenings under the leadership of Artistic Director Dusty Francis.

For more information about the New Jersey State Children’s Chorus, including rehearsal and performance schedules, audition details and/or to request an audition, visitwww.njstatechildrenschorus.org.

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Ridgewood Concert Band: Concert Friday!

Ridgewood Concert Band

Ridgewood Concert Band prides itself on the number of music educators in the group. Thank your local music teacher during the last few days of Music in Our Schools Month! #miosm #rcbnjws#keepingtheartsalive #thankyou #teachers — withJason Stier, Alison Meyer, Joseph Stella, Michelle McGuire, Dave Bychek, Jackie Sarracco, John J. Palatucci, Mark J. Donellan, Jeff Bittner, Chris Wilhjelm, Andre Baruch and Jen Wise.

Friday April 8th 8 pm ,West Side Presbyterian Church 6 South Monroe Street, Ridgewood, NJ 07450

7:00PM Pre- Concert Talk
Join us for a pre-concert talk to hear from award-winning broadcaster and author Robert Sherman as he shares a brief history of WQXR (including his own embarrassing pre-station stint as an Army bandsman) and reconnects with RCB Musician Rick Summers, who played on his program in 1972.  (A recording of that broadcast can be heard here!)

7:30PM Prelude Concert
The Hackensack High School Band under the direction of Lisa MacVicar will perform the following program:
The Star Spangled Banner (arr. Jack Stamp)
English Folk Song Suite (Ralph Vaughn Williams)
Selections from Les Miserables (arr Warren Barker)
The Invincible Eagle (John Philip Sousa)

8:00PM Ridgewood Concert Band
The Ridgewood Concert Band (RCB), A New Jersey Wind Symphony, continues its 33rd season with a concert featuring a wide variety of music.   Guest soloist Scott Hartman (trombone instructor at Yale University’s School of Music) will perform Gregory Fritze’s “Trombonico”.  Also joining the RCB will be Robert Sherman, who will act as guest narrator on Vincent Persichetti’s “A Lincoln Address”.  The program will also include Joseph Schwanter’s “Luminosity” and this concert’s featured “classic”:  Richard Wagner’s “Elsa’s Procession to the Cathedral”.

Tickets
Online Tickets can be purchased on the Ridgewood Concert Band website here..

At the Door
Tickets are available at the door the night of the concert.

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Ridgewood Choral Benefit Recital & Silent Auction

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Sun, March 06, 2016
Time: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Location: Unitarian Society of Ridgewood, 113 Cottage Place, Ridgewood, NJ
Cost: $20 per person

Event Description

Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Choral will hold a benefit concert and silent auction. Carl Patrick Bolleia, pianist and 2004 Music Award winner will play piano selections from the earliest composers to the latest. Since 1967 The Ridgewood Choral has presented the Florence Reinauer Memorial Music Award to a musically talented teen. Over $30,000 in scholarships has been awarded to high school seniors in recognition of excellence in vocal or instrumental performance. Admission at the door on the day of the performance is $20 and includes refreshments. Proceeds will fund the Award, currently $2500. For more information about The Ridgewood Choral, a non-profit community chorus, visit www.ridgewoodchoral.org

Ridgewood Choral
201-445-8179
www.ridgewoodchoral.org

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Lita Ford , Lead Guitarist for The Runaways at Bookends in Ridgewood Wednesday, February 24th at 7:00pm

Lita Ford , Lead Guitarist for The Runaways  at Bookends
February 24,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Heavy Metal’s Leading Female Rocker and Lead Guitarist of The Runaways, Lita Ford, will sign her new book:
Living Like A Runaways ($26.99).

*Each person attending MUST purchase a copy of the book.
*Books MUST be purchased from Bookends

Appearing authors will only autograph books purchased at Bookends and must have valid Bookends Receipt.

Availability & pricing for all autographed books subject to change.
First In Line Certificate use is the the discretion of Bookends. Blackout dates may apply.
Bookends cannot guarantee that the books that are Autographed will always be First Printings.
Autographed books purchased at Bookends are non-returnable.

While we try to ensure that all customers coming to Bookends’ signings will meet authors and get their books signed, we cannot guarantee that all attendees will meet the author or that all books will be signed.  We cannot control inclement weather, author travel schedules or authors who leave prematurely.

Bookends, 211 E. Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ   07450   201-445-0726

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5 at Benjamin Franklin Middle School accepted into the 2016 Region I Orchestra

music-notes
February 20,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ms. Carol Sharar, Director of Orchestras, reports that the following Benjamin Franklin Middle School string players were accepted into the 2016 Region I Orchestra: Christy Chang (Violin), Daniel Son (Violin), Ryan Rhew (Violin), Eugene Park (Cello) and William Stewart (Bass).

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Ridgewood High School A CAPELLA The Maroon Men and the AcaBellas recently competed in the International Competition of High School A Cappella

musicalnotes

 

February 9,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, RIDGEWOOD A CAPELLA The Maroon Men and the AcaBellas recently competed in the International Competition of High School A Cappella. In the Mid-Atlantic Quarterfinals, where the groups won the following titles:

1st Place – The RHS Maroon Men
3rd Place – The RHS AcaBellas
Outstanding Percussion – Aaqib Hassan (Maroon Men)

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The New Jersey Choral Society presents “Crazy for You,” a Gershwin Tribute

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February 4,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

 

RidgewoodNJ, Kick up your heels and swing as the New Jersey Choral Society presents its Pops Spectacular, “Crazy for You,” a tribute to the glamorous and sophisticated music of George and Ira Gershwin. Performances will be Saturday, March 5 at 8:00 pm and Sunday, March 6 at 3:00 pm at Immaculate Heart Academy, 500 Van Emburgh Ave., Washington Township.

This lively program, under the direction of Eric Dale Knapp, opens with the famous classical-jazz piano composition “Rhapsody in Blue” featuring pianist Linda Sweetman-Waters.  Following this crowd-pleaser will be such popular Gershwin hits as “Strike up the Band,” “Fascinating Rhythm,” “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off” and “S’Wonderful.” A medley of songs from Gershwin’s opera Porgy and Bess will also be featured, including “It Ain’t Necessarily So,”  “I Got Plenty O’ Nuttin,” “My Man’s Gone Now” and “Summertime.”

 

The second half of the program will feature songs from the Tony award-winning musical Crazy for You, including “Embraceable You,” “I Got Rhythm,” “They Can’t Take That Away from Me” and“Someone to Watch Over Me.” Concluding the program will be a series of show-stopping Gershwin tunes, such as “Love is Sweeping the Country,” “Of Thee I Sing” and “Swanee.”

 

Pianist Linda Sweetman-Waters and the NJCS Pops Spectacular Band will accompany the chorus. Dancers Jen and Tony Landa will also be featured and Broadway actors David and Britt Cryer will host this Pops Spectacular.

 

Advance tickets are $25.00 for adults and $22.00 for students, seniors, and patrons with disabilities. (Add $5.00 at the door). Discounted group pricing is also available. Come one hour prior to performance time for The Inside Line, a complimentary lecture for all ticket holders that provides an intimate and entertaining preview of the music. For reservations or more information, visitwww.NJCS.org or call the New Jersey Choral Society at (201) 379-7719.

 

Established in 1980, the New Jersey Choral Society is one of the state’s most prestigious choral groups, well-known for presenting outstanding and unique programs. Under the direction of Eric Dale Knapp, NJCS performs three major concerts annually in Bergen and Essex counties. They have performed at Carnegie Hall and the White House and have toured internationally in Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, China, Australia, England, and France.

 

Immaculate Heart Academy is wheelchair accessible. Funding has been made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.

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Ridgewood singer makes it to Hollywood with American Idol

Ridgewood  'American Idol' Caroline Byrne

FEBRUARY 5, 2016    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016, 12:31 AM
BY DIANA OLIVEIRA
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Singing was something that burgeoned into a private talent for Ridgewood resident Caroline Byrne. Always too shy to perform in public, the 26-year-old mostly practiced at home until college, when her friends encouraged her to audition for television talent shows.

“My friends pretty much started telling me, ‘You would be crazy not to audition for one of these shows,’” recalled Byrne. “And I always thought to myself, ‘OK, when I’m ready.’”

After participating in preliminary competitions — the first that “lit a fire” under her was a contest in which the winner would be featured on a new track by Swedish DJ John Dahlback (she was runner-up) — Byrne leaped at the opportunity to audition for the 15th and last season of Fox’s singing competition “American Idol.”

And she earned that coveted golden ticket to Hollywood.

https://www.northjersey.com/arts-and-entertainment/music/local-singer-makes-it-to-hollywood-1.1506653

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13-year-old pianist from Ridgewood to play at Carnegie Hall

Jack Szymanski

By Myles Ma | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on January 22, 2016 at 6:00 AM, updated January 22, 2016 at 6:09 AM

RIDGEWOOD — How did 13-year-old Jack Szymanski get to Carnegie Hall?

The old saying applies: practice. https://youtu.be/DbemsuB-uRQ

Jack, a student at George Washington Middle School, has been playing piano since he was 7. He practices for 45 minutes every day after school.

As a result, he was a first-place finisher in the Crescendo International Competition, earning a chance to play Jan. 31 in Carnegie Hall. It will be Jack’s second performance at a New York City concert hall this month.

Jack played the Merkin Concert Hall on Jan. 10, a recital for winners of the Vivo International Music Competition, in which Jack placed third.

https://www.nj.com/bergen/index.ssf/2016/01/13-year-old_pianist_from_ridgewood_to_play_at_carn.html

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A Capella competition set for Jan. 23 at Northern Highlands

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JANUARY 19, 2016    LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016, 3:41 PM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
TOWN JOURNAL

A Cappella groups from around Bergen County and the greater Tri-State Area are gearing up for the quarterfinal round of the International Championship of High School a Cappella (ICHSA) taking place at Northern Highlands Regional High School on Jan. 23.

Locally, groups representing Cresskill, Ridgewood, Paramus and host Northern Highlands will put their voices to the test against a number of schools from both New Jersey and New York.

The ICHSA Mid-Atlantic Regional competition will feature two rounds this year due to a boost in the number of high schools participating in the competition. The top three finishing groups on Saturday will compete in the semifinal round on March 19.

“It’s kind of exploding,” said Tom Paster, the director of the Northern Highlands group Highlands Voices, which has won the regional competition for the past five years in a row.

One of those newcomers is a group known as The Octaves, a collection of vocalists from Paramus High School.

The Octaves stand in contrast with many of the groups competing as it is completely run by its students. Junior Victoria Marchlewski handles the musical arrangements and vocal parts while Blu Frankel, a senior, runs the meetings and rehearsals.

“They’re pretty much in charge,” said Amanda Faley, the original advisor to the group. “They run the meetings, send out messages, practice at houses on weekends and meet in my room or the auditorium during the week to rehearse and put stuff together.”

The Octaves are still a relatively young group, only about nine months old. They were formed during the spring in the last school year and were able to enter the A Cappella Festival at Northern Highlands last April. Right away, the nascent group was sharing the stage with high school groups from northern and central New Jersey as well as Casual Harmony from Rutgers University.

Since then, The Octaves have performed at other small functions around Paramus, such as the Relay for Life event at Bergen Community College, the Christmas tree lighting ceremony and a senior citizen breakfast at Paramus High School, but the big focus for the students has been the ICHSA competition.

“[The students] are so mature and so responsible,” said Faley. “A lot of teams, they have these big musical coaches who went to places like Julliard. They have professionals hired doing these things with these groups. I’m not making any arrangements or choreographing for them, which is really cool.”

Over at Ridgewood High School, both men’s and women’s groups are feverishly preparing sets of their own. Ridgewood will be sending both the Maroon Men and the Acabellas to the competition.

“The kids are doing well,” said Steven Bourque, the director of both groups. “They’re working hard and I have for the first time some student arrangements. Kids within the group arranged music for the competition.”

Bourque said the students are in the midst of working out an optimal visual component to go along with the songs. Bourque said the Maroon Men tend to favor rock and roll songs while the Acabellas gravitate more toward slower, more powerful songs.

“It’s figuring out how to create formations that are interesting, that don’t involve a lot of movement and getting it to be represent each song that we are singing,” said Bourque.

https://www.northjersey.com/community-news/a-capella-competition-set-for-jan-23-at-northern-highlands-1.1494859

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Bookends in Ridgewood Focuses on Cooking and Music this Weekend

GRAHAM ELLIOT

Graham Elliot Saturday, December 12th @ 12:00 Noon
Star from the television show Master Chef and Junior Master Chef, Graham Elliot, will sign his new book:
Cooking Like a Master Chef

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Richard Multi Saturday, December 12th @ 2:00pm
Former Mayor of Ramsey,
Richard Multi,will sign his new book:  Sinatra at 100

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Cookbook Launch Party Hoover Sunday, December 13th @ 2-4pm
Come celebrate the release of ALWAYS ADD LOVE: Real Food for Picky Eaters, written by Ridgewood author (and mom) Deidre Goehnert
This rich tapestry of family recipes offer clear, straightforward kid-freindly recipies and makes a great holiday gift.

A Merry Happy Noel
Music Launch Event
Sunday, December 13th 4-6pm

Come meet the artists, pick up a copy of the new CD, and have a cup of cheer
A new holiday (CD) album featuring:
Kristen Plumley, Soprano
Patricia Lazzara, Flute
Michael Caldwell, Piano

Appearing authors will only autograph books purchased at Bookends and must have valid Bookends Receipt.

Availability & pricing for all autographed books subject to change.
First In Line Certificate use is the the discretion of Bookends. Blackout dates may apply.
Bookends cannot guarantee that the books that are Autographed will always be First Printings.
Autographed books purchased at Bookends are non-returnable.

While we try to ensure that all customers coming to Bookends’ signings will meet authors and get their books signed, we cannot guarantee that all attendees will meet the author or that all books will be signed.  We cannot control inclement weather, author travel schedules or authors who leave prematurely.

Bookends, 211 E. Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ   07450   201-445-0726

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New Jersey Choral Society is looking for 50 young Singers

NJCS

Do you know a budding young singer???????

November 17,2015

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, NJCS is looking for an ensemble of about 50 young singers (or more) from grades 6 through 12 to join us in our spring performances of Carmina Burana! The New Jersey Choral Society’s Youth Festival Chorus will be singing the rarely performed Ragazzi portion of Carl Orff’s beautiful work. Rehearsals will be on Mondays from 4-5:30pm in Ridgewood with concerts in Connecticut (May), New Jersey (June), and possibly Lincoln Center (June). Auditions will be held on Monday, January 14th in Ridgewood.

This will be a unique and exciting opportunity for young choral singers to perform with North Jersey’s premiere chorus Please share this information with anyone that would be interested in joining us, and have them contact our Youth Choral Director, Noelle Dachis, at noelle@dachismusic.com for more information!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=48&v=rHBG_FeITBY

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The New Jersey Choral Society presents a “Celebration of Carols”

New Jersey Choral Society_rev
November 8,2015

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ,  Revel in the joyous music of the season as the New Jersey Choral Society presents “Celebration of Carols” on Saturday, December 5 at 8:00 pm and Sunday, December 6 at 3:00 pm in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, 30 North Fullerton Ave., Montclair. A third performance will be held on Tuesday, December 15 at 7:30 pm in the West Side Presbyterian Church, 6 South Monroe St, Ridgewood.

The festive program, under the direction of Eric Dale Knapp, opens with two Silesian folk songs“Beautiful Savior” and “Eatnemen Vuelie” (Song of the Earth) followed by the secular hymns “Fairest Lord Jesus” and “Salvation is Created.” A joyful rendition of “Christmas Flourish” by Randol Alan Bass concludes the first half.

Other program highlights include a tribute to resounding bells featuring “Carol of the Bells,” “Swingle Bells,” “All Bells in Paradise” and “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” Morten Lauridsen’s inspirational “O Magnum Mysterium,” Handel’s vibrant “Hallelujah” from

Judas Maccabeus and Randol Alan Bass’ uplifting “Gloria” conclude the program.

Linda Sweetman-Waters will accompany NJCS on the organ and a Brass and Percussion Ensemble will also be featured.

Advance tickets are $25.00 for adults and $22.00 for students, seniors, and patrons with disabilities. (Add $5.00 at the door). Discounted group pricing is also available. Come one hour prior to performance time for The Inside Line, a complimentary lecture for all ticket holders that provides an intimate and entertaining preview of the music. For reservations or more information, visitwww.NJCS.org or call the New Jersey Choral Society at (201) 379-7719.

Established in 1980, the New Jersey Choral Society is one of the state’s most prestigious choral groups, well-known for presenting outstanding and unique programs. Under the direction of Eric Dale Knapp, NJCS performs three major concerts annually in Bergen and Essex counties. They have performed at Carnegie Hall and the White House and have toured internationally in Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, China, Australia, England, and last summer in France.

The Church of the Immaculate Conception and West Side Presbyterian Church are both wheelchair accessible. Funding has been made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.