Poetry and song Sunday in Northumberland

Poet and musician Lester Hirsh will read from his work accompanying himself on guitar Sunday, Sept. 1, from 9:30 to 10:10 am at Joseph Priestley Memorial Chapel, 380 Front Street, Northumberland. Hirsh is a guitarist, singer/songwriter, and poet who plays on Spanish 6-string and acoustic 12-string guitars in styles ranging from classical, country, and folk, to Brazilian jazz and Flamenco.

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More poetry in September

The 5th annual Stillwater Poetry and Music Festival will be Saturday, Sept. 7, under a  tent in the Stillwater Memorial Park. The event will feature award-winning poets from across Pennsylvania, including:

• Julia Spicher Kasdorf, Associate Professor of Women’s Studies and Creative Writing at Penn State University. Kasdorf is the author of three volumes of poetry, Sleeping Preacher, Eve’s Striptease, and Poetry in America.
• Sheryl St. Germain, a Louisiana native and director of the MFA writing program at Chatham University, Pittsburgh. St. Germain is the author of Going Home, The Mask of Medusa, Making Bread at Midnight, How Heavy the Breath of God, and The Journals of Scheherazade, as well as her latest Let it Be a Dark Roux: New and Selected Poems.
•  Jack Troy, professor emeritus of Juniata College and author of Calling the Planet Home.

The theme of this year’s festival is agriculture and nature writing. Several other poets completing the roster are farmer/poets who write of the land and its importance in their lives.

Additionally, Benton’s Fort Ricketts Post #8317 is supporting the festival with the sponsorship of a veteran poet who, in addition to reading at the festival, will make a visit to the Benton Area School District for a reading. Two open mic sessions allow anyone with a poem to share it from the festival stage. Live acoustic music will also be part of the festival. Local and organic food will be available.

Free admission, rain or shine. For more information contact: stillwaterpoetry@yahoo.com.

Back to school. Here's what going on in art this week.

I've taken a bit of a break from posting over the summer, but school's back and there's lots going on. — EGF.

Clay and Cloth

Ceramist Sara Baker and fabric artist Denise Richards are the featured artists at Artspace, 221 Center Street, Bloomsburg, through Sept. 29.  

Catch it while you can

Current exhibiting artist at BU's Haas Gallery Lisa Corine Von Koch and her show 'DAD' will be having a closing reception Tuesday, Aug. 27, from 11 am to 2 pm. She will give a lecture at 11:15 and 1:15 pm.

A hike in the evening

Bloomsburg University’s Quest Program will offer a night hike from 9 a.m. to midnight, Wednesday, Aug. 28, meeting at the Quest office on BU’s Upper Campus. Quest events are open to members of the campus community and the public. For information, see www.buquest.org.

Maybe this is your ball of yarn

If you are an adult who knits, or who would like to learn how, the Bloomin’ Knitters want you. They meet every Monday at the Bloomsburg Public Library on Market Street in the Fireplace Lounge at 6 pm. Bring your latest project and come prepared for chat.

And looking farther ahead ...

The Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble will stage Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice in October. I'm really curious to see what they do with this.

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Manga illustration by Sarah Foster. She does commissions. Inquires? Contact me.

A preview of concerts and shows at BU

Here's the schedule of concerts and plays at BU for the 2013-2014 academic year. Most concerts are free. There's a modest admission charge for most plays. It's early, so there may be adjustments to the schedule down the line.

For myself, I'm particularly interested to see what the Chamber Orchestra does with guitarists Matt Leece and Victoria Hummer and the theatre shows, which seem to include a number of new pieces and a provocative classic by Lillian Hellman. — EGF.  

University-Community Orchestra: Young Person’s Concert, Oct. 1, 10 a.m., Mitrani Hall, Haas Center for the Arts. Mark Jelinek, conducting.

Fall Choral Festival: Oct. 19, 7:30 p.m. First Presbyterian Church, 345 Market St., Bloomsburg. Featuring Women’s Choral Ensemble, Husky Singers and the Concert Choir Alan Baker conducting.

Chamber Orchestra Concert: Oct. 27, 2:30 p.m. Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, 123 N. Market St., Bloomsburg. Featuring Victoria Hummer and Matthew Leece, guitar. Mark Jelinek conducting.

Percussion Ensemble Concert: Nov. 7, 7:30 p.m., Mitrani Hall, Haas Center Gifford Howarth, directing.

Theatre: Avenue Q, by David A. Miller Performed by Bloomsburg Players Nov. 7, 8, 9, 10. Alvina Krause Theatre, 226 Center St, Bloomsburg.

University-Community Orchestra: Nov. 10, 2:30 p.m., Mitrani Hall, Haas Center for the Arts. Featuring Todd Hunter, trombone. Mark Jelinek, conducting. A trombone master class will be offered Nov 9. Email mjelinek@bloomu.edu for information.

Wind Ensemble: Nov. 12, 7:30 p.m. Mitrani Hall, Haas Center for the Arts Stephen Clickard, conducting.

Theatre: An Evening of 10-Minute Plays,  Student-Directed Projects, Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m., Theatre Lab, University Bookstore Annex.

Jazz Ensemble: Dec. 3, 7 p.m. Mitrani Hall, Haas Center for the Arts Stephen Clickard, conducting.

Guitar Ensemble: Dec. 4, 7 p.m. Mitrani Hall, Haas Center for the Arts Matthew Slotkin, directing.

Carols by Candlelight: Dec. 5 and 6, 7:30 p.m. First Presbyterian Church, 345 Market St., Bloomsburg. Featuring the Concert Choir, Husky Singers, and Women’s Choral Ensemble. (Admission free, but tickets required; pick up at Performing Arts Box Office located in lobby of Haas Center.)

Theatre: An Evening of One-Act Plays, Student-directed projects, Dec. 6, 7:30 p.m. Theatre Lab, University Bookstore Annex

SPRING 2014

Spring Music Residency, PROJECT Trio: Feb. 7 to 9.

Theatre: February Festival, 30 Plays in 60 Minutes: Original scripts by the BU Players. Feb. 13-15, 19-20, Alvina Krause Theatre.

Theatre: 24-Hour Plays, Feb. 22, Alvina Krause Theatre.

Theatre: The Children’s Hour by Lillian Hellman, April 11-15, Alvina Krause Theatre.

Fourth Annual Dance Minors Concert, April 27-28, Mitrani Hall, Haas Center for the Arts

Honors Recital: Feb. 13, 7 p.m. Mitrani Hall, Haas Center for the Arts

Chamber Orchestra: March 9, 2:30 p.m. St. Matthew Lutheran Church 123 N. Market St., Bloomsburg

Jazz Festival: April 4, noon Mitrani Hall, Haas Center for the Arts

Spring Orchestra Concert: April 6, 2:30 p.m., Mitrani Hall, Haas Center for the Arts. Mark Jelinek directing. A piano master class will be offered April 5. Email mjelinek@bloomu.edu for information.

BU Choirs Spring Concert: April 12, 7:30 p.m. First Presbyterian Church 345 Market St., Bloomsburg

Concert Band: April 13, 2:30 pm Kenneth S. Gross Auditorium, Carver Hall

Guitar Ensemble: April 15, 7 p.m. Mitrani Hall, Haas Center for the Arts

Percussion Ensemble: April 17, 7:30 p.m. Mitrani Hall, Haas Center for the Arts