Topia
Arts Center has had a wonderful history of world-class performers
and continues to provide innovative performing arts and educational
programming to the Northern Berkshire community. Past performers
and events are highlighted below. |
| 2008 |
| May 12, 2008
7PM & 9:30PM
Metropolitan Room, NYC
All proceeds from this one-night event will benefit Topia Arts Center in Adams |
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April 22, 2008
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Earth Day Fair
Topia Arts Center and C.T. Plunkett present an Earth Day Performance and Fair
When: Tuesday, April 22nd from 4-7
Where: C.T. Plunkett Elementary- 14 Commercial St. Adams, MA
Events in the Auditorium:
Marmalade Productions “Watershed Waltz” (4:30)
C.T. Plunkett Elementary Chorus “Earth Day Songs” (5:15)
Exhibitors in the C.T. Plunkett Gymnasium:
Hoosic River Watershed Association (HOORWA)- a game called “Gazillion Gallons” which calculates how many gallons of runoff come from C.T. Plunkett School, and a stormwater education kit/activity for kids
Northern Berkshire Solid Waste Management District-“Worms Are Us” a traveling worm bin that teaches composting, “recycling” games, songs, and activities
Topia Arts Center/Topia Inn- Information, materials and news about this exciting “green” building project in Downtown Adams
Center For Ecological Technologies (CET)-Educational Program
Berkshire Museum-Educational Program
C.T. Plunkett Library Corner-Have a seat, get comfy, and read environmentally themed books
Earth Day Book Sale
Tree Sale
Organic Snack Sale
Earth Day Kid Art Gallery
Display of Earth Day Science Projects
C.T. Plunkett Playground Clean Up
Earth Day Chinese Raffle
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February 27, 2008 |
Chocolate Tasting Fundraiser
YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO A CHOCOLATE TASTING EVENT
Coffee, tea, and hot chocolate will warm our conversation on a cold winter’s evening while we sample delectable treats from Janice Esoldi’s Got Goodies candy and discuss the latest developments in bringing Topia Arts Center to fruition. You will also have the opportunity to buy or order more chocolate from Got Goodies for Easter or Springtime treats.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
6:30 PM
Café Topia
27 Park Street, Adams
Cost:
$12 per person
Please RSVP to Erin Mucci
743-2890 or mucciclass@yahoo.com
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| 2007 |
November 10, 2007
8:30p
& 10p
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Stefanie Weber
with
Marafanyi Percussione
Stefanie Weber will be gathering her Creatures of Habitat
from a multitude of realms in preparation for her "Rhythm-n-Flow
as Medicine Show" through a series of 'Open Labs' occurring regularly
at Cafe Topia until Summer of 2008 beginning on November 10th at 8p
on 27 Park St in downtown Adams. Labs will feature a wide range of artists,
musicians and dancers beginning with Yael Shachem and Lara Gonzalez
of Marafanyi Percussion, Nana Simopoulos, Monika Pizzichemi and others.
Using the healing poetics of tap dance, movement, sound, costume, word
and imagination, Open Labs will consist of a blend of incomplete live
performance experiments and trials. To learn more or take part in an
Open Lab, contact Stefanie at 413-281-6734.
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November 3, 2007
8:30p
& 10p
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Natural History
NATURAL HISTORY consists of three improvisers -- Derrik Jordan,
Jared Shapiro, and Barry Hyman, who have been on the cutting edge of experimental
music since they first played together in 1973. Their sound ranges
from unspeakably beautiful to unearthly strange, with humor, happiness,
horror, and all the other human sensations mixed in. The original
jam band, they improvise on cello, violin, guitar, balafon, percussion,
sitar, mbira, alto recorder, gourd trumpet, and many other unusual instruments,
and their totally spontaneous three part harmonies will send shivers of
joy up your spine. The members of NATURAL HISTORY have spent three
decades learning how to make music in the most relaxed, natural, uninhibited
fashion, and the effect on the audience is deeply therapeutic and liberating.
They are easily the most original and unusual musical act you're likely
to find anywhere around this area.
BARRY HYMAN performs, teaches, records, and writes about music from his
home in the woods of upstate New York. He has been playing gigs
since 1966 and teaching music privately since 1977. He is primarily
a guitarist, but he also sings and plays sitar, pedal steel guitar, bass,
harmonica, banjo, keyboard, and percussion. Hyman, a grant-winning
composer, maintains a studio in Coila, NY where he blends music education
with music therapy. He also runs a Summer Program teaching ensemble
playing to young musicians, and is the author of “Smart Guitar,”
a 340-page holistic guitar manual. His most recent CDs include the
solo album “More Than Halfway Home,” “Evolve,”
which was recorded with the band ZUELA, and “In My Country,”
an album of spoken word set to music and produced by Derrik Jordan.
His tune “The Journalist” is currently #13 on American Idol
Underground’s spoken word charts. All three CDs are available
online at CDBaby.com and I-Tunes.
JARED SHAPIRO is known in the region as a cellist and music educator.
He has recorded music for film and CD, including the Empire Brass Quintet's
“King's Court and Celtic Fair” (Telarc), where he was featured
on the cello and recorder, and The Bennington Cello Quartet's “20th
Century Music for Cello Quartet (Opus One).” Some of his former
teachers include George Finckel, Milford Graves, Vivian Fine, and Henry
Brant. Shapiro is the former Music Director/Conductor of the Lakes
Region Youth Orchestra at Castleton State College, and formerly the Dance
Accompanist at Bennington College. He is on the Faculty of the Michael
Rudiakov Music Academy and is the Music Teacher at the Maple Street School
in Manchester, VT. He sings and plays cello, recorder, and percussion
in NATURAL HISTORY.
DERRIK JORDAN sings and plays 5 string electric violin, keyboards, kalimba,
percussion, and guitar. A singer-songwriter, composer, and multi-instrumentalist,
he has produced jazz, folk, Native American, and award-winning children's
recordings. He made his national recording debut on “Right
As Rain,” a compilation CD to benefit the rainforest that also featured
Jerry Garcia and Paul Winter. Angela Bofill, O.C. Smith, and The
Embers have recorded his songs. “Speak Through Me” from
his CD “Expecting A Miracle” won 2nd place in the 2004 USA
Songwriting Competition, the world's leading international songwriting
contest. His other CDs include “Brazilliance,” “SuperString
Theory,” and “Touch The Earth,” which includes “Something's
Gonna Change,” winner of the 2002 Reggae Song of the Year from Just
Plain Folks. He plays with many bands including Tony Vacca’s World
Rhythms and Simba.
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August 18, 2007 |
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May 5 & 6, 2007 |
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| 2006 |
August 5, 2006 |
Berkshire Heavy Music Festival
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May 6, 2006 |
Miller, Banulis and Amuso Jazz
Trio
Original music from this jazz trio featuring vibraphone,
bass and guitar
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April 29, 2006 |
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April 28, 2006 |
Students from Adams Memorial Middle School will read from
their poems and essays collected in “A to ‘Zine”—the
first edition of a handmade print magazine written and designed by middle
school students as part of a series of workshops on ‘zine writing
offered by Inkberry and Youth Center, Inc. The workshops and reading
are funded in part by a grant from the William J.and Margery S. Barrett
Fund for Adams, Cheshire, and Savoy. The reading is free and open to
the public. |
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April 14, 2006 |
Live Percussion Jam led by Scott
Harrington
Scott Harrington plays balaphon, jembe and marimba in
this live percussion jam
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April 8, 2006 |
Natural History
Eclectic multi-instrumentalist trio - Jared Shapiro, Barry Hyman, and Derrik
Jordan - creates “instant compositions” with cello, sitar, electric
violin, kalimba, vocals, recorder, guitar, and a wide array of percussion
.jpg) |
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April 7, 2006 |
Live Percussion Jam led by Scott
Harrington
Scott Harrington plays balaphon, jembe and marimba in
this live percussion jam
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March 25, 2006 |
Charlie Tokarz
and John Hughes
Jazz Duets on Kora and Sax
African kora and balafon meet Jazz
sax and wind controller in concert live at Cafe Topia"! http://www.johnhughesmusic.com/
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March 10, 2006 |
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March 4, 2006 |
Miller, Banulis and Amuso Jazz
Trio
Original music from this jazz trio featuring vibraphone,
bass and guitar
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March 3, 2006 |
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February 18, 2006 |
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February 17, 2006 |
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February 11, 2006 |
1 Year Anniversary of Cafe Opening!
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| 2005 |
December 11, 2005 |
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December 10, 2005 |
Stefanie Weber - Creatures of Habitat
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December 9, 2005 |
Natural History
Eclectic multi-instrumentalist trio - Jared Shapiro, Barry Hyman, and Derrik
Jordan - creates “instant compositions” with cello, sitar, electric
violin, kalimba, vocals, recorder, guitar, and a wide array of percussion
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December 3, 2005 |
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December 2, 2005 |
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December 2, 2005 |
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November 19, 2005 |
Charlie Tokarz
and John Hughes
Jazz Duets on Kora and Sax
African kora and balafon meet Jazz
sax and wind controller in concert live at Cafe Topia"! http://www.johnhughesmusic.com/
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November 12, 2005 |
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November 11, 2005 |
Flying
Garbanzos
Four-piece contra dance band from western Massachusetts playing
original, contemporary and traditional instrumental tunes, generally
of Irish, French-Canadian and Appalachian origin
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November 5, 2005 |
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November 4, 2005 |
Miller, Banulis and Amuso Jazz
Trio
Original music from this jazz trio featuring vibraphone,
bass and guitar
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October 28, 2005 |
Live at Cafe Topia - CD Release Party
Charlie Tokarz
and John Hughes
Jazz Duets on Kora and Sax
African kora and balafon meet Jazz
sax and wind controller in concert live at Cafe Topia"! http://www.johnhughesmusic.com/
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October 21, 2005 |
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October 15, 2005 |
Miller, Banulis and Amuso Jazz
Trio
Original music from this jazz trio featuring vibraphone,
bass and guitar
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October 8, 2005 |
Stefanie Weber - Creatures of Habitat
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October 6-8, 2005 |
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October 1, 2005 |
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September 30, 2005 |
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September 24, 2005 |
World Music of Nana & LiquidBody
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September 23, 2005 |
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September 16, 2005 |
Miller, Banulis and Amuso Jazz
Trio
Original music from this jazz trio featuring vibraphone,
bass and guitar
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September 10, 2005 |
'The
Love show' is a circus and vaudeville show with a little burlesque thrown
in -- though it is still a family friendly show! It is an aerial,
acrobatic, & juggling comedy performance -- a silly exploration of
serious relationships with performers formerly with Cirque Du Soleil,
Ringling Bros., The Pickle Family Circus, & two International Juggling
Association champions. The show thrills with high flying aerialists
flirting, hysterical interludes of love gone awry, phenomenal jugglers
on a flailing date, as well as a wife who stands on her husband's head
and other demonstrations of the vagaries and delights of love in all its
shapes and forms.
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September 3, 2005 |
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September 2, 2005 |
Nana's Birthday World Music Jam
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| April 29, 2005 |
Marafanyi Percussion: Drum, Voice and Percussion
in Poetic Motion
 Together these pioneering ladies - Lara Gonzalez,
Yael Shacham,
and Jen Starr - present an original and spellbinding show
blending the pulsating rhythms of West Africa with inspired
vocals and world sensibility. Their infectious energy, genuine
warmth, and rock-solid musical talent also place them in
high
demand in group shows of every genre from World (Fula Flute
Ensemble) to Jazz (Perry Robinson) to Folk (Odetta) to Rock
(Hamell on Trial). They hold audiences captive as concert stage
headliners, multi-media fest catalysts, and workshop leaders.
Their television and radio appearances are myriad. Marafanyi
is known for diverse creativity -- "Percussion is just the
beginning!" -- as well as their commitment to the healing and
transformative power of drum & dance. These women are determined
to change the world, beat by beat. http://www.RootsHeartPulse.com |
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| April 8, 2005 |
Natural History
Eclectic multi-instrumentalist trio - Jared Shapiro, Barry Hyman, and Derrik
Jordan - creates “instant compositions” with cello, sitar, electric
violin, kalimba, vocals, recorder, guitar, and a wide array of percussion
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March 25, 2005
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Charlie Tokarz
and John Hughes
Jazz Duets on Kora and Sax
African kora and balafon meet Jazz
sax and wind controller in concert live at Cafe Topia"! http://www.johnhughesmusic.com/
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March 11, 2005 |
Stefanie Weber: Tap Rhythm Dialogues Live
Rhythm tap with live music and spoken word |
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March 4, 2005 |
Miller, Banulis and Amuso Jazz
Trio
Original music from this jazz trio featuring vibraphone,
bass and guitar
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