entertainment

The Genesee Wyoming Music Educators Association is honoring past scholarship winner Elise Hoerbelt, a trumpet player and a 2019 graduate of Batavia High School.

Here instructors through the years have included Dawn Mark, Jane Haggett, and Derek Reiss.

Her secondary instruments are voice, french horn, and violin.

She is attending Ithaca College and majoring in Music Education.

What are your favorite college/ high school music experiences?

My favorite music experience in my career so far has been my first concert at Ithaca College. It was amazing getting to play with so many talented musicians and it was the first concert of my college career. 

What ensembles/performance opportunities do you aspire to be a part of?
Since I aspire to be a music educator, I would like to be the conductor of a band of students someday. 

What is your favorite performance venue you have performed at? 
My favorite performance venue was at Kodak Hall in the Eastman School of Music when I performed with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra in the Holiday Pops Chorus. 

What are your main musical influences and/or role models?
My teachers and friends have been my main influences in my musical career.

What is your ultimate music goal or music dream?

My goal is to become a music educator and teach students about the power of music.

Interview with Jason Smith, Batavia Concert Band.

Dylan DeSmit performs for you at 8 p.m. (or thereabouts).

Batavia Society of Artists produced this video for their annual spring art show, this time, as a virtual tour of submitted works.

Howard Owens reads "Third Avenue in Sunlight" by Anthony Hecht.

Hecht was a Literature professor at the University of Rochester. Below is a short video of Hect talking about poetry.

This concludes our poetry month readings. I hope you enjoyed them.

Press release:

The Batavia Business Improvement District Board of Directors regretfully announces cancellation of Jackson Square Concert Series and Beertavia.

Due to the uncertainty of COVID-19, the need for social distancing, and our concern for the health of the community, vendors, volunteers, and attendees we have decided to cancel these two events for 2020. 

We are hopeful to see everyone back in Summer of 2021 and look forward to the times we can come out and enjoy the music and festivities again as a community. 

For more information on B.I.D. and Downtown events please visit our website. 

Mike Hodgins reads "House by the Side of the Road" by Sam Walter Floss. Mike said this poem was one of the favorites of his father, John Hodgins, the late local artist and county legislator.

Elba resident Lucine Kauffman reads "Leisure" by W.H. Davies.

Press release:

Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel has announced that out of an abundance of caution surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, the first two “Rockin the Downs” concerts scheduled for this June have been rescheduled to late August.

The Vince Neil concert scheduled for Friday, June 19^th, 2020 will take place on Friday, Aug. 21^st.

The Steve Augeri concert scheduled for Friday, June 26^th, 2020 will take place on Friday, Aug. 28^th.

So now the 2020 “Rockin the Downs” concert series will kick off with the regularly scheduled July 10^th performance by Molly Hatchet.

Please note that all tickets already sold for these concerts will be honored on the new dates.

“We felt it was necessary to reschedule the start of the series,” said Henry Wojtaszek, CEO/president of Batavia Downs Gaming. “We are still looking forward to seeing everyone this summer, at time when local and state officials have determined it is safe to do so.”

Tickets to all concerts are available at BataviaConcerts.com

Join GO ART! for the organization's first Virtual Birthday Party at 7 p.m.

The party includes gallery tours, live performances by Jackie Siegel McLean, Theresa & Mark Kehl, Madison Hoerbelt, and the Canning Family, the Genean (Genesee-Orleans) Arts and Culture Awards, and winner announcements for its Quarantine Contest and Juried Show, “Art of the Rural.”

Jane Burk, a member of Batavia Players, reads "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost.

Jessica Hill, an artist in residence with Batavia Players, reads William Shakespeare's Sonnet 116.

GO ART! and The Batavian are teaming up to bring you a live arts event with an art contest, presentation of the Genean Awards, live performances, and a virtual tour of GO ART's gallery on April 15.

From GO ART! Executive Director Gregory Hallock:

GO ART! is seeking artists and heroes of all age levels to create a piece of art, in any media or size, in the theme of "Quarantine" and email a picture with the creator's name, grade level -- UPK - K, 1 - 2, 3 - 5, 6 - 8, 9 -12, college students, and adults (ones not doing the school thing anymore) -- to info@goart.org by April 10th.

Pictures will go live on GO ART!'s Facebook page on April 11th. The one with the most likes between April 11th and 14th will win the grand prize. A jury will also pick a winner from each grade-level category.

Winners and prizes will be announced live on The Batavian at https://www.thebatavian.com between 7 and 8 p.m. on April 15th.

I promise ye will like them.

The winners of the Genean Awards, GO ART!'s Arts and Culture Awards, live performances, a tour of GO ART!'s galleries and Genean's (GO ART!'s) birthday will all be a part of the hour-long event on April 15th. Artists, heroes, and villagers are all invited to attend.

Pavilion Central School presents "The Wizard of Oz" this week.

Dorothy is played by Kali Markek, the Scarecrow by Anthony Brown, Tin Man by Alex Stalica, the Cowardly Lion by Jacob Taylor, and the Wizard of Oz by Aiden McConnel.

Showtimes are 7 p.m. tomorrow, 7 p.m. on Friday, and 2 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are $8 for adults, and $6 for seniors and children.

County legislators on Wednesday indicated a willingness to sell or lease a small parcel of land next to the Senior Center building on Bank Street, Batavia, to GO ART! for the creation of an art garden.

Gregory Hallock, director of GO ART!, presented the concept at a Ways and Means Committee meeting and the committee unanimously approved a letter of support.

The letter is necessary to help secure a potential grant from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, which provided funds for the Musical Garden that opened this summer in the walkway next to Seymore Place.

Hallock said the art garden will be space for art displays, concerts, classes, flowers, and a place to grow herbs and vegetables for use in the GO ART! kitchen.

He said the garden could also help generate revenue for GO ART! as a place to host weddings and for culinary events as well as concerts.

The small lot in question is already a garden accessible only by the Senior Center that is barely used by the Office for the Aging.

Besides a connection to Seymore Place and the Musical Garden, the art garden would also fit nicely, Hallock said, with the Healthy Living Campus being developed by UMMC and the YMCA.

Hallock said both UMMC and the YMCA have signed off on the project and through discussions, leaders there realized that GO ART! is a natural fit for what they're planning with the Healthy Living Campus so GO ART! will be included more in future planning discussions.