The Genesee Valley Wind Ensemble performs a spring concert at 4 p.m., Sunday, at Elba Central School, 57 S. Main St., Elba.
The performance will feature the Rockwell Brass Quintet and include pieces by Leonard Bernstein, John Williams, Hamlish and Kleban, Frank Tichelli and Gustav Holst.
The wind ensemble is conducted by Phil Briatico.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, $5 for students, and families are $25.
James Carter "Jimmie" Walker Jr., who played James Evans Jr. ("J.J.") from the mid-'70s TV show "Good Times," headlined Batavia Downs' first of many Comedy Nights scheduled this year. Walker has been entertaining people for more than four decades, from TV to comedy acts with his great one-liners, humor and his signature catchphrase "Dy-no-mite!"
He spoke about the era many years ago when TV had a whoppomg three channel and when it got to be very late, the signal went off the air with a beep and lines. Walker was nominated for Emmys, Golden Globes and more. The 68-year-old guy Bronx native entertained a packed crowd with laughter, wit and charm and was well received by Batavia.
Rochester native Todd Youngman opened the show for Walker.
The next Comedy Night at Batavia Downs is Wednesday, May 11th, with Michael Winslow from "Police Academy."
Pictured below, Todd Youngman.
The Genesee Symphony Orchestra performs at 4 p.m., Sunday, at Elba Central School's auditorium.
Bryan Eckenrode conducts "American Made," which features nine pieces by American composers, including two local composers, Gary Call Hanley and Ross Chua. Hanley lives in Nashville and his piece, "Plight of the Common Man," has been performed there. Chua is a Batavia High School student and this is the world premier of his work, "Spectacle in Flight."
Also on the program are "Short Overture to an Unwritten Opera" by Don Gillis, the "Paul Bunyan Suite" by William Bergsma, "Blues in 6/8" by Milton Weinstein, three dance episodes from "Rodeo" by Aaron Copland, "Variations on a Theme" by Handel, a piece by Maurice Whitney, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" by John Williams and "West Side Story" by Leonard Bernstein.
The Harry Potter piece will be performed with students from the GSO String Workshop.
Tickets can be purchased at the door or online (click here).
I have been going for the last five weeks with my cousin Susie and knew it was in Envelope #1 said Cheryl Kowalik who’s tickets was drawn for a 50/50 chance to win the Queen of Hearts at last Friday Night Bingo. The previous Friday April 1st there was still no winner after nearly one year has passed which narrowed the weekly drawing and two choices remained. The event is held weekly at Resurrection Parish (St. Mary’s) church hall, 18 Ellicott St. Batavia.
A huge line formed prior to the 430pm time when the doors opened said Cheryl who waited an hour to get her boards and tickets for the Queen. Two weeks ago a friend of her had a ticket drawn but she did not pick number #1 which when she opened it and it was not the Queen, I felt like this was just reserved for me. I was supposed to usher at Harvester 56 that night with my girlfriend Barb but knew from saying a lot of prayers, they would were heard and hopefully answered.
I won part of the split pot which was just before the queen that totaled $600.00 I split it with two other people and received two hundred dollars. I went up at intermission and bought more tickets on the queen. Already spent ten dollars but spent an additional fifteen on more tickets. Two tickets that I saw that was left to chose from was 507 and 508 which I said that I will take those too. Announcer Chad Zambito called the last three numbers being 507 and I said, It’s me, It’s me. Once I stood up everyone who attended was excited and cheered me on, which I felt humbly thankful for a small community and did not get any negative comments spoke about.
I went up to Chad and said #1, #1, #1 please. He said this woman knows exactly what she wants and when Kathy Goras opened the envelope with the queen revealed and I almost touched the ceiling which at my age I almost didn’t even think I could jump that high. The total winning amount was $5904.00 after taxes Kowalik will get $4428.00.
Her future plans is to pay her some property taxes, donating to Batavia High Schools new foundation in her moms memory Ruth Kowalik who was a teacher at Jackson School so they have some start up money. I have a girlfriend who I am donating money towards a dress for her daughter. My birthday is this Thursday and treating my staff to lunch who I work with at Darien lake. To Barb and Susie I am taking them to dinner at the Red Oiser. My grandfather who helped build the church Ascension Parish on swan st. is in need of a roof . the good lord provided me so I am donating some money towards their roof fund.
Photo above is business manager Marcia Huber handing Cheryl Kowalik her winnings at Resurrection Parish Rectory today.
The DSP Jazz Trio (Derek Reiss, Skip Taylor and Pete Mark) played a benefit concert today at City Church for Crossroads House.
The Alexander High School Drama Club presents "Big Fish: A Musical" this weekend.
Showtimes are 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m., Sunday.
Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for seniors and students, pre-sale, and $10 for adults and $7 for seniors and students at the door. Children 5 and under can attend for free.
Photos are from yesterday's rehearsal.
Batavia High School's Production Club will present a musical product of Mary Poppins next week with Nick Piedmon playing Bert and Andrea Gilebarto as Mary Poppins.
Photos are from yesterday's rehearsal.
Caryn Burk Wood is the director and Dan Grillo the musical director.
The cast includes Ross Chua as Mr. Banks, Chelsea Jensen as Mrs. Banks, Eryn Dunn as Jane Banks and Colin Dunn as Michael Banks.
Performances are at 7:30 p.m., March 4 and March 5, and 2 p.m., March 6.
Le Roy High School is presenting "The Addams Family: A Musical Comedy" on March 3, 4 and 5.
Director Jacqueline McLean said:
The story is inspired as a continuation of the Addams Family from the original comic strip and TV series. In the show, Wednesday Addams has gone off to college and fallen in love with a "normal" boy. When the "normal" family comes to meet the Addams, things get out of hand. This show is full of wonderful, dark comedy and will feature all of the characters that you remember in addition to some new ones. We hope you will join us at one of three performances and get ready to be "Pulled in a New Direction!" with this quirky story.
Books are by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, based on characters created by Charles Addams.
All show times are at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at leroycsd.org, in the HS main office or at the door. Tickets are $10 pre-sale and $12 at the door.
The Elba Central School Drama Club is presenting performances of "The Sound of Music" this weekend. These photos are from yesterday's rehearsal.
Performances are at 7 p.m., Friday, and 2 & 7 p.m., Saturday in the ECS Auditorium. Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for students and seniors. Tickets are available at the district office and at Roxy's Music Store.
Carmen Del Plato shared this with us, a song for Valentine's Day written by John Del Plato and performed by Anthony Del Plato.
About 20 young musicians joined the Genesee Symphony Orchestra today to sit next to the members of the orchestra playing the instrument of their choice during a rehearsal for tomorrow's concert at Genesee Community College.
Tomorrow's concert is called "Flutes and Flourishes" and will be conducted by Nicholas DelBello, one of the four finalists for a permanent appointment as conductor.
Guest artist is Christine Baily Davis on flute, with performances by the Buffalo Brass Choir and Miranda DelBello.
Concertgoers are invited to arrive at GCC's Stuart Steiner Theatre at 3 p.m. for Meet the Orchestra. The concert begins at 4 p.m.
The show includes pieces by Mozart, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Franz Doppler and Ottorino Resphighi.
Tickets are available at the door, or purchase online. Click here.
To purchase prints, click here.
The Genesee Chorale held a rehearsal Monday night in preparation for its show at 7 p.m., Dec. 4, at St. James Episcopal Church.
Directed by Ric Jones, the show is Christmas-themed and the performance is titled "Our Hope is a Child." Tickets are $8 presale and $10 at the door, and can be purchased online at geneseechorale.com.
The show will include what is billed as an "energetic" version of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!" with four-handed piano accompaniment, with Doug Hansen and guest pianist Henry Emmans. The Genesee Children's Chorus will also be featured on a number of pieces. Fran Thomas also performs a solo.
Cameron Bontrager performs "Sweet Child of Mine" during the 2015 Batavia HS talent show Tuesday night in the school's auditorium.
Tzyonah Scheffield-Reese performs "Photograph."
Madison Hoerbelt and Eryn Dunn perform "For Good."
Ross Chua and Chelsea Jensen perform "I'm Yours."
Hannah Bluhm performs "Dear Future Husband."
Batavia High School hosts its annual faculty and student talent show tonight in the auditorium starting at 7 o'clock.
Pictured during yesterday's rehearsal are Tzyonah Sheffield-Reese (top) and Kesa Janes.
The Genesee Valley Wind Ensemble kicks off its third season with a 4 p.m show Nov. 15 at Elba Central School with pieces by John Williams, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Mark Camphouse, among other composers.
Yvonne Freeman, a member of the ensemble and a board member sat down with Lucine Kauffman for her WBTA show called "Genesee Life" and discussed the ensemble and upcoming show.
Freeman said the program is intended to be challenging and provide a wide variety of classic and modern sounds for the whole family.
Chap's Elba Diner, normally closed on Sunday evenings, will open after the concert and provide discounted dinners to ticket holders.
There are two major differences between a wind ensemble and a typical orchestra, Freeman said. First, there are no strings, and second, there is typically one musician per part.
"Each person has to be really good at their part," Freeman said. "There's nobody else that is going to cover those measures that are tough."
To listen to the entire interview, visit the Genesee Life page on WBTA's Web site.
Classic rock fans might recognize the smiling guy with the gray hair. It's Peter Frampton. Next to him is somebody a few people in Genesee County will know, Ben Sheridan, a 2008 graduate of Byron-Bergen High School.
Sheridan, who plays keyboards, is on tour with Frampton and when the band stopped in Albany last night, a group of family members and friends traveled there to see him play.
He hooked up with Frampton after meeting Peter's son, Julian, while working at a Starbucks in Los Angeles. Julian is the man with the acoustic guitar in the photo.
Info and photos submitted by Anne Sapienza.
Dean Rich, a resident of Pratt Road, started square dancing in Batavia 60 years ago. He's danced in California, Arizona and Florida and remembers the time he danced to a caller from Alaska.
"I enjoy it because you meet so many interesting people," Rich said.
As if to prove it, he told an engaging story about himself. Now age 88, he's retired from MY-T Acres farm where he spent most of his farming career, invested his money wisely and was able to quit 28 years ago.
"I was working for my uncle for $50 a week and Bob hired me for $55 a week," Rich said. "Plus, I didn't have to come in until seven and I got a pig. Bob's dad said, 'You're paying him too much,' because the guy I replaced was making only $35 a week."
Rich and his wife had been married four years when a neighbor invited them to their first square dance, and soon they were regulars and including square dancing in all their travels. They were together 64 years. Rich took some time off while she was ill, but after she passed, he couldn't stay away from square dancing. He just enjoys it too much.
"There are so many interesting people and you never meet anybody who's rowdy," Rich said. "You cannot drink and do this, when you really get to square dancing."
Rich is one of 24 members of the Silver Stars, who gather every Monday at the VA Center in Batavia.
It's one of at least 15 clubs in Western New York, said caller and Buffalo resident Bill Ryan, who started calling 52 years ago at age 14.
"It's just a whole lot of fun," he said.
It's also good exercise, Ryan said, and, he agreed, you meet some great people.
Jean McCoy (top photo) said she would go stir crazy if she had to stay home, so she square dances to keep herself active.
"Truthfully, I like the outfits," she whispered when asked what she likes about square dancing, but then added, "I like the camaraderie. You have to be out and be around people when you live alone, otherwise you'll wind up in the psych ward."
The age range of the club runs the spectrum and the youngest dancer at Monday night's club gathering was 7-year-old Caylin Perry, of Batavia. Caylin was too shy to tell us why she likes square dancing. She just said she does. She looked like she was having fun.
Darryl Worley, a multi-hit country music artist who topped the charts in 2003 with a 9-11 song, "Have You Forgotten?", played Frostridge Saturday night and a few hundred hearty fans braved the rain and waved flags and cheered Worley's pro-USA, positive-living message.
The show closes out the 2015 season for The Ridge.
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