Volume 3 No. 35B |November 20, 2021
Sharing our wealth of arts and culture. We're having an ARTS BLAST!

Promoting The Arts & Arts Councils Everywhere

ARTS NEWS
& PROFILES
FROM
FLORIDA'S
TREASURE COAST & BEYOND
Notes from the editor:
Thanks to all who helped with my computer glitch. I wish you had been looking over my shoulder when I typed the wrong time for the concert at Christ by the Sea Sunday! Marcos Flores and Miguel Bonachea will take the stage at 3 p.m.
And I picked this up on Facebook: Sebastian River Art Club's Arts and Crafts by the River has been cancelled due to inclement weather.
It's that time of year when I remind readers, wherever you are, to shop local, shop the arts, and shop with love. For Arts Blasters up north, out west, across the pond, or maybe even in space -- Lots of local arts groups, non-profits, and small businesses have online shops, so you don't have to be physically on the Treasure or Space Coast to support them!

I had what I thought was a brilliant, ah-ha idea while online buying my ticket for Ballet Vero Beach's Nutcracker on the Indian River. One of the options was a ticket to watch the video performance online days after the live event at Tree House Vero Beach. Since many winter residents and visitors won't arrive until after Christmas, wouldn't a ticket to watch the taped performance be a great gift? Maybe it wasn't an original idea but I think it's a terrific one! If you had it first, good you!

With five weeks until the big day, I'm up for sharing some original gift giving ideas in Arts Blast.
Arts Blast on the Air
Arts Blast on the Air is more than an audible version of Willi Miller's Arts Blast, as you'll discover when you click on a show link. The weekly podcast and radio show offers interviews with people active in the arts locally, regionally, and nationally. The addition of an early-release downloadable podcast is an exciting step for Willi Miller's Arts Blast and it would not be possible without our great sponsors, Riverside Theatre and Ballet Vero Beach, collaborator Donna Roberts Mitchell, and tech guy, Jesse Kriske. Thanks for listening! CATCH THE PODCAST ONLINE. For information on advertising in Arts Blast on the Air, contact Donna.

THIS WEEK:
Aaron Collins - Space Coast Symphony Orchestra
Barry Trammell - Vero Classical Ballet
Bookmark On the Calendar at WilliMiller.com for frequent updates. Calls for Artists, Auditions, & Volunteers are now online.

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Plan your season with Arts Blast's calendar
In This Issue - November 20, 2021

Emmet Cahill's Back in Town with Space Coast Symphony Orchestra

It Must Be Love! Mike Block's Coming to Town

Holiday Events Galore

Museum Store Sunday is Back

Marcos and Miguel Together Again (3 p.m Sunday)

Melbourne's Swingtime and Municipal Band

Dolores Mark Sings for the Gifford Youth Orchestra

Handel's Messiah's Back at First Baptist

Fort Pierce Art Walk


The Arts Blast Really Huge On the Calendar is online with new entries almost every day!

Unity Artist Series presents its 'Thanksgiving Inspirational Concert' featuring vocalist and pianist Dolores Mark on November 21, 4 p.m., at Unity Spiritual Center. This will be a fundraising event; all proceeds will be donated to the Gifford Youth Orchestra to benefit their fabulous learning curriculum.

Mark, music director at St. Helen Catholic Church, has been singing since her first school production in 2nd grade. She now has three CDs to her credit, 'Joy to the World,' 'The Gift of Love,' and her most recent, 'For Sentimental Reasons.” Local audiences have heard her performing with Jerry and the Dolls, a golden-oldies group that got hit hard by the pandemic, as venues were forced to cancel events for more than a year. Mark also sings with the Vero Beach choral Society and the Treasure Coast Chorale, and will participate in the Messiah event at First Baptist Church Vero Beach in December.

Unity Spiritual Center, 950 43rd Avenue in Vero Beach. 'Thanksgiving Inspirational Concert' is free and open to the public with a suggested donation of $10. Limited Seating. Reservations are available at unityevents.org.
From the St. Lucie Cultural Alliance:

The St. Lucie Cultural Alliance’s two new exhibitions, Grunge & Glamour at the Alliance Gallery and Opulence at the Ohana Group Gallery will be on display through January 17th.
Can't Get Enough Messiah?
From First Baptist Church of Vero Beach:

We are proud to offer the 52nd annual presentation of Handel’s magnificent oratorio, “Messiah”, as our gift to the community. 

Dr. Michael Carter skillfully weaves together the pieces of this Christmas story heralding the coming of the Messiah – Jesus Christ – and the hope he brings to all the world. Under Dr. Carter’s direction, the ensemble blends a glorious sound, lifting the spirit, and bringing into focus the reason for the Christmas season. 

Participating will be First Baptist's church choirs and people from choirs all over the area including the Treasure Coast Chorale.

This year’s performance will be held Sunday, December 19, 2021 at 7:00 PM. Doors will open at 6:00 PM.
First Baptist Church of Vero Beach * 2206 16th Avenue * Vero Beach, FL 32960
Central Florida Messiah Sing Along

Space Coast Symphony joins forces with the Indialantic Chamber Singers to present the 14th Annual Messiah Sing-Along. This special collaboration features both ensembles in Central Florida's "ultimate Christmas concert." First you'll enjoy the Indialantic Chamber Singers in a presentation of a few holiday favorites. Then enjoy the Messiah, the enduring Christmas oratorio by George Friedrich Handel, as a Sing-Along. Hailed as Central Florida’s “ultimate Christmas concert,” and an annual sellout, this free concert is a don’t miss!   All area singers are invited to participate. Accompaniment will be provided by members of the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra with featured soloists. The public is invited to sing or simply listen to the perennial Christmas favorite. Scores are provided to participating members.
Marcos and Miguel Together Again
NOTE TIME CORRECTION! 3 p.m., NOT 4!

Last year, the pandemic took away many of our seasonal traditions, including the concert series at Christ by the Sea United Methodist Church in Vero Beach. But that was last season. Director of Worship Arts Marcos Flores has brought it back with a series that begins with a piano and guitar concert. He will be joined by classical guitarist Miguel Bonachea November 21 at 3 p.m.

The program includes "exciting and flavored music by giants of different music genres ... Scott Joplin, Albéniz, Piazzolla, Granados, Tárrega, Fernando Sor, and Gottschalk." The two musicians collaborated on the program, but "Miguel had the priority to propose the Solo Guitar and the Guitar/Piano duet works. As the Artistic Director of our Christ By The Sea Concert Series, I like to welcome the input of our guest featured artists."
Flores described the effect of Covid: "We stopped our entire concert season and indoor worship services at Christ By The Sea on early Spring 2020. Instead, we continued streaming our worship services, then holding services outdoors in our parking lot, and by Mother’s Day 2021 we finally resumed our indoor worship services continually."
The Christmas Cantata at Christ by the Sea is scheduled for Dec. 18, at 4:30 and 7 p.m. "... a full musical production with a mixed choir, a full orchestra, liturgical dancers, a living children’s manger, and uplifting narration!" Free admission but a free-will offering will be appreciated.
"For the first time since our concert series premier in 2005, we will do our one-hour approximately Nov 21, 2021 Classical Guitar and Piano Concert without an intermission. Also, there will be no refreshments following this concert. All these measures are in place on an effort to provide the safest environment possible for our audience due to COVID. We’ll continue to monitor and revise these precautions for our future concerts."

For tickets: online, at the church office, and at the door.
Emmet Cahill's Back in Town with SCSO
(and You Can Still Catch a Gnome)
Space Coast Symphony Orchestra's Aaron Collins brings back "Ireland's most exciting young tenor," Emmet Cahill, to local audiences November 27 and 28. Cahill took time while on tour for a quick Q&A for Arts Blast.
Will your parents be with you this time?

My folks won't make it this time, but they still talk about the amazing welcome they received from all the Florida fans and folks at Space Coast Symphony a few years ago. No doubt, they will come back out to see everyone again soon. 

When this tour ends, will you spend Christmas in the United States, in Ireland, somewhere warm, or will you begin another tour?

Yes the tour is busy, but that is definitely the way I like it. 
The concerts with the Space Coast Symphony are going to be a real highlight. It's so exciting as a singer to have a whole ensemble of players performing with you, and we have a very exciting Christmas show lined up for everyone. I will get back to Ireland for a couple of weeks to be with my family for christmas.
What did the pandemic do to your schedule in the past year and a half? Were you able to perform in person at all?

I had to reinvent myself a little bit. I went back to working on classical music, given touring had stopped, but I also really invested time in making my online concerts as interactive as possible and the level of content changed hugely. 
I also filmed videos at different scenic locations around Ireland and brought my homeland to people through the online shows, by way of the music as well of course. 
I plan to record a new album in 2022 at some stage, for now , it's all about performing live for people and reconnecting with audiences. I will be doing an online christmas show live from Ireland on December 22nd as well.

November 27, 7 p.m. - Scott Center for the Performing Arts, Melbourne
November 28, 3 p.m. - The Emerson Center, Vero Beach
Tickets at SpaceCoastSymphony.org 
If you missed the FREE virtual program Land of the Gnomes, you didn't really miss it! Find a link on the Space Coast Symphony's website. The program features an original story by
Michele W. Campanelli. Land of Gnomes, with music from Aladdin, How to Train Your Dragon, Up, Rise of the Guardians, and more, tells the story of Mr. Maelzel and the discovery of a spectacular rhythm machine called the Metronome. Conductor Aaron Collins presents a conducting lesson to the viewers as well! The online production was produced by Great Scott Productions with artwork by Angela Moretti and narration from Eric Pinder.
Museum Store Sunday is Back
Shopping Small, Local, Artsy
From the Vero Beach Museum of Arts Museum Store:

For the fifth consecutive year, more than 1,650 museum stores representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia, 24 countries, and five continents will offer inspired shopping at museums and cultural institutions during Museum Store Sunday. The Museum Store at the Vero Beach Museum of Art is thrilled to participate in this signature annual initiative and join museum stores worldwide by offering unique gifts for the holiday season—with all purchases supporting its parent institution. 
Shoppers can look forward to Museum Store Sunday as the global annual day to Be a Patron – and shop conscientiously and support museum stores and their missions worldwide. While there is only one Museum Store Sunday each year, everyone is encouraged to Be a Patron of museums and museum stores all year round. 

For more information about the Vero Beach Museum of Art, please check the website www.vbmuseum.org. The VBMA Museum Store is open Tuesday – Saturday 10 am – 4:30 pm, and Sunday 1 pm – 4 pm.

Regionally:
Vero Beach Museum of Art
National Navy SEAL Museum
A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery
Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse & Museum
Flagler Museum
Bok Tower Gardens
Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens
Cornell Fine Arts Museum at Rollins College
Gumbo Limbo Nature Center
Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum of the Seminole Tribe of Florida

The website also lists museum stores with online shopping.
Holiday Events Galore
From the Henry B. Plant Museum in Tampa:


The 40th Annual Victorian Christmas Stroll is fast approaching! Experience the Stroll in a less crowded environment during our soft opening, November 20-30. 

Always an event full of extravagance and grandeur, this year the Stroll is brimming with new wonders and favorites from years past. Don't miss: hundreds of antique ornaments, 40 vintage Santas in honor of 40 years of the Stroll, a larger than life size Victorian-style dress made of paper, and so much more! 

Extended hours, refreshments and live music will be available beginning December 1. Stop by November 20-30 for a special sneak peek!
 
Brevard Symphony Orchestra brings the Brevard Community Chorus and soprano Amy Cofield to the King Center Nov. 27 at 2 p.m. for Sounds of the Season.
Okay, it isn't Christmasy but these guys are too big to ignore and a great activity for visiting kids.
McKee Botanical Garden presents Dinosaurs Around the World: The Great Outdoors from Saturday, November 20, 2021 through Sunday, May 1, 2022. In this specially constructed outdoor version of the popular Dinosaurs Around the World exhibitionvisitors will be whisked back in time on a dinosaur adventure and a tour of an Earth that’s very different from the one we inhabit today. Travel back to the time before the continents as we know them existed, when arid deserts covered Brazil and polar darkness was the norm in Australia! With advanced animatronics, a multi-layered narrative, cutting-edge research, in an outdoor environment surrounded by nature, you’ll experience the Age of Reptiles brought back to life! 
Tradition Continues in Melbourne
 Swingtime continues an annual December tradition by presenting its Holiday Dance starting at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 10, at the Melbourne Auditorium, 625 E. Hibiscus Blvd. Kurt Schulenberg will make his debut as the new conductor of Swingtime. The position was previously held by Art Martin, who continues with the Melbourne Municipal Band in various capacities. 
 
“The band is really looking forward to getting everyone in a festive mood with some lively holiday music and Big Band sounds,” said Schulenburg. “I encourage everyone to put on their holiday best and join us. This dance is always sold out, so I suggest getting tickets early.”
 
Dance tickets are $15 (includes processing fee) and are available only online at the band’s web site: www.MelbourneMunicipalBand.org or at the door. For more information, contact the Dance Hotline at 321-339-7705. 
 
The dance is BYOB. Snacks and mixers will be available for purchase. Those who would like to brush up on dancing skills can do so from 6 to 7 p.m., when Chris Marcelle offers lessons (www.spacecoastdance.net). The fee for lessons is $5, payable to the instructor. 
 
Swingtime is the 22-piece Big Band ensemble of the Melbourne Municipal Band (MMB), playing great jazz from all eras. Swingtime is available to hire for weddings, other parties or corporate meetings. Contact MMB about creating a jazz group sized for your budget to your next big event. 
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is at Titusville Playhouse through December 19.
It Must Be Love!

How do you know someone loves you (in this case, Vero Beach is the object of his affection)? When a guy is booked for a concert in Miami and decides on his own to add a side gig in Vero Beach. Hey, as long as you're in Florida ....

For more than a decade, cellist Mike Block has been spending part of every year (not counting having to sit out a pandemic) in Vero Beach, developing a camp for string players and an international music festival.

The venue has changed several times but First Presbyterian Church in Vero has now become home. Block will be there in concert Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. As usual, it's free to the public but donations are gratefully accepted for the scholarship fund of the Mike Block String Camp. Local young musicians have benefited from the program, including students in the Gifford Youth Orchestra. Block will also visit several classrooms in Indian River County schools while he's here.

First Presbyterian Church - 520 Royal Palm Blvd. More information is on Block's website.
FYI, Block's wife, Hanneke Cassel, is just about to drop a new CD for the holidaysl. His newest, Planispheres, has a December 3 release date.
Miami Book Fair is online and in person!
Event schedules can change, often at almost the last minute. Verify, double check, and then do it again before you head out the door. And when you do go out, take a mask. Without one, you risk being turned away.
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