After taking a hiatus to Zoom to duck the latest COVID spread, Lit Lit is back to in-person meeting at the Howland Cultural Center.
Says the creator of the group, Donna Minkowitz: “The September Lit Lit is ON and IN PERSON and all ready for you to sign up to read! Everyone can read their own writing of any genre, for up to five minutes--until we run out of time!”
The reading is Friday, September 2 at the Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St. in Beacon. Soft drinks, wine, beer, and snacks will be available by donation. Masks are required (you can take them off when you're at the podium).
Under the ornamental rafters of this historic landmark building, Tara will be interviewing Jon Slackman of Five Corner Films about their music video collaboration, and also performing with guitarist Tony DePaolo. DATE: ON DEMAND: March 11-25 ORDER TICKETS HERE > WATCH PROMO HERE >
Beaconite and singer Tara O’Grady has been busy since moving to Beacon from NYC after she survived her long battle with COVID-19 one year ago, which did weaken her voice, thereby canceling her singing career. Upon moving to Beacon, she searched around for new creative income opportunities.
Since then, she has been selling her vintage clothing collection from the 1940s-1960s at Jaz On Main; as well as her 5 albums of jazz, blues and folk music; hosted a book signing for her memoir “Migrating Toward Happiness” at Draught; making music videos with collaborator and film maker Jon Slackman of Five Corner Films; and this Saturday, March 11, 2021 at 8pm, is airing their first live-streamed TV show, “Howlin’ at the Howland," also created with Jon.
The singer/songwriter moved to Beacon, New York in August 2020 and “discovered the jewel of her new town, the Howland Cultural Center,” she says. The show will be performed live from within the Howland Cultural Center and then streamed On Demand for limited time, showcasing the Howland’s revered, architecturally ornate backdrop. Viewers can buy tickers here to support the show.
In each episode, Tara will be interviewing a local artist and co-creating with them using their artform, whether it be filmmaking (episode one), music, painting, writing, dress making, photography, etc. In addition, between the art making interviews. Tara will then perform live with different musicians.
Tara tells A Little Beacon Blog: “The show airs a full year and a day after I last performed live in front of an audience in Manhattan. I have not been able to sing since last March when all my gigs and my income ceased. It took me all year to gain back my strength and my voice after having COVID.” Musicians and other live performers have felt the emotional withdraw from connecting with a live audience in the same room, as we heard with the Beacon-based Wynotte Sisters.
About The First Episode
The premiere of Episode One is called "Seasons of Love" featuring the 4 seasons Tara has experienced in the Hudson Valley through cinematography and classic jazz songs about summer, autumn, winter and spring.
Under the ornamental rafters of this historic landmark building, Tara will be interviewing Jon Slackman of Five Corner Films about their music video collaboration, and also performing with guitarist Tony DePaolo.
And Inside Look At This Beaconite’s Battle With COVID
Tara, a writer, shared with us her experience surviving COVID in the early months of 2020 that it was recognized in this country. This is her story:
I just moved to Beacon two weeks ago. It was love at first sight. I had never been here before July when I decided to escape NYC. I stepped on to Main Street and within seconds said out loud, this is my new home. I'm a jazz singer. My last day performing in Manhattan was March 10. I didn't know it would be my last. I didn't know how serious the virus was. My fever started March 24. It lasted 21 days. The shortness of breath lingered for 5 weeks. I couldn't sing. I couldn't even walk half a block to a store. It took me all summer to build up my strength to be able to walk two miles and not get out of breath, to be able to ride a bike up a low incline. But I'm better now. Despite being an unemployed musician. My unemployed neighbors in Queens were also struggling. They are still lining up daily at community centers to receive free food. They are sleeping on mattresses on the sidewalk. Crime has increased. So has suicide. I wanted to get out and find a place where I felt safe. I've only been here two weeks and I've been able to attend live music in the Towne Crier, outdoor yoga at the Stony Kill Farm, and connect with musicians and other artists in town who are as open and friendly as my family back in Ireland. I've never felt so embraced by a community so quickly, except for Donegal where I spent every summer on a farm with my grandparents.
Before I even found an apartment, Jaz on Main, the vintage store, offered to host a book signing for me when I went in to try to sell them my vintage clothing collection that I wear when I perform. I'm also an author with a published memoir. I had plans to continue to perform at book launches and teach writing from here to Europe, but all was put on pause. Living in Beacon for me will me more than a pause to wait out the global pandemic. I have finally found a place to call home, something I've been searching for my entire life. I really love it here.
Editor’s Note: The following is written by Craig Wolf, the President of The Howland Cultural Center. The HCC is currently closed to the public from all events and regular meetings until further notice.
Ah, so here we are, with normal life brought to a standstill as we scurry around trying to avoid a virus and cope with the civil restrictions that it brings.
With apologies to Gabriel Garcia Marquez for cloning the title of his great novel, it does seem to offer a bit of a parallel. His heroine is involved with two lovers. Here, we all have two loves. We love our arts. And we love to stay healthy.
Not much is happening publicly here at our little nonprofit. We are an arts center that normally produces and presents performances and exhibits, largely administered by volunteers. We can’t do that right now.
COVID-19 isn’t quite cholera, but it’s serious. And we are serious about getting back to business when they let us. We regret that the postponements include our now-annual gala event, which will have to be rescheduled.
Meanwhile, we continue to work behind the scenes to plan a future, so that this bulletin will once again be filled with art events. We do expect this story to have a happy ending.
But for now, the impact of not producing events is a significant loss of revenue. It is through doing what we do that we earn a good chunk of our keep. What’s left on the revenue side for now is just donations. Thankfully, many friends have recently responded to our annual campaign, which we now call Friends of the Howland Center. And we thank you again.
So, if you have yet to help, now would be a good time. A really good time.
How do you become a friend at a social distance? Good thing we invented the internet. You just click right here.
Best to all of you from the Howland crew, and stay tuned.
The Howland Cultural Center is celebrating its 40th anniversary, and you are invited to attend and participate. Ticket reservations and sponsorships are available now. The celebration is in honor of Florence Northcutt and the Howland Public Library for their many contributions to the cultural and social life of Beacon. The celebration will take place at the Roundhouse, 2 East Main St., Beacon, N.Y., on Wednesday, May 15, from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. Please call (845) 831-4988 or email information@howlandculturalcenter.org to learn about major sponsorship benefits. Learn More >
Some cities have symphony halls. Beacon has a group of professional musicians who started meeting in someone’s living room, who now play regularly in the Howland Cultural Center on Main Street in Beacon, N.Y. The group is called the Howland Chamber Music Circle, and you have most likely attended one of their performances or kids instrument “petting zoos.”
“This is a great place to perform. It’s like being inside an instrument itself.”
— A Howland Chamber Music Circle Performer
For several Beaconites, listening to this amazing grade of music is an every Sunday afternoon kind of thing. We may not realize just what we have at our fingertips at the Howland Cultural Center, whose unique architecture has special acoustic advantages in which world renowned musicians come together to play. So we asked the Howland Chamber Music Circle to recall their history for our readers, so that we may better understand this group who is now popping up to perform in other locations throughout Beacon and the Hudson Valley. A board member of the Howland Chamber Music Circle, James Lichtenberg, researched and wrote this article for you:
The ‘Chamber’ of the Howland Chamber Music Circle Was A Living Room in the 1980’s
Gwen and Bill Stevens, Howland Chamber Music Circle (HCMC) co-founders. Photo Credit: Howland Chamber Music Circle
The Howland Chamber Music Circle (HCMC), founded in Beacon, N.Y. in 1993, in the verdant valley of the Hudson River, began in the 1980s, appropriately enough, in a chamber… the living room of HCMC founders Gwen and Bill Stevens (sadly, they both passed away in 2018). Gwen was an accomplished musician, teaching piano at Vassar. Friends and neighbors would arrive to enjoy spontaneous performances by other artists whom Gwen invited to play on their two gorgeous Steinway grand pianos.
One of the more frequent attendees, Polly Gage, suggested to Gwen that they also promote house concerts for gifted young musicians. With the assistance of a friend and fellow pianist, Ed Loizides, and after contacting their respective alma maters, Yale and the Manhattan School of Music, they began the process of finding young talent, expertly aided by Robert Besen, then of the Concert Artists Guild. Besen was taken by Gwen’s enthusiasm and made it possible for her and an enthusiastic cadre of volunteers to learn the ropes of bringing exciting programs to a growing audience.
Howland Chamber Music Circle Outgrows The Living Room
Photo Credit: Howland Chamber Music Circle
As the number of attendees swelled, home venues grew inadequate. Gwen began to think about a venue somewhere in Southern Dutchess County to accommodate wider audiences. Among the considerations was a music barge in the Hudson River itself.
Then, in 1992, Gwen and Bill attended an exhibit of historic photos at the Howland Cultural Center, located at the far east end of Beacon’s Main Street. The Center’s building, a gothic jewel designed by Richard Morris Hunt, features walls of richly-carved wood beneath an open vaulted ceiling, and a space capable of seating 120 people. Not surprisingly, the two HCMC founders were struck by the potential of that space for chamber music.
First HCMC Concerts Start In Howland Cultural Center In 1993
Photo Credit: Howland Chamber Music Circle
The Howland Cultural Center agreed to produce a series of concerts under their auspices. The premier three-concert season in 1993-1994 featured the Meridian Brass Ensemble, the St. Lawrence String Quartet and a string duo of Ayako Yoshida and Semyon Fridman. As Besen remembers, “[If] a walk around the Howland Center (quite different from today) was…more than a little scary, the concert was well-attended. The venue was…magnificent…. Over the years I’ve booked 39 performances.”
“You can walk out of your house and hear world-class artists just a few blocks away.”
— One Beaconite
With the increasing abilities of the Stevens and their associates to secure talent, the growing annual programs became a staple of the Hudson Valley music calendar, with the unique venue a draw in its own right for both listeners and artists, who were only too happy to return to play in subsequent seasons. As one performer put it, “This is a great place to perform. It’s like being inside an instrument itself.” The sell-out audiences, standing and clapping for encores add, no doubt, to their pleasure. One Beaconite, also a musician, exclaimed, “You can walk out of your house and hear world-class artists just a few blocks away.”
Photo Credit: Howland Chamber Music Circle
With continuing success in the early years, it became evident that the “Circle” should be more formally established to ensure its future. In April 1999, it was incorporated as a not-for-profit membership corporation, independent of the Howland Center.
Twenty-five years later, its annual offerings have grown to include a 12-concert season, featuring four pianists and eight chamber music groups -- with Sunday afternoon performances (in the 2018/19 season) including the Juilliard and Brentano String Quartets, and pianists Jeremy Denk and Simone Dinnerstein. Along with its dozen formal concerts, the Circle also hosts a number of pop-up concerts in other Beacon venues, a Classics for Kids series, co-sponsored by the HCC, as well as music residencies in local high schools. To celebrate its founders on the group’s 25th anniversary, HCMC commissioned a beautiful string quartet by local composer Debra Kaye, performed in the spring of 2018 by the Voxare String Quartet.
The 2018/19 season also reflects the continuing aspirations of HCMC to take new paths and broaden its appeal, including this season’s “concertante” approach, adding soloists to the quartets, like the oboist James Austin Smith, who performed with the Telegraph Quartet, harpist Bridget Kibbey, who will join the Daedalus Quartet, as well as rising violinist Alexi Kenny, partnered with pianist Renana Gutman. In addition, there will be a break-out “living-room” performance by the So Percussion group, whom The New York Times called “exceptionally inventive with instruments galore!”
Established and applauded as it may now be, the Howland Chamber Music Circle is not content to rest on its laurels. Rather, it is dedicated to continuing the inspiration of its founders in finding ever new ways to bring broad and engaging programs of music to its supportive community in Beacon and beyond. The hills of the Hudson Valley are indeed alive with the sound of music.
Happy Friday... Black Friday, that is! We hope you are continuing to have a wonderful holiday weekend. The shops in Beacon have been decorating to create a delightful experience for you. Visit them, and tag us with what you find! You must stop into the new shop, La Mère Clothing + Goods, who just joined with A Little Beacon Blog as an editorial sponsor partner! That means we get to gush about what's inside their store...
BLACK FRIDAY DEALS We're kicking it off with a few hot deals from the shops around you!
Find shops' addresses in A Little Beacon Blog's Shopping Guide: La Mère Clothing + Goods: All-day deals including 15% off your purchase from 10 am to 1 pm; 10% off your purchase from 1 pm to 7 pm; free "Beauty Blender" with $50 purchase (while supplies last). All purchases of $200 or more will be entered to win the Holiday Survival Kit (quilted makeup bag, super-soft ringer tee, beauty masks, OPI nail polish, Brooklyn Candle Studio travel candle, and more!) Luxe Optique:
Receive 15% off your glasses purchase when you have Luxe Optique check what your insurance covers out of network. Yeah - it's that simple. Lambs Hill Bridal:
Come into the boutique and see their new "Moonlight Windows" at night. King & Curated: (the high-end, hand-crafted jewelry store next door to Lambs Hill)
Save 15% on purchases $100 and over, and 20% on purchases of $500 or more. Jake's Main Street Music: (near Towne Crier) Sale on musical gifts, instruments and stocking stuffers. Includes select instruments like ukuleles, mandolins, banjos, violins, and more. Beetle + Fred:
Insane deals on fabric, from to 20% to 40% off almost any fabric in the store, including some new patterns, and clearance. Whoa. Bra Fit Expert:
10% to 20% off bras, panties and pajamas. beBhakti Yoga:
Get 40 days of unlimited yoga for $99 (expires 12/31/18) or one year of unlimited yoga for $999.
Roger’s Folly’s Presents La Familia Swinging Blues Band
Day: Saturday, November 24, 2018 Time: 8 to 11:30 pm Location: Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Christmas Tree Lighting at Visitors Center in Polhill Park
Day: Saturday, November 24, 2018 Time: 3 to 5 pm (rain date set for Saturday, December 1) Location: Polhill Park, intersection of Main Street and Wolcott/Route 9D, Beacon, NY Information >
Broadway In Beacon Presents Happy Holidays
Day: Sunday, November 25, 2018 Time: 4 pm Location: Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >
Plan ahead and check out what's coming up this month in our Events Guide.
Pre-Holiday Vintage Pop-Up @ Colorant
Days: Saturday & Sunday, November 24 & 25, 2018 Time: Saturday, 11 am to 9 pm; Sunday, 11 am to 6 pm Location: Colorant, 146 Main St, Beacon, NY Information >
Kaleidoscope Pop-Up at Zora Dora's
Days: Popping up 'till the end of February Time: 9 am to 7 or 8 pm, days may vary Location: Zora Dora's, 201 Main St., Beacon, NY
BOUTIQUES ON THE WEST END
Luxe Optique 183 Main Street www.luxeoptique.com (across Cliff Street from Beacon Bread Company)
Gifting glasses from Luxe Optique is totally possible and easy - even if your gift-giver is out of town. Simply call Luxe Optique at (845) 838-2020 and they can arrange everything. To "Get Luxed" is truly an experience. You are sure to find a pair of glasses that fit your personality.
BOUTIQUES IN THE MIDDLE
L a M è r e Clothing + Goods 436 Main Street www.instagram.com/lamereclothingandgoods
You're going to find so much inside of one of Beacon's newest boutiques, L a M è r e Clothing + Goods. Think comfort paired with fashion, like hoodie sweaters, jeans and boots, as well as scarves and chunky blankets. Store owner April completes your ensemble by selling perfume and OPI nail polish. Find things for the home as well! Black Friday deals are on - see the top of this edition for details, or check right here.
This charming and newly renovated home in Newburgh is filled with sunlight, and situated close to things to do. It is listed at $199,900 and has three bedrooms and one bathroom. According to Realtor Sarah Beckham Hooff: "A super chill neighborhood is within walking distance to the best bagel shop in Newburgh called Lox Stock & Bake." This home includes a walk-up attic, which is great for storage. Be a part of the change happening in Newburgh now... Details + Pictures >
BeaconArts Menorah Lighting: Starting Sunday, December 2 at 5:30 pm, one wheel will be lit for Hanukkah each night. Note: On Friday, December 7 and Saturday, December 8, lighting will be at 4:30 pm. Each wheel will be illuminated in honor of something special. See the honorees here.Details about the lighting > Bicycle Tree Lighting: Saturday, December 8. Activities start at 4pm. 4 pm: A festive “Kick Off” with dancers from Yanarella Dance Studio 4:30 pm: Seventh Night of Hanukkah – BeaconArts + Beacon Hebrew Alliance Bicycle Menorah Lighting 4:45 pm: Community Caroling with Gina Samardge and Compass Arts 5 pm: Santa arrives, led in by the Beacon Music Factory’s one and only Women’s Drum Corps! Santa's arrival will be followed by a countdown to the Bicycle Christmas Tree Lighting. Santa will be staying to greet families until 6 pm.
A Little Beacon Space
Bring the eggnog! 'Tis the season for Holiday Business Parties! Looking for a space for your special event? There is still time to book with A Little Beacon Space.
A Little Beacon Space SAVE THE DATE! Saturday, December 8, 2018
A Handmade Pop-Up Shop for one day only! Featuring Allegory (jewelry), Anna West (paintings), Teller Hill (eco-friendly dog accessories), Reklaimed (fabric flowers and more, from the creator of Beacon's original pop-up shop Cherry Bomb!), and Moss Pocket (small-batch ceramic wares). Details >
Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency
Antalek & Moore can find the best insurance for your home, car, business, event, and more. You can still work directly with the insurance company you go with, like Progressive or Travelers, like if you want to pay your bill over the phone or ask a question. For no extra cost, the folks at Antalek & Moore do the research for you and act as your advocate if you need to file a claim or if anything else goes wrong.
Call them today at (845) 831-4300, or visit them at 340 Main St., Beacon, NY 12508.
Tin Shingle
Tin Shingle is having a Black Friday sale on membership. Save 25% off the yearly plan, and 20% off the half-year plan. Get the Details >
Katie James, Inc. NEW Special Rate: "The Do It Together" hourly rate is designed for people who use Squarespace and MailChimp, and want to get work done on their websites or newsletters. During this session, sit with Katie as she makes the changes with you to your website. The session can include design and strategy during your time. Studio rate is $350/hour, but the Do It Together package is $150/hour. Zip through your to-do list - quick! Contact for Details >
Beacon Chamber of Commerce
The Beacon Chamber of Commerce is available to all businesses in Beacon, as well as others nearby. Membership and event opportunities are available to help connect businesses. Learn More >
Advertise With A Little Beacon Blog
The support from every advertiser of A Little Beacon Blog helps make local news get produced. You can be part of making it happen, and get your business in front of the community in a meaningful way.
The Hudson Valley Theatre Initiative will be holding auditions at the Howland Cultural Center on Monday, May 21, and Tuesday, May 22, from 5 to 8 pm for their upcoming pop musical production, "#QueenE The Musical." They are seeking eight women and two men and encourage all actors, singers, and dancers to come out - no experience necessary.
Who Is The Hudson Valley Theatre Initiative?
The Hudson Valley Theatre Initiative's mission is to integrate professional theatre into the community experience of living in the Hudson Valley through music-focused, family-friendly theatre, by developing and presenting unique shows that push forward the art of live storytelling performance.
All Ages Welcome!
Whether you are 4 years old or 100, all experience levels are considered at these auditions, and non-traditional casting is encouraged. This is your chance to be a part of a musical production, if this is something you've always wanted to do but never had the chance.
Support for this publication comes in part from these businesses. We have highlighted what makes them special on their own dedicated pages. Want your business listed here? See the "Sponsor Spotlight" or "Event Promotion" option in our Advertising Page.
A podcast from A Little Beacon Blog. Your hosts: Katie Hellmuth martin & Brandon Lillard.
The City of Beacon entered into a contract with Legal Services of the Hudson Valley to provide increased access to Beacon tenants facing eviction. They may also be able to help with sources of rent arrears assistance. Call the paralegal, Steven Mihalik at 845-253-6953 to inquire.
Dutchess County Helpline. Open 24/7 to take your calls, listen, and give you resources.
Kaleidoscope Pop-Up at Zora Dora's
