Join us next Wednesday, December 3rd for what promises to be an amazing night! 

Songs of the Spirit is a concert series that combines contemporary popular music and spoken word performances with traditional sacred music of diverse faiths and cultures. Through an innovative fusion of genres, styles and traditions, the program focuses on the shared spiritual ideals of an interconnected, interdependent world.  

The performers this year are Haale, Frank London & Lorin Sklamberg (of the Klezmatics), and Tracy Grammer.  In between musical sets we have readings from different faith and spiritual traditions.  This year our readers include Rabbi Jeff Goldwasser, Reverend Peter Elvin, the Berkshire Dharma Punks and more. 

Haale (as in halle-lujah or jalepeno), is a Bronx-born woman of Iranian descent whose name means the ‘halo around the moon.’ Her songs are trance-inducing, rhythmically propulsive, and lyrically engaging tapestries that draw on both Persian mystical and American psychedelic musical traditions. The New York Times says: "Percussionists provided driving rhythms...over which Haale’s warm, supple voice unfurled like a curlicue of smoke. Her band’s amplified rumble served as a reminder of the extent to which rock bands like the Doors and the Velvet Underground turned to the East for their hypnotic efforts; here their borrowings were reclaimed with interest."

The Klezmatics are world-reknowned superstars of the klezmer world. They erupted out of New York City’s East Village in 1986 and revitalized klezmer for the new century. Their klezmer is one steeped in Jewish spiritualism and Eastern European tradition while incorporating more provocative themes such as social rights and anti-fundamentalism with eclectic musical influences such as gospel, punk, and Arab, African, and Balkan rhythms. Over the course of nearly twenty years, they have released six albums of wild, spiritual, provocative, reflective, and ecstatically danceable music, forever redefining and transcending traditional labels.

Tracy Grammer rose to acclaim as one half of the duo, Dave Carter & Tracy Grammer. Called "one of the fastest-rising acts in folk music" by the Boston Globe, the duo released several internationally acclaimed albums featuring their award-winning postmodern, mythic Americana song craft; toured with Joan Baez as their backing band; and earned a diverse and devoted following with their indelible live performances.  Mary Chapin Carpenter says: "[Tracy’s] pure voice conveys the simple truths of these songs; her gifts as a musician are like that of a painter who is a master of chiaroscuro, offering light and shadow at every turn."

Sara S. says: 

Hi, my names is Sara and I am a Twilight fan.  This is the part where you say, "Hi, Sara."  But seriously, I read the first book when I believe I was in my first year here at MCLA.  Is it the best written book ever?  I can’t say that.  But something about the characters is fascinating.  Stephanie Meyer’s mythology of the vampire is interesting and different.  And trust me, I’ve read a lot of vampire books in my life (the first being Companions of the Night by Vivian Vande Velde, which I read when I was in 8th grade or so.).  So that’s what I like about the books; the fact the the vampires are different.  A lot of the violence of the vampire is lost, which is something I miss, but you have to realize:  this is a romance first and foremost.  This is, to quote the book, about the lion falling in love with the lamb.  And what teenage girl--what girl of any age--doesn’t love romance?

But I digress.  What I mean to talk about is that I completely and utterly LOVED the movie!  I reserved for the midnight showing.  It was the first time ever that I did that--and I kinda hope the last, because I can’t help but feeling like one of those little teen girls who I have always disliked.  I think that Robert Pattinson is a good choice to play Edward Cullen, the vampire who falls in love with Bella Swan, played by Kristen Stewart, another good pick.  Like any movie, however, there are things that I wasn’t too hot about.

But realize this:  it is a movie.  Movies are never based souly on the book.  Some things just cannot happen.  For example, look at Lord of the Rings.  I couldn’t even get through the books, but I absolutely love the movies (and, yes, like just about every other girl, I did fall in love with Orlando Bloom).  My father, an avid Tolkien fan, even likes them, especially the extended editions on DVD.  Sure, the movies had to cut a lot of things out (and still managed to be like a thousand hours long), but that’s something that needs to happen.

I think I’ve told my friends, family, and people I’ve passed on the street this next statement about a thousand times each:  The movie took the things from the book that did not make sense, and changed them so that they finally made sense.  I’m not talking about the sparkly vampire thing.  That made me laugh even more in the movie than it did in the book--Sparkly?  Really?  WHY?  Stephanie Meyer took away the fangs and added sparkly?  I don’t think I will ever get over that…

Anyway, I think you should check out the movie.  And read the books.  I’ll reserve judgement on the last book, Breaking Dawn, because that will give away too many spoilers, but the rest of the books are at least entertaining.  Action, romance, extremely hot hero.  What else do you need?

Click here to order the books on Amazon!

(Sara S. is a senior at MCLA and is the assistant to the director of MCLA Presents!)

Assets for Artists is partnering with the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center to offer a two-part training seminar for artists interested in learning more about the home buying process. This training will be held on Saturday, December 6 and Saturday, December 13, from 9:30am – 2:00pm at Berkshire Bank, 66 West Street, in downtown Pittsfield. 

Participants will learn how to determine what they can afford and what will meet their artistic needs (live-work space, 2-4 unit properties with rental income, etc.).  They will also hear from expert speakers on such topics as choosing and working with a real estate broker, making an offer on a house, comparing mortgage offers, applying for a mortgage, securing down payment assistance, obtaining legal representation for preparing and reviewing documents, selecting appropriate home insurance, utilizing a home inspector, preparing for life after the home purchase, and more.

The training will be tailored to the needs and challenges of artists in the Berkshires.  Attendance at both sessions is required in order for the participant to receive “certification” from the state and become eligible for certain first-time home buyer mortgage and down payment assistance programs.

Artists who would like to participate in this two-part certified home buyer training should contact Blair Benjamin at MASS MoCA (413-664-4481 x8104 or ) to express interest or request more information.  A limited number of slots will be available, offered first-come, first-serve. Pre-registration is required.

Assets for Artists is a project of Berkshire Creative, MASS MoCA, MCLA’s Berkshire Cultural Resource Center and Pittsfield’s Office of Cultural Development, with funding from Berkshire Bank Foundation and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.