John Brandt, Y’s Men’s Classical Music Aficionado Presented “The Soundtrack Of Our Lives” At Westport Library
Y’s Man John Brandt told an audience of attentive Westporters that “Music is everywhere in our lives”, the theme of his multi-media presentation last night at the Westport Library. The program tracked the impact of music on a variety of art forms in a range of venues. Brandt, a lifelong Westporter, highlighted how music has become the soundtrack of our lives.
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“Music has become a driving force in making our lives more vibrant, music is everywhere,” Brandt said, extolling names as diverse as Leonard Bernstein, Michael Tilson Thomas, Martha Graham, George Balanchine, Staples High School and Aaron Copeland as contributors to his love of music and dance.
“From the concert hall, to iconic stage productions, to films of every description, music has become the underscore that carries us along.” His presentation included various video clips of the “The Nutcracker,” Fred Astaire, Jimmy Cagney, Gene Kelly and the cast of “A Chorus Line”, and Walt Disney’s 1940 feature film Fantasia, which brought classical masterpieces to a wide audience in an animated film which cost 50 million dollars in today’s money.
To see this special presentation click here: https://vimeo.com/894659816
For further information, contact Dick Kalt at dkalt@optonline.net or by phone at 203.216.5196.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com. Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Artist Collective Hosts Annual 12”x12” Show At Westport Playhouse
On a frosty Tuesday evening, hundreds of people gathered in the warm and cozy barn at the Westport Playhouse to experience the annual 12”x12” art show put on by the Artists Collective of Westport.
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In addition to the 100 pieces of original and affordable art by Collective members in an amazing variety of media, styles and content, there was an 18 foot long table full of food and flowers for guests to enjoy, talented local pianist Caren Cole provided the evening’s beautiful musical accompaniment which included many songs of the season.
The exhibit will be open from 2 PM to 6 PM from Wednesday, December 13 to Sunday, December 17.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com. Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
The “Y’s” Men Present: Music - The Soundtrack Of Our Lives At The Westport Library
Westport’s Y’s Men is hosting a special Multi-Media presentation on the intersection of Music and various art forms on Tuesday December 12th at 7:00 PM with guest speaker John Brandt.
Y’s Men Press Release:
Music is everywhere in our lives. That is the theme of a multi-media presentation at the Westport Library on Tuesday evening, December 12th, beginning at 7 p.m. The program, jointly sponsored by the Y’s Men of Westport/Weston and The Westport Library, tracks the impact of music on a variety of art forms in a range of venues. The speaker, John Brandt, a lifelong Westporter, will highlight how music is the soundtrack of our lives.
According to Brandt, a dancer, singer, actor, percussionist and public relations consultant, music is a driving force in making our lives more vibrant. “Music is everywhere,” he says. “From the concert hall, to iconic stage productions, to films of every description, music is the underscore that carries us along. And the selection of video clips that illustrate my program give voice to the variety and impact that music has on each of us.”
Brandt is a founding member of the Staples Orphenians and of the Staples Players. He graduated from the University of Connecticut and studied with a variety of mentors in the arts, including Martha Graham and Alvin Ailey, all in the last century. He describes himself as a lifelong lover of music in all its forms and in all its venues. “You need only walk Compo Beach on any given day to see the small number of people without earbuds to realize how central music is every day.”
The 90-minute program is free, but registration on the Westport Library site is required.
Click Here To Register For This Event
For further information, contact John Brandt at jkbrandt@aol.com or by phone at (203) 246-6280.
Staples Alum Sam Laskin Returns To Westport Again Leading The Dartmouth Brovertones
On Monday, Staples class of 2020’s Sam Laskin once again brought the a cappella group to Westport, performing at Saugatuck Congregational Church before a packed audience which gave the highly talented group a standing ovation.
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Their website said, “ Originally named Final Cut, the group was traditionally known for singing popular songs from the 80s and 90s. Over the years, they have become one of the premier a cappella groups on campus. The group sings a large variety of songs, ranging from chart-topping hits to Dartmouth traditionals. They arrange all of their own music and each Bro has a say in which songs are performed and have released five albums. The latest, titled "Bro Ties," was released in January of 2019. Every December they embark on our Winter Tour, performing at numerous colleges, alumni clubs, and other venues along the east coast. They hold auditions every fall in conjunction with the other campus a cappella groups.”
The group brings a high-energy spin to their performances with some great moves not normally seen in a cappella shows. They perhaps surprised the audience members who had not previously seen this group by opening with the Backstreet Boy’s “I Want It That Way” which blended into NSYNC’s hit, “Bye Bye Bye” with several Bros singing leads with the rest singing back up harmonies. A Dartmouth traditional song, “Hanover Winter”. Next, they did some surfing to a medley of Beach Boys tunes. Their clever arrangement of 12 Days Of Christmas in which they re-ordered the days and added ab libs, bringing laughter and applause from the audience. They brought a country flair, performing Wagon Wheel written by Bob Dylan and Ketch Secor, recently popularized by Darius Rucker’s cover.
Photos And Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
If you missed this stellar performance it can be Viewed On YouTube.
