Pequot Library Hosts Annual Menorah Lighting For Westport & Fairfield Communities
On Tuesday the Jewish communities of Westport and Fairfield joined for a Menorah lighting at the Pequot Library in Southport. The site has been chosen in the last few years as it is the midway point for the two communities. The event on the sixth night of Chanukah was organized by the Westport Chabad, Rabbi Yehudi Kantor and Rabbi Shame Landa of Fairfield Chabad. While waiting for the lighting ceremony to begin lighting the six candles, guests enjoyed treats such as delicious donuts.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
The memorable event began with a multiple car parade which had lighted menorahs mounted on the roofs and which was facilitated by the Westport and Fairfield police departments.
The exciting festivities were quite the Chanukah celebration, the sonic background for which was provided by DJ Marv exciting the close to 100 guests by spinning a curated soundtrack that resonated with the spirit of Chanukah. The playlist featured electrifying remixes, including hits like "Candlelight" by the Maccabeats, a parody which told the story of Chanukah in a unique and clever way to the tune of the Taio Cruz hit, “Dynamite” The track included lyrics like “I flip my latkes in the air sometimes, sayin' ay oh spin the dreidel.” He presented a soulful "Hanukkah Song Mashup" by Elliot Dvorin and the Key Tov Orchestra and other crowd favorites.
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
The finale after the lighting was provided by Lady Blaze, a fire spinner and fire dancer for more than 20 years, who put on an amazing show with a dazzling display of skill and precision with multiple flaming props including a burning hula hoop.
Rabbi Kantor included in his remarks that “Chanukah is the Holiday of Lights with a strong message of hope over despair, triumph of good over evil and the empowerment of everyone to make a difference in this world.”
Photos and Story By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
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.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com. Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
“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.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
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.