Last Minute Change! "A Little Night Music"

Note: Country Kimberly, slated to perform at 6 & 8pm upstairs at the Universalist Church will unfortunately be unable to appear due to illness.  SSN is very pleased to present the following artist!

"A Little Night Music" - jazz, blues, improvisations, ballads and more....Miro Sprague, nationally and internationally acclaimed jazz pianist, will be joined, on vocals, by Morning Star, director of Wings! chorus and part of the duo "Moonlight and Morning Star". If the stars are right, Moonlight Davis will join them at the 6:00 set..

Miro is a recent graduate of Manhattan School of Music with a Bachelor of Music degree in jazz piano performance. Miro is now a Thelonious Monk jazz Institute Fellow.
His affiliations include:
* Leader of the Miro Sprague Trio, 2002 to the present.
* Member of cooperative group, The Paislies, 2005- present.
* Pianist for “Moonlight and Morning Star,” 2000-present.
* Leader, The Miro Sprague Quintet, 2002 to 2003
* Founding member of Trio Mission, 2001 to 2004
* The Sonya Kitchell Band, 2002-2007

* Faculty member at Interplay Jazz Camp, 2006 and 2007


Awards include:

- Downbeat Magazine 2002,2003,2004 National Student Music Awards: 2002 - 1st prize in jazz composition; “Outstanding performance” for instrumental soloist in the Blues/pop/rock category. 2003 -Trio Mission received 1st prizes for jazz group and blues/pop/rock group. Received “outstanding performance” again for blues/pop/rock soloist. 2004: Miro Sprague/Sonya Kitchell duo won best blues/pop/rock group. Won 1st prize for jazz composition.
- Berklee School of Music 2002 & 2003 Jazz Festival: Trio Mission won 1st prize in 2002. Miro received “outstanding musician” and "judges choice" awards both years.
- UMass 2001 & 2002 High School Jazz festivals. Both years received outstanding musician awards and scholarships to UMass summer camp program "Jazz in July.”

Inside/Out Dance!

Courtesy Athol Daily News

The Inside/Out Dance Company will be performing at the Starry Starry Night event in Orange on Monday. This group of local dancers ranging in age from 8 to 18 will perform pieces from their suite of dances ranging from the silly to the serious. The will perform at 6 and 7 p.m. at the Dance Studio, 5 South Main St., Orange. Starry Starry Night is a family-friendly, free and fun celebration of New Year's Eve in the heart of downtown Orange.

Bluegrass!

Courtesy Athol Daily News

Thickly Settled is a local, five-member "new grass" bluegrass band that plays traditional bluegrass mixed in with a little Texas swing and blues to make things interesting. Members of the band include, left to right - Dave Slik on vocals and "flat pick" guitar, Rob Griffin on fiddle, Myron Becker on harmonica, Bob Kordas on dobro and steel guitar and Diane Kordas on the stand up "dog house" bass, acoustic guitar and vocals. Catch their act at 6 and 8 p.m. at the Butterfield School on Starry Starry Night. The night is a free and fun celebration of New Year's Eve in the heart of downtown Orange.

2012 Schedule

(Also at 6:00pm, the Mid-Range Trio @ Witty's)

Starry Starry Night Performers

Courtesy Athol Daily News

"Longshot" is a local band with members from Athol and Orange with a passion for delivering a classic mix of Rock n' Roll standards for your listening and dancing pleasure. The foursome features, left to right - Matt Glover on vocals, guitar and keyboard; Jeff Lilley on lead guitar, his son Ryan Lilley on drums; and Rich Coleman on bass and keyboard. The group will perform at the Congregational Church in Orange at 6 and 8 p.m. New Year's Eve. All Starry Starry Night performances are free and open to all.

The Mid-Range Trio

Courtesy Athol Daily News

"Appearing LIVE in Witty's Funeral Home ... !" screams the poster, like a teaser for an old Vincent Price thriller.
But, in fact, it is announcement of a free New Year's Eve concert to be held inside the gracious Victorian located at 158 South Main St. On Monday evening, Dec. 31, from 6 to 6:45 p.m., the harmony-singing Mid-Range Trio will entertain a walk-in audience, compliments of Witty's.

The Mid-Range Trio -- Orange-based music-makers who are Starry Starry Night "alumni" -- possess "that powerful knack for drawing an enthusiastic crowd as they perform their own very special and personalized style of three-part harmony singing and acoustic instruments," Daily News columnist Pat Vandenberg has written.




In their own words, the trio relishes performing "wonderful songs -- spanning generations and crossing genres" for audiences' listening and dancing pleasure. Members include Terry Reed, wife Ann Reed and James Holston, who have entertained together since 2008 for fairs, banquets, weddings, coffeehouses and elder-care venues.This will be the Mid-Range Trio's first time playing a funeral parlor.Member Ann Reed says she thanks "the undertaker, for thinking outside the ... expected."

This Year's Poster!

New England Swing

The New England Swing & Soul Orchestra performed its first wedding in 1983. Since that time the band has played over 200 weddings at resort and private locales throught New England. All members of the orchestra were classically trained at various local colleges and most have performed in many different pop and jazz situations since 1974. The band maintains a large library of 500 tunes specializing in Big Band Music from the 1930's and 40's, 50's Rhythm & Blues and Rock n' Roll, Soul and Motown from the 60's, and Contemporary Rock. They will be performing at the Town Hall at 6:00 & 8:00pm.

West County Jazz

Courtesy Athol Daily News

West County Jazz is a local quintet that plays classic jazz, from Charlie Parker to John Coltrane and beyond, with an occasional foray into Latin tunes. The group includes Stefan Kostka on trumpet, Steve Kurtz on saxophone, Judith Williams plays keyboards and sings, Tony Rice on the drums and Tom Ulrich plays upright bass. West County will be performing at 7 and 9 pm at the Congregational Church, 93 South Main Street in Orange, during Monday's Starry Starry Night. SSN is a free and fun celebration of New Year's Eve in the heart of downtown.

Country Kimberly

Note: Country Kimberly, slated to perform at 6 & 8pm upstairs at the Universalist Church will unfortunately be unable to appear due to illness.  SSN is very pleased to present this artist!

http://www.countrykimberly.com/

I grew up in a small town called Pepperell, MA. I came from a very large family. I was born the "seventh" child, born on the "seventh" day of the month. I am a Mother of two handsome sons, Mark and Shaun. I began singing in a school chorus and went on to join a choir at my church. One day a friend heard me singing and said "God has given you a gift and you should be proud to share that gift". I replied that "I was petrified of singing to a crowd". But encouraged by friends, I started going to clubs and soon realized I had a voice that people like to listen to. I started singing in competitions hoping to overcome my huge fear of crowds. Much to my surprise, I won first place titles in The New England Country Music Org. (N.E.C.M.O.) FEMALE VOCALIST and FEMALE ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR in 2006,2007 and 2008 and went on to win first place in the Regionals in 2008. I also went into the Nationals held in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. where I took home three trophys, one being DUO OF THE YEAR with Hank Martin.
  

I love singing the songs that reach out to my listeners.I also love to write songs and poetry. I have a few original songs that I cherish....  

She will be performing at the Universalist Church at 6:00 & 8:00pm.

Chair City Pipers

Courtesy Athol Daily News

The Chair City Pipers formed in 1972 with eight members. In 1973 we became a chapter of Harmony, Incorporated, an international organization of women barbershop singers. Our goal is to preserve this important piece of musical Americana and help bring joy of singing four-part close harmony to the lives of women in the greater Gardner area. Ours is one of over 75 chartered chapters in Harmony, Incorporated. We presently have members from Gardner, Fitchburg, Westminster, East Templeton, Baldwinville, Winchendon, Ashburnham, Athol, and Rindge & Jaffrey, NH.

They will be performing at the Universalist Church at 7:00 & 9:00pm.

Professor Picklenose!

 

Professor Picklenose is here to entertain! With clowning, juggling, music and general silliness, the good professor gets the kids going with his mad-cap goofiness. Kids of all ages welcome. See the Professor at 6 and 8 p.m., downstairs at the Universalist Church. Starry Starry Night is a free and fun celebration of New Year's Eve in the heart of downtown Orange. 

Orange Oil Donation

 Courtesy Athol Daily News

Pam Harris of Orange Oil, right, offers their annual donation to Starry Starry Night to Rose Marie Thoms. Orange Oil serves the community in many ways and always supports this New Year's Eve event which is coming soon to downtown Orange. All events are free and open to the public.

Higgins-O'Connor Funeral Home

Rose Marie Thoms and Candi Ashenden, the co-chairs of 2012's Starry Starry Night festivities, celebrate the generosity of Higgins-O'Connor Funeral Home of Athol with its proprietor Tom O'Connor. This New Year's Eve event is guaranteed to put smiles on the faces of the very young, the very old and everyone in between. All Starry Starry Night performances are free and open to all.

Athol Credit Union

Shawn Gonynor of Athol Credit Union is seen here being thanked by Rose Marie Thoms of Starry Starry Night committee. SSN will come to Orange next Monday night with 10 different acts in five locations throughout the downtown area. Thanks to area businesses and individuals, this event will once again be free of charge to the public.

John Turco

John Turco is one of the busiest and most versatile comedians in the northeast, working clubs, colleges, fundraisers and theaters. He's also one of the most animated, punctuating his smart, sarcastic, satirical material with expressive faces and dead-on impressions.

He's performed not just at top clubs but at the Bushnell Theatre in Hartford, Conn.; the Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis, Mass.; the South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset, Mass.; and the Somerville Theatre in Somerville, Mass. He's also performed at more than 100 colleges, and is one of the busiest corporate acts in New England. He will be performing at the Butterfield School at 7:00 & 9:00pm.

Tim Van Egmond

Tim Van Egmond has been delighting audiences throughout the country since 1978, appearing at hundreds of schools, libraries, and community centers, various folk festivals, and on a number of television and radio programs. He has been selected by the Massachusetts Cultural Council both for its Creative Teaching Partners roster for Residency Programs in schools, and its Touring Program. He has been chosen a number of times for the Kids, Books, and the Arts Project held by the New Hampshire State Library and the Children’s Librarians section of the New Hampshire Library Association for its summer reading program. Tim has presented workshops at Sharing the Fire, New England’s annual storytelling conference, the Boston Regional Library System for its Youth Services Librarians, and the New England League of Middle School’s United Arts Conference, among others.

Tim believes in our heritage of traditional story and song as a medium both of entertainment and enlightenment. A spirited and versatile artist, he continues to draw on a broad repertoire to create performances and workshops for a wide range of themes and audiences.
He will be performing at the Universalist Church at 7:00 & 9:00pm.

Zoe Darrow & the Fiddleheads

Zoë Darrow and the Fiddleheads is a traditional Celtic band from Blandford, Massachusetts. Zoë Darrow, born in 1989, began fiddling when she was 4 years old and now leads her trio in Scottish, Irish, and Cape Breton fiddle tunes. Backed up by her dad Phillip on guitar and Tom Coburn on piano, Zoë Darrow and the Fiddleheads have been performing publicly since 1999. Zoë is currently studying anthropology and ethnomusicology at Mount Holyoke College, but still maintains a performance schedule along with her academic pursuits.

 

Zoë's recordings Please Don't Eat the Fiddleheads! and Fiddle Me This include both traditional and contemporary fiddle tunes. Current performances feature favorites from those recordings plus new inspirations from her trips to Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton, and Ireland. Zoë's fiddling, step dancing, and charming persona add up to a show that has been pleasing audiences throughout the Northeast. 
They will be performing at the Town Hall at 7:00 & 9:00pm.

Starry Starry Night returns for 17th year

Once again, the Starry Starry Night Committee is planning for this year's free and fun  celebration of New Year's Eve in the heart of downtown Orange. This year's Friendly Town line up will highlight exciting new talent combined with some of the area's favorite acts featuring entertainment for all ages. The always popular Zoe Darrow and the Fiddleheads will bring the crowd to their feet with their toe-tapping, crowd pleasing Celtic music; performer Tim Van Egmond will sing songs and tell stories for the whole family, while comedian John Turco delivers plenty of laughs for the crowd. Come join the festivities as the New England Swing Band from Greenfield gets folks dancing in the aisles with their hot renditions of the Big Band sound. Jump on board with Dave Flint behind the wheel of his tractor as he provides hay rides throughout the evening. Visit Memorial Park to see the sparkling ice sculpture by artist Mark Bosworth. Join in the Giant Puppet Parade as we lead everyone through the streets of town to the Fabulous Fireworks Finale! Starry Starry Night is now in its 17th year as the area's only totally free and volunteer run New Year's Eve celebration. The festival depends upon the generosity of local businesses, organizations and individuals for its success. This year, the Starry Starry Night Committee is actively seeking new members to help plan and stage the event, so call Rose Marie Thoms at 978-544-2821 to find out how you can be a part of this wonderful annual celebration.

At the Top of the List!

Courtesy Athol Daily News

Once again Witty's Funeral Home tops the list of givers to the annual Starry Starry Night New Year's Eve celebration in downtown Orange. Above, Witty's proprietor Jeff Cole offers his donation to Rose Marie Thoms, SSN co-chair. Entertainment this year will include jazz, women's barbershop, children's acts and more.

Hometown Bank Support

Courtesy Athol Daily News

Hometown Bank's Cheryl Bosse can't help but grin as she makes the bank's donation to support the 2012 Starry Starry Night, New Year's eve family-friendly, free event in downtown Orange. She is seen here with Rose Marie Thoms, thanking the bank on behalf of the SSN Committee.

Hannaford Helps

Courtesy Athol Daily News

Joe Goody of Hannaford Supermarket supports Starry Starry Night each year with a donation from the supermarket in Athol/Orange. Goody is seen here being thanked by Candi Ashenden, this year's SSN co-chair. The New Year's Eve celebration takes place in Orange at numerous locations.

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Heinricher Donation

Courtesy Athol Daily News

Susan Heinricher of Educare, left, cares for the kids and for the community and recognizes the importance of family-oriented free cultural activities in the area. That's why she annually supports the Starry Starry Night event. The New Year's Eve celebration takes place at numerous venues in Orange. Heinricher is seen here presenting her donation to Rosé Marie Thoms, SSN co-chair.

Hayride Donation

One of the most anticipated activities on New Year's Eve in Orange is a hayride through the decorated streets of town. These are made possibly each year through the generous donation of time and effort on the part of David Flint and Ricky Misner. Candi Ashenden of Starry Starry Night is seen here thanking Flint for his help through the years and looking forward to his hayrides again this year.

Heyes Donation

Courtesy Athol Daily News

Candi Ashenden, Starry Starry Night co-chair, far right, thanks Fred Heyes and Theresa Berquist for the donation that Heyes Forest Products is making towards 2012 Starry Starry Night festivities in Orange. There will be 10 acts, at five locations, all free, all fabulous!