Cindy Cuba Clements

Happy Friday, folks! Not surprisingly there isn’t a whole lot going on around town this weekend – BUT – next week and weekend have INCREDIBLE events so I figured a little advance preview never hurt anyone. Read on for a jazz extravaganza, a plethora of piano, a city bursting with art, and a Lemony Snicket book on stage!

FRIDAY

Music for Good Friday
Second Church in Newton (West Newton)
Friday, March 29 at 8pm | FREE

Newton Baroque and a distinguished roster of early music vocal specialists will perform music for Holy Week. Newton Baroque Director and Second Church Minister of Music Andrus Madsen will conduct. Lit only by candles, the instrumentalists will be joined by internationally-recognized singers Teresa Wakim, soprano and Paul Tipton, baritone, together with Second Church soloists Julia Steinbok, soprano; Shiba Nemat-Nasser, mezzo-soprano and Thomas Oesterling, tenor. Music from 17th Century North Germany by Johann Christian Bach, Buxtehude, Reinken and others will be interspersed with readings from scripture. The concert will end in darkness.

SATURDAY

Travels with Judy: In search of America
New England Mobile Book Fair
Sat, March 30 at 1pm | FREE

From September 23 – October 19, 2004,Vicki Cain embarked on an arduous 10,000-mile road trip across America that retraced John Steinbeck’s journey from his best-selling book, Travels with Judy: In Search of America. She was curious to see how this vast country had changed since Steinbeck traveled it back in 1960. To keep her company, Vicki took along her beautiful, fluffy, other-dog-hating, personality-plus, bleu-merle Australian shepherd, Judy. Together Vicki and Judy braved mechanical failure, ate awesome BBQ, missed the Queen Mary 2, struggled with poor cell reception, locked themselves in a van, found God, encountered political protesters, bought jewelry, witnessed the wide-spread destruction of Hurricane Ivan, uncovered this country’s racist past, sniffed some suspicious-smelling canines, straddled the Continental Divide, climbed every mountain, forded every stream, and succeeded where Steinbeck failed. This is their story. And they’re sticking to it. Please join us for what promises to be a fun and informative reading and discussion here at  Book Fair. Vicki will be signing her book too!

PREVIEW: APRIL 1 – 7 

Be Part of Something Grand
Scandinavian Cultural Center*
April 1 – April 7 | tickets vary, click above link for full schedule

The Scandinavian Cultural Center offers a week of performances centered around the piano! With performances by the Walden Chamber Players*, Suzuki School of Newton*, and more you should be sure to check out this extravaganza!

Two Who Dared: The Sharps’ War
Charles River Neighborhood Foundation
at Walker Center in Auburndale
Wed, April 3 at 7pm | donations welcome

Directed by Artemis Joukowowsky, Two Who Dared tells the story of a Unitarian couple, Waitstill and Martha Sharp, who just prior to the invasion of Czechoslovakia in February 1939, left their young children in MA to undertake a mission to help save 2000 people being persecuted in Eastern Europe. Who were these American Heroes and what drove them to put the well-being of strangers over family?

30th Anniversary All-Star Gala
Highland Jazz*
at Newton South High School
Sat, April 6 at 8pm | $25 (less in advance)

Highland Jazz is celebrating 30 years of presenting fantastic jazz in Newton! There was a great article in the TAB this week but I can’t find it online – help please?!

Spring Open Studios
Newton Open Studios*
Sat, April 6 – Sun, April 7 11am-5pm | FREE

180 Newton artists invite you to 60 pop-up exhibit/sales, in homes, studios and shared spaces all across Newton. Browse or buy fine art and craft. Click here to download the guide and plan your route!

Spring Fling
Newton Free Library*
Sat, April 6 at 6:30pm | $125

Mix & Mingle with the authors, Jackie MacMullan and Brian McGrory
Savor hors d’oeuvres and desserts
Bid on the Silent Auction

Community Concert: Meet the Orchestra (aka, a Lemony Snicket book comes to the orchestra!)
New Philharmonia Orchestra*
at First Baptist Church* (Newton Centre)
Sun, April 7 at 3pm | $10-$15

The New Phil is bringing Lemony Snicket’s hilarious symphonic “whodunit?” The Composer is Dead to the stage! Meet the orchestra in a wry, witty, and hysterical way through the talented guidance of actor Jake Berger. Newton’s All-City Orchestra, directed by Greg Livingston, also joins the New Phil for a special side-by-side performance. Great for the whole family!

*Newton Cultural Alliance member

As always, the Culture Fix is a sampling of Newton based events and if you know of any others, please kindly list them in the comments or send them to me and I will add them.