Arts & Life

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Written by: Ted Kooser

Published: 24 December 2013

Here’s a vivid portrayal of one of those school events to which parents are summoned and to which they go both dutifully and with love. The poet, Maryann Corbett, lives in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Holiday Concert

Forgive us. We have dragged them into the night
in taffeta dresses, in stiff collars and ties,
with the wind damp, the sleet raking their cheeks,

to school lunchrooms fitted with makeshift stages
where we will sit under bad fluorescent lighting
on folding chairs, and they will sing and play.

We will watch the first grader with little cymbals,
bending her knees, hunched in concentration
while neighbors snicker at her ardent face.

Forgive us. We will hear the seventh-grade boy
as his voice finally loses its innocence
forever, at the unbearable solo moment

and know that now, for years, he will wince at the thought
of singing, yet will ache to sing, in silence,
silence even to the generation to come

with its night, its sleet, its hideous lunchroom chairs.

American Life in Poetry is made possible by The Poetry Foundation ( www.poetryfoundation.org ), publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Poem copyright 2013 by Maryann Corbett, from her most recent book of poems, Credo for the Checkout Line in Winter, Able Muse Press, 2013. Poem reprinted by permission of Maryann Corbett and the publisher. Introduction copyright 2013 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction's author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006. We do not accept unsolicited manuscripts.

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Written by: Mike Adams

Published: 24 December 2013

LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Tuesday, Dec. 31, the Soper-Reese Community Theatre will celebrate New Year's Eve featuring The Funky Dozen.

The theater invites you to join them with your friends and families to enjoy the holiday season to dance, sing and bring in the new year.

Doors open at 8 p.m. Tickets are $40 for loge seating, and $50 for table seating.

Tickets are available at The Travel Center in the Shoreline Shopping Center, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; the theatre box office on Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and two hours before show time on the day of any event.

Tickets also can be purchased online at www.soperreesetheatre.com .

Other coming events at the Soper Reese Theatre:

• Lake County Live: Live two-hour radio special with Majide on KPFZ, 88.1 FM, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 29.
• Second Tuesday Classic Movies: “Casablanca,” Jan. 14, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Third Friday Live: Featuring Bill Noteman and the Rockets, Jan. 17, 7 p.m.

For all the latest in information, tickets and more visit www.soperreesetheatre.com .

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Written by: Connel Murray

Published: 23 December 2013

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A full house greeted the 60 members of the Lake County Symphony Orchestra at its annual Christmas Concert held Sunday, Dec. 15, at Lakeport’s Soper-Reese Community Theatre.

It was a high point for the orchestra, which is winning acclaim as one of the best of its kind in Northern California.

Presented by the Lake County Symphony Association, which has recently changed its name from Clear Lake Performing Arts, the program featured a wide range of holiday favorites both secular and religious.

The young members of the Symphony Youth Orchestra, led by conductor Susan Condit, led off with themes from “Gloria” by Antonio Vivaldi, and a contemporary number called “Bobsled Run” written by Lloyd Conley. The group won applause for their skillful playing of the two difficult pieces.

The scene was set for the main program by the local vocal group “My Divas,” although they rounded out their number with a couple of male vocalists, singing the popular Burl Ives “Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas,” accompanied by the audience.

The symphony’s Music Director and Conductor John Parkinson then took the podium to lead his musicians through a tune written by Chip Davis entitled “Fanfare on Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” which he had arranged for the orchestra.

This was followed by a half-dozen popular Christmas numbers including such favorites as “Winter Wonderland,” “Frosty the Snowman” and Victor Herbert’s “March of the Toys.”

Following intermission, where a large selection of home-baked cookies were served by the women of the Symphony Association Auxiliary, Parkinson took the occasion to present scholarship certificates to Youth Orchestra members Clayton Rudiger and Max Lehman.

He then introduced Hidden Valley Lake’s singing sensation Shelly Mascari, who delivered another six popular numbers arranged by John Parkinson, including Vince Guaraldi’s “Christmas Time is Here,” Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas,” and Mel Torme’s “The Christmas Song.”

She concluded with a sultry and sexy delivery of “Santa Baby” written by Joan Javits and Phil and Terry Springer.

Four songs of faith formed a sing-along medley with the audience joining “My Divas” in singing “Joy to the World,” “Oh Come All Ye Faithful,” “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” and “Silent Night.”

Then all orchestra members donned Santa hats to play Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride.” Parkinson sported a version that was royal purple in color.

As has become a tradition, the program ended with the audience joining in singing the “Hallelujah Chorus” from George Handel’s “The Messiah.”

At its conclusion the concert was awarded with continuing applause from an audience reluctant to leave its seats after hearing what many believed to be one of the best concerts ever presented by the Lake County Symphony.

This was the 36th Symphony Christmas Program and if attendance is a measure, it appears to have been the most popular yet.

According to Andi Skelton, who doubles as orchestra Concertmaster and Chair of Youth Music Activities for the Symphony Association, the open rehearsal held Sunday morning was also a near sellout.

The rehearsal is offered free of charge to anyone under the age of 18, and others are charged only five dollars admission.