Townie: Classical Music and Steampunk
Best Bets April 17-23, 2024: Nationally renowned classical performers and so many festivals (Steampunk! Earth Day! Feral Cats!)
This edition of Townie is sponsored by MPower Studio in Oneonta 🩷
Editor’s Letter
At CANO’s annual Reimagine the Local Arts benefit on April 13, artists and arts supporters gathered in Hollywood glam to celebrate and talk about the potential of our creative community.
It was an inspiring evening and I was honored to be one of the featured speakers, emphasizing the importance of promotion within an arts ecosystem. No matter how robust a community’s arts offerings are, if no one knows about them, sustaining and growing an arts sector is an uphill battle against relevancy.
Townie Editor Cassandra Miller with glamorous Reimagine the Arts attendee and area actor Caitlin Liberti.
Oneonta is one of the most arts vibrant places of its size in America — and we didn’t just make that distinction up, the leading arts research center assessed thousands of data points, including the number of artists within a community and arts offerings per capita to include Oneonta in its top 10 list.
Take advantage of some of those arts opportunities this weekend at one of three concerts presented by area concert associations, or embrace the odd at the annual Steampunk Festival, or the sustainable at the Otsego County Conservation Association’s annual Earth Festival.
Read more below and follow Townie on Instagram at @townieny.
Enjoy!
Cassandra
Cassandra Miller is the editor of Townie, a publication of Culture Rally Communications. Connect with her at: 💌 townieny@gmail.com
Allie Sandt Trio
Wednesday, April 17, 7 p.m. | BSide Ballroom, Oneonta
Singer-songwriter Allie Sandt writes feel-good folk-rock melodies and was the primary songwriter, singer, and bassist in the former SUNY Oneonta-student-driven indie rock band Seeing Double, which has over 5 million online streams.
Live Music with Mirabella Phinney
Thursday, April 18, 6 to 8 p.m. | Muddy River Brewery, Oneonta
Known for her multi-talented musical prowess and soothing yet engaging performances, Mirabella Phinney delivers shows reminiscent of singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell and Fiona Apple.
Writers Salon with Kathleen Watt
Thursday, April 18, 7 p.m. | CANO, Oneonta
CANO’s April Writers Salon features a reading by Kathleen Watt, an opera singer turned memoirist. At the height of her career, Kathleen faced a devastating diagnosis that changed her life forever. At Writers Salon, Kathleen will share her story, reading from her award-winning debut, “Rearranged.”
The Vagina Monologues
April 18, 19, 20 at 8 p.m.; April 21 at 2 p.m. | Foothills PAC, Oneonta
Bigger Dreams Productions presents its annual production of Eve Ensler's “The Vagina Monologues,” with readings by local women. Audience members are encouraged to bring an item for a feminine product drive. A quarter of ticket sales will benefit Family Planning of Central New York. Tickets are $20.
MPower Happy Hour and Open Studio
Friday, April 19, 5 to 7 p.m. | MPower Studio, Oneonta
Focusing on movement for mental health, this workshop incorporates play and social connection to ignite happiness chemicals in the brain. MPower Happy Hour is from 5 to 6 p.m., followed by an open studio to use the studio’s art materials, journal prompts, and connect with others. Admission is $10.
Empire Wild
Friday, April 19, 7 p.m. | Otesaga Resort Hotel, Cooperstown
The final concert in the 2023-24 Cooperstown Concert Series is Empire Wild, a genre-bending crossover trio featuring Juilliard-trained classical musicians who fuse pop, folk, and Broadway into their compositions. Based in New York City, Empire Wild has toured nationally. It consists of Ken Kubota on the cello, Mitch Lyon on the cello, and Jiyong Kim on the piano. Tickets are $25, or $10 for students.
Zodiac Trio
Friday, April 19, 7:30 p.m. | First United Methodist Church, Oneonta
The Oneonta Concert Association’s final concert of the season on Friday night features the Zodiac Trio, which is known for presenting masterpieces for their unconventional instrumentation alongside hidden gems, arrangements, and the occasional duo/solo in a concert experience marked with gusto, virtuosity, and energy. The group is comprised of Kliment Krylovskiy on clarinet, Vanessa Mollard on violin, and Riko Higuma on piano. Tickets are $25.
James Webb Space Telescope Planetarium Show
Friday, April 19, 7 p.m. (sharp) | AJ Read Science Center at SUNY Oneonta
The Planetarium Show is an immersive multimedia experience hosted live by SUNY Oneonta faculty, staff, and students. Friday’s show is “The Sky Tonight: James Webb Space Telescope Discoveries.” The show starts exactly at 7 p.m., so be sure to arrive 15 minutes early. Tickets are $3.
Earth Festival
Saturday, April 20, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Milford Central School, Milford
Otsego County Conservation is doing the most this Earth Day with its annual festival at Milford Central School that includes workshops and programming from 8 a.m. through 2 The festival is a day-long celebration that features exhibits, workshops, a seed swap, a clothing exchange, a kid’s area, and a vendor fair with an environmental theme. Activities include a bird walk, science fair, the Utica Zoomobile, and talks on native plants, herbs, wildlife, and more.
2nd Annual Otsego County Steampunk + Oddities Expo
Saturday, April 20, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Fortin Park, Oneonta
This event is packed with vendors, artists, authors, demonstrations, performances, and food trucks all under a steampunk theme. Entertainment includes tarot readings, the Happy Haggs Dance Troupe, Nordic rock, and live art. Plus, more than 75 vendors, authors, and artists are slated to participate. The event bills itself as “a world's fair wrapped in the fantastic whimsy of steampunk,” which doesn’t seem like a stretch based on its robust list of participants and activities.
Fairchild Mansion Walking Tour
Saturday, April 20, 2 p.m. | Meet at the Masonic Lodge, Oneonta
Greater Oneonta Historical Society will offer a tour led by Bruce Van Buren of the Fairchild Mansion (now the Masonic Lodge at 322 Main Street). The building was the historic home of George Fairchild, a U.S. Congressman and the first chairman of the Board of IBM. The legacy of success extended to Fairchild's son Sherman, who is considered to be the father of aerial photography. Sherman founded Fairchild Camera and Fairchild Aviation and funded the founding of Fairchild Semiconductor.
Free Creative Writing Workshop
Saturday, April 20, 2 p.m. | CANO, Oneonta
Join Cooperstown-based poet and writer Leslie Berliant for a free, public workshop on writing from the deep voice. No writing experience is necessary. Attendees should bring a journal or laptop, and a picture or image of their choice. Berliant is a journalist, poet, author, editor, and consultant. She is the editor and publisher of the anthology Writrix, offers writing courses and retreats, and has studied with poet Jack Grapes, screenwriter Karin Gutman, and authors Jackie Parker, Jim Krusoe, and Kurt Vonnegut.
Feral Fest
Saturday, April 20, 3 to 9:30 p.m. | Foothills PAC, Oneonta
This benefit for Friends of the Feral TNR includes beer, wine, and spirits tastings; live entertainment; a cash bar; raffles; and small bites. Admission is $5. A tasting glass is $25. All proceeds will support managing Otsego County’s feral cat population.
Write Out Loud – An Evening of Poetry and Prose
Saturday, April 20, 7 p.m. | Fenimore Museum, Cooperstown
Glimmer Globe Theatre will present its fourth annual "Write Out Loud" performance with a variety of poetry, prose, short fiction, and a play, all penned by 20 local and regional writers. The program will feature the work of: VJ Bauer, Robert Bensen, Terry Bradshaw, Joanne Corey, Dan DeVona, Terrence Dwyer, Wendy Everard, Robert Harlow, Christine Hauser, Hollynn Huitt, Bhala Jones, Lynne Kemen, Mary Ladany, Brian Loughlin, Sally Pollock Zaengle, Amy Randall, Julie Suarez, Rick van Valkenburg, David Waite, Rosanne Westgate, Mary Anne Whelan, and Saramarie White.
Pianist Einav Yarden Performs Bach, Haydn, Schumann
Sunday, April 21, 3 p.m. | First Presbyterian Church, Stamford
Friends of Music of Stamford begins its 2024 season with a chamber concert by pianist Einav Yarden, who will play works by Bach, Schumann, and Haydn. She is praised for her “imagination and exceptionally vivid playing…sense of immense majesty, tempered by gentleness and quiet grace” (The Washington Post). Admission is by donation, with a suggested donation of $12.
Novelist Angela Jackson-Brown Reading
Monday, April 22, 7 p.m. | Morris Conference Center at SUNY Oneonta
The award-winning novelist, poet, and playwright Angela Jackson-Brown will read and discuss her work, which addresses the Civil Rights Movement. She is the author of a volume of poems and four novels, including “When Stars Rain Down,” a finalist for the 2021 David J. Langum, Sr. Prize in American Historical Fiction Her most recent novel, “Homeward” (Harper Muse 2023,) is set in the tumultuous year of 1963 and explores how the struggle for civil rights affects one African American family in rural Georgia.
Lunch and Learn: Strategic Blueprint for Social Media Success
Tuesday, April 23, 11:30 a.m. | Otsego County Chamber, Oneonta
The Otsego County Chamber will host a lunch and learn with Paperkite President Susan Green, who will share a playbook for local businesses and nonprofits looking to enhance their social media presence, including best practices for content ideation, AI tools, and engaging with an audience. Pizza will be provided. Seating is limited. Registration is required. The cost is $10 or free for Chamber members.
Contact Townie
Townie was created to make it easier to know what’s happening in the area and to raise awareness for all the cool things our community is doing. Share your event description and an image for a chance to be featured. While flyers are great for resharing on social media, written event descriptions in the style of Townie will give you the best chance of getting into the newsletter. Here are other helpful tips for promoting your event in Townie.