Chorus presents ‘Four Centuries of American Music’

SHELBURNE FALLS — The Greenfield Community College Community Chorus will continue its fall concert series with a full performance of “Four Centuries of American Music” at Trinity Church, located at 17 Severance St., on Friday, Nov. 8, at 7:30 p.m.

Led by Director Margery Heins, the 17-member chorus will use music to explore different eras of history, as well as issues that face contemporary America. The chorus will be accompanied by John Yannis on piano.

The concert will include shape note music by William Billings and Jeremiah Ingalls, the “Shoshone Love Song” featuring a Native American text, the traditional American folk song “He’s Gone Away,” a 19th-century hymn by Lowell Mason, “Dominic Has a Doll” from Four Cummings Choruses, a mid-20th-century choral cycle by Vincent Persichetti, “Tonight” from West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein, “I Dream a World” (2002) by André Thomas, Moravian music from the 18th century, a Gospel number and “Lamiya’s Song (2017) by Michael Bussewitz-Quarm.

The concert is free to attend, though donations will be accepted. For more information, email Heins at heins@gcc.mass.edu.

New exhibits at Salmon Falls Gallery explore ice, trees and more

SHELBURNE FALLS — Two new exhibits from artists Anita Hunt and Lisa Beskin will be on display at Salmon Falls Gallery throughout November and December.

Hunt, a Colrain resident, is a printmaker and collage artist. She was previously president of the Monotype Guild of New England, and is now an elected member of the Society of American Graphic Artists, The Boston Printmakers and the Los Angeles Printmaking Society.

She spent 40 years as a printmaker, filing away etchings, aquatints, mezzotints, monotypes, linoleum cuts, woodcuts, lithographs, nature prints and rubbings taken from trees, plants, rocks and gravestones. Hunt recently took to making collages using some of her old pieces.

Hunt’s latest exhibit, “(re)imaginings,” showcases how her work has evolved over the decades, and how her interests have shifted in topic and medium.

Beskin is an award-winning photographer from Belchertown. With her previous exhibits, Beskin has looked at water as it exists in warmer months. By photographing beneath the surface, she sought to capture a world belonging to the fish, turtles, pond grasses and all creatures that live underwater. Her latest collection, “Ice Studies II,” takes a look at how water exists during winter and the unique formations of ice.

In a statement, Beskin said ice has made her consider the impacts of climate change. With winters becoming warmer and shorter, there is less ice around. She hopes her work conveys this message.

“Like photography itself, ice gives the illusion of stopped time. But streams of air bubbles seemingly halted on the way up are really in slow, endless motion and flux, like everything everywhere around us,” Beskin said. “As our New England winters get ever shorter and warmer, ice hunting becomes a more rarefied prospect — one of climate change’s many sorrowful consequences.”

Both exhibits are on display through Dec. 31 at Salmon Falls Gallery, 1 Ashfield St. An opening reception for “(re)imaginings” and “Ice Studies II” will be held on Saturday, Nov. 9, from 2 to 4 p.m. For more information, visit salmonfallsgallery.com.