Local arts are live and well during quarantine
Local arts are alive and well during quarantine.
Nothing to do? Says who? Local artists (and an author) have got you covered with upcoming events.
Nothing to do? Says who? Local artists (and an author) have got you covered with these upcoming events:
Virtual book club
Award-winning Berks County author Amy Impellizzeri has begun hosting a virtual book club that meets Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom and features guest appearances by authors.
The subject of today’s meeting will be “Queen of the Owls,” the debut novel by Barbara Linn Probst.
Impellizzeri, who released her fifth novel, “I Know How This Ends,” in March, had planned to launch a book club this summer called “I Know How This (Book) Ends,” in which she would promote her own book club picks with giveaways and other media promos, but with shelter in place in effect, she decided to move that effort up and start a virtual book club.
RSVP to attend the book club meeting at amyimpellizzeri.com.
Philly Virtual Music Phest
The Philadelphia Virtual Music Phestival has been presenting twice-weekly streaming concerts throughout April on its Facebook page.
This week’s noontime Friday Phamily concert will be “Time Travel Cello,” featuring Eve Miller, and Philadelphia singer-songwriter Andrew Lipke will perform on Saturday at 7 p.m.
Miller is the principal cellist of Philadelphia’s Bach Collegium and performed as principal cellist of Philadelphia’s premiere baroque orchestra, Tempesta di Mare, for many years.
Lipke is a composer, producer, arranger, conductor, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and educator active across multiple genres. He has worked extensively with Amos Lee, and is currently in the process of creating an album cycle based on Herman Hesse’s groundbreaking novel “Siddhartha.” The second installment, “Kamala & The Child People,” will be released Friday. He’s also working on an unplanned album, “Songs From the Quarantine,” coming soon.
Listeners are asked to donate to the Philadelphia Area Musicians Relief Fund.
The Friday FB Live Concert Series, featuring regional artists, began last Friday and will continue every Friday from 8 to 10 p.m.
Curated by Dan Gallagher, a Bucks County singer-songwriter who last fall released his second album, “The Heart, the Time, the Pen,” under the moniker Crow vs Lion, the series presents some of the region’s top acts.
This week’s performers will be Todd Henkin at 8, Filip Hatche Flip at 8:30, Joshua Park at 9 and Birdie Busch at 9:30. Park will be celebrating the release of his new EP, “Making Castles.”
Spectators are asked to contribute $20 via Venmo, with 75 percent of the money going directly to the performers and the other 25 percent being donated to a charity related to the COVID-19 outbreak.
This week’s beneficiary will be Hospitality Assistance Response of PA, which provides emergency funding to hospitality workers.
Opera Philadelphia
Opera Philadelphia will present a digital festival featuring five productions, including four recent world premieres, throughout May.
The festival begins Friday with 2020 International Opera Award nominee “Denis & Katya,” by Philip Venables and Ted Huffman, which will premiere on YouTube and at operaphila.org at 8 p.m. and will be available to stream on-demand through Friday, May 8, at 7 p.m.
POPS in Schools@Home
The Philly POPS has launched POPS in Schools@HOME, a free virtual music education programming for students and music lovers of all ages. This project continues the work of POPS in Schools that is normally presented throughout the school year at four elementary schools and 11 high schools.
Each week, new videos, activities and instructional content will be posted in English and Spanish at phillypops.org/pops-schoolshome. All video content is provided by the musicians, teaching artists and staff of The Philly POPS.
The content is divided into three categories: Learn, Hear and Notes.
The latter features videos of artists talking about the iconic moments that made them who they are.
‘The Show Must Go On’
The Kimmel Center Cultural
Campus, along with its Resident Companies, has created “The Show Must Go On.” Followers can immerse themselves in performance highlights, artist interviews, educational learning opportunities and more at kimmelcenter.org.
“The Show Must Go On” features free artistic content for any age — including content from every Kimmel Center Cultural Campus Resident Company; namely, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Pennsylvania Ballet, PHILADANCO, The Philly POPS, Curtis Institute of Music, The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Opera Philadelphia and Philadelphia Chamber Music Society.
Tuned Up live streams
Tuned Up Brewing Co., Spring City, has started presenting livestreaming shows each weekend. Scheduled to perform this week are Old Fangled on Friday at 8 p.m. and Michael Kropp on Saturday at 8 p.m. Both shows will stream on the “Stay Tuned. Tuned Up Brewery Live” Facebook page.
Social Distance Show
Michael Kropp is also performing at an acoustic “Social Distance Show” outside Railroad Street Bar & Grill, 36 Railroad Street, Linfield, Montgomery County, on Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. Spectators are invited to enjoy the music from their cars in the parking lot. Food will be available. For more information, call 610-495-7043.
Steel City Online Open Mic
Steel City Coffeehouse, Phoenixville, hosts an Online Open Mic on Thursdays at 8 p.m. via the Zoom app. Go to Steel River’s Facebook Events page for the Meeting ID and Password.
KBC live streams
Kennett Brewing Co. is presenting nightly livestreams of musicians who perform regularly at the brewery in Kennett Square. The music starts at 7 p.m. and can be streamed on the brewery’s Facebook page.
Quarantine Open Mics
The Delco Quarantine Open Mic and Berks County Quarantine Open Mic are still going strong, with performers streaming 30-minute sets from their homes every night, plus daily children’s hours. Each of the Facebook groups has exceeded 13,000 members since forming at the beginning of the quarantine.