Lots to do in coming days

There are lots of excellent events coming up:

OPL concert

Though it has the look and the talent of a classically trained string quartet, Opus Black String Quartet will be performing a broad range of contemporary music in a free concert at Oneida Public Library on Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m.

The alternative ensemble features Liz Friedel as first violinist, Juliane Price as second violinist, Allyson Sklar on viola and Kristen Kopf on cello. Each member of the string quartet brings a distinct musical education and professional experience, creating together a rich music that blends the classical tradition with jazz, rock, bluegrass, Celtic and American folk.

Liz Friedel, who owns and operates the Music with Liz Contemporary Music Studio in Verona, is also a private music teacher. She regularly performs with local groups, crossing from bluegrass and Irish music to jazz and the blues.

Juliane Price, a native of Germany, is the director of Clever Canaries Music, a program for parents and children from birth to age 6 that aims to encourage appreciation of the arts through activities combining music and motion. She led a version of the program at the OPL during school winter break in 2013. A graduate of Folkwang Hochschule in Essen with a master’s in opera performance in 2000, Price has also become a local teacher of music in both theater and violin through her firm called Avivo, the Acting Voice Violin Studio.

Allyson Sklar, who studied at the Manhattan School of Music, owns the Valley Talent Education Center in New Hartford and is a teacher of both viola and violin. She is certified in the Suzuki method, a pedagogical method devised by violinist Shinichi Suzuki that applies language acquisition theory to the teaching of music. She also provides Irish fiddling for the Celtic music group headquartered in Utica, Craobh Digan.

The group’s cellist, Kristen Kopf, is a music teacher in the North Syracuse public schools, most recently at the Cicero Road Middle School in Cicero. She has been a band director as well in the Roxboro Road elementary and middle schools. A graduate of Syracuse University, she specializes in teaching alternative music.

Opus Black String Quartet has recently performed at the Local Music Project in Hamilton last March, a Cochran Memorial concert at the Oneida Castle Park in August and the Empire Patio at the New York State Fair in early September.

The concert is free and open to the public. For more information stop by the library or call 315-363-3050.

Children’s filmmaking

This October, children ages 9-12 are invited to the Cazenovia Public Library on Wednes-

day afternoons for Filmmaking with Fran. The first workshop will be held on Oct. 5 at 3:15 p.m. in the Community Room. Each week, experienced filmmaker Francesca Cacace will lead a handson class designed to help children develop media literacy, gain technical proficiency and practice visual storytelling. Each program will build upon the knowledge and experience gained in previous sessions. Participants will learn about the filmmaking process and have the opportunity to create, shoot and edit their very own short films.

Francesca Cacace studies Storytelling Across Media Formats at Empire State College. She has a passion for writing and storytelling through various mediums. Fran has created a YouTube web series about librarians, called “Overdue,” and is in the process of revising a novel. Each week she updates her blog and posts vignettes that document her life on her YouTube channel. Registration is required. Stop by the library or call 655-9322.

Taste of Cazenovia

On Wednesday, Oct. 5 a Taste of Cazenovia will be held at the Empire Farmstead Brewery, 33 Brewerton Road in Cazenovia. An evening featuring signature dishes, especially wines, select craft beers, delicious hard cider and spirits from local food and beverage sponsors. For more information, visit tasteofcazenovia.com.

The annual event is presented by the Cazenovia Children’s House. Tickets are $45 and may be purchased at tasteofcazenovia.com.

Art for Kids

Children ages 8-14 are invited to the Cazenovia Public Library Community Room on Friday, Oct. 7 at 1:30 p.m. for the first Art for Kids of the 2016-2017 academic year. In this upcoming installment, Pat Hill and Jenna Wright Martin will lead an exploration into the life and works of John James Audubon.

In the October edition of Art for Kids, participants will examine the library museum’s Natural History Collection, paying particular attention to the 19th century bird and egg display, collected by the museum’s founder, Robert James Hubbard. Children will use their newfound knowledge and observations to produce their own artistic creations in the style of Audubon’s Birds of North America. All materials will be provided. Class size is limited to ensure program quality. Call or stop by the library to reserve a spot.

Participants will qualify for the chance to win a beautiful art set donated by a good friend of the library. The kit contains 178 pieces, including colored markers, crayons, colored pencils, watercolor cakes, oil pastels, acrylic paint tubes and much more — all arranged in a beautiful wooden case with adjustable trays.

All events at the Cazenovia Public Library are free and open to the public. For more information on this and other library events, call 655-9322.

EOH hosts rising star

The Earlville Opera House is pleased to host an evening with rising folk star and Smyrna-native Matt Nakoa on Friday, Oct. 7 at 8 p.m.

Matt Nakoa is an internationally touring singer/ songwriter recently appearing at the White House, throughout India and regularly with folk icon Tom Rush. Growing up on a small goat farm in Smyrna, N.Y. Matt discovered music as a means of teenage escape and trained to be a concert pianist. He was ultimately accepted as a vocalist in Berklee College of Music where he studies alongside soon-to-be Grammy winners St. Vincent and Esperanza Spalding among others. After school Matt landed in NYC’s vibrant piano bar scene. There he quickly became a star performer at Manhattan’s famous Brand’s Piano Bar, with lines waiting outside the door on Saturday night.

Matt Nakoa performs Oct. 7. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., show begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 general admission, $18 for members and $10 for students and children younger than 18 with premiums applying in the first four rows of seating. For tickets, call 691-3550. The EOH is wheelchair accessible with a ramp and a lift.

Farmers Academy

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County will host a two day seminar, Aspiring Farmers Academy on Oct. 7 and 8 at 100 Eaton St.

The event begins Friday, Oct. 7 from 5:30-9 p.m. followed by a full-day program on Oct. 8 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The Aspiring Farmers Academy will serve as an introduction to farming for those considering starting an agricultural enterprise of their own. Cornell Cooperative Extension educators will cover topics including business planning, marketing, financial planning and the local resources available to farmers.

A $50 registration fee includes all materials and meals. For more information and to register online visit reg.cce.cornell.edu/ AspiringFarmers16_225.

For more information, contact Katherine Brosnan at 684-3001 ext. 100.

Rummage and bake sale

The Women of Christ Church, 417 Park St., Sherrill, will hold a rummage and bake sale on Friday, Oct. 7 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Saturday, Oct. 8 there will be a $1 bag sale from 9 a.m. to noon.

Harvest Dinner

The United Church of Canastota, 144 Center St. will host its annual Harvest Dinner on Saturday, Oct. 8 from 4-6:30 p.m. at the church.

The menu includes chicken and biscuits, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, beverage and dessert. Donation is $7. Take outs will be available.

Holiday closing

The Oneida Public Library, 220 Broad St. will be closed on Monday, Oct. 10 in observance of Co- lumbus Day. The library will be open as usual on Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 9 a.m.

VVS Community Day

Come join us on Oct. 16 for the Annual VVS Community Day. There’s something for everyone including food, information on health, safety and wellness, crafters, live demonstrations, sports and recreation activities.

A huge thank you to the sponsors, Allen Eye Associates, Oneida Healthcare, GKS and Oneida Daily Dispatch.

The VVS Community Day is a joint presentation of Oneida Healthcare, the Oneida Daily Dispatch and the Vernon-VeronaSherrill School District.

Tales of Alaska

Leo Maloney, local outdoor enthusiast, photographer and author will share tales of his Alaskan adventures on Wednesday, Oct. 19 at 6:30 p.m. at the Sherrill-Kenwood Free Library, 543 Sherrill Road, Sherrill. Mr. Maloney is also a columnist for the Oneida Daily Dispatch.

During Story Time on Oct. 22 children will be decorating pumpkins. Thank you to Freedom Farms and Arnie’s Produce for providing pumpkins in 2015. Pumpkin donations are welcome.

On the Community Art Wall during the month of October will be artwork of the late Margaret Rosbrook of Sherrill.

The library will be closed on Monday, Oct. 10 in observance of Columbus Day.