Blafield Children's Chorus to Begin Rehearsals

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Blafield Children’s Chorus begins rehearsals for the 2010-11 on Saturday, Sept. 11, at the Berkshire Athenaeum auditorium at 10 a.m.

The chorus is one of a family of choruses comprising Berkshire Lyric and is for children ages 6 through 13. It is led by Berkshire Lyric Artistic Director Jack Brown, who also directs the Berkshire Lyric Chorus and is on the faculty at Bard College at Simon's Rock, Berkshire Music School and Hotchkiss School.

The Berkshire Singers is a chorus for teenagers 14 and older that also meets at the Athenaeum on Saturdays at 11:15. It is led by Joe Rose, who is also the accompanist for the Berkshire Lyric Chorus as well as the director of music at St. Charles' Church.

Both choirs will perform with the Berkshire Lyric Chorus at holiday concerts in Stockbridge and Pittsfield in December and will be featured at the Berkshire Museum as part of Family Day on Dec. 11 at the annual Festival of Trees. In March, they will take part in the "Kick the Winter Blues: Island Madness Program" in the Lenox Town Hall auditorium. The choirs are also featured in the annual Young Musicians Concert on May 1 along with the winners of the Young Musicians Scholarship. The season ends on May 15, when they will participate in the annual Oratorio concert, this year featuring Orff's "Carmina Burana."

Blafield is the only tuition-free, professionally led children's choir in the area and is funded by Berkshire Lyric and cultural council grants. For further information contact Brown directly at 413-298-5365.
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Multiple Departments Respond to Lanesborough Structure Fire

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Multiple fire departments responded to a structure fire off Narragansett Avenue on Wednesday afternoon. 

The Fire Department received a call from the owner of 6 Bangor St. reporting smoke and flames at around 1:44 p.m.

Firefighters arriving on scene reported heavy smoke emanating from the 1940s single-family ranch home in the thickly settled neighborhood.

The blaze was brought under control in less than an hour and there were no civilian or firefighter injuries. 

"The homeowner was outside doing some work, evidently, opened the door when she came back in the house, and there were flames and smoke, so she backed out and called us, and that's all we know right now," Deputy Fire Chief Glen Storie said around 2:35 p.m. 

The fire was out at that time, and first responders observed "quite a bit of damage" to the home. The cause is still under investigation. 

Lanesborough, Cheshire, and Pittsfield departments responded to the scene, and Hancock covered the station during the call. 

"The first crew in knocked the fire right down with the first engine," Storie said. 

Smoke could be seen coming from the back of the home. Part of Narragansett Avenue and Bangor Avenue were blocked off while firefighters battled the blaze. 

 

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