Music & More Presents Calliope – A Renaissance Band

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New Marlborough, Mass. - On September 12 at 4:30pm, the piercing call of the shawm, the crumhorn, sackbut, pipe and tabor, vielle and other instruments will sound in New Marlborough as the Renaissance band Calliope performs a concert in the Meeting House.

For over twenty-five years musicians Lucy Bardo, Allan Dean, Ben Harms and Steven Lundahl have performed in the most prestigious concert halls in the country, introducing audiences to the music and instruments of the 13th through 17th centuries. They are recognized as leaders in performing new and crossover music on early instruments, a position solidified with the 1984 commission of Bestiary by American composer, radio personality and creator of the famed PDQ Bach, Peter Schickele.

The afternoon’s program ranges from 13th century Cantigas from Portugal and dances written in the 17th century to Americana favorites. Newcomers to Renaissance music will be delighted and surprised by the sense of revelry and fun present in the early compositions. A particular highlight will be Calliope’s own arrangement of the classic L’homme Arme’.

Lucy Bardo has performed with the New York Consort of Viols, Berkshjre Bach, Metropolitan Opera, the New York Philharmonic and many other outstanding ensembles as viola da gambist. Her numerous recording credits include Vanguard, Telarc and Columbia.  Allan Dean performs with Summit Brass, St. Louis Brass and the Yale Brass Trio. He can be heard playing both modern trumpet and early brass on over eighty recordings on most major labels. He is on the faculty of the Yale School of Music. Ben Harms has played timpani with numerous period instrument orchestras including the Boston Early Music Festival.  He has performed with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.


Steven Lundahl has performed worldwide with the Boston Camerata and the Boston Handel and Haydn Society among others, He has appeared on over twenty-five recordings with such labels as Warner Classics and Angel/EMI.

Music & More is in its seventeenth year of bringing music, film and literary events to New Marlborough’s Meeting House. All events are held in the newly renovated performance space in the landmark 1839 Greek revival building and are followed by a reception in the attached art gallery where attendees can enjoy a glass of wine and meet the featured performers.

Tickets are $25 each (call for discount info). Please call (413) 229-2785 or visit www.newmarlborough.org for further information. The New Marlborough Meeting House and Gallery are located on Route 57 on the village green in the center of New Marlborough. Music & More is sponsored by the New Marlborough Village Association.
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Lanesborough Town Meeting to Vote Budget, Bylaws & Vehicle Purchases

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Tuesday's annual town meeting includes a $14 million operating budget, new short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units and sign bylaws, and free cash article appropriations.

Voters will gather at Lanesborough Elementary School on June 9 at 6 p.m. to decide on 20 warrant articles.

The fiscal 2027 budget is up a little over 10 percent. Some of the main increases are the Mount Greylock Regional School District and McCann Technical School: the McCann assessment is up more than 30 percent based on factors including enrollment and the school renovation project, and Mount Greylock's is up 11 percent.

Article 11 is for the town to vote to approve from free cash the sum of $16,298.48 for the McCann Technical School roof and window replacement project so as not to impact the budget. Article 3 is  appropriate $7,586,284 for Mount Greylock Regional School assessment.

Another notable increase was in life and health insurance, showing an increase of about 26 percent.

Ambulance Director Jen Weber is planning 24-hour coverage, which means more staff and a hike in her budget. One of the articles asks the town to appropriate $234,100 to operate the Ambulance Enterprise Fund for salaries and expenses.

Many town departments are looking for new vehicles. The Fire Department is looking to replace its outdated 1996 fire engine. There are two articles related to the truck at a total of $813,366. Article 12 would transfer $225,000 from free cash into the Fire Truck Stabilization Fund; Article 13 would transfer $605,000 from the fund and authorize the borrowing of $208,366.08.

The total includes a $100,000 contingency cost to cover any additional costs if a 2026 model-year chassis cannot be secured before new emissions standards go into effect in 2027.

The board at its last meeting moved the $225,000 transfer to come before the borrowing article, changing the stabilization number. If the $225,000 is not voted on, then they will amend the next article's number on the floor, subtracting the $225,000. This shows the borrowing number significantly lower.

Article 17 asks for the transfer of $80,000 from free cash to replace a police cruiser.

Police Chief Rob Derksen's aim is to replace one vehicle every other year, meaning the oldest vehicle gets replaced about every 10 years. 

He stressed that if delayed this year, the town may have to double up in a future year to get back on schedule, and that paying later usually costs more. The article will ask for $80,000 from free cash, the vehicles used to be funded by the BHRD.

Lastly, the Highway Department is looking to replace a 2014 International dump truck that will be a total of $330,000 and will take two to three years to receive.

Money will be used from last year's approval of $250,000 from free cash for the replacement of a 2012 highway front-end loader that was underspent $49,261. Town meeting is being asked to approve  a transfer of $53,274.85 from free cash and the use of $227,464 from funds from the Sale of Town Real Estate to fund the balance.

Other free cash proposals include $1,200 to purchase software to support tracking and ongoing maintenance schedules of town-owned vehicles; $42,000 for the replacement of the Highway Department's storage shed roof, $200,000 to reduce the tax levy.

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