Pittsfield Notes

12:00AM / Friday, June 06, 2003Print Story | Email Story

The Hanging of Ephraim Wheeler Richard D. Brown will speak about his new book, The Hanging of Ephraim Wheeler, on Thursday, May 29 at 7 p.m. in the Berkshire Athenaeum Auditorium. The program is cosponsored by the Friends of the Berkshire Athenaeum, the Berkshire County Historical Society and the Berkshire Family History Association. Brown co-authored the book with Irene Quenzler Brown. The book is characterized as "a true story of rape, incest and justice in early Berkshire County." The story chronicles the trial and execution that grew out of a rape committed in Lenox in 1906. Readers will gain insights into life in early America. Prison punishment versus execution for a crime is also debated in the volume. Advanced Berkshire Medical Imaging provides 24-hour service at Berkshire Medical Center and Fairview Hospital Berkshire Medical Center and Fairview Hospital announce the formation of Advanced Berkshire Medical Imaging, providing 24-hour a day, 7-day a week radiology services to the community, utilizing state-of-the art imaging technology. Berkshire Health Systems has brought together the best imaging technology available with a world-class team of radiologists at BMC and Fairview. New CT and Magnetic Resonance Imaging systems are convenient and comfortable for patients and provide doctors with the clearest images, allowing them to make faster, more precise diagnoses. The team of physicians, technologists and staff is dedicated to providing comprehensive radiology services, innovation and the highest quality patient care. Advanced Berkshire Medical Imaging features the expertise of seven radiologists, who specialize in a wide range of advanced imaging services. Berkshire Health Systems' comprehensive radiology services include MRI, high-speed CT scanning, nuclear medicine, neuroradiology, musculoskeletal imaging, interventional radiology, mammography, bone density scanning, ultrasound, stereotactic biopsy and X-Ray. Advanced Berkshire Medical Imaging comprises Drs. Deepak Agarwal, Mazen Ghani, Sanja Kedia, Lisa Loring, Prakash Malkani, Martin Oppenheim and Curtis Brasseur. Local music store doubles size Local musical instrument dealer and educator Falcetti Music announces the opening of their brand-new 5,000-square foot showroom at 660 Merrill Road, in the Stop & Shop plaza in Pittsfield. Falcetti Music, which has been in business for 46 years, has six locations in Massachusetts and Connecticut.The newly expanded Pittsfield showroom will feature a greater selection of pianos - including grands - organs, guitars, drums, keyboards and power amplifier. equipment, as well as all the accessories to go with them. The music store has also expanded its teaching facilities to handle more students; the new facility has four private teaching rooms and a separate performance room that can accommodate 100 people for concerts, workshops and recitals. Falcetti Music now teaches group and private music instruction to over 200 students. "This new store has been a long-awaited project" store manager Steve Wegiel said. "It's great to finally have a world-class music store right here in Berkshire County. We finally have the space to display a great selection of grand pianos, in addition to everything else that we do." The retailer will be celebrating its grand opening on May 16, May 17 and May 18. There will be prize drawings all weekend, with a chance to win a Yamaha acoustic guitar, an Ovation acoustic/ electric guitar, a Tama double bass drum pedal, a Lowry organ, free music lessons and a free piano rental. Many special pricing offers will also be in effect all weekend. For more information call the store at 448-2085. Berkshire Medical Center names late physician to "honor roll" The name of the late Dr. Gerald L. Haidak will be placed on the Berkshire Medical Center Honor Roll, joining a list of 18 other honorees who were all singled out for their exceptional commitment to the medical profession. Haidak was the University of Massachusetts Medical School associate dean for medical education at BMC for many years and was often recognized for his commitment to medical education at the hospital. Haidak moved to Pittsfield in 1946 and practiced family medicine before becoming a board certified surgeon in 1958. He served as associate dean of special projects at the UMass Medical School, and he was on the faculty of the Albany Medical College for more than 35 years. Haidak also organized an exchange program that involved students at BMC and medical students at Ben Gurion University Medical School in Israel. Haidak was recognized at the annual BMC Physician Appreciation Dinner, which was held earlier this month at the Country Club of Pittsfield. It's an event that pays tribute to the medical staff of BMC. Members of Haidak's family - including his son, Dr. Paul Haidak, and daughter, Amy Putnam - were in attendance at the tribute. During the dinner Berkshire Health Systems board of trustees Chairwoman Ann Trabulsi announced that the board was honoring Haidak with the placement of his name on the BMC Honor Roll, which is displayed in the main corridor of the medical center. Created in 1992 the Honor Roll was established to "recognize, in a permanent way, members of the medical staff whose work has brought honor and distinction to the profession and to the institution." Previous recipients of the Honor Roll designation include Daniel Dorman, Herbert Giodt, Franklin Paddock, George Porter, Ralph Zupanec, Robert Cella Sr., John Gowdey, Rita Jacobs, Samual Tarnower, Robert Tracy, Peter Nikitas, Clement Curd, Howard Kanner, Alan Michelson, George Vazakas, Raymond Austin, G. Thomas Stowe and Joel Curran. Pittsfield resident to receive national award for advocacy on behalf of people with disabilities Christine Singer, the executive director of the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Berkshire County, is pleased to announce that Pat Sheely, the board president, will receive the Arthur Rubloff Memorial Award on Friday, May 30 at the UCP Annual Conference, which is being held at the Adams' Mark Hotel in Mobile, Ala. The award recognizes an individual with a disability who has overcome the barriers attributable to her disability and who has demonstrated leadership and achievement of such caliber as to be a significant role model to individuals with and without disabilities. Sheely is to be recognized for her achievements in successfully challenging the stereotypes that are attributed to persons with disabilities, participation in activities to enhance the quality of life of others with disabilities, and successfully participating as a leader in the community. The nomination was submitted by Gwen Davis, the assistant treasurer of the UCP Association of Berkshire County and the vice president of commercial lending at Banknorth. In her nomination Davis cited Sheely as a "dedicated leader, highly visible, not only working for rights for the disability community but fighting the good fight for [the] Americans with Disabilities Act [ADA] compliance, educating the community about disability issues, actively participating in not-for-profit agencies serving the disability community, and assisting elected officials regarding disability issues; but also by serving in her church, writing a book, continuing to advocate for civil rights causes, and by volunteering with animals." Nomination reference letters were received from Robert Wells, of Berkshire Bank; Pittsfield Mayor Sara Hathaway; Elmer C. Bartels, the commissioner of rehabilitation for the commonwealth of Massachusetts; and state Sen. Andrea Nuciforo. Robert Wells, in his nomination reference letter, stated: "I am able to witness, firsthand, the impact Pat's actions have on the city of Pittsfield, Berkshire County and Massachusetts. She is a tireless advocate, offering diplomacy, listening carefully to others, and being persistent in pursuing ways to improve the quality of life for all persons with disabilities." Hathaway said of Pat: "Pat's active role on behalf of people with disabilities has included membership on the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Council, the Disability Services Advisory Board of the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority and the Massachusetts Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities. She has served UCP of Berkshire County as a board member since 1989, and currently lends the organization as president. Pat has been instrumental in organizing the Berkshire Disability Pride Day, helping to expand the celebration to emphasize advocacy and legislative concerns." Bartels said, "Pat has been a member of our rehabilitation council for some time and has been very involved in providing input to our agency so that our services better reflect the needs of the disability community. The commission has recognized Sheely by awarding her the Moro Fleming Award, which is the highest honor it can bestow on an individual with a disability. Sheely is truly an outstanding individual who works tirelessly so that others with disabilities can achieve their life's goals." Nuciforo referenced three distinguishing attributes of Sheely: "These are inspiring spirit, undying energy and an abundance of human kindness. Each quality on its own is rare and remarkable; unparalleled strength, enthusiasm and desire to work are the burdens of everyday life." Sheely is also an advisory board member of the National Education for Assistance Dog Services, an advisory board member of the Berkshire transit authority, a member of the Massachusetts Personal Assistance Service Coalition, and an active member with the First United Methodist Church in Pittsfield. A resident of Pittsfield, Sheely has a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Massachusetts and a master's degree in American history from the University of Rhode Island. She enjoys fishing, gardening, photography and cruising around with her service dog, Jamie. For further information about UCP Association of Berkshire County programs and services, contact Christine Singer at 442-1562.

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BAAMS Students Compose Music Inspired By Clark Art

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
08:17AM / Sunday, December 14, 2025

BAAMS students view 'West Point, Prout's Neck' at the Clark Art. The painting was an inspiration point for creating music.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Berkshires' Academy for Advanced Musical Studies (BAAMS) students found new inspiration at the Clark Art Institute through the "SEEING SOUND/HEARING ART" initiative, utilizing visual art as a springboard for young musicians to develop original compositions.

On Saturday, Dec. 6, museum faculty mentors guided BAAMS student musicians, ages 10 to 16, through the Williamstown museum, inviting students to respond directly to the artwork and the building itself.

"As they moved through the museum, students were invited to respond to paintings, sculptures, and the architecture itself — jotting notes, sketching, singing melodic ideas, and writing phrases that could become lyrics," BAAMS Director of Communications Jane Forrestal said. "These impressions became the foundation for new musical works created back in our BAAMS studios, transforming visual experiences into sound."

BAAMS founder and Creative Director Richard Boulger said this project was specifically designed to develop skills for young composers, requiring students to articulate emotional and intellectual responses to art, find musical equivalents for visual experiences, and collaborate in translating shared observations into cohesive compositions.

"Rather than starting with a musical concept or technique, students begin with visual and spatial experiences — color, form, light, the stories told in paintings, the feeling of moving through architectural space," said Boulger. "This cross-pollination between art forms pushes our students to think differently about how they translate emotion and observations, and experiences, into music."

This is a new program and represents a new partnership between BAAMS and the Clark.

"This partnership grew naturally from BAAMS' commitment to helping young musicians engage deeply with their community and find inspiration beyond the practice room. The Clark's world-class collection and their proven dedication to arts education made them an ideal partner," Boulger said. "We approached them with the idea of using their galleries as a creative laboratory for our students, and they were wonderfully receptive to supporting this kind of interdisciplinary exploration."

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