Young Concert Artist Sasha Cooke at the Colonial

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Young Concert Artist: Sasha Cooke, Photo Courtesy of Colonial
Sasha Cooke is the first artist performing in the Young Concert Artists Debut Series Sponsored by Joseph and Mary Jane Handler at the Colonial on September 27, 2007 at 7PM. Tickets range from $20-$10 and can be purchased by calling The Colonial Theatre Ticket Office Monday-Friday 12-5 at (413) 997-4444 or 24/7 online at www.thecolonialtheatre.org Young Concert Artists Debut Series is generously sponsored by Joseph and Mary Jane Handler “The outward purity of a Renaissance angel and a voice of powerful sensual warmth and excellent musicality.” –The New York Times “Young Concert Artists’ track record for spotting the best new talent in classical music is legendary.” –The New York Times “Young Concert Artists has acquired a special status in the musical world, and deservedly so. Its auditions and concerts have brought to public attention a steady stream of remarkable musicians. It is extremely doubtful that any organization anywhere could have matched the YCA record for spotting great talent and helping it along.” –The New York Times Young Concert Artists, Inc. was founded in 1961 as a nonprofit organization to discover and launch the careers of extraordinary young musicians. Many of today’s greatest performers started their careers with Young Concert Artists, including Dawn Upshaw, Emanuel Ax, Richard Goode, Eugenia Zukerman, Christopher O’Riley, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Chee-Yun, the St. Lawrence String Quartet and the Borromeo String Quartet. Now the Colonial is partnering with Young Concert Artists to bring you three of today’s up-and-coming classical artists. Be the first to hear the best. Praised by the New York Times, American mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke is equally at home in operatic, orchestral and recital settings. Cooke is a member of the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program of the Metropolitan Opera and won First Prize in the 2007 Young Concert Artists International Auditions. During the summer of 2007, Cooke attended the Wolf Trap Opera Studio, appearing with the National Symphony Orchestra as Mercedes in a concert performance of Bizet’s Carmen, as Aloes in Chabrier’s L’Étoile, and in a recital program entitled “Manhattan Diaries” hosted by Steven Blier. Her other notable performances include Handel's Messiah and Mozart's Vespers at Carnegie Hall with the Oratorio Society of New York, Chausson's Poème de l'amour et de la mer at Miller Theater, New York Festival of Song’s “Brava Italia!” concert at Weill Hall, the Marilyn Horne Foundation’s 2007 Gala at Zankel Hall, Mozart’s Mass in C Minor with the Mozart Academy of San Luis Obispo, and Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky with the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra (TX). In March 2007, Cooke participated in Seattle Opera’s young artist program, as Meg Page in Verdi’s Falstaff. Cooke won First Prizes in the 2007 Sun Valley Opera Vocal Competition and the 2006 Bach Vocal Competition sponsored by the American Bach Society and The Bach Choir of Bethlehem, as well as Third Prize in the 2006 Licia Albanese-Puccini Competition. Cooke received her Bachelor’s Degree from Rice University and her Master’s Degree from The Juilliard School. During her time at Juilliard, she was a frequent soloist in premiere performances by the New Juilliard Ensemble. She has also attended Music Academy of the West, the Aspen Musical Festival, Ravinia Festival’s Steans Institute, and Central City Opera’s Young Artist Training Program. www.yca.org
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Dalton Zoning Board OKs Conversion of Zip's Bar into Apartments

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Zoning Board of Appeals on Tuesday approved the conversion of the former Zip's Bar & Billiards into four apartments. 
 
The owner, Ron Carver, submitted an application for a special permit requesting to convert the first floor of the tavern into residential apartments.  
 
"The former tenant went out of business. He was operating a bar/nightclub and had lost business and decided after COVID that it just wasn't worth his while to continue," board Chair Anthony Doyle said.
 
"So Mr. Carver is left with an empty commercial space, and the question is do you try to get another bar in there or do you do something else, and he opted to convert."
 
The detailed application that Carver submitted was described by board members as impressive. The notice of the public hearing was posted on April 23 and 30 to alert neighbors to come and speak. 
 
Despite the public hearing notice, no one attended the meeting to speak against the application, which is a good indication that the neighbors support it, Doyle said. 
 
Carver attended the meeting and provided a letter from one of the neighbors expressing their support for the change. 
 
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