For three young musicians, composing music is a craft

12:00AM / Monday, June 10, 2002Print Story | Email Story

Many artists wait for inspiration to strike. Some are lucky â€” they see it coming and grab it when itâ€™s within reach. Others arenâ€™t so lucky â€” their backs are turned or their mindâ€™s eye is clouded by drugs or alcohol. Or maybe, to borrow from jazz musician Mose Allison, their mouth is working overtime while their mind is on vacation. But three graduating seniors at Buxton School have paved the way for inspiration, doing everything they can to attract it. All three are students of David Denhard, who has been teaching music and composition at Buxton for 19 years. Denhardâ€™s philosophy is that if you give students the tools and teach them the skills for the job, and if they have any aptitude for it at all, the inspiration will come when they put their mind to doing the work. Heâ€™s been giving these three the tools and helping them develop their skills for the past four years and the payoff came this week, when nine professional musicians from the Albany Symphony, Berkshire Symphony and Sage City Symphony orchestras performed works of the three students for a CD, recorded as a live performance in the Buxton Theater. Buxton is a private residential high school located on South Street in Williamstown. Less than 100 students attend the school, and they generally keep a pretty low profile in town, staying on campus except for two afternoons and one evening a week. The three student composers each wrote one or two compositions in classical style for string orchestra. Each student is a talented musician who plays several instruments, although only one â€” Hazel Reynolds, of Bowdoinham, Maine â€” actually played with the professionals during the recording. She played double-bass on the compositions of the other two, but not her own. According to Denhard, the student composers all read music fluently and play with the schoolâ€™s musical groups, as well as accompany drama productions. In addition, they play in groups formed on campus, and Reynolds even sat in on bass with a visiting contra dance band when they played at a school dance. Each piece is five to 10 minutes long and was written specifically to be played by string orchestra. Typically such compositions are written with five parts, two for violin and one each for viola, cello and double bass. These pieces follow that format, although there are times during each piece when the instruments within each section separate and play different parts. For instance, each of the two cellos and violas might be playing a different musical line simultaneously, adding layers of harmonic and rhythmic texture to the pieces. At times, there are eight, nine or even 10 parts, creating lush, dense sections that contrast with the lighter sections of the pieces. â€œI like my music vertical,â€ said a grinning Jacob Spector of Columbia, Conn., one of the student composers, referring to all the musical lines occurring at once in some parts of his piece, which is called Our Full Circle. The pieces are all interesting in different ways. For instance, Reynolds wrote two works for the project. The first, Winter Rye, is fairly slow and has a distinct melody. The second, simply called Scherzo, uses different syncopated lines for each section of the orchestra to create the rhythmic and melodic harmonies that make up the piece. The piece by Yi Bing Zhang, of Shanghai, China, February Hypothesis, is in two parts. The first is a happy section in a major key and the second is mellower in a slightly lower key. It was inspired in part, she said, by the warm winter we experienced this year and in part by some of fellow composer Spectorâ€™s works. The three budding composers are enthusiastic about what Denhard has done for them, in terms of inspiration, as well as tools and skills. â€œThe biggest inspiration â€” Iâ€™m speaking for myself but I could probably speak for you guys, too â€” is probably David,â€ Spector said, to the obvious agreement of the other two. â€œDave did everything a music teacher could and should have done. Instead of thinking of our music as an art form, as some sort of incredible expression, Dave kind of put it into focus for me by labeling me as a craftsman. Weâ€™ve got tools and we put things together. And that was always the biggest inspiration for me.â€ He continued, â€œOnce you have the craftsman perspective on it, then you can throw other things into it.â€ Denhard was typically modest. â€œI think these three folks, because they play really well and have done it for many years, it helps them,â€ he said, adding, â€œIf somebody wants Hazel to write a film score by next weekend and she knows what the scene is, she could do it â€” she knows what interval with two clarinets would set the mood ... Because they have the tools, any of these three people could write a piece for any situation.â€ But Denhard also said that what theyâ€™re doing at Buxton is unique. â€œPeople donâ€™t compose as high school students. Theyâ€™re not expected to, theyâ€™re not even allowed to,â€ he said, adding that he thinks thatâ€™s why many musically talented students bypass academics altogether and go the pop-jazz route. Harriet Welther, one of the professional musicians who performed the pieces, agreed. She was part of a smaller group that came last year to play student compositions, and she talked about the musical growth of the student composers. â€œThis time things were very well done, the parts were clear, the music was more involved than last year. Thereâ€™s a huge jump in what theyâ€™re demonstrating as far as their ability. ... I think itâ€™s great they have the opportunity to do this here, to compose. How many schools in the country can you actually take composition from somebody like David ... and have it performed?â€

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Friday Front Porch Feature: A Charming House Like New

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
06:57PM / Friday, December 19, 2025

The home prior to renovations.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Are you looking for a newly renovated home with great space? Then this might be the perfect fit for you!

Our Friday Front Porch is a weekly feature spotlighting attractive homes for sale in Berkshire County. This week, we are showcasing 100 Autumn Drive.

This three-bedroom, two-bathroom split level was built in 1965 and is 1,396 square feet on 0.32 acres.

The house was completely renovated recently. It includes a one-car garage, and comes with appliances including a dishwasher and stove/oven, and other major appliances.

The house is listed for $359,500.

We spoke with owners Michael Zeppieri and Chris Andrews, who did the renovations. Zeppieri is an agent with Alton and Westall Real Estate Agency.

What was your first impression when you walked into the home?

Zeppieri: I purchased this home to do a full renovation flip and saw tremendous potential in this mid-century split level home that had not been updated since it was built in the 1960s, in a great North Adams neighborhood.

Andrews: The house was a much different house when we first purchased it in 2022 (photo attached is from about 2010.) The interior was painted all in dark colors and we brightened it up with neutral colors. The transformation makes you feel like you are in a totally different house.

What were the recent renovations, any standout design features?

Zeppieri: The house has had a complete reconfiguration including new kitchen with high-end appliances, ceramic tiled baths, hardwood floors, new windows and roof ... just to name a few. All a buyer has to do is move in and enjoy.

Andrews: Yes, we renovated the entire house. New windows, new roof, all new custom black gutter system, new blacktop driveway, hardwood floors were installed through out the house. New kitchen and bathrooms as well as painting the exterior and interior of the house. New paver patio in the back yard.

What kind of buyer would this home be ideal for?

Zeppieri: The buyer for this home could be a first-time homebuyer or a retiree ... the location is close to attractions in North Adams ... and the property is located in Autumn Heights, which is a very small residential development with several long-term owners.

Andrews: This home is truly ideal for a variety of buyers. Whether a first-time homebuyer, a small family or even someone looking to downsize from a larger home.

What do you think makes this property stand out in the current market?

Zeppieri: The location, price and move-in condition of this home make it a true market leader in the North Adams Market.

Andrews: This house is completely renovated and in a desirable location of North Adams. The natural light in the home really makes the interior pop. And with all the upgrades the home stays quite cool in the summer months.

Do you know any unique stories about the home or its history?

Zeppieri: This home was built for the Gould family in 1969 and they lived there till 2010. It was always a family home during that time in which the Goulds had two children ... and Virgina Gould managed Mohawk Forest Apartments and was a very active resident of North Adams.

Andrews: Built in about 1965.

What do the current owners love about this home?

Zeppieri: As the current owner it was a fun project to transform this home and get it ready for its next adventure with a new family to enjoy for many years.

Andrews: No one has lived in the house since we purchased the home. The new owners would be the first to live in the house since the renovations have been completed.

What would you say to a buyer trying to imagine their life in this space?

Andrews: I would suggest seeing the house either on a sunny day or at twilight to really get a vision of how special the home feels.

You can find out more about this house on its listing here.

*Front Porch Feature brings you an exclusive to some of the houses listed on our real estate page every week. Here we take a bit of a deeper dive into a certain house for sale and ask questions so you don't have to.

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