The Classical Beat: At Summer's Apex, Great Music at Tanglewood

by Stephen Dankner06:55AM / Wednesday, August 17, 2022Print Story | Email Story

Come mid-to-late August, classical aficionados are grateful for the cornucopia of musical riches the Boston Symphony bestows to rapt audiences within the incomparably bucolic setting that is Tanglewood. Many of those superlative concerts will reside in our collective memory.

During this penultimate week of the Tanglewood Festival, the spotlight will focus on a range of classical and popular fare in varied genres: from the complete piano works of Brahms performed by the magnificent pianist Garrick Ohlsson, and the return of the beloved violinist Itzhak Perlman, to a celebratory full evening of music by the masterful composer John Williams, and a remembrance of the glories of Broadway giant Stephen Sondheim. It will be a week full of musical riches on many levels. Read on for the details, covering the period Aug. 17 to 23.

Programs in the Koussevitzky Music Shed

• Friday, August 19, 8:00 p.m.: Maestro Keith Lockhart, the Boston Pops, and a stellar cast of Broadway vocalists—Nikki Renée Daniels, Conrad Ricamora, Emily Skinner, and Alton Fitzgerald White— perform in "Remembering Stephen

Sondheim," a special concert dedicated to the brilliant composer and lyricist who passed away last year; the program includes songs from Sondheim's shows: "Follies," "Company," "A Little Night Music," "Sweeney Todd," "Sunday in the Park with George," and "Into the Woods."

• Saturday, August 20, 8:00 p.m.: Tanglewood presents "John Williams—The Tanglewood 90th Birthday Celebration," a festive salute to the beloved film composer and Pops Conductor Laureate, features an all-star lineup: conductor Ken-David Masur, percussionist J. William Hudgins, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, saxophonist Branford Marsalis, bassist Eric Revis, James Taylor, and harpist Jessica Zhou in an evening of Williams' concert music and film scores, performed by the BSO.

• Sunday, August 21, 2:30 p.m.: Returning to Tanglewood since 2011, Itzhak Perlman performs the passionate Max Bruch Violin Concerto in G minor on a BSO program with composer Unsuk Chin's "subito con forza" and Brahms' magisterial Symphony No. 1, led by conductor Dima Slobodeniouk.

Programs in Ozawa Hall

• Thursday, August 18, 8:00 p.m.: The awe-inspiring Garrick Ohlsson continues his survey of Brahms’ piano masterworks with the Second Piano Sonata; Piano Pieces, Op. 118; Three Intermezzi, Op.117 and the Handel Variations and Fugue, Op. 24.

• Sunday, August 21, 8:00 p.m.: The Tanglewood Learning Institute presents MacArthur Fellow and genre-defying singer-songwriter Cécile McLorin Salvant, who will perform selections from her new album "Ghost Song," which features

everything from torch songs to Sondheim-style musical theater dialogues, ancient folk melodies, and jazz meditations.

• Tuesday, August 23, 8:00 p.m.: Garrick Ohlsson continues his traversal of Brahms' complete piano works with the third of four recitals, which will include: Two Rhapsodies, Op. 79; Seven Fantasies, Op. 116; Variations on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 35, Book 2; and Sonata No. 3 in F minor, Op. 5.

Conversation in the Linde Center

• Thursday, August 18, 1:00-2:00 p.m.: "TLI In Conversation" presents conductor Dima Slobodeniouk and host Asadour Santourian in Studio E.

For tickets for these and for all Tanglewood/BSO concerts (lawn and Shed seating) and for special events call (617) 266-1200 or 888-266-1200 or go to tanglewood.org.

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Pittsfield Council Revisiting DEI Office Rename

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
04:11PM / Tuesday, October 13, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The conversation about the DEI office renaming that was halted by a charter objection will resume on Tuesday.

The City Council will discuss a request from Mayor Peter Marchetti to rename the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

It proposes to rename the DEI office to the Office of Equity, Access, and Opportunity and merge the Human Rights Commission and Affirmative Action Committee into an Equity, Access and Opportunity Commission.

The Ordinance and Rules Subcommittee supported the changes in August, and in September, Ward 2 Councilor Cameron Cunningham delayed the vote with a charter objection.

Pittsfield's City Code prohibits charter states that "if a single member present objects to the taking of the vote, the vote shall be postponed until the next meeting of the city council." It also stipulates that at least four members must object if it is an emergency measure.

Cunningham also submitted a petition, which was referred to O&R under Rule 27, to replace the DEI Office and the Human Rights Commission with an equity, access, and opportunity coordinator in the Department of Community Development, with formal complaints and Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action functions assigned to Human Resources.

At the last meeting, he spent more than an hour querying the mayor and chief diversity officer about functions and effectiveness of the department, wanting more quantitative data. Cunningham proposed an ordinance that he says keeps Pittsfield's commitment to equity, access, and opportunity, "refocuses it on measurable results for our residents, and delivers it at a fraction of the current cost."

Under this petition, the equity, access, and opportunity coordinator would be a $60,000 to $80,000 per year position.

The DEI Office's fiscal year 2027 budget was about $200,000 after cuts during budget season; $106,700 for the chief diversity officer and $58,000 for the administrative assistant. The coordinator would be appointed by the director of community development and the mayor.

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