Clark Art Concerts at the Conforti Series

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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — A new concert series at the Clark Art Institute, Concerts at the Conforti, kicks off on Saturday, Jan. 28 with an afternoon performance of new classical music at 3 pm followed by an evening show of electronic music at 7 pm. 
 
Both events are presented in the Michael Conforti Pavilion at the Clark.
 
The American Modern Opera Company (AMOC) performs the afternoon concert featuring music composed and arranged by AMOC musicians. According to a press release, Doug Balliett, Emi Ferguson, Jordan Dodson, and Keir GoGwilt create a unique blend of folk, baroque, and classical influences to tell musical stories about journeys across the Camino de Santiago, the Irish Sea, and the continental United States. Combining spoken narration, song, and virtuosic instrumental playing, this program tells compelling stories about the dreams, desires, and difficulties that draw folks away from home.
 
Sam Prekop and Greg Davis headline the evening concert, presented in partnership with Belltower Records (North Adams, Massachusetts), with Western Massachusetts' own Wednesday Knudsen and Kryssi Batallene opening. 
 
According to a press release, for more than twenty-five years, as a solo artist and as a part of The Sea and Cake, Sam Prekop has created a sound that is both inventive and warm. His distinctive vocals, guitar playing, and work on modular analog synthesizers are innovative and delicate, and always bear his signature sense of melody. Greg Davis is an internationally recognized electronic musician and composer who has been making records and playing shows since 2001. Wednesday Knudsen and Kryssi Batallene are noted for their performance in solo and collaborative projects such as those with Pigeons, Mountain Movers, and Headroom. Both are local to the greater western Massachusetts/New York State region.
 
Tickets to either the afternoon or evening concert are $10 for general admission, $8 for members, and $7 for students. A ticket for either event admits the ticket holder to both performances. For more information and to register, visit clarkart.edu/events.
 
The next Concerts at the Conforti performance, presented by Bill Nace and Matt Krefting, is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 5 at 3 pm in the Michael Conforti Pavilion.

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Mount Greylock School Committee Moving Superintendent Evaluation to Fall

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.—The Mount Greylock Regional School Committee this month discussed moving its evaluation of the superintendent from the spring to the fall starting in 2027.
 
Chair Julia Bowen brought the idea to the table as part of her proposed calendar for the committee's work during the 2026-27 academic year, saying that a move to the autumn will allow the committee to factor data from the preceding year into its evaluation.
 
"To the extent that [Superintendent Joseph Bergeron's] goals are tied to school performance and, specifically, MCAS [scores], we don't get that or other end of school year summative information until the fall," Bowen said. "Many schools I've worked with and know of actually moved their school leader evaluation to the fall so they can take advantage of all the data that's actually available, rather than doing it in the June time frame.
 
"The other point on that is, as it is, we otherwise vote for Joe's goals in September/October and evaluate him in May, and that's not a year. If we can do it fall to fall, we actually get a full year of work from when we agree on the goals."
 
The committee's most experienced member, Carolyn Greene, raised a concern about breaking with the practice of completing the evaluation process in May and June.
 
"It feels natural to evaluate a superintendent at the close of a school year, not the beginning of a school year," Greene said. "We're still in it in May and June. We're still in it in terms of our mindsets. Sometimes we don't meet in July. We come back in August and do a ‘retreat.' We're now meant to hit the ground running with an evaluation in September based on the work of the previous school year. And the reason is we don't get all the data from the previous school year until September.
 
"The rhythm is off for me. But it could just be that I'm so used to the previous rhythm. I don't want to oppose it. I just do have some reservations about it."
 
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