OLLI at BCC to Host Berkshire Lyric Artistic Director Jack Brown

03:26PM / Monday, May 11, 2026Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Berkshire Community College (OLLI at BCC) Distinguished Speakers Series presents "Engaging with Bach and His Saint Matthew Passion" with Jack Brown, artistic director of Berkshire Lyric, on Wednesday, May 13 at 9 a.m.

The talk precedes Berkshire Lyric's presentation of J.S. Bach's "Saint Matthew Passion" on Sunday, May 31 at Tanglewood's Seiji Ozawa Hall.

The talk will be presented in person at Berkshire Community College and online via Zoom. Admission is $10 for OLLI at BCC members, $15 for the general public, and free for students, staff and faculty from Berkshire Community College, MCLA, and Williams College; youth ages 17 and under; and those holding WIC, EBT/SNAP, or ConnectorCare cards.

To register for the event, visit https://berkshireolli.org/event-6667136.

Brown will explore the background of this three-hour monumental work that many believe may be the greatest single work of music in the entire western canon. Bach's dramatic and poetic power tells a grand story of betrayal, judgment, sacrifice and death. Above all, it is the story of the power of love, stated a press release.

"Saint Matthew Passion" was not conceived as a concert work or as an opera, but as a transformative ritual that continues to reach across time and space. It has special resonance not only with professional musicians and scholars, but also with amateurs and the broader public. In this program, Brown will delve deep into parts of the music and share his behind-the-scenes view of the intense preparation required for the concert. The massive work calls for two choruses, a children's chorus, two orchestras and six top-level vocal soloists, continued a press release.

Artistic Director of Berkshire Lyric Jack Brown brings a wide range of musical experience to the region's oldest and largest choral organization.

Brown has conducted the Berkshire Lyric Chorus since 2007.

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Second Streets Second Chances Awarded $85K for Workforce Re-Entry Program

By Brittany Polito03:00PM / Monday, September 28, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A local program for formerly incarcerated citizens seeking a technical career received $85,000 from the state.

On Thursday, the Healey-Driscoll administration announced $2.25 million in Re-entry Workforce Development Demonstration Program grants to 12 organizations that will provide job training, career support, and employment opportunities to 445 formerly incarcerated individuals returning to their communities.

Second Street Second Chances was allocated $84,712 to partner with the Berkshire County Sheriff's Office to offer a training program to 12 returning citizens with a focus on the advanced manufacturing and engineering industry.

The funds will be used to put 12 returning citizens through a training program with a focus on the advanced manufacturing and engineering industry. Successful program graduates will be placed in manufacturing and welding roles at Onyx Specialty Papers and Hi-Tech Mold and Tool.

The program was one of 12 awardees, a majority on the eastern side of the state; Greenfield also saw funding.

"When people return to their communities, they should have a real opportunity to get a good job, support their families and build a stable future," said Gov. Maura Healey in a press release.

"These grants connect people with the training and experience they need to succeed and with employers that are ready to hire."

Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll said successful reentry means making sure people have the tools and opportunities to move forward, and these programs bring together community organizations, public safety partners, and employers to connect people directly with training and jobs.

Launched in 2022, Second Street Second Chances' mission is to provide a central point of access for medical and mental health, housing, job training, legal services, and more for a successful reentry into the community.

Early this year, the nonprofit saw an $89,000 grant from the program. Executive Director Lindsay Cornwell at the time said this funding allowed 2nd Street to expand its mission of supporting returning citizens in Berkshire County through meaningful workforce opportunities and a pathway toward sustainable employment.

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