Jazz Extravaganza At Ventfort Hall

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LENOX, Mass. — The Prima Music Foundation returns to Ventfort Hall with their jazz concert on Sunday, June 28 at 5:30 pm. 
 
This is the opening concert for the Prima Music Institute & Festival week June 28 to July 5.
 
According to a press release: 
 
An unforgettable evening of timeless music awaits, featuring the captivating artistry of George W. Michael on saxophone and clarinet, alongside the dynamic Michael Shirtz on piano and vocals. Adding a special highlight to the evening, Prima Music Foundation Young Scholar Artois Sancho will take the stage as a featured guest artist. Audiences will enjoy beloved classics from the Great American Songbook, with music by George Gershwin, Cole Porter, and Irving Berlin, among others, in a vibrant celebration of jazz, song, and timeless American artistry.
 
George W. Michael is a New York City–based saxophonist, clarinetist, educator, composer, and arranger with more than 20 years of experience as a performer and music educator. He holds degrees from The University of Texas and Bowling Green State University, and has spent the last 12 years teaching music with the New York City Department of Education.
 
As a performer, George has appeared at venues and educational programs throughout New York City, including the Carnegie Hall Music Educators Workshop, NYC Jazz Workshop, and with the Michael Shirtz Quartet. His musical influences span a wide spectrum of jazz and contemporary music, with artists such as Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, and Herbie Hancock.
 
Michael Shirtz is a performer, educator, composer, and conductor whose work bridges jazz, contemporary, and classical music. Known for his expressive vocals and inventive arrangements, he performs as a solo artist and with the Michael Shirtz Quartet, blending jazz and singer-songwriter traditions in programs that celebrate the Great American Songbook and American musical heritage. He has collaborated with artists including Melissa Manchester, Maureen McGovern, Evelyn Wright, and Elizabeth von Trapp.
 
An accomplished conductor and music director, Shirtz has led educational, theatrical, symphonic, and festival productions with organizations such as the State Theatre Repertory Company, Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland, and the Firelands Symphony Orchestra. His original works include compositions for jazz, choir, theater, and large-scale musical narratives. In June 2026, he will make his Carnegie Hall conducting debut leading Gabriel Fauré's Requiem.
 
Shirtz currently serves on the faculty of The Ohio State University School of Music, where he teaches applied and jazz voice, and continues to advocate for community engagement, creativity, and music education through his artistic and educational work.
 
Artois Sancho is a dedicated music student at the Berkshire Music School in Pittsfield, where he studies piano with Anastasia Dedik and Amy Renak. A rising junior at Wahconah Regional High School, 15-year-old Artois is an accomplished flutist in the school's concert band and a regular participant in the annual MMEA District Music Festival as well as Prima Music Institute & Festival. Artois was awarded a full talent scholarship by to return to PMIF in the summer of 2026. In addition to his musical pursuits, Artois is a competitive swimmer and a proud member of the Wahconah Warriors swim team, which has earned the title of Berkshire South Division Champions twice during his time on the team.
 
Tickets are $45 general admission. Members receive a discount code for $5 off all ticket prices. Reservations are required as seats are limited. For reservations click for tickets or call (413) 637-3206. Note that all tickets are nonrefundable and non-exchangeable. The historical mansion is located at 104 Walker Street in Lenox.
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A Boutique Hotel is Bringing Guests a Luxury Stay in Lenox

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

LENOX, Mass. — A new Inn is bringing a boutique-style stay for visitors and locals to enjoy.

Owners, Sullivan Capital LLC, purchased the property, located on 135 Main Street, in 2024. After a year or renovations, Garden Gables Inn is open for business. 

"Garden Gables started off as one of the many Berkshire cottages, 1790 was the date on that, and it's always operated as an inn," said Hospitality Manager Yvonne Walton. "It's just a great gathering place and relaxation spot for people to come and get the feel of Lenox, and just slow down and enjoy the nature and the surrounding area...get culture and art and see some great concerts. I think it'll be a wonderful place, definitely does more of the upper-scale hospitality." 

Owners Niko Giallouis and Eric Sullivan bought the property from the former owner. Sullivan had his eye on Lenox since attending a wedding almost 10 years ago.

"I came to a wedding in Lenox, probably six or seven years ago. Personally, just kind of fell in love with the area, and I guess that's kind of how it got on my radar. So you know from that perspective, as we got into the hotel business out towards an area, it was a place I was kind of monitoring and waiting for the right property to show up."

After purchasing the two underwent a full renovation, a project that cost around $1.5 million. The building, first built in 1780, required some TLC. Sullivan's wife, Jessica, who owns Jessica Sullivan Design, designed the inn.

Sullivan said they installed a new roof, repainted everything, renovated the bathrooms, installed new floors, a new HVAC system, and new plumbing.

"We really touched everything from the outside...I mean, all the aesthetics and layouts changed a bit," he said. "As I said, put about a million and a half into it. All new furniture, fixtures, everything. The design's completely different. It wasn't a full gut, but it was a heavy, heavy renovation."

The two like to collaborate with local businesses, and they make a point to direct visitors to local restaurants, businesses, and attractions.

"If guests are asking for recommendations, our customer service team, our guest services team, will relay that kind of information. Even if we can call and make a reservation for somebody, happy to do it," he said. "We aren't doing breakfast, but what we do is we have partnerships with a lot of the breakfast places downtown. We actually purchase a gift certificates for each person each day, so that they can use that to go downtown."

Sullivan hopes that guests don't see their inn as just a place to sleep and dump their bags, but make it an experience for anyone who stays.

"We really focus on kind of the experience side of things, so again, we want to give you the best experience you can have here...and we want that not just to be the place you put your bag and go do things. It's important to think of everything," he said.

Sullivan said partnerships are important to their business and are a way to connect with locals.

"The local partnerships, I can't stress that enough, because no matter how much and how great the room is, people are still going to want to go do other things," he said. "So, I think it just benefits everybody if we're all working together and so forth, and supporting the community, being neighborly too, because we are surrounded by residential homes...But we really try to put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, a lot of love into the building, all the details, really care about the senses," Sullivan said.

The Inn's check-in and reservations are completely online. When guests arrive, all they have to do is check in online and receive their code that they will use to enter their room. Sullivan hopes this helps create less stress for guests and gets them to their room as fast as possible, especially after a long trip.

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