Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz
Scibelli Hall, Springfield Technical Community College
Thursday, Feb. 29 at 12 p.m.
Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz, the daughter of the late activists Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz, will speak at Springfield Technical Community College as part of the college’s celebration of Black History Month. Shabazz, an accomplished educator, author and activist, will share her insights and experiences rooted in the rich legacy of African American history and culture. In her work to preserve the legacy of her parents, she has dedicated herself to institution-building and intergenerational leadership development with the tenets of diversity, equity and inclusion.
The Ongoing Relevance of the 1704 Raid on Deerfield
Historic Deerfield
Thursday, Feb. 29 at 7 p.m. on Zoom
Thursday, Feb. 29 marks the 320th anniversary of the Raid on Deerfield. Dr. Alice Nash, Associate Professor of History at UMass Amherst, will present “The Ongoing Relevance of the 1704 Raid on Deerfield.” The talk will be a reflection on the relevance of 1704 in 2024, and an invitation to continue thinking about how this event and this place remain relevant for descendants, historical institutions, and the public.
Jose Gonzalez and Banda Criolla
Marigold Theater, Easthampton
Friday, March 1 at 7 p.m.
It’s a Latin dance night at the Marigold Theater. Jose Guitarist, composer and virtuoso Cuatro player, Jose Gonzalez, is one of the top performers of contemporary Latin music. Acclaimed for his original compositions featuring “the Cuatro”, (Puerto Rico’s national instrument), his eleven self-produced recordings have been featured on NBC, PBS, CNN, cable TV, as well as four “Putumayo World Music” CDs.
Music @ Amherst Presents: Terri Lyne Carrington and Social Science
Buckley Recital Hall, Amherst College
Friday, March 1 at 7:30 p.m.
Galvanized by seismic changes in the ever-evolving social and political landscape, Terri Lyne Carrington and Social Science confront a wide spectrum of social justice issues. The band’s stunning double-disc debut, Waiting Game, immediately takes its place in the stirring lineage of politically conscious and activist music, expressing an unflinching, inclusive and compassionate view of humanity’s breaks and bonds through an expansive program melding jazz, R&B, indie rock, contemporary improvisation and hip-hop.
2024 Spring Bulb Show
Lyman Conservatory, Smith College
Saturday, March 2 – Sunday, March 17
It’s that time of year again, when the Lyman Conservatory provides a preview of spring colors and scents with over 9,000 bulbs brought to flower. The show will once again feature a student-commissioned art installation. Building on the success of last year’s inaugural commission, five students were selected this year through an open call.
Dr. Seuss Birthday Party 2024
Springfield Museums
Saturday, March 2 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
It’s an all-day salute to beloved children’s author and Springfield-native Theodor Seuss Geisel on his 120th birthday. There will be meet and greets with The Cat in the Hat and The Lorax, and a huge assortment of games and activities. Free with museum admission.
Metropolitan Opera Radio Broadcast
Listeners’ Choice: Verdi’s Ernani
Listen Saturday, March 2 at 1 p.m. on Classical NEPM
This year’s Listeners’ Choice broadcast chosen by the Met’s international radio audience: is Verdi’s Ernani. The performance from 1962 features a breathtaking lineup of legendary stars. Carlo Bergonzi sings the title role of the mysterious outlaw; Leontyne Price is his beloved, the fiery noblewoman Elvira; Cornell MacNeil is Carlo, king of Spain; and Giorgio Tozzi is the vengeful Silva. Maestro Thomas Schippers conducted the Met Orchestra and Chorus in this thrilling score by the young Verdi.
Ballet Hispánico
The Mahaiwe, Great Barrington
Saturday, March 2 at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Ballet Hispánico is one of the nation’s most renowned Latino dance organizations and one of America’s Cultural Treasures. For 50 years Ballet Hispánico has been bringing communities together to celebrate and explore Latino cultures through innovative dance performances, transformative dance training, and enduring community engagement experiences. A role model in and for the Latino community, it inspires creativity and social awareness in our neighborhoods and across the country by providing access to arts education.
Karan Casey
Bombyx, Florence
Saturday, March 2, at 7 p.m.
Karan Casey has long been recognized as one of the most innovative, provocative and imitated voices in Irish traditional and folk music. Singing songs charged with a sense of social responsibility in a career spanning over 25 years, Karan has released 7 solo albums as well as an album for children, and a duet album with John Doyle.
Plus! A traditional Irish feast with Chef O'Brian Tomalin of Sierra Grille will be offered before the show. Tickets to the family-style dinner are available on the ticketing page.
Illumine and Mount Holyoke Glee Club: Partly Cloudy
Abbey Chapel, Mount Holyoke College
Saturday, March 2, at 7 p.m.
Illumine will join the Mount Holyoke Glee Club to perform "Partly Cloudy." a program of music founded on long-standing friendships — Arianne Abela, Colin Britt and Debi Wong were classmates at the Yale School of Music. Arianne is now the Director of the Choral Program at Amherst College, and the conductor of Illumine (formerly Illuminati) Vocal Arts Ensemble ; Colin, is in his first year as Director of Choral Studies at Mount Holyoke; Debi is an internationally acclaimed mezzo soprano. The program includes British composer Jonathan Dove’s extraordinary “The Passing of the Year,” for double chorus and piano.
The Nields
The Drake
Saturday, March 2 at 8 p.m.
The Nields, the beloved local rock band, are releasing their twenty-first album, Circle of Days. During the pandemic, Nerissa and Katryna Nields, the band's frontwomen, took a daily walk with their beloved dogs, Greta and Hudson. The destination was a nearby lake, where Katryna would take a daily photo. Inspired by the ever-shifting seasons, they came to realize that each of Nerissa’s new songs could be intimately connected to a particular time of year, forming a musical cycle. Sweet!
Rotunda Rhythms: Klezamir
Central Library Rotunda, Springfield
Sunday, March 3 at 1 p.m.
Klezamir, New England’s dynamic roots klezmer band has been together since 1987. They serve up traditional and original Jewish favorites as well as a great selection of rock, pop, swing, country and more — all with a klezmer band twist. My guess: the acoustics in the rotunda will be superb!
Da Capo Chamber Players
Bezanson Hall, UMass
Sunday, March 3 at 4:30 p.m.
The Da Capo Chamber Players has been hailed by The New Yorker as a "distinguished ensemble...at the center of the New York new-music scene for forty-five years." They bring exciting American music to other destinations around the world, and present music of global cultures for American audiences. This free concert will include Tania Leon’s “One Mo' Time,” Jason Eckardt’s “Rendition,” Joan Tower’s “Big Sky,” and more.
Lou Wallach: Photographs
On view through Sunday, April 28
Salmon Falls Gallery, Shelburne Falls
Lou Wallach’s body of work comes after over twenty years in a career in commercial photography. The ability to take photographs without the parameters of commercial assignments, gives him the opportuinty to relish in awe of the natural world. A resident of Stockbridge, Lou is also a skilled wood turner, and his wood vessels are on display year round at Salmon Falls Gallery.