When it comes to finding exciting people who are adding to the quality of life in Southeastern CT, it’s as easy as humming do-re-me. And here are two that hit just the right notes! We talked with John Metz, Waterford about Piano Works’ new chamber music series showcasing world-class musicians in New London.
John is its founder and artistic director, and he told the Resident, “Two summers ago I found myself lamenting that there was not a good place for chamber music in downtown New London. You need a mid-size room (seating maybe about 250), good acoustics, good sight lines, parking, handicap access and a really good piano. Well — All Souls Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 19 Jay Street, met all those criteria except the piano.”
John, a Julliard graduate and Professor Emeritus of Harpsichord, Arizona State College (ASU), added “I had at home a nice seven-foot grand, only two years old. Then in the fall of ‘07 I fell in love with another seven-foot grand and bought it – a Schimmel. I donated the first grand to All Souls and formed a board of directors, arranged the non-profit status, got my son-in-law to do the web site, selected the artists, and voila!” John, a member of All Souls, mentioned, “Piano Works is a separate entity both fiscally and organizationally.”
John and his wife, Barbara Bailey-Metz, a distinguished cellist and retired ASU educator, make music together for the past 28 years. As a duo, they perform throughout the country, record, teach piano, cello, and viola da Gamba to young people who are genuinely interested in music from their home in Waterford.
The Resident interviewers listened to superb romantic Baroque music with Barbara playing on her cello dating from 1886, and John on his new Schimmel piano, which was sent from Germany in several parts and assembled by Caruso’s Music, State Street in New London.
The Metz duo tour the country when they are not teaching, and performed in Tucson and Los Angeles. They will be playing later this year in Charleston, SC.
Even though it is near the end of this season’s series of recitals, the Transcontinental Piano Duo – piano for four hands – will be performing at All Souls on April 19th at 4 p.m.
John also reported, “Piano Works is going to try to include art exhibits at the time of the concerts. Celebrated CT artist, Ruth Sussler, is going to mount a little show of some of her paintings and sculpture just for the next concert. Something for the eyes and ears!”
Visit the Piano Works website at www.pianoworks.org regularly for updates, schedule of performance and bios of the gifted musicians for the new season, which begins in September. Mark your calendars and you might even get a chance to hear Barbara on the cello and John on piano. They make beautiful music together!
Here are some vitals about the upcoming “Runners in Support of Education…and Walkers, too!” The North Stonington Grange Fairgrounds, Wyassup Road, is where the 5K road race, the two mile fitness walk, and the children’s races begin and end. Pickup is also held at the Grange from 8:30-9:45 a.m. on May 23rd. Proceeds from the event go to the North Stonington Education Foundation. For pre-registered runners and walkers, ages three and up, there will be free T-shirts, while available. After the race, it’s chow time, so be ready for hamburgers, hot dogs, home baked goodies, soda, and bottled water. For more information, call Bob Lohmann, Race Director, at 860.889.5543.
The North Stonington resident pointed out that “last year’s overall winners were Spenser Rogers, Quaker Hill, for the men, and Allison Gallerani, Uncasville, for the women. The course is the same scenic one as in past years. It’s moderately rolling. There’s nothing excessive about it.” As for overall participation, “Well, it’s not as much as I thought I would get,” Bob commented. “Last year 57 ran the race, and we had a few more runners the year before.” But the last two years are an improvement over the first year when “we had slightly over forty runners. In truth, I’d like to see eighty to one-hundred participants this year.”
Brace yourself: over a 15-year period, Bob competed in 58 triathlons. “I do typically four a year,” he said. “Two are sprints. Another is the Olympic distance, (0.9 mile swim, 24 mile bike, and a 6.2 mile run), and another’s the Half-Ironman (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run).”
Bob started running, swimming, and biking about 15 years ago, when he was 50. He said, “I was working at Electric Boat at the time, and I was working out at the fitness center. I was getting bored on the machines, and I asked the woman in charge, Donna Kay Ness, if she thought I could do a triathlon. Donna is a successful triathlete. In fact, she won the Hawaiian Ironman twice in her age group. I think she’s working at Springfield College now. I told her I knew how to swim but running and biking I haven’t done in years. She said, ‘Sure, you can do it.’ So she gave me a lot of ideas, and I trained, and I did the Mystic Sprint Triathlon and finished and the rest, as they say, is history.”
Final points: First, running is the most difficult event for Bob, swimming the easiest, and biking somewhere in between. Second, he has advice for anyone interested in an exercise program. “You can start at any age,” he said. “You just have to start slowly and sensibly. If it’s running or jogging, go from one telephone pole to the next. Then walk a few. And you’ll gradually build up strength and stamina.”
Looking back, now a successful Hollywood screenwriter Jason Filardi, has fond memories of his hometown of Mystic. “I loved growing up in Mystic – such a great place to raise a family, it was like a Norman Rockwell painting, my parents were really supportive of me. I look forward to coming home for visits,” said Jason.
Throughout his life he enjoyed reading and seeing films such as original “Star Wars” which he saw seven times the first year it was out. It wasn’t until he went to Cutler Middle School where English teachers Andrea Ackerman and Terry Purcell creatively stimulated him. “Mr. Purcell would always make class interesting by incorporating acting with the text. It was there where I started enjoying to write short stories and become more aware to what I was interested in.”
When his brother, also a famed screenwriter, Peter Filardi went out to Hollywood and became a success with the film “Flat Liners,” Jason realized what he wanted to do with his life and he moved to Los Angeles. At first he struggled with finding an agent and getting his scripts out to producers. While in Los Angeles, he had an acting debut as a medic on his brother Peter’s film “The Craft.”
By never giving in, Jason achieved success with writing scripts for films “Bringing Down the House,” “Drum,” and recently “17 Again” with Zach Efron and Matthew Perry.
Many agree that both brothers are in comparison to the Farelly brothers of Rhode Island in regards to their combined accomplishments. “It’s funny, we sometimes never step back and look and see what we accomplished but its an honor to be compared with them.” Jason later added, “The secrete to our success is persistence and hard work. Also in regards to making a career in show business know that going in you are not guaranteed anything. LA has a great way of weeding out the weak, even if you have connections, you still need to have the talent to prove you’re worthy.”
Jason Filardi is coming back home to present the annual Cutler Middle School Student Academy Awards on June 15th at the Olde Mistick Village Art Cinemas.
I’m not typically a morning person, but when I was asked to cover this event, all I thought was, “If there’s coffee, I’m there!” Sure enough, when I arrived at Panera Bread, Waterford, there was a coffee cup waiting there with my name on it. The room was filled with businessmen and women ready learn about networking at the Business 2 Business event, held by the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT and sponsored by PrimExcellence.
Angela Arnold, Director of Marketing and Business Development, CorePlus Federal Credit Union and the 59th Annual Citizen of the Year, offered her networking skills and tips of the trade. Angela said, “Volunteer, volunteer, volunteer.” Volunteering helps you meet new people and that is the first step to networking. She also suggested joining a Rotary or a Chamber of Commerce. One skill that works well for her is to ask about something personal when she meets someone new, like their birthday and puts it in her calendar. Since following up is key in networking, she will send an e-mail or a card when their birthday comes along. Angela says, “Networking does not always have to be business related.”
After Angela taught networking, Barry Runyan, President, PrimExcellence, explained the process of speed networking, which everyone was going to participate in and have a chance to use Angela’s tips. Barry said speed networking is a lot like speed dating: five minute sessions to chat with the person across from you. The process began and the room filled with energy as networking among the 26 people happened. It was an exciting thing to watch.
As long as there is coffee, I might consider attending the next event like this, to improve my networking skills.
The Voluntown Peace Trust (VPT), held an Art Show to raise money on March 28th with artists from around New England and New York. The artists were asked to donate a percentage of their sales in return for a gallery spot, to help maintain VPT’s historic property and advance its mission of social change and sustainable living. The artists replied with a resounding “Yes!”
In all, 26 pieces of art were sold, raising $1,082.00 for VPT. For more information on VPT, future events, and to view a sampling of the artists’ work, visit www.VoluntownPeaceTrust.org.
When it comes to finding exciting people who are adding to the quality of life in Southeastern CT, it’s as easy as humming do-re-me. And here are two that hit just the right notes! We talked with John Metz, Waterford about Piano Works’ new chamber music series showcasing world-class musicians in New London.
