Christmas Craft Fair
The Christmas Cottage Craft Fair will celebrate its 40th anniversary Nov. 2–4 at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 224 Lovely Street in Avon.
The event will run Thursday, Nov. 2, and Friday, Nov. 3, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. On Saturday, Nov. 4, fair hours are 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
Come see a showcase of beautiful crafts and fine arts for sale by more than 30 local juried artisans. Cash or check accepted, no credit or debit cards. Free admission.
Silent Book Club: Happy hour for introverts
On Nov. 15, extroverts and introverts are invited to join the Presidents College Lifelong Learning Program at the University of Hartford (for adults 50+) for its popular Silent Book Club. It will be held at Real Art Ways in Hartford.
Bring a book of your choice, mingle over snacks for the first and last half hour, and settle into silent reading for the middle hour. Dive into the pleasure of your own book while in the company of others. Plus, you might just catch a glimpse of what to read next. $10 admission includes snacks plus a $5 River Bend Bookshop gift card. Popcorn and drinks available for purchase at concession stand. Wednesday, Nov. 15. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. For more information and registration, visit hartford.edu/pc
FV Chorale sings with symphony orchestra
The Farmington Valley Chorale joins the New Britain Symphony Orchestra in concert on Sunday, Nov. 5, 3 p.m. in Welte Hall on the campus of Central Connecticut State University, 1615 Stanley Street, New Britain.
NBSO is celebrating its 75th anniversary year. Under the direction of Maestro Toshiyuki Shimada, the orchestra will present works by Beethoven, Shostakovich and an Armed Forces medley. Brahms’ Nanie will be sung by the Farmington Valley Chorale, accompanied by the orchestra. The chorale’s artistic director, Dr. Ellen Gilson Voth, will lead the chorale in a contemporary piece entitled I Have Had Singing.
Ticket price is $25 per person. Free for students with a valid ID, and for children 17 years and under. Tickets are available at the door the day of the concert, or by visiting newbritainsymphony.org
Harvest Crafts Fair
The Suffield Fire Department Auxiliary will host the return of its Annual Crafts Fair on Saturday, Nov. 4, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Center Firehouse, 73 Mountain Road (Rte. 168), Suffield.
Craftsmen and local artisans from the area will display numerous items such as jewelry, hand-spun textiles, wooden items, jams/jellies, ornaments, pottery, floral arrangements, homemade jam, jellies, dips and fudge and holiday gift baskets just to name a few. Something for everyone of all ages can be found. This will be the perfect time and place to start your holiday shopping for those unique gifts you’ve been looking for. We are part of the Christmas in Suffield Craft Fairs.
Musical Club Events
The Musical Club of Hartford’s programs are at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2080 Boulevard in West Hartford. Free to club members and students, the programs are open to the public ($5 admission). Ample free off-street parking, wheelchair accessible entry.
Chamber Music Sampler
Thursday, Nov. 2, at 10 a.m., featuring club member musicians and guests performing A Chamber Music Sampler: Works from the Renaissance, Romantic, and Modern Eras.
The concert will run without intermission for about 75 minutes and will include five distinct sets: duos for viola da gamba, madrigals and other songs for mixed vocal consort, Schumann’s Movement I (Introduction) from Piano Sonata No. 1 in F-sharp minor opus 11, Ravel’s Sonate posthume for violin and piano, woodwind trios.
Chamber Music for Piano and…
Thursday, Nov. 16, at 10 a.m. All the pieces will feature pianists in various roles—as soloist, vocal accompanist or ensemble member with other instruments including clarinet, cello, and violin.
The concert will run without intermission for about 75 minutes and will include: Arias for soprano from 20th-century operas, Variations Sérieuses by Felix Mendelssohn for solo piano, Fantasiestücke (Fantasy Pieces) for clarinet and piano by Robert Schumann, the first movement (Allegro con brio) of Trio No. 1 in B-Major, Opus 8 for violin, cello and piano by Johannes Brahms.
South Indian Music, Part 2
On Thursday, Nov. 30, 10 a.m., is this season’s first Musical Exploration program—a multi-faceted, multi-media exploration of the Classical Music of Southern India (Part 2) with host David Schonfeld. Schonfeld’s introductory lecture last season was so absorbing, informative, and fun that audience members enthusiastically requested a return engagement to continue the exploration!