Out There!
Jan. 26—RANDOM ACT
Barbershop brother- and sisterhood
Any barbershop chorus performance is bound to lift spirits, but two joint concerts involving the Santa Fe Harmonizers and Los Alamos-based Lasses and Lads of Enchantment are specifically designed to brighten moods after a few difficult years.
Those challenging years included a long pause amid the pandemic, when stage acts mostly had to perform remotely — a difficult feat for large groups of coordinated singers. In fact, this weekend's performances were postponed from late October because of COVID-19 illnesses.
So, what is a barbershop chorus? It's a large group — in this case, men and women — performing in barbershop quartet style, sometimes numbering more than 100. This weekend's concerts in Los Alamos and Santa Fe will feature about 40 people each, including members of Sound Check, a quartet based in Salt Lake City. They'll be led by Maurice Sheppard, who serves as the director of both New Mexico choruses.
The theme of the weekend's concerts is "I Believe in Music" — the name of one of the songs the choruses will perform, Sheppard says. Others include "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" from the film The Lion King, "God Bless America," "This is My Country," and "You and Only You."
details
* 7 p.m. Friday, January 26
* 2525 Canyon Road, Los Alamos
* $5-$15
* 505-660-0484, 505-672-9371; bit.ly/3KpA4e7
* 7 p.m. Saturday, January 27
* St. John's United Methodist Church, 1200 Old Pecos Trail
* $5-$15
* 505-596-0350; bit.ly/3rS6ck
The choruses use several methods to attract members, Sheppard says.
"We try to sing in public; we sang down on the Plaza on the Fourth of July," he says. "We have been to retirement homes to sing. We did two or three sing-outs over Christmas. We did "The Star-Spangled Banner" and some other stuff for the opening ceremonies of the [Walk to End Alzheimer's]. So getting out in public is one way, word of mouth from members is another way, and we typically have a guest night where everybody invites somebody to come and do a rehearsal."
The choruses are not religiously affiliated but often perform at churches because they offer good acoustics, Sheppard says.
Those interested in learning more or attending a rehearsal can leave their name and contact information with people selling and accepting tickets at this weekend's shows, Sheppard says, or visit laloe.org.
At least one face in the chorus will be familiar to theater lovers in Santa Fe. Bear Schacht portrayed the bird, snail, lizard, father frog, and mole — but not a bear — in Santa Fe Playhouse's A Year with Frog and Toad in late 2022, then was in Tri-M Productions' I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change and A Grand Night for Singing in 2023.
"Bear and I have been singing together since he was 15," Sheppard says of Schacht, who's now 29. "He has been involved in this for a long time and is one of our more enthusiastic members. I love the guy." — Brian Sandford
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FOR THE EARS
details
* 3 p.m. Saturday, January 27, and Sunday, January 28
* St. Francis Auditorium
* 107 W. Palace Avenue
* 3 p.m. February 4
* Central United Methodist Church
* 201 University Boulevard NE, Albuquerque
'World' music
The Zia Singers' mission is championing the love and craft of women's choral music. For its winter program, the group will sing for the love of the planet.
Santa Fe's Zia Singers perform two concert series each year: serious, traditional, or contemporary choral music each winter, followed by a spring program focused on pop and Broadway music. This year's winter program is Tuvayhun — Beatitudes for a Wounded World. The program by Norwegian composer Kim André Arnesen is described as drawing "inspiration from the Beatitudes, weaving ancient and new texts into a vibrant tapestry of music."
The Zia Singers, directed by Aaron Howe, offers spot performances at locations such as retirement homes and fundraisers. The nonprofit group of about 50 members rehearses from 9:30 to 11:45 a.m. Tuesdays. Auditions are set for February 6 at St. Bede's Episcopal Church, 550 W. San Mateo Road; those trying out perform a song of their choice and one chosen by Zia Singers. Contact Barbara Reider at 505-986-0541 or barbarareider1@gmail.com. — B.S.
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SCREEN TIME
Heart of stained glass
A 10-foot stained glass window created by Theresa Cashman, the owner of Santa Fe's TLC Stained Glass, was recently featured in an episode of the reality TV show Rico to the Rescue.
details
* TLC Stained Glass
* 1730 Camino Carlos Rey, Suite 100
* 505-372-6259; theresa@tlcstainedglass.com
Original episodes of the show, hosted by contractor Rico León, air on HGTV. The episode featuring Cashman, Two-Story Troubles, re-airs on HGTV at 8 a.m. Saturday, January 27; 4 p.m. Tuesday, January 30; and 6 a.m. February 8. It also is available on Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, and Vudu, she says.
In an email, Cashman says she was invited to create a transom window for a Colorado family dealing with a contractor ordeal, and she designed a window depicting bison and sunflowers to remind them of their home country, Ukraine.
According to a description on HGTV's website, León "resolves conflicts between emotionally and financially stressed homeowners and their builders to turn renovation and construction nightmares into dream homes."
HGTV's programming focuses on home improvement and real estate. Rico to the Rescue is in its second season. — B.S.
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details
* The Grille at Quail Run
* 3101 Old Pecos Trail
* 505-795-7218; quailrunsantafe.com
ON THE WALL
Mirror images
Ana Malczewski Valles has worked as a server and bartender at The Grille at Quail Run for more than six years.
Recently, the restaurant began showcasing her artistic skills — first via the 66-by-36-inch acrylic/gouache-on-mirror painting Toda Catrina Vive Bajo Luz de Vela, followed by Sunset is the Color of First Thanksgiving, which is the same size.
The first is Halloween-themed and was on display for more than a month; the second is autumn-themed. They're part of an unofficial series at the restaurant, with Valles set to continue creating themed works for display in the entrance area. — B.S.
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Gallery news
Obscura is back in a flash
Obscura Gallery is moving to a new home.
The photography gallery, opened by Jennifer Schlesinger in 2016, will be relocating from its space near the Railyard to a new spot just off Canyon Road.
The gallery's new home is at 225 Delgado Street (505-577-6708; obscuragallery.net), and it opened its doors to the new location on January 17.
Schlesinger is inviting the public to an open house to warm the new space on Saturday, January 27, from 1 to 5 p.m.
Schlesinger formerly worked as the director of Verve Gallery of Photography, and Obscura represents work from the 19th century to the modern day. — Spencer Fordin
