It hardly ever happens in the theater world that the cast and crew of a production get to have a say in the script writing and musical composition of the work they are performing. But thanks to a happy circumstance, that’s exactly what Nipomo High School drama department students got to do before premiering the […]
Joe Payne
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture
Country Oaks Care Center raises residents’ quality of life with help from Music and Memory
Country Oaks Care Center Activities Director Randi Vargas has worked at the elder care facility for more than 15 years now, she told the Sun, and one of many things she’s noticed is the power of meaningful reconnections with memories, and the joy it brings to the residents there. As more and more residents, many […]
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Presqu’ile Winery presents Summer Concert Series
Presqu’ile Winery in Santa Maria announced its Summer Concert Series event beginning on May 7 with featured artist The Molly Ringwald Project performing live. The concerts will take place in the picturesque Presqu’ile Amphitheater beginning at 5 p.m. with catered food, wine tastings, and plenty of room for dancing. The Presqu’ile Winery Summer Concert Series […]
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St. Petersburg Men’s Ensemble perform classical music in Santa Maria
The renowned vocal quartet from Russia, the St. Petersburg Men’s Ensemble, returns to Santa Maria’s Orthodox Church of the Annunciation on May 10 at 7 p.m. for a concert titled Masterpieces of Russian Choral Music. The program includes Russian Orthodox liturgical hymns and Russian classical romances by composers like Sergei Rachmaninoff, Pyotr Tchaikovsky, and Mikhail […]
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Los Alamos celebrates Mother’s Day with Mariachi Mestizo
A special Mother’s Day celebration in Los Alamos includes a free concert at Ferrini Park featuring live music by Mariachi Mestizo on May 8 from 12:30 to 4 p.m. The Los Alamos Valley Men’s Club will sell picnic lunches for the event including barbecue chicken, rice, beans, salad, bread, and tortillas. The Los Alamos Foundation […]
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Santa Maria Arts Council holds grants showcase
The Santa Maria Arts Council plans to award its 2016 Individual Grants in the Arts during a special showcase event on May 9, where recipients of first and second place in music, dance, and acting will perform, while visual arts winners will display their work. The Arts Council’s Individual Grants in the Arts is a […]
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Lompoc Civic Theatre sings and jokes in the most pious manner with ‘Nunsense’
The Lompoc Civic Theatre (LCT) is an organization that lets its members try new things, step out of their comfort zone, and spread their creative wings. The last production was a great example. In Two Point Oh, a software designer programmed an AI version of himself to live on after his death, with the actor […]
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Local educators to present National Endowment for the Humanities’ film series at Lompoc Library
View a preview of PBS’ Slavery by Another Name. History is a fickle friend, as far as what it reveals about human nature and society. In so many times and places, the brave struggle for humanity has been kicked down, suppressed, and beaten into submission. And even after every success, the established structure inevitably finds […]
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Bowing out: Chris A. Bowman moves on after 20 years directing the Santa Ynez Valley Master Chorale and Orchestra
It may have come as a surprise to fans and those involved in the Santa Ynez Valley Master Chorale and Orchestra, when longtime music director and Maestro Chris A. Bowman announced that he would resign from the position and move on musically, though remain in the area. Bowman began directing the local audition ensemble two […]
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Community Partners in Caring preparing for fundraiser
The Community Partners in Caring—a local nonprofit that offers volunteer assistance to seniors to help them stay active, independent, and safe in their homes—is preparing for their annual fundraiser dinner and auction event happening May 14 at the Santa Maria Country Club. The event will include a live auction, a fiesta-inspired dinner, and live entertainment. […]
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Sweet Adelines provide grant to Youth in Harmony
The Sweet Adelines International’s local chapter, the Tri City Sound, awarded a $1,000 grant to the local chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, the Central Coast Chordsmen, in support of the expenses from the annual Youth in Harmony Festival held last month. Young Women in Harmony coordinator of region 11 for Sweet Adelines International, Janice […]
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Lompoc Valley Master Chorale takes listeners around the world
The Lompoc Valley Master Chorale, directed by Kathleen Abrams Hacker, will perform a concert titled Around the World in 80 Minutes on May 6 and 7. The program is designed to deliver music from across the globe, including England, France, Germany, Russia, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, Russia, Japan, Taiwan, Kenya, and the United States. The two […]
