The Lookout: Chamber music plays at Port meetinghouse

Clarinetist Thomas Hill and pianist Randall Hodgkinson lead off the Jean Wilson Concert Series at Newburyport's First Religious Society with a program of chamber music on Sunday at 4 p.m.

The musicians, both of whom are members of the Boston Chamber Music Society, will perform "Sonatina" by Malcolm Arnold, the Bernstein "Sonata for Clarinet and Piano," and Brahms' "Sonatas" for clarinet and piano.

In addition to serving as the Boston Philharmonic's principal clarinetist, Hill has appeared with both the Boston Symphony and the Boston Pops. He has also been principal clarinetist with the New Haven Symphony, the Long Beach Symphony, the Handel and Haydn Society Orchestra of Boston, the Mainly Mozart Festival Orchestra, the San Diego Symphony and the Cascade Festival Orchestra in Oregon. He holds both bachelor's and master's degrees with honors from the New England Conservatory of Music.

Hodgkinson won the International American Music Competition for pianists sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation. He has appeared frequently as recitalist and soloist with the Philadelphia, Boston, Atlanta and Buffalo symphonies, New England Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra and Newton Symphony. He studied at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and New England Conservatory of Music. His solo CD, "Petrouschka and Other Prophesies," received a double five-star rating from BBC magazine.

The concert, the first of three in the 2009 Jean Wilson series, takes place in the meetinghouse of the Unitarian Universalist church, 26 Pleasant St., Admission is $15, $10 for students and seniors.

'Milk' screening benefits Greater Boston PFLAG

Newburyport's Screening Room hosts a special showing of "Milk," the story of the first openly gay person to be elected to a significant public office, to benefit Greater Boston Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at the theater, 82 State St.

Starring Sean Penn, the film chronicles Harvey Milk, who was elected San Francisco's city supervisor in the mid-1970s. He was assassinated in 1978 by another San Francisco city supervisor.

Sunday's 1:30 p.m. screening will support PFLAG, a group of concerned family and friends that provides young gays and lesbians a place to turn for support. Tickets are $15.

"Milk" runs through Jan. 22 at The Screening Room. Tickets for regular showings are $7, $4.50 for seniors. Call 978-462-FILM (3456) or visit www.newburyportmovies.com for a complete schedule.

Choir serves up music from the millennium

The Mount Union Choir from Mount Union College in Alliance, Ohio, returns to Amesbury tonight with an a cappella program of music from the past millennium. The 44-member ensemble will perform at 8 p.m. at Holy Family Parish, 8 Sparhawk St.

Scott W. Dorsey, director of choral activities at Mount Union, will lead the ensemble in performing a repertoire that spans nearly a millennium of music history. The program will include examples of 12th century chant, 16th and 17th polyphony, and 20th and 21st century choral works and folk music.

The student choir is one of the nation's oldest choral ensembles, tracing its roots back to 1896. Its 40-plus members are chosen by competitive audition and have performed internationally, including in China, India, Malaysia, Norway, Turkey and, most recently, Iceland in 2007.

Its visit is part of the choir's 2009 concert tour, which includes stops in New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and throughout Massachusetts, and was arranged by David Murrow, the organist at Holy Family Parish who performed with the choir when he was a student at Mount Union. The choir last performed in Amesbury four years ago.

Admission is free. Donations to support the choir will be accepted.

Inferno Festival shows students' new works

Theater students at Newburyport and Amesbury high schools are teaming up for a 24-hour New Works Inferno Festival this weekend at Newburyport High School.

The plays-in-a-day format calls for playwrights and screenwriters to gather at 9 p.m. tomorrow at Newburyport High to receive their guidelines and begin furiously penning their new works in eight to 10 single or two-person teams. Eleven hours later, the writers will report back at 8 a.m. Saturday with their new scripts and screenplays in hand. From there, directors will pick one of the new works out of a hat, select their actors and start rehearsing.

A dress rehearsal will begin at 5 p.m., with the new works ready for debuting in front of an audience as staged readings at 8 p.m. Tickets for the Inferno Festival are $8 in advance or $10 at the door.

Auditions set stage for spring 'Wizard of Oz'

TTS Players is holding auditions for its spring production of "The Wizard of Oz." Tryouts take place Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. and Wednesday, Jan. 14, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Byfield Community Arts Center, 7 Central St., Byfield.

All ages and experiences levels are welcome. Those trying out should be prepared to sing, read from the script and learn light choreography.

The show will be staged March 27 through 29 and April 3 through 5. For more, call Mike Fay of TTS Players at 978-476-6053 or visit www.tts-players.com.

Book Rack fundraiser benefits crisis center

The Book Rack at 52 State St. in downtown Newburyport is holding a store fundraiser for the Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center on Saturday from 5 to 8 p.m. Twenty percent of sales during the event will benefit the nonprofit community organization.

Call 978-462-8615 or visit www.bookrackbookstore.com for more on the fundraiser.

Open house at N.H. feral cat sanctuary

The Salisbury-based Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society will hold an open house at its feral cat sanctuary in Danville, N.H., on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Visitors will have a chance to meet cats waiting to be adopted as house or barn cats. Information on how to sponsor a cat will be available.

Located at 183 Colby Road in Danville, the sanctuary houses 50 feral and special needs cats cared for by the society's volunteer staff at the indoor-outdoor facility. Private appointments may also be scheduled. Call Renee Pabisz at 978-462-0760 or visit www.mrfrs.org.

'Between Land and Sea' with photographer-author

Photographer Dorothy Kerper Monnelly highlights her book, "Between Land and Sea — The Great Marsh" on Wednesday, Jan. 14, at 6:30 p.m. at Newbury Town Library on Lunt Street in Byfield.

The visual presentation is part of an Authors' Night series hosted by Newbury's 375th Anniversary Committee. The series wraps up Wednesday, Jan. 21, at 6:30 p.m. with Mary and James Gage, authors of "Stories Carved in Stone," which chronicles the who, where and why of early American folk art found in Newbury.

Copies of the authors' books will be for sale, and book signings follow each program.

Civil War Roundtable shares battle stories

The Civil War Roundtable of the Merrimack meets Wednesday, Jan. 14, at 7:30 p.m. at the Hilton Senior Center, 43 Lafayette Road (Route 1), Salisbury.

The program will feature three vignettes: "The Civil War in American Cinema" presented by Bernie Rogers, "Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Mass" presented by April Vitulli, and "Southern Born, Northern Spy" presented by Pearl Zabar.

Admission is free. Anyone with an interest in America's Civil War is invited to attend. Call Tom at 978-462-8518.

Life coach Richardson debuts new book

Best-selling author Cheryl Richardson of Greater Newburyport celebrates the release of her latest book, "The Art of Extreme Self-Care, Transform Your Life One Month at a Time," at a presentation on Friday, Jan. 16, at 7 p.m. at Old South Presbyterian Church, 29 Federal St., Newburyport.

A personal coach, Richardson is also the author of "Take Time for Your Life," "Stand Up For Your Life," and "Life Makeovers." She helps women achieve balance, a sense of purpose, and joy and serenity in their lives through her books and her work.

She was the team leader for the Lifestyles Makeover Series on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and accompanied Winfrey on the "Live Your Best Life" national tour. She has appeared on "The Today Show," "Good Morning America," "CBS This Morning," and in "Good Housekeeping" and various other national publications.

Following her talk, Richardson will take questions from the audience and sign copies of her book. The event is sponsored by Jabberwocky Bookshop in Newburyport to kick off its 2009 author series. Admission is $5, or free with the purchase of Richardson's new book. Call Jabberwocky at 978-465-9359 or visit http://jabberwocky.booksense.com.

Farm Friends fun at historic Newbury farm

Farm Friends, an hour-long adventure for ages 3 to 6, takes place Tuesdays and Fridays at 10 a.m. at Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm, 5 Little's Lane, Newbury.

Each week features a different theme, highlighted by a story, craft project and visit from a furry or feathered friend or other farm activities.

Upcoming programs include "Winter Wonderland" on Jan. 13 and 16, "Animal Tracks" on Jan. 20 and 23, "Birds of Winter" on Jan. 27 and 30, "Groundhogs" on Feb. 3 and 6, "Valentine's Day" on Feb. 10 and 13, and "Trees in Winter" on Feb. 24 and 27. There will be no class during February school vacation week.

Admission is $10 per child, per session, with a $3 discount for Historic New England members. Each program is limited to 15 children. Reservations are preferred, but drop-ins are welcome. Call 978-462-2634 or visit www.historicnewengland.org.

Women's choral group recruiting singers

WomenSong, a choral group for women, is seeking singers for its spring concert on March 28. The works of Brahms and Gustav Holst will be performed.

Rehearsals are Wednesday nights from 7:30 to 9 in Byfield. Singers should be experienced in choral work and have some reading ability. Contact director Frances Burmeister at fburmeister@hotmail.com to set up an audition or for more information.

Bank awards outreach art education gifts

The Newburyport Five Cents Savings Charitable Foundation recently granted matching gifts of $7,250 to the Newburyport Art Association for its ArtLink and OpArt community outreach art education programs.

ArtLink is the art association's ongoing art enrichment program in local schools that promotes the visual arts through exhibitions for children in grades 1 through 12, artist mentoring, internships, after-school classes, college and class scholarships, art supplies, and career information events.

OpArt is a collaboration with Opportunity Works in Newburyport that provides individuals with disabilities hands-on art instruction using different media, techniques and materials, and the chance to exhibit their work.

Dean Wills, executive director of the Newburyport Art Association, said the gifts allow his organization to continue to support and encourage young and special needs artists in the community. For more on ArtLink or OpArt, call 978-465-8769 or visit www.newburyportart.org.

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To submit a Lookout item, e-mail it to svartabedian@newburyportnews.com, fax it to 978-465-8505, or mail it to The Daily News, 23 Liberty St., Newburyport, MA 01950.

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