STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — The Berkshire Immigrant Center will host a swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 12, for more than two dozen immigrants who are becoming naturalized U.S. citizens.
The formal legal ceremony will take place on the grounds of Naumkeag. Immigrants living throughout the state, including those in Berkshire County, are expected to take part in the ceremony, along with their families.
"Many immigrants aspire to become US citizens so they can gain the security that citizenship provides, and so they can vote," BIC Executive Director Michelle Lopez said. "We congratulate the new Americans who will take the oath of citizenship in the Berkshires this month."
Becoming a naturalized citizen is very costly and can take years of waiting and extensive preparation, culminating in a rigorous oral interview and written test, she said.
Berkshire Money Management, based in Dalton, is the major sponsor for the event. MountainOne is also a sponsor and the Marketplace Kitchen is donating refreshments along with other local businesses.
BIC extended its gratitude to all who have supported the event.
Berkshire Immigrant Center is the only nonprofit in the county dedicated solely to meeting the unique needs of the estimated 10,000 foreign-born residents who live and work in the county. It is located at 67 East St. in Pittsfield.
The center — which is celebrating 25 years of service to the community in 2022 — serves more than 850 immigrants and their families annually. BIC provides immigration legal services, relief aid, and free classes in beginning English language and citizenship test preparation. For more information: berkshireic.org and follow BIC on Facebook and Instagram.
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Classical Beat: Enjoy Great Music at Tanglewood, Sevenars Festivals
By Stephen DanknerSpecial to iBerkshires
As Tanglewood enters its fourth week, stellar performances will take center stage in Ozawa Hall and in the Koussevitsky Shed.
Why go? To experience world-class instrumental soloists, such as the stellar piano virtuoso Yuja Wang. Also not to be missed are the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra, as well as visiting guest ensembles and BSO and TMC soloists as they perform chamber and orchestral masterworks by iconic composers Purcell, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Wagner, Prokofiev, Richard Strauss, Vaughan Williams and Ives.
In addition to Tanglewood, there are also outstanding performances to be enjoyed at the Sevenars Music Festival in South Worthington. Both venues present great music performed in acoustically resonant venues by marvelous performers.
Read below for the details for concerts from Wednesday, July 17-Tuesday, July 22.
Tanglewood
• Wednesday, July 17, 8 p.m. in Ozawa Hall • Recital Series: The phenomenal world-class piano virtuoso Yuja Wang presents a piano recital in Ozawa Hall.
• Thursday July 18, 8 p.m. in Ozawa Hall • Recital Series: Les Arts Florissants, William Christie, Director and Mourad Merzouki, Choreographer presents a performance of Henry Purcell's ‘semi-opera'/Restoration Drama "The Fairy Queen."
• Friday, July 19, 8 p.m. in the Shed: Maestro Dima Slobodeniouk leads the Boston Symphony Orchestra in a program of Leonard Bernstein (the deeply moving, jazz-tinged Symphony No. 2 ("Age of Anxiety") and Brahms' glorious Symphony No. 3.
• Saturday, July 20, 8 p.m. in the Shed: BSO Maestro Andris Nelsons leads the Orchestra in a concert version of Richard Wagner's thrilling concluding music drama from his "Ring" cycle-tetralogy, "Götterdämmerung." The stellar vocal soloists include sopranos Christine Goerke and Amanda Majeske, tenor Michael Weinius, baritone James Rutherford, bass Morris Robinson and Rhine maidens Diana Newman, Renée Tatum and Annie Rosen.
• Sunday, July 21, 2:30 p.m. in the Shed: Maestro Nelsons leads the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra (TMCO) in a program of Ives (the amazingly evocative "Three Places in New England"), Beethoven (the powerful Piano Concerto No. 3 with soloist Emanuel Ax) and Richard Strauss ("Also sprach Zarathustra" — you'll recognize its iconic "sunrise" opening).
• Tuesday, July 22, 7:00 p.m. in the Shed • Popular Artist Series: Beck, with the Boston Pops, Edwin Outwater, conductor.
For tickets to all Tanglewood events, call 888-266-1200, or go to tanglewood.org.
Sevenars Music Festival
Founded in 1968, Sevenars Concerts, Inc., presents its 56th anniversary season of six summer concerts, held at the Academy in South Worthington, located at 15 Ireland St., just off Route 112.
• Sunday, July 21, at 4 p.m.: Sevenars is delighted to present violist Ron Gorevic, returning to Sevenars after his stunning Bach recital in 2023. This year, Gorevic will offer a groundbreaking program including music of Kenji Bunch, Sal Macchia, Larry Wallach, and Tasia Wu, the latter three composing especially for him. In addition, he'll offer Bach's magnificent Chaconne in D minor and Max Reger's 3rd Suite.
Hailed by The New York Times, Gorevic continues a long and distinguished career as a performer on both violin and viola. Along with solo recitals, he has toured the United States, Germany, Japan, Korea, and Australia, performing most of the quartet repertoire. In London, he gave the British premieres of pieces by Donald Erb and Ned Rorem. He has recorded for Centaur Records as soloist and member of the Prometheus Piano Quartet, and for Koch Records as a member of the Chester String Quartet.
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The Dalton Garage would open the doors to so many possibilities, members of the Fire District said during a walk-through of the building last week. click for more
Water runoff reaching the drainage outlet behind the property is flooding it, unable to reach an intermittent stream meant to carry that runoff. click for more
The $25,000 raised will directly assist the Berkshire Humane Society in funding its various programs aimed at improving the lives of animals in need throughout the Berkshire County area. click for more
The short film follows Tom Levardi, who has been a supporter of the hiking community over the last 45 years by allowing Appalachian Trail hikers to camp in his back yard.
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