Westport in Brief!

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Friday, September 13, 2013

photos/EverythingWestport.com except as noted

Quick Article Index . . .

CAP expands concerts to one each month starting in September through March, 2014.

Outdoor History Exhibit open through October in Little Compton.

The Tiverton Land Trust will hold a party at Pardon Gray, the preserve on Main Road.

14 diamondback terrapins get a new lease on life.

Westport wine wins gold, again!

CAP expands concerts to one each month starting in September through March, 2014. "Concerts at the Point" will launch its 2013-2014 season on Sunday, September 22 with the Adaskin String Trio.

EverythingWestport.com

Friday, September 13, 2013

"Concerts at the Point" will launch its 2013-2014 season on Sunday, September 22 with the Adaskin String Trio (pictured left). Their usual exuberant and stirring performances will be enhanced by the addition of noted oboist Tom Gallant (pictured right with Sally Pinkas.). The program will include Fiala - Quartet in F Major; Beethoven - Serenade for String Trio, Op. 8; Berkeley -String Trio, Op 19; and Mozart - Quartet for Oboe & Strings.

Click here for the CAP brochure.

Download (and mail in) Ticket Order Form.

The Adaskin String Trio has won over audiences internationally with exuberant and stirring performances. For this concert Tom Gallant, one of the world’s few virtuoso solo and chamber music performers on the oboe, will join them.

www.adaskinstringtrio.com www.mcmarts.com

Emlyn Ngai leads a diverse career as both a modern and historical violinist. In addition to being violinist of the Adaskin String Trio, he is Associate Concertmaster for the Carmel Bach Festival Orchestra and Concertmaster of the Philadelphia baroque orchestra and chamber ensemble Tempest di Mare, which, under his co-leadership since 2002, the Philadelphia Inquirer has hailed "a major addition to the local cultural landscape." Tempesta has toured Europe three times including performances at the Händel-Festspiele Göttingen, the Fasch Festival, and the Prague Spring Festival.  The group enjoys a steady relationship with Chandos with which it has released four critically-acclaimed recordings so far. His historical violin skills have kept him in demand with other groups in North America, including Apollo's Fire, Boston Baroque, the Smithsonian Chamber Players, and the Washington Bach Consort. His involvement with Joshua Rifkin's Bach Ensemble has taken him to Bermuda, Germany, Spain and the UK. As first prize winner at the 1995 Locatelli Concours Amsterdam, Emlyn recorded a solo CD of Corelli, Locatelli, and Tartini for Vanguard Classics. Together with harpsichordist Peter Watchorn, he has recorded J.S.Bach's Sonatas for Violin and Harpsichord on Musica Omnia, receiving acclaim in BBC Music Magazine, Gramophone, and The Strad. Emlyn has also recorded for ATMA, Centaur, Eclectra, Koch, New World Records, and Telarc. He holds degrees from McGill University, Oberlin College and the Hartt School. He has taught at Boston University, McGill University, and Mount Holyoke College and has has been a faculty member of Amherst Early Music, Madison Early Music Festival and the Oberlin Baroque Performance Institute.  Currently he teaches modern and baroque violin, chamber music and performance practice at the Hartt School where he also co-directs the Hartt School Collegium Musicum.

Violist Steve Larson is both a highly dedicated teacher and one of the most passionate performers of his generation. The Montreal Gazette has praised him for his "singing tone, eloquent phrasing, expressive dynamics and flawless intonation," and Gramophone Magazine calls his playing "riveting." He is a Senior Artist Teacher at The Hartt School of the University of Hartford, having served as String Department Chair from 2001 to 2006 and as Chamber Music Chair from 2007-2011. In addition to his concerts and recordings with Adaskin, he also performs regularly with his other acclaimed chamber groups, Avery Ensemble and Ensemble Schumann, and has performed as a guest with groups such as the Emerson & Miami String Quartets and the Lions Gate & New World Trios. In 1997, Mr. Larson won second prize at the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition, UK, also receiving the special award for his performance of the commissioned work. He has performed as a soloist internationally and given master classes at numerous conservatories, universities and summer programs. He performs and teaches viola and chamber music each summer at the Wintergreen Festival in Virginia. He studied violin with Elman Lowe, Howard Leyton-Brown, and Mauricio Fuks, viola with Jutta Puchhammer and Steve Tenenbom, and chamber music with members of the Emerson and Orford String Quartets.

Cellist Mark Fraser, originally from Montreal, studied with Walter Joachim, Aldo Parisot, Yuli Turovsky, and David Finckel; he holds degrees from McGill University, l'Université de Montréal, and The Hartt School. For many years he was the Artistic Director of Project Renaissance, an arts festival near Montreal. Recording credits include a CD of works by Bach, Schumann, and Prokofiev with pianist Sooka Wang. Mark also performs frequently as a soloist and in recital in Western Massachusetts, where he now lives. In 2007, he founded Valley Concerts in Northampton, Massachusetts, which has featured the Adaskin String Trio and guests in numerous well-received concerts.

CAP expanded its 17th season to offer one concert each month - September through March.  

The powerful American String Quartet will return in October; November will bring the always stellar Claremont Trio.   In December, in a first for the concert series, two pianists will play piano four-hands arrangements of Debussy - Le Mer; Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue; and Stravinsky - Rite of Spring.  In another first for the series, the Handel & Haydn Society will present an all Vivaldi program in January.  The formidable Boston Trio (piano, violin, cello) will return in February, followed in March by pianist Andrius Zlabys playing solo and with a string quartet.

17th anniversary season

2013-2014

The Adaskin String Trio & Tom Gallant - September 22, 2013

The American String Quartet - October 27, 2013

The Claremont Trio - November 24, 2013

Hodgkinson - Lee Duo - December 15, 2013

Handel and Haydn Society - January 12, 2014

The Boston Trio - February 23, 2014

Andrius Zlabys & More Friends - March 23, 2014

All concerts are on Sundays at 3 p.m. at 1912 Main Road, Westport Point, MA.  Ticket prices are $25, $10 for students.   For more information, visit their website at www.concertsatthepoint.org.  To reserve tickets, call 508.636.0698.

Westport Point United Methodist Church, 1912 Main Road, Westport Point. 

Outdoor History Exhibit Open through October in Little Compton.

EverythingWestport.com

Friday, September 20, 2013

Out for a drive today in Little Compton?

The Little Compton Historical Society recently launched its outdoor Adamsville exhibit this summer. The exhibit, which includes 40 signs in total, is open through October and free to the public!

Visit them on FaceBook. Visit their website.

The outdoor Adamsville exhibit sponsored by the LC Historical Society is up until the middle of October and is totally free. The signs are easy to spot from the road. Locations range from the top of Adamsville Hill to just over the line in Westport, and from the Old Stone Baptist Church to the "Fork" in the Road on Old Harbor Road. There are about 40 signs in all; some are double sided. They are getting great feedback. Try it; they think you'll like it!

Across town at 548 West Main Road...

The Wilbor House Museum is open for tours from 1 to 5 p.m., and the Adamsville indoor exhibit is welcoming visitors. LCHS members are free. Non-members are $7.50 for house tour and Adamsville exhibit, or $5 for just one of the two. Tour guide Gerald Vinci is on duty with guest receptionist Diane MacGregor.

14 diamondback terrapins get a new lease on life.

EverythingWestport.com

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Click here to view YouTube video of the diamond terrapin hatchlings’ release into the wild.

It’s noontime, Thursday, September 19th as a team of individuals from the Allens Pond Sanctuary prepare to celebrate the release of 14 diamondback terrapin hatchlings into the marshland grass off Little Beach, close to Barney’s Joy in Dartmouth.

The hatchlings were raised from eggs recovered from a nest inadvertently discovered on Little Beach the evening of June 20th, and were later hatched at the Sanctuary’s turtle garden in Marion.

The clutch of eggs were discovered by coastal waterbird monitor, Peter Deichmann, when he stumbled upon an aging terrapin female laying her eggs in beach sand dangerously close to the heavy surf of Little beach, threatening the survival of the eggs.

Left: Sue Wieber Nourse (left) and Jennifer Costa introduce the 14 hatchlings to the press at the Sanctuary’s field station.

It was remarkable that the female diamondback was seen nesting because there aren't many diamondback terrapins left.

“That almost never happens here,” said Lauren Miller-Donnelly, property manager at Allens Pond Sanctuary in Westport. “The last time we saw this was about seven years ago. The turtles are very secretive and usually run away when approached by humans.”

But like a good parent, Allens Pond Sanctuary was there insuring that the threatened hatchlings’ first few weeks of life got off to a good start.

The aged female turtle, blind in one eye, put down 14 eggs in the middle of the night. The turtle team later that night found and recovered the 14 eggs and brought them back, including the sand they were buried in, to their turtle garden in Marion where they successfully raised 14 exquisite hatchlings, a 100% success.

“These babies are going back into the marsh. These guys will still have enormous odds to make it into adulthood and be able to make the next generation,” said Audubon volunteer Sue Wieber Nourse.

Above: one more photo op before the release of the terrapins into the marsh grass east of Allens Pond.

Raising the hatchlings to this age and then releasing them increases their chance of survival by thousands of times; one out of every 1000 eggs will make it to hatching, and of those maybe 1 out of every 250 hatchlings will survive to adulthood.

The odds are so formidable against these animals.

“They’re delicious to all predators, including people,” Sue Wieber Nourse said. “We have to help them. They’re ambassadors for our coastal ecosystem."

“It was remarkable that she nested on Little beach because we don’t have many diamondback terrapins left,” Audubon volunteer Sue Wieber Nourse said. “She put down 14 eggs in the middle of the night. We recovered 14 eggs and brought them back to our turtle garden in Marion. We got these exquisite hatchlings, 14 for 14, 100% success, and these babies are going back into the marsh.”

“These guys will still have enormous odds to make it into adulthood and be able to make the next generation. Raising the hatchlings to this age and then releasing them increases their chance of survival by thousands of times,” Nourse said.

“One out of every 1000 eggs will make it, and of those maybe one out of every 250 hatchlings will survive to adulthood. The odds are so formidable against these animals,” Nourse said

“We have to help them. They’re ambassadors for our coastal ecosystem," Nourse said.

“Our turtle garden is in Marion, and we’ve been doing this for decades,” Norse said. “Taking care of the eggs and helping with the hatchlings.”

“They are a signature species, and it’s even that much more important to insure their survival.”

Diamondback terrapins are a threatened species in Massachusetts.

The diamondback terrapin is a species of turtle native to the brackish coastal swamps of the eastern and southern United States.

Diamond terrapins are disappearing from their coastal habitat, primarily due to sand loss from violent storms and human development. The little diamondbacks also face continues threats from numerous predators.

In the 1900s the species was once considered a delicacy to eat and was hunted almost to extinction. The numbers also decreased due to the development of coastal areas and, more recently, wounds from the propellers on motorboats.

Another common cause of death is the trapping of the turtles under crabbing and lobster nets. Due to this, it is listed as an endangered species in Rhode Island, is considered a threatened species in Massachusetts.

The diamondback terrapin is believed to be the only turtle in the world that lives exclusively in brackish water (containing some salt, but not as much as ocean water), habitats like tidal marshes, estuaries and lagoons. Most terrapins hibernate during the winter by burrowing into the mud of marshes.

Although diamondback terrapins live in tidal marshes, estuaries and lagoons, their preferred nesting sites are sandy beaches.

“One out of every 1000 eggs will make it, and of those maybe one out of every 250 hatchlings will survive to adulthood. The odds are so formidable against these animals.” Sue Wieber Nourse

Above, left: Dea Champin, aged 7, gets up close and personal with her terrapin before releasing the little guy into the wild. Above, right: An iPhone photo moment during the release celebration (pictured below.)

Above, left: Lauren Miller-Donnelly releases her terrapin into the marsh grass. Above, right: the terrapin takes stock of its environment and quickly scurries deeper into the grass.

Above, left: ‘Turtle Guy” Don Lewis points out to Dea Champin the need for the hatchling to get into the heavy marsh grass for protection against predators. Above, right: Sue Wieber Nourse, left, points out the original nesting sit to Jennifer Costa.

According to the ‘Turtle Guy’, Don Lewis, the eggs hatched on Friday, September 13th were given a few days to hydrate before their scheduled release on Thursday, September 19th.

“A terrapin is born with a yolk sac on its bottom shell which will provide it with needed food for the first few months. That’s important as it allows the hatchling to survive in hiding without venturing out looking for food, and exposing it to the many predators who find terrapins good eating,” Lewis said.

Predators include crows, gulls, raccoons, skunks, cats, coyotes, foxes and cats.

“They are delectable, so delicious, and so munchable. Everything wants to eat them,” Nourse said.

Once the yolk sac is completely absorbed, terrapins will seek out food, anything that is small enough and slow enough to catch.

Lewis estimates there are no more than 100 terrapins in the whole Allens Pond ecosystem, unlike an unusually healthy colony in Wellfleet, MA.

The diamond terrapin has been around for 220 million years, meaning they were around before dinosaurs. It’s the only turtle in North America that inhabits brackish marshes along the coast.

And that’s part of the problem Lewis said. They don’t adapt well to fresh or salt water, and brackish water wetlands and ponds are under a lot of pressure, according to Lewis.

Above, left: terrapins hatching in the nest. Above, right: Sue Wieber Nourse jumps for joy with the successful release of 14 diamondback terrapin turtles into the marshland grasses of Allens Pond.

Above: prime diamondback terrapin turtle habitat along Little Beach and Allens Pond.

The Tiverton Land Trust will hold a party at Pardon Gray, the preserve on Main Road.

EverythingWestport.com

Saturday, September 21, 2013

As a way of thanking families for their continued support over the years, the Tiverton Land Trust offers a full day of fun for everyone. 

The event begins Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Pardon Gray Preserve on Main Road, Tiverton. 

Crafts, food and entertainment are on tap from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The events will begin with a 10 a.m. performance by the Tiverton High and Middle School Strings. Entertainment will continue through the day, with a pooch parade scheduled for 3 p.m. as the final event.

New activities added this year will be a giant sand box, a hay bale maze, scarecrow building, fire department demos, an interactive activity presented by the New Bedford Whaling Museum, and a petting zoo with several different, very friendly animals.

Tiverton Police will be on hand to give out a free Emergency ID kit to the first 100 children through the gates. There will be face painting, a petting zoo, bubble making, games, a hay ride and scarecrow construction through the day, plus more than a dozen other games and activities.

Food will be available, including hot dogs, hamburgers, Chef Foley’s famous steak and peppers and Gray’s Ice Cream.

See below for more information and a schedule of events, or go to the group’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/PardonGrayDay2013.

How much?
Free for adults. There is a fee for parking with all proceeds going toward trail and habitat maintenance at Pardon Gray Preserve. Tickets are $5 per car and $5 per child for an activities bracelet.

Kids' Activities 

v Pumpkin decorating (they get to keep the pumpkin);

v Hay rides;

v Scarecrow building (limited quantities of clothing, please bring your own long sleeve shirts and long pants if possible);

v An appearance from Don't Forget Us Pet Us, a rescue organization located in Dartmouth, MA who rehabilitates animals for a pet therapy program;

v Face painting and temporary tattoos;

v Up close visits with Tiverton police car and fire truck, photo opportunities at touch-a-truck;

v "Scrimshaw" carving with staff from the New Bedford Whaling Museum;

v  Digging into Tiverton's largest sandbox, and the old standby activities with hula hoops, bean bag tosses, giant bubble making, sack races and much more.  

Adults Can Have Fun, Too 

Adults will be able to play along with their kids and then visit local crafters and vendors.  

Music entertainment goes on throughout the day and a visit to the tractor pull area is fun for everyone.  

The New England Antique Tractor and Truck Association will have a display of tractors and vehicles from bygone years.  

Great Eats

And, of course the day would not be complete without our great food.  

Hot dogs, burgers, the famous sausage with pepper and onions on a torpedo role grilled to perfection by John Foley's kitchen crew highlight the menu. 

But save room for a slice of home baked pie with a free scoop of a local favorite, Gray's Ice Cream. And, if the kids would prefer cotton candy, that is available, too. 

Scheduled Stage Performances

v 11 a.m. - Sibling Rivalry -a brother and sister duet.

v Noon - Gary Farias - local artist, singer, songwriter http://www.garyjamesfarias.com.

v 1 p.m. - MaxMan - From RI Resource & Recovery.

v 1:15 p.m. - Dance Fusion http://www.dancefusionri.com.

v 2 p.m. - Bochek - Teen band https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bochek.

3 p.m. - Pooch Parade - show off your dog....prizes for all.  Dogs must be registered at the welcome tent and after parading before the

v 'Judges'; prizes will be awarded to the top three dogs which will be chosen by a random drawing.

v All participants get an award and then the random drawing will give the third place dog a $15 award, an award of $25 to the second place dog and finally a trophy and an award of $50 to "Tiverton's Dog of the Year for 2013."

More Information 

Further information is available at www.tivertonlandtrust.org and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PardonGrayDay2013.

Westport Rivers Vineyard wine wins gold, again!

Westport Rivers 2012 Cinco Caes was awarded "Best in Class" and a Gold Medal.

Blanc de Noirs and RJR Brut Cuvee received silver medals.

EverythingWestport.com

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Westport Rivers 2012 Cinco Caes was awarded "Best in Class" and a Gold Medal by the International Wine Channel TV Awards. Their Blanc de Noirs and RJR Brut Cuvee received silver medals and their Blanc De Blancs received a bronze. Judges included Millennials, wine buyers, distributors, celebrity chefs, media personnel and other wine industry professionals.

Results Are In for International Wine Channel TV Awards; Westport Rivers' Cinco Cães Earns a Gold Medal and is Named Best in Class!

Vineyard & Winery Management (V&WM) has announced the results of the 2013 International Wine Channel TV awards (IWC-TV), including Gold Medal and Best in Class to Westport Rivers' Cinco Cães.

Judging for the competition took place September 4th and 5th Sonoma County, California. More than 850 wines were entered in the competition.

This is the second vintage of Cinco Cães, and the award winning wine is proving to be Westport Rivers' best seller.

Cinco Cães (Portuguese for 5 Dogs) is a proprietary blending of five of Westport's varietals: Rkatsiteli, Pinot Gris, Grüner Veltliner, Pinot Noir and Muscat. The 2012 release has aromas of citrus rind, strawberry and melon in a crisp, off-dry, easy drinking white blend. It's medium bodied with a mouth-watering lingering finish and is the perfect pairing for dishes that feature anything from bold aromatic spice to delicate and savory seafood.

Its inspiration was the winemaker's pack of 5 dogs: three yellow Labradors, a black Labrador and one Azorean cattle dog (the Cão Fila de São Miguel). Westport Rivers' winemaker Bill Russell explains that "what started as an experimental, back room blending of several varieties is now being hailed as a truly world class combination of flavor and aroma. It seems that another of Westport Rivers' gambits has turned gold!"

The face of Wine Channel TV is Jessica Altieri, professional wine judge and media personality, who served as the spokesperson and judge for the competition. Altieri's international reputation as a knowledgeable wine enthusiast helped increase entries and draw consumer attention from the under-40 crowd. "One of the unique aspects that was key to the success of the event was the creative, passionate DNA of the team of judges," said Altieri. "Highly driven and successful, the judging panels were the perfect combination of wine professionals from different backgrounds – a 'perfect storm' for wine judging."

Wine Channel TV is one of the world's fastest-growing wine lifestyle communities, connecting leading wine lifestyle brands and Millennials through its worldwide presence. Wine Channel TV Network will promote the event and award-winning wines with original video segments for its engaging Facebook community (32K fans and a friend-of-fan reach of more than 15 million), its Hotel Channel (U.S.-based hotels including Hyatt and Marriott), and in Singapore on the Sunrise Lifestyle IPTV Channel (reaching more than 50,000 subscribers and more than 2 million mobile subscribers by July 2013.)

According to V&WM President and competition owner Rob Merletti, "Our mission with our competitions is to help producers promote their award-winning wines, and one way to do this is to align with a business with consumer outreach and influence. Joining forces with Wine Channel TV has proven a tremendous success. The company's ability to reach a high-end Millennial customer base assures the wineries that their wines are being seen and promoted to this target market."

Wine Channel TV will host the world's first Live Wine Consumer Award Event, to be broadcast from The Underground in Chicago on October 17, with award-winning wines and a celebrity wine lifestyle tasting audience with fashion, music, art, and start-up technology influencers in attendance. Award-winning wines will be featured in original content programming for the all-important holiday season, November through December, on the Wine Channel TV Network. "An international audience, including consumers and winemakers, will be able to see and hear the excitement and real conversation taking place, with award-winning wines being served," commented Altieri.

For more details, contact Peter Altieri, Wine Channel TV Network, petea@wctvnetwork.com, 847.224.0600.

© 2013 Community Events of Westport. All rights reserved.

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