Zumba, Jazz Piano, at Watchung Arts Center This Weekend

Free Zumba Class on Saturday, Rio Clemente to perform Friday.

The Watchung Arts Center, at 18 Stirling Road in Watchung, has an active weekend coming up, to include a free Zumba dance session on Saturday morning and a performance by jazz piano player Rio Clemente to wrap up the center's "Jazz in the Gallery" series. Clemente, a Morristown native will present the ImpresaRIO Concert at 8 p.m. on Friday, May 16. When Clemente hits the stage, he brings fire and passion and with him talented musicians to tantalize jazz enthusiasts and music lovers alike, according to his fans. As a master pianist, educator, composer, arranger and recording artist, Clemente mixes a strong classical background with a rich knowledge of jazz history, then adds a sense of creativity and interpretation. Clemente has played jazz…

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Young Artist Portrays Friend's Late Mother as 'Inspiration' in YMCA Show

Winners in multiple age categories in Someret Hills YMCA's 'Who Inspires You?' Art Show.

The annual Exhibition of Inspirational Women: Who Inspires You? — held this past weekend at the Somerset Hills YMCA — announced its winners granted awards through the Lucia Bocchino Fund, in an artistic endeavor set up by her daughter, Serena Bocchino of Basking Ridge. Among the winners this year is Michelle Singer of Basking Ridge, a 14-year-old eighth grader at the William Annin Middle School, who did a charcoal portrait of the mother of her neighbor and best friend Kendall Cavaluzzo, who battled cancer for several years before passing away last year. "She was a strong and wonderful person and she definitely was an inspiration," Michelle on Monday said of Whitney Boye, her friend's mother. Serena Bocchino said that Boye also worked at …

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Bernards Seeking Charter Day Bands

Annual Charter Day celebration an opportunity for local young musicians to perform in public.

Local bands with at least one Bernards Township resident and at least half of band members being either middle school or high school students are being sought for this year's Battle of the Bands, to be held at Bernards Township's annual Charter Day celebration. As in years past, the Charter Day Battle of the Bands is an opportunity for area students and local bands to showcase their talents before the thousands of local residents who attend the annual event, coordinated by the Bernards Township Department of Parks and Recreation. Each year, fans of the musicians line up to watch the bands. The Battle of the Bands is scheduled to take place on the Henry Street stage by the Oak Street School between 12:30 to 6 p.m. at this year's Charter Day…

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Great Escape

Piano Player Adds Atmosphere at The Bernards Inn

You can slip into The Bernards Inn most Thursday evenings for a drink and a little jazz piano with John Bianculli.

Sometimes there's just not enough days to go around, but each week we'll give you an idea of something to do to relax, spend time with family and just take some time for yourself. This week, we let you know about a Great Escape that you can enjoy many times over. Almost any Thursday evening, you can head on over to The Bernards Inn in downtown Bernardsville to hear piano player John Bianculli play it again — or again — as you enjoy some dinner, a drink or just a quick nibble while you enjoy sophisticated music. Bianculli is a musician and a music teacher from New Jersey who last year was invited to perform at the Bernardsville Library as part of the Friends of the Bernardsville Library's Sunday at Three series. Bianculli performed that …

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Raritan Valley Symphonic Band Celebrating 30 Years

The band is bringing its concert to Bridgewater.

The Raritan Valley Symphonic Band is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a concert April 21 in a new venue, the Bridgewater-Raritan High School. The concert will be held at 3 p.m., and admission is free and open to the public. The Raritan Valley Symphonic Band was founded in 1984 by Anthony Isch, former director of bands at The College of New Jersey. It is now recognized, according to a release, as one of the state’s premiere volunteer symphonic bands. The band currently has 100 members from central New Jersey and the surrounding area, and they play everything from classics to Broadway. In this 30th anniversary concert, the band will be performing “Anniversaries & Remembrances,” with songs including “Pineapple Poll,” Percy Grainger’s “…

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Trilogy Repertory Co. of Basking Ridge Plans New Theater

Basking Ridge-based theater company plans partnership with Fellowship Village.

Fellowship Village Senior Living in Basking Ridge and the Trilogy Repertory and Light Opera of New Jersey, also based in Bernards Township, have announced a partnership to construct a new, state of the arts community theatre in the Somerset Hills. Planning and design are well along to build a 240-seat theater at the Fellowship Village property off Allen Road in Bernards Township to serve the entire Somerset Hills area. The center would provide a venue for theater, music, dance and a variety of public activities, the announcement said. A conceptual plan has been drawn up, and the project will be ongoing for the next few years, said Hank Barre, Trilogy Repertory Co.'s director of development. In the meantime, the company will hold auditions …

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Bernards Artist's 'Evolving' Series at Millburn Gallery

Basking Ridge artist Serena Bocchino adds to her 'FEVER' paintings; opening reception held at Millburn gallery.

For those who had attended Serena Bocchino's earlier "FEVER" exhibit in Morristown last year, the expanded show now at Contemporary Art & Editions in Millburn shows the evolution of her jazz-inspired series. The current show began with a reception last Wednesday evening. The paintings will be on display at the gallery at 184 Essex St. in Millburn through May 31. One of the additions to this show are paintings produced within the past few months using white enamel and gold leaf. The opening drew friends and art fans from throughout the area, including Christine Sutherland and Michelle Mendez, co-owners of WallFlowers Gallery in Bernardsville. Bocchino, a contemporary artist who reputation and work is known in the New York area, nationally …

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Terry Boudreau

3:23 pm on Thursday, April 11, 2013

Looks great! Sorry I missed the event...   more ›

Community Art Show Highlights Local Talent

Mayor awards individuals and ARTsee group, which is planning next art studio tour through Basking Ridge and Bernardsville.

The 23 artists who produced pieces for a Bernards Township Community Art Show that will be on display at the Environmental Education Center through April 28 were on hand at a reception to open the exhibit, and for this year's Mayor's Arts Awards. The show was sponsored and organized by the Bernards Township Department of Parks and Recreation. One of Mayor Carolyn Gaziano's awards went to the ARTsee Tour group, which for its third year is planning to arrange a visit of artists' studios on a mapped tour through Basking Ridge and Bernardsville. Caren Frost Olmsted, one of ARTsee's original organizers, said she was hoping that some of the participating artists at the Community Art Show would open sign up for the ARTsee tour planned for Sept. …

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Community Art Show Reception on Sunday

Bernards Township artists will display pieces at the Environmental Education Center through April; Mayor's awards Sunday.

More than 20 Bernards Township artists are be featured through the Parks & Recreation Department’s 2nd annual Community Art Show, on display through April at the Environmental Education Center at 190 Lord Stirling Road in Basking Ridge. Opening reception and Mayor's awards on Sunday An opening reception will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday at the EEC, to officially welcome all the artists and announce the 2013 Mayor’s Arts Awards.  The Mayor’s Arts Awards, first established in 2011, honors those demonstrating leadership and dedication to the fine and performing arts in Bernards Township. All artists are adults who reside in Bernards Township. Their artwork spans all mediums, including oils, watercolors, photography and sculpture. The …

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