Young Talents at Music Mountain

This week we’re going to leapfrog ahead to the fantastic music month of June. Music Mountain in Falls Village will kick off the first weekend of that month with the third annual “Music on the Mountain” recital and fundraiser for the Housatonic Youth Services Bureau. The concert will feature an assortment of classical, jazz and contemporary music, in a variety of formats — solo, duet and combo. A wide range of genres, including classical and jazz, with instrumental and vocal chamber works, will be featured. The concert will highlight the talents of young students, mostly from the Region One school district, along with more seasoned graduates and some special guests. Among the highlights will be performances by former area residents: soprano Rebecca Palmer, who is pursuing her master’s degree at the Boston Conservatory; soloist Allison Holst-Grubbe, now a music teacher in Glastonbury; and noted violinist/Irish fiddler June Conti as well. Students from Musical Milestones at TriArts will also perform. “For Nick Gordon to open the doors of Music Mountain to area young people and give them a chance to perform on an historic stage is an amazing show of support not only for us, but to the community at large,” says HYSB’s director Nicholas Pohl. “Music on the Mountain” takes place Saturday, June 4, at 1 p.m. Tickets may be purchased in advance or at the door for $15. Youth/senior tickets are $8, and the family maximum is $35. For information, contact HYSB at 860-824-4720 or go to www.hysb.org. If you’re up for a double bill that day, head on out to Club Helsinki Hudson for dinner and the show. Yes, I know, some of us are still bummed about losing the Great Barrington spot, but there’s still good food and entertainment to be had, if slightly farther away. Coming up, Cedric Watson & Bijou Creole bring the tangy flavors of Louisiana Creole, zydeco, and Cajun music to Club Helsinki. All these forms have their roots in the French-speaking Acadiana region of southwestern Louisiana. The Grammy-nominated Watson and his band offer some updated arrangements, improvisational stylings, and virtuosic playing (audio samples are available at www.cedricwatson.com). The show is on Saturday, June 4, at 9 p.m. at Club Helsinki Hudson in Hudson, NY. For reservations and information, call Club Helsinki Hudson at 518-828-4800 or go to www.helsinkihudson.com. A full house dotted with area luminaries packed the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center on Saturday night for the gala performance by soprano Deborah Voigt. It was a treat to hear and see this elite American singer in action. She had a wonderful stage presence and a thrilling voice. What the voice lacked in warmth and occasionally in steadiness -- perhaps because Voigt was coming off marathon performances of Brunnhilde -- it more than makes up for in power, gleam, and diction, imbuing songs with dramatic impact. The wonderfully diverse selection included songs by the little-performed British compser Amy Beach, impressionistic songs by Ottorino Respighi, and songs by the ever-interesting Leonard Bernstein. Brian Zeger’s accompaniment was masterful. As an encore, Voigt surprised everyone by joining Zeger at the keyboard for a frothy duet.