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The
Sevenars Academy concert hall, Worthington, MA...
World Renowned Artists -- Prizewinning Newcomers
Reservations
are not required or taken. All are welcome on first-come-first-served basis. There is, as ever, no required admission
cost, however donations are welcome at the door by cash or check. ($20 per person is suggested to help defray expenses). Call 413-238-5854 if you have questions. 
A Bit of Sevenars History Sevenars Concerts, established in 1968, was selected one of the six best small music festivals in
the USA by Time Magazine. Founded by internationally known pianist Robert Schrade and his celebrated composer/songwriter/pianist
wife Rolande Young Schrade, it all began with "Family Concerts" starting in 1968 in the small Methodist Church of
the idyllic town of South Worthington, Massachusetts, a village now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Robert
and Rolande included in their concerts their five young pianist children, Robelyn, Rhonda Lee, Rolisa, Randolph, and Rorianne
(hence the name "Sevenars" as all seven performers had names starting with the letter "R"), and concerts
drew growing crowds that spilled out of the church. A larger space was needed! In 1976, the concerts moved across the little street to the historic Academy building, established in
1895 by Russell Conwell, founder of Temple University and author of the famous "Acres of Diamonds" lecture. Sevenars
was incorporated as Sevenars Concerts, Inc. and was then able to branch out, becoming an official non-profit organization
under IRS Code 509(A)(1), Section 501(c)(3). In the years that followed Sevenars was able to present over 300 guest artists,
both world-renowned performers and prizewinning newcomers. Enrichment programs for schoolchildren and arts and crafts exhibits
have also been presented, but the concerts were "a natural" - partly due to the in the landmark
Academy's miraculous acoustics. In 1978, Robelyn
Schrade, already garnering raves following her sold-out New York recitals, married outstanding New Zealand pianist, David
James, and the concerts became "Schrade-James family" concerts. All the young musicians started accumulating accolades
in New York and elsewhere, and 1980 saw the New York Lincoln Center Debut of this "Remarkable Assemblage of Pianists"
(Allen Hughes, New York Times). The Schrade-James daughter, Lynelle James, arrived in 1985 and joined the concerts
at age five (appearing in New York with the family's 25th anniversary Lincoln Center concert), and son Christopher arrived
in 1990, also joining the concerts at age five (and appearing in the year 2000 at Lincoln Center). Though all family members are kept busy with individual concerts, recording, teaching, conducting, and other
pursuits (with Christopher James becoming the family's first dedicated cellist!), Sevenars is still run by Schrades and
Jameses, with love and devotion. Despite the severe blows of losing beloved Robelyn Schrade-James in 2014, and founders Robert
and Rolande Schrade in 2015, we are determined to continue the beautiful legacy they created with us all - and with you, our
most wonderful and loyal audiences! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Concerts are held at the Academy, South Ireland Street and Rte. 112, South Worthington, MA 01098
(Mailing address: Sevenars, 80 East End Avenue, Ste. 3G, New
York, N.Y. 10028) We look forward
to sharing great music with you! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We are overwhelmed with gratitude at receiving 18 Local Cultural Council Grants
this year so far (though we will update as we hear from several towns on a different schedule of announcing)! To date, we
want to acknowledge the following towns: This 2023 project was made possible in part by the LCC's (Local Cultural Councils) of the following towns: Agawam, Buckland, Concord, Cummington, Gardner, Goshen, Huntington, Lee, Montgomery,
Northern Berkshire, Otis, Russell, Springfield, West Springfield, Westford, Westhampton, Wilmington,
and Worthington. These LCC's are local
agencies which are funded in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts. We are deeply grateful!  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Massachusetts Cultural Council Website
Sevenars Concerts,
Inc. is a non-profit organization under IRS Code 509(A)(1), Section 501 (c)(3) and
registered as a Public Charity in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. To reach by phone, call (413) 238-5854 ~ Send emails to: sevenars@aol.com
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