A piano only needs 61 keys: a benefit performance

On Saturday, October 23rd there will be a benefit concert to help raise money for a grand piano for the New Performing Arts Centre in Burlington, Ontario. So far, they tell me, they have only 'enough money for 61 keys'. I suggested that, depending on which keys they bought--if they avoided certain key signatures--they could probably play many great piano pieces. I mean, who really needs F# major? 

My poem "Archivist of the Future" (from The Porcupinity of the Stars) will be performed (by an actor!) to the accompaniment of a jazz prelude written by a composer, Philip Corke, who will also be playing it on the piano. Having an actor read poems is a very different effect than a writer (or even, the original writer). I'm very interested to hear how it sounds. If I had to choose which actor got to read my poem, I'd choose Barney Rubble. I mean, that Barney Rubble, what an actor (to quote from that classic of the American Cinema, Night Shift.)


The poem, by the way, was written as writing assignment for a teaching English class that I did with Rishma Dunlop for my B.Ed. (at York University) as a 'reader response' to the novel The Archivist by Martha Cooley. I drew source text from that novel and created the poem.

Here are the details:

Burlington’s Campaign for a Concert Grand Piano for the New Performing Arts Centre

Presents
Music as Muse

Read  by

Vince Carlin, Carolyn Campbell,
Christopher Gray and Alexandra Battista

With
Catherine Richardson – flute
Andrea Battista – violin & piano
Philip Corke – guitar & keyboard

Saturday, Oct. 23rd, 8 pm
St. Christopher’s Anglican Church
662 Guelph Line, Burlington   L7R 3 M9

Tickets: $20 adults/$10 students 18 & under
Refreshments – Door Prizes

Contact: Andrea Battista   905-331-8701 - abattista1@cogeco.ca

Tickets also available at A Different Drummer Books
513 Locust Street, Burlington, L7S 1V3   905-639-0925