Artscene With Erika Funke

Cheryl Boga, Conductor & Artistic Director, and Janelle Decker, Conductor & ExecutiveDirector, speaking about Performance Music at the University of Scranton and theopening concert of the Fall 2025 season. Relic Ensemble, an 11-piece period instrumentchamber orchestra, will present a program titled, Spheres, on Friday, September 12,at 7:30 pm, in the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street at Jefferson Avenue.Admission is free, and for more information: www.scranton.edu/music

Mark Ciocca, artist & educator from NEPA, speaking about his work titled, "Engine #6039"that will be on exhibit at Steamtown National Historic Site in downtown Scranton as part of Arts in the Parks weekend—August 23 & 24, 2025. On Sunday, August 24th, at 3:00,Ciocca will present the program, "Creating Engine #6039," a conversation with the artist.There will programs by other speakers each day as well. Admission is free.For more information: www.nps.gov/steamtown; www.markciocca.com/

Rev. Bill Carter, Pastor of the 1st Presbyterian Church of Clarks Summit, jazz pianist, composer, arranger & band leader, and Derrick Bang, biographer of Vince Guaraldi,speaking about the Jazz Mass Guaraldi composed for Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.To mark the 60th anniversary of the premiere, First Presbyterian Church of CS will presenta full performance of the work that was transcribed from the key recording by Carter.Featured will be a talk by Bang at 9:30 am on Sunday, August 31, 2025, followed bythe Mass, presented by the Presbybop Quartet, the combined choirs of the 1stPresbyterian Church & Our Lady of the Snows, at the FP Church, 300 School Streetin Clarks Summit. The public is invited, and for more information: www.fpccs.org/

Maegan Zielinski, board member of the Street Art Society of NEPA, speaking aboutthe organization and its End of Summer Mural Trolley Tour on August 19, 20 & 21, 2025, at 6:00 pm, leaving from the Old Train Station in downtown Wilkes-Barre. Attendees areasked to arrive at 5:45 for the hour and 15 minute tour that will take in over 30 murals.The excursion will conclude in Forty Fort at Amy Bezek Photography for a meet-&-greetwith mural artists and refreshments. The trolley will return to the Old Train Station at oraround 8:15. Tuesday's trip is sold out, but there are openings for the Wednesday & Thursday tours. For more information: www.streetartsocietynepa.org/

Carl Achhammer, Jr, founding member, & James Gavern, president of the NEPA Bonsai Society, speaking about the art and the group's 2025 Open House on August 23rdfrom 10 am to 2 pm at Keller's Garden Center, 7 KernStreet in Exeter, PA. For more information:www.nepabonsai.com/

Katherine Ann Wynne, award-winning author and screenwriter,speaking about her recent essay collection titled, "The Animalsof Fernwood Cottage," highlighting many of the animals she &her husband Peter Wynne, have welcomed over the decades inWayne County, PA. www.katherineannwynne.com/

Ty Kim, Emmy Award-Winning filmmaker and director of therecent documentary titled, "Earl." The film tells the story ofthe life and music of the distinguished 20th composer andeducator who retired from Harvard University in 1990and died in 1998. Earl studied with Arnold Schoenbergand Ernest Bloch and taught Paul Salerni and JohnHarbison, award-winning composers in their ownright. Earl Kim's association with writer SamuelBeckett is explored in the film as well as Earl'sservice during World War II. We hear in this featureDr. Salerni's memories of Earl Kim as his teacher & mentor, as well.The documentary has been screened internationallyand has won a number of prizes.For more information: www.earlkimcomposer.com/

Tim Novotney, award-winning producer, director & editor at WVIA, speaking about his Emmy-nominated short documentary,"The Secret Beneath Hazleton," that can be viewed onlineat wvia.org/ under Short Takes. There is a Kickstarter campaign underway toraise funds to produce a full documentary on the city beneath Hazleton, and for more information:Kickstarter.com and search for "The Secret BeneathHazleton."

Chason Goldschmitz, Executive Director of the NEPA Philharmonic;Leah Valenches , violin with the NEPA Philharmonic String Quartet;and Chris Norton, Sr. Vice-President at WVIA Public Media, speaking about the benefit concert for WVIA on Sunday, August 17, 2025, at Harmonyin the Woods at 5:30. with a reception at 5:00.Singer-Songwriter Regina Sayles will perform with the PhilharmonicString Quartet featuring folk, rock, and pop arrangements withoriginals by Sayles, too.For tickets: www.wvia.org/events; For more information:www.nepaphil.org/ and www.harmonyinthewoods.org/

Bill Amos, playwright, Cole Hrusovsky; directorAnd Matt Bubul, actor, speaking about thePA Theatre of Performing Arts production of"Sherlock Holmes & the Scarlet Avenger" adapted byAmos from the story, "A Study in Scarlet."There will shows from August 14 through the17, 2025--Thursday, Friday & Saturday at 7 pm,Sunday at 3:00, at the Ferrara Center on BroadStreet in Hazleton. www.ptpashows.org/

Jason Smeltzer, musician, founder & artistic director of The Olde Stories,and L, musician & reader, speaking about the program, "NefariousMusical Accompaniment for the Mystic Poetry of Rumi, Hafezand Others" on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at the Rossetti House,1005 Vine Street in Scranton at 6:00 pm.The event is a benefit for the Rossetti Foundation for theArts & Culture. Admission is free, but donations are welcome.www.rossettiarts.org/

Playwright David Parmelee, General Manager of the LTWB,with William Jeffrey & Roderick Markham, playwrights,speaking about their work in anticipation of the Annual Weekendof One-Acts running August 8, 9 & 10, 2025, featuring pieces by5 regional writers. Shows Friday & Saturday at 8:00; Sunday at3:00. The Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre is located at 537 NorthMain Street. No reservations needed. www.ltwb.org/

Maureen McGuigan, Director of the Department of Arts & Cultureof Lackawanna County, and Native American artist Ben ScottMiller, speaking about the new mural Miller was commissionedto create in downtown Scranton titled, "Remembrance & Continuance:The Lenape Story in Scranton." There will be a mural dedicationceremony on Friday, August 1, 2025, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm.at 130 N. Washington Avenue. Ben Scott Miller & Belin,internationally-known mural artist who also worked on theproject, will be on site, and there will be music andrefreshments. The public is invited to attend theevent at no charge.The mural is made possible through a partnership betweenLackawanna County & Scranton Tomorrow.For more information: www.scrantontomorrow.org/muralart

Paul Plumadore, paper montage artist,speaking about his new work/book,"An Anthropomorphic Alphabet"that is on exhibit now as part of agroup show titled: "Twenty-Six: Art of the Alphabet"at the Wayne County Arts Alliance Gallery,959 Main Street in Honesdale throughAugust 23, 2025.Gallery hours: Thursday through Sunday 11 am to 4 pm.For more information: www.waynecountyartsalliance.org/

Dave Reynolds, Chair & Production Manager of theTheatre Department at King's College in Wilkes-Barre,He is stage & technical director for the GaslightTheatre Co. production of Sunday in the Park withGeorge by Stephen Sondheim & James Lapine.The show will run from August 1 through August10, 2025, with performances Fridays & Saturdaysat 7:30 pm, and Sundays at 2:00--in theMaffei Theatre on the King's campus.www.gaslight-theatre.org/

Barbara Sonies, violinist with the Philadelphia Trio andco-director of Music in the Mountains with cellistDeborah Reeder, speaking about the history of thesummer chamber music workshop in Eagles Mere, PA,and about the Eagles Mere Chamber Players, alumnaeof Music in the Mountains. The Chamber Players willpresent a concert on Friday, August 1, 2025, at theDavid Dewire Center at 8 pm, as part of the 50thAnniversary Season of the Eagles Mere Friendsof the Arts.The performance will include pieces by Haydn,Mozart, Dvorak, Piazzola, Barber and more.For information: www.emfoa.org/

Lawrence E. Cohen, Chairman and Chief Customer Advocate,speaking about the history of Benco Dental Supply Companyin Pittson, PA, and taking listeners on a walking tour of Benco's dental museum and state-of-the-art showrooms.Benco invited WVIA to relocate to their corporateheadquarters while the Public Media Center was undergoingrenovations. This feature was broadcast as a small way ofshowing WVIA's appreciation to the Benco family for thetremendous hospitality that we've been shown.www.benco.com/

Tannis Kowalchuk, Artistic Director of the Farm Arts Collective, andDoug Rogers, Composer, speaking about Dream On The Farm 2025:"Paradise Lost Scavenger Hunt," an original theater piece inspiredby the poetry of John Milton. The production will run from July 24through August 3, with shows each evening at 6:30, at Willow WispOrganic Farm in Damascus in Wayne County.www.farmartscollective.org/

Kendall Isadore, Violinist in the award-winning trio The String Queens with Violist Dawn Johnson and Cellist Elise Sharp, speaking about her life in music in anticipation of the ensemble's performance at Harmony in the Woods in Hawley, PA, on July 25, 2025, at 6:00 pm. They will present a wide range of music from classical and jazz to popular songs by the Beatles, Michael Jackson & many others. For more information & tickets:www.harmonyinthewoods.org/