Outlaw Country Music Legend Kinky Friedman will be joined by performer extraordinaire Jonathan McEuen and an eclectic mix of local music acts and touring talent at the annual Jones Fest Concert at the historic Jones House during the Old Santa Ynez Day Celebration on June 8 from 12 – 6 p.m.

The Brambles, a Santa Barbara-based female folk duo are also slated to play.

Filling out the bill with other Jones Fest veterans will be SWIMM,  Geronimo Getty and their whiskey-soaked modern honky-tonk swagger and Los Angeleno composer and songwriter, Mike Griffin (Mondo Boys, Tandemoro), who has gained the reputation of “Mayor of Jonesfest”.

Finally Joey Osso, who first played Jones Fest in the late 1990s will return to the Jones House stage along with Nick Dell, better known to Jones Fest regulars as Soul Papa, making this year a true homecoming for artists and audience alike.

Since 1995, the Jones Family has opened their gates to locals, travelers and music-enthusiasts during the Old Santa Ynez Day celebration. Located at 1120 Edison Street, the 119 year old home is located right around the corner from the main festivities for one of California’s oldest and most charming small towns. The Jones House has hosted musical talents and jams from many nationally known artists. You never know who will show up, making Jones Fest one of the most interesting and spontaneous events in the country.

Jones Fest is a family friendly event open to the public and free of charge. Attendees are asked to bring whatever they need to enjoy the show in comfort and practice personal responsibility.                                                                           

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The public is invited to attend the third performance in the 39th annual Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series featuring renowned artists at St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church, 2901 Nojoqui Avenue in Los Olivos, at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23.

“The Romantic Spirit and All Its Colors” will be performed by violinist Paul Stein and pianist Bridget Hough. Concerts at St. Mark’s are non-religious, non-sectarian community arts programs.

The program will feature “Three Pieces, op 42,” by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, “Three Romances, opus 22,” by Clara Schumann, “Legende, opus 17,” by Henri Wieniawski, “Tango” from “Scent of a Woman,” and “Sonata in A Major” by César Franck.

 “The SYV Concert Series is fortunate to welcome back Paul Stein and Dr. Bridget Hough, who each brought memorable solo concerts to this program in recent years.  Their explorations of the Romantic Period will be a wonderful event,” said series Artistic Director Dr. Robert Cassidy.

Stein recently retired from the L.A. Philharmonic after 35 years  in residence and has also been a soloist with other orchestras.  He is a dedicated chamber musician and teaches on the faculty at University of La Verne, Pasadena City College and Glendale College.

He is also the artistic director of the Classical Kaleidoscope chamber music series at the Arcadia Library that has presented music from all over the world.  He also founded the Chamber Music Express program, which introduces classical music to audiences at schools and libraries.  

Hough is a versatile pianist known for her sensitive artistry and lyrical approach to the keyboard. At home in solo, chamber, vocal and instrumental repertoire, she has performed in festivals throughout the United States and abroad. 

A specialist in collaborative piano, Hough received her doctor of musical arts in keyboard from UCSB in 2013. She has played for master classes and private coaching sessions with renowned artists and educators including Martin Katz, Stephanie Blythe and Leonid Kavakos as well as the St. Lawrence Quartet and the Emerson String Quartet.

As a dual career artist, Hough recently joined UCLA as executive recruiter for the Medical School & Health Sciences. She is also involved with the UCLA Mindful Music initiative, an interdisciplinary program designed to integrate music into communities in order to explore and share health benefits through live performances, education, and research.

 “The opportunity to experience great artists of passion and integrity perform masterworks by distinguished composers enriches one’s emotional and intellectual life.  To hear stirring music in St. Mark’s Church is especially moving and uplifting,” said Series Coordinator Linda Burrows.

Music critic Josef Woodward said St. Mark’s is noted for stunning acoustics, serene ambiance and “It’s a fine place to hear serious music.”

The final event in this 39th annual Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series will present the internationally acclaimed artist Richard O’Neill on viola performing with pianist Robert Cassidy at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 23.

Doors for each concert open 30 minutes prior to the start with tickets being sold at the door as well as online in advance www.smitv.org/syv-concert-series.html.

General admission tickets are $20 and student tickets are $10 (with any student ID). Plus, there will be a complimentary reception following each concert to meet the artists and enjoy conversation and refreshments. 

For patron ticket purchases and any questions, call Burrows at 805-688-7423 or the St. Mark’s office at 805-688-4454, or visit www.smitv.org or www.smitv.org/syv-concert-series.html.

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Contributing Writer

The Santa Ynez Valley Wind Ensemble is a local treasure, not only for those who want to hear beautiful music but for those who want to play it.

The ensemble offers musicians the opportunity to perform for the public multiple times each year. Presently it is made up of 30 musicians under the direction of Maestra Sharon Jeskey, formerly music director at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School and now the music director at San Luis Obispo High School.

“Our mission is to provide concerts to the public, free of charge. We are an all-volunteer group of musicians who donate our time and talents purely for the love of music,” said percussionist Sid Goldstien.

“The Valley Wind Ensemble is looking to recruit new members for its fall season. The new season includes a concert at St. Mark’s-In-The-Valley Episcopal Church, a holiday concert at the Atterdag Village of Solvang, and participation in the Julefest celebration in the Solvang Park Gazebo,” said David Pedersen, publicist for the ensemble and a volunteer musician who plays the euphonium (which resembles a small tuba).

“No audition is necessary, but some playing experience is needed. We play a wide spectrum of musical genres, from classical to pop. We are a group that provides a chance for musicians to dust off their old wind instruments and join us for some music-making,” Pedersen added.

During the year the ensemble performs a spring concert at Mission Santa Inez and gazebo concerts at Solvang Park in early June, the Fourth of July, and Yulefest. It also performs for the local Memorial Day ceremony, and in the fall it has a concert at St. Mark’s in Los Olivos. It also performs at the Atterdag Village retirement community once or twice a year.

According to Pedersen, the Valley Wind Ensemble follows a long history of concert band music in the Santa Ynez Valley dating back to the early 1900s. The high school music programs date to the early days of the school in the 1940s.

The Lions Club of the Santa Ynez Valley sponsored a concert band of about 15 musicians around 1955. In 1960, local musicians Herb Swanson and Arlen “Bo” Pedersen started the Solvang Village Band, a group that still plays on the Carlsberg Beer Wagon during Danish Days.

In 1991 Charlie Disparte started the Solvang Danish Garde Band and conducted it for two years. This band became the Valley Wind Ensemble in 1993, an all-wind ensemble with one percussionist, under the leadership of Carl Thompson and then Jeskey.

The Valley Wind Ensemble performed for the Danish Brotherhood and Sisterhood Convention and for the Prince Consort of Denmark when he visited Solvang for the 100^th anniversary of the Danish colony’s founding.

Occasionally the ensemble attends band festivals and has performed at Santa Barbara City College.

“Performing at these festivals (open to bands around the state) gives us an opportunity to perform before judges who critique the performance, and it gives us a chance to grow as an ensemble,” Goldstien said.

The Valley Wind Ensemble recently acquired its 501(c)3 status, so it is officially a member-supported nonprofit organization.

“We survive on donations and grants. Our director is the only paid member of our group,” said Goldstien. “We wish to thank the Santa Ynez Valley Foundation, the city of Solvang, and the Santa Barbara Foundation for their financial support along with many individual donors. There are a lot of generous people in the valley. That’s what keeps us afloat.”

“While we enjoy playing, part of what we want is to give back to the community by providing these free concerts,” said Pedersen. “I consider the Valley Wind Ensemble not just a group of fellow musicians but as good friends.”

“It’s true, it’s not just playing music that’s fulfilling, it’s about being a part of a group. There’s a social aspect involved. It enhances personal development, and having a trained musician as a director provides the basis for which to grow as a musician,” Goldstien added.

“Most of us learned to play our instruments at a young age. Some have continued playing in groups while others have discontinued for many years, but because of their love of music they want to come back to it. What makes this particular ensemble a unique group is that it’s low key and makes the musicians, regardless of their expertise, feel very comfortable. There is no drama, just camaraderie.  Everyone is there because they love music,” said Goldstien. “As long as you can play and read music, we’d love to have you. We welcome high school students to join the group as well.”

Rehearsals are held at 7 p.m. every Thursday in the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School Band Room.

The Valley Wind Ensemble will be performing a concert at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 18, at St.-Marks-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church in Los Olivos.

For more information, call 805-403-7732 or visit www.syvvalleywindensemble.org.

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The public is invited to attend the 39th annual Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series featuring renowned artists performing at St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church in Los Olivos located at 2901 Nojoqui Avenue.

“The opportunity to experience great artists of passion and integrity perform masterworks by distinguished composers enriches one’s emotional and intellectual life. To hear stirring music in St. Mark’s Church is especially moving and uplifting,” said Linda Burrows, who coordinates the series.

According to area music critic Josef Woodward, St. Mark’s Church is noted for stunning acoustics, serene ambiance and as “a fine place to hear serious music.”

The first event of this year’s series will feature renowned pianist Dr. Robert Cassidy and cellist Ani Aznavoorian, performing “The Beethoven Cycle Part II” at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16.

“We created The Beethoven Project to immerse the audience in the emotional complexities and musical brilliance of Beethoven’s complete sonatas and variations for piano and cello,” Cassidy said. The featured pieces on this program are three sonatas, Op 5. No 1, Op. 69, and Op. 102 No 1; as well as the 12 variations from Mozart’s Magic Flute. The artists performed “The Beethoven Cycle Part I” at St. Mark’s in April to great acclaim.

Cassidy has assumed the newly created role of artistic director for the Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series beginning this season, said St. Mark’s Priest and Rector Dr. Randall Day.

Cassidy has received widespread acclaim for his performances and recordings of both solo piano repertoire and chamber music. A native of Philadelphia, he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in piano performance from the Manhattan School of Music, and his doctor of arts in piano chamber music and accompanying/piano performance from Ball State University.

His recent recordings of the Debussy Preludes have received worldwide recognition for their sensitivity and insightful interpretations. Cassidy has performed nationally and internationally as a soloist and chamber musician.

In addition to his performances, he continues his active teaching career and is currently Director of Piano Chamber Music for Santa Barbara Strings. He will draw on his past work experiences at Lincoln Center, IMG Artists, and the American Pianists Association to develop innovative programming and cultivate future audiences for the Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series.

Cellist Ani Aznavoorian is described by The Strad Magazine as having “scorchingly committed performances that wring every last drop of emotion out of the music. Her technique is well-nigh immaculate, she has a natural sense of theater, and her tone is astonishingly responsive.”

Aznavoorian received both her bachelor’s and master of music degrees from The Juilliard School and continues to perform often in New York and throughout the world, including with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, Tokyo Philharmonic, Helsinki Philharmonic, Finnish Radio Symphony, International Sejong Soloists, Belgrade Philharmonic, Juilliard Orchestra and Edmonton Symphony. She also is a member of the faculty at summer festivals as well as the University of Illinois in Champaign/Urbana. This season marks her eleventh year as principal cellist with Camerata Pacifica.

The 39th annual Santa Ynez Valley Concert Series will present these other renowned artists this season:

• Saturday, Jan. 12: The Los Angeles Reed Quintet
• Saturday, Feb. 23: Violinist Paul Stein and pianist Bridget Hough
• Saturday, March 23: Violist Richard O’Neill and pianist Robert Cassidy

Doors for each 7 p.m. concert open at 6:30, with tickets sold at the door as well as online in advance at www.smitv.org/syv-concert-series.html

General admission tickets are $20 and student tickets are $10 with any student ID. A complimentary reception follows each concert with a chance to meet the artists.

For patron ticket purchases and any questions, call SYV Concert Series Director Linda Burrows at 805-688-7423 or the St. Mark’s office at 805-688-4454, or visit www.smitv.org or www.smitv.org/syv-concert-series.html.

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SYV Star intern

A fusion of musical tones haunts the halls of Santa Ynez Valley Union High School in the early mornings. Waves of soulful or invigorating jazz sounds burst from the music room as determined students play their parts with passion.

This is the work of the SYHS Jazz Band, a new club in the past school year that has already gained some local notice — and which will become an official class in the new year.

To play in the band, members wake with the sun every other morning while most of their classmates are still hitting the snooze button. The students demonstrate a passion for jazz and a quiet determination to perfect their musical talents.

“Jazz. it’s the challenge of improv and the excitement of playing something new every time. It’s a very attractive style of music,” said energetic director Les Rose, who came out of retirement to create the jazz band.

A local jazz celebrity, Rose worked in Santa Barbara County as a music teacher for 30 years. In retirement, he grew restless and missed teaching, so he became interested in bringing jazz to the high school.

Last spring, he approached Principal Mark Swanitz and proposed teaching a jazz class. Swanitz gave him his full support to organize an out-of-school class (in the “zero period” before school) if he could get the students to wake up early enough.

Rose soon found eager participants from the high school’s marching band and music department. He teamed up with Allen Smithson, the now former band and vocal ensemble music teacher at SYVUHS, to organize and direct the jazz band.

One of about 15 members of the jazz band, senior Zane St. Andre Jackson said he joined to challenge himself. He is planning to attend UCLA and commit himself to jazz studies. He is specifically grateful to jazz, he said, because it is a “meeting point for the intellectual side and the creative side.”

“Jazz — it’s a great way to start the morning,” added Rachel Staude, who has received a scholarship to the distinguished art school of Wigan and Leigh College in England. Staude attended Olive Grove Charter School but still participated in the jazz band because of the opportunities it provided.

In its first year the club performed at several concerts, including the Veterans Day celebration at the Solvang Veterans Memorial Hall and the high school’s spring and winter concerts.

The jazz band also performed for the Central Coast Jazz Society and was invited to the 42^nd annual Jubilee By the Sea — an exclusive all-professional jazz festival — at the Pismo Beach Veterans Hall. The band also scored Gold standing and second place at the competitive WorldStrides OnStage Music Festival in April.

In its first year, the jazz band was a club funded by parents. Partly because of its accomplishments, and the students’ passion, the band will become a for-credit, district-funded class in 2018-19.

The jazz band members have always felt that their commitment to practicing jazz should count toward their grade-point average, and now it will.

It will still be taught in “zero period,” but that has an advantage.

Students are allowed no more than two electives, but with jazz band practice happening before school, it “allows you to do jazz without counting as an elective. I can do art and Spanish still,” explained Josh Kazali, a freshman.

“I always wanted a jazz program,” said sophomore Davis Reinhert. “Even though it (the practice) is early, it’s worth it … it’s a great introduction to jazz.”

Kyah Corff is a senior at Santa Ynez High School and an intern for the Santa Ynez Valley Star.

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People of all ages are invited to a series of three themed “supper concerts” this summer in the courtyard of St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church in Los Olivos.

The inaugural Los Olivos Summer Supper Concert Series starts at 5 p.m. Thursday, June 14, with the New Orleans Jazz Quintet and continues on July 12 and Aug. 9

Each concert begins at 5 p.m. with food and beverages that complement the evening’s music, such as a Cajun menu with the New Orleans jazz. Proceeds will benefit St. Mark’s Preschool Scholarship Fund for children in the community.

Free childcare will be offered for ages 2-10.

Tickets include the supper, concert and a beverage for $25 (adults) and $10 (ages 12 years and under), with a “family cap” of $30 for three or more children. Additional beverages will be offered for purchase.

Tickets will be sold at the door and online in advance at www.smitv.org/syv-summer-supper-concerts.html.

The schedule is:

• Thursday, June 14: Cajun-style fixings with the New Orleans Jazz Quintet, which includes tenor sax, piano/keyboards, stand-up bass, drums and vocals.
• Thursday, July 12: Burgers & dogs barbecue with “Make It Last All Night,” a Tom Petty tribute band featuring lead singer-guitarist Erich Schneider from Los Angeles.
• Thursday, Aug. 9: Santa Maria Style tri-tip barbecue with “Just Dave,” a country band featuring lead singer, acoustic guitarist and harmonica player Dave Bernal.

For tickets or more information, contact concert series coordinator Yvonne Lowe at 805-688-1815 or yvonne@smitv.org, call the St. Mark’s office at 805-688-4454, or visit www.smitv.org or www.smitv.org/syv-summer-supper-concerts.html

St. Mark’s is at 2901 Nojoqui Ave. in Los Olivos.

All three concerts are coordinated by Jon Harris of JSH Productions of Solvang.

The post New concert series in Los Olivos announced appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

news@santaynezvalleystar.com

Santa Ynez country singer Dylan Ortega remembers, as a young teenager, seeing country star Billy Currington in a Guitar Center in Nashville a few years ago.

“I remember seeing him walk past me and I did a double take, questioning if I really just saw Billy Currington walk by. I have to admit I went a little star struck and thought to myself, ‘I’d love to play music with him some day,’” Ortega said.

“Some day” is fast approaching: Ortega, now 19, will be an opening act for Currington on May 19 at Avila Beach Resort.

“My friends Jay and Jessie on Sunny Country 102.5 told the producer about me, and they liked my songs and asked me to be an opener. I am so excited and thrilled and just hope everyone will enjoy the show,” Ortega said.

The Santa Ynez Valley Star sat down with Ortega at one of his favorite places, the Longhorn Cafe in Santa Ynez, to talk about his upbringing in the valley. (The breakfast joint is known also for its appearance in Shania Twain’s early single, “Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under.”)

Ortega was born and raised in the valley and grew up with his father, Vincent Ortega, until eighth grade when his dad died unexpectedly.

“It was a really dark time for me because my dad and I did everything together. My mom wasn’t really in my life at the time. She is, thankfully, now. I took up playing the guitar and songwriting to help me get through my pain of losing my dad,” he said.

Ortega went to live with his grandparents in Buellton and then got involved with the vocal ensemble when he started high school. It was during a solo performance night that Ortega realized performing onstage was where he wanted to be.

“I sang ‘Remember When’ by Alan Jackson and I remember seeing all the people in the audience, and that feeling was just so impactful,” he said.

Country music is what Ortega most enjoys performing, but his taste for music spans from classic rock to rap, hip-hop and more.

“My dad exposed me to a lot of different music styles and I like to incorporate some of that into my music as well,” he said.

Ortega was a two-time finalist for Teen Star Santa Barbara, and he loved the experience of learning from musicians and producers there.

“I know I am really young, but I have experienced a lot in a

Ortega was a two-time finalist for Teen Star Santa Barbara.

short amount of time and learned along the way,” he said.

He loves his life of making music and recording, hoping he can bring something special to a listener. He is also known for giving back and doing fundraiser performances for various community events.

He played for the “Rebuild the Ranch” show that raised $61,000 for Rancho Alegre, the Boy Scout Camp that was destroyed by the Whittier Fire in July of last year. He also put together the “Fight the Fire” benefit concert for the Thomas Fire and Montecito flood victims, which raised nearly $100,000 to donate to the United Way’s Thomas Fire Fund.

“My dad instilled those values of helping others, and I want to make him proud,” Ortega said.

Recently, he had to get a little help himself, from his friends and family, after a routine tonsillectomy surgery put him back in the hospital when a blood vessel in his throat burst.

“That was a scary time, but I have a really amazing family and great friends that helped me recover,” Ortega said.

Eventually Ortega’s doctor gave the all clear to start singing again and he has been practicing with his vocal coach the past few weeks to ensure his voice is tuned up for the performance.

He said he will be performing his newest song, “Dirty Ol’ Me,” which he co-wrote with fellow valley native Roy Bilkey.

When asked how he met Bilkey, Ortega laughed and said it was a Craigslist ad but quickly added, “Not like that.”

Ortega had posted an ad looking for a guitar player to accompany him, and they have been writing and playing music together ever since. Their latest album, which has yet to be named, has just released a few songs on his website, www.dylanortegamusic.com.

Ortega said his songs have been downloaded as far away as Africa and the United Kingdom, and he laughed when he recalled getting recognized by a fan at Albertson’s in Buellton.

“They asked for an autograph and other people started looking at me like, ‘Who’s this guy?’,” he said.

Ortega was even more surprised when Swedish film director Fokke Baarssen called and asked permission to use one of his songs in his film “Mist.”

“It’ll be in the diner scene playing in the background, but I am excited to see it,” Ortega said.

For more information or tickets to the Billy Currington concert, log onto www.eventbrite.com/e/billy-currington-and-locash-tickets-43645020431.

For more information about Ortega’s music, log onto www.dylanortegamusic.com.

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MARCH EVENTS

Email items for this calendar to news@santaynezvalleystar.com.

21

Job Fair, 1-4 p.m., Santa Ynez Valley Marriott’s Nojoqui Falls meeting room, 555 McMurray Road in Buellton; 805-688-1000.

22

Indoor Concert Series, Eric Knierim – 5-7 p.m. Refugio Ranch, 2990 Grande Ave., Los Olivos. Visit www.refugioranch.com.

23

Seasonal Spring Eating Ideas – 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital, 2050 Viborg Road, Solvang. Free; 805-688-6431.

Nature Track Film Festival – March 23-25. For a full schedule of events and to purchase tickets, please visit www.naturetrackfilmfestival.org.

24

Get Involved, Friends of the Library Annual Meeting – 9-9:45 a.m. Solvang Library, 1745 Mission Drive, Solvang. Call 805-688-4214.

Spring Book Sale – 10 a.m. Solvang Library, 1745 Mission Drive, Solvang. Call 805-688-4214.

Lompoc Renaissance Faire – March 24 and 25. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. River Park, CA-246 and Sweeny Road, Lompoc. Adults 12 and up- $16, Children ages 5-11- $8, Children under 5- free, Seniors, Law enforcement and Military- $13. Visit www.oldetymeproductionsinc.com.

Pooch-a-Palooza – 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Santa Ynez Valley Botanic Garden, 151 Sycamore Drive, Buellton. Costume contest, mobile grooming on site, doggy enrichment activities, Tail Waggin’ Tutors, meet a working K-9 officer and his handler, pet adoptions. Free. Call 805-245-5603.

25

Holy Week at Mission Santa Ines – Palm Sunday Masses, March 25: 8, 9:30 and 11 a.m. Youth Mass at 5 p.m.; Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper, March 29: 7:00 p.m.; Liturgy of Good Friday with Veneration of the Cross and Communion Service, March 30: 3 p.m. Holy Saturday Easter Vigil Liturgy, March 31: 8 p.m.; Easter Sunday Outdoor Sunrise Mass, April 1: 6 a.m.; Easter Sunday Mass: 8, 9:30 and 11 a.m. Old Mission Santa Ines, 1760 Mission Drive, Solvang. Visit www.missionsantaines.org.

28

Santa Ynez Valley Union High School Open House and Chalk Festival – 6-8 p.m. 2975 Hwy-246, Santa Ynez. Call 805-688-2991.

30

Cholesterol & Fats Oh My! Seminar – 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital, 2050 Viborg Road, Solvang. Free; 805-688-6431.

Poetry Challenge Submissions – 5 p.m. Challenge for sixth- through eighth-graders. Solvang Library, 1745 Mission Drive, Solvang. Call 805-688-4214.

Ranch Church Easter Services – March 30 and 31 at 6 p.m.; April 1 at 7:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. Los Olivos Elementary School, 2540 Alamo Pintado Ave., Los Olivos. Visit www.ranchchurch.com.

31

Easter Eggstravaganza – 10 a.m. River View Park, Buellton.

APRIL

1

Landsby Easter Sunday dining specials – Breakfast: 7:30 a.m.-12 p.m.; Dinner: 4-9 p.m. For reservations, visit www.thelandsby.com/en-us/dine or call 805-688-2131.

Root 246 Easter dining specials — brunch of eggs benedict, steak and eggs, charcuterie and much more; 805-686-8681 or www.root-246.com.

2

Spring Break Camp begins – 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. 301 Second St., Buellton Rec Center. Register at www.buelltonrec.com.

Every Monday

Weight Room – 6-8 a.m. and 1:30-8 p.m., Buellton Rec Center, 301 2nd St., Buellton, $3; 805-688-1086.

Senior T’ai Chi, 9:15 a.m.; Arthritis Class, 10:15 a.m.; Creative Coloring, 1 p.m. every other Monday; Senior Issues, 1 p.m. every other Monday; Solvang Senior Center, 1745 Mission Drive; 805- 688-1086.

Every Tuesday

Knitting, 9 a.m.; computer class, 9:30 a.m.; bridge and poker, 1 p.m.; Solvang Senior Center, 1745 Mission Drive; 805-688-1086.

Colors of Hope Coloring Class – Cancer Center, 540 West Pueblo St., Santa Ynez.  Adult coloring class for people dealing with Cancer. All art materials are provided. No R.S.V.P. required. Call 805-879-5678.

2-Step Lessons – 6:30 p.m. Maverick Saloon, 3687 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez. Visit www.mavericksaloon.com.

Every Wednesday

Yoga, 9:15 a.m.; Bingo, 1 p.m.: Solvang Senior Center, 1745 Mission Drive; 805-688-1086.

Knit and Crochet – 1 p.m., Buellton Senior Center, West Highway 246, Buellton; 805-688-4571.

After School Wednesdays – 2-5 p.m., Creation Station Fabric and Quilt Shop, 252 E. Highway 246, Unit A, Buellton. Pre-registration and fee required; 805-693-0714.

Healing Hearts Support Group – 2-4 p.m. Santa Ynez Valley Presbyterian Church, 1825 Alamo Pintado Road. Free. To R.S.V.P. call 805-693-0244.

Solvang Farmers Market – 2:30-6:30 p.m., First Street between Mission Drive and Copenhagen Drive, Solvang.

Local’s Night – 5-7 p.m. Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co., 45 Industrial Way, Buellton. $4 draft beer, complimentary bar bites and 25% off beer to go. Visit www.figmtnbrew.com.

Every Thursday

Chair Exercises – 10 a.m., Buellton Senior Center, West Highway 246, Buellton; 805-688-4571.

Arthritis Class, 10:15 a.m.; poker, 1 p.m., Solvang Senior Center, 1745 Mission Drive; 805-688-1086.

Brain Injury Survivors of Santa Ynez Valley – 12-2 p.m., Bethania Lutheran Church, 603 Atterdag Road, Solvang. Jodi House Brain Injury Support Center offers a support group for brain injury survivors and caregivers; www.jodihouse.org.

KRAZy Country Honky Tonk Party – 5 p.m. Free tacos; 6 p.m. Line Dance Lessons, Maverick Saloon, 3687 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez. Visit www.mavericksaloon.com.

Every Friday

Pilates – 10 a.m., Solvang Senior Center, 1745 Mission Drive; 805-688-1086.

Bingo – 1 p.m., Buellton Senior Center, West Highway 246, Buellton; 805-688-4571.

Every Saturday

Junior Golf Clinics – Zaca Creek Golf Course, 223 Shadow Mountain Drive, Buellton; free; 805-698-6224 or bob@oldeschoolgolfschool.com.

Cachuma Lake Nature Walk – 10-11:30 a.m.; 805-688-4515 or www.sbparks.org.

KidKraft – 2-2:45 p.m., 2nd Saturday of each month, Wildling Museum of Art and Nature, 1511 Mission Drive, Solvang; monthly art class for kids of all ages; $5/child, adult admission included.

Coming Up

Log onto www.cityofsolvang.com or www.buelltonrec.com to see a full schedule of programs and events that range from adult and youth sports to teen dances, field trips, excursions and more.

The post Events Calendar March 20-April 2 appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

Filmmaker and photographer Peter McBride and writer Kevin Fedarko will present “Between River and Rim: Hiking the Grand Canyon,” a National Geographic illustrated presentation at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 4, at UCSB Campbell Hall.

In an effort to share the Grand Canyon’s uncharted glory and shed light on the many threats it faces, McBride and Fedarko set off on an audacious and demanding adventure: to transect the length of the canyon on foot, an endeavor only about 24 people had accomplished before them.

It took them 13 months and seven pairs of shoes to walk nearly 800 miles, in temperatures ranging from minus-5 to 111 degrees.

Tickets are $25 for the general public and $15 for UCSB students and youth up to 18 years old.

UCSB Arts & Lectures presents the captivating soprano Julia Bullock with pianist John Arida in a program featuring Schubert, Barber and contemporary blues

Julia Bullock
Photo by Christian Steiner

Captivating soprano Julia Bullock and pianist John Arida will perform a program of Schubert, Barber and contemporary blues at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 3, at the Music Academy of the West’s Hahn Hall.

Bullock received rave reviews for her 2016 Ojai Music Festival debut that produced “something with the heart … of a masterpiece,” according to the New York Times.

She has established an enviable career showcasing her “luminous full voice, round and shining and shifting and elusive as a ball of mercury,” according to The Washington Post, and the San Francisco Chronicle called her “a tour de force.”

Tickets are $35 for the general public and $9 for UCSB students.

For tickets and more information, call UCSB Arts & Lectures at 805-893-3535 or visit www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu.

The post Entertainment Briefs appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

Singer-songwriter Kirby Brown will open the concert season at Standing Sun LIVE in Buellton at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9.

Brown’s formative years were spent on a farm in Arkansas where he was exposed to gospel, bluegrass and the classic country his grandfather would strum in the evenings.

After the death of his girlfriend and his best friend, Brown began to write songs and moved to Dallas, where he began his musical career by writing and releasing his first album, “Child of Calamity.”

He has since toured across America, headlining shows, playing alongside friends, and sharing bills and festivals with artists including Willie Nelson, The Flaming Lips, Leon Russell, and The Avett Brothers.

The theme of his upcoming album, “Uncommon Prayer,” is growing up and adjusting to change, searching for light in dark places, and redemption in the mundane repetition of everyday life.

Standing Sun Winery is at 91 Second Street in Buellton. For more information or tickets, log onto www.standingsunwines.com.

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