PORTLAND

Fiddler, fiddle-maker share stage at Rines

The Portland Music Foundation and Portland Ovations continue their partnership on Wednesday with a co-presentation of fiddler and violinist Mark O’Connor and Portland-based fiddle-maker Jonathan Cooper. Both artists will speak about and demonstrate what makes a beautiful-sounding violin and why it matters.

The event will be at 7 p.m. at Rines Auditorium in the Portland Public Library. The event is free and open to the public.

The program is called “Making Music & Making Violins,” and is designed to appeal to musicians, music fans and those who appreciate fine artisanship and craftsmanship. O’Connor has his own method for teaching the instrument, and Cooper is the maker he trusts to make his instrument.
O’Connor and his quartet perform Friday at Merrill Auditorium.

Cooper is the owner of Acoustic Artisans on the corner of Forest Avenue and Congress Street in Portland. He has made more than 200 violins, violas and cellos for many prominent players of all genres.

For more information, visit info@portlandmusicfoundation.org.

Space procures … well, space, for special shows

Space Gallery has announced the addition of a new venue in an adjacent storefront in the heart of the Portland Arts District. Formerly occupied by Mainely Frames, the space at 534 Congress St. will be renovated as an auxiliary to the main facility at 538 Congress St. An opening is scheduled for the summer.

With the new gallery, Space gains a place dedicated to showing special projects, including visual installations, experimental performances, intimate events, residencies and workshops. Space will continue to use its current gallery as it has over the last eight years.

The organization’s annual budget has more than doubled since 2005, despite challenging times in the national economy.

Founded in 2002, Space is an independent, nonprofit, alternative arts venue dedicated to supporting contemporary art, artists and ideas. For information, visit www.space538.org.

Auditions for chorus set for ‘La Fille du Regiment’

PORTopera will hold auditions for the chorus of Gaetano Donizetti’s “La Fille du Regiment” on March 20. The opera has a large chorus of 20 men and 20 women, and will be staged in July.

Auditions will be at Portland High School. Applications can be completed on site. When auditioning for the chorus, candidates should be prepared to perform a song or aria, in French if possible. An accompanist will be provided. Call 879-7678 or e-mail info@portopera.org with “AUDITION” in the subject line to schedule an audition.

“La Fille du Regiment (The Daughter of the Regiment)” will be PORTopera’s main stage production of the 2011 season. It is an opera comique about love, family and bravery.

The title role will be filled by Ashley Emerson of Maine. Emerson got her start in opera when she performed in the chorus of PORTopera’s 2003 production of Lucia.

CAPE ELIZABETH

Artists invited to submit paintings for juried auction

The Cape Elizabeth Land Trust is accepting artist submissions for Paint for Preservation 2011, the organization’s fourth annual juried Wet Paint Auction to be held July 17. Artist entries will be juried by Dennis Gleason of Gleason Fine Art.

On the day of the event, juried artists will paint onsite at designated public and private locations chosen to highlight Cape Elizabeth’s natural beauty. That evening, the newly painted artwork will be auctioned at a cocktail reception at Ram Island Farm in Cape Elizabeth. Proceeds from the event benefit the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust’s Saving Cape’s Great Places initiative.

Interested artists are invited to submit two images of original paintings in any medium for juried consideration. Samples may be submitted as digital images on CD or electronically via email. The artist submission form and further instructions regarding submission requirements may be obtained at www.capelandtrust.org/paintfor preservation/2011.

The deadline for submissions is March 28. Artists will be notified of acceptance by April 8.
For information, visit www.capelandtrust.org or call 767-6054.

YARMOUTH

Islandport to publish young-adult vampire novel

Islandport Press has signed a contract with award-winning author Sarah L. Thomson to publish her new young-adult novel, “Mercy: The Last New England Vampire.” The book is scheduled for a fall release.

“Mercy” is inspired by a true story. Mercy Brown and her family lived in Exeter, R.I., in the late 1890s. When Mercy’s family members began to die, fear struck deep in the hearts of the small community. Following Mercy’s death, villagers convinced her father to exhume her corpse, dig out her heart, burn it and feed it to her ailing brother. He too died, as Mercy had, from tuberculosis.

The modern-day narrator, Haley Brown, is a 14-year-old girl who’s struggling to cope with a new stepmother and baby brother. Distracted by a beloved cousin’s terminal illness, her grades start to drop. Then the boy she has a crush on starts dating her best friend. When Haley digs deep into her family history for a school project, she uncovers a disturbing New England tradition and a ghostly past.
Thomson has published more than 25 books for young readers. She  lives in Portland with her daughter.

BOSTON

Maine bands do battle at Berklee competition

Berklee’s 43rd High School Jazz Festival on Saturday in Boston will showcase more than 3,000 students and 200 bands competing for $175,000 in scholarships.

Maine bands competing this year are: Bangor, Biddeford, Fryeburg Academy, Brewer, Brunswick, Cheverus, Cape Elizabeth, Cony, George Stevens, Hampden Academy, Westbrook, Morse, Noble, Nokomis Regional, Old Orchard Beach, South Portland, Thornton Academy, Waynflete, Yarmouth and York.

South Portland, Westbrook, Cony and Maine Central high schools and Fryeburg and George Stevens academies placed in the top four of their  categories at last year’s competition.

All concerts and clinics are free and open to the public, and will take place from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Hynes Convention Center, 900 Boylston St., Boston.

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