Singer-Songwriter Chapin Looking Forward To Sharing The Stage

With Local Talent For Little House That Roared Event

By Janis Gibson

“My upcoming concert in Newtown is kind of a unique situation,” said Tom Chapin of his Sunday,  March 27, performance at Newtown High School in a family concert being produced by The Little House That Roared.  “My career has been  a wonderful mixture of things — everything from playing to a full house in Madison Square for Pete Seeger’s 90th birthday to 50 people at The Turning Point [in Piermont, N.Y., where he lives]. I think this will be fun.”

While Mr Chapin regularly performs as one act of many in music festivals, this may be the first time he has performed on a bill with a number of local talent. And he likes the idea. A major supporter of keeping music and art in the schools, he said, “If my appearance can help pull more people to hear new musicians, I think that’s great.” It fits well with the philosophy expressed in his song “Pass The Music On.”

The invitation to perform with seven solo musicians and a 12-member male a capella group came out of his appearance last November at Newtown’s sold-out Flagpole Radio Café.

“After the show, [regular Flagpole Café musician] Rich Brodsky asked me if I’d consider coming back to this event,” Mr Chapin said. “I obviously said yes.”

The March 27 show, which begins at 3 pm, will be a mix of his family and adult music. Chapin will be playing songs from his about-to-be released family CD, Give Peas A Chance (“We’re in the final mastering stages now; it may be available for the show, but I can’t say for sure,” he noted), as well as advance requests, which can be made on his website, www.TomChapin.com.  A couple of the new cuts that have been most popular in concerts are “Locally Grown” and “Try It, You’ll Like It.”

“I have had a long, interesting career,” Mr Chapin said. “I have such a body of work now, it’s fun to pick and choose, and revisit some songs I haven’t done in a while.”

Chapin has recorded 21 albums to date, about half of them family oriented. He began writing children’s songs back when his daughters, now in their late 20s, were about 8 and 10.

“At that time, most songs written for kids tended to be obnoxious for adults, so I decided to write songs for kids that adults could enjoy as well,” he said.

While fun and generally uptempo, Chapin’s songs often deliver subtle messages about the environment, manners and other life lessons.

His most recent adult CD, created and recorded with frequent writing partner John Forster and titled Broadsides (A Miscellany of Musical Opinion), offers humorous commentary on various situations. Likely to be heard from that CD next weekend is “Not On The Test” about teaching to the test, and “Eco Man,” observations about the sometimes difficulties of trying to do the environmentally right thing.

“I am looking forward to hearing the talented young people of Newtown,” Mr Chapin added.

In its second year, The Little House That Roared takes its name from the history of Congregation Adath Israel in Newtown, explained Rabbi Shaul Praver, who has headed the congregation for nine years.

“We have a small community of Jews in Newtown, but we view ourselves as a small congregation that does big things,” said Rabbi Praver, who has always had an interest in music. “I first played the violin, then became a cantor and have been attracted to projects that involve young musicians; that seems to be my personal niche.

“So last year we decided to do something to promote the talent in the congregation; it began in the synagogue,” he continued. “The object of the first concert was proof of concept. A lot of people came; we filled the sanctuary, which gave us credibility. Year two is about visibility; we think we will do well in filling the 950-seat hall in the high school.”

He also noted, “There are not a lot of live music opportunities today that kids and parents share; we are trying to bridge that gap. This show will have elements for all age groups. We have some young entertainers who are already popular locally, such as Daria Musk and The XY Chromatones, and this will give a new audience exposure and introduction to the music of Tom Chapin as well.

“Tom is a very creative man, a wonderful lyricist, who actively supports some truly wonderful causes — eating locally, raising money for the arts in schools, for example,” the rabbi continued. “This concert is great for the young artists, to be on the stage  with an established artist, while adding to the cultural enrichment of the town. We are also very lucky to have the involvement of Rich Brodsky and Curtis Urbina, a music executive. in this project; the stars lined up to make it happen.”

To the public, he added, “Come to the concert — it will be great, wholesome family entertainment.”

Local Talent

The local talent who will be sharing the stage March 27 are 12-year-old Korey Brodsky, who started playing music at age 3 when he first showed interest in his father’s guitar and has since then explored and excelled on other string instruments, already winning awards for his talent  (2010 Roxbury Pickin’ and Fiddlin’ Contest, first place overall for all children 16 years and younger on guitar, mandolin, and fiddle);

Yossi Kohrman-Glaser, 16, who has been studying classical guitar for ten years and playing the piano since age 4;

Newtown singer-songwriter Daria Musk, who has been working on a new album project which was in part last month during a Fairfield Theatre Company StageOne performance;

Alex Lampel, an honors sophomore at Newtown High School, who has has been playing piano since he was 6 years old and began playing cello at age 10, and is, among other things, currently the principal cellist with Danbury Community Orchestra;

Actress Katie McMorran, a senior at Newtown High School and returning performer for The Little House That Roared who has been heavily involved in school and community theater productions and will next be seen as Rosa in The Mystery of Edwin Drood coming in May at Newtown High School;

NHS junior Jake Tolson, also a returning player for The Little House That Roared, who has written more than 45 songs, is self-taught on the piano, is working on his first album and was the opening act for Daria Musk’s FTC StageOne show in February;

Sixteen-year-old Samuel Weiser, the only Manhattan School of Music Precollege student ever to double major in classical violin and jazz violin and another returning LHTR performer; and

The XY Chromatones, a 12-member male a capella group founded in 2009 that has performed in various public places in Newtown, and has participated in multiple talent shows.

Tickets purchased in advanced range from $12 to $20. Door prices range from $15 to $25.

Newtown High School is at 12 Berkshire Road (Route 34) in Sandy Hook. For additional information and advance ticket sales, visit www.CongAdathIsrael.org.