September 1,
2006
July 24, 2006
April 25, 2006 |
December 21, 2007
It's hard to believe 2007 is
coming to a close and that Focus shows have ended
until next year. We've had another wonderful year of
highly successful concerts, and we're looking forward
to many more in 2008!
The Focus Annual Meeting is
set for Sunday, Jan. 6, 2008 from noon to 4 p.m. at
Karen Tupek's home in Bethesda. This will be a great
opportunity to hear about Focus accomplishments this
past year as well as goals for 2008. This is also a
good time to share your thoughts and ideas as well.
Not a Focus member? Guests are welcome! If you've been
meaning to join, this is a great opportunity.
If you're a musician, bring
your instrument for a song circle after the meeting.
And please bring a dish to share as well. We look
forward to seeing you there!
In other news, we finally have
PayPal set up on the Focus Web site. Click on the link
for the show you want and you may purchase your
admission there. Many thanks to David Spitzer, Jerry
Bresee, and Karen Tupek for setting this up!
It has been my pleasure to
serve as Focus president for the past two years, and I
thank the current Board of Directors for their time
and energy in making Focus concerts happen. They are
wonderfully dedicated people who are committed to
presenting quality concerts.
The current board members are
Soren Bakken, Jerry Bresee, Herb Cooper-Levy, Kay
Coyte, Scott Moore, Fran Sadoff-LeBow, David Spitzer,
and Karen Tupek.
Fran will be leaving the
board, and we thank her for her time and dedication
with work on Membership for the past two years. We
will miss her diligence and greatly appreciate her
keeping the database updated. Meanwhile, Focus member
Millie Zackowitz will take over the membership
database, and we welcome her expertise and energy
regarding this task.
We regret that Soren will be
unable to remain on the Focus board, with his
increased job responsibilities, and we thank him for
his involvement this past year. But we look forward to
his help in continuing to seek a third venue, in
western Virginia.
We welcome a new board member,
Jay Votel. Jay was recently nominated and voted in on
the board. We look forward to his participation. Jay
spent his college summers working as a solo folksinger
on Virginia’s Skyline Drive. He relocated to
Maryland’s Eastern Shore in the 1980s through the
’90s, where he took up mandolin and was a founding
member of the bluegrass band Hit ’n Miss. Jay wrote a
third of the songs and co-produced the group’s 1998
debut CD, "Ice on the River." He performed with the
band in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Virginia
for more than five years before returning to his
Virginia roots in 2000, settling in Sterling Park.
More recently he has been performing with Allegheny
Uprising. He is active in the World Folk Music
Association.
I plan to remain on the board,
as Communications Director, handling tasks such as the
concert e-mail alerts, quarterly messages, and any
other news items that arise.
Focus concerts could not take
place without the dedication of our volunteers. Many
thanks to Alison and Peter Lattu, Tom Cardarella, Gail
Meyer, Lou Ordonez, Gail Meaker and Greg Pedersen,
Janice Cooper-Levy, and Vickie Hughes in Alexandria,
and to Eric Horowitz and Alba Schofield in Rockville,
and especially to our sound tech, Jay Kohn, who covers
both venues. We are grateful for your time and
support.
Many thanks, too, to all of
YOU. Thank you for your continued support of Focus and
helping us keep folk music alive on area stages.
Looking forward to seeing you
at Karen's on Sunday, Jan. 6 and helping us get Focus
off to a great start for 2008.
Happy Holidays to all and see
you in the New Year!
Warm regards,
Cindy Broome
September 25, 2007
Focus Still Planning a Third
Venue
Hello, Focus
friends!
Hope you all had a wonderful summer, enjoyed lots of
great folk music and are ready for still more this
fall. Focus is providing just that, with the fall
season under way in Alexandria and shows continuing in
Rockville. Check out the schedule for the latest info.
We have some wonderful performers booked.
http://www.focusmusic.org/Schedule.html
New Focus Venue
Recently,
we announced that Focus was starting a third venue in
Great Falls, but due to circumstances beyond our
control, that won't happen. But we're still working on
seeking a third venue in the western part of Virginia,
so stay tuned! As soon as we have something locked in,
we'll let you know.
Soren Bakken, a new Focus board member, is pursuing a
locale for this venue and will be venue manager. Many
thanks to the Focus board, which has been diligent in
pursuing this goal, and special thanks to Jerry Bresee
for making sure we have the sound gear to equip a
third venue and all his work toward this objective.
Membership Special
Our 2nd
Annual Membership Drive is under way, during September
and October. If you're a first-time joiner, you will
get one free ticket during this membership drive, to
be used at any Focus show in December. If you've been
meaning to join and haven't yet, now is the time!
You can print out and mail in a membership form:
http://www.focusmusic.org/ResponseForm.html
A special
evening of music is planned for Sunday, Nov. 18, at
the Alexandria venue - a Phil Ochs Song Night. This
terrific lineup includes Pat Wictor, Kim and Reggie
Harris, Magpie, John Flynn and Greg Greenway.
Admission is $20 at the door for everyone (no passes).
Don't miss this exciting evening of wonderful music!
NERFA
Focus
will once again have a strong presence at the
Northeast Folk Alliance, Nov. 9-11 in Monticello, N.Y.
This conference is a great gathering place for players
and listeners of acoustic music. And there are some
special incentives for Focus members, including a
members-only performers' showcase and a spot at the
Focus table in the exhibit hall. Contact Scott Moore
for details -
scott@focusmusic.org.
Has your membership lapsed? Renew right away! This
conference has a lot to offer ... don't miss it!!
We have a lot going on this fall. Come see us in
Alexandria and Rockville, and at our new venue when it
opens, join Focus if you haven’t yet, come to NERFA
... looking forward to seeing you soon!
Warm regards,
Cindy Broome
Focus President
June 13, 2007
Focus Announces New Board Member
The Focus Board of Directors recently welcomed Soren
Bakken as a new board member. Soren hosts open mic
nights at the Old Brogue Irish Pub in Great Falls. The
Focus board has had a goal for some time of adding
another venue, and Soren will be seeking a venue
location in western Virginia. Let your friends in that
area know that Focus plans to bring folk music there in
the near future! We'll keep you posted on developments.
................
Concerts will continue all summer in Rockville, on the
second and fourth Wednesdays at O'Brien's BBQ. Come join
us at O'Brien's for more wonderful music this summer.
Concerts will resume in Alexandria, which just completed
a successful spring season, in September.
................
See you at a Focus concert soon!
Warm regards,
Cindy Broome Looking
Forward to a Great New Year
Dear Focus members and fans,
2007 is promising to be a
stellar year for Focus.
The year is off to a great
start, with TWO terrific shows presented thus far! The
Jan. 10 show in Rockville featuring the super-talented
Peter Mayer had more than 80 people in attendance! At
the Jan. 14 performance of Modern Man in Alexandria,
we had more than 90 in the audience! Rob Carlson,
David Buskin, and George Wurzbach were in their usual
fine form as Modern Man, and the audience received a
special surprise mid-evening - a brief appearance by
Tom Paxton!
Thanks to Scott Moore, Vice
President and Booking Committee Chair, for booking
these fine acts; to Herb Cooper-Levy and David
Spitzer, Venue Managers; and to the venue volunteers
who contributed to making these shows the wonderful
successes they were. In Rockville: Eric
Horowitz and Alba Schofield. In Alexandria:
Janice Cooper-Levy, Peter and Allison Lattu, Tom
Cardarella, Gail Meaker, Greg Pedersen, and Gail
Meyer. Many thanks go to Jerry Bresee, our fine sound
technician. We're looking forward to more terrific
shows in the future!
The Focus Annual Membership
Meeting is Sunday, Jan. 21 from noon-4 p.m. at the
home of Karen Tupek in Bethesda, Md. Here's a great
opportunity to learn what your Board of Directors have
been working on and goals we've been discussing for
2007. And it's an opportunity for you to share your
ideas about Focus.
Hope to see you there or at a
Focus concert soon!
Dec.
17, 2006
Focus
concerts for the calendar year have ended, and we have had
a very successful fall season at both the Alexandria and
Rockville venues. Hope that you were able to catch many,
if not all, the shows. Continued thanks to Herb
Cooper-Levy and David Spitzer, venue managers, and all the
volunteers who make these shows happen.
The
winter season will continue with Modern Man in Alexandria
on Jan. 14 and with Peter Mayer in Rockville on Jan. 10
and Jonathan Byrd and Karen Mal on Jan. 24. Check out the
Focus music schedule for the rest of the winter/spring
season. We have some more excellent shows lined up!
Annual
Membership Meeting
The
annual Focus Membership Meeting will be held on Sunday,
Jan. 21 from noon to 4 p.m. at Karen Tupek’s home in
Bethesda, Md. This will be a combination meeting/social,
so please plan to come. This is your chance to hear what
your Board of Directors has been working on and a chance
to ask questions and share your ideas.
Afterward, we’ll have a song circle, so bring your
instrument. Also please bring a dish to share. Non-members
are welcome as well! Bring friends! And if you’ve been
meaning to join, this is a great opportunity. For details
and directions, please go to “What’s New” on the home
page. Look forward to seeing you there.
More info and directions
Focus
and SAW co-host an open mic every Friday night in
Rockville at Mario’s House of Steak and Cheese. For
details on signing up and for directions, check out Open
Mic using the navigation button near our title logo above.
Come out one Friday evening, bring some friends, play and
enjoy some music!
Your
Board of Directors – Jerry Bresee, Herb Cooper-Levy, Kay
Coyte, Gail Meyer, Scott Moore, Fran Sadoff-LeBow, David
Spitzer, and Karen Tupek – spend a lot of time and energy
to make Focus concerts take place. There is a wonderful
commitment on the part of these folks and the venue
volunteers to do all the things it takes to do what we do,
and I’m privileged to work with so many dedicated people.
Best
wishes for a happy holiday season for all! See you in
2007!
Focus Plans for NERFA, Offers Season
Tickets
October 1, 2006
Greetings, everyone,
The
Focus fall season is well underway at both the
Alexandria and Rockville venues, and we've had some
great performances already. We have more terrific
performers booked, as usual, so bring some friends and
come out for some wonderful evenings of folk music!
We're in Alexandria the second Sunday (usually),
starting at 7 p.m., and in Rockville the second and
fourth Wednesdays, starting at 8 p.m.
David
A. Alberding recently stepped down from the Focus
board of directors. We are happy to have had his
involvement this past year and look forward to future
involvement as his time allows. Thanks, David, for
your time and input - don't be a stranger!
Kay
Coyte recently joined the Board of Directors and has
taken on Publicity. Kay is a professional journalist
and already has been doing an excellent job. Thanks,
Kay, and welcome to the board!
Many
Focus member musicians will be attending NERFA
(Northeast Regional Folk Alliance) in New York State
Nov. 10-12. Focus will have a showcase, open audition
and table in the exhibit table. Scott Moore has been
working diligently on arrangements. For any questions,
contact him at
scott@focusmusic.org.
Meanwhile, in case you're on the Left Coast the
following weekend, Jerry Bresee will be attending
FAR-West (Folk Alliance Region-West) in Sacramento,
Calif. For any details, contact him at
jerry@focusmusic.org.
Be
sure to catch ALL the great music this season!! Buy 10
tickets for $100. See venue managers in Alexandria and
Rockville at the next show you attend.
Our
special for first-time joiners of Focus is still under
way! The Focus board recently designated September for
the first Annual Membership Drive, and we're
continuing into October! FIRST-TIME JOINERS will get
ONE FREE TICKET to a designated show. Your choice of
dates are:
Oct. 15
in Alexandria OR Oct. 25 in Rockville
You may
join at either venue by filling out a membership form,
or click on the link below, print out the form and
mail it in. Please designate your preferred date for
your free ticket.
For
questions, please contact Membership Chairperson Fran
Sadoff-LeBow at
fsl143@aol.com .
Jerry
Bresee has been busy buying additional equipment.
Recently, Jerry, Scott, and David Spitzer, Rockville
venue manager, met at O'Brien's to sort out and test
everything. David is currently working on creating a
nicer lighting presentation as well, from the ceiling
instead of the current vision-obstructing setup.
Many
thanks go to Jerry for his time, dedication and
diligence in purchasing this equipment on behalf of
Focus. We're grateful to have his expertise.
Check
out our "What's New" section about this
Focus/SAW-cosponsored event, if you haven't already.
The open mic will
take place every Friday night in Rockville.
TAKOMA
PARK FOLK FESTIVAL
Our
booth at the Takoma Park Folk Festival on Sept. 10 was
well-staffed throughout the day. Thanks to Scott for
arranging the space and providing the tent and table.
Tom Cardarella was a big help as well, setting up the
banner and staying at the booth all day. Other people
who staffed the booth were:
Gail Meaker and Greg Pedersen
Herb and Janice Cooper-Levy
Many
thanks to everyone for all their help!
Help us
keep folk music alive ... come out and enjoy a Focus
concert soon!
Warm
regards,
Cindy
Broome
Fall
Concert Season; Get Season Tickets; Membership Special;
Volunteers Needed for Focus Table at TPFF
Greetings, Focus friends!
Focus is gearing up for the fall season with excellent
concerts planned, as
usual, in both Alexandria and in Rockville. We look
forward to having you
join us to hear these talented performers.
Concerts in Alexandria will include Dave Crossland and
Stephanie Corby;
Susan Greenbaum and Michelle Swan; and Tanglefoot. In
Rockville, look for
Eric Schwartz, with Paul Iwancio and Nita Paul; Scott
Ainslie, with the
Dust Poets; Terri Allard, with Still on the Hill;
Quicksilver, with Iain Campbell Smith; Cosy
Sheridan; among many others.
In
2007, we'll have Modern Man; Julie Clark; Kim and
Reggie Harris; Al
Petteway and Amy White; and Johnsmith in Alexandria.
In Rockville,
performers include Peter Mayer; Jonathan Byrd and
Karen Mal; Garnet Rogers;
Wishing Chair; and Terry Tufts. Keep up with the
latest at
http://www.focusmusic.org.
And
to take in all these shows, think about getting SEASON
TICKETS!
Focus is now offering season tickets at 10 tickets for
a total of $100, to
be used at any show. Good for one year from the date
purchased.
For details, see the venue managers: Herb Cooper-Levy
in Alexandria and
David Spitzer in Rockville.
A
SPECIAL MEMBERSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT:
Good news for those of you who've been meaning to join
Focus and
haven't gotten around to it yet! The Focus board
recently designated
September for the first Annual Membership Drive.
FIRST-TIME JOINERS will
get ONE FREE TICKET to a designated show, to be used
at either venue. Your
choice of dates are:
Sept. 17 or Oct. 15 in Alexandria OR Sept. 27 or Oct.
25 in Rockville
You may join at either venue by filling out a
membership form, or click on the link
below for the online form, print it out and mail it
in. Please designate your
preferred date for your free ticket.
http://www.focusmusic.org/ResponseForm.html
Member benefits include:
* Automatic membership in Folk Alliance. In addition
to promoting the
music-related advocacy of that organization, you will
qualify for
discounted registration to the Folk Alliance annual
international and
various regional conferences, travel discounts and
other benefits.
* A Focus CD
* Discounts at the door - $12 instead of $15.
For questions, please e-mail Membership Chairperson
Fran Sadoff-LeBow at
fsl143@aol.com.
TAKOMA PARK FOLK FESTIVAL
We
will have a booth again at the Takoma Park Folk
Festival on Sept. 10 and
we need volunteers! Can you spare an hour (on the hour
of your choice!)
to be at the booth? We will have flyers of upcoming
shows and membership
brochures to hand out. If you can help, we would be
grateful for your time!
Please write to
webmaster@focusmusic.org,
enter "Focus volunteer for
TPFF" in the subject line and let us know when you’re
available. Thank you for your help!
And as always, we appreciate your support of Focus and
of all folk music.
Looking forward to seeing you at a Focus event soon!
Warm regards,
Summer Social a Success
July 24, 2006
Hello everyone!
Many thanks to Karen
Tupek and her husband, Al, for hosting a Focus Summer
Social on July 9! Attendees enjoyed a perfect afternoon on
Karen and Al's backyard deck, surrounded by luscious
greenery and tranquil water gardens. Thankfully, no one
made the "honor roll" by falling in! A song
circle featured tunes sung by Doug Alan Wilcox, Dulcie
Taylor, Karen Tupek, Jay Votel, Jim Clark, Joel Pomerantz,
and Lori Kelley and Cletus Kennelly, several of whom
played some of their newest songs.
A couple of people present volunteered to host future
socials, so we'll be planning more in the near future. We
especially would like to have more events in Virginia, so
if you're a Virginian who's willing to host an afternoon
get-together with some terrific music and great company,
please let me know! You may contact me at
cindy@focusmusic.org
Thanks to all who provided drinks and munchies, and thanks
again for your hospitality, Karen and Al!
In other news, Focus helped promote two open mic/showcases
at Mario's House of Steak and Cheese in Rockville
recently. Many thanks to Doug Alan Wilcox and Nikki Rouse
for hosting. We're exploring the possibility of resuming
them in September.
Meanwhile, "Focus
Presents Vic's Music Corner" takes place on the second and
fourth Wednesdays at O'Brien's BBQ in Rockville, starting
at 8 p.m. Concerts in Alexandria will resume in September.
This fall, Focus concerts will feature Eric Schwartz, with
Paul Iwancio and Nita Paul; Scott Ainslie, with Dust
Poets, Quicksilver, Jonathan Byrd, Dave Crossland and
Stephanie Corby, Susan Greenbaum, Tanglefoot, and many
others. Keeping checking the Web site for an updated
schedule.
Hope
you all are enjoying your summer, and see you at a concert
soon!
Warm regards,
Cindy Broome
Earlier Message with Important
Information:
April 25, 2006
Hello, Focus friends!
The new Focus board has
been busy in a variety of directions, and plans are under
way to bring more events - both concerts and other
activities - to Focus.
We have a Special Events
Coordinator who'll be working to head up a lot of these
extra activities - Gail Meyer, a board member who runs the
door at the Alexandria venue. She'll be working with others
to organize events such as workshops, open mics, and socials
where songwriters have a chance to play and we all can
socialize while enjoying great music. So stay tuned for more
about upcoming events!
Have you renewed your
membership? Thanks to all who have! Our new Membership
Chairperson, Fran Sadoff-LeBow, recently sent out renewal
letters. Because Focus is a 501(c)3 organization, your
membership dues are tax deductible. And your dues are what
help us bring in the talented performers we've been able to
book. So, if you haven't already, please let us hear from
you.
If you've misplaced your
form, not to worry! Click on the link below, print and mail
to the Focus address noted. Not a member yet? Now is a great
time to join. New members get a Focus CD upon joining and
all members get a discount at the door - $12 instead of $15.
So if you've been meaning to join or renew, print out this
form and send it in today! You'll be glad you did. And so
will we.
Focus Response Form
Can you help us out a
couple of hours a month? Volunteers are the backbone of
Focus. Without volunteers, we would not exist.
We especially need
volunteers to help on show nights in Rockville - the second
and fourth Wednesdays. Duties may include taking money at
the door, distributing membership brochures, helping set up
the stage, selling CDs, helping afterward. Please contact
David Spitzer, Venue Manager, at (301) 275-7459 and give him
your phone number or e-mail. We all welcome your help.
Volunteers are needed in
other ways, too, such as helping with
publicity and
membership. If you can help -or have an idea of a way you'd
like to contribute - please drop me a line at:
cindymop@aol.com
Thank you for all that
you do to keep folk music alive ... by being a Focus
supporter, by coming out to hear live folk music, by
volunteering.
See you at a concert
soon!
Warmest regards,
Cindy Broome
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