From left: Zino and Natasha Bogachek, Dalton Delan, Linda Pastan and Michael Blumenthal were the featured musicians and poets at The Potomac Arts Night.
On March 31, P.A.I.N.T (Potomac Artists in Touch) hosted the first Potomac Arts Night at The Art Gallery of Potomac. The event was moderated by Dalton Delan who has produced concerts at The White House and Kennedy Center.
His idea for the evening was "to find several musicians and poets I thought I could entice to come. I also wanted to feature young people and asked who the best musicians in the area are and found a band from Magruder High School to perform. I hope the gallery can use the space for more community arts events. This space is a grace here: Let's use it. There is no place like Politics & Prose here.
Everyone I asked to be a part of this night said yes. It has been a marvelous experience and a joy to put together."
The evening included a poetry readings by Linda Pastan and Michael Blumenthal as well as a music recital by Zino and Natasha Bogachek and a performance by the band A Fall from the Scene.
Pastan's 13th book of poems, “Traveling Light,” has recently been published by Norton. She was Poet Laureate of Maryland from 1991-1995 and has been a finalist twice for the National Book Award. In 2003 she won the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize.
Blumenthal’s eighth book of poems, “Be Kind: Poems 2000-2012,” will be published by Etruscan Press in 2012. He is also the author of the memoir “All My Mothers and Fathers,” the novel “Weinstock Among The Dying,” and a collection of essays from Central Europe, “When History Enters The House.” He is currently a visiting professor of law at West Virginia University’s College of Law.
Zino and Natasha Bogachek have founded Duo Concertone in 1997 out of desire to offer audiences a variety of programs including lesser known repertoire. Since then the Duo Concertone has performed numerous recitals throughout the United States. Currently, they are members of the Washington National Opera Orchestra and National Symphony respectively.
The Art Gallery of Potomac is located at 10107 River Road in Potomac. Phone: 301-765-7617. For more information go to www.potomacartists.org. A percentage of all the art and jewelry that was sold during the evening went to the ALS Foundation. For information on ALS go to www.alsa.org