ArtScene, with Erika Funke as the host/producer, is a daily short program which brings attention to the area's arts and cultural events. Join her weekdays at 11:00am for interviews, reviews and commentaries on films, books, jazz, and classical music. Let Erika's ArtScene help you plan your weekend!

ArtScene 2024

Marko Marcinko, drummer & band leader, speaking
about the Scranton Jazz Festival Big Band and its
concert titled, "The Swinging Jazz Nutcracker Suite"
at Misericordia University in Dallas, PA 
on Friday, December 6, 2024 at 7:00, in Lemmond
Theater.  The program will include narration and a light
reception beginning at 6:00. For tickets and information: misericordia.edu/nutcracker

Marko Marcinko; November 27 2024

Bob McCormick, Artist & Author, and Mark Peterson,
Executive Director of the Hazleton Art League, speaking
about the exhibition of McCormick's work titled,  
"Reclamation: From Coal Dust to Hope," which will 
open at the HAL Gallery on December 6, 2024 
and run through January 19, 2025.  There will be an 
opening reception on December 6th from 5:00 to
8:00 and a Coffee Talk on December 8th from
1:00 to 3:00.  There is a companion book of the
same title that will be available as well.
The HAL Gallery is in the Hayden Family Center
for the Arts at 31 West Broad Street in Hazleton,
and for more information: www.hazletonartleague.org/

Bob McCormick; Mark Peterson; November 29 2024

Matthew Rupcich, Music Director & Conductor of the
Arcadia Chorale, speaking about the program titled,
"Love's Light Abounds: A Holiday Celebration in Song,"
to be presented Saturday, Dec 7, 2024 at 3 pm at
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 35 S. Franklin St.
in downtown Wilkes-Barre, and again on Sunday,
Dec 8 at 3 pm at St. Luke's Episcopal Church,
232 Wyoming Avenue in Scranton.  Admission
is free. www.arcadiachorale.org/

Matthew Rupcich; December 02 2024

Dr. Olapeju Simoyan, practicing addiction medicine physician & professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Drexel University College of Medicine, who is affiliated with Reading Hospital, speaking about her new book titled, "I Played My Best for Him: The Inspiring Stories Behind The Little Drummer Boy & Other Christmas Favorites."  There is a companion
CD/Album as well.
Dr. Simoyan will be part of Take Heart Counseling's "Deck the Stalls" on December 7, 2024 in Wernersville, PA--at 11:30 am & 12:30 pm.
There will be a book signing/launch on December 8 in 
Gilbertsville, PA at The Crossroads Guitars and Art from 1:00 to 3:00 pm.
www.the doctorwriter.com/

Olapeju Simoyan; December 03 2024

Dr. Alan Hack, Founding Music Director & Conductor, and David
Hamilton, President of the Board and Choir Member,
speaking about the holiday concert titled, "The Work of Christmas" to be presented by the Jubilate Choir & Brass Ensemble on Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 7 pm and
Sunday, December 8 at 3pm, at St. Matthew
Lutheran Church, 123 N. Market Street in Bloomsburg.
The program will feature John Rutter's Gloria and other 
pieces of the season.  Joining the Choir will be
organist Carl Ruck.  Admission is free.
For more information, you can find them on Facebook or call
570-784-4515

Alan Hack; David Hamilton: December 04 2024

Dr. Christopher Jackson, Artistic Director & Conductor of the 
the Bach Choir of Bethlehem, speaking about the 2024
Christmas concerts on Saturday, December 7 at 4 pm at
the First Presbyterian Church, 3231 W. Tilghman Street
in Allentown; Also Sunday, December 8 at 4 pm at the
First Presbyterian Church, 2344 Center Street in 
Bethlehem.  The concert will be available via
Livestream on December 8 at 4 pm (bach.org).
There will be music by Bach and Kile Smith with
carols for an audience sing-along.
www.bach.org/

Christopher Jackson; December 05 2024

Justin O'Hearn, Director, speaking about the original
holiday play "Grandpa's Jazz Christmas Adventure"
by Tony Schwartz and Roxann Schwartz, presented
by Diva Theater at the Olde Brick Theatre, 126
W. Market Street in Scranton from December 6
through December 15, 2024. There will be shows Fridays
& Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm.
Facebook.com/DivaTheaterScranton.com

Justin O'Hearn; Diva Theater; December 05 2024

Melisse Brunet, Music Director & Conductor of the
NEPA Philharmonic, and Chason Goldschmitz, 
newly-appointed Executive Director, speaking
about the 2024 Holiday Concerts on Saturday,
December 7 at 7 pm at the FM Kirby Center
in downtown Wilkes-Barre, and again Sunday,
December 8 at 3 pm at the Scranton Cultural
Center.  www.nepaphil.org  or 570-270-44440

Melisse Brunet; Chason Goldschmitz; December 062024

Jack Swersie, artist & arts advocate, speaking about 
the exhibition titled, "Artists of the Poconos" at
the Gallery at 530 Main in downtown Stroudsburg.
There will be an opening reception on Saturday,
December 14, 2024 from 5 to 8 pm, and the show
will run until February 15, 2025.  Gallery hours: Fridays,
Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4 pm.
For more information: www.shermantheater.com/

Jack Swersie; December 09 2024

Gerardo Edelstein, Music Director and Conductor of the 
Williamsport Symphony Orchestra, speaking about the
concert titled, "Magical Holiday Journey," to be presented
Friday, December 13, 2024, at 7:30 pm at the Community
Arts Center, 220 West Fourth Street in downtown 
Williamsport.  Joining in will be the WAHS Choir
and the Williamsport Chamber Choir.
The concert will feature music from film scores
by John Williams , a carol sing-along & more.
www.CACLIVE.com/ or williamsportsymphony.org/

Gerardo Edelstein; December 10 2024

William Payn, Music Director & Conductor of 
the Susquehanna Valley Chorale, speaking 
about the annual Candlelight Christmas
concerts to be presented on Saturday,
December 14, 2024 at 7:30 pm and again
Sunday, December 15 at 3:00 pm, at 
Zion Lutheran Church in Sunbury, PA.
There will be works for chorus, organ,
harp, flute, brass and percussion.
www.svcmusic.org/

William Payn; December 11 2024

Christopher Gallo, Artistic Director of the Lyric Consort,
speaking about The Lyric Consort Christmas concerts
to be presented on Friday, December 13, 2024, at 
7:30 pm at the Hawley United Methodist Church,
315 Church Street, as part of Hawley Winterfest.
And again on Saturday, December 14 at 7:30 pm
at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 232 Wyoming Avenue
in Scranton.  www.lyricconsort.org/

Christopher Gallo; December 12 2024

Amy Carter Casimir, Artistic Director, and Trey
Casimir, Producer, speaking about "A Lewisburg
Victorian Nutcracker" to be presented in 
partnership with the RiverStage 
Community Theatre, on Saturday, December 14,
2024, at the Greenspace Center, 815 Market
Street in Lewisburg, at 2 pm (sold out) and
at 7 pm. For information & tickets:
www.riverstagetheatre.org/

Amy Carter Casimir; Trey Casimir; December 13 2024

Rabbi Daniel Swartz, Spiritual Leader of Temple Hesed in
Scranton, speaking about the performance of "Shterna and
the Lost Voice" by the Magid Ensemble on Wednesday,
December 18, 2024, at 6 pm, at the Jewish Community Center,
601 Jefferson Avenue in Scranton.  There is a storyteller,
a cranky box and live Klezmer music.  Admission is free.
www.scrantonjcc.org/    www.templehesed.org/

Rabbi Daniel Swartz; December 16 2024

Dr. Darlene Miller-Lanning, Director of the Hope Horn Gallery
and member of the faculty of the Art & Music program at
the University of Scranton, speaking with WVIA's Mindy
Cronk about celebrated artist Franz Kline who was inducted
into the Luzerne County Arts & Entertainment Hall of Fame
on November 8, 2024. For more information:  www.facebook.com/LCAEHOF

Darlene Miller-Lanning; December 17 2024

Adriana Beers, owner and artistic director of In2YouArts in Stroudsburg, speaking with reporter Isabela Weiss of WVIA News at the opening of the Gallery at 530 Main about the arts, business and education in the region after the closing of the Pocono Arts Council.  Beers' arts school shares space at 530 Main with the Gallery. The inaugural exhibition is titled, "Artists of the Poconos," and it will run through February 15, 2025.  Gallery hours: Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, noon to 4. www.shermantheater.com/

Adriana Beers; December 17 2024

Alan Stout, Executive Director of Visit Luzerne County,
music journalist, radio host & event producer, speaking
about the northeastern PA music scene over the years
and about all the region has to offer.
His long-running radio show, "Music on the Menu," can
be heard Sunday nights at 9:00 on 105 The River.
Facebook.com/musiconthemenu  and
www.visitluzernecounty.com/

Alan Stout; December 19 2024

Chason Goldschmitz, who will become Executive Director
of the NEPA Philharmonic on January 1, 2025, speaking
about his life in music, his work with soprano Renee Fleming
and his vision for the orchestra, as he prepares to take the
helm.  For more information on the NEPA Philharmonic
and the 2024-2025 season as it continues: www.nepaphil.org/

Chason Goldschmitz; December 20 2024

Sasha Margolis, violinist, author, composer, arranger, speaking about his novel, "The Tsimbalist." Margolis is a violinist with the NEPA Philharmonic and the orchestra of Glimmerglass Opera. He is co-founder of the eclectic ensemble Big Galut(e).
The novel is set in 1871 in eastern Europe and is a detective
story with Avrom, the tsimbalist, as protagonist.
For more information: Facebook.com/thetsimbalist

Sasha Margolis; December 27 2024

Violinist Sophie Till of the Marywood University Music Faculty, and clarinettist Pascal Archer, principal with the NEPA Philharmonic, speaking about the Quartet for the End of Time by Olivier Messiaen which they performed with cellist Christiane Appenheimer-Vaida and pianist Ron Stabinsky, in the Marian Chapel at the Swartz Center on the Marywood campus in Scranton on Saturday, September 28, 2024.  The event was a collaboration between Marywood Music Faculty and the NEPA Philharmonic.  For information: marywood.edu/mtd or  nepaphil.org/ The interview was first broadcast 9/20/24.

ArtScene 2024

WVIA Public Media