Author: Saratoga TODAY

BALLSTON SPA — Now in its third year, the “Sounds in Winter” Concert Series will continue with a Jan. 17 performance by the Eribeth Trio at the Brookside Museum.

Based in the Capital District, the Eribeth Chamber Players have performed throughout the northeast, as well as in Germany. With flexible instrumentation, the group presents a variety of programs, from string quartet and piano trio concerts to collaborations with actors and dancers. The Eribeth Trio is made up of local musicians Elizabeth Silver on violin, Erica Pickhardt on cello, and Kristen Tuttman on the piano.

The group’s Jan. 17 performance will feature “Music for a Victorian Tea.” All audience members are encouraged to bring “that beautiful unused teacup from your china closet” as tea and cookies will be served as part of the event.

The concert will begin at 3 p.m. in Brookside’s Long Room. The performance is free, however registration at brooksidemuseum.org is required as seating is limited.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — New Saratoga Springs poet laureate Jay Rogoff will host a Poetry Repair Café at Northshire Bookstore on Sunday, Jan. 4 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event will allow local poets to meet with Rogoff to help improve or fix their poems-in-progress.

“Sometimes a poet just needs a second pair of eyes—or ears—on a poem to realize what kinds of changes might help improve it,” Rogoff said.

Rogoff is an award-winning author of eight books. His most recent collection of poems is “Loving in Truth: New and Selected Poems.” He was named the Spa City’s second poet laureate at a Sept. 16, 2025 city council meeting. His two-year term begins this month.

“Jay Rogoff was the very first poet to give a reading at Northshire’s Saratoga store after we opened this location in 2013, and we’ve welcomed him back many times since then,” said Northshire’s Events Manager Rachel Person. “All of us at Northshire are thrilled to be launching this new partnership, and facilitating this opportunity for local poets to work directly with Saratoga’s new poet laureate.”

Rogoff plans to hold the Poetry Repair Café on the first Sunday of every month. For further information, call Northshire Bookstore at 518-682-4200 or visit the store’s website, www.northshire.com.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) recently announced that it is accepting visual art, literary art, and performing art submissions to be featured at “The Adirondack Trust Company Festival of Young Artists” online exhibit and live event on May 31, 2026. Numerous works will be selected with one student in each category receiving the “Outstanding Artist Award” and $500 to support the further development of their craft.

SPAC is also once again partnering with Empire State Youth Orchestra (ESYO) to offer the Student Composition Contest, selecting one student composer to have their work premiered by the ESYO Symphony Orchestra during the festival.

Returning for its 9th annual event, The Adirondack Trust Company Festival of Young Artists will celebrate the collaborative creativity of more than 700 of the Capital Region’s brightest young dancers, musicians, singers, poets, and visual artists all in support of SPAC’s mission to provide free access to enriching arts programs for local youth.

This year’s event will follow the theme “seasons,” celebrating cycles of growth, transformation, reflection and renewal, while also commemorating 60 years of SPAC.

High school students, middle school students, and youth ensembles who reside in or are part of a school or organization based in the following NY counties are invited to submit photos of artwork, digital copies of literary compositions, and videos of performances: Albany, Essex, Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Rensselaer, Warren, Washington.

The deadline for submissions is Jan. 31, 2026. Visit spacfoya.org for additional details.

ALBANY — The Palace Performing Arts Center announced on Dec. 19 that Michele Desrosiers has joined the Palace Theatre as its new managing director.

According to her LinkedIn page, Desrosiers was the chief marketing officer at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) from Oct. 2017 until Sept. 2019.

In her new role, Desrosiers will work closely with Executive Director Kevin Johnson to strengthen marketing and fundraising initiatives, expand audience engagement, and deepen partnerships with community organizations across the Capital Region, the Palace Theatre said in a news release. Desrosiers will focus on elevating the Palace’s visibility, enhancing donor and sponsor relationships, and broadening the theatre’s reach throughout the region.

Desrosiers’ background spans performing arts leadership, nonprofit management, strategic communications, and brand strategy. She has led large-scale marketing campaigns, driven organizational rebrands, and guided audience growth strategies. Her regional arts experience includes leadership roles at both the Capital Repertory Theatre and SPAC, complemented by corporate marketing work across technology, finance, and professional services sectors.

“Michele’s marketing experience and strong understanding of the arts community will be tremendous assets as we continue to strengthen our team and grow our presence in the Capital Region,” said Johnson. “Her collaborative approach aligns well with our long-term goals for engagement and community partnership.”

“The Palace is a historic and cherished cultural institution,” Desrosiers said. “I’m excited to work with Kevin and the team to grow our audiences, cultivate community relationships, and support the theatre’s continued growth and impact.”