Hereâs a look at some of the area commencements and whoâs speaking
By Diana Bravo Globe Correspondent,Updated May 7, 2021, 11:30 a.m.
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A 2021 graduate cheered as he walked through a photo and light tunnel that was part of a graduation procession through Northeastern University s campus on Thursday.Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff
With vaccines more widely available and restrictions on outdoor gatherings loosening up, some schools are hosting in-person commencement exercises this spring for the classes of 2020 and 2021, while some have planned online-only ceremonies. Others will strive for the best of both worlds in hybrid ceremonies.
The process of choosing artists for Noon Music in May begins with one thought: variety.
Although most of the artists perform classical music, in recent years programming has been peppered with some unusual acts â a jazz harpist, a solo Egyptian drummer and a virtuoso Ugandan musician.
For the second concert in this yearâs noontime series, organist Peter Sykes returns to Stowe on Wednesday, May 12, at Stowe Community Church. He was earlier featured in a series of concerts to celebrate the renovation and re-installation of the W.B.D. Simmons organ at the church in September 2002.
Sykes is one of the most distinguished and versatile keyboard artists performing today. His playing has variously been called âcompelling and moving,â âmagnificent and revelatory,â and âbold, imaginative, and amazingly accurate.â
Image by Kelly Davidson
Dr. Bill Banfield has been named professor emeritus of Africana Studies at Berklee College of Music. Banfield was hired in 2005 as director of the college s Africana Studies initiative and as a professor in the Liberal Arts and Sciences Department. He also led the development of curricula and programming for Africana Studies beginning in 2006.
Throughout Banfield’s time at the college, he created and taught a variety of courses, including the Sociology of Black Music in American Culture and the Theology of American Popular Music. In 2010, Berklee opened the Africana Studies Center, which included a meeting room, dedicated research area, and space to house artifacts, recordings, journals, books, and exhibits.
Peter Myles has been a Hollywood film music editor for over 20 years.
He recently spoke with Classical IPR s Amanda Sewell about his career, starting from his time as a student at Interlochen Arts Camp and Academy.
After earning degrees from the New England Conservatory and Northwestern, Myles played the trumpet professionally and then became a producer for the Delos record label.
In the late 1990s, he made the transition to Hollywood and has worked on blockbuster films including installments in the Jason Bourne, Harry Potter and Star Wars Series.
Watch IPR s entire conversation with Myles on demand below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7KSlODvVWM
Susie Davidson / brookline@wickedlocal.com
You know them. We know them. And we ve all heard them. The Winiker Brothers are a Brookline institution, making music to go with our memories for almost 60 years.
Bo and Bill are lifelong musicians. With Bo on horns and vocals and Bill on drums, along with regular band members, they re ubiquitous at weddings, events, bar and bat mitzvahs, and holiday gatherings. They ve had several long area residencies as well. We performed in the Last Hurrah at the Parker House Hotel from 1977 to 1991, six evenings a week, plus Sunday afternoon brunch, said Bill. Each performance was with a six-piece swing band, and their original contract was for six weeks.