07/10/2026
We just received this wonderful post from Jon Potter at the Latchis. It's remarkable not only for its rich appreciation of the uniqueness of our project, but for the eloquent way he weaves together the music of the Skylark concerts with the importance of Green Burial - all through the metaphor of harmony. And if you haven't yet read the Commons and Reformer articles he references, be sure to check them out.
Please help spread the word in any way you can, and hope to see you at one of the concerts.
Fred and Mike at Higher Ground and Manitou
The Latchis Theatre
Dear Friends,
The common thread in an uncommon series of weekend events comes down to the word harmony. This weekend, the exciting, innovative string quartet Skylark will perform two concerts in our area, including one in the Latchis Main Theatre, on Sunday, at 5:00pm. It's easy to imagine how the word "harmony" applies to that.
Based in Northern Vermont, SKYLARK's scintillating sound and repertoire challenge the boundaries between classical, folk and modern idioms. The result is inspired original music for all audiences. Influenced by the Nordic, Celtic and American regions, Skylark’s programs feature arrangements and compositions by trailblazers such as Väsen, the Danish and Turtle Island String Quartets, Dreamers' Circus, Pete Sutherland, and many others.
Skylark features Jane Kittredge (violin), Ben Lively (violin/guitar), Ana Ruesink (viola) and John Dunlop (cello), all of whom perform with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra and enjoy lively careers as performers and teachers. For more on Skylark, including some video clips for a taste of the group's wonderful sound, please visit https://www.janekittredge.com/skylark
We're thrilled to have them at the Latchis for the first time, and their sound should resonate brilliantly in the Main Theatre. But there's more to their visit than just a Latchis gig, and that's where the harmony gets richer.
On Saturday, they will be performing at Manitou, 300 Sunset Lake Rd Williamsville at 4:00pm, as part of the celebration of the opening of Higher Ground Conservation Burial, Vermont's first "green" burial site.
The Brattleboro Area Interfaith Leadership Alliance, Higher Ground, Skylark and the Latchis are all coming together for a weekend titled "Celebrating Community with Nature: The First Conservation Cemetery in Vermont."
Saturday's events begin with a reservation-only tour of the burial grounds at 2:30, followed by Skylark's performance, outdoors, on-site, at 4:00pm. A reservation and car-pooling are recommended - reservations can be made by e-mail ing [email protected]. For the pre-concert tour, e-mail [email protected]. Information about Higher Ground can be found at highergroundconservationburial.org.
Tickets for Sunday's 5:00pm Latchis concert are $20 in advance at latchis.com, $25 at the door. Sunday's concert is dedicated to local musician, composer and world music master Derrik Jordan and takes place on the first anniversary of his death. I miss, and I know many others do too.
Taken together, the events of the weekend make a harmonious whole greater than the sum of its parts. As Kittredge put it in Annie Landenberger's fine article in this week's edition of The Commons, natural burial "is a wonderful way to honor one's life and honor the land that we live on. And there's a certain harmony there that I think connects with music in a very special way." Check out all of the excellent Commons article here: https://www.commonsnews.org/issue/872/872higher_ground
We're grateful to the Brattleboro Reformer and reporter Chris Mays for their excellent front page coverage as well. That article can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/HigherGround26.
We're proud to be a small, earnest part of the harmonious partnership that created these wonderful weekend events. I hope you can join us.
There's lots more happening at the Latchis, including a special event on Saturday, in harmony with our friends at Turning Point of Windham County. And we've got a great lineup of movies. For more information, please keep reading or visit latchis.com.
- Jon Potter
