To Benefit the Library: An Evening with the Ortner-Roberts Duo

On Saturday, March 27, 2010, the Ortner-Roberts Duo will perform at the Mt. Lebanon Public Library.

The Duo is German clarinetist Susanne Ortner and the American pianist Tom Roberts. Susanne is an internationally acclaimed soloist and a member of the German Quartet Sing Your Soul. Tom is one of the leading exponents of a style of early jazz piano known as Harlem Stride.

Both Sing My Soul and the Ortner-Roberts Duo played at the Library to packed houses in 2007, 2008, and 2009. Don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy a fabulous concert while supporting the Mt. Lebanon Public Library.

Admission is $15, with all proceeds to benefit the Library’s book and audio collections. (No advance sales.) The performance will held on the Main Floor, 1st Level. For more information, contact Judy Sutton at 412-531-1912 or events@mtlebanonlibrary.org.

Updated 2010-02-26 00:01 to correct the date of the performance. Thanks to Bill Lewis for spotting my mistake. —Tom

Libraries Have DVDs Online

Movie lovers already know that the local library is a place where they can check out videos free of charge. Now, some libraries are now making it even easier to do so by offering an online video service. It allows patrons to download videos onto their computer without driving to the library and without waiting for other patrons to return copies of the most popular titles.

The service, called MyLibrarydv, offers hundreds of videos ranging from popular Hollywood movies to nonfiction titles in categories such as cooking, medicine, travel and antiques. Green Tree Public Library has offered the service since May, and Mt. Lebanon Public Library has offered it since 2007.

Mt. Lebanon Library Director Cynthia Richey said 59 people have downloaded videos from the service in the last five months. She expects that number to increase as more patrons become aware of it.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/08269/914661-55.stm

Link 2: mldv.permissiontv.com/channels/mtlebanon_pa/

Coffee Den in Mt. Lebanon Provides a Stage for Stardom

The tall, blond woman gripped her guitar for dear life and leaned into the microphone.

"Hi everybody, my name is Elizabeth, and this is ME, getting over a huge fear."

The casual crowd on this Friday night at the Coffee Den in Mt. Lebanon clapped and cheered in approval as Elizabeth Hareza, 21, dug into "Wonderwall" by Oasis. About 20 seconds into the song, however, she stopped, announced a different song, and sailed into that.

Flushed by her success, Miss Hareza, a student at Bethany College who said she needed to practice for an upcoming show at school, tried to make a quick exit from the glass-windowed stage area of the coffee shop.

"One more!" someone yelled, and the chant was picked up by the rest of the crowd. Miss Hareza obliged, tried Wonderwall again, this time to her satisfaction.

Many in the crowd last weekend could empathize. They were mostly veterans of the open stage, or the so-called "open mic" scene in the South Hills, where anyone with a song or a poem or a funny joke can get up and perform.

Link: Post-Gazette

Music Series Strives To Serve Varied Tastes

One of Charlotte Simmons' favorite memories as a committee member for the long-running and popular Music for Mt. Lebanon is helping 86 high-spirited, Russian performers, none of whom spoke English.

"Trying to communicate was funnier than any 'I Love Lucy' script," she said of her attempts at international communication through mime and hand signals. During that same show, Stuart Fox, then the group's president and a retired Air Force reservist, went backstage to welcome the general -- in full military dress --who escorted the group.

"I never thought I'd shake a Russian general's hand in the United States,'' Mr. Fox said. Mr. Fox, 73, and Mrs. Simmons, 80, both of Mt. Lebanon, are board members of Music for Mt. Lebanon, a nonprofit community music series that has been bringing musical acts to Mt. Lebanon for the past 62 years.

Link: www.post-gazette.com/pg/07270/820800-55.stm

Music Series Strives To Serve Varied Tastes

One of Charlotte Simmons' favorite memories as a committee member for the long-running and popular Music for Mt. Lebanon is helping 86 high-spirited, Russian performers, none of whom spoke English.

"Trying to communicate was funnier than any 'I Love Lucy' script," she said of her attempts at international communication through mime and hand signals. During that same show, Stuart Fox, then the group's president and a retired Air Force reservist, went backstage to welcome the general -- in full military dress --who escorted the group.

"I never thought I'd shake a Russian general's hand in the United States,'' Mr. Fox said. Mr. Fox, 73, and Mrs. Simmons, 80, both of Mt. Lebanon, are board members of Music for Mt. Lebanon, a nonprofit community music series that has been bringing musical acts to Mt. Lebanon for the past 62 years.