December 7, 2006 Issue                                       

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©2006 The Chestnut Hill Local

Local Life

Famed ex-Mt. Airy singer/activist is the Katz’ meow
by Len Lear

Sharon Katz (from left), Nomsa Majola Smith and Lynn Riley are seen performing in June of this year at the Hudson Clearwater Revival Festival (New York State), started by Pete Seeger many years ago and featuring legendary musicians like Pete himself and Richie Havens.

Because she is so modest and unpretentious, many of her former neighbors near Mt. Airy and Germantown Avenues undoubtedly are not aware that Sharon Katz is a highly regarded, inspirational citizen of the world. Katz, 49, who will perform with her band, The Peace Train, at the Tin Angel, the concert venue above Serrano restaurant, 20 S. 2nd St., on Friday, December 15, 7:30 p.m., is a composer, recording artist and peace activist who grew up in South Africa. Sharon, who performs about 250 concerts yearly around the U.S. and Africa, is a household name throughout much of Africa and has performed on CDs with Elton John, Paul Simon, Sting, Tina Turner and Luciano Pavarotti.

A Hiller’s modest proposal for ending Bowman sign standoff
by ROBERT FLES

Bob Fles thinks he has a brilliant idea for getting the Bowman signs taken down. Is he right?

The unseemly quarrel over Bowman Properties’ rental plans and the signs this august firm has posted on its buildings must end. Such public disputatiousness makes Chestnut Hill seem provincial, as if we’re plebeian folk who have something in common with the rest of the city, our nearby suburbs and (although some would vehemently deny any resemblance) New Jersey.

The disagreements between this faction and that one and the consequent name-calling and insult-mongering I believe to be rooted in an insufficient understanding of the kinds of purveyors of goods and services that the good people of Chestnut Hill — indeed, the good people of Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley — would find most attractive and beneficial.

Check-cashing services? Puh-lease! License-tag dealers? I don’t think so.

Chestnut Hiller Michael Farrell is La Salle’s Homecoming King
by THERESA SHERLOCK

Michael Farrell, of Chestnut Hill, and Lauren Taylor were named Homecoming King and Queen, respectively, at La Salle University for their many charitable and compassionate community service endeavors.

New Chestnut Hill resident Michael Farrell was crowned “Homecoming King” during halftime ceremonies at La Salle University’s recent homecoming football game.

“I knew prior to the game that I was nominated to be king, and I wasn’t shocked about this (the nomination) because many other people were nominated as well. I was however, pretty surprised when I found out that I won,” said Farrell, a senior.

A native of Philadelphia’s Overbrook section, Farrell lived on campus for three years and relocated to Chestnut Hill because I “thought it was a welcoming and fun place to live!”

CHA 5th grade entrepreneur aims to conquer NASDAQ
by DEIDRA A. LYNGARD

Bradford is surrounded by his proud family members (from left): Diane Parrish, godmother; Nancy “mom-mom” Parrish; Geraldine Bolden, grandmother; Denise Jones, mother; Nelson Parrish, godfather; and Eric Jones, father.

What do the stock market and shoveling snow have in common? Other than coping with a lot of flurries, they have Bradford Jones, 11-year-old Chestnut Hill Academy student entrepreneur and recent recipient of a Liberty Bell Award from the Pennsylvania Minority Business Development Center.

Bradford, a resident of Germantown whose dad is a claims management director for a community health organization and whose mom is a school nurse, read frequently about the stock market in the second grade and decided he’d like to try his hand at investing. But he needed funds to buy stock. Thus, the idea for starting his own business was born.

Christmas concert by new choir at Hill church
by MICHAEL CARUSO

CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS CONCERT: Michael Simmons (left) and Thomas Meany, a classical flute and guitar duo, will perform with Gaudeamus Music Ministry , Inc. at the Annual Candlelight Christmas Concert on Sunday, Dec. 10, 7:30 p.m., at Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Church, 3050 Walton Rd., Plymouth Meeting. There will be a free will offering for local charities. Simmons was the winner of the annual Philadelphia Classical Guitar Competition, and Meany is the president of the Flute Society of Greater Philadelphia. More info: www.fluteguitarstrings.com or www.letusrejoice.net.

Donald Nally will lead his newly formed choir, The Crossing, in a program of Christmas music 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22, in the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, 8855 Germantown Ave.

Nally’s absence from the local choral music scene has been sorely felt. He was the first choral conductor since Michael Korn’s death in August of 1991 to dominate not just the region’s choral community but to make his musical presence felt outside the sometimes limited confines of choir music. Nally was the artistic director of the Choral Arts Society of Philadelphia as well as the music director of the Opera Company of Philadelphia Chorus and the music director/choirmaster of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in center city Philadelphia.

At St. Mark’s, Nally presided over a music program that boasted as its centerpiece a performance of a setting of either the Latin Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Mass or an Anglican Communion Service in English. His tenure at the Choral Arts Society was marked by numerous local premieres of modern choral music as well as the establishment of a standard of technical perfection and interpretive integrity rarely matched and never surpassed in recent local musical history. His work with the Opera Company Chorus was noteworthy for the theatrical vitality of the ensemble’s singing.

Lacroix: ideal fine dining if money is no object
by LEN LEAR

At Lacroix, the floor-to-ceiling columns along the length of the dining room are awash in light. An acoustical ceiling, upholstered walls and velvet chairs you can sink into provide understated luxury and comfort.

When you write a restaurant column and are fortunate enough to dine at the area’s finest restaurants, you are often asked for suggestions regarding special occasion dining. This is always the case at this time of year, when people are making plans for Christmas and New Year’s festivities. As I have said to those who have asked recently, if money is no object, you cannot possibly go wrong at Lacroix at the Rittenhouse in the Rittenhouse Hotel, 210 W. Rittenhouse Sq.