More News

Bryan Seith, a longtime Sandy Spring Friends School teacher, received a 2008 Rockville Arts Award.

The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes his work in the arts, including work with the Rockville Chorus, Rockville Singers and the Rockville Regional Youth Orchestra.

The awards are sponsored by Mayor Susan R. Hoffmann, the Rockville City Council and the Rockville Cultural Arts Commission.

Seith has directed the Rockville Chorus since 1991. He formed the Rockville Singers in 1999 and the Rockville Regional Youth Orchestra in 2000.

Seith teaches instrumental music, chorus, handbells, music theory (AP) and musical production, and Arts and Ideas at Sandy Spring Friends School.

"This is an award that Bryan so deserved for his dedication and quiet selfless giving of his superior talent," Upper School Arts Department Head Bruce Evans said in a press release. "Bryan is a gifted composer, teacher and musician-director who has inspired many young musicians and singers here at [Sandy Spring Friends School] for many years. We are thrilled that the Rockville Chorus appreciates his gifts as much as we do."

Seith recently returned from a summer in Germany where he was part of a program entitled "Bach: Baroque and the Enlightenment."

For four weeks, he and 25 other teachers from around the country studied the life, music and influence of Bach.

At the end of the program, Seith was joined by his wife Michele in Pinneberg, which is the sister city of Rockville. While there he attended musical and choral performances and worked to arrange musical exchanges between the two cities and possibly Sandy Spring Friends School.

Masters in Music to resume at Sandy Spring Museum

The Masters in Music Sunday Afternoon Concert Series will resume Sunday at Sandy Spring Museum

Pianist Jeffrey Chappell will perform at 5 p.m. A lecture will be held at 4:30 p.m.

Chappell has performed 40 times with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and around the world. He was a recognized jazz pianist at the Key West International Jazz Festival.

Also an accomplished composer, Chappell is head of jazz studies at Goucher College in Baltimore and co-chair of the jazz department at Levine School of Music in Washington, D.C.

He and other musicians who have graced the stages of the Kennedy Center, New York's Lincoln Center and other prominent national and international venues will perform during 11th concert season at the museum.

The remaining schedule includes violinist Katie Lansdale and pianist Phil Hosford, Nov. 23; pianist Brian Ganz, Jan. 25; National Philharmonic Trio, March 15; QuinTango, April 19; and Academy Winds, May 17.

For more information, call 301-774-0022 or visit www.sandyspringmuseum.org.

Emancipation Day celebrations set for Saturday

Several events are planned for Saturday to mark Maryland Emancipation Day.

An Underground Railroad Experience trail hike will begin 10 a.m. at Woodlawn Manor Park, 16501 Norwood Road in Sandy Spring.

The two-hour hike will cover three miles similar to the route slaves traveled to freedom. Free. Call 301-650-4373 for more information. Shuttle buses will run between Woodlawn Manor and Sandy Spring Friends Meeting House from 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. 

An open house will be held 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Sandy Spring Slave Museum and African Art Museum, 18524 Brooke Road in Sandy Spring. Free. Call 301-650-4373 for more information.

A celebration will be held noon to 4 p.m. at Oakley Cabin, 3610 Brookeville Road in Brookeville. Free parking and shuttle buses will be available at Longwood Recreation Center, 19300 Georgia Ave. Call 301-650-4390 for information.

Cabin tours will be held noon to 4 p.m. at Josiah Henson Historic Site, 11420 Old Georgetown Road in North Bethesda. Parking will be available at Montgomery County Aquatic Center, 5900 Executive Blvd. Call 301-650-4373 or visit www.ParksCultural

Resources.org for information.

Garden Club taking orders for holiday greens

Sandy Spring Museum Garden Club is taking orders for arrangements, centerpieces and wreaths for the holidays.

Boxwood kissing balls, tabletop trees and wreaths are the club's specialties.

All orders are accepted in advance only and prices vary. Call Penny Sidell at 301-924-3410 or send an e-mail to her at

pennyrmk@comcast.net. Deadline is Nov. 24 and items will be available for pickup from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 6.

Proceeds benefit the Sandy Spring Museum grounds and gardens.

If you have an interesting note about the people and the events of Olney, Brookeville, Sandy Spring and Ashton, send it to Judith Hruz, Editor, The Olney Gazette, 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, Md. 20877; or e-mail it to jhruz@gazette.net. Our fax numbers are 301-670-7182 or 301-670-7183. Deadline is 5 p.m. Thursday for consideration for the following week. All items subject to space availability.