Burlington County Library presents “Sundays on Stage” this spring

The free indoor performances will return on Sunday, March 19.

The Burlington County Library System is pleased to announce the 2017 spring schedule for “Sundays on Stage,” a series of one-hour, culturally-diverse afternoon performances presented live in the County Library Auditorium in Westampton beginning March 19.

All shows begin at 2 p.m. and admission is free.

The library’s stage performances are held each year in the spring and again in the fall in an effort to bring a diverse selection of culturally-enriching entertainment to the residents of Burlington County. The perfect way to start (or end) the week, the shows are chosen to reflect the BCLS mission to enrich lives by providing opportunities for learning, growth and personal development.

Attendees are encouraged to arrive early, since seating is limited. Doors open at 1:40 p.m.

The County Library is located at 5 Pioneer Boulevard off Woodlane Road in Westampton. For more information, call (609) 267–9660, or visit www.bcls.lib.nj.us.

The 2017 Sundays on Stage spring performances include:

March 19 — Jewish Choral Festival

Sharim v’Sharot (People of Song), a choral foundation under the leadership of Dr. Elayne Robinson Grossman, presents Jewish choirs from New Jersey. In celebration of the centennial of American Jewish composer Leonard Bernstein, guest speaker Cantor Emeritus Maestro David Tilman will offer the Scholar-in-Residence address, “The Life and Jewish Works of Leonard Bernstein.”

March 26 — On the Road and In the Round

Enjoy a special performance of great acoustic music by three well-known musicians: Craig Bickhardt, Thom Schuyler, and Jack Sundrud. The creative sparks that fly during the trio’s writing sessions glow even brighter on stage, so be prepared for one entertaining show peppered with wonderful, often hilarious stories about their songs and careers.

April 2 — Human Wheels

Sit back and enjoy the songs of John Mellencamp, which are often equated with rural life, deeply rooted in Americana and the working class. This band performs great rockin’ music that’s enjoyable and recognizable by listeners of all ages, including classics like “Pink Houses,” “Jack and Diane,” and more.

April 9 — MBDance

MBDance Artistic Director Maria Bauman presents a new quartet, dying and dying and dying, in a performance that focuses on various kinds of endings. The artists investigate the nature of interruption, what it means and what it takes to stop, how our rituals can be both spontaneously created and full of meaning at the same time, and what role surrender has in all of this.

April 23 — Divine Hand Ensemble

This Theremin-fronted ensemble featuring a seven-piece string section, two harps, and percussion performs a variety of classical, opera, movie themes and pop favorites. At 100 years old, the Theremin is the world’s first electronic instrument and the only instrument played without touching.

The Divine Hand Ensemble was selected to perform for the Pope during his 2015 visit to Philadelphia and this show is mesmerizing to watch as well as hear.

May 21- Raymond Charles and the Caribbean Authentics

Raymond Charles, an amazing steel drum player based in the Philadelphia area, brings his authentic Caribbean sound to the library auditorium. Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, birthplace of the steel drum, he’s a great entertainer who performed with, and arranged for, the Starlift Steel and Philadelphia Pan Stars Steel Orchestras.

June 11 — The Rancocas Valley Singers

Primarily comprised of alumni of the Rancocas Valley Regional High School Concert and Chamber Choirs, The Rancocas Valley Singers present “Words that Matter.” Inspired by poetry, prose and theater, the performance touches on the works of Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, Rudyard Kipling, Mark Twain, Shakespeare and other notable artists.

June 25 — Charlie Zahm

Singer/guitarist Charlie Zahm performs a “Tribute to John Denver and the Great Folk Hootenanny 1960s.” Fiddler Tad Marks and guitarist Steve Hobson join in to perform such hits as “If I Had a Hammer,” “Blowin’ in the Wind,” “Rocky Mountain High” and more.