The Update | Violin-Piano Concert at New Music Fest; Burger Trail Is Back

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The New Music Guild Festival will take place May 26-28 with guest artists Thomas Osuga, piano, and Sho Omagari, violin.

Osuga and Omagari will perform at Canfield Middle School and Lordstown Middle and High School on May 26. They will also present a free public concert at 7 p.m. that evening at Youngstown State University’s St. John Henry Newman Center, 254 Madison Ave., along with New Music Guild coordinators Gwyneth and Robert Rollin. Seating is limited; those wishing to attend should RSVP to Carly Koewacich at [email protected].

The highlight of the festival will take place at Sts. Peter & Paul Church, Holy Apostles Parish, 421 Covington St., at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 28. Osuga and Omagari will present works by Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Stravinsky and Robert Rollin. The Festival Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Rollin, will perform works by Mozart, Gustav Holst, Piotr Maszynski, Wanda Sobieska, Rollin and others. 

There will be a catered reception after the concert. All events are free and open to the public.

Osuga, a former student of Rollin’s at YSU, has been on the faculty of New York City’s Mannes College and co-coordinator of the Preparatory Piano Division since 1994. He maintains a large private studio in upper Manhattan. 

German-born violinist Omagari began performing at age 5. He holds a master’s degree from the Juilliard School of Music and a violin doctorate from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He has won numerous prestigious awards and was the first recipient of the Circle of Wind Music Scholarship Award.

Lawrence Burger Trail Expands

NEW CASTLE, Pa. – The Visit Lawrence County Burger Trail has expanded to 19 restaurants this year and has also gone digital.

Digital passports can be downloaded HERE.

“The goal of the Burger Trail is to showcase our local restaurants and their one-of-a-kind burgers,” said Ginny Jacobs, assistant director of Visit Lawrence County. “For 2023, we are happy to welcome two more businesses: Kelly’s Side Door Tavern and Steel City Sports Bar & Grille, both in New Castle.”

Participating restaurants are: 2nd Ward Sanctuary, Breaking Bread Co., Burg Bar, Crane Room Grille, Crooked Tongue Brewing, DiSilvio’s Family Restaurant, Edward’s Restaurant & Lounge, Grill on the Hill, Hill House Restaurant, Hugger Mugger Tasty Recipes, Kelly’s Side Door Tavern, Koehler Brewery Pub, Mike’s Main Street Bar & Grill, Patsy’s Bar & Grill, Riardo’s Bar & Grill, Smokin’ Daves BBQ, Starwood Rib & Steakhouse, Steel City Sports Bar & Grille and Town & Country Bar & Grill.

After dining at one of the restaurants, ask a staff member to check it off. Collect points along the way to cash in for prizes such as a mug, ornament, T-shirt and tote bags.

Scrappers Seek Play-by-Play Announcer

NILES, Ohio – Auditions for the next voice of the Scrappers will take place Wednesday, May 24, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Eastwood Field. Interested applicants should be able to commit to 40 Scrappers home games. 

Previous baseball play-by-play announcer experience is preferred but not required.

Job seekers are encouraged to fill out an application prior to arriving and should enter through the main gate. Applications are available HERE. For information, contact the Scrappers at [email protected].

Walk to Raise Money to Fight Scleroderma

BOARDMAN, Ohio – The annual Boardman Stepping Out to Cure Scleroderma walk will take place at 9 a.m. June 3 at Boardman Park. 

Scleroderma is a rare rheumatic disease that affects connective tissue and the vascular system. There is no known cause or cure. More than 300,000 Americans live with the disease.

The National Scleroderma Foundation is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Learn more about scleroderma and available resources HERE.

Event to Focus on Culture and Cuisine of Ukraine

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Mahoning Valley Historical Society Culture and Cuisine series will focus on Ukraine at an event at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 4, at the Ukrainian Orthodox Cultural Center, 1025 N. Belle Vista Ave. 

The cost is $30 for MVHS members and $35 for nonmembers. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Ukrainian Relief Fund. 

Speaking at the event will be Rev. Mykola Zomchak, pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church; and Rev. Lubomir Zyhbak, pastor of St. Anne Ukrainian Catholic Church and Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church. Ukrainian music will be provided by Anna Prychodczenko, choir director at Sts. Peter and Paul. An ethnic meal will be served, along with dessert.  

The Culture and Cuisine series is coordinated by the Mahoning Valley Cultural Alliance, an advisory group under the umbrella of MVHS. This group was the former Ohio Cultural Alliance before joining MVHS in 2019.

Reservations are required and can be made by calling MVHS at 330 743 2589. Deadline is May 26. 

Jewish Life Television Expands in Youngstown 

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Jewish Life Television, the nation’s largest 24/7 English language, Jewish-themed television network, is now more widely available to its Youngstown customers through its Spectrum Entertainment View package.

Spectrum customers in Youngstown can watch JLTV on Spectrum Channel 384. 

More cultural than religious, JLTV welcomes viewers of all faiths to enjoy its high-quality programming, including “Fauda,” “Prisoners of War” and “Servant of the People,” starring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. 

If JLTV is currently not included in your Spectrum channel lineup, contact Spectrum and ask to be moved into Spectrum’s Entertainment View package. There is no additional charge.

Pictured at top: Thomas Osuga, left, and Sho Omagari will perform at the New Music Guild Festival.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.