Agustin Anievas

Seamen’s Church Institute will sponsor a benefit concert entitled “Rachmaninoff the Docks” on Sunday, March 17, 2013 from 3:00 to 5:00 pm at the St. George’s School Chapel, 372 Purgatory Road in Middletown. Internationally known pianist, Agustin Anievas, will perform selected pieces by Chopin, and Rachmaninoff during the program. His wife, Carol, will accompany him at the second piano to play the orchestral part on selected pieces. Tickets for the concert are $35 per person and may be purchased in advance or at the door.  (via the Donate/PayPal on this website or by calling the Seamen’s office at 401-847-4260)

“We were delighted to present this special concert for the first time last year and it was such a wonderful experience for everyone who attended, including our guest pianists,” said David C. Brown, Board President of Seamen’s. “Following their performance, Agustin and Carol Anievas graciously offered to return for a repeat performance this year.  The hospitality of St. George’s School is certainly a major contribution to this event since the amazing acoustics within their Chapel are a perfect compliment to this musical program.”

St. George’s Chapel

Agustin Anievas was born in New York City of Spanish-American parents. He began his musical studies with his mother before his fourth birthday and by the age of twelve he had already performed at the Pan American Union in Washington, DC. His orchestral debut at eighteen with the Little Orchestra Society in New York’s Carnegie Hall began an already auspicious career. He has performed in the musical centers of the US as well as on most of the continents and in many countries. Now retired from his position as Professor of Piano at Brooklyn College’s Conservatory of Music, Mr. Anievas continues to work on increasing a deeper musical understanding of classical works played by today’s younger artists and to foster the interest of students and listeners in the great classical repertoire. He first appeared at the Newport Music Festival in the 1970’s at the invitation of Mark P. Malkovich Sr., and has been a regular performer over the years. He will appear again this summer playing works of Mendelssohn, Rachmaninoff and Chopin.

This special concert is being hosted as a benefit to establish an endowment for the repair, maintenance, and preservation of the 79-year-old Chapel of the Sea within Seamen’s Church Institute’s historic building on Newport’s waterfront. Designed, painted, and constructed by muralist and portrait artist Durr Freedly, the Chapel of the Sea was a gift from Mrs. Hamilton Fish Webster in memory of her mother. The frescoed walls depict twenty-six saints and two archangels of Christian legend and history who have long been associated with the sea. The altar is an intricately carved and embellished sailcloth held by nautical knots. The tile design of the floor suggests the bottom of the seabed with shells and seaweed made from crushed shells and coral; a compass of Values is built into the floor’s center. A cornice around the ceiling bears the verse from Psalm 107, beginning “They that go down to the sea in ships…..” The Chapel of the Sea is available for small weddings, baptisms, memorial services, or quiet contemplation and respite.

Seamen’s Church Institute of Newport is a non-profit organization founded in 1919 as a place of solace, support, and assistance to “men and women of the sea” as well as individuals and families in need from the community. The building is on the Historic Register and is the only structure on Newport waterfront that is still serving its original purpose. Seamen’s is open to the public 365 days a year, offering a variety of programs and services to boaters, visitors, and local residents. In addition to community meals during the holidays, Seamen’s manages a weekly Soup to the Docks program to bring hot meals to the working docks and fishermen in Newport harbor and in Galilee.  Proceeds from the Aloha Café and Crow’s Nest lodging rooms help to support the mission and sustainability of the organization.

 

 

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RIWE Concert 2012 Dr. Robert Franzblau

As part of Newport’s annual Winter Festival 2013, Seamen’s Church Institute will host a free community concert on Sunday evening, February 17, from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at the Newport Marriott hotel, 25 America’s Cup Avenue. The Rhode Island Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Robert Franzblau, will present “Sacred & Profane” , a series of orchestral selections for symphonic band , in the hotel Atrium. Conductor Franzblau has chosen pieces by Rimsky-Korsakov, Carl Orff, and other composers for an evening of beautiful music.

The concert is free and open to the public, although donations to benefit the continued mission and work of Seamen’s Church Institute will be graciously accepted and appreciated at the door.

This is the 9th performance by the RIWE to benefit Seamen’s and the concert has been made possible through the generous sponsorship provided to Seamen’s by BankNewport and OceanPoint Insurance Agency, Inc. OceanPoint Financial Partners is the Mutual Holding Company of BankNewport, an FDIC-insured savings bank, founded in 1819, and currently holding $1.1 billion in assets; OceanPoint Insurance Agency, Inc., a full-service agency tracing its roots back to 1863, provides a broad range of property casualty insurance products. Both are headquartered in Middletown and are proud to serve the financial and insurance needs of customers from banking and insurance offices located throughout Rhode Island.

Seamen’s Church Institute also acknowledges, with appreciation, the generous support from the Newport Marriott Hotel to make their acoustically ideal venue in the Atrium available for this annual program. The RI State Council on the Arts (RISCA) provides partial support for the RI Wind Ensemble’s 2013 concert season.

Poster.WinterConcert2013_REV2

 

Carol and Agustin Anievas

The 2nd “Rachmaninoff The Docks” concert by internationally known pianist Agustin Anievas has been scheduled for Sunday, March 17th, from 3:00 to 5:00 pm at the Chapel, St. George’s School on Purgatory Road in Middletown. This unique and amazing space provides a beautiful environment for selections by Rachmaninoff and other composers; Carol Anievas will accompany her husband on a second piano for part of the program.

This concert will require reservations at $35 per person, in advance or at the door. Tickets may be purchased at Seamen’s, 18 Market Square, Newport, or by calling 401-847-4260, or by email to SeamensNewport@gmail.com.  Proceeds will be designated for the restoration and preservation of the historic Chapel of the Sea at Seamen’s Church Institute.

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You’re invited to our Holiday Open House & Christmas Glow – Saturday, December 15, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm.  Tour our National Historic Building, hear our history, enjoy a break from the Holiday hustle and bustle, and join us for a complimentary cider and hot chocolate.

Seamen’s will also host our Annual Christmas Morning Breakfast Buffet on Christmas Day from 9:00 to 11:00 am and the Annual Holiday Breakfast Buffet on Friday, December 28, from 9:00 to 11:00 am. All are Welcome!

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It’s Tuesday, and as this is being posted, volunteers are busy peeling potatoes and veggies as part of the preparations for our Annual Thanksgiving Dinner on Thursday, November 22.

Open to the community, at no charge, we are expecting 300 guests for turkey, with all the fixin’s, followed by pie and other baked goodies. Dinner will be served from 12:00 to 2:00 and no reservations are necessary!

Thanks to many of our active Board members, volunteers, and lots of donations of food and financial donations, this dinner allows us to recognize our blessings of generous support from our local community.

Thanksgiving 2011 – Approximately 257 guests joined us for dinner!

 

Once again, the amazing students and faculty at Cluny School of Newport donated very full food baskets, complete with turkeys, for 12 local families (totaling 51 people) and distributed by Seamen’s. Another blessing of the season!

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Once again, Seamen’s will be hosting our annual community Thanksgiving Dinner on Thursday, November 22nd, from 12:00 to 2:00. And, everyone is welcome!

People have been calling and email us to see how they can help. So here’s how:

• We already have enough volunteers to help on that day, but you are welcome to join us as a smiling face around the table.
• We DESPERATELY need turkeys!  Cooked, sliced, and brought to SCI on Wednesday, Nov.21 (preferred) or Thursday, Thanksgiving morning (before 10:00 am). We are looking for a total of twenty (20) 15+ turkeys.
• We also need some home based pies and desserts. If you would like to bake something, we ask that you coordinate your offering with Sheila McCurdy at sheilamccurdy@mac.com to let her know what you will be bringing and how much. While we were grateful to receive many desserts last year, we had more than we could use and/or distribute at the end of the day.
• Of course, there is also the option of a monetary donation. The more we can raise to off-set the cost of this holiday meal, the more of our funds can be used to continue our mission of providing assistance and support to men & women of the sea, and individuals & families in the Newport community. Donations can be made to Seamen’s Church Institute, 18 Market Square, Newport, RI 02840

Seamen’s has much to be thankful for again this year, not the least of which is an amazing amount of support from our Board, staff, donors, Friends of SCI, and the community at large. We wish you all a very happy and safe holiday!

Thanksgiving at Seamen’s 2011

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