The Wrentham Times

Local Band to Perform and Inspire Students on Zoom

As we near the holidays, Wrentham resident Nick Beltramini and his band “Slightly Tooned” are set to give back to the King Philip Music Program virtually.

In this season of giving, Wrentham resident and King Philip High School alum Nick Beltramini has ‘giving back’ on his mind. Hoping to inspire students to play music during these times, Beltramini will participate in a series of alumni masterclasses put on by the high school. Students in Wrentham, Norfolk, Medfield, and Plainville Elementary Schools, King Philip and Medfield Middle Schools, and King Philip and Medfield High School will partake in the event.

Beltramini musical accomplishments are many. He leads Slightly Tooned, a 3-5 piece band rooted in jazz that explores jazz, funk, and RnB music. He has also performed and toured with some of the most prestigious high school bands in the country including the 2018 All-National Jazz Band, traveling to Florida to perform with the group. In high school, Nick earned the the highest music award, the Louis Armstrong Award, 3 of his 4 years. Now attending Oberlin Conservatory, Nick hopes to take his saxophone playing and musicianship to the next level.

“The music program has done so much for me, so it's the least I could do to give back. Forming a band was one of the best things I did in high school, and I would not have formed the band if not for the upperclassmen in the music program at the time,” says Beltramini.

Now he has the opportunity to inspire the next wave of music students during these challenging times. The masterclass will be held on Zoom and will consist of a performance, a discussion about how and why to form a band, and a Q and A section at the end. Being holiday-themed, Slightly Tooned has put their own unique spin on holiday classics which they will play during the performance section. Students from participating  schools will get contacted by their band directors with info about the event and a zoom link. 

 

The livestream concert will be Monday, 12/14 from 7-8 PM. 

It does not end there. After the masterclass, Slightly Tooned will be putting on a fundraiser live-stream concert to raise money and donate a portion of the proceeds to a local Covid relief fund for musicians. The livestream concert is scheduled for Monday, December 15, from 7 to 8 pm. For more information about Slightly Tooned and how to watch the live-streamed concert visit www.slightlytooned.com.

Virtual Events with An Unlikely Story November/December 2020

An Unlikely Story has announced virtual events through December. In addition to the opportunities to hear from authors about their latest work, the Plainville bookstore is now offering free local delivery in Plainville, Attleboro, North Attleboro, Mansfield, Wrentham, Foxboro, or Norfolk, MA.

Kate Racculia in conversation with Margaret Willison
Live on Crowdcast on Monday, November 16^th at 7pm
Award-winning author Kate Racculia joins An Unlikely Story for a virtual event to share her whimsical and funny mystery novel, Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts, now available in paperback. Buzzfeed has deemed this book the "Best Paperback of October 2020" and Publishers Weekly said “Rarely does a novel so suffused with death radiate as much life as this spirited—in every sense of the word—genre-bending adventure. The author...has a deeper design in mind, which only becomes apparent with the book’s immensely satisfying final bombshells. Racculia should win many new fans with this inspired effort.” Racculia will be in conversation with librarian and Apointment Tv podcaster Margaret Willison. Sign up for free at www.anunlikelystory.com/event/racculia

Nathan Hale
Live on Crowdcast on Tuesday, November 24^th at 7pm
Discover the story of the Haitian Revolution and the Louisiana Purchase in the tenth installment of the New York Times bestselling graphic novel series, Blades of Freedom, by Nathan Hale! To celebrate the tenth book in the series, Nate will virtually take kids through a historical story while drawing scenes and characters on his iPad. Nate has a knack for telling true and unknown stories that have shaped American history, and the Haitian Revolution is a timely example. Sign up for free at www.anunlikelystory.com/event/nathan-hale

Michael Holley in conversation with Jeff Kinney

Live on Crowdcast on Tuesday, December 1^st at 7pm
Michael Holley, the premier chronicler of Boston sports and frequent guest at An Unlikely Story, joins Celtics fan and Diary of a Wimpy Kid author Jeff Kinney to launch Big Three, the inside story of how Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett joined together to form the most dominant team in basketball. Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen, aka "The Big Three," formed a unique bond as three players who were dynamic in different ways and who, together, became a force on the court that was tremendous to watch. Admired for their raw competitiveness and will to win, they brought a passion to the game rarely seen, and the fans loved them for it. Holley brings their story to life with countless untold stories and behind-the-scenes details in another bestselling tome for New England sports fans. Holley and Kinney will discuss all things Celtics, followed by an audience Q & A. Sign up for free at www.anunlikelystory.com/event/michael-holley-20

Lincoln Peirce in conversation with Jeff Kinney
Live on Crowdcast on Thursday, December 3^rd at 7pm
Bestselling author and cartoonist of the Big Nate series, Lincoln Peirce, joins us in a virtual event hosted by Diary of a Wimpy Kid author Jeff Kinney. Peirce and Kinney will chat about Max and the Midknights: Battle of the Bodkins, the hilarious sequel to the New York Times bestselling illustrated novel Max and the Midknights. Peirce and Kinney are longtime friends, so this is sure to be an unforgettable event with tons of laughs. Sign up for free at www.anunlikelystory.com/event/lincoln-peirce-1

Varian Johnson & Shannon Wright in conversation with Jeff Kinney
Live on Crowdcast on Wednesday, December 9^th at 7pm
Join An Unlikely Story in celebrating sisterhood and friendship with Coretta Scott King Honor award-winning author Varian Johnson and illustrator Shannon Wright! In a virtual event hosted by Diary of a Wimpy Kid author Jeff Kinney, Johnson and Wright will share their new middle grade graphic novel, Twins, a national indie bestseller about two sisters drifting apart as they enter middle school. Kirkus Reviews called Twins "A touching, relatable story of identity, sisterhood, and friendship." Sign up for free at www.anunlikelystory.com/event/johnson-wright