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June 19, 2025

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3 Top Story Point of View Maria

Who’s Angry Now? By Maria Grant

June 17, 2025 by Maria Grant 4 Comments

I just finished reading The Doorman by Chris Pavone. The novel, which I highly recommend, is a bit of a potboiler. It focuses on the goings-on at a fictional grand apartment building in New York City called The Bohemia. 

In the novel, pretty much every social class is angry. Some extremely wealthy residents at The Bohemia are angry because newcomers to the building are not up to the standards formerly set—meaning people of color are resident. Other wealthy residents are angry because it is so exhausting cranking out the revenue needed to afford their lifestyles, which sometimes results in their being complicit in illegal deeds. Some residents’ wives are angry because they have become disillusioned with their unscrupulous spouses.

Protesters outside the building are angry because a White police officer killed an unarmed Black man. 

MAGA-supporters nearby are angry and coalescing around the building to protest the people protesting the Black man’s killing. 

Latinos who work at The Bohemia are angered by some of the absurd requests made by the spoiled and privileged residents. 

And the Doorman, Chicky, who has worked at The Bohemia for three decades, juggles all the requests of these various factions in an effort to keep the peace. He has his own set of issues as his wife has recently died and left him with mountains of medical bills and mountains of debt. 

What I loved about the novel is Pavone’s almost satirical portrayal of today’s society. So many Americans are angry. Why? 

After Trump’s first presidential victory, many analysts opined that White voters voted for Trump in the hopes that he would restore the racial hierarchy upended by Barack Obama. Wages for America’s working class had been stagnant for a long time. Workers were frustrated by foreign competition. And many Blacks and Latinos faced declining economic prospects. 

In short, many American voters, saw Obama’s reign as a signal that White voters were no longer at the top of the social scale, so they became angry and anxious. 

And then there was the double-whammy threat of Hillary, a woman, becoming president. Okay so first we have to deal with a Black man dethroning our former hierarchy and now a woman? What next?

The second time around, analysts opined that Trump won because many Americans were angry because they felt as though they were being ignored by “The Elites.” Voters saw Trump as a savior from that financial elite class, even though he was clearly one of them and his former tax cuts benefited those despised elites. Then there was the issue of millions of undocumented immigrants coming across our border, coupled with Trump’s opponent being not only a woman but a person of color. Hence, some voters became even angrier. 

So where are we today? Let’s just say there are a lot of angry people out there. It is estimated that during the “No Kings” resistance last Saturday, more than five million people participated in at least 2,000 protests. (An estimated 200,000 people attended Trump’s military parade, fewer than anticipated.) 

Experts claim that peaceful protests are actually a good idea when you feel a lack of control and a sense of hopelessness. They are a way of taking action and connecting with your community. And they are a helpful way of generating a sense of hope. Other actions to counteract a sense of despair and hopelessness are volunteering for worthy causes; reading books that inspire and lift spirits; and looking after yourself as best you can by focusing on self-care. 

Anger is often a double-edged sword. It can be a source of motivation and a catalyst for change. It can also lead to destructive behaviors, such as electing an unqualified leader who builds a dangerous and frighteningly incompetent administration. 

Maya Angelou once wrote, “Anger is like fire. It burns itself out, leaving behind only ashes of regret.” Given the number of people who protested last weekend, I’d say there is a lot of regret in America right now. 

Ironically, the situation brings to mind some lyrics from Trump’s favorite musical, Les Misérables, which opened at the Kennedy Center last week, “Do you hear the people sing? Singing the songs of angry men? “

Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm and is currently on the Board of Chesapeake Music. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature.

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: 3 Top Story, Maria

Chesapeake Music’s Chamber Festival—a Veritable Embarrassment of Riches by Maria Grant

June 10, 2025 by Maria Grant Leave a Comment

Sheer perfection would be an apt description of the first three concerts in Chesapeake Music’s six-concert Chamber Music Festival series at The Ebenezer Theater in Easton. I attended all three concerts and left exhilarated, inspired, and anxious to hear the remaining three concerts this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. These upcoming concerts also feature The Juilliard String Quartet, dubbed the most important American quartet in history!

Photo by Cal Jackson

Themed “Reflection and Celebration” in honor of its 40th year, this Festival’s first three concerts featured a thoughtful pairing of amazingly talented seasoned musicians coupled with inspirational rising-star musicians who exhibit impressive talent beyond their years. Such juxtapositioning epitomizes how far the festival has come over the last four decades and its exciting potential in years to come. 

Chamber music was first performed in intimate private settings such as palace chambers, drawing rooms, and residential parlors. Thanks to Paul and Joanne Prager, Chesapeake Music’s home at The Ebenezer Theater provides a similar intimate setting to listen to amazing music but also offers more accessibility to exceptional musical performances with better acoustics and comfortable seating.

Co-artistic directors of Chesapeake Music Marcy Rosen (who also co-founded Chesapeake Music) and Catherine Cho developed programs that showcase beloved favorites, including Boccherini, Schumann, Brahms, Beethoven, Dvořák, Haydn, Mozart, and Mendelssohn, as well as less well-known and more modern composers, such as Amy Beach and Cécile Chaminade. 

In addition to developing the programs, cellist Marcy Rosen and violinist Catherine Cho played several of the selected pieces accompanied by clarinetist and co-founder of Chesapeake Music J. Lawrie Bloom, pianist Robert McDonald, oboist Peggy Pearson, violist Zhanbo Zheng, and violinists/violists Todd Phillips and Carmit Zori. 

Two rising stars who also performed in several of those selections were cellist Sterling Elliott and pianist Albert Cano Smit. In addition, Elliott and Cano Smit played an Opus by Beach, and Cano Smit played two selections by Chaminade. These pieces were played to perfection and were a delightful opportunity to hear music with which audiences will surely want to become more familiar. 

This week’s Thursday, Friday, and Saturday concerts feature music by Mendelssohn, Farrenc, Smetana, Mozart, Widmann, Beethoven, Bonis, Schoenberg, and Fauré. For details about this week’s concerts and to purchase tickets, be sure to visit ChesapeakeMusic.org. 

Let’s never take for granted how fortunate we are to experience this caliber of music on the Eastern Shore. It is indeed a reflection of Chesapeake Music’s dedication and hard work, and a time to celebrate upcoming opportunities to hear phenomenal artistic talent perform glorious, inspirational music.

Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm and currently serves on the Board of Chesapeake Music. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature.

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: 3 Top Story, Maria

Want to Stem Outrage? Simply Flood the Zone by Maria Grant

June 2, 2025 by Maria Grant

This Administration has committed so many outrageous acts that Americans have become numb to the onslaught and simply fail to process their repercussions. Here are some examples. 

Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr. and his team used Artificial Intelligence (AI) to write their Make America Healthy Again report. Seven studies listed in the report were either wildly misinterpreted or never occurred. Georges C. Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, told The Washington Post, “This is not an evidence-based report, and for all practical purposes, it should be junked at this point.” 

Draft-dodger President Trump gave a commencement speech at West Point and skipped the traditional handshake and salute to each graduating cadet. Instead, he made a beeline to his golf course. During his speech, he found time to opine on the concept of trophy wives. 

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has dramatically limited press access inside the Pentagon and has ejected The New York Times, CNN, Politico, and NPR from their dedicated workspaces inside the building. Since the Signalgate debacle, Hegseth has given no press conferences. 

On Memorial Day, Trump called judges who oppose him “monsters” who want the United States “to go to hell.” 

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Secretary Russell Vought said that OMB would reduce cooperation with the government watchdog Government Accountability Office (GAO) requests because there are too many of them and they are too invasive. 

A GAO spokesperson disagreed and said, “The majority of our audit work is mandated in law or in response to bipartisan Congressional requests.”  

By the way, OMB’s takedown of its apportionments website, which is a public record of where taxpayers’ money is spent, violates federal statutes.

Trump’s Justice Department is set to pay $5 million to the family of Ashi Babbitt, the Trump-supporter rioter who was shot and killed while trying to climb through a smashed window into the Speaker’s Lobby of the Capitol.

All indications are that Trump’s June 14 military parade will cost $45 million. The DOGE team is in the process of firing up to 80,000 Veteran’s Administration employees, including at least 20,000 veterans. 

Trump has issued a series of pardons for several of his loyal followers and campaign donors. In addition to commuting sentences of some January 6 insurrectionists and pardoning all other insurrectionists involved in the attack on the Capitol, he has pardoned reality TV stars who committed fraud, massive tax evaders, and many more loyalists. 

Trump is also taking a look at pardoning the men charged with plotting to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs, who is currently on trial for sexual trafficking and several other crimes. 

In a humiliating meeting in the Oval Office, which was broadcast globally, Trump told Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, “You don’t have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards.” Vice President Vance also chastised Zelensky, accusing him of not showing sufficient gratitude to Trump. 

Last weekend made it pretty clear that Zelenskyy has some cards—maybe even an ace. In an operation code-named “Spider’s Web,” Ukraine used 117 drones against Russian military airbases, operating across several Russian regions in three different time zones. Around 40 Russian military planes were hit in the attack. The operation had been planned for more than a year. Ukraine did not notify the Trump administration of the attack in advance. 

Trump has fired those whom he feels are too closely aligned with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, including Kim Sajet, Director of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery; Carla Hayden, the longtime librarian of the Library of Congress; and the Chairman and the Board of Trustees of the Kennedy Center. 

Last Saturday night, Trump shared a post on Truth Social claiming Joe Biden was executed in 2020 and replaced by a clone.

At a Bitcoin Conference in Las Vegas last week, Vice President JD Vance, Don Jr., and Eric celebrated the fact that the current President is a fan of Crypto. Already this administration has eased regulations on Crypto, promoted their growth, and sought to bring Crypto into the mainstream. 

Vance owns between $250,000 and $500,000 worth of Bitcoin. Trump Media and Technology Group, the parent company to Truth Social, has announced plans to buy up billions of dollars’ worth of Bitcoin. While the legality of these actions is subject to debate, clearly, they are shameless examples of grift and exploitation. 

After Bruce Springsteen called this administration, “corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous,” Trump threatened a “major investigation” and wrote these words on Truth Social: “This dried out prune of a rocker ought to KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT until he gets back into the country, that’s just standard fare. Then we’ll all see how it goes for him.”  (Trump seemed to have no problem with January 6 insurrectionists using their so called “freedom of speech” rights to scream death threats regarding Nancy Pelosi or chants of “Hang Mike Pence.”)

This Administration has used legal and financial threats to punish universities, law firms, companies, and the courts for failing to align with his agenda. In response, there are currently more than 200 court cases against this administration. Trump has defied several court orders on illegal deportations and university actions. 

All actions noted above are straight out of the Project 2025 playbook, which includes tactics on how to overwhelm the opposition by flooding the zone and strategies for limiting access to factual information. 

In a so-called “normal administration,” many of the actions listed above would prompt a public outcry and calls for investigations and impeachments.

Experts recommend countering the current flood-the-zone strategy by prioritizing substance over sensation, building resilient information systems, verifying information at all times, educating audiences, engaging with the media, and owning the conversation by emphasizing facts over and over again.

The counterattack full-court press is beginning to gain momentum. May the force be with it. 

Maria Grant was the principal-in-charge of a federal human capital practice at an international consulting firm. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature. 

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: 3 Top Story

Just in Time: The Juilliard String Quartet Comes to the Mid-Shore in June

May 28, 2025 by Maria Grant

Chesapeake Music is thrilled to welcome the illustrious Juilliard String Quartet during the second week of its June Chamber Music Festival.

Founded at The Juilliard School by then-president William Schuman and violin faculty member Robert Mann in 1946, the Juilliard String Quartet has received numerous awards, including four Grammys and membership in the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

From its beginnings, the Quartet has inspired audiences around the world. The ensemble performs riveting classic performances and also embraces the mission of championing new works. The result: each performance is a unique experience, showcasing the interpretation, commitment, and artistry of its four members.

Each year the Juilliard String Quartet continues its decades-old tradition of commissioning and performing world premieres. Recent commissioned premieres have included two works by celebrated German composer Jörg Widmann, inspired by Beethoven string quartets.

This past season, the Quartet went on a repeat tour with violinist Itzhak Perlman and pianists Emanuel Ax and Jean-Yves Thibaudet. It also collaborated with soprano Tony Arnold and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Other season activities included a world premiere of a new work entitled “Birds on the Moon” dedicated to the Quartet’s late former violist Roger Tapping, written by Iraqi-American composer Michelle Barzel Ross. The Quartet has also participated in tours across Europe and the U.S with concerts in London, Berlin, Salzburg, the Ravinia Festival, and New York’s Alice Tully Hall.

A facet of the Quartet’s decades-old legacy is a prolific and celebrated discography, with landmark recordings that continue to be rereleased by Sony Masterworks. The Quartet’s latest album on Sony, featuring works by Beethoven, Bartók, and Dvořák, was released to international acclaim with Strings Magazine calling it “a miracle of contrasting color.” The Quartet’s recordings of the Bartók and Schoenberg Quartets, as well as those of Debussy, Ravel, and Beethoven, have won Grammy Awards. In 2011, the Quartet became the first classical music ensemble to receive a lifetime achievement award from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

At the upcoming Chesapeake Chamber Music Festival, the Quartet will play Mendelssohn’s String Quintet No. 1 in A Major and Smetana’s String Quartet No. 1 in E Minor (“From My Life”) on June 12; Widmann’s String Quartet No. 8 (“Study on Beethoven III”) and Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 13 in B-flat Major, Op. 130 and 133 on June 13; and Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht (“Transfigured Night”) on June 14. For some selections, the Quartet will be joined by Chesapeake Music’s co-Artistic Directors—Catherine Cho and Marcy Rosen—and Daniel Phillips.

The Quartet is in residence at The Juilliard School in New York City. Its current members are Areta Zhulla (violin), Ronald Copes (violin), Molly Carr (viola), and Astrid Schween (cello), all of whom are sought-after teachers on the string and chamber music faculties. The Quartet regularly offers classes and open rehearsals while on tour and hosts a five-day internationally recognized Juilliard String Quartet Seminar each May at The Juilliard School.

The members of the Quartet also have a history of supporting marginalized communities. One example is violist Molly Carr, who has been praised for her “intoxicating and ravishing performances.” Carr is Founder and Artistic Director of Project: Music Heals Us, an organization which brings free chamber music and interactive programming to those with limited access to the arts. She has stepped behind prison walls to witness “hardened criminals soften and weep at the sound of Beethoven’s string quartets.” Carr has also visited refugee camps to offer creative spaces for traumatized children to dance, sing, smile, and freely express themselves for the first time in years—an initiative for which she and her Duo partner Anna Petrova have been honored at the United Nations.

Chesapeake Music’s co-Artistic Director Catherine Cho shares, “The Juilliard Quartet is a beloved ensemble worldwide, and we are very grateful to have them share their music-making with us…they are all sincere musicians with a powerful sense of integrity.”

Tickets for the Festival concerts at The Ebenezer Theater in Easton are $70. Chesapeake Music also offers a limited number of free tickets for students, music educators, and Talbot County First Responders, as well as a “buy-one-get-one” option for first-time patrons of Chesapeake Music. Visit ChesapeakeMusic.org for tickets and more information.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: 1A Arts Lead

The Dumbing Down of America – It’s a Major Brain Drain by Maria Grant

May 27, 2025 by Maria Grant

In a matter of a few short months, Trump and his DOGE team have cancelled hundreds of research initiatives that had the potential to cure diseases and address climate change issues. 

Academics and other researchers who are experts in their fields are leaving America in droves and relocating to Canada, Europe, Australia, and yes, even China. The best and the brightest high school students who had once put American institutions as their first choices for college are scratching this country off their lists and changing their top choices to colleges outside the U.S. Already at least two professors at Ivy League universities have transferred to the University of Toronto. 

Massive firings have taken place at the National Institute of Health (NIH), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the U.S. Geological Survey, and, of course, the Agency for International Development (USAID). Grants have been rescinded. Projects have been cancelled. 

In addition, Trump is making college students’ professors’ and administrators’ lives a living hell by jeopardizing the quality of education, their safety, and their livelihoods. Plus, the repayment obligations of student loan borrowers will increase dramatically. 

One of the most impacted sectors affected by all these cuts is medical research. When clinical trial research gets cancelled, momentum in valuable findings halts. People who were in the midst of participating in these trials who could possibly benefit from new findings are left high and dry. Such trials evaluate new medications, new procedures, new medical devices, and new behavioral interventions. NIH is the largest funder of this research and about 60 percent of its funding goes to various academic medical center campuses. 

Just a few examples of the research that was underway are studies on pediatric cancer, brain cancer, dementia, postpartum depression, melanoma, birth control, long COVID, and diabetes. Once these trials get shut down, it’s extremely difficult to restart them. Researchers lose their jobs. Equipment is dismantled. Tracking long-term effects of various trials is no longer possible. 

I read one article that highlighted the USAID clinical trial in Africa involving birth control devices where AID employees were frantically calling women urging them to get to a hospital immediately as no one would be available to track their results and outcomes. The fact that these projects were shut down with absolutely no advanced notice is reprehensible. 

Canada, Europe, Australia, and China are wasting no time in recruiting researchers, scientists, and college students. They have active campaigns to lure them with promises of increased research funding, paying for travel to their countries, support in finding housing, and more. One example is the University of AIX-Marseille in France, which has launched a Safe Place for Science Campaign offering a program where scientists can work on health, climate, and astrophysics initiatives. 

When Trump announced that he was going to revoke Harvard’s ability to enroll international students (now on hold as courts opine on the legality of this action), the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology immediately offered these Harvard international students unconditional admission with additional support for visa assistance, college credit transfers, housing, travel, and more. 

Just when I was bemoaning the fact that Trump’s policies couldn’t get much worse, they just did. Virtually every advantage that we have had over other countries is disintegrating before our eyes. Thanks to NIH research scientists, the Covid vaccine was developed in less than 12 months. Last month Trump fired the scientist who may have been responsible for saving his life. 

When you review academic papers on how to prevent brain drain, they suggest things like improving economic conditions, fostering inclusive environments, investing in education, creating incentives, encouraging international collaboration. In short, their advice is literally the polar opposite of everything Trump is decreeing with his endless executive orders. 

America is beginning to mobilize against many of these actions, but clearly, we need to do more. Thousands are attending town halls, protesting in the streets, joining groups like Indivisible to capitalize on best practices, combining forces with other groups, writing to their senators and representatives, and supporting, and promoting court pushbacks. 

The writer Isaac Asimov once wrote, “There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that “my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.” 

Let’s just reflect on a fraction of the ignorance and incompetence that this administration has exhibited in recent weeks. 

Trump shows an image of dead white farmers who he says are from South Africa. In reality, the image is from Reuters footage in the Congo. 

Trump’s so-called free Qatari “flying palace” cost about $1 million for its flight to Palm Beach so Trump could check it out. It costs about $25,000 an hour to operate. Costs to retrofit the plane for his use are estimated to run in the hundreds of millions. 

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem is unable to define the meaning of habeas corpus.

 HHS Secretary RFK Jr. blames environmental toxins for autism. 

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy blames the Biden administration for all transportation screw ups that occurred in the last two weeks, even though when he represented Wisconsin in Congress he voted against additional funding for the FAA. And then the Trump Doge team fired approximately 400 FAA employees.

A Congressional hearing took place to vet Trump’s choice for IRS Commissioner, Billy Long, a former auctioneer and major league poker player who holds no CPA designation, has no auditing experience, no college degree, and no finance background. He has what he calls a CTBA (Certified Tax and Business Advisor) credential which one can obtain if one goes to a three-day program from a firm called Excel Empire in Florida. I might add that when Long was a Missouri congressman, he called for the abolishment of the IRS.

And as we all know, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth now manages almost 3.5 million people, (he formerly managed a nonprofit with fewer than 30 people, incurred severe cost overruns and was asked to step down), blames the editor of The Atlantic for being on the classified Signalgate chat rather than his own incompetence.

Heaven help us!

Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature. 

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: 3 Top Story, Archives, Maria

Chesapeake Music Celebrates its 40th Year Anniversary—A Time for Reflection and Celebration By Maria Grant

May 21, 2025 by Maria Grant

Chesapeake Music, a treasured gem for Eastern Shore music lovers, celebrates its 40th anniversary this year with one of the best series of concerts to date—many of which are still to come.

Marcy Rosen, who co-founded Chesapeake Music along with J. Lawrie Bloom and is the current co-Artistic Director, explained that the theme of Reflection and Celebration was inspired by the connection created on the Eastern Shore over the last four decades among the music, artists, and audiences.

J. Lawrie Bloom, Marcy Rosen, and Sahun Sam Hong (left to right) performing at last year’s Festival

When Lawrie’s parents retired to St. Michaels in the late 1980’s, they found the area lacking in classical and chamber music. So, in 1986, Lawrie’s father, Ralph, along with Don Buxton, who would serve as the organization’s founding Executive Director, laid the groundwork for the first festival concert. Marcy had met Lawrie at summer camp and accompanied him at his college graduation recital. After that, Lawrie asked Marcy to join him at the opening Eastern Shore concert. They brought musicians from New York for that concert and almost every year since.

Over the years, the Festival gained notoriety and popularity. The number of artists invited each year has tripled, and the Festival has grown from one to six concerts over two weeks.

Reminiscing over the many wonderful memories Marcy has with Chesapeake Music, she said one of her favorite memories was when she returned to Easton after the pandemic. “Our first rehearsal was a life changing event. The love and respect we all feel for each other, and having not played together for all that time, it made so much sense to be together in Easton, where we have spent so many summers making music together.”

“Thanks to the Prager Family’s generosity, The Ebenezer Theater in the Prager Family Center for the Arts became Chesapeake Music’s performance home in 2021. This fantastic auditorium has focused even more attention on the Festival and has drawn new audience members and given the musicians a sense of belonging and cemented our place in the community,” Marcy proudly stated.

“Every Festival is different,” Marcy noted, “but the musicians’ host families play an enormous role in making our musicians feel comfortable and at home! I have had only three hosts in the 40 years I have been coming to the area, and I am incredibly grateful for the friendships that have formed.”

Marcy Rosen

Chesapeake Music’s educational programming is thriving again under the guidance of Catherine Cho, the other co-Artistic Director of Chesapeake Music. In addition to the Festival, Chesapeake Music now offers a series of Interlude Concerts throughout the year, further enhancing its presence in the community.

Marcy and Catherine both have the opportunity to work with “Rising Stars” in the music world. Catherine explained that “Rising Stars” are young artists who embody a unique voice, a centered and grounded sense of integrity and character, a strong connection to the truth in music, and an urge to communicate.”

When asked what’s in store for the future of the Chesapeake Chamber Music Festival, Catherine explained that she would “like to broaden the reach of the Festival and draw in audiences from across the entire Eastern Shore and beyond, including an international audience via an online streaming platform.”

When developing the Festival program, Marcy and Catherine strive for a diverse repertoire that reflects many aspects of the human experience and an array of perspectives. “The programs are created with input from our artists,” Marcy explains. “For instance, the Opening Night program began with Robert McDonald, Catherine Cho and me deciding on which Trio we would like to play this summer. It is a long tradition. We chose Brahms Trio No. 2 in C Major—one of the true masterpieces of the repertoire. We also wanted to feature both our new young violist Zhanbo Zheng and festival founder Lawrie Bloom. It was my decision to ask them to play Schumann’s Märchenerzählungen (“Fairy Tales”) for clarinet, viola and piano which also includes our new pianist, Albert Cano Smit.”

This year’s Festival program includes the works of Boccherini, Schumann, Beach, Brahms, Beethoven, Chaminade, Dvorak, Haydn, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Farrenc, Smetana, Mozart, Widmann, Bonis, Schoenberg, and Fauré.

Week One artists June 6, 7, and 8, include Catherine Cho, violin and viola; Todd Phillips, violin; Carmit Zori, violin; Zhanbo Zheng, viola; Marcy Rosen, cello; Sterling Elliott, cello; Peggy Pearson, oboe; J. Lawrie Bloom, clarinet; Robert McDonald, piano; and Albert Cano Smit, piano.

Week Two artists June 12, 13, and 14, include Catherine Cho, violin and viola; Daniel Phillips, violin and viola; Marcy Rosen, cello; Tara Helen O’Connor, flute; and Wynona Wang, piano.

Plus, a particularly exciting addition to this year’s program is The Juilliard Quartet, perhaps the most renowned quartet in the world. Its current members are Areta Zhulla, violin; Ronald Copes, violin; Molly Carr, viola; and Astrid Schween, cello.

“I find that The Juilliard Quartet reflects an incredible sense of creative energy in all their endeavors, and I am thrilled that they will share their musicianship with our Eastern Shore audiences,” Catherine explained.

In addition to being co-Artistic Directors of Chesapeake Music, Marcy Rosen is a professor of cello at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College and Catherine Cho is on the faculty of The Juilliard School and serves as Artistic Director of the Starling-DeLay Symposium.

Tickets for the Festival concerts at The Ebenezer Theater in Easton are $70. Chesapeake Music also offers a limited number of free tickets for students, music educators, and Talbot County First Responders, as well as a “buy-one-get-one” option for first-time patrons of Chesapeake Music. Visit ChesapeakeMusic.org for tickets and more information.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS:

IMAGE 1: Catherine Cho, co-Artistic Director of Chesapeake Music performing at last year’s Festival. Photo by Mark Nelson Photography.

IMAGE 2: Marcy Rosen, co-Artistic Director of Chesapeake Music performing at last year’s Festival. Photo by Mark Nelson Photography.

IMAGE 3: J. Lawrie Bloom, Marcy Rosen, and Sahun Sam Hong (left to right) performing at last year’s Festival. Photo by Cal Jackson Photography.

 Chesapeake Chamber Music Festival Schedule

June 6–14, 2025

June 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Opening Extravaganza!

June 7 – 7:30 p.m.
Hope and Drama

June 8 – 5:00 p.m.
Masters at Work

June 12 – 7:30 p.m.
From My Life

June 13 – 7:30 p.m.
Quartets Old and New

June 14 – 7:30 p.m.
Festival Finale

2 Free and Open Rehearsals: June 4 and June 11 at 10:00 a.m.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: 1A Arts Lead

How Can You Mend a Broken Heart by Maria Grant

May 20, 2025 by Maria Grant

How can you stop the rain from falling down? I have heard so many sad stories in recent weeks that I find myself heartbroken and depressed. Here are just a few of those sad stories.

My friend has three children. One of them announced that he wants to change his sex—become trans, if you will. His family, his school, and his church have all been supportive. All was going okay until Donald Trump came back to town with his many “anti-trans” cronies. Now his mom and dad notice that their child is increasingly anxious. My friend told me that he and his wife decided to remove all knives from the kitchen. It’s heartbreaking. 

Another friend is a professor who taught classes centered around racial injustice throughout her career. She wrote textbooks. Two weeks ago, one of her textbooks was removed from the shelves of the Naval Academy. You could say in essence it was her life’s work.

My neighbor’s daughter got her Ph.D. at Columbia where she focused on healthcare. She worked at the Agency for International Development, helping people in underdeveloped countries deal with healthcare issues. Along with almost 10,000 other employees from AID, she lost her job. She has two small children. And, like many of her colleagues, she now spends her days job hunting. 

Another friend’s daughter finished her Ph.D. about two years ago and finally got her dream research job at the National Institute of Health. Her funding has been cut. Each day she waits to hear if her job has been too. 

I could go on with several more pages of sad stories, but I’ll stop right here. 

Think about it. These people are not greedy. They are not evil. They are not seeking retribution. They want to be recognized for who they are. They were doing important work to improve the lives of others. 

What makes hearing these sad stories even more difficult is to see the flagrant excess all around us. 

Trump’s desire for a $400 million “flying Palace.” 

The planning for a ridiculous $45 million military parade. (Gentle readers let me remind you what happened when George Bush had a military parade in 1991 to celebrate the end of the Gulf War. Let’s just say DC streets were not prepared to handle 67-ton tanks and 30-ton Bradley fighting vehicles. Both caused significant damage to the roads. I understand this time metal plates may be installed on the roads which will cost a princely sum, yet another complete waste of taxpayer dollars.)   

Endless trips to golf courses involving security and motorcades. 

Crazy Trump meme-coin White House dinners for the 220 highest purchasers of these collectors’ items. 

The Trump brothers’ trip to Dubai to announce a new Trump hotel. 

Jared Kushner searching Albania for a new “Gold Coast” location.

So, what I see now are seriously diligent hardworking people suffering. And unserious people smugly flaunting ostentatious wealth. 

With inflation and rising prices looming once these tariffs take full effect, perhaps some kind of reckoning will take place. Let’s just say it can’t be soon enough. 

Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature.

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: 3 Top Story

A Master Class in Music Appreciation at the Prager by Maria Grant

May 13, 2025 by Maria Grant

We on the Eastern Shore sometimes fail to appreciate how lucky we are to have so many opportunities to listen to world-class music. Last Saturday’s concert at Easton’s Ebenezer Theater was a prime example of our good fortune. 

James Ehnes starred in Stradivari Nights accompanied by pianist Orion Weiss. The result was truly wondrous music flawlessly performed. 

Ehnes plays the “Marsick” Stradivarius violin of 1715. He performs in concert halls around the world, including at Carnegie Hall, with the Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, London Symphony, and Munich Philharmonic. He was the artist-in-residence with the National Arts Centre of Canada and an artistic partner with Artis-Naples. Ehnes began his violin studies at age five, was a protégé of Canadian violinist, Francis Chaplin at age 13, attended Juilliard, and has won many music awards, including two Grammy Awards. He currently is a professor of practice in violin at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. 

Orion Weiss is an American classical pianist and one of the most sought-after soloists and chamber music collaborists of his generation. Weiss studied at the Preucil School of Music in Iowa City and graduated from Juilliard, where he studied under Emanuel Ax. He has performed with many major orchestras of North America, as well as many around the world. Weiss released the final album in his recital trilogy called Arc III in 2025. One of Weiss’ greatest claims to fame is that he was asked with less than 24 hours’ notice to replace Andre Watts for a performance of Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. The response was so overwhelming he was immediately asked to return for a Tchaikovsky performance later that year. 

 Last Saturday’s performance at the Ebenezer included Bach’s Violin Sonata in C minor BWV 1024, a work with considerable depth and complexity; Korngold’s Suite from Much Ado about Nothing, op. 11, a work with four movements each of which captures different aspects of Shakespeare’s play;  and my favorite, Grieg’s Violin Sonata No 3, Op. 45, a work with three movements that is characterized by a strong romantic style with overtones of Norwegian folk influences and often considered Grieg’s most mature work. 

The love, commitment, and mastery that Ehnes and Weiss had for this music was on full display during this glorious concert. The evening concluded with a well-deserved standing ovation and an encore performance of one of Korngold’s opera arias, a rare treat indeed.

A huge shoutout to Paul and Joanne Prager and Gabriela Montero for making these sensational concerts possible in the exceptional Ebenezer theater. We are beyond privileged to have access to these superb musical experiences right here in Easton. 

Be sure to check out two additional concerts in the series: Summertime with Gershwin with Paul Merkelo on June 28, and Night at the Opera with Michael Fabiano on July 5. 

Also, tickets for Chesapeake Music’s 2025 Chamber Music Festival held from June 6 through 14 at the Ebenezer Theater, are currently on sale at ChesapeakeMusic.org. These concerts feature world-class performers, rising stars, and members of the world-renowned illustrious Juilliard String Quartet. 

Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: 3 Top Story, Maria

Words of Wisdom from Fran Lebowitz—Some Things to Think About by Maria Grant

May 6, 2025 by Maria Grant

The author, public speaker, and humorist Fran Lebowitz displayed an incredible amount of energy, wit, and wisdom at Saturday night’s Avalon performance in Easton. The evening was pure delight filled with frank and refreshingly honest comments about modern life and politics. Here are just a few of Fran’s viewpoints that I’ve been thinking about the last few days. 

Fran: I’m 74-years-old. America will never elect a woman president in my lifetime. Why? Because white men just can’t handle that concept. They want things to go back to the 50’s where white men were in charge. And if not a white man, at least a man. 

I don’t want this to be true but perhaps it is. Fran talked about how many countries have had women leaders—even Mexico. If Democrats want to win the next election she said they should nominate a white male. She suggested Sheldon Whitehouse, the senator from Rhode Island. Just think about that last name, she said. He would be perfect. 

Fran: Don’t give Justice John Roberts the benefit of the doubt. He’s quieter than some of the others. But he’s also responsible for the sorry state of the current Supreme Court.

 I totally agree with this statement. I’ve been severely disappointed in Roberts’ positions and voting history on a myriad of issues. And don’t forget, Roberts and four other Justices ruled to strike down limits on how much money can be spent on political campaigns, resulting in obscene amounts of money virtually buying some elections. 

Fran: I don’t understand parents’ attitudes towards their grown children in their 30’s and 40’s. My parents did not support me after I went to college. I was totally on my own. 

I agree with Fran on this too. One of the best things my mom did for me was when she said, “I paid for your college education. Now you are on your own.” I knew I had to fend for myself, and I did. 

Fran: I don’t have a computer or a cell phone. Why? Nobody needs immediate communication with me. I’m not a neurosurgeon who needs to be on-call. 

Though most of us can’t imagine life without being glued to our devices, once again, Fran has something here. She spends much of her time reading–a much better use of time than the endless streaming and scrolling that many of us do. 

Fran: I’m more concerned about the decline of American intelligence than the rise of artificial intelligence. I worry about the decline of individualistic thinking alongside a lack of unique opinions. 

I couldn’t agree more. Fran also encouraged young people to get involved, to run for something and take charge of creating the politics that they want to see.

Fran: I love New York because it’s the only place in the world where you can walk down the street and see all kinds of people doing all kinds of things and no one pays any attention. 

Fran’s comments make you once again appreciate the magic of NYC. Even with all its problems, it truly is a place like no other. 

It’s interesting to me that people of all age groups appreciate Lebowitz, including those of many different political persuasions. Perhaps it’s because she doesn’t care whether you like her or not—whether you agree with her or not. She is who she is. And she does a great job of reminding us how crazy many of society’s foibles are.

We can all learn lessons from the value of refreshing candor, especially in this current political environment where so many public figures have become embarrassing pandering sycophants. 

Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature.

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: 3 Top Story, Maria

One Step Forward Two Steps Back by Maria Grant

April 29, 2025 by Maria Grant

It’s interesting to analyze the effects that various administrations have had on the current state of America. Of course, in a democracy, campaigns are built on the promise of change. Yet, how much sense does it make to take a wrecking ball to almost everything your predecessor has built? How about adopting the concept of saving the best and leaving the rest?

Over the last 65 years, the U.S. went from liberals John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson to conservatives Richard Nixon and Ford, to liberal Jimmy Carter, to conservatives Ronald Reagan and George Bush, to liberal Bill Clinton, to another conservative Bush, to liberal Barack Obama, to a so-called conservative Trump, to a liberal Joe Biden, and then back to a second Trump who has been labelled an extreme right-wing autocrat. 

Each of these so-called whipsaw or flashback political agendas meant that agendas got started and then stalled, started then stalled, and on and on. One president wants the government to promote racial and economic equality and equity. The next wants laissez-faire government. One president calls climate change an existential threat and makes responding to it a top priority. The next wants to eliminate environmental controls. One wants to stop drilling. The next wants to drill baby drill. One cares about improving the infrastructure. The next wants to cut government spending. One wants the wealthy to pay more taxes. The next wants to reduce taxes on the wealthy. 

The result is stymied progress on many initiatives and overall slow going on getting much accomplished, plus a ton of waste and unnecessary spending. 

Trump rescinded Obama’s orders on the Dakota Access pipeline. Obama reversed a ban on abortion funding that George Bush restored, that Clinton revoked, and that Reagan created. 

Nixon tried and failed to dismantle Johnson’s Great Society, and Bush tried and failed to change Social Security. 

President Biden signed an executive order to reinstate the 2015 Paris climate agreement that Trump withdrew from in his first term. Then Biden revoked Trump’s presidential permit granted to the Keystone pipeline. Already in his second term, Trump has signed more than 137 executive orders—everything from. withdrawing from the World Health Organization, to rolling back Federal recognition of gender identity, to pardoning more than 1,500 January 6 rioters, to attempting to end birthright citizenship for new children of undocumented immigrants. 

A majority of Americans think this pull and push of various initiatives is a good thing as things don’t go too far to the right or to the left. But is it really? We were making progress on environmental issues. Now, much of that progress is being dismantled. How soon will we be back to square one? 

Cancer and other healthcare research were moving forward. Now much of the grant and research funding has been cancelled. And four years from now, it’s not a particularly easy task to pick up the ball and continue where you left off.

In addition, all this push and pull results in an increasingly polarized America. Democrats and Republicans both have increasing contempt for the opposing party. Many politically active Americans think the opposing party is misguided and a threat to the well-being of the country.

A majority of Americans prefer a political philosophy that is not too far right or too far left—they want a middle-of-the road consensus.

Let’s juxtapose that philosophy with what is happening in China. China’s economic growth over the last 40 years has been the largest and longest lasting in world history. Its GDP has risen at 10 percent per year for the last several years. In 1990, China’s share of global industrial production was 2.5 percent. Today it is 35 percent, as much as the next ten industrial economies combined. China is the leader in green production, such as solar panels and has made great leaps forward in technology and science. 

A big reason for China’s advances in infrastructure, technology, and research and development has been its relatively stable political and economic policies. China also has a relatively decentralized system which stimulates competition. Plus, China has reduced its dependence on coal and moved to more renewable resources. Yet in spite of its huge growth spurt, China still lags behind the U.S. in household wealth, social services, and consumer power parity.

There is no question that escalating trade wars between the two countries along with the proposed tariffs will increase economic uncertainty for both countries in the coming months. And both countries will need to adapt to an increasingly complex global economy. 

China has the advantage of moving forward in a consistent direction given its authoritarian government. The U.S. advantage is in its soft power—that is the support it has from other countries—a support that is currently dwindling thanks to Trump’s pro-Russia stance on the Russia/Ukraine peace talks and his alienating economic policies with other countries. That is unfortunate. 

It is also unfortunate that so many presidents feel compelled to destroy so much of what their predecessors have accomplished. The concept of keeping the good stuff and getting rid of the bad has been foreign to so many presidents. 

Opportunities are multiplied when they are seized. Instead of dismantling everything your predecessor did, it makes much more sense to seize the good stuff, make it even better, and maybe even take credit for doing so. It sure would help the United States move forward in terms of prosperity, innovation, and discovery.

The Desert Rose Band said it best: “One step forward two steps back. Nobody gets too far like that. One step forward two steps back. This kind of dance can never last.”

Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature.

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: 3 Top Story, Maria

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