Alice Crockett, violin; Serena Gelfer, flute; Emily Bushta, flute; Kevin O'Quinn, violin; Clayton Rudiger, violin; Allan Stuckey, cello. Courtesy photo.

The kids culminated months of tough rehearsals to bring their short program to the public.

According to Tamsen Serena, who serves as co-coordinator of the group, some families were required to make extraordinary sacrifices to see that their budding musicians got to their rehearsals.

"Once they arrived, they were faced with two solid hours of hard work under the direction of Wes Follett" she said.

Follett is both instructor and conductor of the orchestra, which is sponsored in part by Clear Lake Performing Arts.

The program opened with Chopin's "Prelude No 20,” which Follett explained had been written originally for the piano, but subsequently arranged for chamber presentation.

"Hansel and Gretel" the children's fairy tale translated into music by 19th century composer Engelbert Humperdinck (NOT the recent Las Vegas singer) was the next number, followed by the spacey sounds of Emily Bushta and Serena Gelfer's flutes in "Apollo 13" written by contemporary composer James Horner.

The program was not without its problems, however, some of which were caused by recent changes in personnel, according to Andi Skelton, the Youth Education Coordinator for CLPA.

"When key players leave, we often need to revise the seating arrangements, and this can cause problems" she said.

The group sailed through Reinhold Gliere's "Russian Sailor's Dance" and Matt Turner's "Tango Expresivo" with only minor glitches, but on the down-home "Cripple Creek" where the violins shift to fiddle mode, Conductor Follett was forced to call a time out, before regrouping and finishing the piece in fine fashion. In the absence of an upright bass cellists Amanda Bronson, Elliott Serena, Emily Prather and Allen Stuckey did a masterful job of covering for the missing instrument.

One look at the program shows who the musical families in Lake County are.

First is the Mahnke family of Cobb, with three girls in the orchestra, Bethany, Melissa and Michaela. Next are the Rixens of Kelseyville, represented by Dakota and Maeve, while the Crocketts of Lakeport fielded two players – Alice and Charlie – and the Serenas of Cobb, also two – Edison and Ellott.

Others in the orchestra are Clayton Rudiger and Kevin O'Quinn, who both stepped into lead positions in the first violin section, and did masterful jobs, with O'Quinn acting nominally as the orchestra's concertmaster.

Skelton, who also is concert mistress to the Lake County Symphony, said CLPA supports the Youth Orchestra because "These are the young people we hope will eventually fill the chairs left by older, retiring members of the symphony."

LAKE COUNTY – Lake County's piano man, David Neft, is performing at a number of gigs around Lake County and the North Coast this month.

The following is a list of performances scheduled for the rest of this month.

– Friday, June 10: Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa’s “The New Cool,” 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

– Saturday, June 20: Middletown Days Parade, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Highway 29, Middletown.

– Friday, June 20: Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa’s “The New Cool,” 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

– Wednesday, June 24: Wednesday Night Market, Fourth Street in front of Barnes & Noble, Santa Rosa, 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

– Thursday, June 25: Performing with Bill Noteman & the Rockets, outdoor concert, Old Town Eureka at the Wharf, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

– Friday, June 26: Performing with Bill Noteman & the Rockets, Summer Concert Series, Gazebo, Library Park, Lakeport, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

– Saturday, June 27: Performing with Steve Dubois on drums, Home Winemakers Festival, Main Street, downtown Kelseyville, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

– Friday, June 27: Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa’s “The New Cool,” 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

– Sunday, June 28: Calistoga Inn, brunch on the patio, noon to 3 p.m.

– Sunday, June 28: Timber Cove Inn, 15 miles north of Jenner, Highway 1, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Going to “The New Cool” at Konocti Harbor? Call 1 800-660-LAKE for your reservations.

For reservations at the Calistoga Inn Restaurant and Brewery, call 707-942-4101.

For more detailed information on any of the venues above and for late changes or additions to his busy gig schedule, call David Neft at 707-987-4290.

Winners represent the best independently published books from 2008 and were selected by a national panel of librarian and bookseller judges.

Mendocino Coast author Molly Dwyer won gold – First Place in Historical Fiction – for her debut novel, “Requiem for the Author of Frankenstein.”

Dwyer’s novel has received accolades before – it was nominated in April for the Northern California Book Award in Fiction and won the 2008 “Indie” Book Award for Historical Fiction last spring.

“I’m thrilled at the praise and attention 'Requiem' is generating,” said Dwyer. “My intention was to create a modern version of the 19th century novel. To me, the essence of good historical fiction lies in capturing the ambiance of the time.”

Speaking at the awards ceremony in New York, ForeWord Magazine Founder and publisher Victoria Sutherland, “Programs like the Book of the Year Awards help level the playing field … Look around at the other national awards programs. There seems to be a prejudice against anything that isn’t from a larger house. ForeWord honors those books coming from independent community, giving them the value they deserve.”

A tribute to the creative genius of the feminine, “Requiem for the Author of Frankenstein” is a carefully researched novel that examines the life of Mary Shelley and her relationships with her legendary lovers, the poets Percy Bysshe Shelley and Lord Byron.

It’s the opening salvo of Dwyer’s “La Belle Quartet,” a sweeping four-volume chronicle of the history of the Romantic Movement. “The Apassionata,” set in Paris, is the second in the series.

Dwyer is a transformational educator, author and speaker. A literary scholar of the Romantic Movement and unabashed storyteller, Dwyer entertains readers and audiences while she challenges, educates and encourages them to think.

“Requiem is a marvel. Gothic romance, feminist history, philosophical mystery – it’s perfect for those of us who love to think as much as we love a good story. Molly Dwyer brings Mary Shelley and her circle so alive it makes me wonder if they ever died,” said local author Jean Hegland.

Molly Dwyer is teaching a historic fiction writing workshop on Saturday, June 20, at the Mariposa Center in Ukiah.

Dwyer described the day-long workshop as an exploration of “what I call Story Stalking, intuitive approaches to historical fiction that include dreaming, and the power of synchronicity.”

To register for Story Stalking, go to the events page at www.mollydwyer.com or call 707 272-8305. A special early registration fee of $75, which includes the book and lunch, is available through Friday, June 5.

The event will take place from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 20.

Arruda, of Lakeport, recently published her new children's book, “The Undiscovered River.”

The book centers on the adventures of Golden Fish, who has a dream of a beautiful undiscovered river that she feels must be a true place but is somewhere far beyond the Great Pool where she lives.

Golden Fish's journey is full of adventure and suspense. When Golden Fish finally passes through the tunnel leading into the Undiscovered River, she meets up with the most unusual water creatures unlike ones she has ever seen. One of these unique creatures guides her downriver to meet the Magnificent Whirlpool.

On this first journey, Golden Fish learns about the five Living Codes, Codes that are not written but are feelings of awareness about the things all around her. These wonderful Codes are hidden on pathways somewhere in the Undiscovered River but can only be found by true believers and dreamers such as Golden Fish.

“The Undiscovered River” is the first book in Arruda's Dream River Adventure Series, which invites the reader into the beginning of unexpected pools of understanding encountered by Golden Fish.

Watershed Books is located at 305 N. Main St., Lakeport, telephone 707-263-5787. Visit the store online at www.watershedbookco.com .

The performances will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 18, in the “Comedy Corner” at the casino's Grapevine Lounge.

Featured performers will be Chicago Steve Barkley and Albert Vallejo.

Admission is free. There is no reserved seating.

Twin Pine Casino is located on Highway 29 between Middletown and St. Helena.

For more information call 707-987-0197 or visit www.TwinPine.com .