CLASSICAL COMES TOMALDEN: A group of classical musicians from Greater Boston has founded the new Firebrand Concert Series in Malden.
Firebrand’s first concert on Saturday, “An Evening of Tango,’’ features traditional tangos by Carlos Gardel, crossover tangos by Piazzolla, and compositions from contemporary Argentine tango composers.
“Residents of Malden deserve access to quality, innovative, and fun music programming in their hometown,’’ said Diana Golden, director of the concert series. She said she and the other musicians hope to meet the local need for meaningful experiences with classical music, especially since there is no string instrument instruction in Malden’s public schools or music centers.
The six musicians chosen for the debut season are Golden, a cellist; violinists Nina Bishop Nunn, Kay Rooney Matthews, and Daniel Broniatowski; violist Chris Nunn; and pianist Synthia Sture.
Firebrand musicians all have received both undergraduate and graduate professional training in music performance.
The concert is at 8 p.m. in Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, 26 Washington St. Tickets are $12 online at www.firebrandconcertseries.com, $15 at the door.
EXPLORING ROOTS: Della Mae performs a bluegrass concert at the Belleville Congregational Church in Newburyport on Saturday.
Formed during the fall of 2009 in Boston, the group was born from a yearning for a traditional bluegrass sound in the heart of New England. Its songs explore independence; urban adventure; and timeless themes of love and loss.
Della Mae features the reigning two-time national fiddle champion, Kimber Ludiker; mandolinist Jenni Lynn Gardner; bassist Amanda Kowalski; vocalist and guitarist Celia Woodsmith; and bluegrass guitarist Courtney Hartman.
The Roots Music Series at Belleville was founded in December 2010 and has two missions: bringing a variety of high-quality roots music concerts to the Newburyport area; and raising funds to restore and maintain the historic 1867 Belleville Meetinghouse and adjacent Fiske Chapel.
The series features music that includes a cappella, zydeco, blues, bluegrass, Cajun, Celtic, country, folk, gospel, Irish, jazz, and world music.
The concert begins at 8 p.m. at 300 High St. Tickets are $20; $25 the day of the show; $10 for children age 11 and younger. Call 978-465-7734 or visit www.bellevillechurch.org.
AUTHOR’S CORNER: Andre Dubus III of Newbury reads from his new book, “Townie: A Memoir,’’ at the annual membership tea of The Women of Northern Essex Community College at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Hartleb Technology Center on the Haverhill campus. Dubus is the author of “House of Sand and Fog’’ and “The Garden of Last Days.’’ He will sign books at the event, which is open to the public. Tickets are $45.
IN LOCAL GALLERIES: “Figurative Works,’’ the November exhibit at the Marblehead Arts Association, features paintings and drawings by Ian Factor and photographs by John Weidenbruch. Rounding out the exhibits are “Drawing from the Nude,’’ works from the association’s weekly life drawing class and pastel portraits from the 1930s. The Emerging Artist Gallery displays the work of Aaron Berger, a student at Montserrat College of Art in Beverly. An opening reception is 2 to 4 p.m. today. Factor presents a portrait demonstration from 2 to 5 p.m. Nov. 20. . . . An exhibition of paintings by Daniel Gottsegen is at the Firehouse Center for the Arts in Newburyport through Nov. 13. Gottsegen, who lives and works in rural Vermont, has a passion for hiking and nature and creates paintings that reflect the surrounding landscapes. He sometimes uses technology to arrive at his images, juxtaposing scenes and abstracting. This process, which begins often on long solo treks in the wild, evokes a multilayered sense of meaning and depth. . . . Arc Works Community Art Gallery in Peabody, a program of Northeast Arc, presents “Leather or Knot?,’’ an exhibit of leather art works, through Nov. 30. The show is a tribute to Peabody’s history in the leather and tanning industries. The exhibit features various pieces of leather artwork including sculptures, paintings, and other media.
Items can be sent to wdkilleen@gmail.com.