[frame_left][/frame_left]Young Banjo Player and
A Capella Quartet to Headline at
New Heights, a Gala Benefit for
St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church

Saturday, October 21, 2017
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Little Nora Brown, a banjo phenomenon at age 12, and Madhattan, a contemporary New York City barbershop quartet, will headline the entertainment at New Heights, a fundraising gala for St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.

The event will also feature a special presentation of the second annual Spirit & Service awards to:

• Dr. Evelyn Castro, Dean of School Professional and Community Development, Medgar Evers College, distinguished Brooklyn educator and community advocate, and

• Christopher Thomas, Executive Vice President, Managing Director of Sales, at Brown Harris Stevens, Brooklyn Heights, local realtor and neighborhood friend.

Gala proceeds help the parish to sustain its mission of service to neighbors and support the stewardship of the 170-year-old historic buildings, which have recently undergone costly repairs and renovation. To highlight these accomplishments, the opening reception will be held in the church and the main event in the revamped parish hall. Tickets can be purchased in advance only at Brown Paper Tickets or at the church office, 718-875-6960 and office@stannholytrinity.org.

“New Heights is our annual opportunity to honor Brooklynites who are making a difference as well as celebrate support from the wider community. These friends make it possible for us to serve as a neighborhood resource,” said St. Ann’s rector, the Rev. John Denaro.

St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church is host to events and performances by such program partners as the Brooklyn Book Festival, Brooklyn Folk Festival, String Orchestra of Brooklyn, The Moth, Books Are Magic and the Brooklyn Heights Association. The Forum @ St. Ann’s produces concerts, exhibitions, readings, and panel discussions on important issues of the day. Parish community service programs include offering community meals, collecting necessities for hurricane victims, and providing backpacks, warm coats and toys in conjunction with non-profit service organizations.

Additional information on honored guests and entertainers follows:

Dr. Evelyn Castro: As Dean of School Professional and Community Development at Medgar Evers, Dr. Castro leads programs of life-long learning and career preparation for youth and adults. A gifted educator and strong administrator, she has extensive teaching experience within the City University of New York and served with notable success for six years as Superintendent of Community School District 17 in Crown Heights and Prospect Lefferts Gardens. Described by many as an “inexhaustible hands-on and visionary leader,” she is known as a parent advocate with a strong belief in the efficacy of community outreach. Dr. Castro is a beloved long-term parishioner of St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church in East Flatbush.

Christopher Thomas: Mr. Thomas, Executive Vice President, Managing Director of Sales, at Brown Harris Stevens, Brooklyn Heights, is a familiar presence on Montague Street where he has been as a Brownstone Brooklyn real estate broker for 30 years. He has been a singular good neighbor to St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church as well as to the Montague Street BID, whose headquarters are located in the firm’s basement. Initially a photographer and teacher of photography and photo history at the University of Maryland and in Italy, he came to Brooklyn as a free-lance photographer. His love of period architecture and brownstone neighborhoods led to a long and rewarding career in real estate. Mr. Thomas and with his wife, a NYC teacher, have been residents of Clinton Hill for 26 years. They have a son and daughter, both of whom attended Brooklyn schools.

Little Nora Brown: Little Nora, 12, plays banjo, fiddle, ukulele, and accordion. She started learning at age 6 from the late Shlomo Pestcoe. Nora plays traditional old-time music with a focus on eastern Kentucky style claw hammer banjo picking. She delighted attendees of this spring’s Brooklyn Folk Festival at St. Ann’s Church, which welcomes her return for its New Heights gala. Recently she won the blue ribbon in the youth banjo competition at the 2017 Clifftop Appalachian String Band Music Festival in West Virginia and second place in the banjo competition (all ages) at the Oldtone Roots Music Festival in Hillsdale, NY.

Madhattan: Madhattan is a contemporary New York City barbershop quartet performing music from across genres, including Jazz, R&B, Musical Theatre, Rock and Pop. The group performs in private events, shows open to the public and at competitions. The members are Max Mellman (Tenor), a voice teacher at an elementary school in NJ; Bern Tan (Lead), who performs in operas, oratorios, musical theatre and concerts in multiple countries; Spencer Wight (Baritone), a science teacher the Liberty State Science Center; and Richard Townsend (Bass) a computer science PhD candidate at Columbia University.