WIL DARCANGELO: Press

GOOD-WIL INITIATIVE ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF SEASON TWO
ON OCTOBER 16 WITH THREE CONSECUTIVE EVENTS

FITCHBURG and LEOMINSTER - The second season of the Good-Wil Initiative begins with three consecutive events on October 16, 17 & 18 in both Fitchburg and Leominster. These three events kick off the entire seventeen-event season which includes six Sunday music brunches, seven concerts, a cocktail reception, a 40's swing ball, champagne dinner auction and a 2-day street festival.


PROCEEDS FROM GOOD-WIL SEASON 2 BENEFIT FIVE LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

This season, the Good-Wil Initiative has selected the following organizations to receive the proceeds from all Season 2 events.

Habitat for Humanity of North Central Massachusetts
Montachusett Opportunity Council (MOC)
The ROSE Project
Warmer Winters
Ryan C. Joubert Skatepark Foundation

Representatives from each of the five Season 2 Partnering Nonprofits serve on the Good-Wil Advisory Board and assist in creating and producing the events of the entire season.


OPENING WEEKEND EVENTS

Friday, October 16 at 7pm, concert entitled: "Naked Voice* *Clothing not optional."
Christ Church main sanctuary
569 Main Street, Fitchburg
Tickets $10 available at the door.
Proceeds to benefit the Good-Wil Annual Fund.

Christ Church will host an unique a cappella presentation of Wil Darcangelo's upcoming album Wild Archangel. This unusual concert will feature no band. "I really want to present my original material in a transparent way to my community. Now that the music is written for the album, the real fun begins and I want my friends and supporters to have an opportunity to listen to this music in a way that it will rarely, if ever again, be presented. I've always held to the notion that if a song is truly good it can be sung on its own without embellishment. I also believe the same about vocal presentation. If my voice is good enough to be presented as a national export from this community, then the community should get to really hear it in its "naked" state and let me know what they think. So this concert will be, in essence, a stripped down adjudication of my work as I prepare it for export. We will distribute comment cards that give the concert-goers the opportunity to score the work based on vocal presentation, quality of lyrics, and enjoyability of melody. It is a big risk for an artist to present his art in such a exposed way and I'm ready to take that risk now. That's why the concert is called "Naked Voice" because that's literally what's occurring. But I will definitely be clothed throughout the entire performance," says Wil Darcangelo. This concert will be recorded.


Saturday, October 17 at 7pm, Season 2 Opening Cocktail Music Reception at the Monument Grill
Monument Grill
14 Monument Square, Leominster
performance by the Wil Darcangelo Trio beginning at 8pm
Cash bar

A fun, social evening of cocktails and hors d'oeuvres . Come meet the members of the Good-Wil Initiative and the nonprofits they're supporting in the sophisticated environment of the Monument Grill.


Sunday, October 18, 10am-1pm The Good-Wil Sunday Music Brunch
Leominster High School
122 Granite Street, Leominster
performance by the Wil Darcangelo Band throughout the event
$10 for seniors and kids 5-12, $15 for adults, under 5 free. Tickets available at the door.
Brunch buffet by Chartwells.
Proceeds to benefit the Good-Wil Annual Fund.

Repeating the success of last season's music brunches but in an entirely new way, this season's six Sunday music brunches, will be held alternately between Leominster High School and Fitchburg High School in partnership with both the faculty and students from both schools. "I really wanted to capitalize on the youth of this community and give them opportunities to work with and participate in new forms of fundraising and community awareness. I have begun the process of forming social enterprise clubs so that the students can learn about what we're doing and mentor them toward creating new examples of doing well, by doing good in the community."



OTHER UPCOMING SEASON 2 EVENTS

Sun Nov 8 - Good-Wil Sunday Music Brunch, Fitchburg High School, 10-1
Fri, Dec 4 - Holiday Concert - Gardner, MA (location TBA), 7pm
Sat, Dec 5 - Holiday Concert - Fitchburg, Rollstone Church, 7pm
Sun, Dec 6 - Holiday Concert - Leominster, 1st Church UU, 2pm
Sun, Feb 7 - Good-Wil Sunday Music Brunch, Leominster High School, 10-1
Sun, Mar 14 - Good-Wil Sunday Music Brunch, Fitchburg High School, 10-1
Fri, Mar 19 - Spring Concert - Gardner, MA (location TBA), 7pm
Sat, Mar 20 - Spring Concert - Fitchburg, Rollstone Church
Sun, Mar 21 - Spring Concert - Leominster, 1st Church UU, 2pm
Sun, Apr 11 - Good-Wil Sunday Music Brunch, Fitchburg High School, 10-1
Sun, May 9 - Good-Wil Sunday Music Brunch, Leominster High School, 10-1
Fri, Jun 11 - Champagne Dinner Concert with live auction, Fay Club, Fitchburg, 5-8pm
Sat, June 12 & Sun, June 13 - Wallace Ave Wellness Street Festival, Wallace Ave, Fitchburg, 10-4 both days.


For more information please call Wil Darcangelo 978-602-2684 or by email wildarcangelo@gmail.com.

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FITCHBURG - SUNDAY, June 14. Please join us from 11am-3pm rain or shine for the final Good-Wil music event of the 2008-2009 season. Wallace Avenue and Monument Park in Downtown Fitchburg will be decorated with festival food, amusements, family games, vendors, raffles, Chinese auction & live entertainment by local vocalist and cultural advocate Wil Darcangelo with his five-piece infused jazz ensemble.

The street festival is the culmination of the first Good-Wil season, and this final event is designed to give thanks to the amazing work of Ginny’s Helping Hand, Inc. of Leominster and the tireless efforts of Ginny White herself. At 12:30pm Ginny White will be presented with the first Good-Wil Award for all she has done for our community over the years. This new annual award will be named the Good-Wil Ginny White Award for Individual Community Service.

We will also be announcing the new list of nonprofits with whom we will partner for the 2009-2010 season beginning on September 13, 2009. In addition to funds raised throughout the 2009-2010 season, these five nonprofits and social enterprises will receive consultative support, volunteer assistance, and added exposure to the community through our media projects and events.

In the event of rain, the festival will be held inside the Fitchburg Armory Senior Center located at 14 Wallace Avenue in Fitchburg.

For more information about the Good-Wil Initiative and the Music Brunch events, please visit WilDarcangelo.com.


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Worcester Telegram & Gazette (MA)

May 9, 2005

Column: MUSIC REVIEW

Thayer Symphony concert spotlights themes from films

Author: David Lasky

Edition: ALL
Section: ENTERTAINMENT
Page: C5
Dateline: FITCHBURG

Index Terms:
CENTRAL MASS,MUSIC,REVIEWS

Estimated printed pages: 2

Article Text:

COLUMN: MUSIC REVIEW

FITCHBURG - Thayer Symphony Orchestra's 31st season concluded with a sparkling "Spring Pops" concert Saturday night before a full house of nearly 1,100 in the Stratos G. Dukakis Performing Arts Center at Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School.

Under the baton of Toshimasa Francis Wada, and sponsored by Wireway/Husky Corp., the concert centered around music associated with films.

The program's first half was made up of fare that would be familiar to almost no one, as it derived from the silent movies that graced Worcester's Strand Theater during the 1920s. Since the Strand had a house orchestra, various stock music was arranged and played for the films shown there. Contemporary accounts published in this newspaper reported what music was played on certain dates.

Using this information, John Dorenkamp, retired English professor at the College of the Holy Cross, crafted a whimsical and informative narration in which he (sometimes speculatively) placed various music with certain films. A huge proportion of these films starred the legendary Tom Mix, whom Dorenkamp confessed to having seen perform live.

The music was pure camp - and absolutely delightful fare for a season-ending pops concert. Using a scaled-down orchestra, TSO played such musical vignettes as "The Sharpshooter" by Floyd J. St. Clair, "Prelude Futuristique" by Bertram Strawley, "Indian War Dance" by J.S. Zamecnik, "Shadows of Night" by Gaston Borch, "Battle and Disturbance" by G. Becce, and so on.

As Dorenkamp pointed out, the titles of these pieces were nothing more than indicators of the kind of mood the music was attempting to depict.

To conclude the first half, a so-called "Imaginary Movie," created and narrated by Dorenkamp, was given musical life by means of Allan Mueller's witty orchestrations of various excerpts from well-known classical and film themes. Not only was it all done in great fun, but it was all well-delivered.

The evening's highlight was the stylish, showy and inspirational singing of Fitchburg native Wil Darcangelo and his highly talented entourage, Clarion. Having sung and acted in various parts of the world, Darcangelo, at age 35, is now devoting himself exclusively to singing.

Judging from the polished and professional manner in which he performed Saturday night, it would seem that this is the right course to take. Currently working on a recording project, Darcangelo and Clarion have already created and recorded their first single, "Carry On"; this song is now the theme music for the North Central Massachusetts chapter of the United Way. Darcangelo previously performed with TSO as part of the Valentines' Pops concert in February 2004.

Clarion consists of Shana Carr, Angel Climes, Steve Gags, Matt Jones and Civ Rosado; the 17-year-old Rosado is one of Darcangelo's arrangers, and Saturday night's performance of his fine arrangement of "Rainbow Connection" was his first for a symphony orchestra.

Guest singer Beverly Ward, who is not a part of Clarion, offered a suave and sassy account of her duet with Darcangelo, "Here's to Love," from the 2003 film "Down With Love."

Other highlights included Climes' electrifying account of "Down the Road" from "The Wiz," Darcangelo's tender interpretation of "When You Wish Upon A Star" from "Pinocchio" and excerpts from "West Side Story" as arranged and orchestrated by Mueller.

And to conclude the program, the ensemble brought down the house with an impassioned rendition of "Let the River Run," which was immediately greeted by a prolonged standing ovation.

Copyright (c) 2005 Worcester Telegram & Gazette Corp.
Record Number: 0505091743

Worcester Telegram & Gazette (MA)

February 16, 2004

Column: MUSIC REVIEW

Thayer, Darcangelo shine with valentine
Orchestra's pops concert a sure delight

Author: David Lasky

Edition: ALL
Section: ENTERTAINMENT
Page: C5
Dateline: FITCHBURG

Index Terms:
CENTRAL MASS,MUSIC,REVIEWS

Estimated printed pages: 3

Article Text:

COLUMN: MUSIC REVIEW

FITCHBURG -- Before a capacity crowd of more than 1,000, Thayer Symphony Orchestra presented its highly popular ``Valentine's Pops'' concert Saturday night in the Stratos G. Dukakis Performing Arts Center at Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School.

Sponsored by Enterprise Bank and Trust Company, and performed under the direction of TSO conductor Toshimasa Francis Wada, the concert featured a myriad of upbeat selections from a variety of sources, all centering on the concept of love.

The program began with a tender and wonderfully well-intoned rendition of ``When I Fall in Love,'' as orchestrated by the great arranger of popular music, Annunzio Paolo Mantovani.

Following this, the orchestra offered a medley titled ``Hollywood Blockbusters,'' in which five movie themes by James Horner (particularly well known for his score to ``Titanic''), as arranged by John Moss, received colorful and full-bodied performances.

Who over 40 could forget the impact made by the film ``Love Story'' in the early 1970's? Francis Lai's ``Theme from `Love Story','' while a cultural icon of that era, remains a classic of its genre owed both to its well-crafted composition and wonderfully lyric melody. TSO gave this beautiful music a heartfelt and very expressive rendition.

Next came selections from the wildly popular ``Les Miserables,'' as arranged by Bob Lowden. In all of this music, and particularly in the jaunty, march-like ``Master of the House,'' the orchestra thumped and thrived in its splendid, confident playing.

Very rare, indeed, is the time when a TSO ``Valentine's Pops'' concert actually falls on Feb. 14. This year it did, so Wada invited anyone celebrating a wedding anniversary or anniversary of a first date to come down near the stage to waltz as the orchestra's played ``Let Me Call You Sweetheart.''

Closing out the first half was TSO composer-in-residence and keyboard artist Allan Mueller's radiant ``For My Love on Valentine's Day.'' This mellow and wonderfully expressive piece -- very popular with TSO audiences -- has been a staple of the orchestra's Valentine's Day repertoire every year, save one, since 1993.

Following intermission, the evening's guest artist, Wil Darcangelo, made his appearance. Although billed as a vocalist, this 34-year-old Fitchburg native is really an all-around entertainer: an actor, dancer, producer, director and choreographer, as well as a highly talented tenor in the popular music and show tune tradition. Trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, his performances have embraced musical theater, drama, comedy and cabaret in venues ranging from cruise ships to Carnegie Hall.

In addition, Darcangelo frequently performs the National Anthem at Red Sox games at Fenway Park.

Saturday night, despite technical difficulties with a faulty microphone Darcangelo, came off as a wonderfully gifted showman. Winsome and naturally funny, with great mobility as a dancer, he possesses a fine tenor voice that only occasionally seemed strained in sustained notes in the upper reaches of his range.

Darcangelo brought along a significant company: In addition to an approximately 25-voice backup chorus, the company included guitarist Adriel Azure, vocalists Shana Carr, Bill Taylor, Matt Jones and Kelley Cassidy, guest adult dancers Cherie Ronayne and Tim Smith, and child dancers Alicia Adrien, Antonia Calcaterra, Becca Caldwell, Hannah Cobb, Caitlin Coleman and Alex Potts.

Darcangelo and friends offered a wide variety of music, all performed with glitter and panache. The only negatives were that, at times, the balance between singers and orchestra were off, as the orchestra frequently played too loudly.

Copyright (c) 2004 Worcester Telegram & Gazette Corp.
Record Number: 0402161892

GOOD-WIL ON THE MENU AT BRUNCHES

FITCHBURG — Wil Darcangelo has a passion and vision for Fitchburg that combines music, creating new businesses, good food and good works.

He has created a social enterprise, Good-Wil, that is currently putting on the Good-Wil Sunday Music Brunch series at the Fitchburg Senior Center, 14 Wallace Ave., every second Sunday of the month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The brunch features the Wil Darcangelo Band, with guest musicians and singers and an all-you-can-eat buffet with breakfast foods, waffles, pancakes and varying entrées — award-winning clam chowder, ham, baked ziti and meatballs, to name a few, arranged by Rosie’s Kitchen, a Fitchburg catering service.


The proceeds from the brunches will go to 11 nonprofit organizations that were pre-selected last year, including the Cleghorn Community Center, the Firefighters Association, Blue Star Mothers and NEADS.

“Our mission for this community project is to support nonprofit work, and our main mission is to create new instances of cause marketing, like the Red Sox and their Jimmy Fund,” Mr. Darcangelo said.

“It’s a collaboration of commercial enterprises with nonprofit entities for mutual success. People are attracted to these kinds of businesses because of the good work they can do,” he said.

Good-Wil was founded in April by Mr. Darcangelo, David Roth of the Wachusett Chamber of Commerce and Thayer Symphony Orchestra President Corinne Farinelli.

Mr. Darcangelo is working with city officials on his current project with Mayor Lisa A. Wong, a member of his group’s advisory board.

“We’ve had three brunches. The fourth was canceled because of the ice storm. Instead of singing on the stage, I sang while setting up cots and cleaning toilets with other Good-Wil volunteers at the Senior Center, which was used as a shelter,” Mr. Darcangelo said, laughing.

“The band plays a variety of music, including jazz, pop, funk, folk, blues, rock and original adult contemporary music composed by myself — something for everyone,” Mr. Darcangelo said.

The next brunch is scheduled for 10 a.m. Jan. 11 at the Senior Center. Tickets are $12, $8 for seniors and children ages 5 to 12. Children younger than 5 are admitted free. Each brunch also includes local vendors who donate 25 percent of the proceeds to sales of their products to the Good-Wil Annual Fund and have included the Rabbit Hole Bookstore, Fine Arts Imports and the Wild Archangel Gallery.

“And we have a raffle every 20 minutes,” said Mr. Darcangelo, who is donating the proceeds of the first 5,000 units of his first album “Tuesday, the New Saturday” to the fund.

“In this economy, we feel people who are accustomed to giving more can still contribute. It’s considerably cheaper than going out to a restaurant, and a whole lot more fun.” said Mr. Darcangelo.

He has many more projects and ideas to energize Fitchburg.

“Commercial businesses that give to nonprofit enterprises while still making a living … it’s getting paid to be an angel,” said Mr. Darcangelo, whose last name means “archangel” in Italian.“I’ve always viewed my last name as a job description.” he added.

For more information on the project and Mr. Darcangelo, visit www.wildarcangelo.com. For more information on the brunches, call (978) 345-9598.

1 November 2007 PULSE MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Man of Many Talents
by Mike Monopoli

Take a short drive to North County to check out entertainer Wil Darcangelo at Destaré, a fabulous new café/martini bar at 320 Main Street in Fitchburg. His Tuesday night gigs there are the latest entry in a long and varied performance history that has made Darcangelo the respected and eclectic artist that he is.

Fitchburg native Darcangelo got his start singing in the children’s choir at Rollstone Congregational Church in his home town. At age nine, he was granted his first solo by choir director Marion Rodgers. Quickly recognizing his talents, the church gave young Billy many opportunities to perform in pageants and musicals. He began to realize that singing was his passion, and that performing in plays was one way to fulfill his desire to sing in front of an audience. His professional career started when he landed a role in the U.S. national tour of Rumplestilstkin. Darcangelo lived in Toronto for six years working as an actor in musicals and also as the MC, vocalist and stand-up comic on a cruise ship.

Darcangelo has dabbled in other arts as well, including photography. His aptitude for taking photographs earned him two solo gallery exhibits, one in Provincetown, and one in New York. His eye for art came in handy when selecting the artwork for his new CD. “I had a great photographer, Andrea Seward of Habakkuk Media. Her photos actually helped inspire the look and feel of the new album. I designed the album based on my feelings about one particular photo of me against a brick wall,” Darcangelo tells us about his next album, which will be in the works in the new year. The original rock album will be called “Wild Archangel” and will feature a nude photo of the artist on the cover. “Nothing important is showing, of course, but it’s an image that I feel really comfortable about and I feel it’s the most honest artistic interpretation of the work inside. I’m photographed resting against a natural rock formation in Vermont that is shaped like a large angel wing, fulfilling the idea of the wild archangel. It is definitely very ‘me’.”
Upon return home to Fitchburg after his time in Canada, Darcangelo joined the Foothills Theatre Company in Worcester, where he worked as a producer/production manager during the 2000-2001 season, often acting in plays in later seasons. “A lot of my time is spent volunteering. Four years ago I started the Rollstone Performing Arts Series here in Fitchburg,” says Darcangelo. “It’s a non-profit, entirely volunteer run professional arts series where we have concerts and productions in the main sanctuary and the church hall of the Rollstone Church. I recently received a large fellowship for that, because it was recognized as a volunteer opportunity for the community. I’m the Artistic Director. There are 25 volunteers, all professional performers.”

To hear Darcangelo perform live these days, just take a short drive to North County to check him out at Destaré, a fabulous new café/martini bar at 320 Main Street in Fitchburg. His Tuesday night gigs there are the latest entry in a long and varied performance history that has made him the respected and eclectic artist that he is.

“Tuesday is the New Saturday” is the theme created by Darcangelo, one that also serves as the title of his first full length CD, which will be available soon at the club and on his website. Stopping in recently, I was dazzled by the appearance of Destaré, and immediately welcomed by the warm staff. Some people were finishing their day with a gourmet coffee and a luscious dessert, others were beginning their evening with an exquisitely presented martini. The Tuesday night show starts with a pianist, and then Darcangelo ~ as both vocalist and band leader ~ and the rest of the band join in a little later. Destaré is the perfect backdrop for his style, called Jazz Fusion, which blends old standards with rock and pop elements. Darcangelo couldn’t be happier at the opportunity to contribute to the improvement of downtown Fitchburg. He says enthusiastically, “I’m enjoying my regular night here immensely! A nice crowd has been building, it’s so gratifying to see such a diversity of people. There’s been a happy resurgence of interest in the classic American standards thanks to artists like Michael Bublé and others. Ever since I started doing vocals I don’t look at acting auditions anymore. I was an actor in Toronto for six years. I went to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. Once I started singing there was no contest. Not singing a song in a show, but singing a song my way, in my key, with a band, that was the thing that really pressed my buttons.” Now at Destaré, as the band leader, “I decide what we play and how we play it. Basically the band lets me call all the shots.”

In honor of our Fashion Issue, too, Darcangelo tells us that “…I like Ralph Lauren, I like a classic cut. I like sophisticated dress, but my normal everyday gear consists of hiking shoes, cargo pants, tank tops, a chambray shirt.” The well rounded artist even apprenticed for two years with Matthew Visser, a couturier in Toronto. “From Matthew I learned craftsmanship” says Darcangelo. “He never cut corners, he did everything with precision and care. I learned to sew and draft patterns and I sometimes did work for theatrical costume shops here and there, and am regarded as a pretty expert stitcher. I could make a ball gown from scratch if I wanted to!” Darcangelo credits Vissler for teaching him craftsmanship and attention to detail, valuable attributes which can be applied to many concepts beyond fashion. “I have always fantasized that one day when I’m walking a red carpet, it will be in Matthew Visser couture.”