Andrew Armstrong

Letter: Chamber Music Trio Led by NCHS Grad ‘Uplifting’

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Exquisite chamber music played by world-class musicians on a beautiful night under the stars. 

The only thing better would be a chance to do this again. 

Last Thursday on the grounds of the First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan, a trio led by virtuoso pianist Andrew Armstrong performed works of Brahms and two lesser-known composers for 150 enthusiasts, the crowd size having been limited by COVID-19 restrictions. It was lively, clever, uplifting, and certainly memorable. 

Andy, a product of the New Canaan High School Class of 1992, performed in close ensemble with the equally talented violinist Tessa Lark and cellist Raman Ramakrishnan. It was their first public performance since lockdowns began in March and their enthusiasm was evident. 

We may indeed have a chance to do this again. Andy Armstrong has offered to perform chamber music concerts here in New Canaan several times a year, and planning is underway. Libby and I often mourn the fact that so much homegrown talent leaves after graduation to grace other towns and cities around the country and world.

News

Op-Ed: Our Schools Deserve a Thousand Thanks

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The schools are open! New Canaan is now a major step closer to normal, COVID-19 be damned. 

In a few weeks, barring a significant increase in community transmission, all 4,100-plus students will be able to attend school in-person, five days a week. If there is an increase, the schools have effective plans for that, too. This “no matter what” capability has required an unprecedented effort by all school leaders, by teachers and all other staff members, by the Board of Education, by other government officials, by parent-volunteers, and by many others. A thousand thanks are in order. 

When asked about this fall’s reopening—temporarily in “hybrid” mode—parents’ eyes light up and their praise is effusive.

Opinion

Op-Ed: School Start Times—a Decision We Didn’t Want To Make

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Thursday’s Town Council vote on the school budget will determine whether school start times will change next year to improve student health. It’s a decision we never wanted to make. 

It was thought the controversy might be resolved before the Town Council got involved. 

Just maybe, we thought, the Board of Education would back down after being confronted by opponents and after learning how disruptive the change would be. But student health was the BOE’s first priority and they forged ahead. 

Just maybe, a group of dissenting elementary school parents would sour people on the proposal, as their schedules could be the most severely affected. But they endorsed an 8:00 am start time for elementary schools compared to 7:50 am in the BOE proposal—a mere 10-minute difference. Only a handful of dissidents spoke against the BOE budget at Tuesday night’s public hearing compared to 43 who spoke in favor.

News

Op-Ed: Budgets Should Reflect What People Want

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The results of the 2020 Community Survey should cause officials to reconsider the town’s budget priorities. Many thought they had a mandate to cut the mill rate by reducing the growth in school spending, but now we know otherwise. 

The survey shows that the quality of New Canaan’s Public Schools is unambiguously our top priority, while concerns about local tax rates are barely a factor. 

The survey confirms that school quality is the primary reason why we move here and why we stay here. It’s the primary reason why 73% of us think New Canaan is a good value for the taxes we pay. Only 14% of us think we should spend less on our schools, while 27% think we should spend more. 

Only 14% of us mentioned property taxes when asked for one thing we would change about New Canaan. Only 17% mentioned lower taxes when asked how the town could attract new residents.

News

Op-Ed: Saving the ‘Landmark Library’

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There are many ongoing conversations about the proposal to build a new New Canaan Library, which I strongly support. A key element in these discussions is what to do with the antique portion of the current library building. I am recommending that the Town Council should act soon to ensure ample time to create a plan of preservation that would address the design, funding and future use of a “Landmark Library” as a separate, free-standing building. There wouldn’t be sufficient time to create such a plan before the town approves a capital contribution for the new library, which may happen in the next few months. To buy time, I’m proposing that the library grant to the town a 12-month option to acquire the Landmark Library and some of the land surrounding it.