Bermudian Mandy Wong is again returning home as the featured soloist in a concert. This time, she will perform Shostakovich's Second Piano Concerto during ‘An Evening of Russian Music' presented by the Bermuda Philharmonic Society on Saturday. The concert, under the baton of Dr. Gary Burgess, will take place at the Ruth Seaton James Centre for the Performing Arts, beginning at 8 p.m.

Miss Wong began her piano studies at age four, and her teachers included Marlene Campbell, Anne Brown, Jane Farge and Dr. Karol-Sue Reddington. A graduate of the Bermuda High School for Girls and Miss Porter's School in Connecticut. Miss Wong then studied piano at Wellesley College, where she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa in 200 and graduated summa cum laude in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music and Computer Science.

Miss Wong has performed in several solo recitals in Bermuda, Connecticut and Massachusetts, and was a pianist with the Wellesley College Chamber Music Society. Her academic career includes numerous awards and scholarships for piano performances, and she is also an accomplished drummer, who is featured on the latest recording by the Wellesley College jazz ensemble, Prism.

The talented young Bermudian is currently pursuing musical studies at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston under the tutelage of Stephen Drury, and will earn her Masters of Music degree in piano performance next year. While at the Conservatory, she has performed with the New England Conservatory Wind Ensemble, and the Callithumpian Consort, conducted by Mr. Drury. Miss Wong is planning a solo recital in Boston next hear.

Saturday's ‘Evening of Russian Music' will also include Rachmaninov's ‘The Rock fantasy for orchestra, and Rimsky-Korsakov's ‘Scheherazade'. Tickets ($25) are available at The Harbourmaster in the Washington Mall.

Keyes back on the Island

Earmark Tuesday, October 15 for a once-only night of music and laughter by popular entertainer and former Bermuda resident, Jimmy Keyes. The event will take place in the back room at ‘Docksiders' on Front Street from 7.30 p.m. Tickets are $35, and reservations are necessary. For further information 296-3333.

Lights, camera, action!

It's time for aspiring filmmakers to get those scripts written and the cameras rolling, because January 1, 2003 is the deadline for entries in the April 11-17 edition of the Bermuda International Film Festival (BIFF). There were a record number of entries by Bermuda-based filmmakers in this year's festival, with one feature length and five shorts being included. Entry forms can be downloaded from BIFF's website www.bermudafilmfest.com Films may be submitted in tape form. If selected for screening, they must be available in 35mm format unless alternative formats are agreed in advance with festival organisers. Films premi?red more than a year before the date of the festival are not accepted, but works-in-progress are, provided the final print is ready by April 1, 2003. For further information (293-3456, fax 293-7769, or e-mail bdafilmibl.bm

Honour for poet Simons

Bermudian poet Marion Simons is being honoured by the International Library of Poetry (ILP), which will include one of her works in ‘The Best Poems and Poets of 2002'. Ms Simons, who has submitted poems to the ILP in the past, and has been nominated as a ‘Best Poet of the Year' four times, was chosen for the 2002 edition “on the basis of her unique talent” and must now write a new poem for the book. In reviewing the thousands of poems submitted to it, as well as those featured elsewhere, the ILP said Ms Simons' work qualified her among “the Best Poets we have encountered”.

Joy of collecting

The Bermuda National Trust will continue its fund-raising ‘Joy of Collecting' series, with a talk by Elfrida Chappell at her Paget home, ‘Mount Pleasant', on Sunday, October 20. Mrs. Chappell's topic will be ‘The Joy of Collecting Bermudian Things for the Home Environment', and assisting her will be Hugh Davidson and Anthony Pettit. The two-hour event will include a tour of Mrs. Chappell's historic house and garden, and refreshments. For tickets/further information ( 236-6483.