Published in the April 29, 2016 edition
MELROSE — The Melrose Arts Festival “Arts in April” festival will be held at Memorial Hall, Saturday and Sunday April 30-May 1 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Forty-two local and regional fine artists will exhibit their work. In addition to the art, there will be performances by Santon (Anton Sviridenko) on keyboard on Saturday, April 30 from 1-3 p.m. Lewis West will perform on guitar on Sunday, May 1 1-3 p.m.
Santon is a passionate musician with a Savant Syndrome in music. He has been blind from birth and is autistic and challenged cognitively. Santon received special education services in Perkins School for the Blind. Over the years at Perkins, he has performed with Peter Wolf, Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead and Natalie Merchant. Santon began taking piano lessons when he was 3 1/2 years old and went on to study Music at the Berklee College of Music, where he graduated summa cum laude. He plays violin, accordion, guitar and drums and is also an improviser and a composer. At the Arts Festival he will perform on the piano.
Music flows through the heart and soul of Lewis “Doc” West. West has over 35 years performing in genres from country to jazz, funk, pop and R&B. As a producer, he’s helped many up and coming artists. After losing his sight to glaucoma, West has taken on a new role helping others, and as an example to not give up what you love. He remains an influential artist, performer and embraces his new role as a humanitarian. He’s earned admiration from his peers as one of the funkiest R&B guitar players in the world. West has performed and co-written songs with the great soul singer Wilson Pickett and has traveled around the world, performing with artists such as Solomon Burke, Maxine Brown and William Bell.
