Classical,
"Reflections" on modern music
This will be the first time that some of us - make that nearly all of us - will have the opportunity to hear Menachem Wiesenberg's music when "Reflections" makes its U. S. premiere with the Kansas City Symphony this weekend. David Peironnet talked with the composer about 'new' classical music and his new work.
David Peironnet: When your composition, Reflections makes its U. S. premiere in Kansas City, it will likely be the first time that most people in the Kansas City will have heard one of your works. What would you like for them to leave with at the end of the concert?
Menachem Wiesenberg: I would like them to relate to my music in the same way they react to the music of the 18th and 19th century, namely to react emotionally with no prejudice concerning their phobia of "modern" music. I would like them to come out with the feeling that they've experienced something new which will arouse their curiosity to listen again to this piece or other pieces of mine.
DP: New music has a reputation for being weird. Yet, your compositions are remarkably absent of "weirdness," although distinctive and modern. How do you explain the difference?
Menachem Wiesenberg: It's not up to me to explain it, but some musical scholar to analyze the phenomenon and explain it. I want to point out that I don't try to be "original" at all costs. I believe that originality is an inborn thing and it shouldn't be consciously sought after. It should be a natural outcome and not a target we strive for as artists. This is my strong belief. It's either you have it or you don't have it. It cannot be adopted artificially. I feel very attached to the musical tradition which I try to follow. I believe really in evolution and not in revolution.
DP: Is the "weird" reputation held by modern compositions even accurate?
Menachem Wiesenberg: Sometimes it is accurate because the music is too cerebral and arid emotionally. But, sometimes it's the fault of the audience that doesn't like to open up to new experiences and be more curious.
DP: Some of your compositions are quiet and deeply introspective, while others are exuberant. The Concertino for Violoncello & String Orchestra possesses great complexity within a deceptively simple structure, and Jerusalem for symphony orchestra is declarative. What should we expect with the piece the Kansas City Symphony will perform?
Menachem Wiesenberg: Reflections has both sides; the meditative one and the flamboyant one. It is a bit more "jazzy" than the other two you have mentioned and you can even detect a hint of Gil Evans instrumentation here and there. I find it very Israeli in a way. It is based on a Ladino Song and an Arabic song that was adapted by the Jewish Israeli to become a kind of folk song.
DP: You've written quite a few pieces for choir though comparatively fewer for full orchestra. Do you see yourself more as a composer of choral works or as a composer of orchestral works? What are the unique challenges of composing for orchestra?
Menachem Wiesenberg: I started as a choir composer and I have a special place in my heart for songs; I have written many, many arrangements for Israeli and Yiddish Songs. I have been the musical director of Israel's most important singer in the seventies and the eighties - Chava Alberstein - and I was an accompanist for 12 years with Israel's most important contralto classical singer, Mira Zakai.
As I have developed, I have became more and more of an orchestral composer, however most of my orchestral pieces are Concerti. I just finished last week my Mandolin Concerto. I feel now ready to go back and write choral music and song cycles....
Anything you write has its own difficulties. It's very difficult to pinpoint exactly what that is. You must think of balance all the time, of writing challenging parts but not too challenging compared to writing for chamber groups or soloists.
Kansas City Symphony
World Premiere of Reflections by Menachem Wiesenberg
Brahms Double Concerto, Plus Dvorak
Friday January 8 at 8 p.m.
Saturday, January 9 at 8 p.m.
Lyric Theatre, 11th and Central
Kansas City, MO
Sunday, January 10, at 2:00 p.m.
Carlsen Center
Johnson County Community College
12345 College Boulevard, Overland Park, KS
For tickets call 816-471-0400 or online at www.kcsymphony.org
KC Events this week and beyond
Click here to see all the events on the KC Events performing arts calendar.
How do you list your events on KC Events? It is easy!!
As an arts organziation or musician, you can add and edit your own events.
KCMetropolis.org's mission is to promote traditional and independent classical music, dance, theatre and independent film. We are very sorry, but we do not cover pop, rock, Christian or country music; we do not cover the visual arts or non-performing arts community events. If you would like to send a press release about an upcoming performing arts event, please send to press@KCMetropolis.org.
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KC Events this week and beyond
Check out all the events on the KC Events performing arts calendar.
How do you list your events on KC Events?
As an arts organziation or musician, you now have the ability to add and edit your own events.
KCMetropolis.org's mission is to promote traditional and independent classical music, dance, theatre and independent film. We are very sorry, but we do not cover pop, rock, Christian or country music; we do not cover the visual arts or non-performing arts community events. If you would like to send a press release about an upcoming performing arts event, please send to press@KCMetropolis.org.
KC Events Categories are:
Classical Music
New Classical Music
Dance
Theatre
Jazz
KCMetropolis.org heavily depends on KC Events to build an editorial calendar for reviews, previews and interviews. If your events are not listed, we may be unaware of it...
To Submit Information:
- Please go to the KCM front page and click on the login tab located at the top right-hand side of the website.
- Create a login account and then sign-in.
- Read the KC Events Terms of Service before proceeding
- On the left-hand nav is a category called Submit Content
- Click on Submit an Event or Manage Your Events.
- Listings will be approved with 48 hours if it fits the KCMetropolis.org criteria.
Second half of the season is star-studded
The performances listed below are, of course, only a few of the many outstanding classical music opportunities that will be coming your way for the rest of the winter and the spring. Among other groups we will be featuring in upcoming concerts will be the Fine Arts Chorale, Kansas City Wind Symphony, Heritage Chorale, UMKC Conservatory of Music (non-Signature Series performances), the Heartland Men's Chorus, Heritage Philharmonic, the Philharmonia of Kansas City, the William Baker Festival Singers, the Kansas City Civic Orchestra, and many others, including the community orchestras and choirs of Liberty, Lee's Summit, Topeka, Lawrence and the Northland, among others. Please continue to watch each weekly edition of this column for more details on these and other performances. Happy listening!
Bach Aria Soloists
Private homes in Kansas and Missouri
For tickets call 716-820-1473 or online at www.bachariasoloists.com
The Bach Aria Soloists, led by the brilliant violinist Elizabeth Suh-Lane, performs two concerts this spring. One, on March 28, entitled Inspired by Bach, features the music of former Kansas City Symphony music director and conductor William McGlaughlin, who introduce the stories behind the genius of Bach, Bartok, Mendelssohn and others.
The other concert, set for June 6, features UMKC Conservatory professor and master classical guitarist Douglas Niedt in performances by Corelli, Bach, DeFalla and more. Concerts are performed in private homes to limited audiences, so you must have tickets ahead of time to attend.
City in Motion Dance Company and Owen/Cox Dance Group
Folly Theater
12th and Central, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-561-2882 or online at www.cityinmotion.org
City in Motion Dance Company will sponsor its annual Modern Night at the Folly on February 6. Among the groups featured will be one of this reviewer's favorites, the Owen/Cox Dance Group, performing Jennifer Owen's Fuga Tanguera.
City in Motion will also present a 25th Anniversary Concert on April 11 at the Gem Theatre in the 18th and Vine District.
The Friends of Chamber Music
Various locations, but primarily the Folly Theater
12th and Central Streets, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-561-9999 or online at www.chambermusic.org
To get you back in the swing of classical music after an abundance of holiday fare over the last month, The Friends of Chamber Music invites back the impressive Takacs String Quartet on January 9 for a performance of works of Beethoven and Haydn. Other ensembles appearing with The Friends this spring are Tafelmusik, performing Baroque favorites on January 31 accompanied by images from the Hubble Space Telescope in a program called Music of the Spheres, the Artemis String Quartet on March 12 playing works of Beethoven, and the Venice Baroque Orchestra on April 23 performing concerti by Vivaldi, Geminiani, Tartini and Albinoni.
Trio Medieval, an unusual three-woman vocal ensemble, will appear on April 18 for A Worcester Ladymass.
Among the soloists appearing soon are pianists Stephen Prutsman (February 12) and Kevin Kenner (April 9). This listener, however, is most awaiting a joint concert on March 5 by Behzod Abduraimov and Stanislav Ioudenitch, the former a recent winner of the London International Piano Competition Grand Prize, and the latter, of course, one of "our own," and a Gold Medal winner of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. What's better, tickets for that one are only $10 (free for subscribers)!
The effervescent Rob Kapilow also appears in January (16-17) for a What Makes it Great" program featuring the music of Chopin and pianist Gilles Vonsattel.
Harriman Jewell Series
Folly Theater
12th and Central, Kansas City, Missouri
For tickets, call 816-415-5025 or online at www.harriman-jewell.org
The Harriman Jewell Series features two of today's most virtuosic performers in pianist Marc-Andre Hamelin and cellist Yo Yo Ma this spring. Hamelin appears on February 19. This listener eagerly awaits his every performance in Kansas City (he has been here under the auspices of the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance and the Kansas City Symphony before), as he is one of the most spectacular keyboard artists performing today. Both his recordings and live performances are things of wonder. For this recital he will tackle Haydn, Mozart, Liszt, Faure and Alkan. The first four are just obligatory recital composers...you will want to wait for the Alkan, whose excruciatingly difficult pieces are specialties for Hamelin.
Yo Yo Ma appears on March 18 with pianist Kathryn Stott in pieces by Schubert, Shostakovich, Franck and others. The performance is sold out, but you can call to put your name on the waiting list.
In addition to these soloists, several acclaimed Russian ensembles will appear, including the Russian National Orchestra on February 25 playing symphonies by Dvorak and Tchaikovsky, the Moscow State Radio Symphony on March 6 performing an all-Tchaikovsky program, and the Moscow Festival Ballet on May 1 in Coppelia.
Vocal music fans have a treat in store as tenor Michael Schade and baritone Russell Braun sing a joint recital on April 10. No word on the program yet, but this duo has gotten rave reviews in other cities where they have appeared; both are acclaimed international opera stars.
To top it off, Harriman is offering a free Discovery Series concert on February 13 featuring violinist Rachel Lee, a student of Itzhak Perlman and considered to be one of the most promising young stars to watch.
Kansas City Ballet
Lyric Theatre
11th and Central Streets, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-931-2232 or online at www.kcballet.org
The Kansas City Ballet gives two performances this winter and spring. The winter program (February 25-28), features Val Caniparoli's Lambarena, billed as an "irresistible fusion of Johann Sebastian Bach and traditional African rhythms," along with Robert Hill's choreography of contemporary composer Lowell Liebermann's Piano Concerto No. 2 and The Moor's Pavane by Jose Limon, loosely based upon the Shakespeare story of Othello. The piece utilizes music by British baroque composer Henry Purcell.
The spring program (May 6-9) is entitled George Balanchine's Who Cares? and includes the eponymous piece set to "15 show stoppers by George Gershwin." Also appearing on the program is the Donizetti Pas de Deux choreographed by the late Todd Bolender and A Solo in Nine Parts by Jessica Lange, with music of Vivaldi. Most eagerly anticipated, however, is a world premiere by choreographer Toni Pimble to music by Ernest Bloch.
Kansas City Chamber Orchestra
Various locations in Fairway, Kansas and Prairie Village, Kansas
For tickets call 816-235-6222 or online at www.kcchamberorchestra.org
Kansas City Chamber Orchestra conductor Bruce Sorrell always has interesting repertory up his sleeve, and this spring offers a prime example with an iconic American piece, a world premiere and a Mozart classic.
The American icon, on April 29, is Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings, one of this listener's "desert island" compositions (although where one would find the orchestra to play it on a desert island is a bit of a mystery). The world premiere is The Twelve Kisses by composer Forrest Pierce, taken from the passionate Biblical love poem Song of Solomon, as sung by sparkling soprano Sarah Tannehill, one of Kansas City's vocal treasures for which we should count our blessings. Also on this program will be Benjamin Britten's Simple Symphony.
The Mozart classic in the KCCO's repertory this spring is the Requiem Mass, written by the composer for himself (although commissioned for another), and left incomplete at his death. For magnificent choral writing it just can't be topped. The concert is June 11.
Kansas City Chorale
Various locations in Kansas City, MO and Overland Park, KS
For tickets call 816-235-6222; information is available online at www.kcchorale.org (no tickets available online).
Kansas City's premiere a capella vocal ensemble will usher in the spring season on March 6-7 with a concert entitled Sing to Love, featuring Brahms' second book of the romantic Liebeslieder Waltzes. The Chorale recorded an entire CD of Brahms a few years ago, which is one of this writer's favorite listening pleasures. Conductor Charles Bruffy has a special affinity for this music, so it should be a real springtime treat.
The Chorale wraps up its season on May 16 and 18 with The Rhythm of Life, a performance for which the group is joined by Valerie Dee Naranjo, percussionist on NBC's Saturday Night Live Band and Broadway's Lion King. Hmmm. Sounds like a departure from the usual classical format, but it should be...well...rhythmic.
Kansas City Symphony
Lyric Theatre, 11th and Central, Kansas City, MO
Yardley Hall at Carlsen Center, Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
For tickets call 816-471-0400 or online at www.kcsymphony.org.
The Kansas City Symphony has several outstanding soloists in store for us in the coming months, but principal among them are violinist Gil Shaham and pianist Simone Dinnerstein. The weekend of January 22-24, Shaham will perform not one but two of this listener's favorite violin concertos, those of Prokofiev (No. 2) and American composer Samuel Barber. Dinnerstein, who appeared in Kansas City last year with The Friends of Chamber Music to great acclaim, will play the Mozart Piano Concerto No. 21 (May 14-16).
Other prominent soloists this spring include cellist Camden Shaw and violinist Josef Spacek in the double Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra by Brahms (January 8-10), pianist Benedetto Lupo in the Mozart Piano Concerto No. 18 (January 15-17), and flutist Emmanuel Pehud playing a world premiere by Luca Lombardi (February 19-21). Violinist Karen Gomyo plays the Sibelius Violin Concerto (February 12-13), pianist Robert Levin performs a piece by the underrepresented (at least on orchestra stages) contemporary composer George Crumb (March 5-7), and soprano Heidi Grant Murphy sings in another Barber piece, the memorable Knoxville: Summer of 1914 (April 9-11). Another soloist playing works of an American composer is violinist Jennifer Koh performing Jennifer Higdon's The Singing Rooms (May 21-23).
Among the symphonic works to be heard at the Symphony this winter and spring are the Dvorak No. 7 (January 8-10), the Schubert No. 5 and the Mozart No. 39 (January 15-17), the Shostakovich No. 1 (January 22-24), the Beethoven No. 8 (February 19-21), the Mahler No. 4 (April 9-11), and the impressive Prokofiev No. 5 (June 4-6).
What are the particular gems to watch for? This listener is eagerly awaiting the classic Sibelius Finlandia and Stravinsky's dazzling ballet score Petroushka (both on February 12-13), Aaron Copland's monumental Symphony No. 3, utilizing the dazzling fanfare theme from Fanfare for a Common Man (March 5-7), and the always-mesmerizing Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faun (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun) by Debussy (May 21-23).
In addition to the above, the Symphony Chamber Players, led by sparkling assistant conductor Steve Jarvi, will perform Grieg's magisterial Hollberg Suite (March 26).
Lied Center
University of Kansas
1600 Stewart Drive, Lawrence, KS
For tickets call 785-864-2787 or online at www.lied.ku.edu
Among the classical music performances at KU's Lied Center this spring are a recital of the works of Rossini, Berlioz, Mozart and other composers by American mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, of the Metropolitan Opera and other international companies, on January 24; a dance program by Ballet Folklorico on January 28; a modern dance performance by Pilobolus Dance Theater on February 5; and pianist Haochen Zhang, a winner of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, on February 16.
Also performing at the Lied Center this spring are the Albers Trio, a collaboration of three string-playing sisters performing the music of Mozart, Beethoven and "an expressive contemporary work by composer Ross Bauer" on March 7; and the celebrated modern music Kronos Quartet (strings) on April 13 performing the works of Terry Riley, among others.
Lyric Opera of Kansas City
Lyric Theatre
11th and Central Streets, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-471-7344 or online at www.kcopera.org
The Lyric Opera's spring season consists of two of the great classics of the repertoire. On March 20-28 the Lyric Opera will produce Verdi's Rigoletto, featuring acclaimed Metropolitan Opera soprano Mary Dunleavy (last year's star in La Traviata) as Gilda. Renowned baritone Richard Paul Fink, famous around the world for his portrayal of the doomed hunchback, will bring his interpretation of the title role to Kansas City. Tenor David Pomeroy, a Lyric Opera favorite, will sing the Duke of Mantua, including the famous aria "Donna e mobile," one of the most popular tunes ever penned.
Mozart's Don Giovanni will be the final production of the season from April 24 through May 2. Baritone Keith Phares, a stylish and handsome young star, and a Lyric Opera veteran of several productions (most recently The End of the Affair), will take on the title role with acclaimed up-and-coming star Andrew Gangestad as his sidekick Leporello. It should be great fun, with a bit of tragedy mixed in, as Mozart intended.
Musica Sacra
St. Francis Xavier Church
52nd and Troost, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-235-6222 or online at www.rockhurst.edu/services/musicasacra
Timothy MacDonald will conduct his Musica Sacra forces for two concerts this spring. The first, on February 20, features the "sweet" Music of Salzburg in a performance of works by Mozart and Michael Haydn. The second, set for April 18, will include Marc-Antoine Charpentier's Baroque masterpiece Te Deum and the Vespers by Mozart. This listener is most eagerly awaiting the second, as Charpentier's gorgeous music is not often heard in these parts, and any vocal piece by Mozart is worth waiting for.
newEar Contemporary Chamber Ensemble
All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church (and other venues)
4501 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-235-6222. Visit www.newear.org for information (no tickets available online).
New Ear upholds Kansas City's reputation, such as it is, for modern music performances, and this spring continues that tradition with two concerts. On March 13 the group performs the music of UMKC Conservatory professors and composers Chen Yi and Zhou Long, along with other Chinese-American composers, in a program entitled China Rising.
On May 1 the group performs Regenerations, a program "curated" by James Mobberly, featuring work of Mobberly and his students, along with Charles Ives and Edgar Varese. This concert will come just a week after the UMKC Conservatory Orchestra performs a new commission by Mobberly (see above), so it will be a heavenly few days for Mobberly fans.
Octarium
St. Elizabeth's Catholic Church
2 East 7th Street, Kansas City, MO
For information see www.octarium.org
On February 20, Octarium, the superb eight-voice a capella choir directed by Krista Blackwood, will offer something different in a concert entitled Mass-tiche. The group will perform several different "pastiche" masses. A "pastiche" is a piece of music constructed from fragments by various different composers. Pastiches were once quite popular in theaters and concert halls across Europe. A pastiche mass, for example, might include a "Kyrie" from one composer, a "Gloria" from another, and so on. With settings exploring similarities with settings through time, Palestrina paired with Part, Machaut with McMillan, this concert should prove to be an intriguing evening of music and history.
The Performing Arts Series
Johnson County Community College
Yardley Hall, Carlsen Center, Polsky Theatre
12345 College Boulevard, Overland Park, KS
For tickets call 913-469-4445 or online at www.jccc.edu/TheSeries
The Performing Arts Series at Johnson County Community College includes Philharmonia of the Nations, conducted by Justus Frantz, on February 13; the Martha Graham Dance Company in Clytemnestra on March 13; the Palestrina Choir, Irish and Boys' and Men's Choir from Dublin on April 16; and the always impressive Brentano Strong Quartet with Charles Neidich, clarinet, on May 1.
What most entices this listener about the spring Yardley Hall concert series, though, is a performance of Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, which many believe is the "Great American Opera," on February 26-27, performed with full orchestra. Details about the singers are not available at this time, but Porgy and Bess is always a treat, and Kansas City performances are all too infrequent.
Signature Series
UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance
White Recital Hall
4949 Cherry, Performing Arts Center , Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-235-6222 or online at www.umkc.edu/cto
The Signature Series at the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance features young performer Stefon Harris and his group Blackout on January 30. In a departure from the usual classical-oriented theme of the Signature Series concerts, this concert stars "one of the most important young artists in jazz," according to the Los Angeles Times.
Concerts this spring also include the elegant tenor Vinson Cole, Kansas City's own international opera star, on February 27; the Imami Winds, a wind quintet which is "meaningfully bridging European, American, African and Latin American traditions," on March 27; and the traditional year-ending Finale Concert on April 24 with Robert Olson and the Conservatory Orchestra, premiering a new composition written by Conservatory composer James Mobberly in honor of the late Todd Bolender of the Kansas City Ballet.
Top photo: Jean Lamon and Tafelmusik presented by The Friends of Chamber Music on January 31.
Jazz,
Winter comes to life with Jazz Winterlude
Johnson County Community College will banish the winter blues with a new three-day jazz festival - Jazz Winterlude: Kansas City Style running Friday-Sunday, January 8-10, in several venues at the Carlsen Center.
Jazz Winterlude consists of two full days of jazz and a Sunday brunch. Musicians are all local. Festival-goers will hear styles from Dixieland to contemporary and everything in between - swing, big band, bebop and vocal jazz.
"Kansas City has a huge cache of wonderful musicians who deserve to be heard by a wide audience in a concert setting," said Doreen Maronde, festival organizer.
Friday, January 8
4-5 p.m. Luqman Hamza Trio in Recital Hall
New Red Onion Jazz Babies in Polsky Theatre
5:30-6:30 p.m. Danny Embrey/Rod Fleeman Quartet in Recital Hall
Greg Carroll Quartet in Polsky Theatre
8-9 p.m. Rich Hill/Charles Perkins Quartet in Yardley Hall
9:15-10:15 p.m. 9Plus1 in Yardley Hall
Saturday, January 9
4-5 p.m. James Ward Trio in Recital Hall
Doug Talley Quintet in Polsky Theatre
5:30-6:30 p.m. Sherry Jones/Mike Ning Quartet in Recital Hall
Sons of Brasil in Polsky Theatre
8-10:15 p.m. Kansas City Jazz Orchestra in Yardley Hall
Sunday, January 10
11 a.m.-1:30 p.m Sunday brunch with the Dan DeLuca Trio (music until 2 p.m.) at the Capitol Federal Conference Center
Adding to the festival setting will be food available at Café Tempo in the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art and Encore! Espresso in the Carlsen Center. Free parking is available and plentiful as Jazz Winterlude takes place during JCCC's winter break.
The cost of Jazz Winterlude is $20 for either Friday or Saturday, $25 for both days and $20 for brunch with tickets available at the Carlsen Center box office, 913-469-4445, or online at www.jccc.edu/JazzFestival.
The complete list of Jazz Winterlude artists includes:
LUQMAN HAMZA TRIO
Luqman Hamza, piano and vocals
Will Matthews, guitar
Tyrone Clark, bass
NEW RED ONION JAZZ BABIES
Walter Bryant, piano
Gary Gollner, clarinet and arrangements
Peter Kersten, banjo, guitar, vocals and emcee
Kent Rausch, drums, vocals and arrangements
Paul Rodabaugh, tuba
Barry Springer, cornet and trumpet
Dan Strom, trombone
ROD FLEEMAN/DANNY EMBREY QUARTET
Rod Fleeman, guitar
Danny Embrey, guitar
Bob Bowman, bass
Todd Strait, drums
GREG CARROLL QUARTET
Greg Carroll, vibres
Michael Pagan, piano
Ben Leifer, bass
Matt Leifer, drums
RICH HILL/CHARLES PERKINS QUARTET
Rich Hill, organ and vocals
Charles Perkins, reeds and flute
Matt Hopper, guitar
Arnold Young, drums
9PLUS1
Tim Doherty, alto and soprano saxes and flute
Brad Gregory, tenor sax and flute
Todd Wilkerson, baritone sax, flute and bass c
Bob McCurdy, trumpet and flugelhorn
Fred Mullholland, trumpet and flugelhorn
Jeff Hamer, trombone
Rob Whitsitt, guitar
Roger Wilder, piano
Kevin Payton, bass
Matt Leifer, drums
JAMES WARD TRIO
James Ward, bass
Angela Ward, piano and keyboards
Ryan Lee, bass
DOUG TALLEY QUINTET
Doug Talley, tenor and soprano saxes
Joe Parisi, trumpet and flugelhorn
Wayne Hawkins, piano
Tim Brewer, bass
Keith Kavanaugh, drums
SHERRY JONES/MIKE NING QUARTET
Sherry Jones, vocals
Mike Ning, piano and vocals
James Albright, bass
Victor Perelmuter, drums
SONS OF BRASIL
Stan Kessler, trumpet and flugelhorn
Danny Embrey, guitar
Roger Wilder, piano
Greg Whitfield, bass
Doug Auwater, drums
KANSAS CITY JAZZ ORCHESTRA
Saxophones:
David Chael, lead alto, Bob Long, Doug Talley, Brad Gregory, Kerry Strayer
Trumpets:
Steve Molloy, split lead, Bob Harvey, split lead, Joe Parisi, David Aaberg
Trombones:
Jeff Hamer, lead, Earlie Braggs, Stephanie Bryan, Paul Roberts
Rhythm Section:
Charles Williams, piano, Rod Fleeman, guitar, James Albright, bass, Tim Cameron, drums
Vocals: Brienn Perry
Music Director: Jim Mair
Sound Technician: Ian Corbett
DAN DELUCA TRIO
Dan DeLuca, piano
Monte Muza, guitar
James Albright, bass
Film,
Well-performed "Still Walking" may still cause drowsiness
Family gatherings can be complicated, no matter what country you are from. This basic fact of life is presented from a Japanese point of view in the well-performed yet dullish drama Still Walking.
It's a warm summer's day when Ryota Yokoyama (Hiroshi Abe) reluctantly makes the trek back to the quiet seaside town that he once called home. With his wife, Yukari (Yui Natsukawa) and his 10-year-old stepson, Atsushi (Shohei Tanaka) in tow, he returns to his elderly parents' house for the first time in many years.
Ryota's friendly sister, Chinami (You) and her husband, Nobuo (Kazuya Takahashi) are also visiting with their two children, which are about the same age as Atsushi whose biological father died when he was much younger. Old stories are shared with a few laughs throughout an afternoon meal, however, a shadow haunts their reunion.
More than a dozen years earlier, Ryota's parents Kyohei (Yoshi Harada) and Toshiko (Kirin Kiki) eldest son drowned while trying to save someone else. Neither parent has been able to move on with their lives since. Kyohei, a retired doctor, is distant, petty and barely speaks to Ryota whom he's forever disappointed with and accuses having "left the family." Toshiko is full of hatred for the boy who their son saved and she treats Yukari and Atsushi as guests rather than as family.
While Ryota does share some tender moments with his mother and has one decent conversation with his father, he is relieved when the brief visit is finally over.
Still Walking is often as serene as the town it's set in. This is sometimes a problem because it can inspire the same kind of sleepiness you might experience while listening to a 3-hour lecture on how white cheese is made. The screenplay lacks any real bite to it as we're left feeling like the same aimless butterfly that appears in the film. Furthermore, the intended bits of humor sprinkled throughout fall flat and its director, Hirokazu Koreeda wastes time with shots that unnecessarily linger on the sky or trees or an empty room. I chalk up the latter to the director trying to be too artistic.
With that said, the cast of Still Walking deliver solid performances throughout. The film also offers some interesting insight into the life of a Japanese family that experiences difficulties that any family from any country could identify with.
On a letter grade scale from A being excellent to F for failing, Still Walking receives a C+.
Still Walking is rated PG and has a running time of 114 minutes.
Now showing through January 14 @
Tivoli Cinemas
Westport Manor Square, 4050 Pennsylvania, KCMO
Visit www.tivolikc.com or call 913-383-7756 for show times.
Theatre ,
Live - from Overland Park...
New Theatre's "Run For Your Wife" is pure farce. Mild mannered taxi driver John Smith, has two wives living in different parts of town. After attempting to stop a mugger, John is questioned by the police and hailed as a hero by the press. The whole fiasco leaves him scrambling to cover his tracks as detectives and his wives chase him across town.
Written by Ray Cooney, Run For Your Wife is running until February of 2010. Headliner Garrett Morris of Saturday Night Live fame insures that the show is an evening of nonstop laughter.
Casting Craig Benton as John Smith was brilliant. Generally, society frowns on polygamy, but I found myself hoping that Smith would get away with his outrageous lies simply because Benton was such a likeable guy. There was no hint of ill will towards anyone. He just wanted to continue living his quiet life - with his two different women.
Smith admits his problem to Stanley, the upstairs neighbor of wife #1, who immediately becomes his accomplice and the only other person who knows the truth. Garrett Morris played Stanley to perfection. This SNL star had amazing energy and played well with the locals, making Run For Your Wife an ensemble cast, not simply a show featuring him.
The wives, Mary and Barbara, were played by Heidi Van and Ashlee LaPine, respectively. The characters were not written to reflect any great difference between the two women. Both were disappointingly dense, leaving the men to discover the truth when they were off stage. Van had great comedic timing, which could have been used more. LaPine had some great bits of physical humor, which she made the most of.
The detectives, Thomas from Minneapolis and Porter from St. Paul, were more unique. Thomas, played by Mark Robbins, was more astute than his counterpart played by David Fritts. While Fritts donned a frilly apron for a social call, Robbins was demanding and unyielding, until he was deflected with another outrageous lie. I particularly appreciated the contrast between Fritts' fast-paced joviality and Robbins' careful questioning.
The cast was rounded out by Ron Megee, upstairs neighbor of wife #2, who added some bizarre humor to the mix, and a brief cameo by John Hayes as a newspaper reporter.
Jason Cole's scenic design was very interesting. On first glance, it looked like a combination of the Jetsons' home and a Dr. Seuss book, with it's bright colors and hanging shapes. Both apartments were represented by the same space, which ultimately reflected the duality and confusion John Smith felt at having two separate lives. The visualization was effective.
Mary Traylor chose some lovely costume pieces, especially for the wives. I loved Mary's day dress. I was a little confused about what time of year it was. I would assume summer, since Minneapolis would definitely require coats for all in the winter, but then why was Detective Thomas wearing a trench coat, while Barbara was wearing a backless halter dress?
Lighting designer Randy B. Winder didn't have much to play with, but he did some very nice window lights at the beginning. I suppose, in a show like this, if you don't notice the lighting, it's a good thing.
This production is absolutely hilarious. There were a few slow moments near the beginning, but once it started rolling, the audience couldn't stop. The second act probably averaged a laugh every three seconds, which is a rare feat indeed. The ending was abrupt, and I would've liked the last line to be more telling - however, this was a very small nuisance compared to the enjoyable evening I spent at the New Theatre Restaurant.
REVIEW:
New Theatre Restaurant
Run For Your Wife
Runs December 2 to February 7 (Reviewed December 18, 2009)
9229 Foster, Overland Park, KS 66212
For tickets call 913-649-SHOW or online at www.newtheatre.com
Top photo: Garrett Morris as Stanley. Photo by Mark Baltzley.
Local Arts News,
Kansas Arts Commission names 2010 Governor's Arts Awards
The Kansas Arts Commission is pleased to announce the 2010 Governor's Arts Awards recipients. This year's honorees are Susan Craig, Lawrence (Arts Advocate); Elliott Pujol, Manhattan (Artist); Kevin Willmott, Lawrence (Artist); Doug Talley, Shawnee Mission (Arts Education); Emporia Arts Council, Emporia (Arts Organization) and the City of Hays (Arts Community).
In addition, Jim Richardson, a Kansas native and resident, will be honored with this year's Distinguished Arts Award. Richardson is a highly recognized photojournalist and social documentarian known for his photographs of western landscapes, rural life and visual explorations of small-town Kansas life. Richardson has produced more than 20 stories for the National Geographic Society and is a contributing editor of National Geographic Traveler. He resides in Lindsborg and works as a freelance photographer. He and his wife also operate Small World: A Gallery of Arts and Ideas on the town's main street.
"The State of Kansas is proud to honor and recognize these outstanding artists, advocates, educators, cities and organizations," said Governor Mark Parkinson. "These awards call attention to the creative spirit that captures the magnificence of our state, contributes to our culture and inspires future Kansas artists."
The Governor's Arts Awards are given annually to distinguished Kansas artists, patrons and arts educators, and have been given annually since 1974 by the governor and the Kansas Arts
Commission. An expert panel, consisting of members of the Kansas Arts Commission, a representative from the Governor's office and arts professionals, selected the winners from submitted nominations.
"Each year the Governor's Arts Awards celebrate the dedication to artistic and cultural enrichment made by individuals and communities," said Kansas Arts Commission Chairman John Divine. "The commission is proud to recognize these Kansans - artists, educators, advocates, patrons and communities - for their accomplishments and efforts in support of the arts."
Winners will be recognized at a reception and awards ceremony from 6:00 to 8:00 pm on Thursday, March 11, 2010, at Washburn University's Memorial Union Washburn Room. Governor Mark Parkinson has been invited to attend the ceremony to present the awards.
For questions about the Governor's Arts Awards program, contact Margaret Weisbrod Morris, Kansas Arts Commission program manager, at 785-368-6545.
The Kansas Arts Commission is the state agency dedicated to promoting and supporting the arts in Kansas. Its mission is to provide opportunities for the people of Kansas to experience, celebrate and value the arts throughout their lives. For more information on the Kansas Arts Commission, please visit the KAC website at http://arts.ks.gov.
Local Arts News,
University of Missouri, School of Music announces 2010 Sinquefield Composition prizewinner
Michael Strausbaugh, graduate composition student of Dr. W. Thomas McKenney, Dr. Stefan Freund and guitar student of Professor Anthony Glise, has been awarded the 2010 Sinquefield Composition Prize.
Mr. Strausbaugh's prize-winning work, "Thermopylae" for guitar and cello, was selected by an independent jury. This is the first time in the history of the competition that guitar has been included in a Sinquefield Competition prize-winning composition.
In addition to the cash prize, Mr. Strausbaugh was awarded a commission to compose a one-movement concerto for guitar and orchestra. The world premiere and recording of that work will be March 15, 2010 at the University of Missouri's Chancellor's Concert.
The Sinquefield Composition Prize is one facet of the MIZZOU NEW MUSIC INITIATIVE, which aligns diverse programs to further establish the University of Missouri School of Music as a leading center for composition and new music.
The New Music Initiative is made possible by the generous support of Dr. Jeanne and Mr. Rex Sinquefield, and the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation. The Sinquefield's vision is to create a center for the composition and performance of new music and to profile the state of Missouri as a major hub for contemporary music in the US.
For more information on the MIZZOU NEW MUSIC INITIATIVE, visit: http://music.missouri.edu/newmusicinitiative.html
City Classics,
Music and Dance through January 13
Kansas City Symphony
Brahms Double Concerto, Plus Dvorak
with guest conductor Asher Fisher
Friday January 8 at 8 p.m.
Saturday, January 9 at 8 p.m.
Lyric Theatre, 11th and Central
Kansas City, MO
Sunday, January 10, at 2:00 p.m.
Carlsen Center
Johnson County Community College
12345 College Boulevard, Overland Park, KS
For tickets call 816-471-0400 or online at www.kcsymphony.org
The Kansas City Symphony kicks off its winter/spring season this weekend with a concert featuring the United States premiere of Reflections by Israeli composer Menachem Wiesenberg. That piece is the subject of another article in this issue of KCMetropolis, so we're going to reflect here upon the other two works on the program, the Brahms Concerto in A minor for Violin, Cello and Orchestra featuring soloists Josef Spacek and Camden Shaw and Dvořák's Symphony No. 7.
The paths of Brahms and Dvořák intertwined in interesting ways. In 1873 Dvořák, then 32 years old, was the organist at the St. Adalbert's Church in Prague, Bohemia (now the Czech Republic) and had just been married. He most desired to make his living as a composer, but his new financial responsibilities and talent as an organist (and violinist) led him to seek a more certain role as an instrumentalist instead. He had, however, been sufficiently fortunate to have had a few early compositions performed and published.
Then, one day, his luck turned. The noted music critic Edward Hanslick (yes, the same one who so famously hated Richard Wagner) mentioned to Dvořák that Johannes Brahms, then one of the giant figures of European music, had taken a liking to his work.
Although Brahms was eight years Dvořák's senior and far more famous, the young composer mustered the courage to contact the German master, and shortly thereafter Brahms recommended to his publisher, Simrock, that the company publish some of Dvořák's works. Since Brahms' own compositions were best-sellers throughout Europe the company quickly agreed, and the result was the publication in 1878 of Dvořák's first series of Slavonic Dances.
The rest, as they say, is music and publishing history. When news of Brahms' admiration for Dvořák spread, the younger composer's pieces were quickly snapped up by an eager public and the Bohemian quickly gained stature. Not long thereafter he was able to realize his dream of devoting his time to composition. A long series of popular works followed, including symphonies, concertos (his violin and viola concertos are among the most treasured in the repertoire), operas and many others.
Although within a few years Dvořák hardly needed Brahms' support any longer, the two remained fast friends throughout the rest of Brahms' life.
In 1883 Brahms, who was a latecomer to symphonic composition because of his reluctance to be compared as a symphonic composer to the great Beethoven, wrote his magnificent Third Symphony. Dvořák was so taken by his friend's virtuoso compositional skill and the dramatic portent of the Brahms work that he was inspired to create his own symphony along similar lines. He promptly began work on his Seventh Symphony (Dvořák had taken to symphonic composition a bit earlier, but with more modest goals). It was premiered in 1884 when Dvořák visited London, and became an immediate hit.
The scope of the work is much larger than anything Dvořák had previously attempted. As he wrote a friend, "what is in my mind is Love, God, and my Fatherland."
In the meantime, Brahms himself proceeded to tackle a project dear to his heart, a Double Concerto for violin and viola, meant as a sort of reconciliation to the violinist Joseph Joachim, from whom Brahms had become estranged. It premiered in 1887 and was his last great orchestral work before his untimely death at the age of 66.
This concert offers an interesting opportunity to experience and compare two of the mature works of these giant 19th century composers, each from a different country, with a distinctive style, but great friends who shared a passion for music that still affects us today.
The Friends of Chamber Music
Takács String Quartet
Saturday, January 9 at 8 p.m.
Folly Theater
12th and Central Streets, Kansas City, Missouri
For tickets call 816-561-9999 or online at www.chambermusic.org
The common theme of the string quartet series at The Friends of Chamber Music this year is Beethoven. In this concert, the Takács String Quartet takes a look at one of Beethoven's earliest quartets, the Quartet in C Minor, Op. 18, written when the composer was not yet 30, and compares it with the String Quartet No. 15 in A Minor, Op. 132, written more than a quarter century later, after Beethoven had written all nine of his symphonies. The enormous changes in the composer's ability and temperament can be seen in this comparison.
Between these two pieces the Takács String Quartet will play Haydn's Quartet in B Flat Major, Op. 17, written by the Austrian master for one of his English sojourns when the composer was past 60. A work of his maturity as a composer, it demonstrates the virtuosity of each of the four performers.
The Takács String Quartet, one of today's most celebrated string ensembles and widely recognized as one of the great Beethoven interpreters, counts among its many recordings a complete Beethoven cycle on the Decca label which won several awards. Based in Boulder at the University of Colorado, the Quartet travels and plays around the world, as it has for the last 35 years.
Local Arts News,
ArtsKC Fund announces new Inspiration Awards
Kansas City, Mo. (December 17, 2009) - The Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City Board of Directors has approved $6,079 in new ArtsKC Fund Inspiration Award funding for eight projects by local artists. Inspiration awards from the ArtsKC fund, a united arts fund, support projects by individual artists which assist with their overall professional growth in specific creative endeavors.
This is the last of three rounds of Inspiration awards for the 2009 grant cycle. In the first two rounds of funding, artists were awarded a combined total of $14,070.
Arts Council CEO and President Harlan Brownlee commented, "Through the ArtsKC Fund we have awarded $20,149 this year to 23 arts projects that involved the work of dozens of local artists. We'd like to thank all the donors to the ArtsKC Fund for their generous support which is fueling the creative ambitions and imaginations of some of Kansas City's finest artists. This is another reason why we are developing a reputation as a community where the arts and artists can thrive."
Letters of inquiry from artists interested in applying for the first round of 2010 awards are due March 15, 2010. Visit www.ArtsKC.org for more details.
Final Round of Inspiration Grants, 2009:
Julia Cole: ($1,200)
Public artist and arts educator Julia Cole requests funding for equipment for public programs and community arts projects to be offered through the Southeast Community Center, as an extension of her earlier, collaborative installation of public art at Swope Park, and in conjunction with a new teaching internship program.
Nathan Granner and Jeffrey Rukaman: ($500)
Tenor Nathan Granner and composer/musician Jeffrey Rukaman will travel to Florida for a month long residency during which they will be collaborating on a new opera based on the "Gospel of Judas." Inspiration funding will help pay for their travel expenses to the residency.
Robert Chase Heishman: ($800)
Robert Chase Heishman will purchase a high definition video camera to use in recording his personal reconstruction of an episode of the 1980's prime time soap opera "Falcon Crest" that aired on the day he was born; it inspired his mother to name him after the actor who portrayed the main character.
Peregrine Honig: ($250)
An Inspiration award to visual artist Peregrine Honig will help cover promotional expenses for the launch of a major new print project with Landfall Press at the Nerman Museum of Art, February 25th. "Widow", a limited-edition piece formatted as a high-end fashion magazine, features selections of her work and curated images of eighteen artists and photographers she collaborates with locally and internationally.
Linda Lighton: ($1,200)
Funding for ceramicist Linda Lighton will help pay for special lighting equipment to be incorporated into dozens of hanging ceramic sculptures created for a new exhibition, "Luminous," at the Rockhurst College Greenlease Gallery in the spring.
Michael Schonhoff: ($700)
Michael Schonhoff is curating an exhibition titled "You're Such a Good Sport" on the themes of 'arts' and 'sports' as experiences to be shared, critiqued, celebrated and explored. It features the work of over a dozen diverse artists from multiple disciplines. Inspiration funds will be used for gallery installation costs and special equipment rental.
Cheryl Gail Toh: ($729)
Visual artist Cheryl Toh will use funds for expenses associated with developing a new body of work for installation in gallery and museum settings. The award will aid in covering expenses associated with studio and equipment rental costs for creating and firing clay forms for a future mixed-media exhibition.
Mary Wessel: ($700)
Experimental photographer Mary Wessel will use Inspiration funds to help pay for the creation of large scale, archival digital prints of her work for her solo exhibition scheduled for the Cohen Gallery of the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art in the spring of 2010.
These awards conclude the commitment of all grant funds raised and pledged during the 2009 ArtsKC Fund campaign.
About the ArtsKC Fund
The ArtsKC Fund, an initiative of the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City, is a united arts fund that raises new money to support a wide range of arts organizations and programs. Its purpose is to provide stable sources of new financial support for the arts, broaden access to high-quality arts experiences, and sustain excellence in the arts and arts administration. The Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City is a not-for-profit organization that serves the five-county Kansas City metropolitan area and strives to strengthen and enrich the community by growing appreciation, participation and support of its arts resources. For more information about the ArtsKC Fund, visit www.ArtsKC.org.
KCM News,
KCM receives a Small Arts Grant Program Award from the Francis Family Foundation
About the Francis Family Foundation from their website...
The Francis Family Foundation is actually a combination of two former foundations. Parker B. Francis, founder of the Puritan-Bennett Company, established a foundation bearing his name in 1951. Parker B. Francis III also established a foundation to fund his interests in education, arts, and culture. In 1989, the Parker B. Francis Foundation merged with the Parker B. Francis III Foundation to become the Francis Family Foundation. After retiring from Puritan Bennett as Chairman in 1986, John B. Francis - son of Parker B. Francis and brother of Parker B. Francis III - served as president of the Foundation until 1998. Mr. Francis was the Honorary Chair of the Foundation's Board of Directors until his passing in August 2004. His wife, Mary Harris Francis, served on the board as honorary vice chair until her passing in May 2005.
The four children of John B. and Mary Harris Francis (Ann F. Barhoum, David V. Francis, J. Scott Francis and Susan F. Neves) served as the Executive Committee of the Foundation Board from 1998 until 2004, at which time the Board reorganized to better meet the needs of the new strategic plan.
Foundation priorities, such as the funding of the Parker B. Francis Fellowship Program, a national post-doctoral program in pulmonary research, and support of educational and cultural programs geographically located within the greater Kansas City area, still reflect the interests of the donors.
Locally the Foundation supports specific efforts to promote lifelong learning skills in children and specific areas within arts and culture.
The Francis Family Foundation envisions current and future generations of well-rounded individuals who are creative, lifelong learners striving to achieve their fullest potential and are well prepared to contribute to community and society in general. The path to making this vision a reality is built upon strategies that target talented individuals and organizations that strive to provide excellent programs and services within their communities. Specifically, the Foundation will focus its strategies in the areas of pulmonary research, lifelong learning with a particular emphasis on early childhood development, and arts and culture.
This plan serves as a framework by which the Foundation will pursue a set of outcomes within each area over the next five years. The Foundation will continue to focus its efforts in the area of pulmonary research on a national level. The Foundation will continue to focus its efforts in the areas of lifelong learning and arts and culture within the greater Kansas City area. By focusing support in these areas, the Foundation is committed to making a difference in improving the quality of life through our grant making.
Francis Family Foundation funding promotes the principle that arts and culture are fundamentally important for all people and supports development of the greater Kansas City area as a creative community recognized as a regional hub for excellence in arts and culture, rich with expression of diverse cultures and affording access to all levels of creative participation.
For more information and to view the entire list of 2009 Arts and Cultural grant recipients visit www.francisfoundation.org
Off the Vine, Jazz,
December/January Events
Jam Session: America's Jazz Ambassadors Embrace the World is an exceptional collection of photographs and documents drawn from important archives around the country that chronicles the tours of American jazz legends as they traveled the globe on behalf of the U.S. State Department. From the mid-1950s through the 1970s, Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, Dave Brubeck, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, and others served as cultural diplomats, transcending national boundaries, and making friends for our country.
Jam Session includes nearly 100 compelling images of musicians visiting 35 countries in four continents - each of which provides a unique insight into this successful diplomatic initiative. Millions of people experienced these concerts and thrilled to the many styles and variations of the remarkable American art form called jazz music. We've taken the liberty to add two additional components including non-stop screening of selected films taken from our John H. Baker Jazz Film Collection and selected artifacts from the UMKC Marr Sound Archives and American Jazz Museum Collections. These added dimensions will bring to life many of the themes and accentuate selected artists from within the exhibition. Moreover, they will provide YOU with a heightened educational experience!
To highlight the far-reaching impact of these great musicians' voyages abroad, the American Jazz Museum will host a grand opening celebration and public programs and focus tours to accentuate the exhibit during the course of its run here in Kansas City - through February 21, 2010.
Educating The Masses...Public Programs of Jam Session: America's Jazz Ambassadors Embrace the World
January 18, 2010, Atrium - American Jazz Museum
Jammin' for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: A Jazz Poetry Jams Special Event
Join host, Glenn North, student poets, spoken word artists and KC jazz musicians in action as we pay special tribute to an American legend, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. whose words of justice inspire words of hope from these talented young poets. Also enjoy light refreshments, a funs scavenger hunt and light refreshments. $5 Admission
February 4, 2010- 6:30 pm, Atrium - American Jazz Museum
Jammin' for Wellness: Jazz as an International Catalyst for Medical and Spiritual Healing
This session will feature a spirited and healthy discussion examining the power Jazz as an International Catalyst for Medical and Spiritual Healing. Join our guest panelists and NEA Jazz Master Randy Weston LIVE IN CONCERT! Program also includes hors d' oeuvres!
February 19, 2010 - 10:00 a.m., Atrium - American Jazz Museum
Satchmo Blows Up the World: A Jazz Storytelling Special Event
In this special inter-active Jazz Storytelling session, children will learn how one of the world's greatest jazz ambassadors, Louis Armstrong, trumpeted the message of jazz across the globe.
All programs are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. A suggested $10 donation to support future programming is encouraged. For additional details and to RSVP for any of these public programs, please contact Glenn North at (816)474-8463, ext. 221 or gnorth@kcjazz.org.
For more information visit www.americanjazzmuseum.org.
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