Tours
Explore the Collection
Tuesdays through Fridays at 1:30 pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Free; no reservations necessary.
A daily docent-led tour of Museum highlights. Meet at West Building Information Desk. For individuals and groups smaller than 10.
Meet Your Museum tours
Fridays at 6 and 7 p.m.; Saturdays at 11 a.m., noon and 2 and 3 p.m.; and Sundays at 2 and 3 p.m.
Free; no reservations necessary.
Meet at East Building Information Desk. Guided tour introduces visitors to the Museum buildings, Plaza and related works of art.
Storytelling in the Galleries weekend family-friendly tours
Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30 a.m.
Free; sign up that day; first come, first served.
Meet at West Building Information Desk. Half-hour tours for kids age 5 to 10 and their adult companions. Join a Museum guide for a lively discussion and activities in the galleries.
Special events
Senior sampler
Senior Sampler: “Drawing the Line”
Tuesday, March 13, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Meet in West Building Lobby
$15 for members per session or $80 for all six sessions
$20 for nonmembers per session or $110 for all six sessions
What does an artist need to consider when arranging a composition? Gain a deeper understanding of the underlying structure of a work of art while sketching selected pieces in the galleries. Each session offers an informal gallery discussion paired with a studio experience exploring subjects in paintings and sculpture. Supplies provided. To register, call the museum box office at (919) 715-5923.
Free tour: Friday Night Art Encounters
Friday Night Art Encounters
Friday, March 16, at 6 and 7 p.m.
Free; no reservations necessary.
Meet at West Building Information Desk. Enjoy a lively introduction to the museum’s collection with 30-minute gallery conversations that take you through a variety of explorations.
Mad about Mad Men spring film series
Film: The Match King
Friday, March 16, at 8 p.m.
East Building | Museum Auditorium
$3.50 for museum members, students, Cinema Inc. and Galaxy Cinema members; $5 for all others
Wolfish William plays an industrialist who corners safety match production with epic financial shenanigans. Warner Bros. proclaimed that plots for their films were “torn from today’s headlines”—this one could easily be torn from ours, as well. Tickets are available online at www.ncartmuseum.org, through the museum box office by phone at (919) 715-5923 and in person (East Building).
Lunch and lecture
Lecture: “Edward Durell Stone: American Modernist”
Saturday, March 17, at 11 a.m.
East Building | Museum Auditorium
$23 for members; $28 for nonmembers
Edward Durell Stone, designer of the NCMA’s East Building, was one of the first American architects to experiment with European modernism in the early 1930s with a series of prominent homes in the Northeast and in his design for the Museum of Modern Art. In this slide lecture, Stone’s youngest son and biographer, Hicks Stone—himself a practicing architect—documents the breadth of his father's life and career. The discussion continues over a lunch catered by Iris, the Museum Restaurant. To register, call (919) 664-6785. Registration and payment for the combined program is required by 4 p.m. on the Wednesday before the event.
El Anatsui: When I Last Wrote to You about Africa Members Opening
Saturday, March 17, from 7 to 9:30 p.m.
East Building
$30 for members; $40 for all others
Drums! Dance! Costumes! Song! Story! Join other museum members and Durham’s own The Magic of African Rhythm at the first major retrospective of El Anatsui’s work. To celebrate the work of contemporary artist El Anatsui, the museum presents a colorful evening of music and dance spanning many cultures of the African continent. Performances include Balankora, a melodic duo of traditional griot instruments backed by African diasporic percussion instruments and singing, and Djembe Fire!, featuring djembe and dundun drumming, dance choreography, singing and audience participation. African-inspired hors d’oeuvres, South African wines, beer and nonalcoholic beverages included. The exhibition will be open for viewing. Performances take place at 7:30 and 8:15 p.m.
Artist discussion
“Artist to Artist”
Saturday, March 17, at 10 a.m.
East Building, Museum Auditorium
Free; ticket from Box Office required
For nearly a year, the NCMA has enjoyed an extended loan from Bennett College of a work by Harlem Renaissance artist Aaron Douglas. Artist Stacy Lynn Waddell leads a discussion about Douglas’s Harriet Tubman that considers Douglas in the context of art history and as an illustrator and master draftsman.
Kids at the ncma: family fun Saturday
Family Fun Saturday: Traveling through Time
Saturday, March 17, at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
East Building, Education Studio 2
$3 for members; $5 for nonmembers
Join us for a workshop that travels through space and time to learn about art from different cultures. At this gallery tour-plus-studio workshop for families with children ages 5-11, kids and adults delight in exploring the museum’s collection, creating projects together and discovering one another’s creativity. For more information or credit card reservations, call the museum box office, (919) 715-5923. Space is limited; advance purchase is strongly suggested.
Sketchbook Saturday
Saturday, March 17, from 10:30 a.m. to noon
$7 for members and $10 for nonmembers
Ages 11 to 14
Teens and tweens are invited for an in-depth exploration of tools and techniques used in keeping an artist sketchbook. We’ll be inspired by work in the galleries and Museum Park, and then head back into the studio to play with a variety of materials. Price includes one sketchbook per participant (not per session). Registration is required; space is limited. For more information or credit card reservations, call the museum box office, (919) 715-5923.
Lecture: “El Anatsui: A Curator’s Perspective”
Dr. Lisa Binder, Curator of Contemporary Art, Museum for African Art
Sunday, March 18, at 2:30 p.m.
East Building | Museum Auditorium
Free; ticket from Box Office required
Dr. Lisa Binder discusses the work of artist El Anatsui, highlighting some of the stunning sculpture, paintings, prints and drawings in the retrospective exhibition El Anatsui: When I Last Wrote to You about Africa. The lecture includes a history of the artist’s career and a discussion of his recent projects, including Lines That Link Humanity in the museum’s permanent collection.
See what ended up on The News of Orange County's cutting room floor.
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Thursday, March 1, 2012
N.C. Museum of History presents Cotton Mill Colic
In the early 20th century, Piedmont mill towns were incubators for innovative string bands and musical performers in an emerging genre known as country music. Mill workers sang of their hard fate, protesting living conditions, poor wages and workplace struggles. As tension increased between management and labor, the songs became a rallying cry in labor halls, on strike lines and at protest rallies.
At the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh, musicians Gregg Kimball, Sheryl Warner and Jackie Frost will present Cotton Mill Colic: Songs of Labor from the North Carolina Piedmont, which will draw on commercial recordings by millworkers, such as Dave McCarn, the Dixon Brothers and Wilmer Watts as well as union strike songs—especially those sung by Ella Mae Wiggins, the voice of the 1929 Gastonia strike. This free performance takes place Sunday, March 4, at 2 p.m. in Daniels Auditorium. Parking is free on weekends.
With Kimball on guitar, banjo and fiddle, Warner and Frost will add their own distinctive vocal styles. Warner's rich, expressive voice has developed from more than 30 years of singing in the blues and folk traditions.
With two CDs to her credit, Frost’s music is grounded in early-American music traditions, ranging from early country to jazz to blues. She is especially adept at tight, soul-stirring harmonies.
Kimball is a historian and musician who has lectured and written extensively on the South’s musical traditions. He is Director of Public Services and Outreach at the Library of Virginia. He earned a Ph.D. in history from the University of Virginia.
Don’t miss this performance with an intriguing, historical twist on March 4 at the N.C. Museum of History.
About the N.C. Museum of History
The museum is located at 5 E. Edenton St. in Raleigh, across from the State Capitol. Parking is available in the lot across Wilmington Street. Hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. The Museum of History, within the Division of State History Museums, is part of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.
At the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh, musicians Gregg Kimball, Sheryl Warner and Jackie Frost will present Cotton Mill Colic: Songs of Labor from the North Carolina Piedmont, which will draw on commercial recordings by millworkers, such as Dave McCarn, the Dixon Brothers and Wilmer Watts as well as union strike songs—especially those sung by Ella Mae Wiggins, the voice of the 1929 Gastonia strike. This free performance takes place Sunday, March 4, at 2 p.m. in Daniels Auditorium. Parking is free on weekends.
With Kimball on guitar, banjo and fiddle, Warner and Frost will add their own distinctive vocal styles. Warner's rich, expressive voice has developed from more than 30 years of singing in the blues and folk traditions.
With two CDs to her credit, Frost’s music is grounded in early-American music traditions, ranging from early country to jazz to blues. She is especially adept at tight, soul-stirring harmonies.
Kimball is a historian and musician who has lectured and written extensively on the South’s musical traditions. He is Director of Public Services and Outreach at the Library of Virginia. He earned a Ph.D. in history from the University of Virginia.
Don’t miss this performance with an intriguing, historical twist on March 4 at the N.C. Museum of History.
About the N.C. Museum of History
The museum is located at 5 E. Edenton St. in Raleigh, across from the State Capitol. Parking is available in the lot across Wilmington Street. Hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. The Museum of History, within the Division of State History Museums, is part of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
N.C. Museum of History offers March programs
Musicians Patrick and Cathy Sky will get you in the mood for Saint Patrick’s Day with Irish reels, jigs and hornpipes. This lively performance and more will take place in March at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh. During a special presentation, watch a new Readers’ Theater work about the family life of Sojourner Truth, a 19th-century abolitionist and women’s rights activist. A cast of four professional actors will present this play that suits all ages. Don’t miss Cotton Mill Colic, a music performance with an intriguing, historical twist: songs from Piedmont cotton mills in the early 20th century. Seasoned musicians Gregg Kimball, Sheryl Warner and Jackie Frost will draw on commercial recordings by mill workers and on accounts of union strike songs.Enjoy all this and more in March at the museum. Admission is free unless otherwise noted. Parking is free on weekends.
First Friday Performance: Sojourner Truth and Her Children
When: Friday, March 2, from 7 to 9 p.m.
Cost: $5 per person; ages 12 and younger free. You can purchase tickets in advance at ncmuseumofhistory.org or the night of the event in the Museum Shop.
The local performance group Voices in Concert will dramatize the family life of 19th-century abolitionist and women’s rights activist Sojourner Truth. This new Readers’ Theater work centers on Truth’s efforts to reunite her family as three of her enslaved children approach their freedom. She is challenged to inspire her children to dream of more for themselves as they await freedom. The play was written by Rudy Wallace, artistic director of Voices in Concert.
Cotton Mill Colic: Songs of Labor from the North Carolina Piedmont
When: Sunday, March 4, from 2 to 3 p.m.
Musician Gregg Kimball and singers Jackie Frost and Sheryl Warner will perform songs from Piedmont cotton mills. The trio will draw on commercial recordings by mill workers and on accounts of union strike songs. In the early 20th century, Piedmont mill towns were incubators for innovative string bands and musical performers in an emerging genre known as country music. With Kimball on guitar, banjo and fiddle, Frost and Warner will add their own distinctive vocal styles.
Time for Tots: Saint Patrick’s Day
When: Tuesday, March 6, and Tuesday, March 13, from 10 to 10:45 a.m.
Who: Ages 3 to 5 with an adult
Cost: $1 per person. To register, call (919) 807-7992.
Discover the history, foodways and traditions of Saint Patrick’s Day, a holiday observed by the Irish for 1,000 years. Then make a take-home craft to give you the luck of the Irish.
History Hunters: Greetings from North Carolina!
When: Wednesday, March 7, from 10 to 11 a.m.
Who: Ages 10 to 13
Cost: $1 per person. To register, call (919) 807-7992.
Before Facebook and Skype, how did you say, “Wish you were here!” when you vacationed? Learn about North Carolina holiday spots, get a bit of postcard history and make your own postcard.
Make It, Take It: Blimps
When: Saturday, March 10, from 1 to 3 p.m. (drop-in program)
Discover how blimps protected ships off the North Carolina coast during World War II and make a paper model to take home.
Music of the Carolinas: Patrick and Cathy Sky
When: Sunday, March 11, from 3 to 4 p.m.
Get ready for Saint Patrick’s Day with a program of Irish reels, jigs and hornpipes. The performance is presented with PineCone, with support from the N.C. Museum of History Associates, Williams Mullen, and WLHC-FM/WLQC.FM.
History à la Carte: Variety Vacationland
When: Wednesday, March 14, from 12:10 to 1 p.m.
Extras: Bring your lunch; beverages provided.
Presented by Sandy Webbere, associate curator.
What was a typical family vacation in North Carolina in decades past? Using historic postcards, maps and film, Webbere will identify early tourist destinations from the coast to the mountains and discuss how they have evolved.
Curator’s Choice Tour: The Story Behind The Story of North Carolina
When: Sunday, March 25, from 2 to 2:30 p.m.
How do you cover 14,000 years of history in one exhibit? Join curator RaeLana Poteat for this special tour and hear how staff worked to tell the state’s story through artifacts, multimedia presentations and hands-on interactives.
2012 Women’s History Month Celebration
When: Tuesday, March 27, at 6:30 p.m.
To register, call (919) 807-7992 by Friday, March 23.
Presented by Anita Brown-Graham, executive director of the Institute for Emerging Issues at N.C. State University.
Women compose more than half of the U.S. electorate and have influenced electoral outcomes for more than 40 years. Learn about their importance to the 2012 campaigns. The event is sponsored by the N.C. Council for Women.
About the N.C. Museum of History
The museum is located at 5 E. Edenton St. in Raleigh, across from the State Capitol. Parking is available in the lot across Wilmington Street. Hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. The Museum of History, within the Division of State History Museums, is part of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
15 area artists to receive Ella Fountain Pratt Emerging Artists grants
Recipients to be honored at the annual awards ceremony Feb. 23
Durham Arts Council announced the 15 local area artists selected to receive Ella Fountain Pratt Emerging Artists Grants in 2012. The artists will be honored at the annual Emerging Artists Awards Ceremony and reception on Thursday, Feb. 23, at 6 p.m. in the Durham Arts Council PSI Theatre and Semans Gallery. Tickets for the evening are available.
The awards event will feature music and remarks by jazz vocalist and songwriter Lois Deloatch (Emerging Artist 1995) and dancer and choreographer Gaspard Louis (Emerging Artist 2010). The awards ceremony will be dedicated to the late Mary D.B.T. Semans, who inspired and supported the creation of the Emerging Artists Program, with her husband Dr. James H. Semans. For more information, contact Margaret DeMott at (919) 560-2720. For tickets, visit www.durhamarts.org.
The Emerging Artists Grant Program, administered by Durham Arts Council, is designed to enable individual artists who have mastered the basic techniques of their art form to complete projects that will establish or enhance their professional careers. The Emerging Artists Program is cited repeatedly by local artists as providing important financial support and significant public recognition of their professional achievements. A 2009 survey of individual artists conducted by Seattle-based Artist Trust revealed that small grants are one of the most useful resources for artists in the current economy.
Criteria for making the awards include the accomplishment and commitment of the artist, the feasibility of the proposed project and the impact the project will have on the applicant’s career.This year, a total of $23,000 was awarded. Ninety-seven applications were submitted to the program this year.
The Durham Arts Council coordinates this program in partnership with the arts agencies of adjacent Chatham, Orange, Granville and Person counties.This joint effort provides an efficient, non-duplicative administration that allows artists in all five counties to participate in the Emerging Artists Program. Significant contributions, in addition to annual grant support, are necessary to maintain the program.
The award was renamed the Ella Fountain Pratt Emerging Artists Grant in 2009 to honor Ella Fountain Pratt, who founded the program in 1984 as a joint endeavor of the Durham Arts Council, the North Carolina Arts Council and The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation. Ella Fountain's contribution to the arts—locally and nationally—are honored in the Ella Fountain Pratt Legacy Gallery in the Durham Arts Council building, which also includes an area to highlight the work of artists who have received the Emerging Artists Grant.
Counting the current recipients, 435 grants have been made to area artists during the program’s 28-year history. Past recipients include six-time Grammy-nominated, jazz vocalist, Nnenna Freelon; painter and Guggenheim Fellow, Beverly McIver; and violinist and Presidential Scholar in the Arts, Nicholas Kitchen. Novelist Marjorie Hudson won a North Carolina Arts Council Fellowship this year. Poet Jaki Shelton Green, has published six books of poetry and a play, received the 2007 Sam Ragan Award and served as the first Piedmont Laureate in 2009. Film maker Ryan Koo won a Webby Award for Best Drama Series and is preparing to make his first feature film set in North Carolina.
Orange County residents who received a grant were the grant were:
• Sasha Bakaric, craft, www.sashaceramics.com
• Nuno Gomes, mixed media, www.nunogomes.org
• Gracelee Lawrence, sculpture, www.graceleelawrence.com
• Chance Murray, mixed media
• Will Ridenour, music, www.myspace.com/zymana
• Anita Woodley, drama, www.mamajuggs.com
Durham Arts Council announced the 15 local area artists selected to receive Ella Fountain Pratt Emerging Artists Grants in 2012. The artists will be honored at the annual Emerging Artists Awards Ceremony and reception on Thursday, Feb. 23, at 6 p.m. in the Durham Arts Council PSI Theatre and Semans Gallery. Tickets for the evening are available.
The awards event will feature music and remarks by jazz vocalist and songwriter Lois Deloatch (Emerging Artist 1995) and dancer and choreographer Gaspard Louis (Emerging Artist 2010). The awards ceremony will be dedicated to the late Mary D.B.T. Semans, who inspired and supported the creation of the Emerging Artists Program, with her husband Dr. James H. Semans. For more information, contact Margaret DeMott at (919) 560-2720. For tickets, visit www.durhamarts.org.
The Emerging Artists Grant Program, administered by Durham Arts Council, is designed to enable individual artists who have mastered the basic techniques of their art form to complete projects that will establish or enhance their professional careers. The Emerging Artists Program is cited repeatedly by local artists as providing important financial support and significant public recognition of their professional achievements. A 2009 survey of individual artists conducted by Seattle-based Artist Trust revealed that small grants are one of the most useful resources for artists in the current economy.
Criteria for making the awards include the accomplishment and commitment of the artist, the feasibility of the proposed project and the impact the project will have on the applicant’s career.This year, a total of $23,000 was awarded. Ninety-seven applications were submitted to the program this year.
The Durham Arts Council coordinates this program in partnership with the arts agencies of adjacent Chatham, Orange, Granville and Person counties.This joint effort provides an efficient, non-duplicative administration that allows artists in all five counties to participate in the Emerging Artists Program. Significant contributions, in addition to annual grant support, are necessary to maintain the program.
The award was renamed the Ella Fountain Pratt Emerging Artists Grant in 2009 to honor Ella Fountain Pratt, who founded the program in 1984 as a joint endeavor of the Durham Arts Council, the North Carolina Arts Council and The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation. Ella Fountain's contribution to the arts—locally and nationally—are honored in the Ella Fountain Pratt Legacy Gallery in the Durham Arts Council building, which also includes an area to highlight the work of artists who have received the Emerging Artists Grant.
Counting the current recipients, 435 grants have been made to area artists during the program’s 28-year history. Past recipients include six-time Grammy-nominated, jazz vocalist, Nnenna Freelon; painter and Guggenheim Fellow, Beverly McIver; and violinist and Presidential Scholar in the Arts, Nicholas Kitchen. Novelist Marjorie Hudson won a North Carolina Arts Council Fellowship this year. Poet Jaki Shelton Green, has published six books of poetry and a play, received the 2007 Sam Ragan Award and served as the first Piedmont Laureate in 2009. Film maker Ryan Koo won a Webby Award for Best Drama Series and is preparing to make his first feature film set in North Carolina.
Orange County residents who received a grant were the grant were:
• Sasha Bakaric, craft, www.sashaceramics.com
• Nuno Gomes, mixed media, www.nunogomes.org
• Gracelee Lawrence, sculpture, www.graceleelawrence.com
• Chance Murray, mixed media
• Will Ridenour, music, www.myspace.com/zymana
• Anita Woodley, drama, www.mamajuggs.com
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Nu-Blu to perform in Raleigh
Pinecastle recording artist Nu-Blu will perform at The Hope Cafe, located at 201 Tryon Road in Raleigh, on Thursday, Feb. 23. The show begins at 7 p.m., and tickets are $10 at the door.
Through the years, Nu-Blu has worked hard to develop a group that would give the listener a diverse experience. By mixing their original songs along with traditional material—and even incorporating songs from other genres—the group has created a unique and driving blend of music that keeps audiences coming back for more.
Nu-Blu was founded by husband and wife team, Carolyn and Daniel Routh. Carolyn, on bass, provides her trademark lead vocals with impressive clarity and vocal range, and Daniel, on guitar, brings his songwriting and vocal talents to the group. The two young guns, Levi Austin (banjo and vocals) and Austin Koerner (mandolin) fill out the ranks, providing the band with a solid and talented backbone.
In May 2010, Nu-Blu released their first album, NIGHTS, along with the single, “Spin on the Red Brick Floor.” Radio immediately welcomed the album as evidenced by its debut at No. 10 on the Euro Americana Chart, reaching as high as No. 7 on the Roots Music Bluegrass Report, and spending more than five weeks on the Americana Music Association’s Top 40 chart as an indie release. Several months later, the band was awarded the “2010 Country Band of the Year” by the Carolina Music Awards.
Released on Aug. 9, 2011, Nu-Blu’s current album, THE BLU DISC, and single, “Other Woman’s Blues” are also seeing much success on multiple chart. It has reached as high as No. 2 on Power Source Magazine’s Top 35 Bluegrass Song chart, and the album has appeared on Bluegrass Music Profiles Magazine Top 20 Hot Singles, Roots Music Report Top 50 Bluegrass Albums, The Alternate Root Magazine’s Top 66 Bluegrass Albums and many more. The band recently released a new music video of “Other Woman’s Blues” that is a clever answer song to Dolly Parton’s mega hit “Jolene” (written from Jolene’s point of view.) The video can be viewed at Ya’llWire.com or on Nu-Blu’s website.
Fans are also encouraged to download Nu-Blu’s free smart phone APP that provides live feeds from the popular Bluegrass Blog, WorldWideBluegrass.com, BluegrassTV, Napster, Last FM and Nu-Blu News and Tour Dates.
For more information on Nu-Blu, please visit Nu-Blu.com.
Through the years, Nu-Blu has worked hard to develop a group that would give the listener a diverse experience. By mixing their original songs along with traditional material—and even incorporating songs from other genres—the group has created a unique and driving blend of music that keeps audiences coming back for more.
Nu-Blu was founded by husband and wife team, Carolyn and Daniel Routh. Carolyn, on bass, provides her trademark lead vocals with impressive clarity and vocal range, and Daniel, on guitar, brings his songwriting and vocal talents to the group. The two young guns, Levi Austin (banjo and vocals) and Austin Koerner (mandolin) fill out the ranks, providing the band with a solid and talented backbone.
In May 2010, Nu-Blu released their first album, NIGHTS, along with the single, “Spin on the Red Brick Floor.” Radio immediately welcomed the album as evidenced by its debut at No. 10 on the Euro Americana Chart, reaching as high as No. 7 on the Roots Music Bluegrass Report, and spending more than five weeks on the Americana Music Association’s Top 40 chart as an indie release. Several months later, the band was awarded the “2010 Country Band of the Year” by the Carolina Music Awards.
Released on Aug. 9, 2011, Nu-Blu’s current album, THE BLU DISC, and single, “Other Woman’s Blues” are also seeing much success on multiple chart. It has reached as high as No. 2 on Power Source Magazine’s Top 35 Bluegrass Song chart, and the album has appeared on Bluegrass Music Profiles Magazine Top 20 Hot Singles, Roots Music Report Top 50 Bluegrass Albums, The Alternate Root Magazine’s Top 66 Bluegrass Albums and many more. The band recently released a new music video of “Other Woman’s Blues” that is a clever answer song to Dolly Parton’s mega hit “Jolene” (written from Jolene’s point of view.) The video can be viewed at Ya’llWire.com or on Nu-Blu’s website.
Fans are also encouraged to download Nu-Blu’s free smart phone APP that provides live feeds from the popular Bluegrass Blog, WorldWideBluegrass.com, BluegrassTV, Napster, Last FM and Nu-Blu News and Tour Dates.
For more information on Nu-Blu, please visit Nu-Blu.com.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Christian McBride, Inside Straight will headline jazz festival
Grammy Award-winning bassist Christian McBride and the Inside Straight band will headline this year's Carolina Jazz Festival Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 23 through 25, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Saxophonist Steve Wilson, a member of Inside Straight, will be the artist in residence for the 35th annual festival. This year's festival, themed "Jazz: In Sound and Image," also features a roving photography exhibit.
Workshops, concerts and late-night jams during the festival will showcase the guest artists, UNC Jazz Band, UNC Jazz Combos and Charanga Carolina. The Essentially Ellington Regional High School Jazz Festival—presented in conjunction with Jazz at Lincoln Center—returns for its seventh year. High school and middle school bands from North Carolina and Virginia will come to UNC's Frank Porter Graham Student Union on Thursday, Feb. 23, for a day of performances and clinics.
For a schedule and more information, visit http://music.unc.edu/jazzfest or call (919) 962-1039. For tickets, contact the Memorial Hall Box Office at 140 E. Cameron Ave., open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, email performingarts@unc.edu, call (919) 843-3333 or visit www.carolinaperformingarts.org.
"Bassist Christian McBride is one of our nation's great cultural and artistic ambassadors," said Jim Ketch, festival director and music professor and director of jazz studies in UNC's College of Arts and Sciences. "He is a tireless advocate for jazz, jazz education, and the arts in our schools. His music is rooted in the jazz tradition, yet it's fresh and new. Steve Wilson is highly respected for his saxophone artistry, musicianship and wide-ranging experience in all facets of the music. His passion for jazz education and young people makes him one of the most outstanding artists we have ever invited to the Carolina Jazz Festival."
Major performances include:
• Friday, Feb. 24: Fred and Gail Fearing Jazz for a Friday Afternoon, 4 p.m., Kenan Music Building rehearsal hall, featuring the UNC Jazz Combos. Free.
• Friday, Feb. 24: Christian McBride and Inside Straight, 8 p.m., Memorial Hall. Part of the Carolina Performing Arts season. Tickets (919) 843-3333: $15 to $39; $10 for students. Come early for a free lecture and demonstration on jazz improvisation featuring members of the UNC jazz faculty, 7 p.m., Historic Playmakers Theater.
• Saturday, Feb. 25: UNC Jazz Band, 8 p.m., Kenan Music Building Room 1201, with guest artist Steve Wilson. Free.
A roving art exhibit by Durham photographer Steven Bromberg, "Portraits of Carolina Jazz," will feature photographs of Carolina jazz faculty, students and guest artists. Jazz will be performed at exhibit openings.
• Through Friday, March 2: Frank Porter Graham Student Union gallery. Second Friday Art Walk reception at 6 p.m.
• Through Monday, March 26: Ackland Art Museum study gallery. Preview reception at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17, will feature music from UNC jazz faculty and students.
• Additional photos will be on display in the lobbies of festival performance venues, including Kenan Music Building and Memorial Hall.
McBride has performed and recorded with jazz artists McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Diana Krall, Chick Corea, Wynton Marsalis and Joshua Redman, as well as with hip-hop, soul, pop and classical artists such as Sting and soprano Kathleen Battle. He is former creative chair for jazz at the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Wilson has played on more than 100 recordings with artists such as Chick Corea, George Duke, Michael Brecker, Dave Holland, Dianne Reeves, Joe Henderson and Charlie Byrd, and has produced seven recordings under his own name.
Campus festival sponsors are the Office of the Executive Director for the Arts, Carolina Performing Arts, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development, Carolina Union Activities Board, Center for the Study of the American South, department of music, UNC jazz studies and the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonians, a music fraternity.
National sponsors of the jazz festival are Essentially Ellington, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Double Time Records, The Music Resource and Jamey Aebersold Jazz. Community sponsors are WNCU-FM, Jazz Foundation of North Carolina Inc., Art of the Cool Project and West End Wine Bar.
Saxophonist Steve Wilson, a member of Inside Straight, will be the artist in residence for the 35th annual festival. This year's festival, themed "Jazz: In Sound and Image," also features a roving photography exhibit.
Workshops, concerts and late-night jams during the festival will showcase the guest artists, UNC Jazz Band, UNC Jazz Combos and Charanga Carolina. The Essentially Ellington Regional High School Jazz Festival—presented in conjunction with Jazz at Lincoln Center—returns for its seventh year. High school and middle school bands from North Carolina and Virginia will come to UNC's Frank Porter Graham Student Union on Thursday, Feb. 23, for a day of performances and clinics.
For a schedule and more information, visit http://music.unc.edu/jazzfest or call (919) 962-1039. For tickets, contact the Memorial Hall Box Office at 140 E. Cameron Ave., open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, email performingarts@unc.edu, call (919) 843-3333 or visit www.carolinaperformingarts.org.
"Bassist Christian McBride is one of our nation's great cultural and artistic ambassadors," said Jim Ketch, festival director and music professor and director of jazz studies in UNC's College of Arts and Sciences. "He is a tireless advocate for jazz, jazz education, and the arts in our schools. His music is rooted in the jazz tradition, yet it's fresh and new. Steve Wilson is highly respected for his saxophone artistry, musicianship and wide-ranging experience in all facets of the music. His passion for jazz education and young people makes him one of the most outstanding artists we have ever invited to the Carolina Jazz Festival."
Major performances include:
• Friday, Feb. 24: Fred and Gail Fearing Jazz for a Friday Afternoon, 4 p.m., Kenan Music Building rehearsal hall, featuring the UNC Jazz Combos. Free.
• Friday, Feb. 24: Christian McBride and Inside Straight, 8 p.m., Memorial Hall. Part of the Carolina Performing Arts season. Tickets (919) 843-3333: $15 to $39; $10 for students. Come early for a free lecture and demonstration on jazz improvisation featuring members of the UNC jazz faculty, 7 p.m., Historic Playmakers Theater.
• Saturday, Feb. 25: UNC Jazz Band, 8 p.m., Kenan Music Building Room 1201, with guest artist Steve Wilson. Free.
A roving art exhibit by Durham photographer Steven Bromberg, "Portraits of Carolina Jazz," will feature photographs of Carolina jazz faculty, students and guest artists. Jazz will be performed at exhibit openings.
• Through Friday, March 2: Frank Porter Graham Student Union gallery. Second Friday Art Walk reception at 6 p.m.
• Through Monday, March 26: Ackland Art Museum study gallery. Preview reception at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17, will feature music from UNC jazz faculty and students.
• Additional photos will be on display in the lobbies of festival performance venues, including Kenan Music Building and Memorial Hall.
McBride has performed and recorded with jazz artists McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Diana Krall, Chick Corea, Wynton Marsalis and Joshua Redman, as well as with hip-hop, soul, pop and classical artists such as Sting and soprano Kathleen Battle. He is former creative chair for jazz at the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Wilson has played on more than 100 recordings with artists such as Chick Corea, George Duke, Michael Brecker, Dave Holland, Dianne Reeves, Joe Henderson and Charlie Byrd, and has produced seven recordings under his own name.
Campus festival sponsors are the Office of the Executive Director for the Arts, Carolina Performing Arts, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development, Carolina Union Activities Board, Center for the Study of the American South, department of music, UNC jazz studies and the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonians, a music fraternity.
National sponsors of the jazz festival are Essentially Ellington, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Double Time Records, The Music Resource and Jamey Aebersold Jazz. Community sponsors are WNCU-FM, Jazz Foundation of North Carolina Inc., Art of the Cool Project and West End Wine Bar.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt come to DPAC
In an intimate evening with Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt, two American singer/songwriters join forces for an unplugged performance at Durham Performing Arts Center on March 15.
Tickets are sold:
• Online
• at DPAC TicketCenter via phone at (919) 680-2787 or in person at 123 Vivian St. in Durham
• at Ticketmaster.com or Ticketmaster Charge by phone at 800-745-3000
• Ticketmaster outlets, including Crabtree Valley Mall
"This will be such a special show. Lovett and Hiatt will be playing acoustic, swapping songs and stories with no bands, no side musicians at all," said Bob Klaus, general manager of DPAC.
Lovett and Hiatt have been touring together periodically since 1989, delivering one of the most compelling and spontaneous concerts on the road.
Lyle Lovett has four GRAMMY® Awards to his credit, which include Best Male Country Vocal Performance in 1989 and Best Country Album for “The Road to Ensenada” in 1996. When not performing musically, Lovett has a steady acting career and has appeared in feature films such as The Player, Short Cuts, Cookie’s Fortune, and TV shows such as Mad About You and, most recently, Castle. Lovett’s newest album, Natural Forces, was released in 2009.
John Hiatt, a prolific songwriter and talented singer/guitarist, has 11 GRAMMY® nominations, and his numerous awards include induction into the Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame and the 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award in Songwriting from the American Music Association. Hiatt has released 19 studio albums. His latest album, Dirty Jeans & Mudslide Hymns, was released in 2011.
What’s up next? Visit www.dpacnc.com for more information about upcoming events.
Tickets are sold:
• Online
• at DPAC TicketCenter via phone at (919) 680-2787 or in person at 123 Vivian St. in Durham
• at Ticketmaster.com or Ticketmaster Charge by phone at 800-745-3000
• Ticketmaster outlets, including Crabtree Valley Mall
"This will be such a special show. Lovett and Hiatt will be playing acoustic, swapping songs and stories with no bands, no side musicians at all," said Bob Klaus, general manager of DPAC.
Lovett and Hiatt have been touring together periodically since 1989, delivering one of the most compelling and spontaneous concerts on the road.
Lyle Lovett has four GRAMMY® Awards to his credit, which include Best Male Country Vocal Performance in 1989 and Best Country Album for “The Road to Ensenada” in 1996. When not performing musically, Lovett has a steady acting career and has appeared in feature films such as The Player, Short Cuts, Cookie’s Fortune, and TV shows such as Mad About You and, most recently, Castle. Lovett’s newest album, Natural Forces, was released in 2009.
John Hiatt, a prolific songwriter and talented singer/guitarist, has 11 GRAMMY® nominations, and his numerous awards include induction into the Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame and the 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award in Songwriting from the American Music Association. Hiatt has released 19 studio albums. His latest album, Dirty Jeans & Mudslide Hymns, was released in 2011.
What’s up next? Visit www.dpacnc.com for more information about upcoming events.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Red Clay Ramblers to be honored at PlayMakers Ball
Tony Award-winning, North Carolina music legends The Red Clay Ramblers will receive the PlayMakers Distinguished Achievement Award on Feb. 11 at the 24th annual PlayMakers Ball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The ball, held at the historic Carolina Inn, is the annual fundraising celebration for PlayMakers Repertory Company, the professional theater in residence in UNC's College of Arts and Sciences. Proceeds from the event support PlayMakers' artistic and educational programming.
The ball, with the theme "Diamond and Denim Hoedown," will feature an award ceremony followed by dining and dancing to the music of the Bill Bolen Orchestra.
Now in their 40th year, The Red Clay Ramblers are a string band whose repertoire reflects their roots in old-time mountain music as well as country, rock, New Orleans, bluegrass, gospel and the American musical. The band members are Clay Buckner, Chris Frank, Rob Ladd and 1970 UNC alumni Bland Simpson and Jack Herrick. Simpson is Kenan Distinguished Professor of English and Creative Writing at UNC.
The group has toured extensively in North America and Europe, as well as Eastern Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa and the Middle East. The Ramblers have been guests on Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion," appeared with Jay Leno on "The Tonight Show" and with Harry Smith on "CBS This Morning." They appeared as the onstage band during PlayMakers' April 2010 production of "Big River." Herrick also created music for two productions helmed by PlayMakers producing artistic director Joe Haj: PlayMakers' 2008 season-opener "Pericles" and "Hamlet" (2010) at the Folger Theatre in Washington, D.C.
The Ramblers' long association with music and theater includes the original New York productions of "Diamond Studs" (1975) and Sam Shepard's "A Lie of the Mind" (1985). In 1988, they scored Shepard's film "Far North," and they performed and appeared in his second feature, "Silent Tongue" (1994). In 1993, Broadway hit "Fool Moon" earned The Ramblers their second Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Music in a Play. They returned to Broadway twice more (1995, 1998) and received a special Tony Award in 1999. The Ramblers also created the shows "Kudzu: A Southern Musical" and "Lone Star Love: the Merry Wives of Windsor, Texas," as well as ballets "Ramblin' Suite" (Atlanta Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet) and "Carolina Jamboree" (Carolina Ballet).
Old North State," their newest CD, was released in October 2009.
Past PlayMakers award honorees include actors David Hyde Pierce, Eva Marie Saint, Faye Dunaway, Louise Fletcher and Billy Crudup, as well as New York Times critic Frank Rich, costume designer William Ivey Long, director Gene Saks and Broadway composer/lyricist Richard Adler.
Ball guests will enjoy a gourmet menu created by Carolina Inn Executive Chef Jim Reale in rooms decorated by McKay Coble, a resident scenic and costume designer with PlayMakers.
For tickets to the ball, contact Lenore Field at (919) 452-8417 or lfield@email.unc.edu. Organizations interested in contributing to the ball should contact Stacy Payne at (919) 962-4846 or shpayne@email.unc.edu. Tables are available for $5,000; each table seats 10 people. Single tickets are $500.
The ball, held at the historic Carolina Inn, is the annual fundraising celebration for PlayMakers Repertory Company, the professional theater in residence in UNC's College of Arts and Sciences. Proceeds from the event support PlayMakers' artistic and educational programming.
The ball, with the theme "Diamond and Denim Hoedown," will feature an award ceremony followed by dining and dancing to the music of the Bill Bolen Orchestra.
Now in their 40th year, The Red Clay Ramblers are a string band whose repertoire reflects their roots in old-time mountain music as well as country, rock, New Orleans, bluegrass, gospel and the American musical. The band members are Clay Buckner, Chris Frank, Rob Ladd and 1970 UNC alumni Bland Simpson and Jack Herrick. Simpson is Kenan Distinguished Professor of English and Creative Writing at UNC.
The group has toured extensively in North America and Europe, as well as Eastern Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa and the Middle East. The Ramblers have been guests on Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion," appeared with Jay Leno on "The Tonight Show" and with Harry Smith on "CBS This Morning." They appeared as the onstage band during PlayMakers' April 2010 production of "Big River." Herrick also created music for two productions helmed by PlayMakers producing artistic director Joe Haj: PlayMakers' 2008 season-opener "Pericles" and "Hamlet" (2010) at the Folger Theatre in Washington, D.C.
The Ramblers' long association with music and theater includes the original New York productions of "Diamond Studs" (1975) and Sam Shepard's "A Lie of the Mind" (1985). In 1988, they scored Shepard's film "Far North," and they performed and appeared in his second feature, "Silent Tongue" (1994). In 1993, Broadway hit "Fool Moon" earned The Ramblers their second Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Music in a Play. They returned to Broadway twice more (1995, 1998) and received a special Tony Award in 1999. The Ramblers also created the shows "Kudzu: A Southern Musical" and "Lone Star Love: the Merry Wives of Windsor, Texas," as well as ballets "Ramblin' Suite" (Atlanta Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet) and "Carolina Jamboree" (Carolina Ballet).
Old North State," their newest CD, was released in October 2009.
Past PlayMakers award honorees include actors David Hyde Pierce, Eva Marie Saint, Faye Dunaway, Louise Fletcher and Billy Crudup, as well as New York Times critic Frank Rich, costume designer William Ivey Long, director Gene Saks and Broadway composer/lyricist Richard Adler.
Ball guests will enjoy a gourmet menu created by Carolina Inn Executive Chef Jim Reale in rooms decorated by McKay Coble, a resident scenic and costume designer with PlayMakers.
For tickets to the ball, contact Lenore Field at (919) 452-8417 or lfield@email.unc.edu. Organizations interested in contributing to the ball should contact Stacy Payne at (919) 962-4846 or shpayne@email.unc.edu. Tables are available for $5,000; each table seats 10 people. Single tickets are $500.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
February programs at the N.C. Museum of History
February is Black History Month, and several programs at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh will highlight the experiences of African Americans in North Carolina and beyond. From a children’s program about educator Charlotte Hawkins Brown to a lively performance by blues musician Boo Hanks, there is something for all ages.
During another February program, watch out when the notorious pirate Blackbeard and his crew take the stage. Don’t miss the wild pirate dance, sea chanteys and more in the participatory play A Rollicking Tale of Blackbeard, Pirate of the Carolina Coast.
Admission is free unless otherwise noted. Parking is free on weekends. Take advantage of February programs at the Museum of History.
History Corner: The Correct Thing
When: Wednesday, Feb. 1, from 10 to 11 a.m.
Ages: 6 to 9 with an adult
Cost: $1 per person
To register, call 919-807-7992.
Educator Charlotte Hawkins Brown taught not only the basics—reading, writing and arithmetic—but also polite behavior. Learn how knowing the proper etiquette benefited her students. The program is presented with Cameron Village Regional Library.
History Hunters: The Whirligig Man
When: Wednesday, Feb. 1, from 10 to 11 a.m.
Ages: 10-13
Cost: $1 per person
To register, call 919-807-7992.
Learn about Wilson County craftsman Vollis Simpson and the park that is being created to show off his giant whirligigs. Make a small whirligig of your own.
African American History Tour
When: Saturday, Feb. 4, 11, 18 and 25 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Explore the lives and accomplishments of African American North Carolinians from the antebellum period to the Civil Rights era. For example, in the exhibit Behind the Veneer: Thomas Day, Master Cabinetmaker. Learn about this free man of color who owned and operated one of North Carolina’s largest cabinet shops prior to the Civil War. See approximately 70 pieces of furniture crafted by this accomplished artisan and entrepreneur from Milton, Caswell County.
A Rollicking Tale of Blackbeard, Pirate of the Carolina Coast
When: Saturday, Feb. 4, from 2 to 3 p.m.
Presented by Raleigh Little Theatre’s Storytellers to Go!
Join the adventure with Blackbeard and his crew. A wild pirate dance, storytelling, a sea chantey and puppets will draw you into this participatory play that is appropriate for all ages. Help the notorious Blackbeard search for his hidden treasure and the crew of his flagship, Queen Anne’s Revenge. Along the way, meet interesting people that he knew and learn about North Carolina’s 18th-century coastal history. Judy M. Dove created the play.
Time for Tots: Clay Creations
When: Tuesday, Feb. 7 or Feb. 14, from 10 to 10:45 a.m.
Ages: 3 to 5 with adult
Cost: $1 per person
To register, call 919-807-7992.
People have been making items out of clay for thousands of years. Find out about North Carolina’s pottery traditions and make your own clay creation.
History à la Carte: Operation Dixie
When: Wednesday, Feb. 8, from 12:10 to 1 p.m.
Bring your lunch; beverages provided.
James Wrenn, Phoenix Historical Society
Nearly 10 years before the Montgomery bus boycott, black workers in eastern North Carolina campaigned for civil rights in tobacco warehouses. Discover how thousands organized and secured union contracts in nearly 30 leaf houses.
Music of the Carolinas: Boo Hanks
When: Sunday, Feb. 12, from 3 to 4 p.m.
Drawing from a deep musical well, Hanks showcases his virtuosity in the delicate finger-style guitar of classic Piedmont blues. The performance is presented with PineCone, with support from the N.C. Museum of History Associates, Williams Mullen and WLHC-FM/WLQC-FM.
During another February program, watch out when the notorious pirate Blackbeard and his crew take the stage. Don’t miss the wild pirate dance, sea chanteys and more in the participatory play A Rollicking Tale of Blackbeard, Pirate of the Carolina Coast.
Admission is free unless otherwise noted. Parking is free on weekends. Take advantage of February programs at the Museum of History.
History Corner: The Correct Thing
When: Wednesday, Feb. 1, from 10 to 11 a.m.
Ages: 6 to 9 with an adult
Cost: $1 per person
To register, call 919-807-7992.
Educator Charlotte Hawkins Brown taught not only the basics—reading, writing and arithmetic—but also polite behavior. Learn how knowing the proper etiquette benefited her students. The program is presented with Cameron Village Regional Library.
History Hunters: The Whirligig Man
When: Wednesday, Feb. 1, from 10 to 11 a.m.
Ages: 10-13
Cost: $1 per person
To register, call 919-807-7992.
Learn about Wilson County craftsman Vollis Simpson and the park that is being created to show off his giant whirligigs. Make a small whirligig of your own.
African American History Tour
When: Saturday, Feb. 4, 11, 18 and 25 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Explore the lives and accomplishments of African American North Carolinians from the antebellum period to the Civil Rights era. For example, in the exhibit Behind the Veneer: Thomas Day, Master Cabinetmaker. Learn about this free man of color who owned and operated one of North Carolina’s largest cabinet shops prior to the Civil War. See approximately 70 pieces of furniture crafted by this accomplished artisan and entrepreneur from Milton, Caswell County.
A Rollicking Tale of Blackbeard, Pirate of the Carolina Coast
When: Saturday, Feb. 4, from 2 to 3 p.m.
Presented by Raleigh Little Theatre’s Storytellers to Go!
Join the adventure with Blackbeard and his crew. A wild pirate dance, storytelling, a sea chantey and puppets will draw you into this participatory play that is appropriate for all ages. Help the notorious Blackbeard search for his hidden treasure and the crew of his flagship, Queen Anne’s Revenge. Along the way, meet interesting people that he knew and learn about North Carolina’s 18th-century coastal history. Judy M. Dove created the play.
Time for Tots: Clay Creations
When: Tuesday, Feb. 7 or Feb. 14, from 10 to 10:45 a.m.
Ages: 3 to 5 with adult
Cost: $1 per person
To register, call 919-807-7992.
People have been making items out of clay for thousands of years. Find out about North Carolina’s pottery traditions and make your own clay creation.
History à la Carte: Operation Dixie
When: Wednesday, Feb. 8, from 12:10 to 1 p.m.
Bring your lunch; beverages provided.
James Wrenn, Phoenix Historical Society
Nearly 10 years before the Montgomery bus boycott, black workers in eastern North Carolina campaigned for civil rights in tobacco warehouses. Discover how thousands organized and secured union contracts in nearly 30 leaf houses.
Music of the Carolinas: Boo Hanks
When: Sunday, Feb. 12, from 3 to 4 p.m.
Drawing from a deep musical well, Hanks showcases his virtuosity in the delicate finger-style guitar of classic Piedmont blues. The performance is presented with PineCone, with support from the N.C. Museum of History Associates, Williams Mullen and WLHC-FM/WLQC-FM.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Country legend George Jones coming to DPAC
George Jones, a country singer, first hit the charts in 1955 with “Why Baby Why.” About 57 years and 140 hits later, he brings his timeless voice and songs to the Durham Performing Arts Center on Aug. 18, 2012.
Tickets can be purchased:
• Online at DPACnc.com
• DPAC TicketCenter at (919) 680-2787 or 123 Vivian Street in Durham
• Ticketmaster.com or Ticketmaster Charge by phone at 800-745-3000
• Ticketmaster outlets including Crabtree Valley Mall
"DPAC is becoming famous for presenting the Hall of Fame Country Stars, and we're thrilled to have this legend onstage at DPAC. Classic country fans will be in for a very special treat, with fantastic sound and great views of the stage from every seat, this could be George Jones best show ever in the Triangle," said Bob Klaus, GM of DPAC.
Jones was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992, and in 1996 he told his story in the best-selling autobiography "I Lived To Tell It All." He earned his second Grammy in 1999 and received the 2002 National Medal of Arts from President George W. Bush at a White House ceremony. On Feb. 11, George Jones will be awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy.
Tickets can be purchased:
• Online at DPACnc.com
• DPAC TicketCenter at (919) 680-2787 or 123 Vivian Street in Durham
• Ticketmaster.com or Ticketmaster Charge by phone at 800-745-3000
• Ticketmaster outlets including Crabtree Valley Mall
"DPAC is becoming famous for presenting the Hall of Fame Country Stars, and we're thrilled to have this legend onstage at DPAC. Classic country fans will be in for a very special treat, with fantastic sound and great views of the stage from every seat, this could be George Jones best show ever in the Triangle," said Bob Klaus, GM of DPAC.
Jones was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992, and in 1996 he told his story in the best-selling autobiography "I Lived To Tell It All." He earned his second Grammy in 1999 and received the 2002 National Medal of Arts from President George W. Bush at a White House ceremony. On Feb. 11, George Jones will be awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Festifall 2012 calls for non-profit and commerical exhibitors
Applications for local non-profit and commercial businesses at Chapel Hill’s 40th annual Festifall 2012 are now being accepted by the Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation Department. Festifall will take place Sunday, Oct. 7, from noon to 6 p.m. on the tree-lined street of West Franklin. Applications are due by June 1st; space is limited.
More than 15,000 local and visiting attendees are entertained throughout the day with live music and the best that the local art scene has to offer accompanied by participatory interactive art and dance activities. Festifall was voted Best Festival by Chapel Hill Magazine readers 2011/12 In 2011 and attracts 15,000+ people from all over Central North Carolina; no other event in Chapel Hill or Orange County attracts as many people in one afternoon.
Partnerships in publicity include the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership and the Chapel Hill Visitor’s Bureau. Festifall is also promoted through 30,000 printed event guides, in regional print, radio and television advertisements as well as the most current, wide-reaching social media outlets.
To support the Town’s sustainability efforts, we are encouraging all interested artists to apply using the paperless application. A hard copy, PDF version, can be downloaded at this site as well.
More information, including the full official event guide, parking, and pictures from Festifall 2011, can be found online. Questions about registration for Festifall 2012 can be directed to Carter Hubbard at chubbard@townofchapelhill.org.
More than 15,000 local and visiting attendees are entertained throughout the day with live music and the best that the local art scene has to offer accompanied by participatory interactive art and dance activities. Festifall was voted Best Festival by Chapel Hill Magazine readers 2011/12 In 2011 and attracts 15,000+ people from all over Central North Carolina; no other event in Chapel Hill or Orange County attracts as many people in one afternoon.
Partnerships in publicity include the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership and the Chapel Hill Visitor’s Bureau. Festifall is also promoted through 30,000 printed event guides, in regional print, radio and television advertisements as well as the most current, wide-reaching social media outlets.
To support the Town’s sustainability efforts, we are encouraging all interested artists to apply using the paperless application. A hard copy, PDF version, can be downloaded at this site as well.
More information, including the full official event guide, parking, and pictures from Festifall 2011, can be found online. Questions about registration for Festifall 2012 can be directed to Carter Hubbard at chubbard@townofchapelhill.org.
Festifall 2012 artist applications now available
Applications for artist booths at Chapel Hill’s 40th annual Festifall 2012 are now being accepted by the Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation Department. Festifall will take place Sunday, Oct. 7, from noon to 6 p.m. on the tree-lined street of West Franklin. Applications are due by May 1, and space is limited to 120 qualifiers.
Festifall artists will be awarded cash prizes for: first place at $350, second place at $250 and third place at $150, and juror, Sara Latta Gress, owner of the North Carolina Crafts Gallery in Carrboro, will be selecting the awards this year.
Selected artists creating in all media will be a part of this well-publicized annual event celebrating the cultural arts held in downtown Chapel Hill. More than 15,000 local and visiting attendees are entertained throughout the day with live music and the best that the local art scene has to offer, accompanied by participatory interactive art and dance activities.
Partnerships in publicity include the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership and the Chapel Hill Visitor’s Bureau. Festifall is also promoted through 30,000 printed event guides, in regional print, radio and television advertisements as well as the most current: wide-reaching social media outlets.
To support the Town’s sustainability efforts, we are encouraging all interested artists to apply using the paper-less application. A hard copy, PDF version, can be downloaded at this site as well. Applications are accompanied by a fee of $25. Applicants’ images will be reviewed by a panel of local artist jurors, and accepted artists will be notified on June 15.
More information, including the full official event guide, parking, and pictures from Festifall 2011, can be found online. Questions about registration for Festifall 2012 can be directed to Carter Hubbard at chubbard@townofchapelhill.org.
Festifall artists will be awarded cash prizes for: first place at $350, second place at $250 and third place at $150, and juror, Sara Latta Gress, owner of the North Carolina Crafts Gallery in Carrboro, will be selecting the awards this year.
Selected artists creating in all media will be a part of this well-publicized annual event celebrating the cultural arts held in downtown Chapel Hill. More than 15,000 local and visiting attendees are entertained throughout the day with live music and the best that the local art scene has to offer, accompanied by participatory interactive art and dance activities.
Partnerships in publicity include the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership and the Chapel Hill Visitor’s Bureau. Festifall is also promoted through 30,000 printed event guides, in regional print, radio and television advertisements as well as the most current: wide-reaching social media outlets.
To support the Town’s sustainability efforts, we are encouraging all interested artists to apply using the paper-less application. A hard copy, PDF version, can be downloaded at this site as well. Applications are accompanied by a fee of $25. Applicants’ images will be reviewed by a panel of local artist jurors, and accepted artists will be notified on June 15.
More information, including the full official event guide, parking, and pictures from Festifall 2011, can be found online. Questions about registration for Festifall 2012 can be directed to Carter Hubbard at chubbard@townofchapelhill.org.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Carolina Performing Arts to present eclectic array in February
February brings an intriguing mix of Piedmont bluegrass, Balkan-infused punk, modern dance, jazz and classical piano to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Carolina Performing Arts will present such special guests as the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, classical pianist Leif Ove Andsnes and Overtone Quartet, featuring a jazz dream team of Dave Holland, Chris Potter, Jason Moran and Eric Harland.
Performances will be in Memorial Hall on Cameron Avenue. For tickets and more information, visit www.carolinaperformingarts.org or call or visit the Memorial Hall Box Office at (919) 843-3333, open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and before shows. Show details follow.
Carolina Chocolate Drops with special guests Luminescent Orchestrii, 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 3
All about innovation and serious fun, the Grammy Award-winning and critically lauded Durham-based Carolina Chocolate Drops are the newest and youngest players in the long lineage of black string bands. The band has been widely credited with reviving the rich sounds of this music from the Piedmont region of the Carolinas. Upstarts in a stable of deep tradition, they are also a link between past and future, exploring generations-old songs with a modern touch.
They collaborate here with New York gypsy punk band Luminescent Orchestrii, which renders Romanian gypsy melodies, punk frenzy, salty tangos, hard-rocking klezmer, haunting Balkan harmony, hip-hop beats and Appalachian fiddle music.
The pairing guarantees a night full of high-energy and foot-stomping music from the southern Appalachian and eastern European Carpathian Mountains. Tickets are $29 to $69 and $10 for UNC-Chapel Hill students. Websites: www.carolinachocolatedrops.com, www.lumii.org
"Four Electric Ghosts: An Opera Masquerade" by Mendi + Keith Obadike, 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 9
This fantastically futuristic multimedia romp creates a composite world at the intersection of game culture, folk tales and pop songs. Inspired by Nigerian writer Amos Tutuola's 1954 novel "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts" and Japanese video game designer Tori Iwatani's influential 1980s arcade game Pac Man, "Four Electric Ghosts" follows the afterlives of four ghosts who encounter the same mortal in a journey through the Land of the Dead. The provocative story is told through masquerade, dance, video interviews and original funk, rock and R&B music, and the audience is invited to dance with the performers at the end.
Mendi + Keith Obadike make music, art and literature. After working as a postdoctoral fellow at Princeton University, Mendi Obadike became a poetry editor at Fence Magazine. Today, she is an assistant professor of humanities and media studies at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y. Keith Obadike is a tenured assistant professor in the College of Arts and Communication at William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J., and an art adviser for the Times Square Alliance.
"Four Electric Ghosts" is part of the Loading Dock series in which audiences and artists share the Memorial Hall stage. Seating is limited to 160 people. Directions on how to enter Memorial Hall will be distributed with tickets. Tickets are $20 or $10 for UNC-Chapel Hill students. Website: www.blacknetart.com
Overtone Quartet, featuring Dave Holland, Jason Moran, Chris Potter and Eric Harland, 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 10
Grammy Award-winning Holland joins a quartet of jazz veterans who all have earned awards and critical praise as players, bandleaders and composers. Each contributes his own compositions to the Overtone Quartet. The online magazine "All About Jazz" reported, "This group has no bandleader and instead functions as a collective, coming together around the shared goals of challenging each other to greater and more subtle composition and performance."
From his beginnings with Miles Davis to his acclaimed ensembles today, Holland has one of the most celebrated legacies in jazz. "The Boston Globe" calls Holland "a master bassist and bandleader, one of the most sophisticated composers and arrangers in the jazz world." The "Los Angeles Times" described pianist and composer Moran as "a startlingly gifted pianist with a relentless thirst for experimentation." Grammy Award-nominated Potter has been called the finest saxophonist of his generation. And drummer Harland has recorded more than 30 albums and toured the world.
Tickets are $25 to $59 and $10 for UNC-Chapel Hill students. Website: http://www.carolinaperformingarts.org/media
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 13 and Tuesday, Feb. 14
Spiritual, graceful, hopeful and one of the most celebrated modern dance companies in the world, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to Memorial Hall. The group started in 1958, led by Ailey and young African-American modern dancers. Their performances forever changed the perception of American dance.
In 2008, a U.S. Congressional resolution designated the company as "a vital American cultural ambassador to the world" that celebrates the uniqueness of the African-American cultural experience and the preservation and enrichment of the American modern dance heritage.
The modern classic "Revelations," to be performed both nights, tells a story of African-American faith and tenacity from slavery to freedom through dances set to spirituals and blues music. This is the first tour for the company featuring new artistic director Robert Battle, the personal selection of former director Judith Jamison. He is only the third person to head the company since it was founded.
Tickets are $25 to $64 and $10 for UNC-Chapel Hill students. Website: www.alvinailey.org
Leif Ove Andsnes, 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 17
Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes, one of the most sought-after pianists of his generation, appears with the world's leading orchestras and gives recitals in the foremost concert halls. Also an active chamber musician, he plays at the Risør Chamber Music Festival in Norway and next year will be music director of the Ojai Music Festival in California.
This year, Andsnes has performed with the Boston, Montreal, Pittsburgh, Trondheim and Vienna symphony orchestras, the Norwegian and Swedish chamber orchestras and the Philadelphia Orchestra.
In Chapel Hill, he will perform Haydn's Sonata in C minor, Bartók's Suite, Op. 14, Debussy's "Images" and Chopin's waltzes, ballades and Nocturne Op. 62.
Andsnes' discography comprises more than 30 solo, chamber and concerto releases, spanning repertoire from Bach to the present and garnering seven Grammy nominations and five Gramophone Awards. Among his recent recordings are Rachmaninov's Piano Concertos Nos. 3 and 4 with Antonio Pappano and the London Symphony Orchestra. He also recorded Schumann's piano trios with violinist Christian Tetzlaff and his sister, cellist Tanja Tetzlaff.
Tickets are $29 to $69 and $10 for UNC-Chapel Hill students. Website: www.andsnes.com
Christian McBride and Inside Straight, 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 24
Grammy Award-winning bassist, composer, arranger and educator Christian McBride is one of the most omnipresent figures in jazz, performing and recording with legends including McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Diana Krall, Chick Corea, Wynton Marsalis and Joshua Redman. He also works with hip-hop, soul, pop and classical artists such as The Roots, Sting and soprano Kathleen Battle.
Performing with McBride is his band, Inside Straight, which just released their its album, "Kind Of Brown," in 2009. The band features styles that range from hard swing to bluesy groove and includes pianist Eric Reed, alto saxophonist Steve Wilson, drummer Carl Allen and vibraphonist Warren Wolf, one of McBride's former students.
McBride, equally adept on acoustic and electric bass, has been at the forefront of jazz education, working as an artist in residence at festivals and artistic director at arts centers and museums—including stints as co-director of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem and creative jazz chair for the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Christian McBride and Inside Straight will perform at UNC as part of the 35th annual Carolina Jazz Festival. Tickets are $15 to $39 and $10 for UNC-Chapel Hill students. Website: www.christianmcbride.com.
Performances will be in Memorial Hall on Cameron Avenue. For tickets and more information, visit www.carolinaperformingarts.org or call or visit the Memorial Hall Box Office at (919) 843-3333, open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and before shows. Show details follow.
Carolina Chocolate Drops with special guests Luminescent Orchestrii, 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 3
All about innovation and serious fun, the Grammy Award-winning and critically lauded Durham-based Carolina Chocolate Drops are the newest and youngest players in the long lineage of black string bands. The band has been widely credited with reviving the rich sounds of this music from the Piedmont region of the Carolinas. Upstarts in a stable of deep tradition, they are also a link between past and future, exploring generations-old songs with a modern touch.
They collaborate here with New York gypsy punk band Luminescent Orchestrii, which renders Romanian gypsy melodies, punk frenzy, salty tangos, hard-rocking klezmer, haunting Balkan harmony, hip-hop beats and Appalachian fiddle music.
The pairing guarantees a night full of high-energy and foot-stomping music from the southern Appalachian and eastern European Carpathian Mountains. Tickets are $29 to $69 and $10 for UNC-Chapel Hill students. Websites: www.carolinachocolatedrops.com, www.lumii.org
"Four Electric Ghosts: An Opera Masquerade" by Mendi + Keith Obadike, 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 9
This fantastically futuristic multimedia romp creates a composite world at the intersection of game culture, folk tales and pop songs. Inspired by Nigerian writer Amos Tutuola's 1954 novel "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts" and Japanese video game designer Tori Iwatani's influential 1980s arcade game Pac Man, "Four Electric Ghosts" follows the afterlives of four ghosts who encounter the same mortal in a journey through the Land of the Dead. The provocative story is told through masquerade, dance, video interviews and original funk, rock and R&B music, and the audience is invited to dance with the performers at the end.
Mendi + Keith Obadike make music, art and literature. After working as a postdoctoral fellow at Princeton University, Mendi Obadike became a poetry editor at Fence Magazine. Today, she is an assistant professor of humanities and media studies at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y. Keith Obadike is a tenured assistant professor in the College of Arts and Communication at William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J., and an art adviser for the Times Square Alliance.
"Four Electric Ghosts" is part of the Loading Dock series in which audiences and artists share the Memorial Hall stage. Seating is limited to 160 people. Directions on how to enter Memorial Hall will be distributed with tickets. Tickets are $20 or $10 for UNC-Chapel Hill students. Website: www.blacknetart.com
Overtone Quartet, featuring Dave Holland, Jason Moran, Chris Potter and Eric Harland, 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 10
Grammy Award-winning Holland joins a quartet of jazz veterans who all have earned awards and critical praise as players, bandleaders and composers. Each contributes his own compositions to the Overtone Quartet. The online magazine "All About Jazz" reported, "This group has no bandleader and instead functions as a collective, coming together around the shared goals of challenging each other to greater and more subtle composition and performance."
From his beginnings with Miles Davis to his acclaimed ensembles today, Holland has one of the most celebrated legacies in jazz. "The Boston Globe" calls Holland "a master bassist and bandleader, one of the most sophisticated composers and arrangers in the jazz world." The "Los Angeles Times" described pianist and composer Moran as "a startlingly gifted pianist with a relentless thirst for experimentation." Grammy Award-nominated Potter has been called the finest saxophonist of his generation. And drummer Harland has recorded more than 30 albums and toured the world.
Tickets are $25 to $59 and $10 for UNC-Chapel Hill students. Website: http://www.carolinaperformingarts.org/media
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 13 and Tuesday, Feb. 14
Spiritual, graceful, hopeful and one of the most celebrated modern dance companies in the world, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to Memorial Hall. The group started in 1958, led by Ailey and young African-American modern dancers. Their performances forever changed the perception of American dance.
In 2008, a U.S. Congressional resolution designated the company as "a vital American cultural ambassador to the world" that celebrates the uniqueness of the African-American cultural experience and the preservation and enrichment of the American modern dance heritage.
The modern classic "Revelations," to be performed both nights, tells a story of African-American faith and tenacity from slavery to freedom through dances set to spirituals and blues music. This is the first tour for the company featuring new artistic director Robert Battle, the personal selection of former director Judith Jamison. He is only the third person to head the company since it was founded.
Tickets are $25 to $64 and $10 for UNC-Chapel Hill students. Website: www.alvinailey.org
Leif Ove Andsnes, 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 17
Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes, one of the most sought-after pianists of his generation, appears with the world's leading orchestras and gives recitals in the foremost concert halls. Also an active chamber musician, he plays at the Risør Chamber Music Festival in Norway and next year will be music director of the Ojai Music Festival in California.
This year, Andsnes has performed with the Boston, Montreal, Pittsburgh, Trondheim and Vienna symphony orchestras, the Norwegian and Swedish chamber orchestras and the Philadelphia Orchestra.
In Chapel Hill, he will perform Haydn's Sonata in C minor, Bartók's Suite, Op. 14, Debussy's "Images" and Chopin's waltzes, ballades and Nocturne Op. 62.
Andsnes' discography comprises more than 30 solo, chamber and concerto releases, spanning repertoire from Bach to the present and garnering seven Grammy nominations and five Gramophone Awards. Among his recent recordings are Rachmaninov's Piano Concertos Nos. 3 and 4 with Antonio Pappano and the London Symphony Orchestra. He also recorded Schumann's piano trios with violinist Christian Tetzlaff and his sister, cellist Tanja Tetzlaff.
Tickets are $29 to $69 and $10 for UNC-Chapel Hill students. Website: www.andsnes.com
Christian McBride and Inside Straight, 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 24
Grammy Award-winning bassist, composer, arranger and educator Christian McBride is one of the most omnipresent figures in jazz, performing and recording with legends including McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Diana Krall, Chick Corea, Wynton Marsalis and Joshua Redman. He also works with hip-hop, soul, pop and classical artists such as The Roots, Sting and soprano Kathleen Battle.
Performing with McBride is his band, Inside Straight, which just released their its album, "Kind Of Brown," in 2009. The band features styles that range from hard swing to bluesy groove and includes pianist Eric Reed, alto saxophonist Steve Wilson, drummer Carl Allen and vibraphonist Warren Wolf, one of McBride's former students.
McBride, equally adept on acoustic and electric bass, has been at the forefront of jazz education, working as an artist in residence at festivals and artistic director at arts centers and museums—including stints as co-director of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem and creative jazz chair for the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Christian McBride and Inside Straight will perform at UNC as part of the 35th annual Carolina Jazz Festival. Tickets are $15 to $39 and $10 for UNC-Chapel Hill students. Website: www.christianmcbride.com.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
CenterFest holds planning focus groups
We invite your participation in the CenterFest continuing planning process!
Durham Arts Council, producer and presenter of CenterFest Arts Festival for 37 years, announced in July its plans to expand and re-envision CenterFest. DAC and its key partners have been underway in the visioning/planning process for the 2012 event and invite your participation in the next step: CenterFest focus groups.
Focus Groups take place from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Durham Arts Council, 120 Morris St. in Durham. If discussions need additional time the groups will continue to 8 p.m.
Please RSVP by clicking on the link for each focus group. You are welcome to attend one, several or all.
CenterFest—Visual Arts Focus Group
Wednesday Jan. 18 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at DAC. If discussion needs additional time the group will continue to 8 p.m.
The visual arts focus group will discuss event components related to the visual artists who apply for sales/display booth space and other possible visual arts elements of the festival such as interactive public art, art demonstrations, student art showcase and other ideas.
Co-Moderated by: Molly Pasca, Pottery artist and Lucy Grant, DAC Board Member
CenterFest—Creative Community Focus Group
Friday, Jan 20, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at DAC. If discussion needs additional time the group will continue to 8 p.m.
The focus group for the creative community will discuss some new elements being considered for CenterFest such as showcases for new creative businesses, design arts and technology and favorite past elements such as the non-profit showcase. Although anyone is invited to attend, this focus group will be most appropriate for designers, game developers, architects, music industry, film arts, arts non-profits and other creative businesses that have not typically been part of traditional arts festivals.
Co-moderated by: Matthew Coppedge, Downtown Durham Inc. and Meredythe Holmes, Monarch Services and Beverly Meek, Duke University
CenterFest—Food/Beverage/Culinary Arts Focus Group
Monday, Jan. 23, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at DAC. If discussion needs additional time the group will continue to 8 p.m.
This focus group will discuss possible new culinary arts/beverage/food elements for CenterFest and how we might do that. Locally sourced foods, wine festival, beer garden, food truck rodeo, chef competitions and other foodie ideas will be on the table. Restauranteurs, brewers, wine folks encouraged to attend and all who can think with gastronomic glee.
Co-moderated by: Diane Daniel, author of Farm Fresh North Carolina and Shelly Green, President & CEO of Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau
CenterFest—Music/Performing Arts Focus Group
Thursday, Jan. 26, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at DAC. If discussion needs additional time the group will continue to 8 p.m.
This focus group will discuss the music and performing arts entertainment elements of the festival, including performances on the festival grounds and main stages and surrounding venues. This may possibly include both non-ticketed free performances, ticketed performances, a wrist-band access series, roaming entertainment, interactive crowd elements (planned and spontaneous) and other ideas.
Co-moderated by: Mike Woodard, DAC Board VP/Duke University/City Councilman; Joe Newberry, musician; Marc Lee, WNCU radio announcer/emcee; and Kirk Ridge, NC Songwriters Co-Op
CenterFest—Site/Venues/Format Focus Group
Monday, Jan. 30, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at DAC. If discussion needs additional time the group will continue to 8 p.m.
This focus group will discuss the possible sites, venues, event layout, gating, admission, load-in/load-out, look and feel of the event, security, volunteers and other site and format considerations.
Co-Moderated by: Casey Steinbacher, President & CEO, Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce;
Sioux Watson, Publisher, The Independent; and Sherry DeVries, DAC Executive Director.
Durham Arts Council Executive Director, Staff and Board Leadership will be present at all the focus groups to provide information, listen and document all the great ideas, and answer questions.
Thank you in advance for your feedback.
Thanks to all of you who have already responded to the CenterFest Survey. You can still fill out the survey -click here!
The CenterFest Focus Groups will culminate in early February in a final Design Charrette co-facilitated by DAC and the Durham Area Designers with support from DCVB, DDI, Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce, and Durham Office of Economic and Workforce Development.
Durham Arts Council, producer and presenter of CenterFest Arts Festival for 37 years, announced in July its plans to expand and re-envision CenterFest. DAC and its key partners have been underway in the visioning/planning process for the 2012 event and invite your participation in the next step: CenterFest focus groups.
Focus Groups take place from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Durham Arts Council, 120 Morris St. in Durham. If discussions need additional time the groups will continue to 8 p.m.
Please RSVP by clicking on the link for each focus group. You are welcome to attend one, several or all.
CenterFest—Visual Arts Focus Group
Wednesday Jan. 18 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at DAC. If discussion needs additional time the group will continue to 8 p.m.
The visual arts focus group will discuss event components related to the visual artists who apply for sales/display booth space and other possible visual arts elements of the festival such as interactive public art, art demonstrations, student art showcase and other ideas.
Co-Moderated by: Molly Pasca, Pottery artist and Lucy Grant, DAC Board Member
CenterFest—Creative Community Focus Group
Friday, Jan 20, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at DAC. If discussion needs additional time the group will continue to 8 p.m.
The focus group for the creative community will discuss some new elements being considered for CenterFest such as showcases for new creative businesses, design arts and technology and favorite past elements such as the non-profit showcase. Although anyone is invited to attend, this focus group will be most appropriate for designers, game developers, architects, music industry, film arts, arts non-profits and other creative businesses that have not typically been part of traditional arts festivals.
Co-moderated by: Matthew Coppedge, Downtown Durham Inc. and Meredythe Holmes, Monarch Services and Beverly Meek, Duke University
CenterFest—Food/Beverage/Culinary Arts Focus Group
Monday, Jan. 23, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at DAC. If discussion needs additional time the group will continue to 8 p.m.
This focus group will discuss possible new culinary arts/beverage/food elements for CenterFest and how we might do that. Locally sourced foods, wine festival, beer garden, food truck rodeo, chef competitions and other foodie ideas will be on the table. Restauranteurs, brewers, wine folks encouraged to attend and all who can think with gastronomic glee.
Co-moderated by: Diane Daniel, author of Farm Fresh North Carolina and Shelly Green, President & CEO of Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau
CenterFest—Music/Performing Arts Focus Group
Thursday, Jan. 26, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at DAC. If discussion needs additional time the group will continue to 8 p.m.
This focus group will discuss the music and performing arts entertainment elements of the festival, including performances on the festival grounds and main stages and surrounding venues. This may possibly include both non-ticketed free performances, ticketed performances, a wrist-band access series, roaming entertainment, interactive crowd elements (planned and spontaneous) and other ideas.
Co-moderated by: Mike Woodard, DAC Board VP/Duke University/City Councilman; Joe Newberry, musician; Marc Lee, WNCU radio announcer/emcee; and Kirk Ridge, NC Songwriters Co-Op
CenterFest—Site/Venues/Format Focus Group
Monday, Jan. 30, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at DAC. If discussion needs additional time the group will continue to 8 p.m.
This focus group will discuss the possible sites, venues, event layout, gating, admission, load-in/load-out, look and feel of the event, security, volunteers and other site and format considerations.
Co-Moderated by: Casey Steinbacher, President & CEO, Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce;
Sioux Watson, Publisher, The Independent; and Sherry DeVries, DAC Executive Director.
Durham Arts Council Executive Director, Staff and Board Leadership will be present at all the focus groups to provide information, listen and document all the great ideas, and answer questions.
Thank you in advance for your feedback.
Thanks to all of you who have already responded to the CenterFest Survey. You can still fill out the survey -click here!
The CenterFest Focus Groups will culminate in early February in a final Design Charrette co-facilitated by DAC and the Durham Area Designers with support from DCVB, DDI, Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce, and Durham Office of Economic and Workforce Development.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Last Fridays begin Friday
It is time again for Hillsborough’s terrific warm weather festival, Last Fridays, held from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. This year, 2011, marks the 13th season of this successful event that runs from April through September. Each month, a different band headlines the fiesta with a free performance on the lawn of the historic 1844 Old Courthouse. The festival features music, art vendors, an art walk, a pie contest and much more.
Music
New for this year, all the musicians are featured at the new Reverberation Site Read about the bands and hear samples of their music at www.reverbnation.com/venue/hillsboroughartscouncil.
For April, we are proud to present the Lizzy Ross Band as the main musician at the Old Courthouse lawn.
Bringing a fresh, new attitude with original tunes that hearken back to the era of rock and roll, the Lizzy Ross Band fuses jazz and folk music with dirty blues and rock. Ross’ commanding, versatile, and expressive voice has been compared to Grace Slick, Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell and Grace Potter. The band’s tight arrangements are tasteful and unique, ranging from subtly complimentary to virtuously explosive.
Local artists and the Art Walk
Artist vendors at May's Last Fridays will be located at the old Courthouse in downtown Hillsborough.
April's Art Walk, in its sixth year as a Last Fridays activity, showcases the talents of local artists in studios and galleries in downtown Hillsborough. Many venues will have artist and opening receptions on April 29 from 6 to 9 p.m.
Brochures with a map of the Last Fridays Art Walk are available at any of the participating venues or at www.lastfridaysartwalk.org.
Pie contest
This marks the pie contest’s third year as a part of Last Fridays. Celebrity judges will judge the pies, featuring a different theme each month. April’s theme is chocolate, with judging at 6 p.m. at Cup A Joe and awards announced at the band’s break. Pies must be at Cup A Joe no later than 5 p.m. to be considered.
Pie pieces will be sold at Cup A Joe after the winners are announced. Proceeds benefit the Hillsborough Arts Council. Entry forms and future pie themes can be found online at www.hillsboroughartscouncil.org/HillsboroughPieContest.html.
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