Culture Fashion

Provost Liz Grobsmith sparkles at the Take a Seat table.

Symphony stylistas

  I took my mom to last Friday's Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra event.  It was a special concert that showcased the very best of our local talent; Louise Scott (violin,) Mary DiBartolo (cello,) Rebecca Kemper Scarnati (oboe,) Kent Moore (bassoon,) and David Vining (trombone) all soloed, and Jon Eder was the guest conductor.  The concert was held in honor of the late Joel DiBartolo, jazz musician extraordinaire, and his colleague, Bruce Reiprich, composed a special piece for him.

It was a great concert to show off FSO to my mom, visiting from Colorado.  I welled up with a wee bit of Flagstaff pride--and I told my mom that there is a certain style standard that symphony-goers have to live up to.  This fashion pride for my hometown is a feeling that has been rising within me more and more lately.  When I was at the New Year's Eve Pine Cone Drop this year with my son, I thought I would burst with love for my town.  The "drop" is such a unique celebration, funky and cool.  And then I looked around and saw people who were bundled up and still looked fantastic, with that same kind of unique expression.  (You can be warm, and still look cute!)

   FSO concerts are always a special fashion event that call for breaking out the hats, sparkly jackets, and velvet scarves.  The ladies who hold season tickets seem to have the angle on it.  (See pictures above for Liz Grobsmith and other fashionistas who rock the casbah with their symphony duds.)

  So it brings me to an essential question.  We mountain-town people, who love our UGGS and warm North Face jackets, need to be somewhat respectful of the weather and our environment.  If we can pull off fancy duds that are stylish AND practical, isn't that an artform in and of itself?  Don't we deserve more fashion nods than the girls who wear the 6-inch stillettos?  I mean, aren't we more creative, dare I say...smarter?!

  I'm not sure of the answer, but I love going to the symphony for both the music and the styles.

Me and Mom.

Young Musicians Hit Deep Notes

Mary and Celeste rock Sundara.

  On Friday night, my friend Meghan and I went to Sundara for a little show produced by Bold Moon Music.

  Bold Moon Music is an online mentoring project that matches local singer songwriters with local mentors.  Some great people, Jody Cody and Michael Helsher to name a few, are pretty busy helping musicians (young and old) find their rhythm and get the confidence needed to perform live.

  It was pretty great to see the performers have fun onstage.  They ranged in age, from young teenagers Mary Greenlaw, Celeste K., and Jake to veteran musicans Mike, and visiting musician Heather Pierson.  Everyone played songs that they had written, as well as covers.  It was a perfect mix of accessible music, and stuff that really went deep.

  I came away from the show with the feeling that music is a great family bonding experience, and the desire to incorporate it more into my own family life.  Everyone up there was with their family; Mary and Celeste were sisters, Mike and Jake were father/son, and I just assumed that Heather was up there with her partner, because they had a really sweet connection.

  Someone once gave me the really good parenting advice that I should always stay connected to my son's music and my son's friends, and then everything would be okay.  If music is part of your family experience, it seems like it might just help take you further down the road when you have problems or tense moments. When you can't talk to dad, at least you can connect with music.  Or if you can't find the words, sometimes a song is the perfect way to express yourself. And music can take you to a higher level--it can really create a space for fun and happiness.


  I also like the idea of having younger ones so interested in the musical experience.  Those that were onstage had a load of self-confidence and self-possession.  I'm sure that kind of concentration under pressure really helped when it came to other situations that were stressful. Mary Greenlaw confirmed it when she told me "Performing has changed me a lot.  It's addicting, I love the adrenaline and it's really fun."

  There weren't that many people at the show last Friday, which is too bad, considering how magical Sundara can be as a performance space, and how wonderful the musicians were.  I was incredibly happy to have the intimacy of a small performance, however, and I didn't mind.  It felt like we were in someone's living room, and the connection between the performers and audience was blurred.  The beautiful singer songwriters helped take the edge off a stressful week, and gave me a uplifting running start to the weekend.  I was there with good friends, and people who I felt were friends. 

  It's funny.  After I wrote that, Mike Helsher told me something very similar.  "I think that, especially if one is writing and performing their own songs, there is an opportunity to make what I call a heart connection with the crowd. One of the definitions of love that I like is: "resonance." In that sense music can be an expression of love," he said.


  Bold Moon Music has a few shows a year, featuring both young mentees and experienced performers, so you will always have something to enjoy.  You can find out more about the program, or even donate, at boldmoonmusic.org.

Music for everyone.

My own personal Auction Madness

Me and JT Tannous at the 10x10 Exhibition

The spring semester has officially started!  Cute, fresh, students are running around with their notebooks clutched tight and their pencils sharpened.  They all ask me for directions to their classes.  I just want to pinch their cheeks, and remind them of their enthusiasm in 2-3 months, when they are frantic and stressed with finals.  But hey, that's months away!  Let's ride this tide of energy while we can!!

Last weekend I got to see adults get carried away with same kind of enthusiasm at the Flagstaff Cultural Partners' Member's Preview of the 10x10 Exhibition.  The exhibit contains 100 local artists who created over 150 pieces of a ten-inch by ten-inch piece of artwork to sell or start at auction for only $100.  The proceeds of the sale go to FCP.

The biggest excitement of the evening was that it was an AUCTION.  One of my favorite movie tropes (and indeed, real-life archetypes) is the auction-crazed bidder, who spends money he plainly doesn't have, and comes home to his wife with his hat in his hand and, for instance, a hot-blooded war horse that is supposed to learn how to plow the fields.

We all know of these stories.  Last year, I sat next to a couple at the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra Gala, and the husband bid $500 on THE WRONG THING.  He realized his mistake as the closing of the auctioneer's chant, got white, sweaty and turned to his wife.  "I think I f*#@-ed up, but it's okay," he tried to reassure both her and himself, a non-golfer who had just bought a golf session at some fancy resort.

So I was perfectly aware of  this mistake, having watched a million movies and even seen it in real life.  I, myself, was particularly mad that night for a piece by Joe Cornett and Ben Shaffer called "The Vision."  There was no auctioneer chanting unintelligibly with the sole intention of creating a buying panic.  But, still, I was a woman on a mission, and lo to the hapless fool who tried to talk about unrelated matters.  I was clearly antisocial in my single-minded goal.  I sacrificed a few conversations for the cause.

However, my tenacity did win my auction, and I am now the happy owner of a vintage piece of technology/art.  "The Vision" is simplistically beautiful.  It's a hand-crafted wooden box with camera aperture that you can peek inside, to see an illuminated slide on the far wall.  I love it, because I think old technology is so romantic (pneumatic tubes, anyone?) and I love the smell of wood.  I also love art that involves the viewer.

You can go see my new piece, and bid on your own favorite art next weekend.  The public opening reception for the 10x10 Exhibition is Saturday, January 21, 2012 from 6 -8 p.m. at the Center.  And if you see me there, I'll be more likely to have a conversation with you!

A piece on display at 10x10 Exhibit.  "In the Tapeats at Oza Butte" ink drawing by Bruce Aiken. 

Erasable Color: Contemporary, Entrepreneurial, and just so darn sweet!

NAU's student ensemble, ERASABLE COLOR will play on Jan. 13 at Sundara 

  Some days I just absolutely adore my job, like the days when I get to meet students so excited and passionate about their futures that I want to help them in whatever way I can--because they deserve to accomplish their dreams.

  I spent a little time recently talking to the NAU student ensemble, ERASABLE COLOR, and got a complete buzz from their energy and enthusiasm for their art.  ERASABLE COLOR is a contemporary music quartet made up of Liza Stegall (saxophone); Drew Worden (percussion); Owen Davis (percussion); and Jess Ryan (piano).  They are all seniors at NAU, and pretty close to graduation.

They're busy--but they also decided to use this time at school to create a DIY business for their professional lives.  They started ERASABLE COLOR because they loved to play together, got along so well and had so much free time, that forming a new start-up was NO PROBLEM.  Most music students learn about theory, performance and composers in the classroom, and find that having a social life outside of practice hours is pretty near impossible.  But ERASABLE COLOR goes way beyond classroom learning.  They have formed a real business model that takes care of their own press kits, bookings, social media, website (www.erasablecolor.com) and managing their funds.

  All of this, on top of performing contemporary music of a most exciting caliber.

  ERASABLE COLOR is made up of classically trained musicians who share a passion for fresh, versatile music by 20th and 21st Century composers--"living, breathing music that's fresh on the page."  They have mad classical skills and apply them in crazy, avant-garde ways.  They aren't interested in playing in the pub scene, but they are interested in playing for a young audience.

  "Contemporary music is misunderstood," said Jess Ryan.  "We want to educate our audiences and create more recognition and appreciation for people that are alive and writing today." For instance, they will be performing a concert this Spring with music by composer John Cage (one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde musical movement,) and often commission works from their peers and colleagues.

The NAU School of Music director, Todd Sullivan calls them "an interesting model for new musical endeavors."  He went on to explain that entrepreneurship is the the new way to make a professional living in music, and ERASABLE COLOR is breaking ground and setting precedence for other student groups at NAU. 

 But not only is this group musically and entrepreneurially exciting, they are just so darn sweet!

"When we play music together, that brings us closer.  We can count on each other musically, we have each other's back.  We can also count on each other logistically," Jess explained.

And now you understand why I do so love my job.
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You can go hear ERASABLE COLOR play “Meaningless Patterns in Meaningful Noise” at Sundara Café and Boutique, located at 22 E Rt 66, on Friday, January 13^th, 2012 at 7:00 pm.

Tickets are $5 before the concert and $7 at the door. Contact erasablecolor.com or Sundara for purchasing information.

 

Cultural Calorie Count

Santey, does this guitar music make me look fat?

A few weeks ago, storyteller, folk singer and cowboy historian of the Southwest (and my favorite Santa Claus) Tony Norris asked me if culture is "hi-caloric."  It was just one of those questions that I adore, a real conversation starter.

Tony, I've been wrapping my head around it for a couple of weeks now.

Last week I went to my the Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy's (FALA) holiday dance and music performance to see my son perform in his ballroom dance group and jazz band.  It was the end of a really long, tiresome day.  I had been stamping out fires and my toes were singed.

But I got to the performance at 7 p.m., sat next to one of my best and oldest friends, and settled in for 3 hours of beautiful dancing and creative, talented musicians (it is, after all, an art school.)  Everything was pleasing to the eye, well-performed, and different.  It was one of those perfect foods--it tasted good, it was easily digestible, and it made me feel wonderful.  After the performance, my son looked like he had eaten spinach--he was wide-eyed and energetic.

I really started thinking about beauty and food.  For some reason, everything that makes me happy and is beautiful makes me say "yummy!"  If I see the cutest, chubbiest, happiest baby, I metaphorically want to take a bite out of her apple cheeks to show my appreciation. (Please understand, this is all in a good, loving way.)  My kitties, who are so cute, also make me say crazy things, like "I'm going to eat you up and serve you for breakfast."  When I saw the total lunar eclipse on Saturday, I wanted to devour the landscape, because it was so poignantly beautiful and meaningful in some way that I wanted to keep inside me, for a long time.  As an interesting aside, Hindus believed that a serpent or a demon was eating the sun or moon when they were eclipsed.

Why do we often use food and eating as a metaphor for things that have great meaning for us?!

A lot of people (mostly Italian) see something of beauty or taste something delicious, and make a similar gesture--putting their fingers to their mouths and noisily kissing them.  I think this gesture of bringing something intangible to your mouth and kissing it is a great way of showing appreciation.  Consumption of food makes us feel good, too, just like viewing and participating in art does.  It fills us.  It gives us nourishment.

I would say that the FALA performance was pretty nourishing too.  It made me feel a huge sense of connection, because the "food" was locally-grown and produced, and it was designed to fit the needs of the community that it fed.  It was pretty filling, and the calories were well-spent.  Everything was gourmet, high-energy, and satisfying.

And so, Tony, I have no idea if "culture" in general is high in calories, but I do know that it is essential to growth and development, just like good food.  When we see beauty, and it touches us, we want to integrate it into our cells.  We want to have it pervade our flesh.  We want it to infuse our spirit.

Living off Laughter

 

It's almost the end of the semester, and the end of the year.  People are burning the candle at both ends.  Everywhere I look, students, faculty and staff are red-eyed from lack of sleep.  Tempers are a little short.  Everything's due, all at once.

I think I can say with confidence that this time of year can be very stressful.

With all this stress, I think that the College of Arts and Letters Film Series made a very wise choice to screen "Pee Wee's Big Adventure" as the last film of the semester.  A very full audience packed the house last night at Cline Library.  We weren't there for a political, thoughtful, enlightening or educational movie.

We were there to laugh, gol-danggit!!

It was easy to laugh.  The character of Pee-Wee had simple goals and simple needs.  His wasn't a complicated, emotional character.  He had a quest--he needed to find his beloved bike. (I can totally identify with this.  It's the worst feeling in the world to have your bike stolen.)  He had an enemy--the one-dimensional rich kid brat, Francis.  He was never alone, even in his loneliest moments, and never at a loss for words, especially funny one-liners.

Best of all, he had a fireman's pole in his house.

Pee-Wee's Big Adventure also had some of my favorite movie tropes:  A breakfast-making machine line, a CLASSIC movie set chase scene, and, my favorite, a dance designed to be so absolutely funky and cool that the hero inexplicably wins over his worst enemies. (In Pee-Wee's case, it's a barful of bikers.  In Napoleon Dynamite's case, it's an auditorium full of high-schoolers.  In The Revenge of the Nerds, it's about beating the Alpha Betas.)  Warner Bros. even turns Pee-wee's life in a full-length film.  

People, this was pure comedy entertainment.  We were all just there to laugh at stuff again and lighten up.  It was pure movie pleasure, childish and immature, and all of a sudden the busy schedules and stressful classes didn't seem to matter so much.

Maybe you can't live on laughter alone, but it sure makes the rest of your life that much easier.

Nickel and Dimed Culture

  I don't talk much about lectures or philosophical discussions in this blog, but I fully endorse them as cultural events.  Your basic online dictionary defines culture as "The arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively."  This definition perfectly fits my own internal designation of "culture,"--what I want to experience  more of and examine my engagement with.

  I do regard thoughtful, smart presentations and discussions as proof of intellectual achievement, (and therefore a part of the collective of culture as a whole) and accordingly, I was very interested in the panel discussion for NAU Theatre's staging of "Nickel and Dimed" that was held on Nov. 17.

The play is based on the book, Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich. The story follows as the author takes minimum wage jobs, lives in hotels, and basically "tries to understand the hardships and financial difficulties of the working class in America."  Many at NAU remember reading the book 6-7 years ago as part of a one-campus/one-book type thing. 

  The panelists were chosen from various departments on campus and in the city, and included John Eastwood (Economics and Statistics, NAU);  David McIntire (Permanent Affordability Administrator, Housing Program, City of Flagstaff);  Jason Matteson (Dept. of Philosophy, NAU); and moderated by Constance DeVereaux, (Dept. of Humanities and coordinator of the Program in Arts and Cultural Management, NAU.)

  My friend and I liked the fact that they had a community member who works with low income housing present- especially since he could speak about living impoverished himself for a while.  I really liked the fact that one of the panelists was a single mom who practically raised her kids in the library while she was getting her PhD.  She talked about how being a mom is one of the biggest impacts on your earning potential.

  One of the most informative issues raised, however, was thinking about the ways in which we are institutionalized in poverty or in wealth.  For instance, my friend and I had an education and support from families.  We had a knowledge base of experience and parental wisdom, and general know-how that taught us how to make our clothes presentable for job interviews, pursue a degree to further our economic advantage, and invest our meager amounts of money in things that helped us get ahead.  We may be cash-poor, but we have resources.  A lot of people who are classified at the "extreme poverty" level don't know how to apply to college, get scholarships, or network.

  This whole conversation started me thinking about making culture more accessible in general.  This is a guess, but I would venture to say that a lot of people classified at the "extreme poverty" level are probably intimidated by "culture" and don't feel comfortable or welcome at art exhibits and museums,  classical music performances, or even a play.  Which probably means that many people that are affected by the issues of "Nickel and Dimed" won't be there to see it!  What a shame!  Art should be available to everyone--it's an essential part of the human experience.

  It's a vicious cycle and a huge cultural issue--and I am grateful that NAU Theatre is trying address the issue of poverty and bring attention to the problem.

"I hope that talking about what we can do as a community, dealing with working class issues, will bring better awareness to social issues of poverty that we're dealing with now," said Season Ellison, director of "Nickel and Dimed."

  By the way, there's still time to catch the play.  "Nickel and Dimed" will stage Nov. 30- Dec. 3 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 4 at 2 p.m. at the Studio Theatre.  (Call 928-523-5661 for tickets.)