Eve of ARTS FIRST

Right now, I’m sitting in the Office for the Arts; ARTS FIRST starts tomorrow. I know there’s something I should be doing, some phone call I should have made and several stacks of boxes I should haul around the square. Instead, I’m sitting at this desk, thumbing through the guide, and, for the first time in weeks, thinking of all those things that I’m looking forward to this weekend, as opposed to everything I should be stressing over. In the event that you find yourself in a similarly thoughtful state, and are looking for something to do this weekend, allow me to present my personal ARTS FIRST picks:

If you’re in to poetry (or like me, and wish you were in to poetry) you should really attend the Conversation with John Ashbery ‘49 (Thurs. 5pm, New College Theatre). One of the major figures in contemporary American poetry, Ashbery will be recieving the Harvard Arts Medal in commemoration of his achievements in poetry, literature, and the visual arts. It’s always cool to get up close to a Pulitzer Prize winner; hearing one discuss his work is an opportunity that should not be missed.

Friday afternoon, take some time to relax outside ABP at the Holyoke Stage. Various groups will be performing, including some acoustic folk and rock performers as well as those veritable staples of the Harvard a cappella scene, the Krokodiloes and the Veritones. Friday night might be a good time to catch up on some theater. I’d suggest  the production of John Ford’s ‘Tis A Pity She’s A Whore, going on in the Loeb Ex, which never ceased to sound riveting no matter how many times I edited its guide description, or The Space Between, an entirely student production that reimagines the life of nuclear physicist Richard Feynman. The latter is happening on the Loeb Mainstage, a huge achievement for an original student play.

Saturday is when things really take off. Start your day at the Jazz Picnic (11:30am-1:30 pm, Science Center Lawn) before taking on the veritable panoply of events that is the Performance Fair. If dance is your thing, camp out in Lowell Lecture Hall; I’ll definitely be there to see friends in the Harvard Middle Eastern Dance Company, the Harvard Philippine Dance Forum, and the Harvard Ballet Company. Should you find yourself over by the pub, I would definitely check out Clink Miller’s blues and jazz performance– an amazing guitarist with a raspy voice and endearing stage presence, Miller plays with a gritty, down-home ‘twang. Right after him, at 3pm, you can hear the lighter, more pop friendly vocals of Dan Masterson. I saw Masterson perform at the Freshman Talent Show earlier this year (where I was staffing Orientation, not creeping on the freshmen), and he is nothing short of adorable and incredibly talented. Finish your Cambridge Queen’s Head set with Your Favorite Stars, a Rod Stewart cover band (for which no explanation is necessary). I’ll probably round out the day with some of John William’s Heroic Masterpieces in Sanders (performed by the Epic Chorus and Wind Orchestra) and maybe some opera in Lehman Hall.

Sunday, if I’m still standing, I’ll probably spend the day looking at things. Gallery shows are going on in most of the houses and gallery spaces on campus, and the guide includes a handy breakdown of how to walk through them. Public and performance artists will also be out and about throughout the yard; get Davis Moore to sketch your portrait and check out the Animation Projection on the side of Widener Library. When I’ve had my fill, there’s a strong possibility that I’ll end up taking a nap under one of the great old trees in the Yard, hopefully one which houses a surrealistically suspended canoe.

Feel free to respond to my suggestions or to add more of your own in the comments section. Happy ARTS FIRST everyone!!

Impending ARTSplosion- 1 week to go!

I had a moment of pride this morning when, on my way to ‘Einstein Revolution’, I passed the giant ARTS FIRST banner proudly hanging from Widener. That, together with the beautiful morning and the presence of lots of growing, green flora after months of grey snow and mud, can only mean two things– spring’s finally here, and ARTS FIRST is only a week away. 

 

I’ve mentioned ARTS FIRST to you all before– Harvard’s yearly celebration of the arts that includes hundreds of performances and even more performers in a wide variety of talent showcases. If you get a chance, pick up one of our guides (soon to be distributed in and around campus) or check out the event listings on the website) — I’m pretty proud of how hefty they are, a testament to the incredible variety of performances, gallery openings, and art experiences that will take place next weekend, April 30 – May 3. 

 

But that’s all logistical, and today was all about feeling good because, frankly, it’s impossible not to. In honor of that spirit, I’m leaving you all with a sampling of clips by the master of rousing, feel-good-brave-and-bold movie soundtracks, John Williams. Incidentally, the Epic Chorus and Wind Orchestra will be performing a selection of Williams’ heroic masterpieces next Saturday at 1pm in Sanders. Start your AF09 countdowns, I’ll see you there.

 

[Correction: WordPress clearly isn't feeling nearly as triumphant as we are this morning. I meant to embed the clips, but for now links will have to do]

 

The Star Wars Theme– a movie classic

Harry Potter Suite, with audio commentary by Williams

Jurassic Park–  probably my personal favorite, despite an aversion to dinosaurs

Listening to T.S. Eliot

Today in a discussion with my bosses at the Office for the Arts I learned that the image of rolled trousers in T.S. Eliot’s poem The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock didn’t only signify rolled up pant legs.  “Rolled trousers are a fashion statement, folded up and creased with perfection – it’s a certain type of man that does this, a formal man, a fashionable man, an old man,” they told me.  The argument was whether Eliot was too antiquated as a poet for a younger audience to fully appreciate.

Last Friday, The Department of English, The Office for the Arts, and The Office of the President and Provost at Harvard invited Josephine Hart (host of The Josephine Hart Poetry Hour at the British Library in London) to present actors Dame Eileen Atkins and Brian Dennehy in a reading of T.S. Eliot poems.  The event took place at The New College Theatre in the evening, and the place was packed.  I arrived early, but even fifteen minutes before curtain admission was standing room only.

The first Eliot that Dennehy read aloud was Prufrock.  His voice was low and hollow, rough and aged with a hint of resignation, like the long notes of a weary basoon.  His face was expressive and he licked his right finger often in preparation for the turning of the page.  After this motion, his hand would hang suspended and easy, opening and closing with the rhythm.  Pervasive in these readings of Eliot there was a sense of familiarity, comfort, even of pretension.

Let us go then, you and I,
When the evening is spread out against the sky
Like a patient etherized upon a table;
Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets,
The muttering retreats
Of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels
And sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells:
Streets that follow like a tedious argument
Of insidious intent
To lead you to an overwhelming question. . .
Oh, do not ask, “What is it?”
Let us go and make our visit.

Dance Research Over Spring Break

Arts in Education graduate student and aspiring professional dancer Allyson Ross GSE ‘09 spent her spring break doing research in Philadelphia for her study of the history of urban dance education.

“I have tailored my studies to education history–specifically black women in dance/ urban education–and research in dance education/arts education regarding best practices, grant writing, program development etc.,” says Ross, “I am interested in providing quality dance performance and dance education experiences to students in urban areas, who lack access, social capital, and cultural capital regarding arts programming and opportunities. I think all children and young adults deserve access to quality arts experiences.”

Here’s her recap of her spring break experiences:

Michael Kaiser (Arts Admin. in Challenging Times)

Listen to it, Share it, Talk about it:
Kaiser Podcast
Link to Student Reaction

• What did you take away from Michael Kaiser’s talk?
• If you had to ask more questions, what would they be?
• How did this experience inspire you?

Peabody Museum (from the Crimson)

This is a great slide show from the Harvard Crimson:

On the Peabody Museum

peabody museum

Harvard at Tribeca

Damien Chazelle, Harvard ‘07-08, will be screening his film Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench at the Tribeca Film Festival this year.  Damien began work on Guy and Madeline in his junior year as his final thesis project in Visual and Environmental Studies, but as the project grew larger and larger, and as he amassed more material for his short, he decided to take a year off to shoot a full-length film.  In the past year, he finished his film and submitted it to Tribeca, and has been accepted as an official selection for the Festival in April.

Guy and Madeline, as described on the website, “is about the often uneasy but always beautiful relationship between music and love. It tells the story of a young Boston jazz musician who drifts from affair to affair, his trumpet the only constant in his life. He makes a promising connection with an aimless introvert named Madeline, who immediately takes to his music. Their relationship is cut short, however, when Guy leaves her for another, more outgoing love interest. The two separated lovers slowly wind their way back into each other’s lives, through a series of romances and near-romances punctuated by song.”

After watching the beautifully written and directed film, I sat down to talk to Damien about his process of shooting the film, as well as his goals for Tribeca and his upcoming projects.

Arts Administration in Challenging Times

Who ever says as a child, “Mom, I want to grow up to be an arts administrator?”

I surely didn’t.  But that’s just what I told my parents this past Wednesday afternoon, after listening to the conversation presented at the New College Theatre featuring Michael Kaiser, President of the Kennedy Arts Center in Washington D.C.  Known as an expert on turning around arts institutions in economic and cultural crises, Kaiser talked about his experiences  working in the administrative side of the arts world, and frankly, made arts administration sound like quite the appealing career.

Kaiser started off initially as a financial consultant, but after serving on the board of the Washington Opera and working with the Kansas City Ballet, sold his consulting business to follow his true passion in the arts.  Since then, he’s worked with a series of big name institutions, from the Alvin Ailey Dance Company in New York, to The American Ballet Theater and The Royal Opera House.

The ingredients to his success in arts administration have come from two focuses, which Kaiser pointed out in each specific case he discussed.  The first was to implement good marketing strategies, and the second was to revamp board memberships.  Other important aspects of turning art institutions around involve planning in advance in order to attract artists, negotiate touring, commit to long-term marketing strategies, and begin fundraising.  Kaiser joked, “No arts organization can get that sick because no one gives us that much money.  We’re not General Motors.”

“We must have done something good in a former life”: Charlie Albright Solo Piano Concert

I’m a big believer in karma. Positive energy, good vibes, the whole deal. So I had to nod (and laugh) when Chief (Lev’s house master– the guy with the whiskers and really reflective bike gear) told us all the reason for our particular good fortune. 

 

The circumstances were somewhat unlikely. It was Friday evening, and I found myself sitting in the living room of the Leverett master’s residence with about 30 others, all of us listening to a solo piano recital by sophomore Charlie Albright. Normally, I’m pretty piano-wary, and by now, you should know that my musical knowledge is scant, to say the least. Still, I enjoyed the evening immensely and hopefully in what follows I can explain why. 

 

Albright is tall and lanky; his movements are quick and punctuated, often accompanied with a shy grin or a furrowed brow. Watching him play, it’s immediately evident how involved his whole body is in the process; at times, he looks off into the distance, seemingly unaware of the piano under his hands. Moments later, he’d kind of wiggle his way down till his face almost touched the keys. Frankly, I’m somewhat at a loss when it comes to describing his actual playing. His music is confident and clear and, well, musical; a piano sounds more like a piano when he sits down to play it. 

 

Friday’s concert featured five pieces ranging from Haydn to Liszt to an Albright improvisation (or, as the artist put it, “an attempt to make something up”). The selections ranged from the brisk and insistent to the dreamy and introspective. Bright, fancy trills mingled with energetic ‘folkish’ tunes and brittle, sharp progressions; other works were more reserved, almost stately. Taken as a whole, the program hung together well, with each piece at once relating to the others and providing something new for the ear. For a final encore, Albright performed a witty version of “10,000 Men of Harvard” to great applause. 

 

Overall, this is the sort of music you would want to live your life too. Ok, maybe not in regard to the specific pieces (although I’m pretty sure there are some days when I just feel like Beethoven’s “Moonlight”)– I’m thinking more of the quality and resonance of the sounds. It’s like the movie soundtrack fantasy, where the music is tangibly present and you can almost feel it around you. That’s how Albright plays, his notes filling the room and floating out the windows, taking you with them.

 

So yes, we must have been good in a former life. I’m willing to bet that Albright was even better.

On Making Dance: Preparing for Dancers’ Viewpointe 9

This week I caught up with alumna Larissa Koch ‘08-’09 during her preparations for Dancers’ Viewpointe 9: Rite of Passage, which will be presented by the Dance Program (Office for the Arts) at the New College Theatre next month. A past recipient of the Suzanne Farrell Dance Prize for outstanding artistry in dance, Koch choreographed for numerous dance and theatre performances while at Harvard as an undergrad. This is her first new dance piece since graduating this past winter.

Koch’s new work is entitled “Puissance Paix Grâce” (strength, peace, grace). The title is an old saying of her grandfather’s, which she describes as “the first time I encountered the idea of grace.” Koch explains that the concept for her latest work is “not grace in the sense of moving gracefully, but rather those moments when we feel full of life and simultaneously at peace with the world. I wanted to create something that began as contemplative and at times tender then finished by being joyful–I wanted to create movement that evoked humanness.”

Despite her extensive choreographic experience, this is Koch’s first work to draw upon her classical ballet training: “My training began with ballet then pointe work, and it wasn’t until much later that I began taking modern dance, yet all of my choreography thus far has pulled from my more recent (modern) training. I thought it was time to come full circle, allowing my more recent contemporary choreographic sensibilities to mesh with my classical background.

“This is by no means a classical ballet…in creating my movement vocabulary for this piece I combined José Limón’s principles of breath, fall and recovery, and gesture…But having dancers en pointe has forced me to think differently about the movement I create and opened doors to completely new possibilities.”

Choreographing for dancers in pointe shoes presents Koch with a novel challenge. Says Koch, “I occasionally forget that my piece is en pointe and I will ask them to do something that is physically impossible with pointe shoes on.”

Obstacles aside, Koch is confident about her latest artistic endeavor. “Finding my voice in this new medium has been challenging but ultimately validating,” she says, “We’ve finally gotten to the point where the movement is set and now I can work on the emotional weight I hope the movement can have. It helps that I have a fantastic cast who put up with my in-studio idiosyncrasies and are willing to try anything I can throw at them–they are fearless and completely committed, I couldn’t ask for better.”

Dancers’ Viewpointe 9: Rite of Passage will take place
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, April 16, 17, and 18 at 8 p.m
at the New College Theatre.
Tickets are available through the Harvard Box Office.

For more information about Larissa Koch and her choreography, check out this article in the Harvard Crimson, or watch this video clip.