Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Friday, September 23, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Reasons why great students choose LSU for the performing arts
On Wednesday, September 21, 2011--at about the same time, Olympia Dukakis will be holding a master class for LSU theatre students--while jazz legends McCoy Tyner and Joe Lovano will be doing the same with LSU jazz students--interacting and answering questions.
2011 MacArthur Fellowships announced--3 performing artists
There are 22 winners of MacArthur fellowships by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. The winners each receive $500,000 grants that are paid out over five years and come with no strings attached.
Francisco Núñez, 46, a conductor and composer with the Young People's Chorus of New York City. He has shaped the future of choral singing for children by expanding access from inner-city to elite schools, redefining the artistic and expressive boundaries of the youth choir.
Dafnis Prieto, 37, a jazz percussionist and composer in New York City. He has electrified audiences with dazzling technical abilities and rhythmically adventurous compositions while infusing Latin jazz with a bold new energy and sound.
Alisa Weilerstein, 29, a cellist in New York City. She has combined technical precision with impassioned musicianship in performances of both traditional and contemporary music, and expanded the cello repertoire through collaborations with leading composers.
This individual produces and co-hosts a favorite NPR program of mine--Radio Lab, he also won--
Jad Abumrad, 38, a radio host and producer at WNYC, in New York City. He has engaged a new generation of listeners with audio explorations of scientific and philosophical questions that evoke a sense of adventure and recreate the thrill of discovery.
Taken from the Chronicle of Higher Education
http://chronicle.com/article/12-Academics-Are-Among-22/129079/?sid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en
Monday, September 19, 2011
LSU alum Chris Boneau works with Janice H. Pellar Creative Arts Entreprenurship Project
Joseph Skillen, Coordinator of Brass and Percussion Studies and Director, Janice H. Pellar Creative Arts Entrepreneurship Project hosted NYC publicity executive and press representative Chris Boneau (of BONEAU/BRYAN-BROWN, INC.,) for an exciting 2-day residency. Chris Boneau is pictured here with LSU students who participated in a special marketing workshop.
Since 1991 BONEAU/BRYAN-BROWN's Broadway and off-Broadway productions have won:
144 Tony Awards
7 Pulitzer Prizes
133 Drama Desk Awards
97 Outer Critics Circle Awards
Since 1991 BONEAU/BRYAN-BROWN's Broadway and off-Broadway productions have won:
144 Tony Awards
7 Pulitzer Prizes
133 Drama Desk Awards
97 Outer Critics Circle Awards
l.r. Michael Martin, Paris Rumford, Chris Boneau, Jordan Stage,
Breanne Strawn, Christina Sutton and Dean Kaptain
Breanne Strawn, Christina Sutton and Dean Kaptain
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Exceptional creativity from LSU
[SONIC | MEDIATION] is a trio of Baton Rouge-based sonic artists using
technology to make connections between ideological and societal
currents, interactivity, and sound.
Jesse Allison [allisonic.com] | LSU Assistant Professor of Experimental
Music & Digital Media, President of Hardware Engineering, Electrotap LLC
Nick Hwang [nickhwang.com] | Sonic and Experimental Artist, Interactive
Programmer, PhD Candidate in Composition at LSU
Michael Straus [mstraus.net] | Saxophone Interventionist, EAR Duo, PhD
Student in Experimental Music & Digital Media at LSU
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Report on LSU Opera alums by Dan Bivins
It is such an honor to be Dean of a performing arts entity with alumni who appear in film and on stage all over the world and across the U.S. Our theatre alums and faculty can be seen in films like The Grifters and Monsters Ball, and on stage in Equity theatres all over the country. LSU Opera patron Dan Bivins tracks our opera alums (a big job--because there are so many!)-and I'm copying and pasting his report here:
VETERAN BARITONES. The first week in September LSU baritone Donnie Ray Albert was back in Prague, singing the final two performances of the Four Villains in Tales of Hoffman. They seem to like him. At least the critics did not fuss about his accent. It was sung in Czech.
Another veteran baritone, James Johnson of LSU, sang with the San Francisco Symphony. Guest conductor was the esteemed Eschenbach, hope I spelled that correctly.
Michael Devlin, another LSU veteran bass baritone, coming off respected, critically acclaimed performances at the Met of the role of the Major Domo is reported to have told friends that he will sing more in 2011-12 at the Met. I checked all of the major casts at the Met for the coming season, did not find him. It is almost certain he has comprimario engagements, which are not listed in principal casts of the Met.
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BARITONE Scott Hendricks, also of LSU, sings the part of Scarpia, Monday evening at the Washington National Opera. It is a good opportunity for Scott. In Houston, Scott continues his March to the Met, engaged by Houston to sing Rodrigo in Verdi's great opera, Don Carlos.
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TENOR Paul Groves, will be back at LSU on Sept 25 to help his former teacher Bobby Grayson raise funds for scholarships in the Voice division of the LSU School of
Music. He will be assisted by rising star at the Met, Lisette Oropesa. Don't miss that.
# * * *
I Have mentioned previously Arthur Espiritu, a fine young tenor who graduated from UNO. Arthur is scheduled to sing the tenor lead in Verdi's seldom-performed opera Attilla tomorrow at the Washington Concert Opera.
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CLOSER to home, Thursday saw a well-received performance of Gounod's Faust presented by Opera Louisianne, Baton Rouge's fledgling young opera company.
Soprano Kat Drake sang the role of Margurite. She is still a young singer, but has gained much experience through LSU Opera, whose conductor Michael Borowitz also provided musical direction for Faust. Leeann Pettit Clement is executive director of Opera Louisianne. She has been around LSU Opera for a number of years, as a student. She earned stage direction stripes working for Dugg McDonnough, esteemed director of LSU Opera. By the way, should you have an opportunity to hear Leeann's fine mezzo soprano voice, you will not be disappointed.
* * *
LISETTE Oropesa has among her 2011-12 engagements a Handel opera at the Met on New Year's EVe, running the first three weeks of January. She will make her house debut at the San Francisco Opera in another Handel opera, partnering the starry mezzo Susan Graham.
* * *
ALEC Shrader (boy friend of LSU's Daniella Mack) got good notices this summer for his appearances at the Salzberg Opera Festival. And by the way, check out New Orleans Opera's production of Salome by Strauss. It is their third opera of the season, will be in the spring, and one of singers will be Gwen Jones. She will bring her mezzo soprano to the role of Herodias. She and Dugg McDonnough are a couple. It is a role with teeth in it. Looking forward to it. DAN
Friday, September 9, 2011
LSU Department of Theatre, Swine Palace to Hold Master Class with Oscar Winning Actress Olympia Dukakis
LSU Department of Theatre, Swine Palace to Hold Master Class with Oscar Winning Actress Olympia Dukakis
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| Oscar Award-winning actress Olympia Dukakis At LSU!!! |
Arts presenting in Houston
http://houston.culturemap.com/newsdetail/07-24-11-houston-salon-gets-a-makeover/
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Photo by Jenni Rebecca Stephenson Spacetaker's weekly Cultured Cocktails happy hour at Boheme Cafe & Wine Bar offers a fun way for Houston arts groups, artists and audiences to mix, mingle and enjoy some killer-good sangria. |
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Photo by Man Ray Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas, 1922, gelatin silver print. Courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution |
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
LSU CMDA students win iPad 2
Senior Briana Anyigbo (Houston) and doctoral student Arisia Gilmore (Colorado Springs) each won an iPad 2 from a drawing held after the 2011 Opening Convocation. Guest speaker Margo Drakos drew the winning names and the iPads were donated by Janice Pellar ('73), President and CEO of EMCO Technologies and benefactor of the Janice H. Pellar Creative Arts Entrepreneurship Project.
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| Senior Briana Anyigbo (Houston), left and doctoral student Arisia Gilmore (Colorado Springs) right--along with Dean Kaptain. |
Photo by Alice Stout
