Dirk Powell Band
ArtPower at UC San Diego presents performing arts that engage, energize, and transform the diverse cultural life of the university and San Diego.
Through vibrant, challenging, multi-disciplinary performances, ArtPower seeks to develop more empathetic students and community members who are better prepared to engage in the world around them through their participation in highquality artistic, educational, and engagement programs that broaden thinking and awareness, deepen understanding, and encourage new dialogues across UC San Diego and the community.
OUR IMPACT
• ArtPower brings artists from around the world into UC San Diego classrooms
• ArtPower provides students with free artist master classes
• ArtPower integrates artist-led discussions into on-campus curricula.
American Routes/ USA
ArtPower presents
Dirk Powell Band
April 13, 2022 at 8 pm The Loft
About the Artist
Dirk Powell
Dirk Powell has expanded on the deeply rooted sounds of his Appalachian heritage to become one of the preeminent traditional American musicians of his generation.
Dirk Powell, fiddle, banjo, Cajun accordion, guitar, vocals
Amelia Powell, guitar, vocals
Stephen "Sammy" Lind, fiddle, banjo, vocals
Nadine Landry, bass, vocals
“Dirk’s got great subtlety, tremendous feel, and he’s very loose and very modern, in the best sense of the word.” — T-Bone Burnett
“Now that’s the kind of fiddlin’ I like, right there…” — Loretta Lynn
In addition to acclaimed releases on Rounder Records, he’s recorded and performed with artists such as Loretta Lynn (playing several instruments on her Grammy-winning release Van Lear Rose), Sting, Jack White, Levon Helm, Jewel, T-Bone Burnett, Ralph Stanley, and Linda Ronstadt. His ability to unite the essence of his culture with modern sensibilities has led to work with many of today’s greatest film directors, including Anthony Minghella, Spike Lee, Ang Lee, Victor Nuñez, Steve James, and Edward Burns. His live performances of powerful Appalachian music with The Dirk Powell Band have inspired audiences across the globe in a wide variety of venues, including such prestigious settings as the Eastman School of Music and Interlochen Academy. Dirk also selected and arranged traditional Appalachian material for Riverdance: The Show, in which he also performed on fiddle.
In his early teens, Dirk formed a musical bond with his grandfather, James Clarence Hay of Sandy Hook, Kentucky. Here Dirk discovered a personal resonance with traditions that stretch back to Scots-Irish ancestors who came to the mountains in the middle of the 18th century, and, in continuation of this line, learned banjo and fiddle firsthand. He was featured as part of “The Great High Mountain Tour,” an outgrowth of the Academy Award-winning film Cold Mountain, for which he acted on screen, arranged traditional material, and served as musical advisor and consultant. Other
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dramatic films featuring his performances include Ang Lee’s Ride With The Devil, Spike Lee’s Bamboozled, and Edward Burns’ The Brothers McMullen.
Dirk has scored several documentaries, including the award-winning films Stranger With a Camera, The Unfinished Civil War, and Thoughts in the Presence of Fear. He also appeared in the BBC/RTE documentary series “The Irish Empire” as an expert on the culture of early Scots-Irish immigrants to Appalachia. He recently collaborated on a fusion of Appalachian music and Hip Hop with Richmond producer/rapper Danja Mowf for the film From the Holler to the Hood, which explores tension between guards and inmates in the new maximum-security prisons in Appalachia.
In short, Dirk Powell displays a vibrant creative energy that crosses many boundaries while remaining grounded in the rural traditions of his heritage. His formal musical training, deep-running roots, and dedication to self-expression as a necessary part of life combine to make him one of the most important artists in America today.
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ARTPOWER DONORS 2022–23
CATALYST ($20,000+)
Judith Bachner and Eric Lasley
Elaine Galinson Fund at the Jewish Community Foundation
Bobbie and Jon Gilbert
Joan and Irwin Jacobs Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation
Patricia and Christopher Weil of The Weil Family Foundation The Parker Foundation
CREATOR ($10,000–19,999)
Phyllis and Daniel Epstein
Ronald and Wynona Goldman
Jack Lampl
New England Foundation for the Arts
Charles and Marilyn Perrin
George Clement Perkins Endowment
ADVOCATE ($2,500–9,999)
Joan J. Bernstein ArtPower Student Engagement Endowment Fund
Maureen and C. Peter Brown
Anne Marie Pleska and Luc Cayet
Josephine Kiernan and Bjorn Bjerede
In Memory of Jennifer A. Dennis
Martha and Edward Dennis
Renita Greenberg and Jim Allison
Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore
Barbara and Sam Takahashi
Hamburger Chamber Music Series Endowment Fund
Jack Lampl
Eva and Doug Richman
Ruth S. Stern ArtPower Student Engagement Fund
GUARDIAN ($1,000–2,499)
Joyce Axelrod and Joseph Fisch
Janice Steinberg and John Cassidy
Marilyn Colby
Beverly Freemont
Kim Signoret-Paar
CONTRIBUTOR ($500–999)
Janice Alper
Janice and Nelson Byrne
Consulate General of Israel
Charles Kantor
Marilies Schoelflin
Connie Beardsley
Phyllis and Edward Mirsky
Sharon Perkowski
Felize Levine
SPARK ($250–499)
James and Kathleen Stiven
Jess and Meg Mandel
Barry and Jennfer Greenberg
Mary L. Beebe
Charles Reilly
K. Andrew Achterkirchen
Paulyne D. Becerra
Turea Z. Erwin
Samuel and Theresa Buss
Natalee C. Ellars
Maya Ridinger
YORK SOCIETY
Donors who make provisions for ArtPower in their estate
Joyce Axelrod and Joseph Fisch
Judith Bachner and Eric Lasley
Ruth Stern
Kathryn Sturch
ARTPOWER STAFF DONORS
Carolena Deutsch-Garcia
Jordan Peimer
Kathryn Sturch
FOUNDATION/CORPORATE SPONSORS
CORPORATE SPONSORS
New England Foundation for the Arts
The Parker Foundation
Consulate General of Israel
Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore
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POWERPLAYERS
PowerPlayers are an exceptional group of donors that have made a three year commitment to support ArtPower.
Joyce Axelrod and Joseph Fisch
Joan Bernstein
Marilyn Colby
Martha and Ed Dennis
Phyllis and Daniel Epstein
Elaine Galinson
Bobbie and Jon Gilbert
Renita Greenberg and Jim Alison
Eric Lasley and Judith Bachner
Sharon Perkowski
Kim Signoret-Paar
Paul and Edith H. Sanchez
Pat Weil and Christopher Weil
A portion of funding for ArtPower is provided by the UC San Diego Student Services Fee Committee.
Donor list and PowerPlayer list reflecting gifts and pledges allocated for September 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022.
ARTPOWER STAFF
Joanna Christian, Associate Director of Marketing & Communications, Campus Performance and Events Office
Carolena Deutsch-Garcia, Associate Director of Development
Jennifer Mancano, Events & Performing Arts
Business Manager
Jordan Peimer, Artistic Director
Colleen Kollar Smith, Executive Director, Campus Performance and Events Office
Kathryn Sturch, Production Manager
Alyssa Villaseñor, Marketing Manager
Student Staff
Marketing and Graphic Design Assistants
Ashley Asadi ‘24
Holden Bailey ‘23
Yumei Feng ‘23
Tiffany Liang ‘23
Rachel Paner ‘24
Hieu Phan ‘25
Events Promotions Assistants
Paloma Diaz ‘24
Rain Dong ‘25
Ishiba Dube ‘26
Kathleen Hoang ‘25
Kellie Huang, ‘25
Kaylie Lam ‘25
Kristy Lee ‘23
Julie Li ‘25
Martica Manuel, ‘26
Alice Nguyen ‘26
Anne Nguyen ‘25
Niko Parker ‘24
Kadie Qi ‘25
Heidi Shin ‘25
Hao Wang ‘24
Angela Wu ‘24
Sasha Zabegalin ‘24
Media Assistants
Diego Pereya ‘26
Kieran Vu ‘25
Jules Yap ‘23
BECOME AN ARTPOWER SUPPORTER TODAY & ENJOY VALUABLE BENEFITS!
As we move into the new ArtPower 2022–23 live arts season, the generosity of our donors quite literally helps make our performances possible. Our donors also get to enjoy valuable benefits, see more here: bit.ly/artpower-benefits. Make a gift today by easily scanning the QR code.
Thank you for making ArtPower performances possible! All inquiries can be directed to our Associate Director of Development, carolena@ucsd.edu.
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