Places Magazine

Places September 2011

A preview of Performing Arts at Johnson County Community College www.jccc.edu/TheSeries

The Miles Davis Experience with the Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet Christina Wright, new events manager 2011-2012 Performing Arts Series season Developing a Vision for Arts Education symposium Quality master classes continue in 2011-2012

Ambrose Akinmusire

Ambrose Akinmusire plays Miles Davis

When the Performing Arts Series was first setting its season, The Miles Davis Experience: 1949-1959, a collaboration with Blue Note Records, was the headline for an 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30, performance in Yardley Hall. The Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet was a side note – a vehicle to deliver post-World War II Davis-style American jazz.

Suddenly, the billing flip-flopped. In April, Akinmusire (pronounced ah-kin-MOO-sire-ee) released his Blue Note debut When the Heart Emerges Glistening, produced by trumpeter Akinmusire and pianist Jason Moran. The 29-year-old trumpet player suddenly vaulted to the attention of the jazz world and media like The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle and Los Angeles Times, which recently named Akinmusire one of their 2011 “Faces to Watch.”

Modest, Akinmusire would like you to know his band collectively with saxophonist Walter Smith III, pianist Sam Harris, bassist Harish Raghavan and drummer Justin Brown.

In this world premiere, The Miles Davis Experience reintroduces Miles to a younger audience unfamiliar with his legacy and introduces Akinmusire to audiences who can hear familiar tunes as well as unexpected improvisationals – the bonus of a live performance.

The Miles Davis Experience:1949-1959 was conceived as a way to recapture the sound and historical and cultural context of this critical period of American history through the lens of jazz music and its most iconic innovator, Miles Davis. The show includes live music performed in the manner it was first presented, with photos and film clips brought together by a beat poet-style narrator. By following Miles’ musical development in linear chronology, the performance tells the story of post-war America, the challenges and optimism, civil rights struggle,

momentous milestones and creative cauldron of the new music that Miles pioneered and nurtured – jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz, hard bop, modal jazz and jazz fusion.

And who better to recapture a jazz icon than an artist who is currently sitting on top of the jazz world? Born and raised in Oakland, Calif., Akinmusire was a member of the Berkeley High School Jazz Ensemble where he caught the attention of saxophonist Steve Coleman, who hired him as a member of his Five Elements band.

Akinmusire returned to the Manhattan School of Music, New York, and pursued a master’s degree at the University of Southern California. He went on to attend the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, Los Angeles.

In 2007, Akinmusire entered and won the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition from a panel of judges that included Terence Blanchard, Quincy Jones, Herb Alpert, Hugh Masekela, Clark Terry and Roy Hargrove. That year he also won the Carmine Caruso International Jazz Trumpet Solo Competition and released his debut recording Prelude…To Cora. He moved back to New York City and began performing with the likes of Vijay Iyer, Aaron Parks, Esperanza Spalding and Jason Moran, taking part in Moran’s innovative multimedia concert event In My Mind: Monk At Town Hall, 1957.

With When the Heart Emerges Glistening, Akinmusire’s quintet is embarking on a U.S. and European tour. You can only imagine that in 60 years, a young smoky-toned trumpet improviser will be performing the Ambrose Akinmusire Experience.

Greg Carroll, CEO, American Jazz Museum, will give a preshow talk at 7 p.m.

Tickets $25, $35

Christina Wright

Wright person for the job Ask Christina Wright about a typical week, and her reply is “no week is ever typical.”

Wright became the events manager of performing arts venues in January 2011, overseeing the front of the house for approximately 200 events each year in four Carlsen Center theaters — Polsky Theatre, Yardley Hall, Recital Hall and Bodker Black Box. “Front of house” is a theatrical term for the part of the theater open to the public. So Wright meets with internal and external clients regarding everything from how the lobby is set up for selling merchandise to usher placement to the coatroom. She also oversees about 200 Vol*Stars, who have welcomed her with open arms.

“She is a professional and she takes her job seriously. But, what I like most about Christina is her desire to know the volunteers personally and find out about their lives outside of volunteering,” said Bunnie Purcell, Vol*Star for 18 years. “She’s developing relationships, which is the key to working with this diverse group of individuals. I think I can speak for the entire group in saying that we are excited to be working with Christina.”

“Occasionally I get to sit down and enjoy the show,” she said.

In between events, she meets with clients.

“Whether it is an off-campus or on-campus client, I work with their contact to make sure everything is up to their specifications and communicate those specifications to the volunteers and assistant house managers.”

Wright says the Vol*Stars are “beyond committed.”

“The volunteers are so reliable and enthusiastic. They really support the mission of the college. They give their time and energy with late nights and early mornings. Not every event is a Martin Short or The Joffrey Ballet. Not all events are glamorous, and the volunteers sign up for those too. This should not go unnoticed.”

Wright has several goals – to recruit new volunteers who reflect the diversity of the college and to establish an online presence to recognize volunteers and allow electronic volunteer applications. Wright has volunteer training planned for the summer.

“The Vol*Stars have been really great with the transition. They are faithful to their volunteer positions and the performing arts,” Wright said. “My predecessor was here a long time and very endeared.”

“All our volunteers have to go through extensive training because there are four different theaters and multiple positions within each theater.

A Vol*Star can volunteer 12 times and never be in the same spot,” Wright said.

Most recently, Wright comes from the University of Iowa where she was assistant director of alumni programs, a job that also entailed managing volunteers and events.

Wright views a big part of her job as providing comfort for the patrons.

She views a theatrical event as an “experience” – the show on stage, friendly usher smiles, efficient seating and housekeeping amenities.

“Christina’s experience managing volunteers means she brings a special sensitivity to working with our Vol*Stars, who are such an important asset for the Performing Arts Series and Carlsen Center,” said Emily Behrmann, general manager, PAS. “Her enthusiasm and initiative have been wonderful, getting things moving as we prepare for the 2011-2012 season.”

Asked about what gives her satisfaction at the end of a show, she says, “The volunteers, knowing they came here, enjoyed the experience and look forward to signing up for future events.”

During an event, she may be busy talking to patrons about seating or theater temperature or answering questions from new volunteers.

If you’re interested in being a Vol*Star, contact Wright at 913-469-8500, ext. 4312, or cwrigh48@jccc.edu.

On her days off, Wright likes long-distance running, baking, traveling and watching college football with her husband.

Performing Arts Series at JCCC announces world-class season Now in its 21st season, the Performing Arts Series brings the world to your door. Literally, the planet Earth takes center stage in Bella Gaia, and world-class entertainers from St. Petersburg, Moscow, Dublin and Soweto perform. The season also includes plenty of made-in-the-USA icons from jazz artists to Groucho Marx.

The Performing Arts Series at JCCC has consistently offered quality programming with a variety of classical artists, Broadway musicals, comedy, bluegrass, dance, symphony orchestras, family shows and headliners.

International arts and culture have always been priorities. True to tradition, an exceptional season unfolds.

Listed here chronologically. Shows begin at 8 p.m. in Yardley Hall of the Carlsen Center unless otherwise noted.

• The Miles Davis Experience: 1949 to 1959 recaptures this period of American history through photos, narratives and Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet’s jazz music. World premiere.

Friday, Sept. 30, 2011 Peter Frampton

69º South: The Shackleton Project

• 69º South: The Shackleton Project is an installation-in-motion inspired

by Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Antarctic expedition, conceived by Phantom Limb Puppet Company with music composed by Kronos Quartet.

Friday, Nov. 11, 2011 • The Max Weinberg Experience features the drummer/bandleader for Bruce Springsteen and Late Night/The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien, plus his eight-piece band.

Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011

• Join us for An Evening with Peter Frampton, when the Grammy-award winner will perform newer tunes then celebrate the 35th Anniversary of the most successful live album of all time – Frampton Comes Alive!

Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011 • Makaha Sons continue a 30-year tradition of Hawaiian music that carries the promise of sandy beaches and spirit of aloha. Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011 • The Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, Grammy-winning musicians, perform masterworks from bluegrass to Bach.

Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011 • Aquila Theatre, New York City, tours with a bold interpretation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth Thursday, 7 p.m. Oct. 27, 2011 Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011 • Bella Gaia (Beautiful Earth) is a multimedia journey of our world expressing the moving beauty of planet Earth with images from space and live onstage music, sponsored in part by the JCCC Student Sustainability Committee.

Thursday, 7 p.m. Nov. 3, 2011 • Munich Symphony and chorus Gloriae Dei Cantores, led by Philippe Entremont, perform Mozart’s Requiem and Schoenberg’s string sextet, Transfigured Night.

7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6, 2011

ArcAttack

• ArcAttack plugs high-tech wizardry into gee-whiz show biz to generate a truly “electrifying” family show of science and entertainment.

Friday, Nov. 18, 2011 • Rock band, Get the Led Out, delivers Led Zeppelin classics true to the rock super group’s studio-recorded versions in The American Led Zeppelin.

Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011 • The Grammy-winning Turtle Island Quartet takes us on a joyous voyage through world holiday music in a Solstice Celebration: A Festival of Lights.

Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011, Polsky Theatre

• The 12-member Burning River Brass performs traditional Christmas classics and jazzy udpates of Nutcracker Suite, Christmas Toons and Pas de Deux in Our Kind of Christmas, sponsored in part by JCCC’s Brown & Gold Club.

Friday, Dec. 16, 2011

Fiddler on the Roof

• Louisiana’s four-time Grammy-nominated Pine Leaf Boys present their own inimitable brand of Cajun music with youthful exuberance.

Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012, Polsky Theatre • Danú, one of today’s leading traditional Irish ensembles, features virtuosi players on flute, tin whistle, fiddle, button accordion, bouzouki and vocals.

Saturday, March 3, 2012 • “Tschaikowski” St. Petersburg State Orchestra plays a repertoire of 19th-to-20th century music including Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite.

2 p.m. Sunday, March 4, 2012 • The Soweto Gospel Choir, 26 voices from an urban area of Johannesburg, South Africa, celebrates the unique and inspirational power of African Gospel music.

Saturday, March 24, 2012 • Debby Boone and her side men bring a Rat-Pack inspired performance of swing classics in Swing This.

2 p.m. Sunday, March 25, 2012

An Evening with Groucho

• John Preece stars as Tevye in this classic Broadway musical because, without tradition, our lives would be as shaky as a Fiddler on the Roof.

7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012 • Percussion legend Poncho Sanchez and his Latin Jazz Band mix salsa tunes with party blues, Calypso jive, jazz-standards-turned-Latin-standards and good fun.

Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012 • American pianist Simone Dinnerstein displays her affinity to Bach with works from her Bach: A Strange Beauty CD, plus Schumann and Chopin.

Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012 Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater

• In An Evening with Groucho, Frank Ferrante plays the legendary Groucho Marx in this fast-paced comedy packed with songs, stories and audience interaction.

Saturday, April 13, 2012, Polsky Theatre (Marx’s Duck Soup provides a warm-up, $5) Thursday, 7 p.m. April 12, 2012, Polsky Theatre • Ricky Nelson Remembered is a multimedia show featuring Ricky’s music played by his twin sons, Matthew and Gunnar, and the Stone Canyon Band, with film footage of the entire family, sponsored in part by the JCCC Brown & Gold Club. 7 p.m. Sunday, April 22, 2012 • Moscow Festival Ballet performs The Sleeping Beauty, a full-length ballet in three acts, premiered in 1890, with music by Tchaikovsky and choreography by Marius Petipa.

Saturday, April 28, 2012 • Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater heats up the night with Spanish classical ballets, folkloric suites and fiery Flamenco dramas.

Friday, Feb. 3, 2012 • Henson Alternative: Stuffed and Unstrung is a live, outrageous, puppet show for adults only, brought to life by The Jim Henson Company.

Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012

Tickets Patrons can create their own package of any five or more performances from a selection of 26 to receive a 10 percent “subscriber” discount.

“Friends” members receive an additional 5 percent discount. Call the PAS box office at 913-469-4445 or visit www.jccc.edu/TheSeries.

Symposium adds STEAM to education Sen. Stan Rosenberg

The survey was developed with assistance from the Kennedy Center, the Kansas Department of Education and JCCC Institutional Research.

“Respondents were principals, fine arts coordinators, curriculum directors and superintendents. Phase I had 82 respondents. Phase II had 87 respondents. Elementary, middle and high schools were represented,” Mercier said.

Visual arts represented the greatest percentage of arts offering, followed by music with band and orchestra classes, then theater and last, dance. Arts comprise an average of 5 percent of schools’ total budgets, ranging from 0 to16 percent. Other findings revealed that 94 percent of students in the surveyed districts had access to some arts education, although the majority fail to offer instruction in all four arts disciplines (dance, music, theater and visual art), and 92 percent of schools weighed art and academic grades equally in determining GPAs.

Sen. Stan Rosenberg (D-Mass.) led 40 participants in the Developing a Vision for Arts Education symposium at Johnson County Community College in April. Rosenberg, who introduced groundbreaking legislation making Massachusetts the first state in the country to call for the formation of a creative challenge index in public schools statewide, was the keynote speaker and stayed throughout the symposium to facilitate discussion among breakout groups.

Rosenberg gave an overview of the economic impact arts had in his state.

He told the group that now is the time for schools to go beyond teaching toward standardized tests and look at activities that create creativity.

“We need creativity for a dynamic economy,” he said. “In education, we need to change STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) to STEAM, adding an ‘A’ for ‘arts’.”

Angel Mercier, program director, Performing Arts Series arts education, then reviewed the results of the two-part Primary and Secondary Arts Education Survey, administered by JCCC Institutional Research initiated in fall 2010. Nine school districts from Johnson County; Kansas City, Kan.; Kansas City, Mo.; and Leavenworth participated.

Angel Mercier, program director, Performing Arts Series arts education

The greatest obstacles to arts education opportunities in surveyed schools are budget, competitive priorities, time in the school day, transportation costs and limits on professional development time. The survey provided a springboard for discussion examining arts education values, concerns and trends.

While all the participants were in agreement that arts are important to students and society, listening to classroom teachers on the frontline of education enlightened arts organizations on the realities of implementing arts in school districts. Of particular note were the disparate findings surrounding values. One hundred percent of high school respondents strongly agreed or agreed that the arts provide value to their school by improving student achievement, school’s climate and student motivation.

Same category responses were seen with 96 percent of elementary and middle school respondents and another 95 percent responded the arts improve student motivation. Yet, 96 percent of respondents do not identify gifted or talented students in the fine arts, and 60 percent of respondents do not include fine arts in their building school improvement plan.

Suggestions to protect the arts included finding funding sources from outside schools with businesses, chambers of commerce and arts organizations; building the case of increased arts funding at the grassroots level prior to approaching the state legislature; and identifying key arts leaders among school board members, superintendents, and teachers and parents organizations.

The goal of the symposium was to assist educators in developing strategies that protect and enhance arts education programs in their districts.

“The goal of the symposium was not to create a strategic plan but to think out loud with other professionals on how to advance arts education,” Rosenberg said at the symposium’s conclusion. “I commend you on the fact that you went beyond discussing programming to discussing policy.”

As a result of the ideas brought forth in the symposium, 12 participants volunteered for an ad hoc committee to continue work on key ideas for action plans.

Principals, superintendents, school boards and curriculum directors of the surveyed schools were invited to attend the symposium. Other guests included businesses, educational foundations and fine arts organizations.

Performing Arts Events J o h n s o n

C o u n t y

C o m m u n i t y

C o l l e g e

September 2011 Sunday

4

Monday

Tuesday

6

7

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

1

2

3

8

9

10 Kirk Whalum,

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5

Wednesday

Grammy-winning saxophonist, JC NAACP Freedom Fund event 6 p.m. Yardley Hall $50, $60

Release the Spirit a benefit for ALS 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Polsky Theatre $20

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

20

21

22

23

24

*Ruel Joyce Recital Series noon Recital Hall

18

19

Greater Kansas City Japan Festival 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Carlsen Center

*Ruel Joyce Recital Series noon Recital Hall

$10 for adults $5 for students and children free for children under 5

Ambrose Akinmusire

25

*Ruel Joyce Recital Series noon Recital Hall

For best seats, order early.

Call 913-469-4445 or buy tickets online

www.jccc.edu/TheSeries for tickets and information.

Online fee applicable.

28

27

26

*Jazz Series noon Recital Hall

29

▲ 30

The Miles Davis

Experience: 1949 to 1959 Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet 8 p.m. Yardley Hall $25, $35

Box Office: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday • Call 913-469-4445 Tickets are required for most events in Polsky Theatre and Yardley Hall. Programs, dates and times are subject to change.

Discounts are available for students.

PAS Administrative Office: Open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday • Call 913-469-4450 A request for interpretative services must be made 72 hours before a performance. Call the box office at 913-469-4445 or TDD/TTY 913-469-4485.

Persons with disabilities who desire additional support services may contact services for patrons with disabilities, 913-469-8500, ext. 3521, or TDD/TTY 913-469-3885.

*free-admission event

JOHNSON COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE 12345 COLLEGE BLVD OVERLAND PARK KS 66210-1299

NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID Johnson County Community College

www.jccc.edu/TheSeries

Quality master classes continue in new season “Don’t shy away from asking questions and making mistakes,” said Brian McGinnis, Lar Lubovitch Dance Company member, as he addressed an intermediate modern dance class in Polsky Theatre.

McGinnis expected and received a level of dancing from the students, some still in high school. His critiques of individual students were enlightening, positive and nonthreatening.

So students assumed parallel dance positions and eagerly began an hourand-a-half of nonstop movement propelled by their own motion and McGinnis’ professionalism and sense of humor.

Arts education will continue to offer master classes tied to season performers several times next season, beginning Oct. 22, when students have the unique opportunity to work with the Grammy award-winning L.A. Guitar Quartet. See the arts education schedule at www.jccc.edu/TheSeries.

“Make sure when you bend the knees that they are straight ahead not kissing,” McGinnis called out as he made every move with the students, weaving out of the lines from back to front, front to back. “Make sure your arms have shape.”

Lar Lubovitch was in residency at JCCC last season, providing two master classes in addition to its stellar performance in Yardley Hall featuring a program of North Star, Duet from Meadow, The Legend of Ten and Coltrane’s Favorite Things.

Lubovitch is known for his movement, which is characteristically fluid and has a constant motion with arcs, curves and a circular feel.

“Lubovitch is considered the king of lyricism,” said Angel Mercier, program director, PAS arts education, who facilitated the company’s residency.

“His dancers are heavily trained in ballet and extremely musical in their approach.”

Local dance teachers and students were able to experience Lubovitch’s technique during two separate classes at no charge. Dance teachers were under the instruction of Katarzyna Skarpetowska at Legacy School of the Arts. Skarpetowska, a native of Poland, is an alumna of the NYC High School of Performing Arts and holds a BFA from Juilliard.

Intermediate modern dance students had a fast-paced class under the expertise of McGinnis, who has his BFA from Juilliard, dancing professionally with many of the major U.S. modern dance companies.

Brian McGinnis, Lar Lubovitch Dance Company member, leads a master class in Polsky Theatre.