April 2015
Acadiana’s Publication for the Arts
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2 April 2015
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April 2015
features
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LES MISÉRABLES: A TALE OF THE HUMAN HEART The ASO and the UL Lafayette Opera Theater team together for a performance of the musical adaptation of Hugo’s novel, which explores moral philosophy, presents fascinating characters and rich portrayals of French history and continues to engross audiences over 150 years after its publication.
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VIRGINIA WARNKEN: BRINGING ACADIANA JOIE DE VIVRE TO THE NEW YORK STAGE
Known for her exuberance and elegance onstage, this classical soloist and avant-garde vocalist attributes her unique performance style to her upbringing in Acadiana.
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Texas Gospel Powerhouse: The Jones Family Singers
Bishop Fred Jones, Lady Sarah Jones and their family balance their private lives with public performances as they bring their handclapping, foot-stomping gospel music on the road.
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AURELIO MARTINEZ: MUSIC FROM THE GARIFUNA NATION
From Guatemalan politics to performances on stages around the world, this musician has devoted much of his life to preserving the language and music of the Garifuna people.
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2015/2016 SYMPHONY OF ELEMENTS: EARTH
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The Acadiana Symphony Orchestra concludes its artistic exploration of the classical elements with a season devoted to the element of Earth.
DANNY IZZO: THE GENEROUS MAN BEHIND THE CAMERA
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An activity started on a whim becomes a lifelong passion as one man’s focus shifts away from the French horn and teaching music and toward a career in portrait photography.
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April 2015
contents 8 OPENING NOTES Jenny Krueger, Executive Director 10 FANFARE Mariusz Smolij, Music Director & Conductor 16 GUEST COLUMN Dean H. Gordon Brooks, College of the Arts, University of Louisiana at Lafayette 24 THE big easel An Outdoor Festival Celebrating Art and Artists 29 HAPPY NOTES Les Misérables
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30 MATT RAINWATER 32 GEORGE RODRIGUE’S GENEROSITY CONTINUES
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40 IMPACT OF MUSEUMS ON HIGHER EDUCATION 42 THE MAKEUP OF AN ORCHESTRA Getting to Know ASO’s Percussion Section 46 SYMPHONY SEAUXCIAL HIGHLIGHTS Mad Hatter’s Luncheon & Style Show 48 STANDING OVATION Mad Hatter’s Luncheon & Style Show 50 COMMUNITY SEAUXCIAL HIGHLIGHTS Go Red Luncheon 50 COMMUNITY SEAUXCIAL HIGHLIGHTS Chorale Acadienne’s Wine and Cheese Fundraiser
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40 Corrections March 2015 issue:
“Allison Eldredge” article listed the incorrect author. The correct author of this feature is Catherine Schoeffler Comeaux.
Photo credit in the Sacred Architecture article should have gone to Danielle Ducrest for her photos of St. John’s Cathedral and Lucius A. Fontenot for his photos of the Buddhist temple.
6 April 2015
30 Overture Magazine
April 2015 Vol. 2, No. 7
PUBLISHED BY
EDITOR Jenny Krueger jenny@acadianasymphony.org
PROJECT MANAGER Rebecca Doucet rebecca@acadianasymphony.org
WRITERS Emily Brupbacher Catherine Schoeffler Comeaux Johanna Divine, Ann Dobie Danielle Ducrest ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Carolyn Brupbacher carolyncb@me.com • 337.277.2823
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dean H. Gordon Brooks, LouAnne Greenwald Mariusz Smolij, Jennifer Tassin INTERN Danielle Ducrest MAILING ADDRESS 412 Travis Street Lafayette, LA 70503 EMAIL overture@acadianasymphony.org ON THE WEB acadianasymphony.org
Overture Magazine is published nine times a year and distributed free of charge by Acadiana Symphony Orchestra & Conservatory of Music. No parts of this periodical may be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of Overture Magazine. The owners, publishers, and editors shall not be responsible for loss or injury of any submitted manuscripts, promotional material and/or art. Unsolicited material may not be returned. Advertising in Overture Magazine does not imply endorsement by Overture Magazine or Acadiana Symphony Orchestra & Conservatory of Music. Overture Magazine reserves the right, without giving specific reason, to refuse advertising if copy does not conform with the editorial policies. Overture Magazine does not necessarily agree with nor condone the opinions, beliefs or expressions of our writers and advertisers. Neither the publishers nor the advertisers will be held responsible for any errors found in the magazine. The publishers accept no liability for the accuracy of statements made by the advertisers. © 2015 Overture Magazine. All Rights Reserved.
Acadiana’s Publication for the Arts
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Opening Notes
Festival, Y’all!
Jenny Krueger, Executive Director
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April in Acadiana is the month of Festival International. The bright colors fly, the buzz is in the air and the entire community is planning their month around the event of the year! It is so much fun to feel the excitement this community has about our local music, world music, musicians and the cultures they bring with them from all over the world! As a young musician, I realized early that I had my own relationship with music. Through the years, I have enjoyed learning about the relationship others have with music. Music speaks to all of us differently. Aren’t we lucky to have so much music to choose from? In putting together this issue of Overture, I realize how grateful I am for the musicians that spend so many hours perfecting their skill and sacrifice so much to share it with us. How quiet this world would be without them! Stevie Wonder said it best! Music has a language that we all understand, and Festival International allows us all to celebrate that! The April issue of Overture allows us to travel to faraway places and visit with artists like The Jones Family Singers, Honduran artist Aurelio Martinez and the percussion section of your Acadiana Symphony. Though they may all look different and they all come from different places, there is one thread that connects them all, and that is their love of making music. As you read the pages of this month’s issue, get to know portrait photographer Danny Izzo and find out how his musical journey led him to find his artistic career. Meet all of the talent behind the ASO and University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s collaborative production of Les Misérables. The list is long, but the end result is great! In our latest “Happy Notes” feature, ASO’s education director, Jennifer Tassin, provides you with a fun way to share the magic of Les Misérables with your youngest music fan. So, this month, grab your issue of Overture and enjoy all of the worldly places that we get to visit in the comfort of Acadiana. Happy Festival month!
8 April 2015
Overture Magazine
Acadiana’s Publication for the Arts
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Fanfare
Symphony 101: Music and Words Mariusz Smolij, Music Director and Conductor
T
There is a powerful connection between words and music. From children’s rhymes to classical literature, a story that is supported by the sounds of music enters a new dimension where listeners of all ages have an experience enriched by greater emotional impact and enhanced understanding. Symphonic music is used to support storytelling in the field of opera. The use of choreography, costumes, dance and stage movement enhance the narration even further. There is, however, also a long list of orchestral masterpieces that exemplify a more “pure” connection between a poem or a short story and instrumental sounds. I would like to share with you a few of my favorites in this musical genre: “Requiem” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart It is almost impossible to find a better example of music that illustrates a composer’s profoundly personal connection to a religious text. Mozart’s “Requiem” is believed to be related to a premonition of his own impending death and funeral. The heart-breaking, emotionally charged musical expressions of his contemplations on grief, guilt, fear and the serenity of eternity are some of the most poignantly beautiful prayers ever written for music. (Recommended recording: Collegium Vocale Gent, Orchestre des Champs Elysées/Phillipe Herreweghe, conductor) “Symphony of Sorrowful Songs” by Henryk Mikołaj Górecki I am proud to include here also a composition of my childhood neighbor and Rector of my Polish musical alma mater. His composition is a solo soprano and orchestral setting of three different texts: a 15th-
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century Polish lament of Mary, mother of Jesus; a message written on the wall of a Gestapo cell during World War II; and a Silesian folk song of a mother searching for her son killed by the Germans in the Silesian uprisings. The first and third movements are written from the perspective of a parent who has lost a child and the second movement from that of a child separated from a parent. A recording of this work released in 1992 topped the classical charts in Britain and the United States. To date, it has sold more than a million copies, vastly exceeding the expected lifetime sales of a typical symphonic recording by a 20th century composer. (Recommended recording: Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra/ Kazimierz Kord, conductor) Carmina Burana by Carl Orff Inspired by poems found in an old Benedictine monastery in Bavaria, Carl Orff composed one of the most popular choral-orchestral works of the 20th century. Even without fully understanding the text, the power and wit of the music moves audiences around the world. Those who decide to spend a little time looking into translations of the 12th- and 13th-century texts written by Medieval clergy and scholars are awarded with a deepened artistic experience. (Recommended recording: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/Robert Shaw, conductor) Overture Magazine
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Concert Feature
Holden Green
Natalie Bodkin
Jean Valjean
Nathan Abbot
Cosette
Inspector Javert
A Tale of the Human Heart By Ann Dobie • Photos by Šdanny izzo, nouveau photeau
Casey Robichaux
Monsieur Thenardier 12 April 2015
Virginia Hesse Cosette
Stacey Broussard Shumaker Madame Thenardier
Overture Magazine
Anticipation ran high in France as the 1862 publication date of Victor Hugo’s new novel approached. He was, after all, one of the most widely celebrated poets of his day. When Les Misérables appeared, all five volumes of it, it was met with a mixed, mostly negative, critical reaction. The public, on the other hand, loved it, and it became immensely popular with readers in France, Europe and abroad.
Why did people find one of the longest novels ever written to be engrossing? Why is it today considered to be one of the greatest novels of the 19th century? Initially the reader is captivated by the story of Jean Valjean, an exconvict who struggles to escape his criminal past and find redemption after having served nineteen years in jail for stealing a loaf of bread for his sister’s starving child. Along the way he is relentlessly tracked down by a police inspector named Javert and comforted by the love of Cosette, an orphaned child. Finally, he is swept up in the revolutionary spirit of early 19th-century France to make a stand for freedom at a street barricade. Like Eugéne François Vidocq, the ex-convict turned successful businessman and philanthropist on whom the character Jean Valjean is based, he ends his life having become a force for good. The narrative, compelling as it is, is enriched by the fact that although Valjean is the central character of the tale, the many subplots involve a host of fascinating people whose own lives are filled with love, guilt, loss, hope and sacrifice, experiences recognizable to any reader regardless of time or place. In addition, the novel is replete with depictions of French history and descriptions of Parisian architecture along with (digressive) discussions of politics, justice, the law and moral philosophy. As the author himself described it, the novel is “a progress from evil to good, from injustice to justice, from falsehood to truth, from night to day, from appetite to conscience, from corruption to life, from bestiality to duty, from hell to heaven, from nothingness to God.” What more could a reader ask for? With such breadth and depth, it was perhaps inevitable that Les Misérables would be adapted for presentation by many different media including books, films, musicals, plays and games. For example, in 1935, it was made into a film starring Fredric March and Charles Laughton, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. Two years later, Orson Wells adapted it for radio, and more recently, in 2012, a film of the musical starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe and Anne Hathaway reaped multiple awards.
The musical adaptation has a history of its own. Although Puccini and several other 19th-century composers thought about using the novel as the basis of an opera, it was not until 120 years later that Alain Boubil and his long-time
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Acadiana’s Publication for the Arts
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Masterwork no.6
Fully Staged Musical Presented by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
artists: ASO, UL Lafayette Opera Theater Students; Mariusz Smolij, Conductor Presented by special arrangement with the Music Theatre International, New York, NY
PrograM: Claude Michel Schönberg – Les Miserables
tiCkets: www.acadianasymphony.org
UT /// 6:30 pm D O2015 Saturday, April SOL25,
NEW DATE ADDED:
Sunday, April 26, 2015 /// 3:00 pm University of Louisiana at Lafayette Angelle Hall
partner Claude-Michell Schönberg used it to create the “sung-through musical” that has been performed in 21 languages to excited audience-goers in 42 different countries.
Originally released as a French-language concept album entitled La Revolution Française, it was first staged in Paris at the Palais des Sports in 1980. Five years later, it opened in London under the auspices of the Royal Shakespeare Company as a new production designed for British audiences with an English language libretto by Herbert Kretzmer. Much of it is performed in recitative style; that is, the vocalists use natural speech delivery rather than traditional vocal technique. In 1986, it opened at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., the next year moving to Broadway, where it ran until 2003. With subsequent revivals, it now proclaims itself to be the world’s longest-running musical. In 1995, the show celebrated the tenth anniversary of its London opening with a concert production at the Royal Albert Hall that concluded with seventeen Valjeans from various international productions singing “Do You Hear the People Sing?” Other such concert performances followed.
Like the novel, the musical initially received negative critical reviews, but the public loved it. Many of its songs, such as “I Dreamed a Dream,” “Do You Hear the People Sing?” and “One Day More,” became popular hits. The 2012 film version won three Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards and four British Academy Film Awards. When the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra teams up with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Opera Theater for an upcoming performance of Les Misérables, the production promises to be spectacular. Directed by Shawn Roy, it will feature 53 cast members, ten-to-twelve people working backstage and about 30 players in the orchestra. The cast is drawn from ULL students, retired faculty and alumni, community members, high school students (one of whom comes from Berwick), and six small children (three of whom play in the ASO Youth Orchestra).
The performance represents the first collaboration of the ASO and the ULL Opera Theatre since their production of Bizet’s Carmen. Those members of the audience who remember that earlier presentation know what a thrilling evening they have to look forward to with the new Les Miz. Those who missed Carmen are sure to find the gripping drama and powerfully moving music an exhilarating experience. Victor Hugo’s powerful tale of the human heart never fails to stir passions in newcomers and returning fans alike. For more information about the upcoming performance of Les Misérables, please go to www.acadianasymphony.org.
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Overture Magazine
M I G N O N
F A G E T BEAUTY is all AROUND YOU.
New Orleans artist Mignon Faget creates designs reflecting the history, nature and architecture of her native environment. For over 40 years, her hand
NEW ORLEANS
crafted objects of adornment have been designed in her New Orleans studio.
P A R C L A F AY E T T E 3 3 7. 5 3 4 . 8 7 5 3 • W W W . M I G N O N F A G E T. C O M Acadiana’s Publication for the Arts
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Guest Appearance
The Arts Continue to Thrive at ULL
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A simple Google search about the arts in higher education will turn up multiple entries. There are some common threads – first, higher education in the United States is built upon a liberal arts education where fine arts and design, including performing arts and music, are recognized for their enrichment to a university experience. Second, an arts education prepares you for almost anything. It teaches you — for instance, in design — how to identify a problem, conceptualize a solution, gather the resources, organize your work and often the work of your collaborators, execute the work and, eventually, market it! Finally, in the midst of the digital revolution, people have to be flexible and become lifelong learners, because every day, new technologies become part of our life and work. The arts have continually integrated whatever new technologies are invented. These threads are only a part of why arts education is alive and well in higher education, but for us, the real question is why do we have an arts education at UL Lafayette? You can probably find examples of loss of status and support for the arts across the nation, but not here. Part of the reason is that it’s part of our DNA. From its founding in 1900, the University had art, dance, theatre, music and design classes. In 1904, there was a fully staged
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production of The Mikado! Cypress Grove, now Cypress Lake, was regularly used for musical and dance performances. Beverly Randolph Stephens, wife of President Stephens, taught drawing classes from the beginning. So, you can see the arts at our University are a solid part of our history that has led to its importance today.
Photo by Donny Broussard
Dean H. Gordon Brooks, College of the Arts, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
The College of the Arts as we know it today was formed in 1975, when the School of Art and Architecture was created, and later in 1993, when music joined the School and it was renamed the College of the Arts. It has grown and added new programs so that it includes visual arts, architecture, interior design, industrial design, theatre, dance and music, including traditional music and music business. Over 90 full- and parttime faculty and nearly 1,000 majors do amazing things every day — performances, exhibitions and lectures. Our annual Festival of the Arts each spring has over 25 events in a two-week span that showcase all of the arts at UL Lafayette. And that is just a two-week snapshot! I invite you to come to our hundreds of events every year. You can see our schedule at ularts. com or on our web site at arts.louisiana. edu. I hope to see you soon. Overture Magazine
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“I’m upbeat, I like to dance around; I like to be very free onstage, that comes from my [Louisiana] upbringing.”
Virginia Warnken 18 April 2015
Emily Brupbacher
Photo by Paris Mancini
Bringing Acadiana Joie de Vivre to the New York Stage
Overture Magazine
On April 12, 2015, the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra continues its 2014-2015 theme of Fire with its presentation of Fire of Love. Symphony goers will enjoy hearing arias, songs and dances from masters such as Purcell, Vivaldi, Handel and Britten. Lafayette-born Virginia Warnken, a Grammy award-winning mezzo-soprano, known for her elegance and exuberance onstage, will return to Acadiana to join the ASO as a guest artist for this event. Warnken is now a New York-based performer, but she is quick to point out that her roots in Acadiana are a big part of what made her successful. “I was born in Lafayette, and both my parents were musicians,” says Warnken. “My dad played jazz guitar at Grant St. and Antlers when I was a kid. My mom was a very talented singer, so I basically came out of the womb singing. Even as a toddler, I knew I wanted to be a singer.” Warnken’s upbringing in Acadiana still shows in her performances today. “I think people who know me really well would describe me as having a lot of flair, especially in my performances,” says Warnken. “I’m upbeat, I like to dance around; I like to be very free onstage, and that comes from my upbringing, that joie de vivre. You don’t often see that with a lot of New York trained musicians. I’m grateful for having been born in such a wonderful, exciting place — it gives me a grand, visceral enjoyment from everything that I do, and that comes from my Louisiana upbringing.” Her studies at the Manhattan School of Music and Yale University helped Warnken develop a fondness for early Baroque opera. She has a fondness for composers such as Bach and Handel. “A very proud moment for me was performing Handel’s Messiah as my solo debut at Carnegie Hall.”
However, her preference for performing Baroque-era music has not limited Warnken. In addition to her success as a much sought-after classical soloist, Warnken also performs as part of Roomful of Teeth, an avant-garde vocal ensemble. “Roomful of Teeth is a group of eight classically trained singers, who study singing techniques from across the world,” explains Warnken. “We’ve worked with international vocal masters who have taught us how to yodel, how to throat sing [in which the singer manipulates the resonances of their voice, allowing them to produce multiple pitches simultaneously] and much more. We take those techniques to our composer, who writes pieces for us. He integrates those sounds and techniques into a more Western idea of music. This allows us to learn new techniques for the voice using an expanded vocal palette. Learning new techniques in this way makes you realize that music is like learning a whole other language.” With a wide range of musical interests and skills, Virginia Warnken is sure to remain a bankable vocal talent. Whether it’s performing a Baroque opera by Bach or exploring cutting-edge vocal techniques with Roomful of Teeth, Warnken brings the joie de vivre that her Acadiana upbringing instilled in her to whatever she’s performing. Virginia Warnken will star as a guest artist for the ASO’s Fire of Love performance on April 12, 2015, at 3:00 p.m. at the Acadiana Center for the Arts. Tickets available at acadianasymphony.org.
For more information about Virginia Warnken, please visit www.virginiawarnken.com. For more information about Roomful of Teeth, please visit roomfulofteeth.squarespace.com. Acadiana’s Publication for the Arts
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Artistic Families
l e p s o G s a x Te e s u o h r e w o P ngers i S y l i m a F s e n
o J e h T By
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Overture Magazine
The Mt. Zion Pentecostal Cathedral in Markham, Texas attracts its regular Sunday crowd, but in a town of about 1,000, their numbers are limited. So, pastor/founder Bishop Fred Jones and his family take their message on the road. “You know that saying, ‘If the mountain won’t come to Muhammad then Muhammad must go to the mountain?’” Bishop Jones asks. “Well, we’re taking it to the mountains!” From New York to the Bahamas, all points yonder and in-between, Fred Jones and The Jones Family Singers have been spreading the good news through their vibrant gospel music performances. Bishop Jones, his wife Lady Sarah, their five daughters, two sons and two other bandmates will bring their hand-clapping, foot-stomping performance to this year’s Festival International stage. Overture Magazine was able to chat with Bishop Fred Jones and his wife, Lady Sarah Jones. Overture Magazine (OM): Tell me about the early days of The Jones Family Singers (TJFS).
Bishop Jones: We’ve been at it for over 35 years now with my two youngest, Alexis and Fred Jones, Jr., joining us later. We had been playing all over in Louisiana and Texas as The Sensational Zionaires when another group in Louisiana started calling themselves The Zionaires. It got so that churches didn’t know who was who. The other group was a bit less polished. They looked up to us and we didn’t want to hurt their feelings, but we were looking to distinguish ourselves. I took it to God in prayer and he said, “What’s wrong with your own name?” So, we became Bishop Fred Jones and The Jones Family Singers. We played churches, street corners and nursing homes.
Lady Sarah: We did a lot of driving — New Orleans, Lake Charles, one time even all the way to New Jersey — the kids singing, practicing or sleeping in the car. Our oldest daughter, Ernestine, was in high school when we first went on the road. Our baby girl, Alexis, joined us when she was 12 and Fred Jones, Jr. started on the drums when he was about 10. It was a bit of a struggle but as they say, “Serving the Lord will pay out after a while,” and I say it pays out while you’re doing it, too! We’ve been blessed. OM: Bishop Jones, as a licensed International Evangelist in the Church of God in Christ, and Lady Sarah, as a noted Bible teacher, you and TJFS have a shared mission to bring the good news of the gospel to a hurting world. How do you know when you’re successful in this mission? Tell me about some of your more memorable performances.
Bishop Jones: Wherever I stand on stage or on a street corner with my family I feel empowered as we share the same goal — to bring joy and happiness. We played to a crowd of 4,000 at the Lincoln Center in New York — there were all kinds of people in that crowd – movie stars, even. Quite a few people approached us after that show asking what my secret was to raising my kids. They see a lot of love between us on stage.
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April 2015 21
We did a drive-by concert tour in Freeport, Grand Bahamas – the bus picked us up, dropped us off at a church where we played about three songs, then back on the bus to go to the next one. We did four churches like that in one day. After we played in Lafayette, we’ve got several shows in the US, then we’re headed to the Netherlands and Russia. People everywhere ask, “Will you pray for my family?” And we do, we gather them around and pray for them. We want people everywhere to know they matter. But you know, we still play street corners and nursing homes, too. You don’t burn the bridge that crossed you over. Just because someone can’t afford a seat in the coliseum, doesn’t mean they don’t need the message — we bring the
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experience of the coliseum show to them. God is still calling us to minister to those on the street. We’re not bougie, we’re not stuck up. We even play night clubs. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus said, “Go ye therefore into all the world!” Lady Sarah: I know we’ve touched lives. After every show, there is always someone who comes up and says something like, “Y’all were a blessing to me. You helped me.” Like I tell my children, it’s not only when you’re singing, but in all that you do, you want people to look at you and see Jesus.
OM: As a family band who travels and performs together — how do you get along? Who tends to be the peacemaker? Overture Magazine
Bishop Jones: We don’t have wrecks. Everybody stays in their lane. I manage the band on the road. I am the law enforcement agent. Mother handles the record table and the wardrobes while the kids take care of the performance. Everybody looks after their own thing.
Lady Sarah: My oldest daughter, Ernestine, they all say she’s the boss – ha! We had our children spread apart, none of them were too close in age. The older ones took care of the younger ones while we worked. They raised each other so they get along. Every family has their falling outs, but it’s been good. Even when we’re not singing, we’re getting together.
OM: Who are your musical influences? Describe the style of gospel performance we’ll find at TJFS concerts. Bishop Jones: Growing up I listened to that famous quartet, The Mighty Clouds of Joy, and there was The Blind Boys – they’ve got two groups of them – both the ones from Alabama and the ones from Mississippi. Oh, yes, and Mavis Staples – just to name a few. As for us, we play traditional gospel with a contemporary flare.
Lady Sarah: I’ve always enjoyed listening to Sam Cook. Then there’s Shirley Caesar, Mahalia Jackson and The Blind Boys — they do that quartet singing. In the early days, that’s what was always playing in our house, the quartets. During our performances, like we do in our worship services, we dance as the spirit moves us! We belong to a tongue-talking sanctified church, and it’s just in us!
Find The Jones Family Singers at Festival International and let yourself be moved by their hip-shaking gospel message. For stage location and times, check the schedule at www.festivalinternational.org. For a preview of their style, a glimpse of a documentary in progress and more information on the band, visit their website at www. thejonesfamilysingers.com. Acadiana’s Publication for the Arts
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Leauxcal Festival
The Big Easel, An Outdoor Festival Celebrating Art and Artists Danielle Ducrest Rows of white tents filled with arts and crafts have become a familiar sight at the River Ranch Town Square. On one day each year, The Big Easel Art Show has brought together dozens of artists in one place. This year, on April 11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., fiftyfive artists will be exhibiting art from a wide range of mediums.
The Big Easel provides art lovers with an opportunity to talk directly to the artists who made the pieces on display. Visitors will see familiar faces from previous years alongside new exhibitors. Returning artists can be found in the same spots as last year, which might make it easier to find your favorites. Take a stroll from one booth to the next, and you’ll
The Big Easel has traditionally been scheduled for a Saturday in May, but in the last couple of years, the show was postponed due to rain and held in June on blistering hot days. Organizers of this year’s event hope to avoid the summer heat and the rain by holding The Big Easel in April instead, although there is a tentative rain date set for May.
Weeks before the main event, The Big Easel also held a Preview Show. The Preview Show took place on March 14 during 2nd Saturday ArtWalk. A piece by each artist was hand-selected by organizers of The Big Easel and put on display in downtown Lafayette. The official poster artwork of The 2015 Big Easel is a photograph of Creole Cottage at St. John, taken by Eric Svendson, whose art can also be found at the main event in April. A print of the photograph was auctioned off at the Preview Party with proceeds going toward funding the event.
see porcelain wall hangings by Susan Chiquelin, ceramic vases by Ann Fenstermaker, impressionist paintings of waterscapes, abstract and realistic paintings on wood or canvas, prints of scenes around Acadiana, silver gelatin prints by Joni Noble, hand-forged jewelry by Erin Gesser or Shannon Johnson, or beaded jewelry by Paula McDowell. See these works of art and more at the art show. 24 April 2015
Photo by Danielle Ducrest
To learn more about The 2015 Big Easel and see images of artwork that will be on display during the event, visit The Big Easel’s Facebook page at facebook.com/TheBigEasel.
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o i l e r Au z e n Ă t Mar Music from the Garifuna Nation
Photo by Katia Paradis
By Ann Dobie
26 April 2015
Overture Magazine
Festival International de Louisiane has been entertaining and educating audiences in Lafayette since 1986. The entertainment is inevitable with such talented performers as Anjélque Kidjo from Benin, Ukrainian folk-punk quartet DakhaBrakha, Portland’s MarchFourth Marching Band, and Quebec’s Nomadic Massive, all of whom will be appearing this year along with such local favorites as Feufollet and Les Étoiles d’Immersion avec Zachary Richard et ses Amis. The educational aspect is created by the confluence of the various strands of south Louisiana’s cultural heritage. As French, African, Caribbean and Hispanic motifs come together, the audience develops an awareness of global connections between Acadiana and the Francophone world. As a result, Festival International has become the largest outdoor free Francophone event in the United States. One performer who is sure to help build those connections is singer, songwriter, percussionist and guitarist Aurelio Martínez. Born in a fishing village on the coast of Honduras, he has long championed the preservation of the culture of his Garifuna people, descendants of African slaves who intermarried
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with indigenous Caribbean natives and learned their language. As the story has it, a wrecked slave ship brought the Africans to the island of St. Vincent in the 17th century. A few generations later, British colonials deported them to the coast of Central America. In the process, they picked up terms from French, English and Spanish along with a wide variety of traditions. As there are fewer than 200,000 speakers of the Garifuna language today, they are often marginalized in Honduras, Belize and Guatemala. Martínez has devoted much of his life to keeping their language and music alive. At one time, he served as a representative in the Guatemala legislature, one of the first persons of color to do so. In that capacity, he tried to create inclusion for all the people who faced discrimination: the indigenous, the blacks, the poor and the farmers who did not have representation.
Tiring of the slow pace of legislative change, Martínez left politics to carry on the mission that his friend and colleague, Andy Palacio, a champion of the Garifuna, left unfinished at his death in 2008. Since that time, Martínez has traveled the world to introduce the unique music of his people to new audiences.
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April 2015 27
Wherever he performs, they warm to his songs that combine the best elements of West African and Latin American music. Martínez began his musical life at an early age learning songs from his mother, who wanted to be a professional singer. She would make up a song,
album, released just last year, is Lándini, which is the Garifuna term for a canoe’s landing spot on shore. He claims that his mother, who reminds him of songs and gives him advice on music, was the inspiration for it. It was selected to be number 3 on The Sunday Times’s ten best world music albums of 2014 and named to several other prestigious year-end critics’ lists.
Despite his growing international reputation, Martínez maintains that he still derives his strength as an artist from his home village, his Garifuna people. “The more I have traveled and seen the world,” he says, “the more need I have felt to come back and to reconnect with my roots.” The sentiment is borne out by the fact that he is the first artist from Honduras to have a commercial band with all Garifuna musicians.
Photo by Richard Holder
Martínez first performed at Festival International to fill in for Andy Palacio, whose unexpected death prevented his scheduled appearance. Aurelio’s songs on that occasion became a tribute to his colleague and friend. For Festival 2015, however, he will be performing for the first time in Lafayette with his band. The music may be new to many Festival goers, but it is sure to be irresistible to returning fans and newcomers alike.
usually about community events or her own personal experiences, teach it to him, then let him add a verse. He learned from the community as well, as he often joined the villagers as they gathered to sing about their daily lives while relaxing at the end of the work day. Soon he was participating in sacred rituals that children were rarely allowed to attend. By the time he was fourteen, he was a respected musician firmly grounded in the Garifuna tradition. To build on that foundation, he began playing with professional groups, writing music for theatrical performances and pop groups, and studying with private teachers.
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Photo by Katia Paradis
Martínez’s friendship with Andy Palacio, who already had a reputation beyond Honduras, helped him to look well beyond his village for an audience. Palacio gave him a more global vision, and opportunities to record his music gave him a way to reach more diverse listeners. His first album, Garifuna Soul, was met with wide acclaim. Afropop Worldwide named it a Top 10 Album of 2004 and called Martínez “newcomer of the year.” In 2011, he released Laru Beya, which featured collaboration with Youssou N’Dour and Orchestra Baobab members and included a tribute to the late Andy Palacio. Martínez’s latest Overture Magazine
Happy Notes Jennifer Tassin
Les Misérables was based on a book written by Victor Hugo in 1862 while he was living in exile from France. It is one of the most widely known musicals in history and is one of the longest running musicals in the world. Les Misérables has been seen by more than 60 million people in over 40 countries.
Trivia question: What other Broadway musicals were first based on a book, play or movie? Possible answers: The Color Purple, Legally Blonde, and Happy Days, Wicked, Shrek, Rocky, Grease, Monty Python’s Spamalot, Disney’s The Lion King, Spiderman: Turn off the Dark, Sister Act, Disney’s Cinderella.
1) Enjolras and the students gather together to get ready for the revolution. A revolution is an overthrow or replacement of a government.
2) Marius and Cosette show each other how deeply they care for one another. 3) Éponine is sad that Marius does not love her.
4. Valjean and Cosette are planning their escape, and the Thénardiers are planning out how they will benefit from everyone else’s fighting.
“Bring Him Home” was a song used by the U.S. State Department during the Gulf War. In this song, Valjean tells God that he would rather die in place of Marius, (his son). Many parents can relate to this beautiful ballad and to the deep, unending love we have for our children.
Fun facts about musicals: • Historians believe that musicals may have been around for over 2,500 years. • Musical theater is the only performance that includes singing, dancing and acting to tell a story.
• Performers in musical theater are often called a “triple threat” because they can sing, act and dance.
• In 1866, musical theater as we know it was born in New York City. Fun things to do as you begin to watch Les Misérables: • Look at the stage and see how the costumes and the lights help the mood of the play.
“Castle on a Cloud” features the young Cosette, who is very small and works hard at keeping the soldiers’ inn clean. She lives with a family and their daughter, Éponine. • How does the color of the costumes and the sets make Cosette wishes for a happy childhood filled with laughter. you feel about the characters on the stage? This song is one of the most commonly chosen solos by Many of the songs from Les Misérables have been used for young girls who have big dreams! major events in recent history because they are so powerful Les Misérables — “The Miserable Ones” — shares many in sound and ideals. themes that we deal with in our own lives and remains one Used by former President Clinton, the song “One Day More” features all of the characters on stage when their stories meet together. In this song… Acadiana’s Publication for the Arts
of the most successful musicals of all time. Fairness, caring and the less fortunate are central themes in this timeless musical that helps us to look within ourselves and realize that “Something’s gotta happen now or something’s gonna give.”
April 2015 29
Matt Rainwater
Blue Crow
Blue Crow and Marco Padilla
By Emily Brupbacher
Whether it’s the colorful Sunday comics in a newspaper, a satirical political cartoon or the now-ubiquitous graphic novels found in libraries and bookstores that have caught the attention of readers, comics tell stories to an audience in a way that no other medium does. For artist Matt Rainwater, comics have been a lifelong passion, which has allowed him to merge art and storytelling and share it with the world. Though he is now based in Portland, Oregon, Rainwater’s roots are definitely Southern: he was born in Lake Charles and lived there for 25 years before leaving home to pursue his dreams as an artist. Throughout his childhood in Louisiana, Rainwater was constantly drawing. “I never had a moment where I didn’t want to pursue art and illustration as a career,” says Rainwater. “I started drawing at a really young age. I think I was about five years old. It was just something I did while watching TV or at school. It was always a part of my daily activities. Also, there were a number of art teachers who saw this in me and helped foster it while I was growing up; they always found opportunities for me to get involved 30 April 2015
with submitting work to galleries and contests. I’ve spent pretty much my entire life coming up with stories I want to illustrate in some form or another.”
Rainwater is the brains behind Trailer Park Warlock, a comic series that he writes and illustrates. “Trailer Park Warlock is an action-comedy story about Jake Baker, a working-class warlock who struggles to make ends meet, all while battling horse-morphing equimancers, manipulating the results of his favorite team’s baseball game or getting late paychecks from necromancers,” explains Rainwater. In addition to writing and illustrating his own comics, Rainwater also lends his drawing skills to collaborative works such as The Feeling is Multiplied and Plants vs. Zombies. “The Feeling Is Multiplied is a weekly journal comic written by Blue Crow, Marco Padilla and myself,” Rainwater says. “It’s about our lives as nonmonogamous people, from the wonderful moments living together to the weird or uneasy moments of people who don’t relate to how we live.” The widely popular Plants vs. Zombies originated as a video
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game and is now gaining even more recognition through its publication as a comic. “Plants vs. Zombies is a book published by Dark Horse Comics based on the video game of the same name,” says Rainwater. “I work on the book as a colorist with Paul Tobin on scripts and Ron Chan as line-artist. Plants vs. Zombies follows the adventures of young zombie fighters Nate Timely and Patrice Blazing as they battle the forces of the evil Dr. Zomboss and his zombie hordes with their own plant-based battalions fronted by the inscrutable genius, Crazy Dave.”
Photo by Blue Crow
Rainwater’s works — both the comics he writes and illustrates and those he collaborates on — appeal to a wide audience. He creates visual stories full of action, comedy, adventure and heart. And while it’s easy for readers to simply focus on the illustrations, the story is equally important to Rainwater. “I try and soak in the world around me — art, people, news and theories — and process that into the ideas that lead to characters, and from there, I’ll build stories around those characters. I firmly believe that good characters help write good stories, so that is the most essential basis for all of my plotting.”
It’s stories like Rainwater’s — full of striking illustrations and text that keeps the narrative flowing — that keep comic book fans coming back for more. “Comics have a language of their own that makes a great complement to the written word,” says Rainwater. “You can evoke emotional states that words sometimes can’t quite get at and you can do that in a more immediate way.” For more about Matt Rainwater, or to read Trailer Park Warlords or any of Rainwater’s other works for free, please visit www.mattjrainwater.com. The Feeling Is Multiplied can be read for free at www. thefeelingismultiplied.com. Plants vs. Zombies can be found online and at in-store booksellers or at www. digital.darkhorse.com. Acadiana’s Publication for the Arts
April 2015 31
George Rodrigue’s Generosity Continues By Jenny Krueger and Danielle Ducrest Photos provided by George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts
The Acadiana Symphony Orchestra (ASO) has become a well-established presence in the Acadiana area with concerts that celebrate the classical masters and offer interpretations of contemporary musicians, with collaborative projects that explore new approaches to music, and with a unique association with a conservatory of music. In 1985, the ASO was only just beginning. Its founders felt that the birth of the ASO should be commemorated, and in June 1985, they commissioned a painting from George Rodrigue. Rodrigue had been painting for over a decade and a half, and his work had been exhibited in Louisiana, elsewhere in the United States and in Europe. The painting he created for the ASO is characteristic of his other portraits with a group of composers standing before a live oak tree and a dark, softly lit landscape. In the painting, titled “Les Compositieurs en Acadiana,” 32 April 2015
Rodrigue was generous enough to portray great classical music composers within a mythical Louisiana landscape to symbolize Acadiana’s appreciation for their Acadiana Symphony and its classical music performances.
For the premier season of the ASO, Betty Palmintier and John Chenault, active in the founding of the ASO, led the charge to create an edition of 1,000 signed and numbered prints of the “Les Compositieurs en Acadiana.” Sales from the prints helped to raise funds for the launching of the new symphony.
The ASO is celebrating its 30th season this year. In honor of its anniversary, the ASO is offering an opportunity for art collectors, symphony lovers and George Rodrigue fans to purchase one of the remaining 30 Inaugural Season prints. The prints are available on the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra’s web site at www. acadianasymphony.org/prints.
Overture Magazine
Talent means nothing without opportunity. It isn’t enough to simply have talent. You have to hone it and put it to use; otherwise, it will go unnoticed. The same can be said for your wealth. Having investments is one thing, but for them to reach their potential, they must be handled responsibly. As Financial Advisors, that’s our job. We would welcome the opportunity to discuss with you how we can help you make the most of your assets.
Thomas H. Foard Senior Vice President Financial Advisor thomas.h.foard@ms.com
On behalf of Morgan Stanley, we wish Acadiana Symphony continued success, and proudly support their talents as we celebrate their achievements.
Robert C. Foard Financial Planning Specialist Vice President Financial Advisor robert.c.foard@ms.com 400 East Kaliste Saloom Road Lafayette, LA 70508 337-267-2521 www.morganstanleyfa.com/foard
© 2013 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC.
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2015 2016
CONCERT SERIES
earth 34 April 2015
Overture Magazine
As ASO embarks on its fourth decade of serving Acadiana, it proudly introduces its 2015-2016 season that concludes its three-year artistic exploration of the classical elements: Water, Fire and Earth. The Earth season will take you on a musical journey from the dramatic scales of the Grand Canyon to the bucolic charms of the Hungarian countryside and the intimacy of a small German village.
A stellar lineup of guest artists will accompany the ASO this season including Zachary Richard, who will connect our music with the historic Acadian odyssey; Clare Cook’s dance company, which will join forces with ASO to present Stravinsky’s famous Rite of Spring; and Russian pianist, Gleb Ivanov, who will paint impressionistic musical pictures of southern France. The musical experience will be enhanced once again by spectacular photographic images, this time featuring the Grand Canyon and mysterious mountain ranges.
GRAND CANYON, Sights and Sounds of What Makes a Legend is the second Masterwork concert to be held Thursday, Oct. 15, 2015 at 7 p.m. at the Heymann Performing Arts Center. The audience is in for a stunning experience. Westwater Arts Photochoreography creates a visual accompaniment while the orchestra unfolds a tumultuous tale of heroism, sacrifice and beauty. To accurately present a visual
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(c)2015 Westwater Arts
The Masterworks Series will kick off with GAIA, A Musical
Voyage from East to West, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. at the Heymann Performing Arts Center. As the season opener, this large-scale fusion of chorus and orchestra aims to uncover the beauty and mystery of Earth. Gaia, the Greek’s personification of Mother Earth, will introduce the audience to the vastness of the planet we call home and take you on an exploration from the eastern to western hemisphere capturing the beauty of both. Guest artists include the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra Chorus, Choral Acadienne and Nicholls State University Chorus.
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April 2015 35
representation of the grandness of the legendary landscapes featured in the concert, hundreds of thematically-related photographs will be projected onto a 440-square-foot, threepanel panoramic screen suspended above the orchestra.
The Hubble Chamber Series SPIRIT OF THE WIND with One of the World’s Leading French Horn Players and Acclaimed Soloists will kick off the Hubble Chamber Series on Sunday, Sept.13, 2015 at 3:00 p.m. at the Acadiana Center for the Arts (ACA). Celebrated
to present the ballet that once caused a riot among audiences. The Rite of Spring illustrates the story of a pagan rite in which a young girl is sacrificed to propitiate the gods of spring. ASO and CCDT demonstrate the unique excitement brought by spring with dance as a visual accompaniment, while the orchestra elaborates on the grandeur of spring. ASO’s annual holiday concert is Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. at the Heymann Performing Arts Center. CHRISTMAS STORY, Songs from our Land, features cultural activist, environmentalist poet and singer-songwriter Zachary Richard. He will perform with the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra to pay homage to the rich traditions of the culture and history of Acadiana and Louisiana. Area youth choruses also will join the Symphony on stage to help get you in the holiday spirit with traditional holiday favorites. For its fifth Masterworks concert, ASO has commissioned percussionist and composer Danny Devillier to premiere RHYTHMS OF THE EARTH, A Moment of Calm in a World of Chaos on Sunday, March 6, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. at the Heymann Performing Arts Center. In a world that spins exponentially faster each day, ASO and the UL Percussion Ensemble will explore the universal perspective of chaos as it builds up and surrounds us, venture into a quiet corner to observe the power of simplicity, and then cycle into chaos again. The audience also will experience the delight of the “Piano Concerto in G Major,” deeply infused with the jazz dialects and harmonies that were popular in Paris and the United States at the time it was written. MOZART’S “REQUIEM,” Echoes of an Unfinished Masterpiece at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 17, 2016 at St. John’s Cathedral features guest conductor Giancarlo de 36 April 2015
(c)Matt Dine
(c)Beowulf Sheehan Photography
RITE OF SPRING, An Original Interpretation of Stravinsky’s Ground-Breaking Ballet, is the third Masterwork concert on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. at the Heymann Performing Arts Center. Clare Cook Dance Theatre (CCDT) reunites with the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra
Lorenzo, UL Lafayette Chorale, and the UL Lafayette Chamber Singers. Mozart’s “Requiem” sets the perfect stage for the mystery of the cycle of life and the varying ideas of what the end brings. In a choral performance of Mozart’s final but unfinished composition, the Symphony and UL choruses will fill St. John’s Cathedral with sounds of the mystery surrounding the pilgrimage of life.
French horn player Eric Ruske collaborates with ASO’s String Quartet to present an intimate afternoon of classics such as Mozart’s “Horn Quintet” and solo pieces for the French horn.
The second installment of the Chamber Series is the annual Heartstrings, A special evening of romantic violin and an innovative, locally sourced dinner prepared by Village Café on Sunday, Feb. 14, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. at the ACA. Polish violinist, Kinga Augustyn, will serenade audiences with music from the most stirring love stories, such as Bizet’s Carmen. While enjoying the beautiful sounds of our guest artist and chamber orchestra, you have the option of adding on a dinner with wine prepared by acclaimed chef, Jeremy Conner. TO MOTHERS WITH LOVE, Jewels of Chamber Music, will celebrate mothers with a champagne toast and special treat by Edible Arrangements before the concert at 3:00 p.m., Sunday, May 8, 2016 at the Acadiana Center for the Arts. Guest pianist, Gleb Ivanov, and the ASO Chamber Orchestra will pay homage to mothers by performing timeless favorites of chamber music repertoire by Debussy, Ravel and Dvořák. To conclude the 2015-2016 Earth season, the ASO chamber players will perform Bach’s famous Brandenburg Concerto with Peter Sykes, one of the world’s leading harpsichordists. BAROQUE LANDSCAPES will bring our exploration of Earth to a close with one of the most famous melodies of the Baroque era named after a famous landscape. Join us to finish the season at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 29, 2016 at the Acadiana Center for the Arts.
Overture Magazine
Rejuvenate An Evening of Bernstein featuring
May 1, 2015 7:30 PM
Chichester Psalms
First Baptist Lafayette 1100 Lee Avenue Downtown Lafayette Special Guest Artists
Chorale Acadienne’s
Louisiana College Chorale Pineville, Louisiana
Final Concert of the Season
& First Baptist Lafayette Orchestra
For Tickets click or call www.choraleacadienne.com 337.349.5342 Acadiana’s Publication for the Arts
April 2015 37
Danny Izzo The Generous Man Behind the Camera By Emily Brupbacher
Photos by Šdanny izzo, nouveau photeau
38 April 2015
Overture Magazine
For nearly three decades now, photographer Danny Izzo has made Acadiana his home. He’s known in Lafayette as the genial, sincere portrait artist who can put any subject at ease before capturing them with his camera. Clients love Izzo’s work because, no matter how apprehensive they are about having their photo taken, the end result is the same: Danny Izzo is a man who takes photos that capture not just a person but their personality, too. It may come as a surprise then to learn that Izzo, who seemingly has a natural gift as a photographer, started out in a completely different creative field. “My background is in music; I played French Horn and considered myself to be a classical musician,” says Izzo. “In college, I was pursuing a degree in music and I had to take an elective. On a whim, I chose photography. Before the end of that semester, the head of the university news service offered me a job as a Student Photographer, so I was able to pay part of my way through college with my photography work.” What started out as a whim soon became a passion. Izzo graduated from college and began teaching music but always had the idea of opening a photography studio in the back of his mind. Eventually Izzo moved back to Louisiana from Illinois. He continued teaching music and also opened a photography studio, which at first was just a part-time job. “Eventually, the studio work got to a point where it was more than a full-time job, and teaching, of course, was a full-time job, so I had to let one of those things go,” says Izzo.
Izzo mainly takes portraits, whether it be senior or professional portraits, family portraits or portraits of pets. He also handles a lot of school-related portrait work including plenty of work with school music groups. Because of his musical background, Izzo especially enjoys this aspect of capturing school musical groups on film. “I like to think that we do a better job than many larger national school photographers because I have the experience of both a classical musician and classical portrait photographer,” says Izzo. “Some of my favorite work has been photographing large music groups such as the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra and Chorale Acadienne. When Chorale Acadienne traveled to the Czech Republic to perform at the Smetana Theatre in Prague, I was able to go with them. It was an amazing experience, and I loved being able to capture that event for Chorale Acadienne.” However, what Izzo finds most rewarding about his work
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is the response he gets from his clients. “I hear it all the time — people don’t like getting their picture taken, but later when I speak to a client, I usually hear back that I capture their personality, and also that their session with me was more enjoyable than they thought it would be.” This level of contentment on the part of his clients likely stems from Izzo’s process. He gives clients time to get comfortable and settle in, whether they shoot in his studio or at a location of his subject’s choice. He also tries to speak with them beforehand, talking to them about everything from what they want from the photo to their interests to the clothing that might look best for the shoot.
Even with his well-known pet portraits, Izzo takes the same care and concern to make sure his subject is at ease. “I love the pet portraits that I do,” Izzo says. “For those, we let the pet come into the studio and sniff around, just really get a feel for the place and for me. We have toys to engage them, and we really just try to make them feel at ease and comfortable before we get into the shoot. What’s so funny about the pet portraits that I do is that they are usually just as much work for the owners as they are for me! Oftentimes, I have just a split second to get a shot.” Whatever his subject or setting, Izzo’s goal is the same: “Everything I do, I do not [do] just to create a 2-D version of the subject, but I’m trying to create a true portrait of the personality, whether it’s a pet, a person or individuals in a family.” For more information about Danny Izzo and his studio, Nouveau Photeau, please visit nouveauphoteau.com.
April 2015 39
LouAnne Greenwald
Executive Director of the Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum
ChubykinArkady/Shutterstock
College is a transformative experience for many students. It is often the first taste of independence from parents and families. It is a time and place in which new friendships are formed, new knowledge is gained and new doors are opened to one’s future. At the university, students are encouraged to observe, analyze, reflect, interpret and express their views as a means of learning and contributing to the learning of others.
Similarly museums are places where people go to observe, interpret, learn and contribute to the learning of others. At their core, museums are educational institutions. Museums are also collecting institutions. They participate in collection development and conservation in order to contribute to the body of knowledge that intersects and surrounds their collection, exhibitions and community. With the assets of climate-controlled collections storage and professional staff trained in the handling of unique and rare objects, the museum is able to borrow and present works from other national and international institutions,
40 April 2015
ChubykinArkady/Shutterstock
Impact of Museums on Higher Education providing its community with the opportunity to see and experience works from far away places.
Having access to this broader network of national and international cultural institutions can turn a local museum into a global hub. At a university art museum, this global network is complemented by the multi-disciplinary network among the campus’s colleges and departments that can be leveraged for the production of scholarship, expanding upon the visual arts as a point of departure for interpretation and intersection with many other disciplines. In addition to these opportunities for collaboration, university art museums are places for un-mediated visual experiences where one self-selects the images and objects that he or she wants to interact with. So much of a student’s life, and in fact many of our lives today, is experienced by way of a screen whether it’s a computer, a television or a hand-held device. Opportunities to gaze and reflect at one’s own pace without the presence of media are becoming few and far between. Like the scientific disciplines at a university that encourage a methodology of observation and interpretation, art museums are the perfect place to engage in visual thinking strategies as a means of inspiring open inquiry and weaving visual evidence into other networks of knowledge. A university’s museum is also its bridge to the community. While campuses are sometimes perceived as worlds unto themselves, museums act as centers for community engagement, welcoming people of all ages and backgrounds, offering multiple points of entry to its collection and exhibitions, and providing diverse approaches to learning. By building life-long relationships with the community, university museums provide a vital pipeline for their academic institutions.
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Acadiana’s Publication for the Arts
April 2015 41
The Makeup of an Orchestra:
Getting to Know ASO’s Percussion Section
42 April 2015
By Johanna Divine Photos By ©danny izzo, nouveau photeau
Overture Magazine
Many of us think of percussion as simply “drums,” but a symphony orchestra requires far more out of its percussionists than just keeping the beat. The largest family of instruments in an orchestra, the percussion section often includes timpani, cymbals, chimes, xylophone, piano, celesta, maracas, triangle and gongs along with bass and snare drums. This section arguably attracts the most versatile musicians in an orchestra, as percussionists often play many different instruments in a single piece or concert. Overture met with three members of the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra’s percussion section – Troy Breaux, Otto Schrang and Tonio Cutrera – to learn more about the musicians who add rhythm, texture and excitement to the ASO, both on and off stage. “Several things set ASO apart from other orchestras,” says Troy Breaux, ASO percussionist and Coordinator of Percussion Studies at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL). “First of all, the level of professionalism displayed by everyone in the organization – from the board of directors to the individual musicians.” Breaux’s professional life as a musician began with an undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University, a master’s degree in Music Performance from the University of Miami and doctoral work at the University of North Texas. “I have studied classical percussion,” says Breaux, “but I’ve always been a drum set and jazz drummer as well. I chose some of the leading jazz schools as well as good all-around music schools so that I could do both.“ Prior to his appointment at UL, Breaux served on the faculties at the University of Tennessee and Auburn University where he taught courses in percussion performance and also served as Assistant Director of Bands and Director of Jazz Bands. Eventually, his professional life brought him full circle. “I am originally from Lafayette and have been fortunate to land a college percussion teaching job back in my hometown. It can be tough to find a job to begin with, much less one that fits my specific skills so well. And it’s home.” In addition to ASO, Breaux performs regularly with the UL Lafayette Faculty Jazz Ensemble and the Garth Alper Trio and is the timpanist for Chorale Acadienne. Born in New Orleans, Otto Schrang grew up along the Gulf Coast before returning home to study music at Loyola University. Sparked by his father’s drumming, he started playing in the middle school band and continued to develop his percussion skills in high school drumline.
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April 2015 43
me to come and play with the orchestra. A couple of years later, we formed the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra. I have been with the organization ever since.” Cutrera continues, “There are lots of good things to say about other orchestras in the area. But in Lafayette, we have a fantastic team of talented musicians, a world-class musical director, a hard-working dedicated staff and an appreciative music-loving audience. That combination is tough to beat.”
He immersed himself in orchestral percussion at Loyola and, with guidance from professors Jim Atwood and David Salay, graduated in 2012 with a degree in Music Performance. After graduation, Schrang moved to the Bywater, a New Orleans neighborhood with a burgeoning arts scene, where he now resides with his cat and expansive percussion collection.
As comfortable behind the scenes as he is on stage, Cutrera has produced hundreds of performances and related events for the ASO in addition to his work as marketing director and sales manager for EZBIS, Inc., a Lafayette-based software development company. He holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Louisiana
Schrang is a member of the Mike Dillon Percussion Consortium and enjoys playing jazz and rock on the vibraphone, as well as ragtime xylophone. He performs regularly with ASO, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, the Gulf Coast Symphony and the New Orleans Volunteer Orchestra. “I discovered ASO while searching for different orchestras that were holding auditions,” says Schrang. “One thing that stands out is how ASO gets the younger generation involved. I don’t know anywhere else you can hear a full children’s choir behind an orchestra playing music from The Grinch.” He continues, “But what really sets ASO apart is its history and the people who have been here since the beginning. Every opportunity to play next to such seasoned musicians is a truly enriching experience.” Production Manager and Principal Percussionist Tonio Cutrera has been with ASO since its founding in 1984. “My history goes back to L’Orchestre, the university/ community orchestra that pre-dated the Acadiana Symphony,” says Cutrera. “In the fall of 1981, the newly hired USL [University of Southwestern Louisiana] orchestra director, Allan Dennis, was in need of a jazz drummer to play for their production of West Side Story. He didn’t know anybody in town yet, so he asked around and learned that I was playing with the jazz ensemble. He invited me to play for the show and later convinced 44 April 2015
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at Lafayette. Still, Cutrera is a drummer, first and foremost. “I owe a lot to growing up in a family of musicians. I learned to play drums from my uncle, Buddy Cutrera. My dad, Tony Cutrera, is a bassist and founding member of the ASO. I grew up listening to them play music together. I was also lucky to have great music educators in the Lafayette public school system,” he says. “I went to what was then USL, but I wasn’t particularly interested in teaching music, so I got a business degree. I played in the marching band, jazz ensemble and orchestra. I am a percussionist with the ASO but really consider myself a jazz drummer. I’ve played drums all my life … as far back as I can remember. I’ve never really wanted to play anything else.” Be sure to catch ASO’s percussion section in action on April 25 and 26 for a special production of Les Misérables presented by ASO and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. For tickets and more information, visit the ASO Box Office or call (337) 232-4277.
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Symphony Seauxcial
Mad Hatter’s Luncheon & Style Show March 2, 2015
Photos by Carolyn Brupbacher
La Marquise was the perfect setting for the Acadiana Symphony Women’s League annual Mad Hatter’s fundraiser. 2015 was the most successful to date, having sold out a week before the event and raising more money than it has in its history! More than 220 beautiful women and a few (smart!) men donned their stylish hats and bid on auction items to support the educational efforts of the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra & Conservatory of Music. Some of the highlights of the event were the fantastic style show by several local boutiques and fashion houses, as well as the live auction, which featured exclusive trips, a fur, artwork, an exotic dinner package and the most sought-after Lake Austin full day spa package for six with private plane service to and from Lafayette! It was one for the history books!
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WiFi that is pure artistry. 1 Gigabit Internet and Hub City WiFi Plus from LUS Fiber.
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Standing Ovation
MAD HATTER’S LUNCHEON AND STYLE SHOW
The Acadiana Symphony Women’s League wishes to thank all of the incredible sponsors and style show participants who made the 2015 Mad Hatter’s Luncheon & Fashion Show such a success! This event benefits the educational offerings of the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra & Conservatory of Music. We very much appreciate your support! C
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THE ACADIANA SYMPHONY
WOMEN’S LEAGUE PRESENTS
11AM - 2PM Smokin’ Hot Sponsor Dr. Ann Laurent
Smoldering Hot Sponsor Diana Rae Jewelry
Event Sponsors Nouriche Wellness and Aesthetics Megadrill Services MPW Properties Mignon Faget Jeanie Simon-Domingue
Style Show Participants CAbi Coco Eros Lemon Drop Little Town Partners’ LTD Women Partners’ LTD Men Raffaele Furs Renaissance Market
In-Kind Sponsors Aveda Donny Gallagher La Marquise/Petroleum Club Misti Trahan – Realtor
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FINALIST VOTING NOW OPEN! It’s time to cast your vote in the FINALIST round! Vote for the best non-profit, theater/theater act, local artist, art gallery/museum plus your favorites in over 100 other categories. Thursday, April 9 until Wednesday, May 13
For more information or to cast your vote visit
BESTOF.THEADVERTISER.COM
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Community Seauxcial
Go Red Luncheon February 27, 2015
Photos by Carolyn Brupbacher
Women dressed fashionably in red to attend the American Heart Association’s annual Go Red luncheon at the Hilton. Guest speakers included Kitty Kimball of the state’s supreme court, as well as Kristen Simpson and Dawn Foreman, all of whom have been touched in some way by heart disease. They expressed the importance of the Go Red mission - to encourage and support women in making their heart health the number one priority for themselves, their families and the women they love.
Chorale Acadienne’s Wine and Cheese Fundraiser March 6, 2015
Photos by Carolyn Brupbacher
Guests were greeted at the home of Carolyn French and husband Mike Huber, who hosted a fundraiser to support our local Chorale Acadienne, one of the South’s premier chorus groups. Entertainment was provided by John Frank Reeve and Rusty Roden, but soon supporters had joined in singing tunes around the piano making it a most festive event.
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n g o é C
Schools of the Sacred Heart Grand Coteau
Sunday, April 26 10 am - 4 pm
Fun events for the whole family! Silent Auction Live Music
Food and Sweets Bingo
Outdoor Games Plant Booth
Outdoor Portraits with Allen Breaux Studio
Find more information at www.sshcoteau.org Acadiana’s Publication for the Arts
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