ARTS
8 EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION
APRIL 2, 2015
On
Art gallery exhibit brings man and nature together
The Scene
Jerome Casio
The North Torrance Youth Musician Ensemble
Staff Writer @ECCUnionJerome
“Life Cycle: Conversations and Solilo- Gallery, expressed her thoughts on “Life quies,” presented by the El Camino Art Cycle” and what it has to say. Gallery, will be on display from March 2 “This one I feel at home,” de Bar said. to April 2. “I’ve never felt that way about any other According to the Art Gallery’s director show.” and curator, Susanna Meiers, “Life Cycle” De Bar said that the reoccurring themes will present the recent work of Poli Mar- of “Life Cycle” remind her of her frequent ichal, Marianna Sadowskie and the print- bicycle rides around the Madrona Marsh making collective, “Los de Abajo.” in Torrance. De Bar said she commutes to After walking around the exhibit, it EC on her bicycle everyday. becomes apparent that “Life Cycle” theStudents who visit “Life Cycle” have matically regenerally posivolves around tive thoughts about the merging of the show, admirhuman and boing it for its omitanical life. nous themes and “I would de“creepy” appeal. scribe it as work Richard Medina, that has to do 20, administrawith the cycles tion of justice maSUSANNA MEIERS of life,” Meiers jor, said he found EC ART GALLERY CURATOR said. “Whether most of the artwork they’re botanicreepy. “But it’s a cal cycles or biological cycles or personal good type of creepy,” he said. cycles - it’s all of those things.” One of the pieces in particular, “Flying Both Marichal and Sadowski have been Man,” reminded him of “Under the Skin,” working on similar themes for many years an equally ominous sci-fi film starring and show a common interest in plants, Scarlett Johansson disguised as an alien in Meiers said. Scotland. Meiers said that the artists take this in“Flying Man” is an interactive instalterest and use both symbolic and realistic lation that allows students to write and imagery to convey their statements about attach their goals and dreams written on the human condition and the natural world. small pieces of paper, Meiers said. “I was very attracted to the idea of naDe Bar said that “Flying Man” reminded ture overlapping very intimately with hu- her of the Oscar-winning film “Birdman,” man life,” Meiers said. “And I think that starring Michael Keaton, and a variation both (artists) have a really beautiful tech- of Superman. nique.” “I feel that the notes guests put on the Pirkko de Bar, an installer at the Art piece enliven it,” she said.
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La Mujer The Fuego by Poli Marichal
I was very attracted to the idea of nature overlapping very intimately with human life
“Barbados: Islands in the Sun” The film “Barbados: Islands in the Sun” will be playing on April 6 at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at El Camino in Marsee Auditorium. This film, part of the EC “Discovery Films” series, is narrated by Steve Gonser who talks about the history of Barbados and gives insight into the culture of the people living there. Tickets for the film are $7 and can be purchased online, in-person at the box office, and over the phone. For more information, call 1-800-832-ARTS.
Chris Mello Tribute Shontel Leake/ Union
Ann Jimenez, 19 art major, studies and takes notes of Sync #1 by Los DeAbajo Printmaking collectives for the 3-D Art Design class.
EC music professor is a lifelong student of music Aryn Hicks Staff Writer @ECCUnionAryn
Alan Chan was six years old when his “Surprisingly, I didn’t think too much about mother asked him if wanted to learn how to what to expect. I wanted to study abroad just play the piano. They were standing in front because I thought it would be a great experiof the piano shop that was downstairs from ence.” Chan said. their apartment in Hong Kong. The moment After graduating from the University of his hands touched the keys he knew he had Miami he went on to study at Kansas City fallen in love with music. University where he received his masters. As he began to dive deeper into music he He then went to USC where he received his found that he also liked writing music. Chan doctorate under Shelly Berg. While attending said he would spend hours writing musical USC, Chan met friend and contractor Rob notes on blank sheets of paper that his father Schaer who helped him put together his big brought home from work. band. “I started to fall in love actually very ear“Every performance we play is a different ly on about writing music, when I was first experience.” Schaer said. “It’s a fun experitaking piano lessons,” Chan said. “I started ence and it’s because of his openness to coldrawing manuscripts and then started writing laboration that makes it that way.” notes on them.” Chan has traveled all over the world preWhen he was 12 he wrote his first compo- forming and composing music. In 2011, he sition entitled started his own jazz “Impromptu,” orchestra where he which he wrote composed music that for the piano was inspired by his and the triantravels and life experigle. He began ences. to encounter “During the time I jazz music DAVID HUGHES was writing many of when he entered pieces I was travBASS PLAYER these high school. eling a lot. I would go Since pop music was big in Hong Kong there to artist residences.” Chan said. “I also got were not many resources for aspiring jazz inspired by their work and so much of my musicians and composers. music is about telling stories.” “In Hong Kong jazz is a very small scene,” Chan’s work ethic and passion for music Chan said. “[I] didn’t have much experience has inspired many people including fellow in terms of studying because it’s not available band mate, David Hughes, who is a bass there.” player in Chan’s jazz orchestra. That didn’t stop Chan from continuing to “He is one of the greatest and most inspiperuse music. Because resources for jazz mu- rational big band leaders that I’ve worked sic were hard to come by, Chan would listen with,” Hughes said. ”He is very precise in to soundtracks and arrange them for his en- communicating what he wants musically. He semble class. is a really fun guy which makes the whole exAs his passion for music continued to grow, perience fun.” he started taking private lessons by the age of When he is not composing music or teach15 with Academy of Performing Arts teacher, ing, Chan likes to go hiking. Some of the Mr. Lo. Under the tutelage of Mr. Lo, Chan’s places he has visited are the Angeles National passion for music and composition strength- Forest, and the Santa Monica Mountains. ened him to want to study abroad. “I keep discovering new places because the In 1997, Chan left Hong Kong and went landscape of L.A. is so interesting - so many to study abroad at the University of Miami. pockets of little mountains. I’ve almost went In Miami Chan says he began composing for to most of them.” jazz big band with his mentor Gary Lindsay.
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Shontel Leake/ Union
He is one of the greatest and most inspirational big band leaders that I’ve worked with
The North Torrance Youth Musicians Ensemble will be giving their Spring Concert on Friday, April 3 at 7 p.m. at the James Armstrong Theatre. The price of admission to the event is $10. The theater is located at 3300 Civic Center Dr, Torrance, CA 90503. For more information on the event, call 310-781-7171.
Movie Review
Star power saves ‘Get Hard’ by a thread
The Grateful Ensemble
Jed Fernandez Staff Writer @ECCUnionJed
This past weekend the dynamic duo of Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart swept across the nation as “Get Hard” opened in theaters. Statistically, it was a success for both Ferrell and Hart as the pair earned their highest opening weekend for a Rrated movie in each of their careers. Regrettably “Get Hard” failed to wow as the writing and directing were subpar and unimpressive. The only salvation was Ferrell and Hart doing what they do best —they worked with what they had and “said it with their chests.” “Get Hard” focuses on a Los Angeles business banker investor, James King (Ferrell) who is set up for bank fraud and receives the maximum sentence of ten years in San Quentin Penitentiary. Afraid of being abused or killed in jail King hires his carwasher Darnell Lewis (Hart) to train him to survive prison — to “Get Hard.” As a fan of both actors I was really looking forward to this movie. Hart has been on the top of his game as of late and is considered to be one of the funniest men alive in this generation. Ferrell on the other hand hasn’t been on the radar in recent months. The last big blockbuster he was in was the smash hit “Lego Movie.” So for Ferrell “Get Hard” was a homecoming for him in the comedy world, trying to show people he still got it. Director Etan Cohen had some room to play alongside these two star-studded
There will be an exhibit/tribute paying homage to the late El Camino associate professor Chris Mello on Friday, April 10 at 6 p.m. in Marsee Auditorium. At 6 p.m. there will be a photography exhibit paying tribute to Professor Mello with reception music provided by EC guitar students. Other performances for the evening include Otmaro Ruiz on the piano, Eliseo Borrero on bass, Aaron Serfaty on drums, and many more. Tickets for the concert are $15 and can be purchased online at http:// secure.elcamino.edu/peo/. For more information, call 1-800832-ARTS.
actors in his arsenal and still failed to deliver the perfect comedy with the resources he had. I was sad to see this happen because I am a fan of Cohen’s past work such as “Men in Black III” and “Tropic Thunder.” But I think the main flaw of this movie was the decision to have “Key and Peele” writers Jay Martel and Ian Roberts make the screenplay, as they had no idea how to fully utilize all the tools at their disposal when it came to Hart and Ferrell. This movie definitely could have been way better with some fine tuning to the script. They also depended heavily on a barrage of inside jokes used from Hart’s stand up comedy specials to fill in the original work of the script. The formula of comedy that was used in this movie was overused and outplayed as the majority of jokes were racist or sexist. It seemed like there had to be a racial joke in every scene. It was unnecessary, but, of course, it was there. The character development was average for each character but lacked an emotional connection you want from the audience. If there were any heart to heart moments in this movie it was quickly ruined by a raunchy or provocative joke. But what can you expect? Will Ferrell has been using this recipe to make movies for years. Overall, the chemistry between Hart and Ferrell saved this movie from being a complete and utter disaster.
Crane
The Grateful Crane Ensemble will be giving a concert to pay tribute to the influential Japanese singer and actress Misora Hibari on April 11 at 2 p.m. at the James Armstrong Theatre. The performance will include some of Hibari’s most famous songs and will also shed light on her career and her influence on Japanese peoples living in Japan and Japanese-Americans during the years following the second World War. Tickets for the event are $30. For information on the event, call 310-7817171.
The Southern California Brass Consortium The Southern California Brass Consortium will be performing on April 12 at 7 p.m. in Marsee Auditorium. The group, a large brass and percussion ensemble, will be playing works done by various film composers, Alfred Reed, Scott Ninmer, and many more. Tickets are $26 and can be purchased at the box office, over the phone, or online. With online purchases there will be a service charge of $3 per ticket. For more information, call 1-800-832-ARTS.