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THE SCIENCE GUY Ten things about Bill Nye before he stops by MU PAGE 4
THEY GOT PIPES
Pipes & Drums celebrates St. Patrick’s Day with Irish tunes PAGE 15
CITY OF A BLUE COLUMBIA:ISLAND
RED SEA OF MISSOURI AS THE REST OF THE STATE AND THE COUNTY BECOME MORE CONSERVATIVE, COLUMBIA CONTINUES TO VOTE DEMOCRAT PAGE 6
IN THE
IN THIS ISSUE
FEATURE In a predominantly conservative state, Boone County, especially the city of Columbia, stands out with its Democratic-leaning ballot history. With insight from local voters and politicians, Vox explores the political shift currently taking the county from blue to red. PAGE 6 NEWS & INSIGHT Even if you don’t have tickets to Friday night’s sold-out show, put your Bill Nye knowledge to the test with our compilation of 10 facts about the renowned science guy. PAGE 4 THE SCENE Vox spills the beans on the best burritos. Let our list of local spots — including three new ones — help you get your fix. PAGE 14 MUSIC Columbia’s goin’ country. Learn about the upcoming Randy Rogers Band concert and meet the local opening band, The Comancheros. PAGE 15 With six drummers drumming and 10 pipers piping, Pipes & Drums looks ahead to the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day parade. PAGE 15
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March 15, 2018 VOLUME 20 ISSUE 9 | PUBLISHED BY THE COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN
GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE EQUALITY Although Margo Price was in good company at last year’s Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival, the problem of gender diversity persists in a male-dominated music industry. SPRUCE YOUR SPACE Looking to give your place a fresh look? Learn about five free home-decor apps that will offer you new ideas and inspiration. AN ARTIST’S PERSPECTIVE Chicago-based artist Bri Beck shares how creating art helps her better understand her experiences of living with a disability. Her art is currently on display until March 18 at the Museum of Art and Archaeology.
EDITOR’S LETTER
ARTS & BOOKS Grab your glass slippers and yoga pants for this modern take on Cinderella, presented by Missouri Contemporary Ballet. PAGE 16 Columbia Entertainment Company celebrates its 40th season while members look at its past, present and future. PAGE 17 Q&A Stefan Freund shares the ins and outs of being a conductor and why he finds the experience so rewarding. PAGE 18 COVER DESIGN: JENNIFER LITHERLAND
MADISON FLECK EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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Moving from Morgantown, West Virginia, to Columbia, Missouri, two years ago wasn’t much of a change (though it did provide different scenery). Both are college towns, both are culturally diverse in a state that’s predominantly white, and both are lone Democratic areas in an overwhelmingly red state. While I love my home state and still consider myself a West Virginian, it could be difficult to find a like-minded liberal — even in my own household. And the same dilemma is posed in Missouri, but Columbia is an exception. This week’s feature (Page 6) is all about the dichotomy between Columbia and the rest of the state. Even the surrounding Boone County is leaning more conservative in recent elections, leaving Columbia as the blue island in a red sea as we describe it in the story. In the past two presidential elections, Boone County has been the only mid-Missouri county to vote for the Democratic candidate. The writer explores some reasons CoMo is so blue, including its proximity to three colleges, and talks with activists and politicians from both sides of the aisle about how they navigate personally and politically in this atmosphere. She also addresses the partisanship that exists in the county, the state and the country — even before the 2016 election. It’s an issue that’s deep-seated in the U.S., and not one that appears about to break anytime soon. John Klocke, an active member of Columbia’s Democratic community, has felt alone in his ideologies in his home state of Missouri throughout his life. But not talking through these political differences is part of the problem. Whether you’re red, blue or another color on the spectrum, burst your political bubble and have a conversation with a fellow Missourian.
VOX STAFF Editor: Madison Fleck Deputy Editor: Sten Spinella Managing Editor: Kelsie Schrader Digital Managing Editor: Brooke Vaughan Multimedia Editor: Meg Vatterott Online Editor: Brea Cubit Creative Director: Keegan Pope Art Directors: Corin Cesaric, Tong Li Photo Editor: Annaliese Nurnberg News & Insight Editors: Samantha Brown, Morgan Niezing, Erika Stark The Scene Editors: Alex Edwards, Annamarie Higley, Margaux Scott, Peyton Stableford Music Editors: Jessica Heim-Brouwer, Anna Maples, Hannah Turner, Chloe Wilt Arts & Books Editors: Kat Cua, Kayla McDowell, Rachel Phillips, Ashley Skokan Digital Editors: McKenna Blair, Amber Campbell, Michael Connolly, Brooke Kottmann, Lauren Lombardo, Megan Schaltegger, Rosemary Siefert, Micki Wagner, Bobbi Watts Designers: Corin Cesaric, Annamarie Higley, Tong Li, Jennifer Litherland, Lidia Moore, Morgan Seibel, Rebecca Smith Multimedia Producers: Zhongqi Cao, Zechang Fu, Emily Kummerfeld, Alex Li Contributing Writers: Allison Cho, Kori Clay, Emily Hannemann, Brooke Johnson, Ashley Jones, Caroline Kealy, Clare Roth, Grant Sharples, Madi Skahill, Savannah Walsh, Jing Yang Editorial Director: Heather Lamb Executive Editor: Jennifer Rowe Digital Director: Sara Shipley Hiles Office Manager: Kim Townlain
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PHOTOS BY OR COURTESY OF ERIKA STARK AND FLICKR
RADAR
Vox’s take on the talk of the week
MARCH SADNESS
PARTY WITH ST. PADDY St. Patrick’s Day is Saturday, so cloak yourself in green, and head to one of these local joints for the perfect opportunity to break out that Irish jig. CoMO Growlers & Pints: In addition to having Irish beers on tap, the bar will serve two beer cocktails, The Irish Rover and Wee Bit Tipsy, and pass out beads and props for photo ops. It will also play Irish jams to keep the spirit alive. McGinty’s Pub: Ready to get its St. Patrick’s party started, the pub will open at noon and serve green beer all day. McNally’s Irish Pub: Opening at 11 a.m., four hours earlier than normal, the pub will serve green beer, corned beef and cabbage, and fish and chips. Wolf’s Head Tavern: The bar will serve green beer and an Irish food menu including corned beef and cabbage.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has truly earned her nickname, Notorious RBG, since her appointment by President Bill Clinton in 1993. In honor of her 85th birthday today, we got to know a bit more about Her Honor: •
She was the second female Supreme Court justice after Sandra Day O’Connor.
•
She has never missed a day of oral arguments, even when she was undergoing chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer.
•
She can reportedly weight lift more than Justice Stephen Breyer.
•
She founded the Women’s Rights Project at the ACLU in 1972.
RUNNING HER WAY TO A RECORD MU distance runner Karissa Schweizer just became the first four-time national champion in the university’s history, joining the ranks of these other leading women in sports:
The Tigers are in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in five years, but between injuries and suspensions, there are a few players from the season-starting roster who won’t be feeling the full spirit. Jordan Barnett and Terrence Phillips are both suspended, Barnett for receiving a DWI on Saturday and Phillips for being under a Title IX investigation, according to the Missourian. Cullen Vanleer, Adam Wolf and Mitchell Smith are all injured, and Blake Harris transferred in January. •
Her “dissent” collar, one she wears to show disagreement, has become so popular that you can buy your own version of it online.
•
A documentary about her is set to be released in theaters May 4.
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1. Tennis player Margaret Court holds the most singles titles in the women’s Grand Slam tournament’s history with 24 titles. 2. Teresa Edwards and Lisa Leslie hold the top two spots for the most gold medals won for Olympic basketball, with four each. 3. For 48 years, gymnast Larisa Latynina held the record for the most Olympic medals won with 18 total medals. She also held the record for most individual event medals for 52 years with 14 medals before Michael Phelps swooped in to take both titles in 2012 and 2016.
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NEWS & INSIGHT
Your favorite science guy comes to MU Ten facts you might not know about Bill Nye, who will speak to a sold-out crowd in Jesse Auditorium BY ANTHONY HOLTSCHLAG Bill Nye (yes, the science guy) is coming to Columbia for what will be one of the largest sold-out events for Mizzou’s Speakers Series in recent years, says Department of Student Activities Speakers Chair Michaela Thomson. Many of us might remember Nye as the fun scientist on TV, but he started his career as an engineer for Boeing. He left that career to pursue comedy writing and performance. His persona as “Bill Nye the Science Guy” was a dream-come-
1.
Nye has been nominated for 14 Emmy Awards over the course of his career. He has a 50-percent success rate for the award.
2. He is the current CEO of The Planetary Society, the world’s largest nonprofit space interest group, according to its site. 3.
Nye earned his degree in mechanical engineering from Cornell University in 1977. He also holds six honorary doctorates.
4. One of Nye’s professors at Cornell was Carl Sagan, the man who sent the
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true for Nye and has won him seven Emmys over the course of the show’s 5-year span. Now after hosting the second season of his Netflix show, Nye will stop at the University of Missouri. Nye’s show sold out within hours of being announced. He will speak about current issues within the science community and pursuing passions, Thomson says. “He wants to inspire students to stay curious and be the catalyst for change in the world around
them,” Thomson says. Nye is also likely to promote his new show at the event, which focuses on how science relates to politics and society. “He’s really kept up with his audience as they’ve gotten older and been able to still provide them with interesting and relevant information,” Thomson says.
first physical messages into space in the forms of the Pioneer Plaque and the Voyager Golden Record and hosted the PBS show Cosmos.
suppressor, which is used in every 747 plane today.
5. Nye’s mother, Jacqueline Jenkins-Nye was enlisted as a female codebreaker in World War II.
6. Nye danced in the 2013 season of Dancing with the Stars and claims to be an avid fan of swing dancing, according to the New York Post. 7. He assisted in the development
of a Boeing airplane part called a hydraulic pressure resonance
Seasons 1 and 2 of Bill Nye Saves the World are currently on Netflix
8. Nye’s start in comedy came after winning a Steve Martin look-alike contest.
9. He invented a modification to the ballet slipper called the toe box, which adds additional support to the tips of the toes, soles and ankles and reduces harmful pressure to each. 10.
He developed the MarsDial, which is used to calibrate cameras on Mars rovers and tell time on the red planet.
Bill Nye left his job as an engineer at Boeing to pursue his passion for science, the environment and learning.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MU DEPARTMENT OF STUDENT ACTIVITIES
MISSOURI CONTEMPORARY BALLET: CINDERELLA Friday, March 16 | 7 P.M. Saturday, March 17 | 7 P.M. Missouri Theatre
STAATSKAPELLE WEIMAR
A Collaboration with Odyssey Chamber Music Series Sunday, March 18 | 3 P.M. Jesse Auditorium
CAMERON CARPENTER: INTERNATIONAL TOURING ORGAN Friday, April 6 | 7 P.M. Missouri Theatre
CHANCELLOR’S ART SHOWCASE
Monday, April 9 | 7 P.M. Missouri Theatre
(573) 882-3781 | concertseries.org 03.15.18
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A LONELY : ISLAND BLUE
RED STA BY SOO RIN KIM
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IN THE MIDDLE O BOONE COUNTY UNDERGOE
CITY,
ATE
OF RURAL MISSOURI, ES A POLITICAL SHIFT
J
ohn Klocke remembers his first visit to a payday loan office. Klocke sat in the car with his brother. Waiting for their mother and father to receive the short-term, high-interest loan that comes from payday loan offices was a long and boring process for the pre-teens. When their parents came back a few hours later, they had cash in hand. The Klocke brothers were given $5 each, which meant the boys could pick out a whopping five toys at the dollar shop. “Whoa, that’s cool!” Klocke exclaimed. “Why don’t you guys come here all the time?” His father didn’t beat around the bush: “It only works one or two times before you’re in trouble.” Soon enough, visits to the payday loan office became an unpleasant family outing despite the prospect of getting new toys. Growing up in the ’90s in Crawford County in the small Missouri town of Bourbon, which has a population of a little more than 1,000, Klocke says he was never concerned about his family’s earnings. He started noticing their financial struggles in the early 2000s. Prices of goods were going up, but wages stayed stagnant. His father, who was a social worker in nearby Union, and his mother, who was a researcher at University of Missouri S&T, both took on second and third jobs but still couldn’t afford to hold onto their home. “It was impossible for my parents to work harder,” Klocke says.
During his 1980 campaign, Ronald Reagan proposed a tax cut that would be concentrated among the upper class, based on trickle-down economics; it became known as Reaganomics. The ideology was popular among Klocke’s neighbors, but his parents’ opinions on Reaganomics turned sour. When the bank took their house in the beginning of the 2000s, they could no longer subscribe to the Republican dream that small government, an unfettered free market and tax cuts for the wealthy would create jobs and help the middle class prosper. Klocke’s family was only one of many dragged down during the recession that led to the market crash in 2008, but they were one of the few that went blue in response. Most other rural Missourians held even tighter to their conservative leanings after the financial crisis. In 2008, Missouri was the home of a nail-biting presidential primary where Republican presidential candidate John McCain beat Democrat Barack Obama by only 3,632 votes, or 0.1 percent. In 2012, Missouri handed 10 electoral votes to Republican Mitt Romney, who beat Obama by nearly 10 percent in the state. The state has leaned Democrat in only three of the 13 presidential elections since the late ’60s, including the 1992 and 1996 elections, when Democrat Bill Clinton was extremely popular nationwide. At the state level, Democrats controlled the state legislature during the ’90s. But since 2003, Republicans have had complete control over both the Senate and the House. In 2016, in addition to winning more than two-thirds of both of the state chambers — 24 of the 33 state Senate seats and 112 of the 163 House seats — the Grand Old Party achieved a trifecta by electing Republican Eric Greitens as governor. Then there’s Boone County, the blue island in the middle of the red sea that is Missouri.
FROM THE
“LITTLE DIXIE” TO THE “BLUE ISLAND”
Talk about being blue. Until 1966, Boone County had never elected a Republican state representative. And until 1968, the county had never voted majority Republican for presidential elections either. This was a time when being a Democrat meant being a Southerner, and being a Republican meant being a Northerner. Boone County was known as one of the “Little Dixie” counties in mid-Missouri, where strong Southern culture and political ideology from its early Kentucky and Tennessee settlers had been passed down. Then the Civil Rights Act of 1964 led to the national party realignment of the ’60s. The conservative Southern Democrats who didn’t support the Civil Rights Act and hoped to maintain the Jim Crow status quo switched to the Republican Party, and anti-segregation liberals within the Republican Party became Democrats. Since then, most of Missouri has turned red. Boone County elected its first Republican Missouri representative, George Parker, in 1966. Other Republican representatives, Larry Mead and Harry Reisch, followed Parker in 1972, but Boone County, where the progressive nature of a college town dominates, has remained largely Democratic, earning its new nickname, the “blue island.”
Mike Zweifel, chairman of the Boone County Republican Central Committee, says it takes having a thick skin to be a Republican in Columbia. The outskirts of Boone County, however, are primarily red. The county itself displays more conservative qualities.
WAGE-PRICE GAP As John Klocke was growing up and developing his political consciousness, wages rose only 12 percent while prices of goods rose 66 percent. These statistics show the comparison during that time period, 1990 to 2009.
Median household income in Missouri 1990 to 2009
$48,698 ≥ $54,556 Consumer price index in the U.S. 1990 to 2009 127.5 ≥ 211.933 — Bureau of Labor Statistics
John Klocke, who grew up in a conservative town, volunteers with various Democratic organizations in Columbia in hopes that people will transition from idle political observers to active participants. He wants to make it easier for people to get involved. 8
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PHOTOS BY PHU NGUYEN
RED BOONE, BLUE COLUMBIA
Columbia contributed to the Democrat win in Boone County in the 2016 presidential election — 41,125 voters went blue, and 36,200 went red.
07
In 2016, Boone County was the only county in mid-Missouri that sided with Hillary Clinton, while 70 to 80 percent of voters in the surrounding counties voted for Donald Trump. The county also chose Obama in 2008 and in 2012 while all of the neighboring counties chose John McCain and Mitt Romney by a large margin. In the past three decades, Boone County has gone Republican only once, in 2004, when George W. Bush beat John Kerry by less than 200 votes, or a margin of 0.2 percent. In every single gubernatorial election since the mid-’90s, Boone County has leaned Democrat. Fourth Ward Columbia City Councilman Ian Thomas says a strong liberal culture in a city that revolves around not one, but three, colleges — the University of Missouri, Stephens College and Columbia College — is natural. As one of the most progressive council members in Columbia, Thomas is an ardent advocate of public service. He has also spent most of his local political career trying to build a quality public bus system. With a massive student population, Columbia also boasts a progressive social climate, receiving a score of 100 from the Human Rights Committee for its ranking as an LGBTQ-friendly city and hosting a well-attended Women’s March, which is rarely seen in other parts of mid-Missouri. Last year, when Trump withdrew the US from the Paris Climate Accord, Columbia Mayor Brian Treece, along with the mayors of St. Louis and Kansas City, joined more than 200 other cities across the country in pledging to continue reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving the local environment. GRAPHIC BY JENNIFER LITHERLAND AND CHLOE WILT
KEY 50–100% voted Republican 0–49% voted Republican 0–49% voted Democrat 50–100% voted Democrat
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FROM A
POLITICAL OBSERVER TO A
BOONE COUNTY GETTING REDDER
POLITICAL PARTICIPANT
Klocke, who grew up in rural Missouri, moved to Columbia in 2012 to study philosophy with an emphasis in linguistics and religious studies at MU and says coming to Columbia allowed him to engage in an active political scene. Having witnessed the economic system fail his hard-working family, Klocke developed more progressive values. But growing up in a small, rural town, he found there was no space for any in-depth political discourse. Klocke’s friends considered discussing politics boring and uncomfortable. The lack of political activity is a consequence of living in a town riddled with poverty where people are already struggling to make a daily living, he says. Now 29, Klocke is a grocery clerk at Gerbes and an active member of the Boone County Democratic Party. He manages local campaigns and organizes community events to get more people engaged in county politics. “It’s much easier to do here,” Klocke says. “You walk downtown, and you see a flyer out in the open.” Klocke is also a member of the Columbia Third Ward Democratic Club. He was the treasurer of one of its political action committees, which focused on getting more community-focused grassroots movements going. The experience is quite the opposite if you’re a Republican living in Columbia. Mike Zweifel, chairman of the Boone County Republican Central Committee, says you have to be “thick-skinned” to be a Republican in Columbia. That was exactly the idea when state Rep. Parker started the national Pachyderm movement back in the ’60s. Among Democrats, one had to be armed with an elephant hide to be Republican. Republicanism isn’t shunned as much anymore, but Zweifel says he found himself traveling to Cole County to find people with similar political ideologies as he increasingly sympathized with conservatism. “Welcome to the People’s Republic of Columbia,” is how Zweifel greets his fellow Republican friends from out of town. It’s a jab at Columbia’s loyalty toward a single party — the Democratic Party — and what he sees as the city’s big-government policies.
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Zweifel remembers a time he experienced government interference in 2016 at a Republican Committee fundraiser picnic. He had to get a food permit from the city of Columbia to sell $20 to $25 worth of store-bought ice cream. “It wasn’t hard necessarily,” Zweifel says. “We just had to fill out a form, which only took 10 to 15 minutes. It’s just the fact that you had to do it. We didn’t get the approval until the day-of.” He added that he didn’t have to get a food license in Ashland last year when they sold ice cream at a party picnic. Republican District 1 County Commissioner Fred Parry says Columbia is definitely not alone in emanating a strong liberal culture among college towns.
“COLUMBIA IS DEFINITELY LIBERAL. THE COUNTY ITSELF, NOT SO MUCH.” MIKE ZWEIFEL Chairman of the Boone County Republican Central Committee Another progressive college town, Berkeley, California, was also called the “People’s Republic of Berkeley” in the ’60s and ’70s when California was a Republican state. Fifth Ward Councilman Matt Pitzer, who represents a more conservative part of Columbia, says when it comes to local politics, being a Democrat or a Republican matters less than being fiscally responsible and making sure the city operates properly. He says he wouldn’t have run for the council seat if he had to declare partisanship. “Partisanship makes it so ugly,” Pitzer adds. “As soon as you declare one way or another, you’re expected to vote a certain way.”
Election results over the past couple decades, however, show that Boone County has actually lost some of its blue traits. As of now, the city of Columbia is just about the only thing keeping Boone County blue. During the 2016 presidential election, 52 of the 81 precincts in Boone County chose Hillary Clinton, and of them, 49 precincts were within Columbia. In other words, 20 of the 23 Boone County precincts outside of Columbia sided with Trump. Taylor Burks, the first Republican county clerk in Boone County’s history, says this is not a sudden development. When a nationwide wave of patriotic conservatism hit Boone County in the early 2000s, conservative Democrats in the county, who had been coexisting with progressive Democrats, started identifying themselves as either Republicans or conservative Independents. Republican George W. Bush’s victory over Democrat John Kerry in 2004 was a sign — it was just hidden by Democrat Barack Obama’s popularity and success across the country in 2008 and 2012, Burks says. The state legislature also reflects this trend. Of the five state representatives who serve Boone County, Reps. Kip Kendrick and Martha Stevens of Columbia are the only Democrats. “Columbia is definitely liberal,” Zweifel says. “The county itself, not so much.” Democrat Michela Skelton, who unsuccessfully ran against Republican Sara Walsh for the 50th District race in August last year, says Boone County turning purple is a natural outcome from the Democratic Party’s lack of investment in rural Missouri in recent years. “It’s easy to be a Democrat in Columbia,” Skelton says. “The state rep seats currently held by Martha Stevens and Kip Kendrick are super safe seats, and that’s the only place Democrats have really put a whole lot of effort.” Walsh’s predecessor in the 50th District, former Republican Rep. Caleb Jones, won three elections without any opposition from 2011 until 2017, when he left office to join Gov. Eric Greiten’s administration as the deputy chief of staff. He represented southern Boone County and parts of Cole, Moniteau and Cooper counties.
BLUE BOONE, RED MISSOURI
Boone County leaned Democrat in the 2016 presidential election with 4,925 more votes than the Republican Party. Skelton says the Democratic Party essentially stopped reaching out to rural areas after the redistricting in 2010, which strengthened the Republican grip on the state legislature. In 2011, Missouri lost a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2010 Census showed that Missouri’s population growth lagged behind that of the rest of the country. After the redistricting process led by the Republican-controlled state legislature, Democratic Rep. Russ Carnahan lost his seat in the 2012 election. Last summer, Skelton clashed with county Democratic leaders when she tried to get the party to go to rural community events. After a hard push, she finally convinced the central party committee to approve participation at the Hartsburg Pumpkin Festival, but the festival organizers rejected the party’s request for a booth, saying they didn’t have space for a new vendor that wasn’t a recent participant. Skelton says having a $50- or $150-booth at festivals means a lot to local communities: “Part of it is just showing up, but another thing is having people at the booth willing to come out and actually talk to people in the crowd, passing out literature, selling T-shirts or buttons, having candidates around and available to meet, or even currently sitting state representatives or county commissioners.” Even though they didn’t get a table, Skelton and her supporters walked around the festival, passing out literature and talking to people at the pumpkin festival. Skelton added that the central party committee’s move away from rural Missouri can be seen in its lack of financial support for local campaigns in recent years. Instead of money flowing down, local-level campaigns end up helping to fund statewide campaigns by buying the voter database from the state committee. Skelton says she believes the Democratic Party giving up on Boone County’s rural areas was a statewide phenomenon, with the party widely ignoring those parts of the county. Even in national politics, Middle America is inconsequential compared to the centers of power such as California, New York, Washington, D.C., and Massachusetts, she says.
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2012
2008
KEY 50 – 100% voted Republican
GRAPHIC BY JENNIFER LITHERLAND AND CHLOE WILT
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Today, pairing Republicans with red and Democrats with blue is a natural assumption, but that wasn’t always the case. Colors weren’t associated with the parties at all until 1972 when CBS used them to show Electoral College votes for Nixon sweeping the nation. Even then, news stations continued to swap the colors, occasionally even replacing one with yellow, up until 1992. It wouldn’t be until the Bush/Gore election in 2000 that “blue states” and “red states” earned dictionary-level recognition.
“And it shows,” she adds. “It shows that people in rural Missouri look at the Democratic Party, and they don’t think the Democratic Party cares about them, and that’s because, for a long time, that really was kind of true.” What does all this mean? Klocke says the Democratic Party has been playing a careful defensive game since the Reagan era, and the two parties’ messages have almost morphed into one. Burks’ guess is that with the continued growth of Columbia, even the blue island within the blue island might no longer be a guaranteed vote for the Democratic Party. According to the Census data, Columbia’s population grew from 87,752 in 2000 to 120,612 in 2016, which is a 37.4 percent increase, compared to the 8.8 percent growth in Missouri as a whole.
“IT SHOWS THAT PEOPLE IN RURAL MISSOURI LOOK AT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, AND THEY DON’T THINK THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY CARES ABOUT THEM, AND THAT’S BECAUSE, FOR A LONG TIME, THAT REALLY WAS KIND OF TRUE.” MICHELA SKELTON Former Democrat candidate for 50th District House Rep.
The rapid expansion of Columbia in the past two decades has brought in a huge number of highly skilled, suburban professionals, who tend to be swing voters, Burks says. This means that the voter pool in Columbia is becoming more diverse, and the influence of the liberal university population is growing smaller. This trend is already visible in the southwest part of the city, where high-income suburban professionals have started occupying new subdivisions. In 2016, five of the nine precincts that Trump won in Columbia were in the Fifth Ward, one of the most conservative parts of the city. (That was five out of a total of 10 precincts in the Fifth Ward.) The rest of the four Trump precincts were scattered around the city. Burks says political diversification in Columbia is a good sign for its representation in state politics. Democratic representatives from Columbia have less power in the Republican-controlled state legislature, Burks says. Republican Missouri Sen. Caleb Rowden, in contrast, has become an up-and-coming leader in the General Assembly, not only because he is a part of the majority but also because he bears a unique perspective from both urban Columbia and rural Boone County. “Having a bipartisan delegation down in Jefferson City and Republicans, here, in Boone County who are able to work with Republicans in Jefferson City or Republicans from other parts to the state, I think that makes Boone County stronger,” Burks says. That sort of bipartisan political atmosphere is what Burks plans to capitalize on for the upcoming county clerk election in November. As the first Republican county clerk, it will be Burks’ first election because he was appointed by Gov. Eric Greitens in 2017, when the Democratic
MORE BLUE ISLANDS IN THE U.S.
Columbia isn’t the only politically isolated American city INDIANAPOLIS, IN
LITTLE ROCK , AR
BIRMINGHAM, AL
ATLANTA, GA
AUSTIN, TX
TUCSON, AZ According to an article from The Atlantic, these eight big cities voted Democrat in states that voted red overall. Factors such as geography and population play a role in determining whether a city will turn “blue.” More often, rural Americans outside of those city limits vote red. The following cities are places like Columbia that vote differently than the neighboring counties in their state.
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CHARLESTON, SC
NEW ORLEANS, LA
GRAPHIC BY JENNIFER LITHERLAND AND CHLOE WILT
“I FOUND MYSELF ALIENATING 50 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION. THAT’S NOT VERY HEALTHY FOR POLITICS.”
THE FACES OF BOONE POLITICS Two Republican and two Democrat local politicians advocate for issues that matter to them
FRED PARRY, REPUBLICAN Boone County Commissioner predecessor of 35 years, Wendy Noren retired. Noren died this week after a battle with cancer. Klocke and Skelton are rather alarmed at the signs of purple in Boone County. Skelton says there’s already not a wide variety of voices in rural Missouri. Klocke says he grew up in a home with Fox News on 24 hours, seven days per week, simply because it was the only thing available at the time. When all they get are some fliers in the mailbox or ads on television, Skelton says, the only thing rural residents can rely on are the people in their typically conservative church communities or right-wing radio stations. Commissioner Parry, who co-hosted a popular radio talk show on KFRU from 2001 to 2008 and wrote monthly opinion pieces for Inside Columbia magazine, which he owned, can attest to that. Taking the conservative position against his liberal co-host Simon Rose on hot topics such as gun rights and abortion every weekday morning on “Morning Meeting,” Parry says he really had to wear partisanship on his sleeve. “I found myself alienating 50 percent of the population,” Parry says. “That’s not very healthy for politics. “One of the requirements of talk radio, and even in punditry, is that you tend to gravitate towards the extremes, you tend to be more dramatic, you tend to instigate because that’s what sells,” Parry says. “That’s what people want.” And in that kind of environment, people with progressive values feel disconnected from their rural communities and end up not participating in politics at all, Skelton says. But there’s hope for the Democratic Party. Skelton, who will run against Walsh in the 50th District in November, will expand her effort to connect with more rural residents. She says she’ll be doing much more door-todoor campaigning, meeting people and asking them what they want done in their towns. Starting this month, the Democratic Party will hold committee meetings in small towns in Boone County, not just at the government center in downtown Columbia. In Columbia, Klocke and other members of the Democratic Party have continued to organize neighborhoodbased movements to answer community issues. Volunteers have been active in a wide range of community services from organizing a food drive or a food bank to educating people about voter precincts, voter registration and political empowerment. “Politics isn’t just about federal elections or political battles in Jeff City or in Washington,” Klocke says. “It’s also about the community.” PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE MUELLER, LUKE BRODARICK, DANIEL MUNG AND RYAN BERRY
SARA WALSH
FRED PARRY
In August 2017, the 50th District stayed Republican when Sara Walsh replaced Caleb Jones for the House Representative seat. Her primary focus has been on job growth and economic advancements, as well as advocacy for small businesses. She is also against expanding Medicaid and pro-Second Amendment, the Columbia Missourian reports.
Republican Fred Parry has been the Boone County Commissioner for District 1 since December 2016. His key issues include reopening the Boone County Fairgrounds, implementing better roads and infrastructure, working to make Columbia safer and helping citizens make better financial decisions with their tax dollars.
MARTHA STEVENS
KIP KENDRICK
Democrat Martha Stevens has been the Representative for the 46th District since 2016. She is an advocate for women’s health care and reproductive rights. She is also a member of a number of committees, including the Health and Mental Health Policy Committee and the Special Committee to Improve the Care and Well-being of Young People.
Kip Kendrick, a Democrat, will run for the third time as the Representative for the 45th District. One of his major issues is funding for education. He contributed to a bill for a program that allowed nurses to videoconference with medical professionals in Missouri schools to help them better treat students, according to the Missourian.
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THE SCENE
Find your new bae-rrito
A guide to the best locally wrapped concoctions It’s a diversely flavored, handcrafted, tightly wrapped, big-as-your-face cylinder of deliciousness. It’s a burrito, and it’s a creation so ingenious it deserves to be celebrated. Burritos have been a longtime favorite menu item, but their popularity is on the rise. According to a data analysis performed by Grubhub, an online and mobile food-ordering company, bean and cheese burritos rose 127 percent in popularity during 2017. Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free or short on time, there’s a burrito for you, and it’s not too far away. In downtown alone, there are enough choices to satisfy any craving, with three new burrito restaurants opening in the past year. So, let’s wrap this up, go forth, and celebrate downtown CoMo’s burrito scene at all of its delicious stops.
Breakfast burrito Room 38 If you visit Room 38 and indulge in its boozy brunch menu, pair a bottomless mimosa with a carbo-load. Imagine your favorite aspects of a savory breakfast shoved in a tortilla and eaten all at once. The F’n burrito is loaded with roasted potatoes, cheddar, pico and the classics — bacon, eggs and sausage. Eat: F’n burrito, $11.50 Location: 38 N. Tenth St. Hours: Mon.–Sat., 11–1:30 a.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Phone: 449-3838 Website: room-38.com
Burrito bowl Cafe Berlin If you’d rather skip the wrap and avoid eating with your hands, Cafe B offers a burrito bowl under its “lunch-ish” menu section, though you can order it at any time. The dish, featuring chef Jessica Bowman’s “avogoddess” dressing creation, is gluten-free, vegan and whatever you need it to be, Bowman says. For an upcharge, you can add chicken, tofu or tempeh to the mix of tomatoes, quinoa, beans, greens, jalapenos and salsa. Eat: Burrito bowl, $9 Location: 220 N. Tenth St. 14
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BY NATHALIE KAEMMERER
Vegan burrito Main Squeeze As one of downtown’s most organic, sustainable, vegan-friendly restaurants, Main Squeeze features multiple burrito-esque choices. The T.K.O. is the best-seller, owner Leigh Lockhart writes in an email. It features ingredients such as kale, avocado, quinoa and almond cheese. “To me, it’s the perfect burrito because it’s high in protein with the quinoa, black beans, kale and almond cheese, and it’s extremely flavorful and filling,” Lockhart writes. “It’s got the perfect balance of ‘I know this is good for me, but damn that’s delicious.’” Hours: Mon.–Sun., 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Phone: 441-0400 Website: cafeberlincomo.com
Classic burrito Fuzzy’s Taco Shop Known for its beer-margarita concoctions, this spot has a variety of classic burrito choices ranging from simple, such as bean and cheese, to indulgent, such as the chicken fajita version. If you’re hungry for Southern flavors, try the special ground beef burrito, featuring Fuzzy’s signature ground beef and the usual Tex-Mex fillings, such as cheese and rice. Each of the eatery’s 11 choices, except the bean and cheese, comes with guac, too. Eat: Special ground beef burrito, $6.99 Location: 132 S. Ninth St. Hours: Mon.–Wed., 8 a.m.–midnight; Thurs.–Sat., 8–1 a.m., Sunday, 9 a.m.–midnight Phone: 214-2851 Website: fuzzystacoshop.com
Late-night burrito El Rancho The steak burrito is such a hit at this downtown Mexican restaurant, assistant manager Marianna Vazquez says she had to give it up for Lent one year. “That’s what I ate when I came into work — breakfast, lunch and dinner,” Vazquez says. “I’d come in, and they’d be like, ‘Steak burrito?’ It’s one of those things you don’t get tired of.” El Rancho’s Burrito Supreme is stuffed with the staples — beans, cheese
sauce, sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes and bell peppers. And, of course, this place is open late. Eat: Steak burrito grande, $7.65 Location: 1014 E. Broadway Hours: Mon.–Wed., 11–2 a.m.; Thu.–Sat., 11–3 a.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Phone: 875-2121 Website: columbiamomexicanfood.com
Eat: T.K.O., $9.25 Location: 28 S. Ninth St. Hours: Mon.–Sat., 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Phone: 817-5616 Website: main-squeeze.com
Poke “burrito”
I Am Sushi Burrito As Columbia’s first sushi burrito establishment, I Am Sushi Burrito filled the space left by Coldstone Creamery in 2017. The menu boasts tacos, poke bowls and salads, but if a restaurant’s named for a specific dish, you should probably try it. The seaweed wrap of the burrito acts as a thin, sticky green tortilla that crumbles as you eat it. However, the intent is to polish off the rest of your meal with chopsticks, so it’s basically a combination of the burrito and burrito bowl option. An hour before closing, I Am Sushi Burrito offers a half-off deal on its beef bulgogi, shrimp tempura, spicy pork, tofu and chicken tender burritos, while supplies last.
A Little More A Little More features poke bowls, sushi burritos and rolled ice cream. “We actually decided to combine ice cream and sushi, and that’s why it’s called ‘A Little More,’” owner Jay Zheng says. “It’s a little more of both.” Zheng likes the DIY aspect of the poke bowl because customers can choose their own add-ins. Most of the ingredients are raw veggies, so it tastes both fresh and crunchy. If you build your own, you can choose your base with several options, including a burrito. You’re served two types of protein, such as shrimp and spicy salmon. Then add four toppings, a crunch and a sauce. For the ice cream, each cup contains six rolls created by chopping the ingredients into an ice cream mix on a cold surface and scraping it into the roll shape. Like a burrito, you choose a base flavor and pick your toppings, such as chocolate-y and fruity flavors topped with marshmallows and gummies.
Eat: Beef bulgogi burrito, $8.99 Location: 904 Elm St., Suite 100 Hours: Mon.– Thu., 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Phone: 442-7748 Website: iamsushiburrito.com
Eat: Burrito with two proteins, $10 Location: 1010 E. Broadway, Suite 102 Hours: Mon.–Thu.,11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Fri.–Sat., 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Phone: 886-0038 Website: alittlemoremo.com
Sushi burrito
ILLUSTRATION BY MORGAN SEIBEL
MUSIC
Piping up with tunes that never die Local bagpipers talk about tradition, technique and the sentiment to their sounds At sunset, a mesmerizing melody rose from the Boone County Fire Department and drifted under the light-pink twilight across a roaring I-70. “Pipes and drums. By the right. Quick march!” Drum major John Cunning announced directions before eight pipers marched forward holding their Great Highland bagpipes. As the Boone County Fire Protection District Pipes & Drums prepared for the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Rolla, classic Irish tunes including “Mairi’s Wedding,” “Wearing of the Green” and “It’s a Long Way to Tipperary” floated through the brisk wind. Before the performance, learn about the background of the bagpipes and the local faces behind the melodies.
A long history
Bagpipes have held their place in firefighting since the 1800s when the Irish immigrated in masses to the U.S. They faced harsh job discrimination, leaving them to choose from the perilous jobs most people avoided — namely firefighting and law enforcement. In turn, most Irish firefighters were honored and mourned at their funerals with traditional bagpipe music, which has become a universal practice for fallen heroes. The Pipes & Drums was founded in 1997 by Ken Hines, Boone County Fire Protection District’s assistant fire chief at the time. Over the years, its
BY CHEN CHANG
membership has nearly doubled to its current 10 pipers and six drummers, and more than half have Irish-Scottish ancestry. Last year, it completed 30 gigs over nine months — about one per week — including funerals and various civic events. The group keeps a large repertoire of tunes ready to go but also adds sets, so it’s a mixture of old and new, band manager Gail Fitzgerald says.
Mastering the craft
Players come to the Pipes & Drums from all backgrounds, some without practice for decades or any at all. In 2001, Fitzgerald attended a class to revive her piping fingers from her college days with the world-famous University of Iowa Scottish Highlanders. A young girl at the time, pipe major Jane Rabeni would watch the Highlanders perform on TV even though she was states away in Maine. Band sergeant Heather Foote started from square one, joining in her 60s. The pipes’ emotive sound reminded her of her ancestry. “It was a wonderful dimension to my life,” she says. “I don’t want to hear that you’re too old for this.” To start sounding like a true piper takes at least a few years, and any skill beyond that takes a lifetime of improving, Fitzgerald says. However, students often give up before transferring to the pipes from the practice chanter, a thin, double-reed instrument used to learn the basics of bagpipes. Playing
In the ’60s, Gail Fitzgerald played in the largest all-women bagpipes band in the world at the time. Jane Rabeni’s Scottish father inspired her to start piping.
a chanter is primarily a matter of finger dexterity, but for bagpipes, it’s a coordination of breath and fingers. A good piper can’t go without a good set of lungs. “We stay alive because we have to breathe deeply,” Rabeni says. “It’s kind of a physical exam.”
From happiness to hard times Bagpipes have the ability to heighten the emotion at various services such as Honor Flights and funeral services. “It can make your hair stand on end,” Rabeni says. “It’s very stirring. It reaches into your soul.” As an instrument that can be heard from 10 miles away, there’s little doubt about its far-reaching effect.
Breath, coordination and strength are essential to playing the bagpipes.
From college bars to the country charts The Randy Rogers Band brings Texas flair to Columbia
BY SARAH PRZYBYLA
Lawless and Todd Stewart, years of When considering the fates of fiddle-fueled country music have popular bands in the past, six extended the band’s following far musicians sticking together for 16 beyond the Lone Star State. With its years seems almost impossible. past six studio records Despite this, the on Billboard’s Top 10 Randy Rogers RANDY ROGERS BAND country albums charts, Band has gone with THE COMANCHEROS The Blue Note the group should have from singing in Saturday, 7:30 p.m., doors; no shortage of hits to college bars to 8:30 p.m., show delight Columbia fans. holding a spot on $20 in advance; $22 day of Local rock band Billboard’s Top 5 The Comancheros is country albums opening for the Randy chart all while Rogers Band. Its name is derived remaining close friends. This group from the historic trading group in of Cleburne, Texas, natives takes New Mexico that was antagonized pride in its authentic country sound. in many Western movies. Much like Although the band was unknown the wily outlaws, the band’s music when formed in 2002 by Randy evokes a sense of excitement and Rogers, Geoffrey Hill, Johnny energy with its mixture of heavy rock Richardson, Brady Black, Les PHOTOS BY OR COURTESY OF MEIYING WU AND SHOREFIRE MEDIA
The Randy Rogers Band has gotten used to being on the road for more than 200 days per year, and this year’s tour schedule has been just as busy as usual.
and Western sounds. This show will be the group’s first time performing at The Blue Note. “It couldn’t have been a cooler
show for us to open,” says band member Tanner Jones. “It’s really the icing on the cake that we get to open for artists we love so much.” 03.15.18
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ARTS & BOOKS
Modern magic Missouri Contemporary Ballet puts a present-day twist on the classic rags-to-riches tale BY EMILY HANNEMANN You might know Cinderella from Disney’s animated film, but Missouri Contemporary Ballet’s production of Cinderella will make you want to leave your best “bibbidi-bobbidi-boo” at home. This 21st century transformation starts with music (and no, we don’t mean the songs sung by talking mice and a fairy godmother). Odyssey Chamber Music Series approached Karen Grundy, MCB’s artistic director, with the idea of putting on a performance of Sergei Prokofiev’s Cinderella with two pianos. She liked the premise but wanted to make it her own.“It’s our own little twist on the Cinderella story,” Grundy says. Don’t fret — the ballet retains some of the tale’s original elements. Cinderella will still don a shimmery blue dress and wind up at a ball (of sorts). But in this new take on the classic tale, the princess lives in a world surrounded by suburban wealth, yoga pants and stylish salons, and she dreams of having the comfort and ease of the affluent life her stepmother and stepsisters lead. Choreography Grundy says modern movement is infused into the dance. The company wanted to dig deeper into the story by making every character unique. Each one will have a specific dancing style to make him or her identifiable when he or she is on stage. The stepsisters dance in a ditsy manner in contrast to Prince Charming, whose style of dance is the most classical of all the characters. The stepmother moves in a more pinned-up manner as a result of numerous plastic surgeries and a few boob jobs, whereas the fairy godmother is down-to-earth and grounded in her movements. Cinderella is a clear-headed but dreamy character, and her dancing reflects that mindset. “She is definitely hoping for a better life, but on her terms,” Grundy says. Staging The biggest change, Grundy says, is the addition of two pianos on stage alongside the dancers. For part of the show, they’ll be behind a scrim, a large screen that shows the pianists’ silhouettes. Another modification for the show is the backdrop. MCB usually has a curtain behind its dancers when they perform, but the company will forgo the curtain and use the exposed back wall of the theater instead. Removing the curtain allots extra feet of space for the dancers. With two pianos and 18 dancers onstage during certain parts of the show, the company will need every inch it can get. Costumes Much like the rest of the production, the costumes have been modernized and tailored to fit each character’s personality. The stepsisters wear metallic green and pink yoga pants, and the stepmother’s outfits range from purple yoga pants to a dress made of eye-catching purple sequins. The fairy godmother dresses in a tailored orange and champagne peplum suit, and the prince wears a red velvet suit with contrasting black lapels. Cinderella begins the performance in a plain gray shift 16
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Nicole Bell, Elise Mosbacher and Caitlin Sloan rehearse for the Missouri Contemporary Ballet Company’s upcoming production of Cinderella. Resident choreographer Fernando Rodriguez says the show will incorporate themes of women’s rights, inappropriate behavior from men, sexual orientation and individuality.
dress and ends up in a blue cocktail dress reminiscent of the Disney character’s gown. Her glass slippers — which aren’t made of real glass for obvious reasons — are ballet slippers overlaid with glittery fabric. The team says the costumes are especially significant because they help situate the ballet firmly in today’s world. “Because we use minimal set pieces, clothing is really important because it helps date where the piece is,” resident choreographer Fernando Rodriguez says. “People get a sense of where we are in time.” Missouri Contemporary Ballet: Cinderella Missouri Theatre March 16 and 17, 7 p.m. $28–48 concertseries.missouri.edu
Rodriguez guides Meredith Green Soares during rehearsal. He says it was important to the company that the ballet be relevant to today’s world.
Another Cinderella story Cinderella has lived various alternate realities in different versions of the story we know and love Missouri Contemporary Ballet’s reinvention of the Cinderella tale isn’t the only version that might be unfamiliar. Before the clock strikes midnight, learn about various versions of the story with these facts:
1. In Charles Perrault’s version, the heroine attends
two balls. The second ball features the iconic scene of Cinderella losing her glass slipper. Monika Fisher, German professor at MU and instructor of the class Folks and Fairytales in a Global Context, says
Perrault’s version influenced the Walt Disney version most heavily. The talking animals were a Disney addition, however.
2. In the Brothers Grimm version of the tale, Prince Charming follows Cinderella home from the ball, forcing her to hide in order to keep her secret. Her stepsisters also cut off their toes to fit their feet into the glass slipper (yikes!) before doves peck out their eyes during Cinderella’s wedding. 3. The Grimm tale features the godmother — but as a tree, not a fairy. Whatever Cinderella wants, she can ask the tree and receive it. PHOTOS BY PHU NGUYEN
ARTS & BOOKS
A spotlight on 40 seasons At Columbia Entertainment Company, community takes center stage BY ANNABEL AMES Columbia Entertainment Company is celebrating its 40th season, and with this impressive milestone comes an impressive mantra: Go big or go home. The upcoming season was announced March 10 and incorporates shows that include family-friendly and fan-favorite titles. CEC, which still has two productions left in its 39th season, has withstood the test of time by choosing shows that reflect its diverse audience and creating a place where volunteers can find a community. Blast from the past CEC was started in 1979 by Columbia residents who worked on productions with Maplewood Barn Community Theatre, former Artistic Director Judy Olson says. Because the Barn only did shows during the summer, the group decided to form a company that would perform during the rest of the year. In its early stages, CEC mounted productions in high schools and at Stephens College. “They moved around for every show, but they had a really good group of people who were passionate about it,” Olson says. The company then rented the building on Eighth Street where Sub Shop is now located. It’s current location on Nelwood Drive was built on donated land and finished in 1991. When the new building was constructed, company members built the interior walls and cleaned the inside. Judy says they spent lots of time scraping and hosing muddy floors. Despite its humble beginnings, the group’s presence meant Columbia had community theater all year. The present day CEC’s 40th season will include eight shows. Although the city of Columbia has changed over the years, the group’s sense of family and dedication to its craft remains essential to its identity. Current Artistic Director Katie Hays says the concept of “the third place” explains why volunteers enjoy working with the company. Outside of home and work, people need another place to go. “Theater people have the theater,” she says. “If you have a desire to make art and make friends or a family, it’s a good place to be at the end of a long day.” Two CEC volunteers became an official family. When Laura and PHOTO COURTESY OF CREATIVE PHOTO
Lanford Wilson’s Book of Days was performed as part of Columbia Entertainment Company’s 33rd season.
Christopher Hays met during The Will Rogers Follies in 2004, Christopher was assistant director, and Laura was in the chorus. Laura says that the company still jokes that she was only cast because Christopher was interested in her. Now, they will celebrate their 11-year wedding anniversary in April and still volunteer with the CEC. “In a show, you have a special bond, and you still have a lifelong connection after the show is over,” Laura says. “Especially us.” CEC volunteers aren’t only active in the company; they are involved throughout the community. “The fact that we have that interconnectedness helps us stay relevant,” Katie says. Looking forward In recent years, the group has focused on representation and acceptance in its shows. “Art reflects what’s going on in society,” Katie says, “and we have a duty to hold a mirror up.” In the future, the group hopes to raise funds to renovate its current space or move closer to downtown, she says. Although Katie will step down as artistic director in June, she says she hopes the company continues to push to be more broad-minded. She also says she wants to challenge the stereotype that community theater is unprofessional. “Everyone has their own vision,” she says, “and in community theater you listen to everyone and collaborate before you make a decision.”
Season schedule online at VOXMAGAZINE.COM
Help Cleanup Columbia on Saturday, April 14. Volunteers will be assigned all over town in the morning to pick up litter and make our city look great. Cleanup Columbia is a perfect volunteer event for individuals and groups of all sizes and people of all ages and abilities. The City of Columbia will provide you with a cleanup location, bags, and gloves and will pick up the filled trash bags. Volunteers are invited to lunch at noon at Twin Lakes Recreation Area.
Saturday, April 14, 2018 Lunch and supplies will be provided. Filled bags will be picked up by the city. A special thank you to our sponsors as well as Solid Waste Utilities and Columbia Parks and Recreation.
M Read local.
Register at www.como.gov or by contacting the City of Columbia’s Volunteer Programs at 573-874-7499 03.15.18
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STEFAN FREUND provides a look into the dynamics of conducting
S
tefan Freund was a teenager before he envisioned a career in music, but he eventually found a passion for helping aspiring musicians. Freund, a graduate of Indiana University and the Eastman School of Music, joined the MU School of Music in 2003. He currently serves as a professor of composition and artistic director of the Mizzou New Music Initiative, an array of programs that aim to make MU a leading school for composition and original music. Freund is also the music director for the Columbia Civic Orchestra, a diverse group of Columbia community members who come together to play symphonic music. Before his upcoming performances with the University Singers on Saturday and MU Choral Union on April 11, Freund reflects on his beginnings and the conductor’s role in music. How did you get involved in music? My parents are musicians, so that probably had a lot to do with it. My dad is a composer and pianist, and he has conducted in the past. I started piano when I was about 4 and then started composing when I was 5, and then I started playing the cello when I was 10.
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When did you know you wanted to become a professional conductor? I didn’t really decide that I wanted to be a professional musician until I was about 15 years old. Going to a summer music festival and playing Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 and thinking that was the most amazing experience, playing a really cool piece in a symphony orchestra. That kind of inspired me to attempt to be a professional musician, have the rest of my life be focused on music and be involved in music. What are your responsibilities before a performance? We have to prepare the music, and we have to know the notes, the shaping, the articulation, but we have to imagine how we want the piece to come to life. You have the score, you have some recordings that you can listen to, but your own personal tastes are going to come into play when you think about how exactly you’re going to express the music. You have to think about all of that and then come to rehearsal and express that clearly. So a big part of conducting is not only waving your arms around; it’s also rehearsing the orchestra, giving them guidance and then of course following through by working on the music in rehearsal. The
art of rehearsing is very important for any conductor. Understanding, “How can I get the results I want in the time that I have?” What is your role during a performance? Expression is very important. Physically bringing things out of the music from the players and then technically just directing the orchestra: keeping a good tempo, being very clear with your physical conducting and then beyond that expressing the things that you want to happen physically. That could be through your body or through your arms, your facial expressions — really expressing to the ensemble what feeling they should have as they play the music. What is the most rewarding part of your job? Performing, of course. Being on stage with the orchestra in front of an audience. We had an audience of about 500-plus people on Sunday, so it was really exciting to share that music with the audience. A lot of it I don’t think they had ever heard before. Our goal is to share the wonder of orchestra music with the audience. — RYAN HANRAHAN PHOTO BY CHLOE WILT
THE TO-DO LIST
this week in Columbia
ARTS & CULTURE The Drowning Girls
Inspired by the true story of a serial murderer in England, this shocking but amusing play follows three women who return from their graves to prosecute their murderer and seek justice. Today through Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m., McKee Gymnasium, Studio 4, $15, 882-2021
CIVIC Columbia Farmers Market 2018 Spring Kickoff
The weather is warming, which means it’s time for the Columbia Farmers Market to move back outside for the season. Shop for local food, drinks and more at the temporary location while the new market location is being constructed. Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon, Parkade Center Northeast Parking Lot, Free, 823-6889
Women’s Leadership Conference
Celebrate womanhood, and commemorate the 150-year anniversary of MU admitting female students. This event is an opportunity to network, learn how to enhance your leadership skills and listen to keynote speakers Lauren Ash and Nadya Okamoto. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Tickets are available at the MU Box Office. Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tiger Hotel, $25, 882-8585
FOOD & DRINK Empty Bowls 2018
Raise awareness for hunger in the Columbia community with a group meal of soup, bread and water. Donations will support the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture’s food philanthropy project, Planting for the Pantry. Those who give will receive a handmade bowl donated by artists, students and volunteers at Access Arts and Missouri University Clay Klub. Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Missouri United Methodist Church, Free; donations accepted, 514-4174
International Dinner
Columbia College International Club is hosting its annual dinner, which provides guests a chance to try new foods from different cultures. Tickets are limited. Monday, 5:30–7:30 p.m., Dulany Hall, Columbia College, Free, 875-2756
MUSIC Let Our Love Be Heard: Community Sing for Social Justice
Join the Quorus, Columbia’s LGBTQA-Z choir, and the Jane Froman Singers of Columbia College. This community choir is open to
anyone who wants their voice heard for social justice. No music reading or singing experience is necessary. The rehearsal will be held the day before the performance, on Thursday at 8 p.m. at Broadway Christian Church. Friday, 8–9:30 p.m., Broadway Christian Church, Free, 694-5906
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SPORTS Missouri Softball vs. Mississippi State
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There will be SEC action on the softball diamond as the Tigers take on the Bulldogs from Mississippi State. Friday, 6:30 p.m., Mizzou Softball Stadium, Price varies, 882-6501
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7 Days in Entebbe (PG-13)
After 240 airplane passengers are taken hostage by hijackers, Israeli soldiers set off on a mission to rescue them from an airport in Entebbe, Uganda. R RUNTIME = 1:47
I Can Only Imagine (PG)
This movie centers around Bart Millard, the MercyMe lead singer and the inspiration for what would become the most-played contemporary Christian song of all time. R RUNTIME = 1:50
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Love, Simon (PG-13)
In this touching coming-of-age story, Simon PUC Discount Programs Ad - 0218.indd Spier falls in love with a classmate online. There’s just one twist; no one in his life knows he’s gay. Hijinks ensue as he attempts to find out the identity of his crush and be true to himself. F, R RUNTIME = 1:50
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Tomb Raider (PG-13)
Lara Croft’s daring and adventurous father disappeared when she was a teen. At 21, Lara still doesn’t believe her father is truly gone. Refusing to take over his global empire, Lara sets off on a dangerous journey to find her father. F, R RUNTIME = 1:58
Still playing Annihilation (R) F, R A Wrinkle in Time (PG-13) F, R Black Panther (PG-13) F, R Death Wish (R) F, R Fifty Shades Freed (R) R Game Night (R) F, R The Greatest Showman (PG) R Gringo (R) F, R The Hurricane Heist (R) R Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (PG-13) R The Lego Ninjago Movie (PG) F Mary and the Witch’s Flower (PG) RT The Party (R) RT Peter Rabbit (PG) R Red Sparrow (R) F, R The Strangers: Prey at Night (R) F, R Thoroughbreds (R) RT
Theaters F = Forum R = Regal
It’s not just radio, it’s community radio. On your radio dial at 89.5 fm or live streaming at kopn.org
RT = Ragtag = 3D 03.15.18
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VOXMAGAZINE.COM
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t o H Spot
the Name & Location thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
monday
tuesday wednesday
FREE WI-FI AVAILABLE!!
www.addisonsophias.com
FREE WI-FI AVAILABLE!!
New Late Night Happy Hour Specials
709 Cherry St. • 256-1995
Established 2006
3700 Monterey Dr. (573) 443-4350 • www.deucepub.com
LONGNECK NIGHT!
BACARDI DOUBLES & SHOT SPECIALS!
Late Night
Happy Hour 10pm to Midnight
DOMESTIC DRAFTS & SHOT
FEATURES !
Late Night Snack?
VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 03.15.18
VODKAS & SHOTS LOCAL BREW NIGHT!
ALL DAY!
$
25 TAPS
6 PIZZA 50¢ BONELESS WINGS!
9" 2-TOPPING
JOIN US ate Night BEFORE & LHappy Hour Our Kitchen AFTER THE 8pm to is Open GAME!! 11pm until Midnight
ON SPECIAL!
ALL DAY!
www.addisonsophias.com
MICRO & IMPORTS
BOTTLES, SKYY DOUBLES & SHOTS! 1/2 OFF ALL
PIZZAS!
ALL WHEAT TAPS! DOUBLE WELLS & SHOTS
ON SPECIAL!
HAPPY HOUR 3:30 - 7 • Buy one, get one FREE Apps Specials on all Draft Beer, House Drinks, Long Island Tea, Long Beach Tea, Sweet Tarts
Late Night
Happy Hour 10pm to Midnight
Kitchen open until Midnight (11pm Sundays) • CHECK OUT OUR ROOF-TOP PATIO •www.theheidelberg.com
For more info on how to make your business The Hot Spot, call 882-5714
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DRAFT & SHOT SPECIALS!
DOMESTIC
Happy Hour 3:30pm to 7pm
410 S. 9th St • 449-6927
9 pm until midnight • Sunday through Thursday Features $2 Pints and $5 Nachos