State of the Arts: September 21, 2009 Archive

Back to school means the performance halls are open

Posted at 8:55 AM on September 21, 2009 by Euan Kerr (0 Comments)
Filed under: Music, Theater

One of the great things about the new school year is the plethora of cultural offerings at institutions of higher learning available not just to students, but the public as well.

For example Macalester College's Theater and Dance department will present John Cage's landmark 1948 piece, "Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano." There are two free performances on Saturday, September 26 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, September 27 at 2 p.m. in Macalester College's Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center Theater.

A release from Mac describes the featured instrument in this way: "A prepared piano is one in which the pitches, timbres, and dynamic responses of individual notes are altered by placing bolts, screws, mutes, rubber erasers, and other objects at particular points on the strings." Music Department chair Mark Mazullo will be at the keyboard.

Meanwhile in Northfield at Carleton College the New York-based SITI Company will present performances of a new adaptation of Sophocles "Antigone." The company will present what are called two "dress rehearsal" performances of Irish playwright Jocelyn Clark's contemporary adaptation. The shows are in preparation for the play's world premier in New York in late October. The Carleton shows are on Friday, September 25 and Saturday, September 26 at 8:00 p.m. in the College's Arena Theater.

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McNally Smith offering B-Girl scholarship

Posted at 4:12 PM on September 21, 2009 by Euan Kerr (0 Comments)
Filed under: Education, Music

The McNally Smith College of Music in St Paul is offering scholarships designed to encourage more women to enroll in its Hip Hop Diploma. The 18 month program which launched this year teaches both the performance side of hip hop and the business and history too.

The scholarships offer $15,000 which is half-tuition for the course. Applications, which will be accepted through December 11th must include an essay and a three and a half minute audio or visual piece.

Selections will be made by a panel with representatives of B-Girl Be, the sponsor of the annual B-Girl summit, (as featured last week on Art Hounds,) Intermedia Arts, which hosts the event, and McNally Smith College of Music.

In a release announcing the new scholarships Toki Wright, who co-ordinates the program, and is one of the performers in the video above, welcomed the news.

"Often in the media, the many rewarding aspects and innovations of women in Hip-Hop are overshadowed by their male counterparts. The 'B-Girl Be Scholarship acknowledges that women's contributions are important and essential to sustaining and expanding Hip-Hop culture. The work of MC Lyte, Tricia Rose, Queen Latifah, and countless industry representatives demonstrate the power, talent and tenacity it takes to make it in the culture and business of Hip-Hop. "

Fourteen students are in the first class in the hip hop diploma, and will graduate in 2011.

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