Monthly Archives: November 2012

ASO Chamber Series Tonight: Masterworks

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The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra’s third concert of the Parker Lexus River Rhapsodies Chamber Music Series features two great masterworks of the chamber music repertoire. The concert will be held Tuesday, November 13 at 7:00 p.m. at the Clinton Presidential Center.

The program features Trio Arkansas playing Ravel’s Piano Trio in A minor, which ASO Associate Conductor Geoffrey Robson says shows Ravel’s mastery of piano and string instruments, with impressionistic stylings and influences from the Far East. Next ASO’s resident Quapaw Quartet will perform Beethoven’s great quartet Op. 130/133, which Robson says is one of Beethoven’s late great works. “It is large scale, in six movements. The original last movement (Grosse Fuge) was replaced by a shorter, simpler movement after initial publication, but the Quapaw Quartet will perform the original version intact!”

General Admission tickets for River Rhapsodies concerts are $22, and Student tickets are available for $10. Tickets can be purchased online atwww.ArkansasSymphony.org, over the phone at (501) 666-1761 or at the door.

Featuring

Quapaw Quartet
Eric Hayward, violin
Meredith Maddox Hicks, violin
Ryan Mooney, viola
David Gerstein, cello

Trio Arkansas
Louis Menendez, piano
Geoffrey Robson, violin
David Gerstein, cello

Program:

Ravel, Piano Trio in A minor – Menendez, Gerstein, Robson

Intermission

Beethoven, String Quartet No. 13 in B-flat Major, Op. 130 with Grosse Fuge – Hayward, Hicks, Mooney, Gerstein

The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra celebrates its 47th season in 2012-2013 under the leadership of Music Director Philip Mann. ASO is the resident orchestra of Robinson Center Music Hall, and performs more than thirty concerts each year for more than 42,000 people through its Stella Boyle Smith Masterworks Series, ACXIOM Pops LIVE! Series and River Rhapsodies Chamber Series, in addition to serving central Arkansas through numerous community outreach programs and bringing live symphonic music education to over 24,000 school children and over 200 schools.

Veteran’s Day Sculpture Vulture: Korean War Memorial Plaza

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In honor of Veteran’s Day, the Sculpture Vulture today features the Korean War Monument in MacArthur Park.

The Arkansas Korean War Veterans Memorial was dedicated on June 25, 2007, the 57th anniversary date of the beginning of the Korean War.  Located in MacArthur Park, the Memorial Plaza features a 3′ tall black granite pentagon bearing the emblems of the five military branches; a nearly 12′ by 12′ frosted gray granite entryway; and three larger than life-size bronze statues stand in the center of the plaza.

Three larger than life-size bronze statues are the central focus of the Arkansas Korean War Veterans Memorial Plaza.  One statue is a combat soldier representing the fighting that took place in South Korea.  The second statue honors the brave sacrifices that Combat Medics and Navy Corpsmen made to save the lives of others during this conflict.  The third statue features two Korean children representing the suffering of the Korean people during the war and the future generations of Koreans that have rebuilt that nation. The statues were designed and constructed by Light and Time Design Studio and Art Foundry located in Royal, Arkansas.

Encircling the statues are eight 3′ wide x 6′ tall black granite tablets. The tablets, weighing in excess of 3,000 pounds each, are engraved with the names of the 461 Arkansas servicemen and women killed in action, a description of Korean War events and a map of Korea.

The memorial plaza stands to the east of the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History in MacArthur Park.  Though not affiliated with the museum directly, they share a common connection to both Douglas MacArthur and the role Arkansans played in the Korean conflict.

The REAL 3 Bs of Music: Beethoven, Blue Jeans and Brats

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The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra invites new listeners to put on their favorite pair of blue jeans and take part in the annual Beethoven & Blue Jeans concert and Beer & Brats Street Party on Saturday, November 10 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, November 11 at 3:00 p.m. at the Robinson Center Music Hall. This is the third concert of the Stella Boyle Smith Masterworks Series.

This casual concert kicks off with the Beer & Brats Street Party at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday and 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. Concert ticket holders can enjoy free brats, $2 Diamond Bear beer and the sounds of the Episcopal Collegiate School Steel Drum Band. Concert goers can follow @ARSymphony and the hashtag #BeethovenAndBlueJean via Twitter to get inside scoop about the Street Party and learn insights about the concert in progress.

The jean-clad ASO begins the program with the concert’s namesake in Beethoven’s extraordinary classical overture, Creatures of Prometheus. Next, listeners will recognize sounds from Tan Dun’s hit film scores for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero in his Concerto for String Orchestra and Pipa, featuring world renowned pipa player, Wu Man. (Pipa is a Chinese lute-like instrument.) Then, East meets West in the telling of Sinbad and Arabian Nights in Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade – always an audience favorite and a perfect piece to introduce new listeners to the ASO experience.

Beethoven & Blue Jeans attendees can also support the Arkansas Foodbank by dropping off a frozen turkey at the BBJ Street Party. And as a thank you, turkey donors will receive a pair of free tickets to any concert from the ASO’s 2012/2013 Season.

Concert-goers can learn more about the program before the concert at the American Airlines Concert Conversation. These informances are free and are located in Robinson Room 102 one hour prior to each Masterworks concert.

Tickets range from $14-$52 and can be purchased online at www.ArkansasSymphony.org or over the phone at (501) 666-1761. Thanks to the Entergy Kids Ticket, all kids through 12th grade are free on Sundays with the purchase of an adult ticket. For more information, visit www.ArkansasSymphony.org.

 

Giving Thanks for 2nd Friday Art Night (with HAM and BBQ)

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In this month of gratitude, it is a good time to visit some of the stops along the way on 2nd Friday Art Night and be grateful for creative expression which makes life more enjoyable.

Tonight from 5pm to 8pm at various downtown museums and galleries, guests can view art and enjoy live entertainment.  Admission is free.

There are many places participating.  Here are highlights from the Historic Arkansas Museum (HAM).  They will feature two new exhibits, two authors, award winning barbecue and live music.

Beyond the Expected: Norwood Creech, Paulette Palmer and Edward Wade, Jr.
From Northeast Arkansas, Norwood Creech presents a collection of photographs, reflecting the rural, agricultural landscape of Arkansas’s Northeastern Delta region, North of Interstate 40.Mountain View artist Paulette Palmer’s mixed media sculptures evoke fairy tales, memories and children’ stories. Artist Ed Wade, of Marianna, uses watercolor to explore colors and shapes, and their relationship with each other and reflect life in the Delta.

Jared Hogue: Mini Faces
This exhibit of caricatures by Jared Hogue includes work from three categories: Notable Arkansans, In Memoriam, and Pop Culture. Hogue has worked as a freelance artist since 1990, creating illustrations, portraiture and political cartoons, along with caricatures. He lives in Cabot and teaches at the Arkansas School for the Deaf.

In the Museum Store, meet Edmond Davis, author of Pioneering African-American Aviators, and Kat Robinson, author of Arkansas Pie, and Grav Weldon, will have his pie photographs. Jeannie Whayne will have a few copies of her latest book, DELTA EMPIRE on hand. Get your books signed – from 5 to 7 pm, during 2nd Friday Art Night, November 9.

RAFT OF THE MEDUSA continues at Weekend Theater

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The Weekend Theater’s production of Joe Pintauro’s Raft of the Medusa opened last weekend.  It is scheduled to continue this weekend and next on Friday and Saturdays at 7:30pm.  However, due to a car crashing into the Weekend Theatre building, further performances may be postponed.  Please check the Weekend Theatre’s website for updates.

Joe Pintauro’s drama presents a microcosm of those affected by AIDS in the earlier days of the crisis through the device of a diverse therapy group clashing, confronting, and comforting each other as they work through their emotions about their devastating diagnosis.

The cast includes Alan Douglas, Ryan Whitfield, Jimmy Walker, Brad Burleson, Rachel Bland, Dale Ellis,  Drew Ellis, Madison Hannahs, Morgan Henard, Grace Lytle, Josh Peace, Byron Taylor and Manny Urban.  Ralph Hyman directs, marking his 50th production at the theater.
Tickets, $16 for general admission and $12 for students and seniors age 65 and older, can be purchased on-line at http://www.weekendtheater.org or, based on availability, at the door. For information only, call 501-374-3761; reservations are not taken by phone.

Legacies and Lunch: Deering Discusses Fisher and Political Cartoons

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John Deering, Chief Editorial Cartoonist for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, will discuss the history and importance of cartoons created by George Fisher.  The talk takes place today as part of the monthly “Legacies & Lunch” program.

Fisher was a political cartoonist for more than 50 years whose work influenced and helped define Arkansas politics and politicians for a generation.

Among his legacies were Orval Faubus and the Farkleberry Tree (pictured at right), Bill Clinton graduating from buggy to tricycle to bike to pickup, David Pryor and his coon dog, Frank White and his banana and the Old Guard Rest Home.

Legacies & Lunch is sponsored in part by the Arkansas Humanities Council. Bring a sack lunch; drinks and dessert are provided.

It will take place in the Darragh Center inside the main library building.  The program starts at 12noon and ends at 1pm.  The program is free.

Little Rock Look Back: Little Rock is 181

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Though last week marked the 177th year of Little Rock being a City (November 2), today marks Little Rock’s official birthday as a chartered, officially recognized municipality.

On November 7, 1831, the Arkansas Territory officially recognized the Town of Little Rock and authorized a government to be formed and a Mayor and Aldermen to be elected.

There are several earlier and later days which could be used to mark Little Rock’s official birth (LaHarpe in 1722, first settler in 1812, permanent settlement in 1820, selection of trustees in 1825, City of First Class in 1875) — but it is November 7, 1831, which has been the officially recognized and accepted date.  In 1931, Little Rock celebrated her centennial.