Monthly Archives: April 2014

Easter Bunnys in the River Market

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For those who are around the River Market today, there are two “Easter” bunny sculptures they can visit.

Rabbit Reach 004

Rabbit Reach

In honor of that, today’s Sculpture Vulture features Tim Cherry’s Rabbit Reach.

The sculpture is located at the corner of Sherman Street and President Clinton Avenue across from the Museum of Discovery.

The sculpture is a gift from Whitlow Wyatt and the Carey Cox Wyatt Charitable Foundation. It was given in memory of George Wyatt and Frank Kumpuris.  Those two gentlemen were the fathers of Whitlow Wyatt and Dean & Drew Kumpuris.

Cherry’s sculpture was selected for this spot because of its proximity to children at the Museum and in the River Market district.  The design and size of the sculpture encourages children to climb on it and to play around the rabbit.  While some public art is situated so it cannot be touched, this one is situated to be touched as part of the appreciation experience.

Laurel Peterson Gregory’s Bunny Bump is featured in the Vogel Schwartz Sculpture Garden.  Two stylized rabbits make for an interesting piece of artwork when they are not only dancing, but also doing the butt bump while dancing. The smooth surface and color of the bronze add to the illusion. This small piece has been placed on a pedestal to elevate more to eye level.

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Bunny Bump

The sculpture was completed in 2009 and installed in 2010.  Gregory has been featured at the Sculpture at the River Market show.  (The photo was taken during a December snow. Hopefully there will be no more of that this year.)

This upcoming Saturday and Sunday (April 26 & 27), the next Sculpture at the River Market will take place in the River Market pavilions. There are preview parties on Friday, April 25. For more information, visit the website.

ROCKing the TONYS – Helen Hayes

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Rock the TonysHelenHelen Hayes

Little Rock connection: Appeared at Robinson Auditorium in 1942.

Tony Awards connection: Received a Tony in 1947 (first ceremony) for her performance in Anita Loos’ Happy Birthday. In 1958, won the Actress in a Play Tony for Time Remembered.  Served as a host/presenter of the ceremonies in 1950, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1956.  Presented awards at ceremonies in 1957, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1978, 1981 and 1986.  In 1987, she made a special Tony appearance as part of a tribute to George Abbott on the occasion of his 100th birthday. Her final appearance on the Tony Awards was at age 89 at the 1990 ceremony.

The 2014-2015 Arkansas Symphony Orchestra’s Parker Lexus River Rhapsodies Chamber Series

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ASO_revThe Arkansas Symphony Orchestra is still very busy with several concerts of all types in the 2013-2014 season. Looking ahead to next year, here is the lineup for the 2014-2015 Parker Lexus River Rhapsodies Chamber Series.

The series kicks off on September 30 with “Death and the Maiden.”  The evening features Bridge’s 3 Idylls, Brahms’ Trio in Eb for horn, violin, piano and Schubert’s String Quartet in D minor “Death and the Maiden.”

The next month, on October 21, the program is entitled “Quartet for the End of Time.”  It will features Haydn’s String Quartet No. 39 in F# Op. 50 No. 4 and Messiaen’s Quatuor pour la fin du temps. (When translated into English, the latter piece gives its name to the program.)

Italian Serenade is the name of the November 11 program.  It features Beethoven’s String Quartet in C, Op. 59, No. 3, Corigliano’s String Quartet No. 1 and Wolf’s Italian Serenade in G.

The 2015 portion of the season will commence on February 10 with Mozart’s “Gran Partita” Serenade. The program features Smetana’s String Quartet No. 1 in E minor “From My Life” and Mozart’s Serenade No. 10 in Bb “Gran Partita”.

The March 3 concert features Artist of Distinction: Vadim Gluzman.  The program will include Dohnanyi’s Serenade in C, Op. 10, Berg’s The Featherlight Ballet, Auerbach’s Lonely Suite “Ballet for a Lonely Violinist” and Bruch’s String Quartet in A minor.

The 2014-2015 season will conclude on April 21. That evening will features Mendelssohn’s String Quaret in F minor, Mozart’s Oboe Quartet in F Major and Brahms’ String Quintet in G.

All concerts are presented at the Clinton Presidential Center in the Great Hall. The concerts start at 7pm. Tickets are generally available at the door, but to be guaranteed a seat, advance purchase is recommended.

ROCKing the TONYS – Gertrude Lawrence

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Rock the TonysGertieGertrude Lawrence

Little Rock connection: Performed at Robinson Auditorium in 1940, the first year it was open.

Tony Awards connection: Won the 1952 Tony for Actress in a Musical for her performance as Mrs. Anna in The King and I.

Little Rock Look Back: Charles E. Moyer, Little Rock’s 44th and 49th Mayor

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Mayor MoyerOn April 18, 1880, future Little Rock Mayor Charles E. Moyer was born in Glenwood, Minnesota. A man of contradictions, he was both a candidate backed by (and probably personally involved in) the Ku Klux Klan, yet he also brought the Goodwill Industries organization to Little Rock and Arkansas to help those less fortunate.

He came to Little Rock shortly after the turn of the 20th century as a clerk in the Post Office, and later served as a mail carrier. He then worked for Plunkett-Jarrell Wholesale Grocer Company in Little Rock. On January 1, 1921, he took office as County Judge for Pulaski County. In 1924, he ran against incumbent mayor Ben Brickhouse in the Democratic primary. Since Brickhouse had displeased the Klan, which was an active part of Democratic politics in Little Rock and throughout the nation at the time, Moyer won the primary.

Mayor Moyer led the City of Little Rock from April 1925 through April 1929. In 1927, the last lynching in Little Rock took place. While race-baiting crowds were surrounding City Hall demanding an African American prisoner be released to them for vigilante justice, Mayor Moyer was in hiding at an undisclosed location. Not able to get the prisoner they wanted, they took out their venom on another man who had assaulted a white woman and her daughter.

After leaving office in 1929, Moyer moved for a time to Batesville. He returned to Little Rock and was a chief deputy sheriff. From 1937 to 1941, he served as Pulaski County Assessor. In 1941, he returned to the office of Little Rock Mayor after J. V. Satterfield opted to serve only one term and did not seek re-election. Mayor Moyer led Little Rock through most of World War II. He left office in April 1945 and died on May 29, 1945, barely only one month after leaving City Hall.

ROCKing the TONYS – Rebecca Luker

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Rock the TonysRebecca LukerRebecca Luker

Little Rock connection: Has twice appeared with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. Once it was the Valentine Pops concert singing Broadway songs, the second was a semi-staged concert version of The Music Man.

Tony Awards connection: She has been nominated for three Tony Awards. The first was in 1995 as Actress in a Musical for Show Boat, the second was in 2000 as Actress in a Musical for The Music Man and the third was in 2007 as Featured Actress in a Musical for Mary Poppins.  She has also performed on the Tony Awards with The Secret Garden and The Sound of Music.

Today is her birthday.

This evening at the Capital Hotel, musicians from the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra in a free concert

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ASO at CHMusicians from the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra will be performing this evening in the lobby of the historic Capital Hotel. The music will start at 5:00 pm.

In 2011, the ASO started these free concerts in the lobby of the Capital Hotel.  The marble and tile of this historic lobby provide a wonderful acoustic backdrop for the musicians.

The concert will feature the Rockefeller String Quartet performing Mozart’s String Quartet No. 19 in C Major, “Dissonance” and Theofanidis’  Visions and Miracles.

Unlike concerts in music halls, guests here are encouraged to bring drinks to their seats or to stand and move around while the musicians are playing.  It is a relaxed, informal atmosphere where the audience and musicians alike are able to interact with each other.

This concert is part of the ASO’s ongoing efforts to play throughout the community under the leadership of Music Director Philip Mann and Executive Director Christina Littlejohn.  In addition to the Capital Hotel concerts, they offer occasional free concerts at UAMS and have recently started the INC (Intimate Neighborhood Concerts) subscription series.