Category Archives: Music

Site Finally(!) selected for Robinson Auditorium on Oct. 29, 1937

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Potential rendering of new auditorium which appeared in October 30, 1937 ARKANSAS GAZETTE

On October 29, 1937, the Little Rock City Council finally selected the site for the Municipal Auditorium.  It had been approved by voters in January of that year, but no site had been identified during the campaign.

During the early autumn, the City had engaged a consultant to evaluate several downtown locations as potential sites for the municipal auditorium.  One stipulation was that it had to be an entire city block.

The six sites were:

  • Broadway, Markham, Spring and Garland Streets;
  • Center, Markham, Spring and Second Streets;
  • Center, Eighth, Louisiana and Ninth Streets;
  • Scott, Fourth, Cumberland and Capitol Streets;
  • Scott, Tenth, Cumberland and Ninth Streets; and
  • Third, State, Second and Gaines Streets

The top choice was the site bounded by Center, Markham, Spring and Second Streets. It was felt that location’s proximity to public buildings made it ideal for a civic auditorium. It was across the street from the former state capitol (then known as the Arkansas War Memorial) which was, at the time, housing state and federal offices.  The site was also adjacent to the county courthouse structures.

Half of the desired property was owned by the federal government.  Because it was being used for federal offices, it was uncertain as to the site’s availability.  Therefore a city committee recommended the site bounded by Center, Eighth, Louisiana and Ninth Streets be utilized as the auditorium location.

The City Council met on October 20 to make a decision. But were at a stalemate. They met again a few days later with still no resolution.

At an October 25 City Council meeting, Arkansas Gazette publisher (and chairman of the Planning Commission) J. N. Heiskell, advocated the site on Markham and Broadway Streets. The Council convened on October 29 to meet again.  The clock was ticking, a site had to be selected because ground had to be broken prior to January 1, 1938.

At the October 29th meeting, the discussion from previous meetings among the aldermen picked up where it had left off.  Again J. N. Heiskell spoke about the importance of employing city planning concepts in selecting the site.

“In the past, selection of a site for a public building has been merely a matter of who could sell the city some property.  I had hoped we were starting a new effort in starting selection of an auditorium site with the advice of Mr. Bartholomew.  Starting with the auditorium, we should be guided by competent advice and locate future buildings following a city plan.  Your vote today will determine the future of Little Rock so far as city building goes.”

After having engaged in discussions with various federal government agencies, Mayor Overman reported that the city could not obtain the recommended site.  It would not be possible for the federal government to relocate those agencies currently occupying half of that block within the time allowed.  The mayor also stated that he had been warned that if construction did not start by January 1, 1938, (which was just a few weeks away) then the money could be taken back and allocated to other projects.

Ultimately the City Council voted 16 to 1 with 1 absent to locate it at the corner of Markham and Broadway.  At last, Little Rock had a location for the new municipal auditorium!

Though it had not been anyone’s first choice (except Mr. Heiskell, who did not have a vote), in retrospect, the auditorium site finally chosen offered many advantages which were not identified during the marathon selection discussions.  The grade of the land sloped toward the Arkansas River from Markham Street down to Garland Street which allowed for a street level entrance to both the planned exhibition hall on a lower level and the music hall on an upper level.

Given the topography of the other sites under consideration, this was only possible at the chosen location.  By stacking the two major components the project did not take up an entire block, which had been the forecasted footprint.  Not using the entire block allowed for subsequent expansion of the complex’s footprint in the coming decades.  This would not have been possible at any of the other sites under consideration if the original structure had taken up the entire block.  In addition, both Markham and Broadway Streets are wider than normal city streets which allowed for better traffic flow and for easier access to a loading dock.

Interestingly, the Convention & Visitors Bureau, which oversees Robinson Center Music Hall, now has offices in the Cromwell Building. This building is located on the site which had been the first choice for the auditorium in 1937.

ARmusica to play ‘Devilish Delights’ for Festival of the Senses on October 29

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Image result for irvin cheek little rockThe instrumental duo ARmusica—pianist Julie Cheek and violinist Andrew Irvin—will perform a program of spooktacular music in celebration of All Hallows’ Eve at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 29, at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 4106 JFK Boulevard. The event is part of the church’s free Festival of the Senses performing arts series featuring outstanding Arkansas artists. The concert will be followed by a reception in the parish hall. All Festival of the Senses events are free and open to the public.
The program will include the “Devil’s Trill Sonata” by Italian Baroque composer and music theorist Giuseppe Tartini (1692-1770), who claimed he was inspired by a dream in which the devil appeared at the foot of his bed playing the violin. The piece, a solo violin sonata in G Minor (1713)—also known as “Tartini’s Dream”—is his most famous work and is noted for its difficulty of execution.
“The Devil’s Dance,” the theme from film composer John Williams’s score for “The Witches of Eastwick,” written in 1987, is one of the renowned composer’s lightest and most comedic works. It is also known as “The Dance of the Witches.”
Two pieces by French composer Camille Sant Saens (1835-1921) round out the program. “Danse Macabre” (1872-74) began as an art song for voice and piano and was later reworked with a solo violin part. ARmusica will also perform his “Caprice Brilliant” (Opus 52, No. 6) for violin and piano, an etude in the form of a waltz known as the Ysaye Caprice.
Little Rock native Julie Cheek is well known to Arkansas audiences as a versatile keyboard artist who made her debut at age 14 as a soloist with the Arkansas Symphony Chamber Orchestra and has been featured often with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra (ASO) and other ensembles across the U.S. She has taught at UALR, the University of Colorado, Interlochen, and Vienna’s Hochschule, and continues to teach privately. For many years has sailed around the globe as a favorite performer aboard several popular cruise lines. Her many media appearances include National Public Radio, BBC Radio, PBS, and A&E.
Violinist Andrew Irvin, ASO concertmaster, has played his1765 Gagliano violin in concerts throughout North America and Europe. He studied at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, the Eastman School of Music, and Arizona State University before moving to Arkansas. In 2012 he and Julie Cheek formed the duo ARmusica, which appears regularly for Festival of the Senses. He is also a member of the Irvin/Christopher Duo and the Camino Trio and has recorded on the Potenza and Naxos labels. Highlights of his chamber music career include performances with the Ying Quartet and the Audubon Quartet.

Artober – Behind the Scenes. An Arkansas Symphony Orchestra rehearsal in 2017

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Image may contain: 2 people, people sittingOctober is Arts and Humanities Month nationally and in Little Rock. Americans for the Arts has identified a different arts topic to be posted for each day in the month. Today’s focus is “Behind the Scenes.”

In 2017, I had the rare privilege of sitting on the stage during an Arkansas Symphony Orchestra rehearsal. These are some of the photos I took from that time.  It was exciting to not only hear the music up close but the see the musicians interact with each other on breaks. My appreciation for the ASO musicians (which was already high) grew even more so that evening.

As I was seated next to the violins, most of the photos are of the strings section.  I tried to be as subtle as possible in taking the photos.

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Billy Jeter at South on Main tonight!

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Billy JeterJoin South on Main in welcoming Billy Jeter to their stage on Friday, October 25. The show begins at 9 pm. Purchase advance tickets for $7 or pay $10 at the door. Tickets do not guarantee a seat. Call ahead to reserve a table – (501) 244-9660.

Billy Jeter is a third generation Arkansan with deep roots in the Arkansas Delta. Another branch of the family comes from the Ozark Mountains in west central Arkansas, adding to the creative mix of painters, writers, and folk musicians that populate the Jeter lineage.

A son of the Delta, Billy Jeter’s music has been shaped by the folk-rock and storytelling melodies of the 1960s and 70s. Listeners will recognize the influencers of storytelling skills of Robbie Robertson and Dylan, the guitar work of Bob Weir and the folk music of Gillian Welch. Also, throw in that Billy lives in Colorado part of the year and you get the influence of the vibrant Rocky mountain music culture.