Tag Archives: Creative Class 2015

Creative Class of 2015: Israel Getzov

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Israel Getzov 286x400Newly appointed Little Rock Wind Symphony music director and conductor Israel Getzov has won wide acclaim for his ability to evoke expressive and enthusiastic performances from his musicians, and begins his inaugural season with the LRWS in 2015-2016.

Getzov is also the music director of the Conway Symphony Orchestra and the principal conductor of the Tianjin (China) Philharmonic. He is in demand as guest conductor in the United States as well as China.

As the Assistant Conductor of the Arkansas Symphony from 2001-2008, Getzov led classical subscription, pops, and education concerts as well as numerous outreach concerts around the state.

Getzov also hosted his own weekly radio program called “Izzy Investigates” on KLRE Classical 90.5 in Little Rock, and has performed live on WFMT and WBEZ in Chicago.

Raised in Chicago, Mr. Getzov’s musical studies began with the violin at age four, and later included percussion, which he played in his schools’ wind ensembles and jazz bands. At sixteen he earned a position in the violin section of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago.

Getzov holds a bachelor of music degree from the Chicago Musical College of Roosevelt University and a master’s degree in conducting from the Cleveland Institute of Music, and received additional training at the American Academy of Conducting at the Aspen Music Festival and the National Conducting Institute with the National Symphony Orchestra.

Creative Class of 2015: Allyson Gattin

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After a stint in Missouri, Allyson Gattin returned to her native Little Rock and is using her talents in marketing and communication to enrich Little Rock’s cultural scene.

A graduate of Little Rock Central High School and the University of Missouri, she is now Director of Communications and Marketing at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre.  In that capacity, she promotes all the Rep’s mainstage and special productions, education programs and fundraisers.  She also serves as the staff liaison for the theatre’s young professional group, The 601 Club.

Since joining the Rep in 2014, she has increased its presence on social media in a variety of platforms.  In recognition of this, she and her staff recently received the Arkansas Nonprofit Alliance Mission Marketing Award in the Social Media Category.

Prior to her work at the Rep, she worked for Arkansas Business Publishing Group and for the Contemporary Art Museum in St. Louis.

Creative Class of 2015: Nikolai DiPippa

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ND_PhotoRecently, the Clinton School Speaker Series hosted its 1,000th speaker. Nikolai DiPippa has been involved with the program since its early days, joining the Clinton School in 2006.

His official title is Director of Public Programs. But what it means is that he is in charge of identifying, booking, and squiring the participants in the Clinton School Speaker Series.  This is a task that takes diplomacy, patience, organization, creativity, and charm.  It also takes long hours day-in and day-out.

In addition, DiPippa is executive producer and host of “Clinton School Presents” radio program on KUAR. In these programs, he conducts one-on-one interviews with some of the distinguished speakers at the Clinton School.

A Little Rock native, he studied at Catholic High and Hendrix College.  Humble and self-effacing, his varied interests have served him well in identifying and pursuing a wide-range of speakers for the Clinton School.

Past speakers from the Clinton School are available for viewing at the Speakers Series website, which also features information on upcoming events.

Creative Class of 2015: Kevin Delaney

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kevin30rock-headshotThe Science Expert on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Kevin Delaney, spends his days on the staff of the Museum of Discovery.  A native of New Jersey, he came to Arkansas a few years ago.  He serves as the director of visitor experience at the museum.  In that capacity, he performs Awesome Science experiments for children and created the Science After Dark program for adults.

His job allows him to combine his interest in science, interacting with the public, and showing off his flair for the dramatic.

Prior to joining the museum staff, Delaney worked as a playwright, director and teacher.

He has made three appearances on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. More are in the works.

The final Science After Dark of 2015 will take place on Friday, October 30.  Watch for more detail.

Creative Class of 2015: Sericia Cole

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sericiaSericia Cole has quietly and quickly transformed the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center.  She was named interim director in July 2012 and permanently took the post in November of that year.  Since then, she has expanded programming and outreach efforts of the museum.

Under her leadership, Mosaic Templars has started lunchtime lecture series and has expanded its exhibition schedule.  She has also worked to ensure that special events take place year-round at the museum.  In addition to exhibits on a variety of aspects of African American history in Arkansas, the museum is the permanent home of the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame.

A Little Rock native and UALR graduate, she has previously worked for Governor Mike Beebe, Philander Smith College, Wildwood Park for the Arts, and KATV.

 

 

Creative Class of 2015: Katie Campbell

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Katie CampbellKatie Campbell is a director, performer, and teaching artist. She is originally from North Carolina but for six years has found an artistic home in Little Rock as a company member with the Arkansas Art Center Childrenʼs Theater (AACCT), director and performer with the Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre, and improvisor with ImprovLittleRock and The Joint Venture.  She is also the co-founder and co-director of the youth improv comedy company, Armadillo Rodeo.

Campbell is a 2015 Jim Henson Family Grant recipient for her devised and directed shadow puppet play for young people, The Ugly Duckling.  That production recently played to sold out houses at the AACCT Studio Series enrapturing children and adults alike.

She has an MFA in directing Theatre for Young Audiences from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a BA in Theatre Arts from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She is also an alumna of the North Carolina School of the Arts where she studied acting with Tanya Belov, voice with Mary Irwin, circus arts with Dikki Ellis, and movement/mask work with Robert Francesconni and Mollie Murry.

Some of her favorite roles include Adriana in The Comedy of Errors with the Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre (2010); Roxanne in Cyrano de Bergerac and Barbara in Night of the Living Dead AACCT Studio Series (2008);  Mouse in If You Give A Mouse A Cookie, If You Take a Mouse to School, and Merry Christmas Mouse! (AACCT Mainstage 2007-12).

Creative Class of 2015: Eliza Borné

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Eliza BorneEliza Borné was named Interim Editor of Oxford American magazine earlier this year.  She had been the Managing Editor of the magazine.  Currently, she is at work on the annual OA music issue, which this year will feature Georgia.

A Little Rock native and graduate of Central High School, she wrote Children’s Theatre reviews for the Arkansas Times while in high school.  While a student at Wellesley College, she interned for OA.  After graduation, she was an associate editor at BookPage.  In February 2013, she joined the OA as an editor.  When he was in Little Rock earlier this year, author Harrison Scott Key praised Borné’s skills as an editor.  At that appearance, he also lauded her skills as an interviewer. She has also used these skills serving as a moderator for the Arkansas Literary Festival.

 

While her talents as a writer and editor have been honed through hard work, she is also carrying on a family tradition in promoting Little Rock’s cultural life. A great-grandmother, Adolphine Fletcher Terry, was a member of the Little Rock Public Library Board (a forerunner of CALS) for decades.  Much could be written about what various ancestors have done to help Little Rock, but Borné is not one to rely on the family name as she forges her own career.  Instead, she uses her skills and love of Little Rock to promote good writing, good music and good living.