2014-15 Legacy of the Arts Report
Many thanks to Sherry Fiore at the Hop for putting this summary together for us:
As noted in the last report, in the 2014-15 season the Class of 1961 Legacy: The American Tradition in Performance Endowment Fund supported the performances of Vermont folk singer Anaïs Mitchell, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, and the jazz double-bill of Terrance Blanchard and the E-Collective and the Ravi Coltrane Quartet.
In addition to delighting our audiences with their musicianship, the artists engaged directly with students and community members through master classes, receptions, and post-performance Q&A sessions. Following the post-performance Q&A session with Wynton Marsalis and members of the Orchestra, Dartmouth student Michael Blum '15 brought his guitar to the edge of the stage and asked Marsalis to listen to him play and offer some pointers. After the rest of the well-wishers departed, Wynton sat at the piano with Michael for 20 minutes. Michael remarked, "It was such an amazing, invaluable opportunity to play with him, and hear his comments and guidance. Thank you so much." Marsalis also joined a few student musicians and community members for a private lunch (photo attached).
Saxophonist Ravi Coltrane gave a master class for student jazz musicians that was open to student and community observers (photo attached). After listening to a combo perform a jazz standard, Coltrane encouraged the performers to personalize their performance. He prompted them, "Imagine you are meeting for the first time to play the song. How would you play it?" The group's second rendition of the song was much more lively. One audience member commented, "The first version was tidy and the second was exciting." Coltrane also coached members of the Barbary Coast Jazz Ensemble on a piece they were preparing for their senior feature concert.
Anaïs Mitchell visited a Classical Mythology class to discuss the development of her folk opera, Hadestown. The students heard her share some of the new music from the show and answer questions about the musical, which recounts the story of Orpheus, Eurydice, Hades and Persephone. She explained how over the course of ten years, the stories and songs have taken on different subtext, demonstrating the staying power of myths. A student asked about the show's notable deviation from the classical myth. In the original story, Eurydice is tricked into the underworld. In Mitchell's version it is a conscious choice to leave earth and join Hades. Mitchell thought it would make better theater for Eurydice to have more agency, saying "It may be the wrong thing but it's her choice."
In the current season, the Legacy Fund has already supported the sold-out performance of ukulele phenom Jake Shimabukuro (November 9) and will support the upcoming performances of NEA Jazz master Charles Lloyd (January 27), and the fabulous NYC big band, the Maria Schneider Orchestra (April 19). There's a nice article about Shimabukuro in The D today:http://thedartmouth.com/2015/11/10/jake-shimabukuro-brings-magic-of-ukulele-to-the-hop/. While on campus yesterday, Shimabukuro had lunch with students (hosted by the Pan Asian Council) and met with two different groups of students (the Arts Ambassadors and the Women's Volleyball team – two team members and a coach hail from Hawaii) at pre-performance receptions.
Here are links to details about the Charles Lloyd and Maria Schneider performances:
https://hop.dartmouth.edu/Online/charleslloyd
https://hop.dartmouth.edu/Online/mariaschneider
Contributions can be sent to:
Dartmouth College Class of '61 Legacy
Attention: Sherry Fiore,
Assistant to the Director/Donor Relations
Hopkins Center
DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
6041 Lower Level Wilson Hall
Hanover, NH 03755
Voice: 603-646-2005
Email: Sherry.Fiore@dartmouth.edu
Legacy continues to perform in an outstanding fashion as it brings world class artists and their extraordinary work to the HOP. Your contributions over the past several years to the American Tradition of performance at the Hop has established our class as an extraordinary supporter of the arts.
Many thanks.
Oscar Arslanian & David Birney
|
