Fall 2015
Recent Doris Duke Artist awardee, artist and
choreographer Ann Carlson will conduct a three-week residency/seminar beginning August 15 at Alfred University. This collaborative residency with AU
students, scholars, and faculty will culminate in two work -in-progress showings of Carlson’s newest performance work, “Doggie Hamlet,” on Thursday and Friday, September 3 and 4 at the nevermoor farm in Andover, NY.
Approximately one hour in length, “Doggie Hamlet”
(photo at right) takes place in a lush green meadow and is performed by four (human) performers, an American Sign Language interpreter, a herding dog, and a flock of sheep. This interdisciplinary work combines
contemporary dance, classic narrative structure, and elements from competitive sheep herding trials. “Doggie Hamlet” mines the territory of human and non-human relationship, delves into the hierarchy of domestication and wildness, and explores instinct, memory, family, and loss.
The preview performances will take place at 9:00 a.m. on
Thursday, September 3 and at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, September 4 at the nevermoor farm located at 593 Lever Hill Road, Andover, NY 14806.
“Doggie Hamlet” will be a portal for student engagement with contemporary dialogues on the following
disciplines: choreography, performance, sculpture, animal/environmental studies, design, and social
W E L C O M E T O A N E W S E A S O N
As the Chair of the Division of Performing Arts, it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to a breathtaking season of dance, drama and music. Alfred University’s Division of Performing Arts is committed to creative thinking, self-expression and performance art.
Through the generosity of Marlin and Ginger Miller, David and Elizabeth Miller, the Herrick-Gallman Fund, Hillel, the Confucius Institute, and our many Premiere Club members, we are thrilled to bring an eclectic and diverse season of visiting artists and residencies.
Highlights for this year include a residency by famed interdisciplinary artist Ann Carlson; the multi-cultural
quartet Tavche Gravche; the Jingju Theater Company from China; percussionist Valerie Naranjo; and from Ghana, the dance troup Saakumu led by Bernard Woma.
Our season will be brimming with numerous performances presented by our many talented and
energetic students and faculty in dance, music and drama.
The world, mind and spirit come together through art. We look forward to seeing you in the up-coming performance season.
Dr. Lisa Lantz
Division Chair
From the Division of Performing Arts
In the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Doggie Hamlet
By Artist Ann Carlson
Continued on page 2
AU Faculty Luanne Crosby will perform with the Felix Ensemble in Howell Hall on Friday, September 4, at 7:30 p.m. The program includes works for soprano and string ensemble by G.F. Handel, Amy Beach, Andre Previn, Gwyneth Walker, and Leonard Berstein. The ensemble includes Karino Wada, violin; Ritsuko Wada, piano; and Rintaro Wada, cello.
Crosby is Professor of Music at Alfred University and has sung professionally with Cleveland Opera and Aspen Opera and has performed in Bulgaria, Italy and China. She will be the soprano soloist in the Haydn Lord Nelson Mass in Budapest and Vienna in May 2016.
Rintaro Wada is the Artistic/
Executive Director of the Chamber Music Society of Olean. His solo, chamber music, and orchestral performances include Japan, Italy and the US. He earned a Master of Music in performance
and literature from the Eastman School of Music and a Bachelor of Music degree and post-
graduate diploma from Showa College of Music in Japan. Mr.
Wada is cellist
with the Western New York Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra Director of the Olean City School District, and faculty of the Greatbatch School of Music, Houghton College.
Ritsuko Wada holds a Bachelor of Music in piano performance from the Showa College of Music where she was a merit scholarship winner. Mrs.
Wada's extensive piano study included attendance at the Respighi Summer Music Academy in Italy and the Cahl Slue Piano Education Association. She has performed numerous recitals as soloist, chamber musician, and accompanist in
universities and churches. She is pianist with the Allegany Piano Trio, Felix Piano Quartet, Greifen Piano Trio and Wada Piano Quartet. She currently teaches in her private studio and at Jamestown Community College in Olean.
Karino Wada began studying violin and piano at age three. She currently
studies with Lynn Blakeslee, Professor Emerita of Violin at the Eastman School of Music. Karino received eight Young Artists Concert Series awards from the Chamber Music Society of Olean and is a recipient of the Weber Scholarship from the Eastman Community Music School. In 2011, she was selected to perform for a master class with David Kim, concertmaster of the
Philadelphia Orchestra, and in 2013 with the Attacca Quartet of the Julliard School of Music at the Vivace String Camp, Houghton College. She has performed two summers at the NYS Summer School of Music and with the MostArts Festival Orchestra, the AU Orchestra, and the Olean Community Orchestra.
Karino is a high school student in Olean.
The recital is free thanks to funding from the David and Elizabeth Miller Performing Arts Fund.
Luanne Crosby, Soprano With the Felix Ensemble
Ann Carlson and Doggie Hamlet continued from cover page practice. In addition, there will be
weekly workshops open to the public in the Miller Performing Arts Center.
For more information please contact [email protected].
The New York Times said, “Ann Carlson is a conceptual artist who uses gesture, text, and humor to break your heart.” “Carlson’s work mines
towards extraordinary results,” stated Robin Wander of the Stanford News.
This project is made possible by generous support from the following programs within Alfred University:
Miller Endowment for Excellence in the Arts, School of Art and Design, Miller Dance Residency Program, and the Division of Performing Arts;
Performance at the University of California, Los Angeles; Vermont Performance Lab; the New England Foundation for the Arts; National Dance Project, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Andrew W.
Mellon Foundation, with additional support from the National
Endowment for the Arts.
3 On September 26, the Confucius
Institute at Alfred University will bring the Jingju Theater Company of Beijing to Miller Theater to perform a traditional Peking opera Death Do Us Part (Xi·Jiao). The four-act tragic opera is based on episodes from the classic Chinese novel Shui hu zhuan, attributed to Shi Nai'an (c. 1296–
1372) and translated into English as Outlaws of the Marsh or Water Margin.
Painting a vivid picture of the lives of the common people during the Song period in Chinese history, the novel’s 108 bandit heroes are well-known and much-loved by Chinese audiences.
This opera, however, takes the novel step of recasting certain key events of the story from the perspective of a woman, the concubine Yan Xijiao.
This new Peking opera Death Do Us Part was produced after an intensive
year of collaboration between two casts and many creative minds and premiered to a full house at Beijing People’s Art Theater on November 10, 2013. It has been successfully staged more than twenty times at venues including
Beijing People’s Art Theater, National Grand Theater, Chang’an Grand Theater, West Theater, China Pingju Theater, Star Theater, and Haidian Theater.
The performance starts at 7:30 p.m.
and is free.
Chinese Opera Coming to Alfred
On September 26th, at 7:30 pm, the Confucius Institute at Alfred University and the AU Performing Arts Division will host a Chinese music concert to celebrate the traditional Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival (Moon Festival). This Ode to the Moon will be held in Miller Theater and will feature musicians from the Tianhan Traditional Orchestra from China’s Hunan Province, joined by a horse-head fiddle performer from Inner Mongolia Normal University and AU Professor of Voice Luanne Crosby and Daisy Wu. Wu is an master guzheng
(Chinese zither) player. In China, Wu is associate professor of music and principal conductor of the Chinese orchestra at Hunan University of Commerce. She currently teaches at
AU under the auspices of the Confucius Institute.
All are invited to attend this free concert of beautiful Chinese music.
Chinese Orchestra to perform
Ode to the Moon
The Dining Room by A.R. Gurney is an unusual play presented by the AU Division of Performing Arts on an unusual schedule. Opening night is Friday, October 30 with the play running through Monday, November 2. Unusual as well is the start time of 7:30 p.m. for all performances.
The Dining Room as a play is unusual. Instead of a time sequence and consistent plot threads, “The Dining Room” is the central character of the piece. The events,
conversations, and confrontations that take place in the dining room fly off the stage as short vignettes. The order of the scenes is driven by the unity of a single day, beginning in an early
morning and ending in a pleasant and elegant evening. Yet each individual scene is set in a different decade and those are certainly not ordered in real time. Parts of the play are witty, others nostalgic. Some are poignant or elegant. At least one is really raucous—what? In a Dining Room?
In a pastiche of sixteen scenes, involving a total of fifty-eight characters, the play reveals a variety of moments in different times and places. So, pull up a chair and join the diners in this lovely production which tempts all audiences to consider the experiences in the quintessential dining room.
Tatyana Wilds will design scenery, costumes, and lighting. Debra MacCrea, costume shop manager, will oversee the construction of costumes. Zach Hamm, technical director will oversee lighting, sound and the construction of scenery. Jason Dearing, a senior art student, will serve as props manager. Becky Prophet will direct the production.
Reservations are recommended;
tickets are required. Admission is $2 for students, $10 for general
admission, and $5 for senior citizens and non-AU students. Email
[email protected] or call 607-871-2828 for reservations.
Dez Cordas
Guitar and Bass Duo in Concert
Dez Cordas (Ten Strings) is an unusual duo featuring double bassist Craig Butterfield and guitarist Matthew Slotkin. Both musicians are classically trained, yet show their diverse musical roots in pieces by South American composer Astor Piazzolla, jazz pianist Chick Corea, Hungarian composer Bela Bartok, and their own original works. The musical experience of a Dez Cordas concert is a melting pot of the individual musical influences of both Butterfield and Slotkin.
Audiences are treated to unique interpretations of works by composers such as J.S. Bach, as well as a new perspective on contemporary works, such as Piazzolla’s “History of the Tango.” As a chamber duo, Dez Cordas shares melodic material equally, without relegating one member to a permanently
accompanying role. Audiences will hear soaring highs and deep lows
from both instruments, creating an almost orchestral sound from just two instruments.
Recent performances include tours of the northeastern and southeastern U.S., and a performance at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC. Centaur Records released the duo’s first CD, Dances, Songs, Inventions, in early 2010, and Summit Records released Gone Away in July 2011 and Pilgrimage: New Works for Guitar and Double Bass in May 2015. Individually, both Slotkin and Butterfield have appeared in concert in some of the most prestigious venues throughout the world.
This recital is free, thanks to
generous funding from the David and Elizabeth Miller Performing Arts Fund.
First Theatre Production
The Dining Room Is Food for Thought
5 The ensemble Tavche Gravche will be performing in Miller Theater at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 17.
Hailing from New York City's bustling streets, Tavche Gravche merges haunting Macedonian and Mediterranean melodies, both traditional and original, with dynamic improvisational elements, all the while maintaining the explosive dance-able rhythms and energy of Balkan music.
Macedonian-born and Juilliard graduate clarinetist Vasko Dukovski is a concert performer dedicated to breathing new life into the music of his roots. One of the most- sought-after instrumentalist in his generation, Dukovski has collaborated with some of New York’s most respected ensembles including Argento New Music Ensemble, Bang On A Can All Stars, Either/OR Ensemble, Talea Ensemble, Wet Ink, ECCE-East Coast Contemporary Ensemble, Ensemble Pamplemousse, Lost Dog Ensemble, Metropolis Ensemble, Ensemble LPR, and others.
Steeped in both jazz and flamenco, Israeli-born guitarist Dan Nadel provides the fiery textural and harmonic palette for the band's music. A guitarist and composer, Dan Nadel is a busy performer in New York's music scene both as a bandleader and as accompanist to some of its finest talent. Released in 2005, Dan’s debut album, Brooklyn Prayer, is a rich, introspective recording that explores the subtler cultures of New York’s most diverse borough. It received critical acclaim worldwide, and features some of the city’s brightest musical voices.
Jazz bassist Daniel Ori, also from Israel, is the group's founder, and his prominent sound is its foundation. A leading voice in the New York contemporary jazz and world music scene, he has performed worldwide in venues and festivals such as Blue Note, Smalls, Merkin Hall, Highline Ballroom, Red Sea Jazz Festival, Chicago World Music Festival, and Alexandria Jazz Festival. Ori is a scholarship recipient and graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston as well as a winner of the 2009 ASCAP Jazz Composers Award and 2012 ASCAP Plus award. In late 2009, Ori released his debut album, So It Goes, through the Art of Life Record label. His second album, Emuna, was released in 2012 with Blujazz Records.
Performing with Tavche Gravche will be drummer/
percussionist Mathias Kunzli. Swiss-born Kunzli graduated from Berklee College of Music and now is based in NYC. Kunzli has appeared in some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls, arenas, and
festivals including Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Sidney Opera House, Avery Fisher Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Outside Lands Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival, and Monterey Jazz
Festival. National TV appearances include Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Colbert Report, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and Good Morning America. He has collaborated with a multitude of artists including Regina Spektor, Moby, Lauryn Hill, Yo-Yo Ma Silk Road Project, Gary Brown, Randy Brecker, Bob Berg, Marc Ribot, John Zorn’s Electric Masada, and Bobby Watson.
Tavche Gravche pushes the boundaries of this unique blend of cultures, rhythms and colors to become an all- encompassing adventure for the listener. The group has created an impressive itinerary in a short time,
performing at venues such as Caramoor Center for the Arts, City Winery NYC, Drom NYC, the JCC in Manhattan, NY Sephardic Music Festival, and a center stage concert at New York City's annual Balkan Festival.
This exciting event is free, thanks to generous funding from Hillel at Alfred.
World Music Ensemble
Tavche Gravche
We Need You!
Premiere Club 2015
As you can see from looking at this fall’s events, the Division of Performing Arts is dedicated to bringing our audiences a wide range of stimulating, inspired and entertaining events. A significant number of these are made possible largely through the generosity of those who donate to the Premiere Club!
As members of Premiere Club, you will receive up to four season tickets for all Division of Performing Arts productions. Your name will be listed in each of our playbills and programs. You also will continue to receive CenterStage which keeps you informed of upcoming Performing Arts events and newsworthy Division happenings.
Complete and return the membership form below, along with your check. If you prefer to use the convenient option of payroll deductions at AU, contact Human Resources Director Mark Guinan at [email protected] or 871-2909.
To speak to us further about membership or to make reservations for upcoming events, please call 871-2562 or email us at [email protected].
Become partners with us; join or renew your membership in Premiere Club 2015 today!
Membership Form
Category Amount of gift You will receive Benefactor $1,000 + $ Unlimited season tickets Champion $200 - $999 $ 4 season tickets
Sponsor $100 - $199 $ 3 season tickets Supporter $50 - $99 $ 2 season tickets
Friend $25 - $49 $ 1 ticket for fall or spring semester events Please make your contribution payable to the Division of Performing Arts/Alfred University
and mail to:
Premiere Club Division of Performing Arts
Saxon Drive Alfred, N.Y. 14802
Name:
Please print name as you want it to appear in the programs.
Address:
Phone:
E-mail:
Suggestions for the Division:
7
Susquehanna String Band
Concert and Square Dance
The Susquehanna String Band, a group of three educators/musicians dedicated to the promotion and performance of American traditional music will return to perform and teach at AU in late October. Known for their highly entertaining and educational presentations and
workshops, the group is comprised of Rick Bunting, John Kirk and Dan Duggan. Rick Bunting, former chair of Music Education at Crane School of Music and Luanne Crosby’s opera workshop teacher at Fredonia, has long been recognized for his vocal renditions of Scottish airs and ballads.
Complimenting this great vocal tradition, Bunting excels
instrumentally on banjo, lap dulcimer, concertina and flute.
John Kirk is recognized as one of the most versatile and talented
performers of traditional music, playing fiddle, guitar, banjo, mandolin and vocals. His original song “Long Roads” has been performed by the Dixie Chicks. He has recorded with his wife Trish Miller as well as solo albums and collaborations with the Susquehanna String Band and others including The Charlie Daniels Band.
Dan Duggan, nationally touring performer and teacher, is rapidly being acknowledged as one of the finest dulcimer players and composers in the country. As recipient of the prestigious National Hammered Dulcimer Championship, Dan's accomplishment, though based on technical merit, is even more considerable as he is the first winner to have performed all original compositions.
The residency will include lecture/
demonstrations in dance and music classes on Thursday and Friday,
October 22 and 23. On Friday evening at 7 p.m., the Band will provide music and calling for a contra and square dance to benefit the Alfred community library, the Box of Books.
The dance will be held on the second floor in the historic Village Hall.
Basic instruction will be given for the dancing so beginners are very
welcome. All are invited to come to dance or just watch and listen. There will be no admission charge; guests will be encouraged to give a donation for entrance and for the refreshments that will be available.
On Saturday, October 24, at 7:30 p.m., the band will give a concert in Miller Theater, joined by the AU Chamber Singers under the direction of Dr. Luanne Crosby. The concert is free and open to the public, thanks to funding from the Wakefield Fund for Traditional Music, First Year
Experience Program, the David and Elizabeth Miller Performing Arts Fund, the AU Choral Music Department, and the Friends of the Alfred Box of Books.
Division of Performing Arts Non Profit Organization
Alfred University U. S. Postage Paid
Miller Performing Arts Center at Alfred, NY 14802
Saxon Drive Permit No. 5
Alfred, NY 14802
FALL 2015 SE AS ON
