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(01/16/09 5:00am)
Wynton Marsalis displayed an aptitude for music even at a young age diligently practicing the trumpet his father had given him.Sunday he will show Chapel Hill he has grown into one of the most illustrious jazz musicians of today boasting a Pulitzer Prize for music and nine Grammy Awards for either jazz or classical recordings.He and the rest of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra will perform to a sold-out Memorial Hall crowd" presented by Carolina Performing Arts.""It's sort of a jazz organization on par with opera companies and major symphony orchestras"" said Jim Ketch, director of jazz studies at UNC. It's nothing like jazz has ever seen.""Marsalis" a Louisiana native" is also known as an educator. He has created a national high school jazz competition known as ""Essentially Ellington"" and compiled hundreds of musical scores for jazz teachers around the country.Kara Larson" director of marketing and public relations at Carolina Performing Arts" said the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra also has a list of high profile players.""It's the kind of force that pulls the best"" she said.Marsalis, though sometimes criticized for not advancing jazz and playing to his contemporary peers, has a sound that Ketch said embodies the stylings he grew up listening to.In the 1960s, about the time Marsalis was born, there was John Coltrane, a jazz musician who Ketch said changed jazz forever.He said after Coltrane's music, few players looked back to early jazz musicians like Duke Ellington and Count Basie. They instead sought new forms of expression — avant-garde and fusion styles.But Marsalis is different.While many players today are technically proficient, Ketch said they do not have the originality of sound that early jazz musicians did.What Wynton is" is kind of a throwback to that" he said. Wynton has one foot in tradition and another foot in innovation.""For Sunday's concert"" Ketch said audiences can expect to hear the musical styles of Thelonious Monk interspersed with children's nursery songs and Marsalis' unique sound.""I don't know if we're going to hear ‘Twinkle" Twinkle Little Star' but it wouldn't surprise me if we did" he said.Accolades aside, Marsalis, today's unappointed front man of jazz, will do what he does best — play how his father showed him to play.This isn't a pickup band. This isn't a great artist who has hired a few side men"" Larson said. This is arguably one of the world's greatest institutions for jazz.""Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
(01/12/09 5:00am)
Joanne Marshall didn't exercise often 12 years ago. But as she watched her mother become ill and less mobile each day" she realized she had to make a life change.Yoga was the change she needed. The School of Information and Library Science professor has been teaching yoga at UNC since 2001.She will be leading a class at noon today in the Ackland Art Museum as part of the semimonthly ""Yoga in the Galleries"" event.""We're the only museum to offer Yoga in the Galleries"" said Nic Brown, director of communications at the Ackland.Yoga in the Galleries is one of several public events that is part of the art museum's efforts to reach out to the community.The Ackland is a primary resource for education"" Brown said. The more experiences we can get outside of the Ackland itself the better.""""Lunch with 1"" is monthly event that brings in an expert to discuss a piece of art or music. ""Art after Dark"" allows attendees to buy drinks from a cash bar while exploring art galleries.Each program strategically takes place in the evening or during lunch when professionals would more likely be able to attend.""We've been trying over the past two years to expand our public programming" Brown said. If you were just to look at a calendar of programs for Ackland just for the spring" it's been exponentially larger.""But while programming has expanded"" the museum has quickly reached its capacity.""We've reached saturation relatively quickly"" Brown said.Brown said the museum hosts smaller events because of the museum's limited space, but is looking to host events elsewhere.For example, Brown said holding a large concert within the Ackland's 25,639 square feet, confined to small galleries, would prove difficult.He said the smaller events such as Yoga in the Galleries help promote public attendance for now.Marshall said the quaint experiences offered by the art museum are important. She also teaches yoga at Ramshead Recreation Center on Tuesday nights, and said the opportunity to do yoga in art gallery was a rare and captivating experience.I think there are people who are coming in that would not have come before"" she said. People seem to be very intrigued by the idea of doing yoga in an art gallery.""Marshall said her style of yoga" which focuses more on reflection" fits nicely with the atmosphere of the Buddha-filled art galleries.""The more important side of yoga to me is this more reflective" centering and calming side" she said. It's just a beautiful place to do this style of yoga.""
(12/03/08 5:00am)
For Carolina Union President Tom Allin" hosting a one-time Ben Folds Five reunion isn't what made 2008 successful.It was finger-painting in the Pit.""We put butcher paper out on the floor of the Pit" he said. People just started showing up and making art together in that early childhood" finger-painting kind of way.""Allin admitted hosting Ben Folds Five was exciting but said 2008 was a success because CUAB was able to unite the UNC community through a diversity of music" film and art.Total attendance at the nearly 200 events in 2008 was 48484.Of all 194 events 76 percent had fewer than 250 students participating. However" it was those tight-knit events that comprised 29 percent of the year's total attendance.""It's a sign of people being comfortable with one another"" Allin said. I feel like the board has done a wonderful job of graphing programs that appeal to a wide variety of students.""A Zumba session in Gerrard Hall"" a speech by ""Dark Knight"" producer Michael Uslan" The Cool Kids' performance — Allin said it all helped fulfill CUAB's goal of connecting students.Allin CUAB's music chairman last year said he previously focused on performances" but came to the realization this semester that programs like pumpkin carving and fortune telling should have his attention.""I feel oftentimes the heart of CUAB lies in the little programs"" he said. ""A lot of the programs that didn't get any press I feel were really some of the best.""CUAB music Chairwoman Adele Ricciardi said 2008 didn't start out as intended because of a lack of diversity in musical acts and program.But things were different in the fall when CUAB hosted experimental groups like Ted Leo next to popular acts like The Avett Brothers and Andrew Bird.""I think we've had a lot more luck with booking"" Ricciardi said. We've also had a clearer focus and clearer goals coming in to this semester.""Ricciardi said the group will still look to improve" as they make a conscious effort to book female performers in 2009 and host international music acts.Music continues to draw CUAB's largest attendance numbers but Allin said he said he hopes people will remember the 2008 events that united the UNC community" rather than simply those with large attendance numbers.""I hope some students leave thinking" ‘That was the year we were finger-painting in the Pit""" Allin said.Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
(11/09/08 5:00am)
Concerns are mounting about the future of the UNC arts community as the national economy continues its downward spiral.""If you talk to anyone who manages a budget they'll tell you that they're worried"" said Emil Kang, UNC's Executive Director for the Arts. I'm included; we're worried.""According to the U.S. Department of Labor" the national unemployment rate has risen by 1.7 percent as 2.8 million jobs were lost in the past year. And in North Carolina the unemployment rate increased from 4.7 percent to 7 percent.With the decrease in jobs comes a decrease in disposable income" from which the arts community thrives.""The arts sector" like most sectors that are not financial markets were always lagging behind" Kang said. We are at the mercy of people's disposable income.""Because of the economy"" ticket sales and University endowment earnings are both expected to decrease though Carolina Performing Arts has yet to see any effects of the failing economy.Kang said the organization has generated $1.45 million this year compared to $1.1 million last year.""Unfortunately the arts are about six months behind"" he said. I think we are going to see a lot of worse news over the next couple of years.""Kang said the current economic state will be a factor in the planning of the organization's budget.""We're not immune to the economic impacts" but fortunately we've generated all or most of our revenue for this year" Kang said.Despite increased revenue for Kang's program, the economy has hurt the national arts community.Once-economically viable Broadway powerhouses like Hairspray"" and ""Legally Blonde"" announced October closing dates.But CPA and other local arts organizations could soon be impacted as UNC is expecting budget cuts as high as 5 percent" resulting in $25 million less than the University is currently receiving.CPA receives two-thirds of its funding from the Office of the Provost and one-third from tickets.Aaron Greenwald director of Duke Performances" said the economic crisis will prove to be a challenge for CPA because of its large size compared to the smaller Duke Performances.""You've got to feed it"" he said. Duke Performances is just an organization that requires less feeding.""Since Duke Performances receives all funding from the university" Greenwald said" they aren't currently worried about economic impacts.""We're playing with house money right now"" he said, adding that when funding runs out in four to five years, concerns for Duke Performances will arise.Greenwald said CPA is taking a risk by hosting more costly acts than Duke Performances, noting Duke's effort to keep tickets affordable.I have no doubt that the university and Emil" who's a phenomenal programmer and administrator will be able to surmount that" he said. But I can imagine that it keeps him up at night.""But Kang said decreasing the number of performances CPA hosts will not necessarily alleviate financial pressures.He said fewer acts brought to Memorial Hall limit earning power.""We can't really just turn off the spigot because it won't just shut off"" Kang said. I don't have a crystal ball. That doesn't mean that we're not going to be prudent and careful in our planning in the future.""Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
(10/31/08 4:00am)
Tom Allin knew since this summer that The Avett Brothers were going to be this year's first Homecoming act.But the trio told the Carolina Union Activities Board president they would only come on one condition: The show had to be students only.Well they got their wish.Now Seth and Scott Avett along with their stand-up bassist Bob Crawford are set to take the Memorial Hall stage Sunday in front of 1432 UNC students. The Homecoming performance is a joint effort between CUAB" the Carolina Athletic Association and Student Congress.""This weekend feels like such a homecoming for us as well"" said Seth Avett, the band's guitarist. We're excited about doing a show for the students.""Allin said The Avett Brothers were chosen as the Homecoming act because of their ability to use their heartfelt"" meaningful songs to connect with audiences.""I've never seen a band give so much in every single concert that they play" Allin said.And Seth Avett said he doesn't expect the energy in this show to be any different from others.He said the band brings the same intensity to an intimate show as they do to a show at the largest venue they've ever played.Each night is different. Every single night has its own personality its own memories its own spontaneity" Seth Avett said. I'm sure this one will be no different.""The Avett Brothers are North Carolina natives" currently residing in Concord.Avett said living in a small town in North Carolina has created a stability that is reflected in the band's music.Their newest album" ""The Second Gleam"" was ranked 10th on the Billboard Top Independent Albums chart in August.Though they've gained national attention, the band has been playing at local venues like Cat's Cradle, The Cave and Local 506 for about eight years.The energy is just so on the forefront and so everywhere" Seth Avett said. As soon as you pull into town" you can just feel the energy.""Adele Ricciardi" CUAB music committee chairwoman" said the band helps contribute to the type of diversity CUAB wants to bring this year.""We at CUAB do music nonstop and we kind of look for artists that are upcoming"" she said.Allin said The Avett Brothers also have a better name recognition than last year's Homecoming act, Augustana.It's kind of a name that you can just say and people can list off a number of their songs" he said. They're a style of music that doesn't come to UNC often" so I was excited when they did.""Seth Avett said the excitement" energy and electricity that a group of college students brings is priceless.And because of this he said" the group is just as excited to come to Chapel Hill as UNC students are to see The Avett Brothers perform.""It's always a pleasure to be there"" Seth Avett said.There's anticipation on both sides.""
(10/14/08 4:00am)
Jim Ketch lectures students" plays jazz with them directs them and performs for them.Today he's just going to have lunch with them.Ketch along with his colleague Stephen Anderson from the UNC Department of Music and several students" will host ""Lunch with One: One Work of Art" One Expert" One Hour"" today at the Ackland Art Museum.It will be free for students after registering for a free membership to the museum.The program"" ""Jazz Takes a Leap: The Breakthrough Year of 1958"" is presented in conjunction with the museum's Circa 1958 exhibition, which explores art that emerged around the time of the museum's opening.Ketch said it was a period where jazz artists were looking for new avenues of expression.It's an interesting time in which there's sort of a culmination of two decades of really technical and virtuous advance of the music"" he said. It's kind of the advent of a whole new age of musical exploration.""Artists" who had previously played music based on set forms were looking for a more relaxed method of making music in the early 1960s" allowing them to improvise with greater flexibility.""If you think about the turbulent time of the 1960s" there was just a need to create different approaches to musical expression" Ketch said.Ketch and an ensemble will perform pieces that display this monumental shift from set form to free expression, using John Coltrane's fast-moving chords and Miles Davis' slow, cool music as examples.The lecture also will delve into the avant-garde movement, discussing the introduction of jazz without any rules or scales, and listening to the music of Ornette Coleman.The mobile jazz and the free jazz allowed us to realize that we could also draw from emotional expressive pallets rather than just harmonic" melodic and rhythmic palettes that had been previously used" Ketch said.Nic Brown, director of communications at the Ackland, said he was unsure about how many students would attend the lunch, as Fall Break officially starts a few hours later.Hopefully not everybody will have left for Fall Break yet"" Brown said.Despite the uncertainty of student attendance, the museum plans on hosting the lunch, using it to fulfil its duty of relating visual art to the entire campus.‘Lunch with One' is a way for us to bring people into the museum to have a connection in the museum other than just looking at art by yourself"" Brown said. It's important for us to incorporate the visual arts into the life of the whole University.""By getting the music department involved in the Circa 1958 series"" Brown said students are given a chance to explore more than just visual art at the Ackland.""It's a great chance to eat lunch in an art museum and hear from some of the best experts anywhere"" Brown said.ATTEND THE LUNCHTime: 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. todayLocation: Ackland Art MuseumInfo: www.ackland.orgContact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.