Visual and Performing Arts News

Category: Announcements

Michigan Tech Music Presents Old World, New World Concert with Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra on April 22

Published
By

Michigan Tech Music will present Old World, New World, performed by the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra (KSO) at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 22, 2023, at the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts. This concert will also stream live for faraway KSO and Michigan Tech Music lovers.

The finale for the orchestra’s 2022/2023 “Season of Premieres,” Old World, New World features the world premiere of Kalaupapa, Music Director Joel Neves’ own work for orchestra. The deeply personal and moving composition is dedicated to Neves’ Native Hawaiian ‘ohana from the “old world” and features Hawaiian sounds including the charm of a ukulele and the call of conch shells.

“My Hawaiian ‘ohana contracted leprosy and were quarantined for life in the government-sanctioned Kalaupapa leper colony on Molokai. Their lives were pain-filled but joyous,” says Neves. ” I wrote a symphonic tone poem that depicts their pain and joy in equal measure, with the joy winning out in the end. Kalaupapa is a kaleidoscopic work for symphony orchestra, ukulele, guitar, and conch shells that paints the lives of my beautiful ancestors. Having recently exited a quarantined existence, I think our patrons will find Kalaupapa to be a compelling, close-to-home experience.”

The concert also explores the “new world” experienced by Czech composer, Antonin Dvorak, when he first visited America, resulting in his nostalgically beautiful New World Symphony. The concert features another piece by Dvorak, Carnival Overture, and Ballet music from Charles Gounod’s Faust.

Under the direction of conductor Joel Neves, the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra is comprised of talented musicians from Michigan Tech and the surrounding community. The orchestra has established itself as a cultural asset to the region, presenting high-quality classical and contemporary music performances throughout the year.

“Our concert theme is Old World, New World, represented by “old” Hawaii and “new” America. Dvorak’s New World Symphony–inspired by his travels to America–is one of the most popular symphonies in the world, a tour-de-force for symphony orchestra that includes the famous “Goin’ Home” theme in the second movement,” Neves says. “It’s an exciting concert program that will take the audience on a thrilling symphonic adventure.”

Tickets for the public are available online, by calling 906-487-1906, or the Rozsa Box Office from 11-1 p.m. Monday through Friday or for 1 hour before shows. Michigan Tech Students can reserve free Experience Tech tickets online, and Student Rush will be available at the door. Prices range from $5 for youth under 18 to $19 for adults.

For more information about Michigan Tech Music and the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra, visit www.mtu.edu/vpa/music.

Continue Reading →

Color and Context collaboration with Professor of Art Anne Beffel

Published
By

The Seashore Psychology Training Clinic at the University of Iowa is pleased to announce that they will be continuing collaboration with Professor of Art Anne Beffel on an art installation entitled Color and Context. This extension of Beffel’s Color of Kindness project, currently exhibited in the Seashore Clinic, will engage graduate students as well as clinical faculty and staff.

Participants will be invited to recall a moment in which kindness, or its absence, was important to them and to describe colors present within their memory. In the updated project, Beffel will collect only the name of the color and its brief description through online survey. As Beffel creates a painting for each person’s named color, she will integrate its complement, located 180 degrees opposite on the Newtonian color wheel. The introduction of the complementary color is intended to embody both contrast and connection. Beffel notes, “Gullickson, and former training director Michael O’Hara, have been excellent collaborators and art stewards, extending themselves in countless ways. I’m particularly grateful for the opportunity to directly engage the clinic faculty, staff and students in articulating the colors that matter to them as we reflect upon the dynamic and evolving culture surrounding color in America.”

“We are thrilled at our continuing collaboration with Anne Beffel,” writes Seashore Clinic director Gregory Gullickson. “Anne has really brought such color and life to our clinic, and having students and staff inspire more of her work will add immeasurably to the beauty and healing spirit of our clinic space.”

Installation of Color and Context is planned for summer 2023 with support from Beffel’s academic department of Visual and Performing Arts at Michigan Technological University.

Continue Reading →

Michigan Tech Choirs to perform benefit concert, “Music for a Sacred Space” in Lake Linden Houghton, MI

Published
By

The choirs of Michigan Tech will combine to perform a concert entitled “Music for a Sacred Space” to benefit the local chapter of St. Vincent de Paul. The concert will be held on February 26, 2023 at 7:30pm at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Lake Linden, MI. The concert is open to the public. A free-will offering opportunity in support of St. Vincent de Paul will be available at the door. Learn more at bit.ly/sacredspace2023.

The concert will feature performances by the Michigan Tech Concert Choir and conScience: Michigan Tech Chamber Singers. Music to be performed will include the premiere performance of My Prayer, by David Brown. Other selections include a setting of Lux Aeterna based on the Nimrod variation from
Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations, Samuel Barber’s Agnus Dei, Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Lord, Thou Hast Been Our Refuge, Sarah Rimkus’ Shall we Gather at the River, and Undine Moore’s Walk Through the Streets of the City.

“St. Joseph’s is one of the gems of the Copper Country and is a wonderful place for choral singing,” says Dr. Jared Anderson, director of both choirs. “This is the first time that the choirs have been able to sing in the space for a live audience since the pandemic. This concert has become a great tradition in the community and we have been able to raise important funds for an organization that is active in providing resources for so many individuals and families in need in our area.” Individuals interested in hearing choral music in St. Joseph’s are encouraged to view the 2021 project, Music in Sacred Spaces at mtu.edu/vpa/music/sacred-spaces/.

Accessibility note: The elevator at St. Joseph’s church is currently not operating. There are three steps to go into the church after entering from the external doors. We apologize for the inconvenience and are happy to provide assistance navigating the steps as needed.

Continue Reading →

Career Week for Michigan Tech’s Visual and Performing Arts Students

Published
By

For most students at Tech, Career Week means ”Lights! Camera! Action!” To prepare, students need to research the roles they are interviewing for and the companies they will be interviewing with. They rehearse responses to typical interview questions and dress appropriately for the interview. The typical Career Fair experience for Visual Performing Arts (VPA) department students is no different.

Just as the giants of the automotive, chemical, consumer products, and other industries converge on Houghton to hire outstanding engineers, so do the major players in arts and entertainment.  They are looking to hire full-time employees and this summer’s interns. It all kicks off this week with virtual presentations from half-a-dozen companies. Each will present what makes them unique, why students should work for them, and which jobs they are hiring for. Most presentations are led by Tech alums, which gives students a unique insight into how to be more successful when competing for jobs at their company. 

VPA Students Have Skills and Potential

“Students from Michigan Tech not only engage in areas of study that are applicable to our industry, but more importantly they have the potential and capacity to expand their knowledge and learn what is required to contribute to the services we offer based on that core education. We are a niche company providing a unique set of services, and it is more important to have the ability to learn new skills quickly and easily than to already know a particular skill,” said Jason Pontius of Smart Monkeys. Smart Monkeys build some of the most technologically advanced entertainment systems in the world for clients including Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Gardens, and Universal Studios Orlando.

“Tech students are grounded in physical sciences and math, and those are quite important for the work that we do (design consulting for performing arts facilities). We need young candidates who have exposure to a wide variety of entertainment practices, and one of the strengths of Tech’s VPA programs is that it doesn’t pigeonhole students in the way that a lot of programs do. As a result, they are ready to consider things outside of one track of experience, and that’s a valuable skill for design consultants in my world to have,” Josh Loar, Senior Consultant (AV) of Charcoalblue LLC., a consulting firm working on everything from concert halls to theme parks. 

Recruiting Companies at Michigan Tech During Career Week

This week’s visitors and their presentations include:

Lighthouse Productions, located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, is a full-service production company offering sound, lighting, roof systems, staging, and related services to clients across the Midwest. They are hiring for their 2023 Production Training Internship Program which runs from Late May through August.

Feb. 14, 12:15 pm Walker 210 and Google Meet 

Sante Fe Opera, located in New Mexico, offers a top-notch production environment with artisans of all stripes.

Feb. 14 @ 2:25 pm Walker 210 and Zoom

McKay Conant Hover is an acoustical and AV consulting firm designing concert halls, educational facilities, theatres, and more. Join their live session to learn more about consulting as a career.

Feb. 15 @ 2 pm Walker 212 and Zoom

Charcoalblue is a consulting firm working on everything from concert halls to theme parks for clients across the globe. Theatre, acoustic, project management, and digital design runs in their blood.

Feb. 17 @ 4 pm Walker 210 and Microsoft Teams

8th Day Sound, located in Cleveland, OH, is one of the largest live concert tour companies in the world. They are looking for team-oriented professionals who are passionate about sound and seeking to begin their careers in touring audio. They offer a 12-week paid internship and hires have worked on tours for Kendrick Lamar, MonstaX, and Stray Kidz to name a few.

Feb. 20 @ 1 pm, Walker 210 and Zoom

Smart Monkeys build some of the most technologically advanced entertainment systems in the world for clients including Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Gardens, Universal Studios Orlando, the Smithsonian, and the Big-O experience in South Korea. 

Feb. 20 @ 5 pm Walker 210 & Zoom

Contact Christopher Plummer For More information

Need more information, please contact Christopher Plummer, Distinguished Professor, Visual and Performing Arts at cplummer@mtu.edu or 906-487-3282

Continue Reading →

Songs for the Moon — Friday, December 9

Published
By

Join the Michigan Tech Choirs for a concert that celebrates the beauty of moonlight and wintertime, Songs for the Moon. The concert, presented by Michigan Tech Music will include performances by the Michigan Tech Concert Choir and conScience: Michigan Tech Chamber Singers.

Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts
Friday, December 9 at 7:30pm

Get your tickets online, at 906-487-1906 or at the Rozsa Box Office from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Continue Reading →

TUBACHRISTMAS — Sunday, December 11

Published
By

This annual December event occurs around the world in honor of the first truly great tuba virtuoso, William “Bill” Bell, who was born on Christmas Day. Tubists gather yearly in mass numbers around the globe to play songs of the season in performances free to the public. TUBACHRISTMAS concerts are presented with permission from the Harvey Phillips Foundation.

TUBACHRISTMAS — Sunday, December 11 at 7pm
Rozsa Lobby
Presented in collaboration with Michigan Tech Music

There are no tickets for this free event, and all are welcome to join the fun!

Continue Reading →

Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2, Saturday, December 10

Published
By

The Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra performs an eclectic array of British symphonic music, Black Sabbath metal arranged by KSO Director Joel Neves, and the world premiere of a piece by Jazz Professor Emeritus Mike Irish. Featuring Adam Meckler on trumpet and flugelhorn. Headlined by history’s most romantic piano concerto: Rachmaninoff’s Second with Lindsay Garritson as soloist.

Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 — Saturday, December 10 at 7:30pm
Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts
Presented by Michigan Tech Music
Performed by the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra

Get your tickets online, at 906-487-1906 or at the Rozsa Box Office from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Continue Reading →

‘Thick as Thieves’ Student Artist Reception Tonight!

Published
By

Join Michigan Tech Art tonight (Dec. 2) in the Rozsa Art Galleries from 5-7 p.m. for a student artist reception for “Thick as Thieves.” This end-of-semester showcase features works of art by students in sculpture and design classes. The showcase features the artwork of students from diverse majors including mechanical engineering, applied ecology, biomedical engineering, theatre entertainment and technology, cybersecurity and physics!

Featured artists include:

Gibryn Arney | Lily Atton-Doornbos | Mykaela Cayemberg | Jack Colwell | Nikki Donley | Tara Estrada | Ferran Delgado Garcia | Faith D. Gaertner | Abby Jurewicz | Cas Mankowski | John Mazur | Riley Nelson | Seth M. Olson | Audrey Schulte | Casey Smith | Josie M. Stalmack | Madalyn R. Tudor-Duncan | Frida A. Visser

The event is coordinated by Rozsa Art Gallery Director Terry Frew and Associate Chair of the Department of Visual and Performing Arts Lisa Gordillo.

What to Expect:

Enjoy refreshments. Meet the student artists in a relaxed environment. See fantastic, student-made art.

Details:

Who: The studio talk is free and open to the public, faculty, staff and students.
When: Friday, Dec. 2, from 5-7 p.m.
Where: Rozsa Art Galleries (located on the lower level of the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts)
Can’t make it tonight? Come see the exhibit today (Dec. 2) through Tuesday (Dec. 6) in the Rozsa Art Galleries.

Continue Reading →

Concert: ‘Hygge – Music of Scandinavian Composers’

Published
By

After your wood-stacking and sauna, please join the Superior Wind Symphony under the baton of Mike Christianson, director of bands at Michigan Tech, for an evening of music from the most upper of peninsula: Scandinavia! Rest in warm assurance that the composers will be Scandinavian, and at least some of the music will represent events/feelings that happen in winter.

The lineup for “Hygge – Music of Scandinavian Composers” will include a sneak peek into the Michigan Tech Theatre’s spring musical — “Chess,” written by two members of the Swedish supergroup ABBA — and pieces by Finnish, Danish and Norwegian composers. Christianson also snuck in a cozy holiday song or two to fill out that hygge feeling!

The Superior Wind Symphony is an auditioned ensemble of winds and percussion that performs the music of composers spanning five centuries, living and not, from all genders, ethnicities and genres. Members come from disciplines across campus, with this concert’s performers representing the College of Engineering, College of Sciences and Arts, and College of Computing.

Get Tickets
Get tickets online, by calling 906-487-1906, at the Rozsa Box Office from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday, or for one hour before shows in the McArdle Box Office. Michigan Tech students can reserve free Experience Tech tickets online and Student Rush will be available at the door.

Details:

What: “Hygge – Music of Scandinavian Composers” performed by the Superior Wind Symphony
When: Saturday, Dec. 3, at 7:30 p.m.
Where: McArdle Theatre (located on the second floor of the Walker Arts and Humanities Center)
Cost: $15 Adults | $5 Youth Under 18 | Free Student Rush

Continue Reading →

See ‘A Christmas Carol’ This Weekend at the Rozsa

Published
By

After a heartwarming opening night, you have three more chances to see “A Christmas Carol,” written by Charles Dickens, adapted to the stage by Romulus Linney and presented by Michigan Tech Theatre this weekend.

The beloved holiday classic, directed by Trish Helsel, boasts a Tech Theatre Company cast of nearly 40 local youth, Keweenaw community members, and Michigan Tech faculty, staff and students. “A Christmas Carol” will lift holiday spirits at the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts at 7:30 p.m. tonight (Dec. 2) and tomorrow (Dec. 3), with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday (Dec. 4).

From the first “Bah, Humbug!” to the final, “God bless us, everyone,” this performance will delight audiences of all ages as they join Ebenezer Scrooge on his journey of transformation and redemption.

“The Charles Dickens classic has long been a Christmas favorite; the story is much more universal in its message,” says Helsel, professor of theatre at Michigan Tech. “I chose this stage adaptation because it does not paint Ebenezer Scrooge as a villain, but rather someone broken by a series of devastating life events. Our production focuses on Scrooge’s ability to accept his past and embrace the present.”

The strength of the Keweenaw community, its overwhelming artistic talent and phenomenal young people were at the forefront of Helsel’s mind as she chose this year’s holiday show. “The show was chosen as a community-centered production with a cast of Michigan Tech students, faculty and community members,” says Helsel. “It has been a pleasure to work with this lot of youngsters, who range in age from 4 to 17 years. It is exciting to be a part of their induction into a professional theatre setting. Children are such fast learners! They have picked up the British dialects with ease, and they memorize quickly. Most importantly, they bring a sense of joy to the process.”

Get Tickets
Get tickets online, by calling 906-487-1906, at the Rozsa Box Office from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday, or for one hour before shows. Michigan Tech students can reserve free Experience Tech tickets online, and Student Rush will be available at the door.

Details:

What: “A Christmas Carol,” written by Charles Dickens, adapted to the stage by Romulus Linney
When: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2 and 3, and 2 p.m. Dec. 4
Where: Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts
Cost: $20 Adults | $5 Youth Under 18 | Free Student Rush

Continue Reading →