Visual and Performing Arts News

Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra Fall Chamber Recital

Published November 18, 2014

KSO to Present a Free Fall Musical Recital Thursday

The Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra will present a free fall music recital on Thursday, Nov. 20, at 7 p.m. at Portage Lake United Church (PLUC). This recital’s theme, “Night at the Movies,” invites beautiful and compelling vocal and instrumental music, including performances of opera arias and art songs, a woodwind quartet, a string quartet and a premiere of a new composition.

Though tickets are free of charge, a $5 donation toward the KSO and PLUC will be accepted at the door. A reception will follow the performance.

From Tech Today.

VPA in Michigan Tech News

Published November 15, 2014

By College of Engineering

Michigan Tech News

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New Faculty Member Lisa Johnson

Published November 3, 2014

By College of Engineering

Lisa Johnson, MFA
Lisa Johnson joins the Department of Visual and Performing Arts from the Iowa Lakeside Laboratory.

Johnson received an MFA and an MA with a focus in sculpture from the University of Iowa.

Johnson has been involved in projects like Place-Map-Place, Trench(era), The Eva Luna Project and Kotcich. She also has experience with digital, audio and video production; performance development; woodworking; figure modeling; plaster casting and mold making; and papermaking.

Joel Neves Places Third for The American Prize

Published October 28, 2014

By College of Engineering

Joel Neves, assistant professor in the Department of Visual and Performing Arts, was awarded 3rd place in The American Prize in Conducting – College/University Orchestra Division. The submission included videos of him conducting the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra in Brahms, Debussy, Rimsky-Korsakov, and Shostakovich.

The American Prize is an annual national music competition for American musicians and musical organizations, ranging from opera companies to choirs to bands to composers to conductors. Joel’s division includes conductors of college and college-community orchestras.

KSO director wins award

Winning this prize is merely a side effect of all the passion Neves puts into his work. “I love music, it’s in my DNA and I love people. Being able to work with people to make music is a glorious calling. I go home happy,” said Neves. He has been conducting for 13 years now and has taken KSO to many new places during his career at MTU.

Merit Response for Baby with the Bathwater Production

Published October 24, 2014

By College of Engineering

“Baby with the Bathwater,” a Michigan Tech Theatre Company production, received its Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival response last week. The respondent is awarding the following:

Certificate of Merit in Lighting Design—Jason Scott
Certificate of Merit in Sound Design—Steve Green
Certificate of Merit in Music Composition—Ben Holtz
Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Nominations—Dollcie Webb and Scott Murphy

Additionally, the respondent nominated scene I-2 with Helen, John and Nanny to be considered for the Region III festival. (“Rose and the Rime,” which was presented by the Department of Visual and Performing Arts last February, is also under consideration.) Results will be announced after the first weekend in December.

The respondent also noted the strength of the production in technical direction (Josh Maiville) and in the system sound design (Jason Pew). The stage managers were recognized in the response.

“Baby with the Bathwater” is directed by Associate Professor Patricia Helsel, with set and costume design by Professor M. C. Friedrich (VPA).

The show plays today and tomorrow and contains adult language and situations.

From Tech Today.

KSO Fantasies and Fairy Tales on Thursday

Published October 15, 2014

By College of Engineering

Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra Fall Recital Series
Fantasies and Fairy Tales
Thursday, October 16, 2014, 7:00 pm
Portage Lake United Church

“The Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra presents a free Fall Music Recital. This recital’s theme—Fantasies and Fairy Tales—invites beautiful and compelling vocal and instrumental music, including performances of Canadian fiddle, opera arias and art songs, woodwind quartet, string quartet, piano solo, and flute solo.

There is no ticket price for the recital, but a $5 donation toward the KSO and PLUC is accepted at the door. There will be a nice reception after the performance.”

Performing with Wayne Newton

Published September 23, 2014

By College of Engineering

Mike Christianson (director of bands, trombone), Libby Meyer (VPA music composition, viola) and Mike Irish (director of jazz studies, guitar) were hired as members of the Wayne Newton Orchestra and performed with Wayne at the Lake of the Torches Resort in Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin this past weekend. The show consisted of an 18-piece orchestra, 4 backup singers and Newton.

From Tech Today.

Meyer and Plummer Host Suzuki Performance

Published September 22, 2014

By College of Engineering

Two VPA Instructors to Perform at PLDL Tomorrow

Visual and Performing Arts instructors Libby Meyer and Amanda Plummer will host a Suzuki stringed-instrument performance, “Big Violins for Little People,” Tuesday, September 23, 2014, at the Portage Lake District Library, from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m.

Children will enjoy an hour of music-making, dancing and learning about what makes these instruments so much fun to play. Children of all ages are encouraged to attend. After the performance, participants will also have an opportunity to try out the instruments as part of a big violins “petting zoo.”

Library presentations are free, and everyone is welcome to attend. For more information, call the library at 482-4570 or visit Portage Lake District Library.

From Tech Today.

Auditions for Alternate Realities

Published September 16, 2014

By College of Engineering

Auditions for Alternate Realities

Sunday, 21 September, Monday 22nd, Tuesday 23rd 7:30pm Callbacks .
McArdle Theatre
Rehearsal begin 28 September

An ensemble, demonstrating a variety of abilities, of 12 or more men and women will be cast for this set of zany and serious plays. Actors will likely move some scenic units Plays are listed below.

Wear comfortable clothes for dashing about jumping using the floor, in some fast paced plays.

Be prompt, arrive fifteen minute early to complete audition information and scheduling information.

Auditions for Alternate Realities

Film Festival Celebrates 10 Years with a New Name, Big Lineup

Published August 29, 2014

By College of Engineering

The 41 North Film Festival (formerly Northern Lights Film Festival) celebrates its 10th anniversary with a name change and an outstanding slate of recent award-winning films and special guests. It will be held Oct. 23-26 in the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts.

Kicking off the festival this year will be director Mark Levinson and his documentary “Particle Fever,” which follows six scientists involved in the launch of the Large Hadron Collider—the biggest and most expensive experiment in the history of the planet. The film provides an unprecedented window into this major scientific breakthrough as it happened. Edited by Academy Award–winner Walter Murch, the film celebrates human discovery and raises important questions about the limits of human knowledge.

For more, see the article on the Department of Humanities website.

From Tech Today.

The event is sponsored by the Humanities Department, the Visual and Performing Arts Department, the Office of Institutional Equity, and the College of Sciences and Arts. It is free and open to the community.