Updates and reflections from Wesleyan's Center for the Arts in Middletown, Connecticut
On Friday, October 27, 2017 at the Crowell Concert Hall, members of Roomful of Teeth led a short workshop on belting that included the technique (what it is and what it’s not) and how to do it healthily. They also led participants in some belting exercises, including supportive feedback and coaching.
Photos by Sandy Aldieri of Perceptions Photography. Click here to view the full album on Flickr.
On Friday, October 27, 2017 at the Crowell Concert Hall, the GRAMMY Award-winning vocal project Roomful of Teeth performed “Dumas’ Riposte” by Toby Twining MA ’06, Caroline Shaw’s “Partita for Eight Voices,” William Brittelle’s “High Done No Why To,” Judd Greenstein’s “Run Away,” Caleb Burhans’ “Beneath,” and Merrill Garbus’ “Quizassa” with the Wesleyan Concert Choir.
The group is dedicated to mining the expressive potential of the human voice. Through study with masters from vocal traditions the world over, the eight-voice ensemble has continually expanded its vocabulary of singing techniques. Since 2009, the group has forged a new repertoire without borders, collaborating with Rinde Eckert, Glenn Kotche, and the Silk Road Ensemble, among other artists.
Photos by Sandy Aldieri of Perceptions Photography. Click here to view the full album on Flickr.
On Sunday, October 15, 2017 at the Spurrier-Snyder Rink, Le Patin Libre made their Connecticut debut with Vertical Influences (2014), a double bill which examines themes of leadership, bullying, individualism, and rivalry with the audience seated on the ice during the second half of the performance, up close as the five skaters perform. The Montréal-based company challenges expectations about ice shows, combining the attitude of street dance with the athleticism of competitive skating, all while exploring the choreographic possibilities of the human body gliding on ice.
Photos by Sandy Aldieri of Perceptions Photography. Click here to view the full album on Flickr.
On Friday, October 13, 2017 at the Crowell Concert Hall, a post-concert conversation with jazz singer Somi, moderated by Visiting Assistant Professor of Performance Studies Katie Brewer Ball took place. Somi is highly regarded as both a scholar and artist. She discussed her work in Performance Studies, her Dreaming Zenzile piece, and The Lagos Music Salon project.
Photos by Sandy Aldieri of Perceptions Photography. Click here to view the full album on Flickr.
On Sunday, October 8, 2017 at the Russell House, Brooklyn’s Ashcan Orchestra, the voice of composer/tinkerer/packrat P. Spadine, a revolving performance ensemble, made their Connecticut debut with a collection of works for handbells, water glasses, musical saw, slide whistle organ, automated carillon, violin, toy piano, harp, percussion, and voice. Interspersed with the ensemble pieces was a set of interludes for solo performer, presented together for the first time. Among the interludes was the world premiere of ‘atlas did not blink, and felt a whole’ for grand harp.
Photos by Sandy Aldieri of Perceptions Photography. Click here to view the full album on Flickr.
On Saturday, September 30, 2017 as part of the 41st annual Navaratri Festival at Wesleyan, Lalgudi G.J.R. Krishnan and his sister Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi performed as a violin duo, blending tradition and innovation, and mesmerize the audience, bringing each raga—a pattern of notes used as a basis for improvisation in Indian music—to life. The siblings share an extraordinary coordination and almost telepathic understanding. The duo was accompanied by Sangita Kalanidhi Trichy Sankaran on mridangam and Shri Tripoonithura Radhakrishnan on ghatam.
Photos by Sandy Aldieri of Perceptions Photography. Click here to view the full album on Flickr.
On Friday, September 29, 2017 as part of the 41st annual Navaratri Festival at Wesleyan, Mallika Sarabhai and three dancers from India’s Darpana Academy of Performing Arts performed Nataraja Vandanam: Love Songs to Shiva, choreographed by Ms. Sarabhai and her mother Mrinalini Sarabhai. In the work, the nayikas (heroines) journey through a wide range of emotions in their joyous, rhythmic celebration of Shiva, one of the principal Hindu deities. Associate Professor of Dance Hari Krishnan engaged in a post-performance discussion with Mallika Sarabhai and the dancers from Darpana.
Photos by Sandy Aldieri of Perceptions Photography. Click here to view the full album on Flickr.
On Thursday, September 28, 2017 as part of the 41st annual Navaratri Festival at Wesleyan, author and mridangam virtuoso Douglas Knight ’70 discussed Balasaraswati: Her Art & Life – one book in three editions, for three audiences. The book has appeared in three different editions: an American edition published by Wesleyan University Press in 2010; an English language edition published in India by Westland Books in 2011; and a Tamil translation published by Cre-A Publishers in May 2017. Each edition was intended for a distinct readership, and elicited different responses. He reflected on how the writing, editing, and publishing of these three editions transformed his understanding of the significance of Bala’s story as it “came home.”
Photos by Sandy Aldieri of Perceptions Photography. Click here to view the full album on Flickr.
On Thursday, September 21, 2017 acclaimed artist addressing issues of inequality, equity, and social justice with beauty and precision, Ping Chong, gave a talk at the Ring Family Performing Arts Hall. Since 1972, Ping Chong has created over 100 works for the stage which have been presented at major festivals and theaters worldwide. His work explores the intersections of race, culture, history, art, and technology in the modern world.
Photos by Sandy Aldieri of Perceptions Photography. Click here to view the full album on Flickr.
On Tuesday, September 19, 2017 the Three in 30 gallery tour brought three Wesleyan faculty members—Professor of History Demetrius L. Eudell, Assistant Professor of Sociology Courtney Patterson-Faye, and Associate Professor of English and American Studies Amy Cynthia Tang—into Zilkha Gallery to discuss a selected work from the Black Pulp! exhibition with Guest Curator William Villalongo for ten minutes each.
Photos by Sandy Aldieri of Perceptions Photography. Click here to view the full album on Flickr.
