A friend in Lehigh's Communications Office asked me for the top three arts stories of 2014. Three.
Three? That's like asking me which of my children I like best. But I complied - kind of.
Instead of answering his email directly, I picked the top three stories in categories that are how I think about the arts when I look around campus: guest artists, news, student production, faculty research and campus arts integration. Arts news in Bethlehem, Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania or the nation... Maybe I'll write those. Maybe.
I posted a shorter version on the Arts@Lehigh wordpress blog. For this post, I added a little more commentary. I love what I do, and I do what I love.
Guest Artists:
3. Smokey Robinson at the 2014 Zoellner Arts Center Gala. Mr. Robinson was generous, and in great voice. I only wish he would have taken me up on bringing a bassoon on stage for Tears of a Clown. I was ready. [smiley face emoticon]
2. Nas and Angela Davis for the MLK keynote. Yeah, that was kinda huge, even if they weren't "Zoellner" guest artists in the sense that they were on the season. Thanks to Dr. James Peterson for bringing him to Lehigh. There's nothing like celebrity status to start social justice discussions. Behind the scenes, witnessing Nas get nervous about meeting his idol Angela Davis was a very special moment.
1. Darlene Love - Zoellner's Artistic Director Deborah Sacarakis really nailed the timing of Darlene Love's show in Bethlehem the day after her final Late Night with David Letterman performance. Deb saw her perform live two years ago at 54 Below in New York City; before 20 Feet from Stardom, before her induction into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. She booked her then. Yes, that's how far in advance Deb works. Heck, after 40 years at Lehigh, Ms. Sacarakis knows a thing or two about booking shows. Ms. Love's first song of the show was, Hark the Herald Angels Sing. The line, "...with angelic hosts proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem," the crowd went nuts. She even said, "singing in Bethlehem at Christmas is just unreal."
Top three News Stories:
3. Zoellner Administrative Director Andy Cassano led the PA Presenters conference in May 2014. We are fortunate to have a visionary leader not only for our campus arts center, but for Pennsylvania.
2. Deborah Sacarakis was honored by the Lehigh Valley Dance Consortium with the Distinguished Service Award. (April 6, 2014) See? Even arts consortium's know how amazing she is.
1. Andy responds to Bethlehem City Council/Mayor proposal to raise the Amusement Tax in an op-ed piece to the Morning Call. This is an important issue for our community. We understand the importance of finding revenue to pay for the things that make our city great. We also understand that this speaks of the value of the arts in our community. Personally, I hope to see an increase of visible support from our city's leaders by merely attending more arts events by the organizations and artists affected by this tax. Dear reader, think about the last time you saw a member of city council or the Mayor at a ticketed arts event. Just saying.
Student Production
3. Mustard & Cheese Reefer Madness. The writer, Dan Studney came to the show on Dec 6th !
2. Marching 97 at Yankee Stadium (they were the stars of the Rivalry 150, IMHO)
1. Lisa Glover - Kit Rex
Faculty Research (these items picked with performance dates in mind)
3. Erica Hoelsher - Costumes and mask design for the Idiopathic Ridiculopathy Consortium's production of Eugéne Ionesco's Rhinoceros
2. Bill Warfield's CD Release Party at Iridium
1. Steven Sametz with LU Choral Arts at Carnegie Hall
Campus Arts Integration
3. Increasing community school outreach. McKinley Elementary School second graders tour the campus after lunch in Rathbone Dining Hall and seeing Lightwire Theater at Zoellner. That campus engagement led to a week long residency in July with local artist, Doug Royston. In October, the entire Broughal Middle School saw Cirque Alfonse. The PBS39 story on Broughal attending Cirque Alfonse starts at 6:30:
Both of these opportunities were the results of campus support; financial support from College of Education and College of Arts & Sciences, staff volunteer campus tour guides, and generous expertise from local artist, Doug Royston.
2. TIE Mercy Killers & Shostakovich 7th. Mercy Killers is a heart wrenching look at the consequences of America's health care system. The one-man play was written and performed by Michael Milligan. Experts from Lehigh faculty and administration were on hand to provide reflection and discussion after each show. Story by student Madison Gouveia in Lehigh's Brown and White.
The Lehigh University Philharmonic took an extensive semester long study of Dmitri Shostakovich's Symphony No. 7 which was written during the 1943-1944 siege of Leningrad. The members of the orchestra read an historic fictional novel based on events of the composer's and others involved in the premier performance, as well as describing the harrowing conditions the people of Leningrad endured. Professor Mary Nicholas of Lehigh's Russian Language and Literature also presented a cultural perspective on what the history of the siege continues to mean to Russians today.
1. Hammerschlag Design series. Envisioned by two faculty, Anthony Viscardi and Nick Nikolov, these experience fully embraced the creative potential of the Mountaintop Learning Environment.
1. Steven Sametz with LU Choral Arts at Carnegie Hall (I'm sure you've got enough on that)
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