Pianist to bring Nordic sound
The Haines Arts Council is rolling out the Steinway for Canadian pianist Derek Yaple-Schobert, whose classical melodies will fill the Chilkat Center starting 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24.
Council president Tom Heywood said in addition to Yaple-Schobert’s technical proficiency – Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Liszt and Prokofiev pieces comprise his programs – the award-winning pianist also shares information on the individual pieces.
“I particularly like having the educational component to it, talking about the history of the piece and the composer’s intent,” Heywood said.
Yaple-Schobert also specializes in “rarely heard, yet captivating” Nordic music.
According to his website, Yaple-Schobert “often leaves his audiences with a refreshing feeling of discovery, as he takes them through the breathtaking musical landscapes of the Norwegian Edvard Grieg, the individualistic music of the Dane Carl Nielsen or the stirring drama of the Swede Wilhelm Stenhammar.”
In addition to the Chilkat Center’s superb acoustics, the Steinway piano is also a big draw for classical pianists, Heywood said.
“(Yaple-Schobert) is part of our goal of putting on diverse shows. There is certainly a contingency in Haines that appreciates classical music. We’re hoping to appeal to those people, as well as everyone else,” Heywood said.
Yaple-Schobert will also be performing in Skagway and Petersburg during his tour.
Tickets are $15 and are available at the Babbling Book.
__________________________________________________________
Wild and scenic films feature ‘smarter’ fare: Festival on tap for Nov. 14
“The Wild and Scenic Film Festival” comes to Harriett Hall at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14.
The festival includes screenings of 10 short films, focused mainly on environmentalism, adventure and activism. It is the 12th year the South Yuba River Citizens League has put together the nationwide festival, which includes more than 80 films.
Southeast Alaska State Fair director Jessica Edwards and Takshanuk Watershed Council food security coordinator Meredith Pochardt spent hours reviewing the films they could choose from before whittling it down to 10 they thought would appeal to people here.
“There’s sort of a background theme of overcoming adversity in this set. I don’t think we were intending to do that, but that’s kind of what came out,” Edwards said.
Edwards said her favorite film in the group is “How the Kids Saved the Parks,” which tells the story of school children in California who work to forestall closure of several parks.
Another standout film is “The Gimp Monkeys,” about three men (each missing a limb) who take on the first all-disabled ascent of Yosemite’s El Capitan. Waterfall kayaking is spotlighted in the six-minute “Huck,” while the animated “Song of the Spindle” depicts a man and a sperm whale having a conversation about who is more intelligent.
“They’re a little bit smarter this year,” Edwards said of the films. “They’re a little bit more serious; a little less of the just adventure for adventure’s sake, which I appreciate,” she said.
The evening will also include a silent auction and raffle to benefit the watershed council. The first-place raffle winner will take home a pair of cross-country skis, boots, bindings and poles from Alaska Backcountry Outfitter, and the second-place winner will get a cord of wood, split and delivered, from the Stump Company.
Raffle tickets are $10 and are available at the bank and Takshanuk’s office above the Rusty Compass Coffeehouse.
Tickets for the film festival, which will include dinner, are $15 in advance and $18 at the door. They are available at the Babbling Book and the fair office.
__________________________________________________________
Spotlight series seeking artists
Local artists interested in showcasing their work in a professional exhibit should submit an application to the Sheldon Museum for its Six Week Spotlight Series.
The series is open to all Chilkat Valley residents who have not had an exhibit at the museum in the past four years. Applications are due by Jan. 3.
Andrea Nelson, a temporary aide at the museum who is organizing the application process, said showcasing work in the museum’s Elisabeth S. Hakkinen Gallery not only gives artists the opportunity to promote themselves, but teaches about the intricacies of putting together an exhibit.
“A big part of it as an artist is you learn to think about creating enough work, and work that is comprehensive to show. It’s not just random, but makes sense as a group,” Nelson said.
Nelson, along with local artist Amelia Nash, put on an exhibit called “Curious/Vicarious” in spring 2010. Nelson said artists also learn the technicalities of pricing, labeling, transporting, installing and hanging their work.
Applicants must submit 10 to 20 digital images of previous work, a written statement describing the artist’s vision for the exhibit, and several other documents.
A neutral, outside party will review applications and accepted exhibitions will be announced Jan. 31.
For more information, call 766-2366.
_________________________________________________________
Maestro’s videoconference
Haines residents interested in classical music can sit in on the “Lunch and Learn with the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra” presentation at the library starting at noon on Nov. 15.
Maestro Randy Fleischer will discuss via videoconference the Anchorage Symphony’s “Landscapes,” a concert set for Nov. 16 in Anchorage.
Jessie Morgan, the library’s education and cultural coordinator, said she is hoping people will bring their lunches and enjoy the Online with Libraries (OWL) technology that enables the videoconference.
“We just want them to come and hear from a presenter from another library and see how cool it is that we can connect with them,” Morgan said.
Fleischer will discuss individual pieces of the “Landscapes” performance, including Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 6,” Vaughan Williams’ “Suite for Viola and Orchestra,” and Chris and Dave Brubeck’s “Ansel Adams: America.”