Now!PavilionOctober&November 2013

Page 1

GREEN DAY’S AMERICAN IDIOTTAKING THE PAVILION BALLROOM WITH A TWIST STEPS IN AFTER 67 MILLION YEARS SUE IS BACK IN SOUTH DAKOTA!

www.washingtonpavilion.org

TONIC SOL-FA & SHAUN JOHNSON TAKE THE STAGE SOUTH DAKOTA SYMPHONY CELEBRATES TEN SEASONS MARK MORRIS DANCE GROUP TOP NOTCH MODERN DANCE Vol. 3 Issue 2




CONTRIBUTORS Sara H. Crosby received her B.F.A. in Theatre Arts from Stephens College and her M.S.W. from Loyola University of Chicago. She is co-founder of DAPA and lead facilitator for DAPA at the Pavilion PFL.

– January 5, 2014

Chelsea Roesler holds a degree in Marketing from the University of South Dakota and will soon complete her MBA from the University of Sioux Falls. She is currently working for the Sioux Falls Jazz and Blues as the Marketing Coordinator, sharing her love for music.

ON THE COVER

Benjamin Gutnik is a native of Sioux Falls and holds a degree in Contemporary Media from the University of South Dakota. He currently works in corporate sales. If something involves an LED screen or operates on Android, count Ben in.

!

NOW PAVILION A T.REX NAMED SUE - September 21, 2013

Delta David Gier is recognized as an authority on the music of Gustav Mahler. He was the original organizer of the South Dakota Symphony’s annual Mahler Festival. That festival will feature, this season, Mahler’s Symphony No. 7. Mr. Gier has been Artistic Director and Conductor of the South Dakota Symphony since 2004.

THE WASHINGTON PAVILION OF ARTS AND SCIENCE

PUBLISHER: MICHELE WELLMAN

mwellman@washingtonpavilion.org • 605-731-2306

EDITOR IN CHIEF: DAVID XENAKIS

dxenakis@washingtonpavilion.org • 605-610-9391

MANAGING EDITOR: ERICA KNIGGE

eknigge@washingtonpavilion.org • 605-731-2313

ADVERTISING SALES & PROMOTIONS: BEN GUTNIK

bgutnik@washingtonpavilion.org • 605-731-2413

ART DIRECTION & LAYOUT: JOHN MYERS jmyers@washingtonpavilion.org

DESIGN & LAYOUT: BECKY BAUMAN bbauman@washingtonpavilion.org

DESIGN & LAYOUT: SONYA HEINRICH sheinrich@washingtonPavilion.org

COPY EDITOR: SUZANNE TOLL Lisa Peterson lives in Brandon, SD with her husband and two children. She received her degree in Mass Communications from St. Cloud State University and has enjoyed owning her own marketing communications company, Main Ideas, for the past 20 years. She is also a regular contributor to the Sioux Falls Business Journal. (Photo by Stephen Thurman.)

Now!Pavilion is published bi-monthly by the Washington Pavilion, 301 S. Main, Sioux Falls, SD 57104, 605-367-6000. Now!Pavilion cannot be responsible for unsolicited material, content, photography, artwork, or other items. Materials sent to Now!Pavilion Magazine will be returned only when accompanied by self-addressed and postage paid envelope/packaging. Content within Now!Pavilion does not reflect any of the opinions or viewpoints of the Washington Pavilion, its employees, or supporters. Now!Pavilion attempts to publish accurate information responsibly, and cannot be held liable for errors or omissions in content. All content published in Now!Pavilion is protected by U.S. copyright law. All rights reserved. Reproduction by any means, in part or whole, including photocopying, internet sharing, illegal upload or download, is strictly prohibited without prior consent and permission of the publisher.

301 S. Main Ave., Sioux Falls S.D. 57104

605 367 6000 phone 877 wash pav toll free

www.washingtonpavilion.org

YOURS. MINE. & OURS. Washington Pavilion, Now!Pavilion Magazine 2011. All Rights Reserved.


LETTER

FROM THE PUBLISHER

!

NOW PAVILION THE WASHINGTON PAVILION OF ARTS AND SCIENCE

BY MICHELE WELLMAN

Art takes all shapes, forms, and sounds. This is something that never ceases to amaze me. At the Washington Pavilion, I have experienced my fair share of firsts. The last weeks have shown me how truly diverse our region is, and even more so, how willing our community is to build bridges to overcome differences. In November we saw everything from SPANK! The Fifty Shades Parody to Dove Award winning contemporary Christian group Mercy Me in the Mary W. Sommervold Hall. Artist Tim Lowly shared his passion for his daughter, a child with cerebral palsy, through his exhibition Trying to Get a Sense of Scale. With the help of Christopher Reistroffer, we hosted a photo shoot to reinvigorate our aging branding image with some of the most beautiful, diverse families and individuals in Sioux Falls. We were delighted by the individuals who answered our casting call, which included friends from Vishnu Bunny Tattoo, gorgeous drag queens, and talented youth from Dakota Academy of Performing Arts. As we move into the New Year, we can’t wait to see what 2014 holds for the Washington Pavilion. We are thrilled to announce our next blockbuster exhibition, Toulouse-Lautrec. Our Husby Performing Arts Manager is working diligently on the 2014-2015 Pavilion Performance Series, which we will announce later this winter. We are working on the early details of exhibitions, performances, programs, and ways to bring a little something for everyone. The Washington Pavilion is truly Yours, Mine, & Ours, and we can’t wait to see you!

Michele Wellman Publisher, Now!Pavilion Magazine

UPFRONT 6

A T.REX NAMED SUE

14

GREEN DAY’S AMERICAN IDIOT

20

BALLROOM WITH A TWIST

24

MARK MORRIS DANCE GROUP

28

JERSEY BOYS

ARTS 36

SIOUX FALLS JAZZ AND BLUES

38

DAPA AT THE PAVILION PLAYS FOR LIVING PARTNERS WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS By Sara H. Crosby

42

VISUAL ARTS CENTER TOULOUSE-LAUTREC

46

TONIC SOL-FA

TRENDS 50

TOP SMARTPHONES: WINTER 2013 By Benjamin Gutnik, The Tech Guy

54

DESIGN INSTITUTE By Lisa Peterson


AND THE

UPFRONT Upfront is the portion of Now!Pavilion which spotlights

PRESENT

SEPTEMBER 21, 2013 – JANUARY 5, 2014

individuals, media, culture, essays, and hard news. This section will vary with events, news, and topics du jour.

THANK YOU TO OUR OTHER Images: © The Field Museum This exhibition was created by The Field Museum, Chicago, and made possible through the generosity of McDonald’s Corporation. ©2013 McDonald’s


A TYRANNOSAURUS (T. REX FOR SHORT) NAMED SUE—AND IN SIOUX FALLS!

S

omething big has hit the Washington Pavilion! It is not a meteor, nor is it a wrecking ball. A T. rex named Sue has come home for a visit! It is with great excitement that Chicago’s Field Museum and the Washington Pavilion bring A T. rex named Sue to Sioux Falls. Sue was discovered in 1990 by paleontologist Sue Hendrickson at the Hell Creek Formation near Faith, South Dakota. Tyrannosaurus rex roamed North America about 67 million years ago, one of the last dinosaur species and one of the largest flesh-eaters ever to have inhabited the Earth. The Tyrant Lizard King, with its extraordinarily powerful jaws and massive serrated steak-knife teeth, still dominates popular perceptions of the Age of Dinosaurs.

On October 4, 1997, the auction took place at Sotheby’s auction house in New York. To ensure that Sue would be preserved for future generations of scientists and visitors, the Field Museum in Chicago purchased Sue for $8.4 million. Sue now resides at Chicago’s Field Museum, where preparing the more than 250 bones and teeth in Sue’s skeleton took more than 30,000 hours. After the bones were fully prepared, the Field Museum made exact,

The most complete T. rex specimen ever discovered, Sue has tremendous value for scientists and the general public. Previously, only a handful of partial T. rex specimens had been found, none more than 60 percent complete. At 90 percent complete and exquisitely preserved, Sue is the most celebrated member of its species, permitting more detailed studies of the biology, growth, and behavior of T. rex than had previously been possible. Shortly after its discovery, the fossil of Sue became the center of an intense ownership dispute. A protracted court battle ensued, and the court ruled that Sue belonged to the rancher on whose land she was discovered. The rancher decided to sell Sue at public auction.

R LOCAL SPONSORS:

7


fully articulated replicas so that people around the world would have the opportunity to view and study Sue. At 42 feet long and 12 feet tall at the hips, her skeleton inspires as much awe today as it did 67 million years ago.

give scientists a better understanding of the evolution of ear bones and hearing in dinosaurs and birds. The shape, size and orientation of the external ear hole also may be a feature unique to the tyrannosaurus family, including T. rex.

Sue has helped us make important discoveries about T. rex. Two of the most notable include the T. rex earbone and wishbone. Here are a number of interesting things to know about Sue and her contributions to modern science.

WISHBONE Sue’s skeleton includes the first furcula, or wishbone, ever found in a T. rex. Present in bird skeletons, the wishbone provides evidence for interpreting the relationship of advanced theropods (a group of two-legged, meat-eating dinosaurs) to birds, the descendants of dinosaurs. The furcula will also help scientists investigate the function of wishbones in dinosaurs.

EAR BONE Sue is the first T. rex ever found with a

tiny ear bone called a stapes. The more than six-inchlong, pencil-thin ear bone transmitted sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. This delicate ear bone is rarely preserved in dinosaur fossils, and promises to

BIRDLIKE LEG MUSCLES Soft tissues are rarely preserved in dinosaurs, but Sue’s beautifully preserved bones reveal detailed evidence of the attachments and orientations of the dinosaur’s limb muscles. This has allowed scientists to reconstruct the most accurate picture ever, from hip to foot, of the birdlike hind limb muscles in Tyrannosaurus. TAIL MUSCLES A mass of gnarled, bony overgrowths fusing two of Sue’s vertebrae together also preserves a remarkable anatomical feature rarely seen in fossil dinosaurs, detailed, natural mold impressions of tail muscles. A FAST-WALKING DINOSAUR Based on an analysis of Sue’s well-preserved foot bones, Field Museum research associate Matt Carrano, an expert on dinosaur posture and locomotion, concluded that Sue’s top speed was probably a fast walk of about 15 miles per hour, about the maximum speed of an elephant. While this may seem slow for a T. rex, Carrano has pointed out that most of Sue’s dinosaur contemporaries would not have been nearly as swift. THE NECK BONE’S CONNECTED TO THE SKULL BONE Sue’s skeleton contains a pair of tiny

bones that lie between the first neck vertebra and the back of the skull. Called proatlas bones, these are rarely seen in dinosaur fossils and are the first ever found in a

8 NOW!PAVILION


T. rex. Birds do not have proatlas bones. Their presence in both an advanced theropod such as T. rex and in the ancient theropod Herrerasaurus may help scientists tease apart anatomical transformations and evolutionary relationships in the transition from advanced theropods to birds.

3-D PICTURE OF THE SKULL The Field

Museum’s research on Sue marked the first time that a high-resolution, industrial X-ray scanner was used to create

a detailed, 3-D image of the inside of a T. rex skull. (One famous early study involved cutting a T. rex skull in half, altering the fossil forever.) These images, interpreted by Field Museum paleontologist Chris Brochu and published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, showed very large olfactory bulbs—indicating that Sue had a keen sense of smell. Also discovered in the skull was a new air sinus never seen before in a T. rex. Detailed analyses of the nerve passages in Sue’s braincase revealed new evidence from T. rex that birds are evolved from flying theropod (two-legged, meateating) dinosaurs.

9


A SENSITIVE SNOUT An extensive series of holes in the upper jawbone of Sue’s skull appear to be aligned in a pattern. This observation, new to T. rex, suggests that the dinosaur’s snout was highly sensitive to touch.

terrestrial carnivorous animals ever. T. rex grew faster but had a shorter lifespan than an African elephant, the only living land animal of a comparable size.

NEW CLUES TO EVOLUTIONARY RELATIONSHIPS OF DINOSAURS AND BIRDS Unusually well-preserved fossils like Sue are

discovered that Sue was 28 years old at the time of death. By counting lines in tyrannosaurid bones that correspond roughly to annual growth cycles in trees, researchers found that T. rex could live for about 30 years, one-third of which would have been spent at adult size. Judging by evidence of disease, arthritis, and broken bones, scientists believe that Sue was a train wreck at death and probably died of natural causes.

invaluable for resolving debates about evolution. Field Museum researchers studying the 90-percent complete T. rex skeleton and skull have discovered important new evidence supporting the theory that birds are descended from theropod dinosaurs. Findings including the wishbone, the birdlike limb muscles, birdlike air sacs throughout the skeleton and skull, and several features in Sue’s braincase—revealed for the first time through highresolution X-ray (CT) images of the skull.

LIVING FAST In a recent study featured on the cover of the journal Nature, scientists determined that a T. rex reached its massive adult size due to an extraordinary growth spurt that stretched from about 14 to 18 years of age. Scientists studied the bones of Sue and other T. rex specimens to find that during the peak in its growth spurt, a T. rex gained about 4.6 pounds a day, developing into a more than 11,000-pound giant, one of the largest

10 NOW!PAVILION

DYING YOUNG In the same study, scientists

TOUGH LIFE OF A TYRANNOSAUR Sue’s bones display several abnormalities, from a deformed right upper limb to jaws riddled with holes. Initially, scientists assumed that these oddities were battle wounds from clashes with other dinosaurs. Now scientists believe most of Sue’s bone abnormalities are just healed-over evidence of injuries, infections, and diseases—the normal wear-and-tear of life in the Cretaceous period. MALE OR FEMALE? Before Sue was found, body size and anatomical differences were used to speculate whether a T. rex was male or female. One important


WHAT CAN VIEWERS EXPECT FROM THIS EXHIBITION? Come and explore how this

clue was believed to be the location of a v-shaped tail bone called a chevron. It had been suggested that Sue was a female, based on the assumption that the first chevron was positioned far from the pelvis in female crocodiles. But after piecing together the skeleton, scientists discovered that Sue’s first chevron was actually closer to the pelvis, more like that of males in some living reptiles. After surveying living reptiles and other theropod dinosaur specimens, Field Museum scientists concluded that the position of the chevron varies too widely to make it a good indicator of gender, even in modern reptiles. The bottom line is that we may never know if Sue was male or female.

remarkable creature interacted with its world and what we can learn from studying its bones. Revel in the sheer size of a fully articulated, life-sized skeleton cast, look at a cast of Sue’s skull, right in the eye, and experience Sue’s movement, vision, and sense of smell for yourself. Touch casts of Sue’s bones and diagnose pathologies that left their mark in Sue’s leg, jaw, and tail. Follow Sue’s sensational journey from the Cretaceous period to the rock of South Dakota to the U.S. courts, and finally to the world. Learn about the technology used to prepare and study this very special fossil. Featuring the largest, most complete, best-preserved Tyrannosaurus rex ever discovered, A T. rex Named Sue has delighted over 7 million visitors and counting, and is one of the most successful U.S. exhibitions ever.

WAS T. REX WARM-BLOODED? More and more evidence points to the fact that some dinosaurs were fast-moving, and perhaps warm-blooded animals. Living warm-blooded birds and mammals—like humans—have a series of bones in their nasal passages, called turbinates, that help to warm and humidify air before it enters their lungs. The X-ray scans of Sue’s skull allowed Field Museum scientists to look for this warm-blooded feature for the first time in a T. rex. While thin bony structures were found in Sue’s nose, it was concluded that they were not turbinates. This does not necessarily prove that T. rex was not warm-blooded; it may mean that turbinates evolved later on in the theropod-bird lineage, and that these dinosaurs had some other mechanism for warming the air they breathed.

11


12 NOW!PAVILION


13


14 NOW!PAVILION


I

n 1994, a band in Berkeley, California, released an album called Dookie, which helped spark a renewed interest in punk rock music. Many songs on Dookie, including hits Basket Case and When I Come Around, became anthems for dissatisfied youth of the mid-90s. Few, if any, of those dissatisfied youths expected to follow Green Day to Broadway some 16 years later. Their rock-opera-cum-hitmusical American Idiot takes the stage in the Washington Pavilion’s Mary W. Sommervold Hall at 8 p.m. on January 9 and 10.

American Idiot is a one act sung-through musical adapted from Green Day’s 2004 rock opera of the same name. Using the entire American Idiot album in addition to featuring various other songs from Green Day’s punk-revivalist canon, the show pairs the classic coming-of-age theme with the harsh realities of post-9/11 America. The show engenders a message lead singer and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong has been waiting for: “We were able to create a dialogue I think I’ve been waiting to have my entire life, and it didn’t happen in rock and roll music—it happened in theater. That’s the thing that blindsided me.” Set in the suburban anytown of Jingletown, USA, the show chronicles the lives of Johnny, Will, and Tunny as they try to find their way— and themselves—in a world trying to come to terms with itself. Johnny and Tunny depart the confines of suburbia in search of something more, while Will stays behind with his pregnant girlfriend Heather. Soon after arriving in the city, Tunny decides to enlist in the army in an attempt to counter his ever-present apathy. Johnny discovers heroin with a drug dealer called St. Jimmy and falls in love with Whatsername, a woman he first saw in an apartment window. As Johnny is torn between St. Jimmy and Whatsername and Will falls further into despair back in Jingletown, Tunny is deployed and then injured in the war. He falls in love with his nurse, the Extraordinary Girl. As with any coming-of-age tale,

15


all three young men must ride their own downward spiral all the way before being able to spring back to some sort of awakening and subsequent acceptance of themselves. American Idiot employs heavy anti-establishment and anti-authoritarian themes typical of punk music, but it is also an attempt to make sense of the world and one’s place in it. In a 2010 interview with MTV News, Armstrong said, “I think, politically, American Idiot, when we were writing it, was trying to make sense out of a big mess. You’re trying to find something to believe in, but it’s difficult when you’re getting bombarded with useless information. So it’s just [about] trying to find your identity and your individualism in the midst of all that.”

adaptation to screen or stage. When Tony Award-winning director Michael Mayer approached the band about adapting the album for the stage, they agreed based in part on his work with the 2006 Broadway musical adaptation of Spring Awakening. American Idiot premiered at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre on September 4, 2009, and officially opened September 15, 2009. The show quickly rocketed to the theater’s top-grossing show of all time and was twice extended past its limited run. The following year American Idiot made it to Broadway, premiering March 24, 2010, at the St. James Theatre and officially opening on April 20, 2010.

The same mindset was present when the album was first released, though the political overtones were somewhat more overt. In a 2004 interview with AOL Online, Armstrong said American Idiot is “kinda about trying to find your individuality in all the confusion. It’s sorta up to anyone’s interpretation of who American Idiot is. It could be me—it could be the President of the United States.”

According to the trailer for the documentary Broadway Idiot, while Mayer was working with Armstrong and other band members on adapting the show and readying it for the stage, he decided to convince Armstrong to be in the show. “By the time I suggested he be in the show I saw a little light behind his eyes—a flicker of excitement. He said, ‘Oh my god, are you serious about this?’”

The original rock opera was Green Day’s seventh studio album and was produced with the thought of eventual

On September 26, 2010, Armstrong announced, via Twitter,

16 NOW!PAVILION


York and via On Demand, followed by wider release in the U.S. and Canada on October 18.

that he would be appearing as St. Jimmy from September 28 until October 3, causing an immediate spike in ticket sales. He also appeared as St. Jimmy for 50 more performances, as well as for the final three weeks of the Broadway run, which ended on April 24, 2011. Melissa Etheridge and Davey Havok of AFI also appeared as St. Jimmy. The show garnered rave reviews at every juncture, and that precedent has continued on tour. Adjectives such as raucous, infectious, and fierce combined with nouns like energy, emotion, and rage all equal the succinct and spoton review from Variety: “Kicks ass.” The original album won the 2005 Grammy for Best Rock Album. The musical production was nominated for the Tony Awards, Best Musical of 2010 and won two Tony Awards that year for Best Scenic Design of a Musical and Best Lighting Design of a Musical, the latter of which was also awarded to the show by the Outer Critics Circle. At the Grammy Awards, the show won for Best Musical Show Album. Additionally, Mayer won a 2010 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical. Armstrong’s unlikely journey to Broadway has been chronicled in the documentary Broadway Idiot, directed by Doug Hamilton. The film opened on October 11 in New

The musical is just one piece of Green Day’s decades-long history. The punk revival band from Berkeley, California, started out as Sweet Children in 1987 with Armstrong on lead vocals and guitar, Mike Dirnt on bass and backing vocals, and Tré Cool on drums. Jason White later became a full member of the band after touring with them on guitar, on backing vocals, and guitar for 13 years. When the band signed with Lookout! records they changed their name to Green Day, a nod to the band members fondness for marijuana, in order to avoid being confused with another local band named Sweet Baby. The band released various albums and EPs with Lookout! prior to moving to Reprise Records after the success of their second studio album Kerplunk. In 1994 Green Day released Dookie, their best-selling album to date, having sold more than 20 million copies worldwide. The album won the Best Alternative Music Album title at the 1995 Grammy Awards. Green Day is one of the top-selling bands with more than 75 million records sold worldwide. They are credited with reviving the punk tradition along with bands such as Sublime and Rancid. Green Day has released a total of 12 studio albums in addition to numerous live albums, compilations and singles.

WHEN YOU GO... AY musical the groundbreaking BROADW

JAN. 9-10, 2014 • 8 P.M.

TICKETS START AT $15.50 17


18 NOW!PAVILION


19


20


B

allroom with a Twist is a song and dance spectacular featuring Dancing With The Stars pros as well as contestants from American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance.

Who will grace the stage of the Mary W. Sommervold Hall at the Washington Pavilion? Could it be season 14 champion Peta Murgatroyd? Perhaps fan favorites Anna Trebunskaya or Tristan MacManus? Or will Derek Hough wow the audience with the moves that have helped him win Dancing With The Stars’ coveted Mirror Ball trophy a record four times? Recent performances have included these pros, among others, along with American Idol finalists Melinda Doolittle, Von Smith, and Gina Glocksen, and So You Think You Can Dance finalists Jonathan Platero, Randi Lynn Strong, and Legacy. Emmy-nominated choreographer Louis van Amstel has pulled all the stops for the February 14, 2014 show that will, no doubt, dazzle spectators with their sequined spectaculars and popular ballroom dances including the fox trot, jive, waltz, cha-cha, and more. Add to that the sounds of American Idol finalists belting out hit tunes and you have a high-energy night to remember, a night that may even spark a personal interest in ballroom dancing. The popularity of Dancing With The Stars and So You Think You Can Dance has provided a renewed interest in competitive dance, and in particular, a revival of sorts for ballroom dancing. These programs, along with movies such as 2004’s Shall We Dance and

2006’s Take the Lead have helped springboard ballroom back to a level of popularity unseen since its heyday in the 1940s. Dance competitions have grown both in the number of competitions and in the number of competitors. While dance competitions appeal to some fans, many are more interested in the social aspects of ballroom dance. Many USA Dance, Inc. chapters host social dances that are typically preceded by an hour-long dance lesson. Additionally, some fans look to ballroom dance as an enjoyable source of cardio exercise. A growing number of K-12 schools are adding a dance component to their curriculum, often as part of a physical education or social skills programming. Dancing Classrooms™ has led the movement to bring social dance into classrooms and was featured in 2006’s Take The Lead, which is based on the life story of founder and ballroom legend Pierre Dulaine and 2005’s Mad Hot Ballroom, a documentary chronicling the ballroom dance program for fifth graders in the New York City public schools. While the closest Dancing Classrooms program is in Omaha, Nebraska, Sioux Falls locals of all ages have many options to sate their hunger for ballroom. Various dance studios around Sioux Falls offer all levels of social dance lessons. The Ballroom Dance Club hosts dancing the second Friday of every month from 8:00-11:30 p.m. at the El Riad Shrine in downtown Sioux Falls. An annual membership for the club includes entry to all of the dances, but individual dance admission for singles, couples, and students is also available.

21


22 NOW!PAVILION


23


24 NOW!PAVILION


25


26 NOW!PAVILION







The past nine seasons have covered a wide range of repertoire. Seven of the nine Beethoven symphonies, the last three Tchaikovsky symphonies, and two symphonies each of Rachmaninoff and Sibelius. We began a cycle of Mahler symphonies my second season and will have played eight of the 10 by the end of this season. Big choral masterworks: the Brahms and Mozart Requiems, and Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. Three big Puccini operas including Madame Butterfly. World-class soloists have played with us, such as Midori, along with featured principals of the New York Philharmonic and Philadelphia Orchestra. Native American composers Brent Michael Davids and Jerod Impichchaachaaha’Tate, both wrote substantial works for the SDSO’s Lakota Music Project (LMP). Designed to address racial prejudice through the universal language of music, the LMP is a side-by-side program with the SDSO and Lakota musicians. This has caught people’s attention

By Delta David Gier he very first day I came to Sioux Falls, as a candidate for the Music Director position in November 2004, I was invited to a dinner in Mary Sommervold’s home. It was there that I caught the vision for what this orchestra was, is, and has the potential of becoming. Around the table sat the visionaries who were the architects of a professional orchestra in Sioux Falls. From rather humble Town and Gown beginnings, the hope was that the orchestra could continue further on its path. That first program I conducted included Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5. It was during our performance at the end of that first week in Sioux Falls that I realized what kind of special orchestra had been built here. It was, and is, a hybrid orchestra, made up of locally-based musicians alongside a core of fulltime professionals. Our product at the end of the first week was very exciting, and we all felt it. When I was offered the position the following April, I had no hesitation in accepting.

32


across the country, as well as support from national organizations such as the Mellon Foundation. We have focused considerable energy on broadening the way we serve the state and region. Besides the LMP, we have given concerts for and in conjunction with the Arab and Chinese communities, as well as Sudanese and Somali refugees. Arab virtuoso Simon Shaheen played his Concerto for Oud and Orchestra with the SDSO. Pulitzer prize-winning composer Zhou Long and his wife Chen Yi (also a composer) came to Sioux Falls for a concert featuring their works. During the program, they spoke to the audience about how growing up during China’s Cultural Revolution shaped their compositions. African percussionist Bernard Woma came to play with the SDSO and for the Sudanese and Somali communities. Their response to the music was, “You took us home!” A symphony orchestra should serve its community as broadly as it can. When a curator of a great museum picks works of art to exhibit, he or she strives to present as broad an offering as possible: older masterpieces, and works representing many cultures around the world, particularly those relevant to the make-up of their own community. Programming for a symphony orchestra is very similar. We should be a resource, a place where the great masterworks are presented with regularity—along with those which represent the living, breathing art that is symphonic music.

SDSYO, which has continued in its growth in both numbers and quality. Our plans for this program are to increase the engagement between our SDSO musicians and the students. Orchestral music has always been multicultural. Three hundred years ago Bach, writing from Germany, wrote pieces in the style of the Italians and French. One hundred years ago, Russian composer Rimsky-Korsakov was writing musical postcards from Spain and Italy. In the twentieth century, composers like Bartok and Kodaly were collecting folk music from remote areas and forming a new musical language. Today there are composers from literally every corner of the globe. All of these writing classical compositions for orchestras and chamber musicians, expressing their own culture through this medium. Indeed, there is a timelessness to what we do, presenting this music in live performance. It is a connection to the past, and into the future. Your South Dakota Symphony Orchestra has been called a model institution. Two presidents from the League of American Orchestras have visited within the past five years, both of them coming to the conclusion that the SDSO is a template for a regional orchestra wishing to deeper engage the community it serves. Whenever we are visited by guests, be they artists with whom we are working or listeners from abroad (or even the uninitiated from Sioux Falls!), the response is wonder and excitement at what has been achieved here. It might be unexpected, but it did not happen by accident. I inherited a vision from those who wanted to see this community distinguished by its orchestra, a vision that has, and continues to, come to fruition. And that’s something we can all be very proud of.

My hope for the future of the SDSO is that the institution will continue to grow on this path of excellence, and that it will continue to be a resource for the community. The possibilities are endless. I’ve always said, if I had my wish, every child would have the opportunity to hear the orchestra once a year. Our children’s programs have been wonderfully successful. Our youth orchestra program, the SDSYO, began six years ago. The impetus came from young musicians themselves who put together an orchestra of the best students in the region. Their efforts were galvanized the next year through the violinist Midori’s residency with the SDSO. The following season was the first for the

33


APR. 19, 2014 2 & 7:30 P.M.

ARTS

The arts in Sioux Falls span multiple arenas. Dance & other performing arts, visual arts, design, crafts - you name it, Sioux Falls has it! Downtown is the nerve center for the community’s vibrantly active arts culture.

TICKETS ON-SALE NOW!

MARY W. SOMMERVOLD HALL



36



sby, MSW,

Cro By Sara H.

CSW-PIP

B

ringing the unspoken into the open—Dakota Academy of Performing Arts (DAPA) at the Pavilion Plays for Living Theatre Company (PFL) has been doing this since 2001. Like it or not, there are things that we all have difficulty talking about. These important human issues, and reducing the stigma attached to them, is what Plays for Living is all about. PFL’s live dramas and facilitated dialogues allow people to safely discuss the challenging life situations that impact them. The mission is to use drama as a tool for positive social change.

This year, 45 DAPA student actors that take part in the Pavilion’s Plays for Living Theatre Company are giving voice to important issues that affect us all. Through the dramatization of six scripts, the Sioux Falls community will have a chance to openly address bullying, depression, suicide prevention, drug and alcohol abuse, as well as addiction, prejudice, and discrimination and all the emotions and consequences that are the undercurrent of the human condition. DAPA is but one voice, one voice that might easily blend into the noise and vibrations of the everyday challenges if it weren’t for the partnerships that have been forged with other organizations in Sioux Falls with similar missions and a like-minded need to open a dialogue and reduce the stigma that holds many people, young and old, from reaching out for the support that they need.

38

“Evidence-based research tells us that the arts contribute to a healing environment for patients, families, and staff,” says Colleen Weber, manager of the child and adolescent behavioral program at Avera McKennan Behavioral Health Center. She goes on to say, “Adolescents who are exposed to a creative environment are more likely to open up about their problems. At Avera Behavioral Health there is a robust, comprehensive Expressive Therapy Department. With the addition of theatre arts, our programs just continue to strengthen and become even more healing.” DAPA Plays for Living will be performing twice a month in the inpatient adolescent unit at Avera. Once a month, teens will experience The Survivors, a play on suicide prevention and depression and Where Does it End?, a play on prejudice and bullying. After each performance, the teens will have the opportunity to explore the themes and their own feelings about the dramas that unfolded before them during group therapy. “ We are really pleased to have a true partnership with DAPA. The purpose of the Avera Behavioral Health Center is to provide a healing environment. This must encompass the whole person, mind, body, and spirit. The arts offer a unique way to provide support and healing to those we serve,” explains Steve Lindquist, Assistant Vice President, Behavioral Health at Avera McKennan Hospital.


“Face It TOGETHER Sioux Falls has appreciated our partnership with DAPA/PFL because it has allowed us to continue to further our mission of getting more individuals and families into recovery,” says Mary Hitzemann, Executive Director. “Addiction is a very stigmatized illness, and PFL, especially the play, Who Says I Can’t Drink? raises the conversation about underage drinking and drug use, but debunks some of the myths and untruths about the disease.” This will be the third year DAPA at the Pavilion has partnered with Face It TOGETHER. Other partnerships can be found with Keystone Treatment Center and Bartels Counseling. Both organizations treat the disease of addiction and continually work within the community to make treatment accessible and have provided trained facilitators to lead youth discussions after Plays for Living performances “Partnering with DAPA is an extension of our mission and values. We both want to see teens make good decisions and lead healthy lives,” offers Matt Walz, medical affairs specialist at Keystone and regular volunteer facilitator. “I love that after the teens see the performances, there is a dialogue. The moment that a passive audience becomes engaged in the subject matter, they have a voice, and they feed off one another. Teens are hungry for real conversation about issues they face: bullying, depression, and thoughts of suicide, drugs and alcohol, peer pressure. DAPA performances broaden the audiences’ worldview in ways that conventional school-based theatre productions simply cannot.” Among the other partnerships adding energy to our community voice are several school districts. DAPA PFL has been performing in the schools in the Sioux Falls School District since February 2001, when the newly formed company of 10 actors performed What’s the Difference?, a play on diversity issues and bullying for Hawthorne fifth graders. The partnership with SFSD has since grown to six plays for grades one through eight with professionally facilitated discussion following each performance. Tea,

Harrisburg, and Brandon Valley schools also are partnering with DAPA PFL to help address these same issues in a non-threatening way that students can relate to. Generous sponsors and granting organizations support the program in order to offer these services to the schools at no cost. In January DAPA PFL will have the opportunity to partner with another PFL National affiliate. Stephens College PFL Theatre Company, located in Columbia, MO, is a noted women’s college and is the only college-based PFL affiliate in the nation. Stephens PFL and DAPA PFL will each travel to Okoboji, IA, to perform and facilitate dialogue with both the Okoboji and Spirit Lake schools in January 2014. Over the years DAPA has been fortunate to partner with many of our community’s finest organizations, moving Sioux Falls toward empathy and open dialogue around our shared human condition. In giving voice to those who need it the most, stigma is lessened and help and support follow in the wake of that discussion. To quote U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski, “Each one of us can make a difference. Together we make change.” And as Albert Einstein insightfully pointed out, “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

39


40


oulouse-Lautrec is best known for his works depicting scenes from cabarets, theaters, dance halls, and brothels. These were themes that the artist lived, beginning in 1885 when he moved to Montmartre and immersed himself in its nightlife. He wanted to show life as it is, not as it should be, but this objectivity was not without empathy or humor. His interest lay in portraying people, not only those he met during his nights on the town, but also his friends

and the working-class citizens of Paris. He was a hardworking artist, producing an enormous body of work in a wide range of media. Henri-Marie-Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Monfa was born on November 24, 1864 in the family home, Ch창teau du Bosc, in Albi, France. His father, Comte Alphonse was an eccentric aristocrat, who loved to dress up and whose main interests were hunting and falconry. His mother,

41


Comtesse Adèle was a reserved and cultivated woman to whom the artist remained close to the end of his life. Toulouse-Lautrec was not to enjoy his family’s country lifestyle of riding and hunting. Due to a genetic bone condition and following a fracture of his left leg at age thirteen and his right one the following year, his legs stopped growing while his torso developed normally. He had to use a cane when walking and only grew to 1.52m tall. Comtesse Adèle encouraged her son’s interest in drawing and his first subjects were his family, their horses and hounds. The artist’s first painting lessons were with a friend of Comte Alphonse, the animal painter Princeteau, who convinced his parents to allow Lautrec to study art. After succeeding his baccalauréat in Paris, he joined the studio of Léon Bonnat for a few months in the spring of 1882 and later moved to the one run by Fernand Cormon, a history painter interested in the ancient world. The mornings were spent at his teacher’s studio practicing academic drawing, but in the afternoons Lautrec visited the Salons and exhibitions, where he discovered the big divide between academic art and the new artistic movements of the time, notably that of the Impressionists. He was most influenced by Degas and the Japanese printmakers. In 1891 he produced a color poster for the Moulin Rouge, which made him famous overnight. Lautrec made 30 posters in his lifetime, but also illustrated theater programs, book covers, menus, invitations, and sheet music. His expressive use of line found the perfect medium in lithography. He never made a distinction between commercial and fine art. In 1898

42

the artist’s health began to deteriorate, due to alcohol abuse and syphilis. In 1899, after an attack of delirium tremens, he spent several months in a clinic, but started drinking again upon his return to Paris. Consequently his work suffered. In August of 1901 Lautrec suffered a paralytic attack and was taken to his mother’s country house in Malromé, where he died on September 9th. THIS EXHIBITION IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE PAN ART CONNECTIONS, ATHENS, GREECE.


43


S

mooth harmonies and the bouncing rhythm of a tambourine resound timelessly. The tones of Tonic Sol-fa’s four-member a cappella group have delighted audiences across the Midwest, and December 6 and 7 Tonic Sol-fa will return to the Washington Pavilion to present a truly unique holiday show. Tonic Sol-fa is a local favorite since the group originated in Minnesota and has ties to O’Gorman High School in Sioux Falls. While their local ties shine proudly, the group has captured the rest of America too. The New York Times praised Tonic Sol-fa as “A vocal kaleidoscope…unique to the human voice!”

44

The Emmy award-winning quartet has shared stages with the likes of Garrison Keillor and Jay Leno, and has become a holiday institution. Members Greg Bannwarth, Jared Dove, Shaun Johnson, and Mark McGowan will present music from their latest Christmas album, The Earth Stood Still, and selections from their newest project, twenty one. After witnessing Tonic Sol-fa on stage, it is clear why these four have been described as “The Rat Pack meets a cappella.” Tickets for Tonic Sol-fa’s holiday show at the Washington Pavilion December 6 and 7 are now on sale and can be purchased by calling 605-367-6000, online at www.washingtonpavilion.org, or in person at 301 S. Main Ave.


F

ollowing Tonic Sol-fa’s holiday engagements, lead vocalist Shaun Johnson will embark on a new adventure: Shaun Johnson’s Big Band Experience. Shaun will take on his first full year of shows in 2014. Look for his first CD, What’ll I Do, a national PBS special, Spirit of the Season, and 10 special performances to accompany the public television airings. Shaun Johnson’s Big Band Experience blends the musical stylings of Tony Bennett and Michael Buble to create a contemporary big band sound with a pop flair. “One of my earliest memories,” he says, “is of performing at state fair talent shows with my little sister. We’d sing Sonny and Cher songs a cappella when neither of us was quite tall enough to reach the microphone.”

The concept behind Shaun Johnson’s Big Band Experience is simple: it is to make a difference. “Last year, I set out to raise money for neighborhood charities in select cities during Christmastime, to make a difference,” said Shaun, “and those Big Band concerts were one of the most memorable times on stage I had ever experienced. I spent months planning the shows, looking for accomplished musicians and eclectic arrangements, and when we finally hit the road, we were completely moved by the audience reaction every night.” This year’s up-tempo, dynamic holiday set will include well-known Christmas songs, originals from some favorite Nashville writers and requested selections from fans. The shows will include Broadway quality staging and lighting, plenty of audience interaction, and a multitude of holiday surprises! The Shaun Johnson Big Band Experience performance will raise funds for Lunch is Served in Sioux Falls (www.lunchisserved.org). Look for Shaun Johnson’s Big Band Experience to take the stage of the Orpheum Theater in Sioux Falls December 17 (tickets available at the Orpheum Theater Box Office or www.ticketmaster.com). 45




TOP SMART-

TRENDS

It’s more important now than ever to stay on top of your game. The global marketplace is shrinking as our horizons are expanding second by second. Trends will bring you the most up-to-date pieces of the puzzle that will help your life run a little smoother.

PHONES: WINTER

2013


O

nce a year with NOW!Pavilion we like to take a look at hottest smartphones on the market. Let’s face it; most of the general population is attached to their wireless device. It is how we communicate almost exclusively with our loved ones and friends, and what connects us to our social media and e-mail. We have seen quite a few changes over the last year in regards to the structure of the wireless phone marketplace and industry. The amount of major providers has been reduced to what seems to be approaching an oligopoly, with Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile being the main players. As a matter of fact there are only 10 “major carries” recognized by Phonescoop.com.

The prevalence of apps is also a considerable factor in the economic expansion of the industry and the way the phones and their software are designed and engineered. Just like providers, there has also been a reduction in the amount of manufacturers. For the US market, some of the top leaders include Apple, Samsung, Motorola, LG, Nokia, HTC and few others. Currently the number one selling brand is Samsung, with 39% market share, with Apple in a close second at 34%. However, according to a recent survey done by Verizon, Apple had the highest user satisfaction ratings for brand of smartphone, which is mainly attributed to the iPhone 5. The iPhone accounts for 51% of activations at Verizon as of third quarter 2013. To give readers a better look at the marketplace we will examine 5 different smartphones which are making an impact in late 2013. We will examine the latest releases objectively based on input from consumers as well as features and performance.

Apple iPhone 5s

Carriers: AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile Platform: iOS 7

The newest release in the Apple lineage is the 5s. It’s smaller in size, has a quicker processor and a higher resolution camera. The battery life is slightly improved from 8 to 10 hours, however it is somewhat average compared to other similar devices. The newest processor, the A7, runs most apps without a problem and at a high speed. This is definitely the perfect phone for the Apple faithful. If you like the Apple interface and have other Apple devices than this is the perfect device for you.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3

Carriers: AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile Platform: Android

Highlighting one the largest screens (AKA a Phablet) on the market is the Note 3 with a 5.9 inch OLED display. It features a spacious amount of memory at 32 GB built in and a great battery with 15 hours of life, with an added bonus that it’s a removable battery, for heavy users who like to carry a backup. Unlike other Phablets on the market, the Note 3 has excellent call quality. The only negatives with this phone is the price ($299 with a 2 year contract) and the size.

49


Motorola Moto X

Carriers: AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile Platform: Android

The Moto X is the first smartphone produced by Google after it was purchased by them in 2012. The phone has great software due to its relationship with Google, however it is lacking in some features, such as a non-HD screen.The battery is great with the power of 24 hours. For web browsing it runs the Chrome as opposed to the standard Android browser. To compete with the iPhone it has Google Now, which is equivalent to Siri in regards to voice commands. If you’re a fan of Google products this will work well as it mirrors your online experience you currently have with Google.

Nokia Lumia 1020

Carriers: AT&T Platform: Windows

Calling all camera phone fans! This smartphone rocks the highest resolution camera on the market at 41 megapixels with a Xenon flash. The camera has near SLR quality based on shutter speed. With a snappy 1.5 GHZ Snapdragon processor that runs on Windows 8, users should have a synchronized experience if they own other Window products such as Xbox or a PC. The 1020 boasts a 4.5 inch OLED screen which is great for clarity and brightness. The main complaint with this device is bad call quality and audio.

HTC One Max

Carriers: Sprint, Verizon Platform: Android

The new updated version of the HTC One is the Max. This phone is perfect for anyone searching for a jumbo screen, with it being 5.9 inches across in length. It is so large it literally requires two hands to use all the functions and to navigate properly. In addition to the large screen is an unbelievable battery with a life of 28 hours. In addition, the camera is impressive with UltraPixel technology and BoomSound speakers are great for music. The biggest negative from the phone is user complaints on call quality and reception.

2013 has produced a number of devices that reflect great advances in the industry. We are seeing a trend in devices that is going towards a larger screen, greater battery life and higher resolution photos and video. For software everything is fragmented based on operating system and who the manufacturer/device is partnered with. All software is fairly comparable, it just comes down to what the user prefers as far as aesthetics and navigation. It will be shopping season soon and if you’re in the market for a new device it’s important to make your purchase decision not on name brand but instead on how you actually use your smartphone and what’s important to you. If you love taking photos and posting them to social media and sharing with friends, then consider a great camera. If you hate having your smartphone die on you, then get a device with outstanding battery life. At the end of the day get what suits you best, not what the industry tells you.

50


51


52


53




www.washingtonpavilion.org


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.