Spring, 2010
Volume 4, Issue 3
POWER LINE Performance Magazine
In this issue: CHAMBER MUSIC Calder Quartet JAZZ Gretchen Parlato SPECIAL EVENT Elvis Costello Solo TENTACLE SESSIONS Calder Quartet again!
2009–201
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FILM Sport Stories: Harvard Beats Yale 29-29, Cannes Film Festival Highlight: Juvenile Status, Border Perspectives: La Americana, Student Film Fest: Press Rewind, Student Film Fest: UCSD Up&Coming Student Film Festival, HyperCinema: Gilgamashup
ArtPower! at UC San Diego
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ARTPOWER! AT UC SAN DIEGO ArtPower! at UC San Diego engages diverse audiences through vibrant, challenging, multi-disciplinary performances by emerging and renowned international artists. Through extensive partnerships, ArtPower! provides exciting opportunities for research and creation of new work, igniting powerful dialogue between artists, students, scholars and the community. POWER LINE MAGAZINE Power Line is a publication of ArtPower! at UC San Diego. Creative Director: Amy Thomas. Text: Martin Wollesen, Kristine Breese, Brian Schaefer, Amy Thomas, Rebecca Webb. UNIVERSITY EVENTS OFFICE Martin Wollesen UEO Director/ ArtPower! Artistic Director Elizabeth Bradshaw The Loft Curator Kristine Breese Director of Development Brenon Christofer Box Office Coordinator Kristen Fernandez UEO Business Manager Alex Kushner Campus Events Manager Nelson Llorin ASCE Production Manager Nicole Matteson The Loft Manager Adam Neill UEO Production Manager Brian Schaefer ArtPower! Program and Audience Development Manager Amy Thomas Director of Marketing and Communications
ABOVE: SCENE FROM LA AMERICANA // COVER: ELVIS COSTELLO BY JAMES O’MARA
ARTISTIC 3. Letter from the Director INTERVIEW WITH THE ARTIST 4. Bringing Jazz to New Audiences 6. Ten Questions for the Calder Quartet ECLECTIC FILM EXPERIENCES 10. Cannes Film Fest: Juvenile Status 14. UCSD Up&Coming Student Film Festival: A Time Line POWER TO THE PEOPLE 8. Arts + Culture | La Jolla: Student Review 12. Making Dance Happen: Cathy Pruzan CALENDAR 15. Spring 2010 Events
Anthony Tran AS/UEO Event Coordinator Rebecca Webb ArtPower! Film Curator
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Beverly Ward Box Office Manager
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SPEAK YOUR MIND: ArtPower! wants to hear what you think of our performances and our program. Please send your letters to Brian Schaefer at BLSchaefer@ucsd.edu. Select letters may be partially or fully reproduced in an upcoming issue of Power Line magazine and/or on the ArtPower! Engagement webpage.
WELCOME
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Arts Season
ARTPOWER!
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Spring and youth go hand in hand. The sheer effort, curiosity, and fearlessness it takes to unfurl oneself in front of the larger world demands not only our attention, but our respect. In the natural world, this plays out with shocks of desert flowers, the clamor of bird calls, and brighter, more pungent days. In the human world, and more specifically, with the young, growing artists on our campus, this means a deluge of new ideas, unformed questions, and nascent desires. The newness of Spring makes it seem possible to craft it all into something higher. Join us for our Third Annual UCSD Up&Coming Student Film Festival dedicated to nourishing and showcasing the emerging talent that’s right here on campus. And celebrate with us as artists like Gretchen Parlato and the Calder Quartet reveal how youthful daring through performance can awaken us to the spring of possiblity, and make us feel more alive. ArtPower! to the People,
Martin Wollesen Artistic Director 3
BRINGING JAZZ TO NEW AUDIENCES musicians on one program, Parlato, 34, recalls that “it was really pleasantly surprising that there were so many young people there to hear jazz…. I think it is a wonderful statement about the music.” The Southern California native has been immersed in music her whole life, growing up in Los Angeles surrounded by the beats and sounds of a vibrant international city. Ultimately, though, Parlato found her calling with jazz. “The study of jazz has been a big part of my education. But I have also gotten into a lot of music from Brazil and West Africa. And of course there’s other kinds of American music like R&B, rock, folk, and pop that I’ve grown up listening to.”
ArtPower! Program and Audience Development Manager Brian Schaefer talks to jazz vocalist Gretchen Parlato about bringing the art form to new audiences in a new century. The quintessential images of jazz belong to the past. Mention the genre, and most people think back to the heydays from the 20s-60s, smoke-filled clubs and leather booths, cocktails in hand, and lively dance floors. The masters of fifty years ago are still the most recognizable names for many: Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, John Coltrane. But jazz has always been about exploration and the discovery of something new. Artists today are continuing the tradition of collaboration and innovation. As a result, the genre is still alive and poised for a resurgence, aided in no small part by passionate, innovative musicians like Gretchen Parlato who are bringing jazz into the 21st century by pairing it with other musical influences and offering it to young audiences in exciting new ways. 4
At a recent concert in New York, the Winter Jazz Fest, that brought together a number of jazz
Parlato explains that part of the intrigue of international music is the way the voice is used. “Other cultures might use the human voice as more of an instrument as opposed to a lot of American music, where it’s just a person singing melodies and kind of stepping away.” She points out examples from regions where the voice might echo that of a bird, or play interactively with the instruments. “There are ways to hear voices in a much broader sense.” Which is precisely what Parlato aims to accomplish with her music. Yet given that a lot of people’s understanding of jazz still comes from the recordings of the past, does the integration of new styles and sounds ever surprise her audiences or turn off listeners? “I think there might be people who are not as open to it, but usually those people are not fans of my music at all. I think if people are fans of what I do, then they’re open minded” Which is not to say that Parlato doesn’t like to visit the past as well. She too finds inspiration in the famous renditions by celebrated vocalists. She pays homage to a few of them on her album, In a Dream, which features several covers of well-known songs, albeit with a personal, contemporary twist. “I think it’s a good thing to honor the classic version of these songs—to honor the way the composer
“I like seeing artists who really accept who they are. I think it’s very important for young people to see. ”
Throughout the 2009-2010 Season, ArtPower! has highlighted the extraordinary contributions of women artists—from the choreography of Aszure Barton and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa to the music of Yasmin Levy, Jenny Scheinman, the women of Umalali and Suzanne Vega—who have paved the way and continue to expand the possibilities of art. Parlato is doing the same with her music. But which women have impacted her? “Wow, there are so many,” she says. “There are definitely a lot of younger artists coming out who are just doing incredible things—Esperanza Spalding comes to mind. She’s a good friend of mine and I love what she’s doing musically and what she stands for.” She also lists fellow jazz contemporaries Becca Stevens and Rebecca Martin. And then another unexpected role model… “I try to keep up with popular music even though I feel like somewhat of an old lady. I hardly watch TV. But I was watching the Grammy’s and was really moved by Pink’s performance. I don’t own any of her albums—I only hear what her popular songs are—but I do think she’s really, really incredible. I like seeing artists who really accept who they are. I think it’s very important for young people to see. It’s the whole thing of honesty and emotion—she seems very connected to what she does.”
prove ourselves or try any harder to compete with men. I think it should just be about art for art’s sake and making good music.” INTERVIEW
intended the song to be performed—but if you’re gonna cover a song, I think it’s very important to have it come from a really honest and unique place. So, do something new with it, something that only you as an artist are capable of doing.”
Four years separated Parlato’s debut album (made when she was in her late 20s) and the recent release of In a Dream in the Fall of 2009. What do we learn from listening to the two albums about Parlato as a person, and as an artist? How does she see her growth between the two? “In your 20s your life is pretty deep with soul searching and figuring out who you are,” she says. “I think I came a long way with accepting that it’s okay to be completely vulnerable as an artist.” She also points to a new-found passion for yoga as a tool for maintaining balance, learning forgiveness, and “opening yourself up to being completely in the moment. You’re not trying to be anything that you’re not.” Asked whether she has faced any challenges either artistically or professionally, she replies humbly, “I don’t think my story is any different from any one else. I think we all have challenges every day.” Then adds: “Mostly the challenges are in our own mind.” So, what’s next on that path? “As far as collaborations, I just did something with this DJ in New York, named DJ Center. The whole idea of working with DJs and the hip-hop community is interesting. I am always open to working with new people and creating new sounds.”
In the world of jazz, most people associate women primarily as vocalists (think Sara Vaughn and Etta James to name just a few), despite a long history of accomplished female jazz musicians. What does Parlato attribute to this fact?
A rendezvous with hip-hop? That’s a long way from the jazz images of the past. With artists like Gretchen Parlato who are giving it a fresh look and a contemporary sound, new audiences are coming on board to discover what jazz looks like today.
“It’s an interesting thing. It’s not as common to find a female instrumentalist, but I don’t really know why that is. On the one hand, I’d like to honor that and appreciate it and make note of it. But art to me shouldn’t be about gender or race. Art should be completely blind. As women, we shouldn’t have to
GRETCHEN PARLATO performs as part of ArtPower!’s Jazz and Women’s Voices Series on Wednesday, April 7, 2010 at 8pm at The Loft. Tickets are $16 Regular and $5 Advance for UCSD Students. Purchase online at www.artpower.ucsd.edu or call 858.534.TIXS (M-F,10am-4pm).
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THE CALDER QUARTET perform as part of our Tentacle Sessions Series on Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 8pm at The Loft, and a classical Chamber Music program on Friday, April 16, 2010 at 8pm at the Department of Music’s Conrad Prebys Concert Hall. Purchase tickets online at www.artpower.ucsd.edu or call 858.534.TIXS (M-F,10am-4pm).
TEN QUESTIONS FOR THE CALDER QUARTET / INTERVIEW
ArtPower! chats with Calder Quartet’s cellist Eric Byers and violist Jonathan Moerschel. AP: The Quartet will perform one night in the casual, intimate Loft and the next night at the more formal, traditional Prebys Concert Hall. What are some of your favorite venues to perform in? How do they influence what you play and the way you play? JM: We recently played several shows at Disney Hall, which was a great experience. It’s unusual to play in a big hall like Disney and feel like you don’t have to change a thing to fit the hall. The acoustics are just really intimate there. Also, we’ve played a lot at The Colburn School’s Zipper Hall in Los Angeles which has fantastic acoustics, especially for the string quartet. It’s nice to contrast formal concert hall settings with more intimate spaces where the audience can be much closer to the performers. AP: What’s your most memorable performance?
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JM: Probably the time we played at Zipper Hall in LA back in 2004. It was a totally packed house. I think we turned away about 100 people. The concert started 45 minutes late so we could have about 75 chairs placed on stage behind us. When we walked out to play the first piece, the place went wild!
AP: The Quartet has collaborated with a range of artists—from Airborne Toxic Event to Andrew WK. Who would you like to collaborate with next? EB: We just played at the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, TN. We played shows with hard rocker Andrew WK, violinist/singer/actor Iva Bittová, the Clogs, and Terry Riley. A few days later we played the second half of our Bartók quartet cycle at UC Riverside! This is the type of variety we enjoy. AP: Other than music, what art form fascinates you? Does it inform your playing in any way? JM: I like visual art, especially Impressionist Art. It always gives me a sense of fantasy and imagination, which is an important element of making music. EB: I like ballet. I know very little about it, but it is very moving to me these days. I saw it frequently when I was a child, and didn’t think twice about it, but now it is so beautiful, moving, and athletic. AP: Did you guys get to take a vacation over the past year? If so, where did you go? JM: Vacations always seem rather hard to come by. I think the last vacation I took was a sailing trip to
the Channel Islands off the Santa Barbara coast. I would like to spend more time in Europe someday.
AP: What are you listening to these days (on your iPod, at concerts, etc.)?
EB: I spent my last week off climbing the nose of El Capitan in Yosemite Valley. It was so satisfying, I’ve barely climbed anything since! I’ve been rock climbing for 12 years now.
JM: I’ve been listening to a lot of old recordings of the Amadeus Quartet. I recently bought their complete Beethoven quartet recordings and I’m slowly making my way through them. I have also been obsessed with Tuvan throat singing lately.
AP: If you weren’t a musician, what profession would you want to have? JM: I always liked the idea of being a doctor because I like helping people, but I don’t handle the sight of blood very well. EB: My next choice would probably involve working with my hands, like carpentry. I thought about engineering or math. Or I might have become a climbing bum. AP: For the past few years, you’ve joined us at UC San Diego in April. What’s the best April Fool’s day prank you’ve pulled, or that’s been pulled on you? EB: The Bartók cycle I referred to earlier was on April 1st. Maybe that show didn’t really happen!
AP: Prior to your Friday evening concert at the Conrad Prebys Concert Hall, ArtPower! is hosting a California Wine Tasting in your honor. Are you guys wine drinkers? If so, what’s your favorite? If not, what’s your drink of choice? JM: I do enjoy a good Pinot Noir, but tend to be more of a Single Malt Scotch drinker. EB: I think Jim Beam (from the region of Kentucky) was a quartet favorite for a while. We like wine too, but I myself need an education in that area. AP: You’ve made the rounds on late night talk shows. Who’s your favorite host? JM: Conan O’Brien. He was pretty hilarious.
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UCSD_TheatrePrgrmAd1109.indd 1
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ARTS + CULTURE | LA JOLLA STUDENT REVIEW The Berlin-based group was first founded at the Lübeck Musikhochschule in 1989 and now includes Natalia Prischepenko (violin), Gregor Sigl (violin), Friedemann Weigle (viola), and Eckart Runge (cello). Since then, they have been performing around the world and gradually catching the ears of listeners. On March 6, 2010 the Artemis Quartet performed three of Beethoven’s String Quartets at the Conrad Prebys Concert Hall at UC San Diego.
La Jolla High School student and Arts + Culture | La Jolla reporter Elena Miceli writes about the Artemis String Quartet concert that took place this March as part of ArtPower!’s 2010-11 Chamber Music Series. “Music is the one incorporeal entrance into the higher world of knowledge which comprehends mankind but which mankind cannot comprehend.” Beethoven makes an interesting statement, pointing out that the understanding and interpretation of music may never be achieved perfectly; that people are not really able to be “one” with the music, and let it speak to them. Instead, it is the music that captures the essence of people.
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Due to his complex personality, Beethoven’s music has never been the easiest to understand and perform. Most likely, the interpretation of his music has not been close to what he himself envisioned. There are many orchestras, ensembles, quartets, and soloists that focus on performing Beethoven’s music, yet few are able to render the nuances between playing his music and understanding it. The Artemis Quartet may just be one of them.
The concert hall quickly filled up, and once everyone was settled in, the Artemis Quartet began to play the String Quartet No. 2 in G Major (“Compliments”), Op. 18. As the musicians began to elegantly strike their chords, a clear, crisp sound came forth and soon captured the full attention of the audience. The first movement of the piece, the Allegro, vibrantly sounded followed by a question-and-answer quality that the Germans have nicknamed Komplimentierungsquartett (Compliments-Quartet). The Adagio Cantabile followed softly, with bits of Allegro in the middle. The next movement, Scherzo: Allegro, had an interesting and lively rhythm that bounced between the four instruments. The piece ended with the Allegro molto quasi presto, a rondo-finale, where one couldn’t help but smile at certain music phrases. It was reminiscent of Beethoven’s sense of humor found in other pieces such as Rondo a Capriccio in G Major (Rage Over a Lost Penny). The second piece was the String Quartet No. 11 in F minor (“Serioso”), Op. 95. It starts with an energetic, yet contained Allegro con brio, alluding to a short form of a sonata movement. It was exhilarating in its beauty and virtuously interpreted by the four musicians, especially as it reached the end and continued into the second movement, Allegretto ma no troppo. The next two movements were the Allegro assai vivace ma serioso, with its stormy, bursting opening, and the Larghetto espressivo: Allegretto agitato, a ponderous continuum of tension built up in the previous movements, that ultimately culminated into an imposing, grandiose finale. Even though the piece shows a serious, darker side of Beethoven, the talented musicians were successful in rendering a much happier sound overall. When compared to other performances
“As the musicians began to elegantly strike their chords, a clear, crisp sound came forth and soon captured the full attention of the audience.” of the same piece, it is hard not to notice the impressive mastery, fluidity, and cheerfulness that the musicians brought together.
ARTICLE
The last piece of the performance was the String Quartet No. 15 in A minor (“Heiliger Dankgesang”), Op. 132. The piece starts off with the Assai sostenuto; Allegro in sonata form. It is a lively, melodious piece with a dramatic ending. The second movement, the Allegro ma non tanto, closely related to the classical minuet, with a pervasive romantic touch and the third movement, Molto adagio; Andante, were the most touching movements of all. Particularly, the latter felt meditative in style. The ensemble really touched on the less expected emotional and romantic side of Beethoven, reminding us that Beethoven is the transition musician between the Classical and Romantic periods. The texture of this movement is sophisticated and well balanced, and Artemis was able to convey that delicate balance precisely and beautifully. Both fourth and fifth movements, Alla marcia; assai vivace, and
the Allegro appassionato, brought out a sense of exuberance, so full of life that an occasional tap of the hand was just unstoppable. Those same movements ended the concert, leaving the audience in full ovation, desiring more. The Artemis musicians delivered an outstanding presentation of Beethoven’s Quartets. The four musicians were simply amazing throughout the performance—their sound so complete and beautiful. Their music flowed smoothly, in perfect harmonious coordination. With just one glance at each other their music was able to take the audience to a special place—that of Beethoven’s. The Artemis ensemble has not only mastered their understanding of his music, but their ability to communicate to audiences too. For Art + Culture | La Jolla event listings visit artculturelajolla.com. To find out how you can help support the online project, email Nancy Warwick at info@artculturelajolla.com.
WHY GIVE? Students are at the heart of everything we do at ArtPower!. More than 30% of our audiences (the highest in the University of California system) are students. So, not only are we exposing young people to the best in live performances and film, we’re guaranteeing the long-term health of the arts because we’re developing the next generation of patrons. San Diegans who sustain the cultural life in our city love to explore music, dance, spoken word, and film. They understand the value of our program. As one patron put it, “These are the groups, the concerts, the performers, that I go to Europe to see … and they’re right here in our backyard!” For questions, or to learn more on how you can support ArtPower! please contact Kristine Breese, Director of Development, at (858) 534-7657 or kbreese@ucsd.edu. 9
CANNES FILM FEST: JUVENILE STATUS
SCENE FROM MISSEN
SCENE FROM LARS OG PETER
On April 29, ArtPower! Film presents Juvenile Status, an evening of short film from Cannes Festival selected by UCSD students James Kildunne and Bora Kim. The short films screened as part of Cannes Film Festival Highlights: Juvenile Status confront what happens when the worlds of children and adulthood suddenly come into flux. In their own way, each film documents what happens when characters are thrust into a realm beyond their experience. In this new environment, several key aspects of adolescence emerge: rebellion against authority, interest in the opposite sex, increased responsibilities, and some newfound understanding of the world that starts to erode youth’s innocence. What sets these films apart is their refusal to explicitly define what it means to be juvenile. It is up to the viewing audience to piece together and 10
construct what a final answer might be. All of the short films received the Cannes Film Festival “Official Selection” honor and went on to win several awards from other high profile festivals. Two of the films, Baba and Diploma, were made by student filmmakers. Klusums was made by returning Cannes official selection honoree, Laila Pakalnina. The other three films—Missen, Largs og Peter, and Rumbo a Peor—were made by professional filmmakers. ABOUT THE CURATORS James Kildunne is a senior at UC San Diego majoring in Political Science and minoring in Film. James has worked as an animation intern on the film The Toe Tactic directed by Emily Hubley, and has served as a press intern for US Senator Barbara Boxer. James has been the station manager for Sixth College TV station and is a frequent collaborator with the Video Production Club.
“The short films screened as part of Cannes Film Festival Highlights: Juvenile Status confront what happens when the worlds of children and adulthood suddenly come into flux.”
Bora Kim is a senior at UC San Diego majoring in Communication, and has received an A.A. in Film Studies prior to her years at UC San Diego. Bora is currently interning at ArtPower! Film, and is assisting ArtPower! Film Curator Rebecca Webb with film events on campus. Bora has been station manager for Smash TV, and is a member of Video Production Club.
Klusums (Silence) Director: Laila Pakalnina There should be silence in a museum. And someone should see to it that the silence is maintained. It’s the logical order of things. However, as a strange woman explores the peculiar world of a museum, the convention of silence is broken. (2009, Latvia, 14 min.)
FILM DESCRIPTIONS Missen (Missing) Director: Jochem de Vries Today is the big class field trip, and a mother is struggling to drop off her daughter at school on time. Many obstacles occur, making it difficult for them to get to their destination. The mom falls short in her role as a mother, while the 7 year-old daughter acts more responsible and wise. Through this tough journey, both mom and daughter experience something missing in their family, and are forced to mature and break out of their own comfort zones. (2009, Netherlands, 12 min.)
Diploma Director: Yaelle Kayam 15-year-old Samer insists on taking his older sister Ayat to collect her diploma from a Palestinian university on the night of a Jewish settlement masquerade. Because of the restraining forces, it’s not so easy for them to make their way out. We realize that what seems like a common right— the ability to come and go as you please—is an immense privilege for some. (2009, Israel, 22 min.)
Lars og Peter (Lars and Peter) Director: Daniel Borgman Lars tries to fill the emptiness of his mother’s absence by making his dad, Peter, and brother, Lassee, happy in every possible way. One day, Lars discovers his father in a desperate act after being rejected by a woman and finds himself more alone than ever. (2009, Denmark, 15 min.) Rumbo a Peor (Worstward Ho) Director: Alex Brenemuhl Two men dressed in football-tricots wander through nature. As they travel, they meet a woman on the road. Overwhelmed by her beauty, they insist she join them. During the trio’s journey, they establish special friendship reminiscent of the innocent relationships made in early childhood. (2009, Spain, 13 min.)
Baba Director: Zuzana Krchnerova Spidlova Veronika, a teenage girl, is supposed to take care of her sick grandmother because her mother needs to work. Veronika’s internal struggles cause her to like and dislike her grandmother at the same time, making it hard to manage the tasks at hand. (2009, Czech Republic, 21 min.) JUVENILE STATUS will screen as part of ArtPower! Film’s Film Festival Highlight Series on Thursday, April 29, 2010 at 8pm at The Loft. Tickets are $8 Regular and $5 Advance for UCSD Students. Purchase online at www.artpower.ucsd.edu or call 858.534.TIXS (M-F, 10am-4pm).
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MAKING DANCE HAPPEN: CATHY PRUZAN BS: What do you consider the most important role of an artist manager? CP: To make the right matches between the artists and the presenting organization. Then it’s the logistics of making dates and fees work and overseeing everything from confirming performance dates through the final performance. You do this by monitoring all aspects of a performance—the marketing and tour logistics. BS: What do audiences not know about the business of presenting performances that you think they should know? CP: The length of time required to bring the performance from first conversations with the presenter to the actual show. The other point might be how expensive it is from both the company’s and presenter’s perspectives.
ArtPower! Program and Audience Development Manager Brian Schaefer talks with Cathy Pruzan, a representative for domestic and international dance companies such as ODC/Dance, Wayne McGregor | Random Dance, and Compagnie Jant-Bi, about her career in artist management.
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BS: How do you decide which companies or artists you want to represent? What do you offer them that you think is unique from other artist representatives?
BS: What is the path that brought you to artist management?
CP: First, I need to feel passion for the work—that is foremost. Then I need to know the communication between the artist and company will be good—if I can get information about things like marketing and technical issues in a timely manner. While not mandatory, it’s great when the artist and I have common feelings about the way we see the world.
CP: I started taking ballet classes at the age of three, and knew right then that I wanted to be a professional dancer—I did not stop dancing until I was 35. My professional career spanned over fifteen years, starting with the San Francisco Carlos Carvajal’s Dance Spectrum, then performing as a soloist with the SF Opera Ballet company, and ending with ODC Dance (1980-1987).
I guess I’d call myself a boutique agent. I make it clear that my work isn’t necessarily about quantity in touring and engagements, but trying to find the right matches and workable tours. I do involve myself with every performance and tour as needed, and both the company and presenter know they can contact me at any time. I want to ensure the best performance experience for all.
After retiring from dance, I worked in a law firm for several years before deciding to come back to the performing arts world. I became the booking director for ODC Dance in 1990, forayed for a while into the world of music and theater, and realized dance is where my passion lies.
BS: You represent a lot of international dance companies, many of which have performed at ArtPower!—Grupo Corpo (Brazil), Compagnie Jant-Bi (Senegal), Ea Sola (Vietnam), and Wayne McGregor | Random Dance (UK). What attracts you to working with such a large international roster?
“I feel I’m giving back to today’s dance artists by providing work for them. I’m so grateful that I was able to dance professionally, and I’m really glad to be able to give back to that.”
BS: What are some of the unique challenges of working with international companies?
CP: My experience with ArtPower! is that your organization has great interest in global dance, you have a good understanding of your audience, and you’re not afraid to challenge them. One aspect that sets you apart from others is your ongoing work within your community to further the understanding and appreciation of the performing arts. The commitment is felt throughout the organization as a whole—you truly work as a team and typically go one step beyond. BS: What’s the most rewarding part of being involved in this industry and this process?
CP: The challenges associated with international touring are the number of detailed logistics that have to be handled very carefully and are quite time consuming. We must be very diligent with visa work which I do all myself, and we need to be sensitive to cultural differences and how we work with one another.
CP: I feel I’m giving back to today’s dance artists by providing work for them. I’m so grateful that I was able to dance professionally, and I’m really glad to be able to give back to that. I also love it when I so strongly believe in an artist’s voice and see them transform audiences. It’s wonderfully satisfying.
BS: What do you look for when working with a presenter? What kind of relationship do you hope to build?
In general, we have a wonderful group of colleagues. Our performing arts community is a relatively small world and I feel that for the most part, we’re a team.
CP: I want to know that the presenters have taken the time to review the material or see the company live and feel that the work would be a good match for their audiences. From there we can work through the logistics, but I like to know that the presenters and I are on the same page in regards to interest or love for the work. I like to know that the presenters’ staff will be good with communicating issues involving marketing, tech, and education activities.
BS: What parts could you live without?
Trust is very important in these relationships. I want the presenters to know that if I suggest an artist, that I do so thinking that it could be a good match, and not just to sell a show. We need to be able to trust that we’ll work together to make the best performances possible. BS: Given the artists and companies you have helped ArtPower! bring to San Diego, how would you describe our taste in dance? How does that differ from other performing arts organizations that you work with?
INTERVIEW
CP: I love introducing different cultures to one another through the performing arts. It’s wonderfully satisfying and I always learn so much myself! As a person who experienced the war with Vietnam in the 1970’s and all the upheaval, being able to meet Ea Sola and bring artists from North Vietnam to America was a highlight. My work provides me with wonderful opportunities to expand my own global consciousness.
CP: The parts that are most difficult for me are when we have problems while the company is on tour—I could live without those! BS: What concerns do you have about the health and future of the performing arts? What hopes do you have? CP: I have concerns about international touring. We’ve seen roadblocks in regards to bringing international artists into the United States, and we need to continue to be advocates to keep our borders open and inviting. Even with technology and internet, I feel that the health of live performance is strong. Perhaps because of technology and how it can keep us isolated, people are hungry for that community feeling live performance provides.
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UCSD UP&COMING STUDENT FILM FESTIVAL screens on Thursday, May 20, 2010 at 8pm at The Loft. Tickets are Pay As You Can at the Door. For more information visit us online at www.artpowerfilm.ucsd.edu.
UCSD UP&COMING STUDENT FILM FESTIVAL: A TIME LINE “ArtPower! Film provides some of the best opportunities for young filmmakers on campus that I encountered at my time at UCSD.” —Graham Lee
MAY 2008: INAUGURAL UP&COMING STUDENT FILM FESTIVAL After talking to a number of people who have no idea film production happens at UC San Diego, the newly appointed ArtPower! Film Curator Rebecca Webb makes it her mission to raise awareness and change the filmmaking landscape at the university. Inaugurating the Up&Coming film festival, Webb—a San Diego transplant from the East Coast—is pleased to discover the tremendous student filmmaking talent on campus, as evidenced by the forty-five film submissions for the university’s first ever student film festival. Webb kicks off the event with a panel of esteemed industry professionals, live music, and a pizza party for all attendees—the perfect way to launch a film festival on a college campus. MAY 2009: THE 2ND UP&COMING STUDENT FILM FESTIVAL A year of growth and expansion. The event moves to The Loft, ArtPower!’s exciting new performance lounge and wine bar. Channel 4 gets in on the action, showing up to document the scene.
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Even more luminaries join the jury panel of accomplished industry guests, including Ligiah Villalobos, writer and executive producer of Under the Same Moon, and Oren Sarch, editor of the cult film Pi directed by Darren Aronofsky. The feedback from students is overwhelmingly positive and it’s clear that Up&Coming is filling a gap for UC San Diego’s creative student body.
MAY 2010: THE 3RD UP&COMING STUDENT FILM FESTIVAL Creating a student film festival is like building a house, brick by brick. It takes time to gain the stature and credibility needed to find a spot on the map of student film festivals, where important work is discovered and careers are launched, and where audiences clamor to see what new gem will be revealed next. This year marks the first offering of the Film Festival Submission Workshop moderated by Larry Zeiger, an award-winning writer, director, educator and jury panel member of high profile international film festivals, to advise students on how to give their submissions that professional finish. Once again, the festival brings a high caliber jury panel to determine the best of the best on campus, including Raj Rajendra, UCSD alumnus, and current Chief Film Curator at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. New this year, ArtPower! Film joins forces with University Centers to introduce Professor Unscripted with faculty member Michael Trigilio. Trigilio’s talk will precede the festival screenings. Before the events get under way, show up for some Zanzibar bites and beverages and live music by UCSD’s own B.F. Taddy and the Moonlight Swingers. For information on how you can help support the Up&Coming Student Film Festival, please contact Kristine Breese, Director of Development, at (858) 534-7657 or kbreese@ucsd.edu.
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SPRING CALENDAR
2009–201
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CHAMBER Calder Quartet Friday, April 16, 2010 / 8pm Dept of Music’s Conrad Prebys Concert Hall The ensemble displays their virtuosity with a program by the masters. $46 > Regular // $10 advance > UCSD Student
FILM FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHT Cannes Film Festival: Juvenile Status
PHOTO: JOSEPHINE BAKER IN SIREN OF THE TROPICS
JAZZ Gretchen Parlato Wednesday, April 7, 2010 / 8pm / The Loft You could compare Gretchen Parlato to Frank Sinatra in terms of subtone, or Chet Baker in terms of cool. You wouldn’t be far off the mark. $16 > Regular // $5 advance > UCSD Student
FILM / SPORT STORIES Harvard Beats Yale 29-29
Thursday, April 29, 2010 / 8pm / The Loft ArtPower! will handpick festival faves with “passionate spirit “ to highlight. $8 > Regular // $5 advance > UCSD Student
FILM / BORDER PERSPECTIVES Pre-Screening Live Music by DJ Skullcrusher
La Americana Thursday, May 6, 2010 / 8pm / The Loft La Americana takes its viewers on an international journey following the personal and political tragedy of one undocumented immigrant in New York City. $8 > Regular // $5 advance > UCSD Student
STUDENT FILM FEST Press Rewind
Pre-Screening Live Music by The Dots Thursday, April 8, 2010 / 8pm / The Loft Kevin Rafferty intercuts original footage with the recollections of the men who played in one of college football’s most famous games. $8 > Regular // $5 advance > UCSD Student
Wednesday, May 19, 2010 / 8pm / The Loft Join us for an inspiring evening that offers a rare glimpse at the earliest works of some of today’s most acclaimed cinematic auteurs. Pay As You Can > Regular
SPECIAL EVENT Elvis Costello Solo
STUDENT FILM FEST UCSD Up&Coming Student Film Festival
Sunday, April 11, 2010 / 8pm Balboa Theatre Costello’s versatility encompasses virtually every musical genre, from British punk and new wave to classical, jazz and American roots. $65-38.50 > Regular
TENTACLE SESSIONS Performance that grabs you and won’t let go! Calder Quartet Thursday, April 15, 2010 / 8pm / The Loft The Calder’s concert will demonstrate why it’s silly to be afraid of emergent music. $16 > Regular // $5 advance > UCSD Student
Thursday, May 20, 2010 / 8pm / The Loft An esteemed jury of film professionals recognize excellence in UCSD student filmmaking at our Up&Coming Student Film Festival. Pay As You Can > Regular
HYPERCINEMA [SAN DIEGO PREMIERE] Gilgamashup Thursday, May 27, 2010 / 8pm / The Loft This style of storytelling incorporates relevant film clips and music that is shared with the audience via laptops and other forms of electronic devices. $12 > Regular // $5 advance > UCSD Student
SIGN UP TO BE PART OF ARTPOWER!’S EMAIL LIST AT ARTPOWER.UCSD.EDU
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alive with possibility
ArtPower! at UC San Diego 9500 Gilman Dr., #0077 / La Jolla, CA 92093-0077