1
JULY 2, 2014 VOLU M E 53 | I S S UE 26 | 7 5 ¢
PikesPeakCourier.net
Page 6
T E L L E R C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
A publication of
Green Box swings into GMF By Pat Hill
phill@colorado communitymedia.com A world premiere that had grownups shedding their inhibitions, throwing caution to the winds, the debut of musical swings in Green Mountain Falls is creating a sensation in the mountain community. In a media splash June 23 that featured the designer, Melissa Mongiat, the swings tapped the inner child of the journalists who, with alacrity, dropped their notebooks and cameras to go for it. It didn’t take long for the swingers to glean their roles in the symphony of sounds emitted from the seats, pink for piano, blue for harp, green for guitar and yellow for the vibraphone. With vigorous pumping, as in bygone days, the swingers controlled the melodies. Besting the adults was a youngster flying through the air with abandon. Mongiat, who, with her partner Mouna Andraos, created the swings in the
POSTAL ADDRESS
Montreal-based studio Daily tous les jours. Mongiat gave an overview of the studio’s theme: “It is so delightful to work in Green Mountain Falls; you’ve been really welcoming and warm. We’re very excited to present this piece to you. In Montreal there are musical swings that opened in 2011; ever since then we’ve been working on a tourist version. This is the premiere in Green Mountain Falls and it’s really unique because there are 10 swings where people are swinging together. But it’s also the context of Green Mountain Falls. We are an interactive design studio and work a lot in public spaces. We are used to working in spaces that are depressed, usually invisible to the public and we try to bring vitality and often beautify that little bit of space. Here it’s the opposite — you have this amazing setting, astonishing mountains to view while you’re swinging, the air you breathe, it’s really about not only connecting people but about experiencing nature. This is an exercise in musical cooperation, the higher you swing the higher the notes. The secret ingredient: When people swing in synchronicity more complex melodies are created. But I think the magic happens when you’re sitting on the swings.” The swings are free and open to the public from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day from June 23 to July 13. The swings introduce the annual Green Box Arts Festival, a gift to the resi-
Whoppee! Looks like officials and a couple of residents are getting their kicks out of the musical swings in Green Mountain Falls. From left, after the child, Michael Butts, trustee; Lorrie Worthey, mayor; and Dick Bratton, former mayor. Photos by Pat Hill
‘It is so delightful to work in Green Mountain Falls; you’ve been really welcoming and warm. We’re very excited to present this piece to you.’ Melissa Mongiat dents from the Kirkpatrick Family Fund, the Kirkpatrick Bank and Christian Keesee. The festival begins with a community block party and family concert from 6 to 9 p.m. July 4 and ends July 13 with the final day of
the swings. For a complete schedule, visit www.greenboxarts.org. After the world premiere in Green Mountain Falls, the swings are expected to appear in Los Angeles, New York City and possibly Santa Fe.
The day after a violent rainstorm overflowed the banks of Fountain Creek June 24, the swings in the park in Green Mountain Falls are intact, ready for the next set of swingers. While the surface is a bit muddy, the swings are ready for action. The musical swings are part of the Green Box Arts Festival, which begins July 4.
34 years and counting for Symphony By Pat Hill
PIKES PEAK COURIER (USPS 654-460)
OFFICE: 1200 E. Highway 24 Woodland Park, CO 80863 PHONE: 719-687-3006 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Teller County, Colorado, the Pikes Peak Courier is published weekly on Wednesday by Colorado Community Media, 1200 E. Highway 24, Woodland Park, CO 80863. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT WOODLAND PARK, COLORADO. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210 Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 DEADLINES: Display: Thurs. 11 a.m. Legal: Thurs. 11 a.m. | Classified: Mon. 10 a.m. G ET SOCIAL WITH US
P L EA SE R ECYC L E T H I S C OPY
phill@colorado communitymedia.com In a place where the beauty of nature is everpresent, the July 5th Symphony Above the Clouds is glorified by the mountain ambience. A 34-year tradition in Woodland Park, the symphony brings together people who may not ordinarily meet. It’s a place, too, to meet old friends, catch up on the latest, enjoy a picnic and then bask in the sounds of the orchestra led by Thomas Wilson. There’s always a guest conductor, this year’s is Cindy Morse, Woodland Park’s city clerk who will retire in December. For many, the symphony’s grand finale, signaled by the tremendous sound of the 75 millimeter howitzer cannons, stirs a profound sense of patriotism and reverence for America. The cannons unite the city with the soldiers of Fort Carson, whose 2nd Battalion and 12th Field Artillery conduct the Salute Battery
The sound of the cannons, after the 1812 Overture, are a distinguishing feature of Symphony Above the Clouds July 5. Photo by Lenore Hotchkiss for the symphony. “The tradition of having the howitzers here goes back many years,” said David Buttery, Woodland Park’s city manager. “Cannons have always added another level of commitment to an event. For example, when generals change command they usually have a salute battery, when a dignitary comes, there’s a salute battery.”
For the Ute Pass Symphony Guild, the cannons are a big deal, considering the nerve-wracking piece of the event. “The cannons are back! After two years without the Fort Carson cannons being a part of the 1812 Overture due to either fires or budget cuts, the Salute Battery will again be a part of the performance! Likewise we will have fireworks which are provided
by the city of Woodland Park,” said Karolyn Smith, speaking for the guild. The guild is still smarting over the effects of the Waldo Canyon Fire in 2012 followed a rainstorm during the 2013 performance. As a result, there was a reduction in the sales of the guild’s commemorative Tshirts shirts as well as gate donations. However, two local fun-
draising events, The Lighter Side of Christmas Parade and Tweeds Holiday Home Tour have named the guild as the beneficiary of their respective 2014 December events. This will assist the guild in replenishing their cash reserve funds. The 2014 theme for The Lighter Side of Christmas Parade is “Here Comes the Sun Snow — Celebrating 50 Years of Beatlemania.” The Colorado Springs Philharmonic performance will include some Beatles’ songs as part of the July 5th concert. “For 34 years the Symphony Above the Clouds has been one of our most important traditions and we can’t imagine a better place to be on the 5th of July,” said Nathan Newbrough, president and chief executive officer of the orchestra. “Our many thanks to the Ute Pass Symphony Guild for its monumental efforts in support of the Woodland Park community.”