Monthly Archives: January 2011

John McKay concert at Thompson Recital Hall on Friday, Opening Reception for Michael Witt at Bemidji Methodist Church, a reminder of “Love Songs and Arias” and a plea to support the arts in Bemidji.

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Professor Stephen Carlson has invited his college piano teacher from college to play a concert on the anniversary of the births of Robert Schumann and Chopin. John McKay, professor emeritus of Gustavus Adolphus College will play at 7:30 p.m., on Friday, Jan. 28 in Thompson Recital Hall in Bangsberg Fine and Performing Arts Complex on the campus of BSU.  McKay has appeared as a piano soloist with the Mankato Symphony Orchestra, presented the summer music series at Gustavus for 17 summer, Minnesota Valley sommarfest. McKay will perform Schumann’s “Carnaval” which is considered to be his masterpiece for piano solo. After the intermission, selections from Frederic Chopin’s extensive “writings”–as he is called “the Poet of the Piano” will be presented.  McKay will perform the Nocturne in D-flat major, op.27, No. 2, the Fantasisie Impromptu, op. 66 and a few other pieces. This concert is free and open to the public.

As we sat during the memorial service for Elaine Hazard at BMC this past Saturday, the consoling words and music were complemented by the paintings on the large wall in the sanctuary. It was obvious that the person who created these works had (and one would suppose still has) a close and personal relationship with a higher power (to borrow part of a phrase from AA). I use the higher power because Michael DeWitt acknowledges that his intention is to help us all to reflect, contemplate and meditate on images that are accessible to all people of faith however that manifests itself in each of us.

When I spoke with Pastor Eric Hucke about the concept for the installation, he told me that after the renovations there was a large white wall left under the stained glass windows on the right side of the sanctuary. One of the parishioners made felt banners for the wall but, after some time, thought was given to a more permanent depiction on the wall. One of the first ideas was a mural and the idea floated around but no one artist came to mind. Finally, a couple of members of the choir mentioned one of the church members, Michael DeWitt. Others asked if he was that guy who painted all the Christmas windows with fanciful characters (mostly mice and other little creatures) around town. (Remember the wonderful window displays at Union Station, Slim’s and other downtown establishments?) Yes, was the answer but he is a serious painter as well. To shorten the story, about five years ago, the Memorial Committee at church commissioned DeWitt to paint an installation that would grace the wall of the sanctuary for years to come.

What to do and how to paint it became an obsession with DeWitt who traveled to retreat houses, spent time in meditation prayer and studied biblical texts. The resulting panels are a testament to an artist who truly understands that each of us needs to seek mutual trust and understanding. The style of the painting is DeWitt’s own for it mixes some pre-modern, classical and modern elements to create a whole that speaks to the title, “Prevenient Grace.” One’s eyes move from each panel to the next in anticipation and wonder. There is so much revealed to the eye and just hidden below the surface for someone to discover; an intimate understanding or appreciation for the message. Yes, each panel has a message in the biblical sense that is the immediate response but as DeWitt will explain at Saturday’s reception, each also has a message that resonates to all.

One of my favorite and comforting stories of the bible is that of the woman at the well (Gospel of John) and perhaps that was why my eye was drawn to that panel again and again. That panel is one of a total of eight pieces that were unveiled for the congregation in late December of 2010. There will be a brochure to explain each panel available at the reception and DeWitt will talk about them at 2 p.m.; the reception will be held from 1:30 to 3 p.m., on Saturday, January 29 at BMC, Ninth St. and Beltrami Ave.

I can attest that the panels were a comfort to me while saying goodbye to a person who touched so many lives here in Bemidji with grace, patience and love.

Below is a copy from last week’s entry for those who have not yet had the chance to read it and also as a reminder of the event for those who have yet to send in their responses. With today’s news that BSU is terminating the theater department because of economic constraints, it is more important than ever to support the arts in this community. The arts are an integral part of the fabric of this area; a mosaic that has been carefully crafted over the years by people like Fulton Gallagher, Marley Kaul, Butch Holton, Abe Belleveau, Will Weaver, Paul Branvik, Patrick Riley, players in the Bemidji Symphony Orchestra and singers in the Bemidji Chorale. I do not have the names of all those who have enriched this area but a few come to mind: Pat Mason, Bradley Logan, Wayne Hoff, Mark Christensen, Linda Wagner. Young adults like Abe Hunter, Matt Goinz, Karissa Korbel, and Sara Wabrowetz have picked up the torch for us and the next generations. We owe it to them to support their efforts for we all need to “feed our souls.”

When Maestro Fulton Gallagher started the fund raising events for the Lake Bemidji Opera Company a few years ago, many of us were excited about having opera nights in Bemidji. This past summer a new venture, The Loon Opera, under the direction of one of Gallagher’s protégé’s Abe Hunter played to full houses with their all Menotti program. Obviously Gallagher knew what he was doing when he re-started opera in Bemidji along with his faithful cadre of singers, musicians and administrative duties of Nancy.

Although many of the young singers like Matt Goinz have gone on to seek their fortunes and further studies, some of the favorites have remained or returned to the area. A returning singer is soprano Sara Wabrowetz, a Duluth native who “loves it here in Bemidji.” Sara will be joined by Julia Lamon, Linda Wagner, and Mark Christensen whose dramatic rendering of romantic arias and Broadway songs are legendary. Joining the group this year is Josef Schlemper, a nuanced Sinatra interpreter, who over-filled the house (Headwaters School of Music and the Arts) when he held a 20th birthday concert.

This year the Gallaghers have turned over the whole “kit and caboodle” to  Abe Hunter. The Third Annual Love Songs and Arias” will be held at the Hampton Inn and Suites on Friday, February 11, 2001. The evening will begin with a social hour at 6 p.m. to be followed by dinner and program at 7 p.m. The menu will begin with a champagne toast followed by an Insalate Verde. For the second course there is a choice of Coq au Vin or Beef Tenderloin in a red wine sauce. A decadent chocolate dessert with coffee will complete the meal. All this and first class entertainment for a $50 ticket and the proceeds will be going to the 2011 summer season of The Loon Opera Co.

Please make your reservations early as this event sells out quickly. For reservations and information, call Abe Hunter (218) 368-8805.

A couple of more comments about Saaren’s production of “Steele Magnolias” which played to appreciative audiences last weekend in spite of snow storms and sub-zero temps. As promised, the ensemble captured the imagination and hearts of those who were there. Thanks Steve and Dee Jay—you have brought new insights and appreciation for the performing arts to Bemidji.

“Love Songs and Arias” at the Hampton Inn and Third Thursday Events in Park Rapids

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When Maestro Fulton Gallagher started the fund raising events for the Lake Bemidji Opera Company a few years ago, many of us were excited about having opera nights in Bemidji. This past summer a new venture, The Loon Opera, under the direction of one of Gallagher’s protégé’s Abe Hunter played to full houses with their all Menotti program. Obviously Gallagher knew what he was doing when he re-started opera in Bemidji along with his faithful cadre of singers, musicians and administrative duties of Nancy.

Although many of the young singers like Matt Goinz have gone on to seek their fortunes and further studies, some of the favorites have remained or returned to the area. A returning singer is soprano Sara Wabrowetz, a Duluth native who “loves it here in Bemidji.” Sara will be joined by Julia Lamon, Linda Wagner, and Mark Christensen whose dramatic rendering of romantic arias and Broadway songs are legendary. Joining the group this year is Josef Schlemper, a nuanced Sinatra interpreter, who over-filled the house (Headwaters School of Music and the Arts) when he held a 20th birthday concert.

This year the Gallaghers have turned over the whole “kit and caboodle” to  Abe Hunter. The Third Annual Love Songs and Arias” will be held at the Hampton Inn and Suites on Friday, February 11, 2001. The evening will begin with a social hour at 6 p.m. to be followed by dinner and program at 7 p.m. The menu will begin with a champagne toast followed by an Insalate Verde. For the second course there is a choice of Coq au Vin or Beef Tenderloin in a red wine sauce. A decadent chocolate dessert with coffee will complete the meal. All this and first class entertainment for a $50 ticket and the proceeds will be going to the 2011 summer season of The Loon Opera Co.

Please make your reservations early as this event sells out quickly. For reservations and information, call Abe Hunter (218) 368-8805.

If you like First Friday events in Bemidji, how about driving a bit to the Park Rapids Third Thursday events? Officially named the Arts Downtown Park Rapids Series, it celebrates the revitalization and renovations almost completed in downtown Park Rapids. This Thursday, January 20, The Northern Light Wind Quintet will be playing at the Bella Caffe at 118 Third St. W in Park Rapids. Call 218-732-7625 for directions. Deane Johnson, a clarinet player for the Bemidji Symphony Orchestra will be appearing with the group from 5 to 5:30 and 6 to 6:30 p.m. Fran Gack will entertain from 5:30 to 6 and 6:30 to 7 p.m. at The Good Life Cafe on Main Street where a collection of watercolors on loan from the North Country Museum of Arts remain on display.

These events are designed to bring audiences to see and hear visual artists, musicians, writers and other artists in businesses in downtown Park Rapids on the Third Thursday of the month year round. The public is invited to attend and encouraged to make a free will donation to the artists. Contact Lu Ann Hurd-Lof at 652-4081, luann47@gmail.com.

This activity is funded, in part, by the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on Nov. 4, 2008

Poet Robert Bly by way of Marsh Muirhead and Kentucky artist Derrick Riley at the Talley Gallery

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With thanks to Kristine Cannon who persevered to get this information to me for publication, here are some of the highlights on the How Pedestrian website (they are “bringing poetry to random places since 2010). Local poet and acknowledged Haiku master Marsh Muirhead is anything but pedestrian–(Webster’s New World Fourth Edition)–dull, lacking interest or imagination. Marsh selected three poems from different eras in the writings of Robert Bly, videotaped three Bemidjians reciting the pieces and sent the package to the website. First a little bit about Robert Bly who was born in Madison, Wisconsin in 1926 and appointed the first Poet Laureate of Minnesota in 2008. His anti-war Vietnam activities are legend and he wrote of them in the poem “The Great Society” which refers to the movement begun under President Lyndon Johnson during the 1960′s after the death of John Kennedy.  (As an aside, when in Vietnam a few years ago, we saw and listened to the guides speak of the American War, those devils who attacked us– a sobering experience.) “The Great Society” is read by Ken Smith on the shore of Lake Bemidji with fish houses in the background.  “Living at the End of Time” and “Wanting Sumptuous Heavens” are read by Kate Smith (nee Ebberline) and Anyea Hake who received her MA in English from BSU and now is teaching at a tribal college in Bellecourt, ND.  The  other two scenes are in front of Toasty Beavers in downtown Bemidji and Paul and Babe. Check it out, whether you enjoy poetry or not, the site is fun. Remember to scroll down until the Bly poems. Some of you will recognize the speakers. Thanks again Kristine. I’ve heard that Marsh is in Key West with is fellow poets writing and enjoying the weather.

“Mish Mash,” a group of drawings and woodcut prints by Derrick Riley opens at the Talley Gallery. Riley’s work examines society’s moral and social problems and the obstacles that confront the choices one makes or is forced to accept. Riley was the subject of an art documentary that earned several national and international Emmy Awards. Riley holds a MFA in printmaking from the University of Kentucky.  This is an exhibit that needs to be seen for the artist’s viewpoint and how much it corresponds to ours—what are our moral and societal issues. The exhibit will be up until Feb. 16 and the opening reception is from 12 noon to 3 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 12.

Fleur de Lis in the Wild Rose Theater has on display new large, framed photographs of Duluth harbor by Keith Cich. On a personal note, it is refreshing to see some artists on display who are not from this area because they bring a new “eye” to our world. Don Zieman’s walking sticks encase some of the stones he collects and distributes to receptive people.  Thomas Hamilton from Council Bluffs, Iowa has caught my imagination and “cash” for his lovely ceramic pieces. Rita Arsenault Quinn’s watercolors of the Massachusetts shoreline are fascinating. The gallery is open from 2  to 6 p.m., Wednesday through Friday and from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday. The space is newly painted and is now extended to include the two large rooms on the top floor.

The Back Porch series will begin this month at the Blackduck Library. The three part series which will feature Minnesota songwriter/singer Neal Hagburg who composes songs that reflect on our lives and the way we treat each other. Marian Ridge, the Director of the Kitchigami Regional Library System, Nance Kunkel, Blackduck librarian, and Neal Hagburg developed the concept of a series of three evenings that will focus on different aspects of music and accompanying discussions. The seriousness of the project is underscored by the subject matters to be examined: prejudices toward different religions, orientations, gender, class, race, etc. Hagburg through his music tries to find a pathway through a polarized world. His CD “It’s Not As Simple As It Seems” earned Hagburg the 2010 McKnight Composers Fellowship. The scheduled evenings are January 24, February and March 28. For more information, contact the Blackduck Public Library—look at the KRLS.org home page.

Friend of the Arts Award–get those nominations in early and with lots of supporting letters. This year I will be adding the name of the husband to the person I nominated last year and will be contacting others for support. Let’s hope we have better luck this year!   That’s all she wrote, folks.

Some thoughts on Steel Magnolias and the upcoming lecture by Anton Treuer on January 10.

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Saarens Productions will open “Steel Magnolias” the weekend of January 22-24, actually a play that has been in the works for over a year. The original actors have waited a long time to perform what is called the quintesential “chick flick.” But that is selling short a powerful piece that started out as a story by writer Robert Harling. Harling lost his sister to Juvenile Diabetes or Type I Diabetes and the pain for him, and his family, was so intense that friends encouraged him to write about the experience. We all know the story by now given that it was on Off-Broadway, Broadway, a motion picture and then a potential television series on CBS. The play itself opened at the WPA theatre in March of 1987. London audiences flocked to see the play at the Lyric in 1989, the same year that TriStar Pictures released the movie. The play is very popular in Japan and in Sweden it is entitled “Bloomor av Stal.”

The story line revolves around Shelby and her mother M’Lynn and all the action takes place in Truvy’s Beauty Parlor about four important events in the lives of the characters over a two and a half year period. Mother and daughter spar over the precarious medical condition of daughter who chooses to deny reality. It is listed as a comedy/drama because of the comedic scenes which occur when the drama becomes too much to bear for the onlookers (audience).  The friends of the mother knit a protective shield around her and her daughter but, as in most knitting, the product is gossamer and fragile. They watch in concern the steady decline in Shelby, knowing full well that someday soon they will need to be there for their friend during a time that no parent ever wants to face.  The film goes further than the original play because Harling wrote in more characters which he later admitted was the staff (doctors, nurses, aides, etc.) who attended his sister during her last days.  Of course, he gave them characterizations that resembled them but not necessarily the same gender. There will be a feature piece on the play in the near future but it seemed important to give this background information because to call it a “chick flick” is to trivialize the disease, parental concerns, kinship born of friendship and the knowledge that life does go on for those left behind; sometimes with immeasurable pain but with an inward strength that surprises and comforts them. The film is used by the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation to demonstrate the seriousness of pregnancy in young women with Type I Diabetes. The Joslin Diabetes Center also uses the film as an educational tool.

I received a query about the location of Saarens Productions which has taken over management of the Wild Rose Theater. It is located at 501 Bemidji Ave. N. (in the Mason Building) and across the street from the Bemidji Community Arts Center at the foot of Fifth St. an Bemidji Ave.  Also to those who are not aware, each Wednesday Pioneer Previews is on the second page of the printed edition and on the home page of the on-line edition and under Entertainment as well. The column gives more information on what, where and when as the blog is devoted toward personal comments and information that cannot “fit” in the column. I hope this answers some questions.

Be there or be square!

There should be a large audience to hear Treuer to talk about his newest tome, a scholarly work about the untimely death of an self-appointed Ojibwe leader (Hole in the Day) on Monday night. The lecture will begin at 7 p.m. at the Bemidji Public Library. Be there early to get a seat and be prepared to be informed by someone who has a cultural interest in the truth of one of the most chaotic times in Ojibwe history.

That’s all she wrote folks,