Missoula Cultural Council – -Some news and upcoming events for the week of April 4, 2005

In Missoula…

The Missoula Independent’s cover story this week focuses on Montana Public Radio and its annual pledge drive this week. Included is an interesting contrast between public and commercial radio stations. For the full story visit http://www.missoulanews.com/

The nationally celebrated Week of the Young Child began yesterday, and runs through this Saturday, April 9. Mayor Mike Kadas will at Saturday’s Story Time at the Missoula Public Library at 10:00 a.m., KPAX’s Jill Valley will read at Southgate Mall’s Story Time at noon, and other events are planned for Barnes and Noble, University Center and Albertsons at Russell Square. For more information visit http://www.mtaeyc.org/

The University of Montana’s Museum of Art and Culture presents Celebrating Excellence: Twenty Years of Laughter in the PAR/TV Building on the UM Campus from April 1-16. For the past twenty years, The University of Montana Department of Drama/Dance has been pleased to offer dance, drama, comedy, music, and magic to Montana audiences in one of the finest performing arts facilities in the Northwest. The Department of Drama/Dance and the Montana Museum of Art & Culture have teamed up to commemorate this history. From April 1 – 16, you are invited to help us celebrate by enjoying a retrospective exhibit of theater memorabilia at the Montana Museum of Art & Culture. Reminisce as you stroll past costumes, props, set pieces, posters and photographs from these most memorable productions. For more information visit http://www.umt.edu/partv/famus

Elliot Sober, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Wisconsin, will speak on Creationism Versus Evolution tonight, April 4, as part of the University of Montana’s President’s Lecture Series, at 8:00 p.m. at the University Theatre. Admission is free.

The University of Montana Music Department is pleased to announce Composers’ Showcase 2005, with American composer John Marvin and guest artist Deborah Kavasch, Professor of Music at CSU, Stanislaus. An annual series of concerts featuring works by UM’s student composers, Composers’ Showcase has played an integral part in the university’s musical scene since the early 1960s. It provides young composers the opportunity to complete the creative process by working directly with performers in the preparation of their new compositions for premiere on the concert stage. Concerts are scheduled for 2:10 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on April 4 and 5 in the Music Recital Hall. Admission is free. For further information, please contact: Professor Patrick C. Williams, at 243-4471 or [email protected]

Tonight, April 4, the Musikanten Montana Chamber Group performs at St. Francis Xavier Church at 7:30 p.m. This group is a Helena based ensemble that primarily performs a cappella music from the Renaissance and Baroque periods. However, the singers frequently merge with musicians who perform on the recorder, consort, flute, and other Renaissance and Baroque instruments. For information about the Missoula concert, please call 543-5059.

The University of Montana Departments of Music and Drama/Dance present Evita, April 5-9 and 12-16 at the Montana Theater at 7:30 p.m. each night. For ticket and information, call call 243-4636.

The University of Montana Department of Music presents several performances this week: the Jubes at 7:30 p.m. on April 6 in the Music Recital Hall; the Percussion Ensemble and “Islander’s" Steel Drum Band, 7:30 p.m. on April 8 in the University Theater; Student Recital Series Event featuring Molly Petrik, piano, at 7:30 on April 9 in the Music Recital Hall; Student Recital Series Event featuring Juli Ann Herbert, flute, at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 10 in the Music Recital Hall, and the New Music Enesmble at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 10 in the Music Recital Hall. For information about all these events, call 243-6882.

Ambassador Philip C. Wilcox, president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace and former U.S. negotiator, will present a lecture entitled The Middle East Conflict: Palestine and Israel after Arafat on Thursday, April 7 at 7:30 p.m. at the North Urey Underground Lecture Hall. This event is free and is sponsored by the Montana World Affairs Council and the Office of International Programs University of Montana.

The Missoula Art Museum invites you to visit the Temporary Contemporary to view Native Perspectives on the Trail: A Contemporary American Indian Art Portfolio, on view now through May 21. After many years of encouraging the work of other American Indian artists through his work as an educator, collector, curator and collaborator, Joe Feddersen is achieving more significant recognition for is own work, including a prestigious fellowship from the Eiteljorg Museum in 2001. Feddersen also exhibits his work regularly in France, Germany and across the United States.

MAM will also present a free lecture with Ronan School District Indian Education Coordinator Julie Cajune titled: Absence, Myth and Stereotypes of Indians in U.S. History on Thursday, April 7 at 7:00 p.m. at MAM’s Temporary Contemporary in the Florence building, 111 N. Higgins Avenue. For more information, call 728-0447 or visit http://www.missoulaartmuseum.org

Nine-time All-Ireland Fiddle Champion Eileen Ivers and Immigrant Soul will perform at the University Center Ballroom on April 7 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale at the Source at the UC and at Rockin Rudy’s. Call 243-4636 for more information.

Very Special Arts of Montana is presenting a Cabaret Show featuring its adult programs- choir, dance and Mime programs for children who are deaf on Friday, April 8 at 7:00 p.m. at the Missoula Children’s Theatre. The event is free and open to the public (donations gladly accepted), a silent auction opens at 6:30, and the event is followed by a reception and final silent bids for auction items. The theme of the show is working, to celebrate the working lives of people with disabilities who are an integral part of our community’s work force. For more information call Alayne at 549-2984.

Christi the Wordsmith will be reading and signing Verbivore’s Feast at Fact and Fiction on Friday, April 8 at 7:00 p.m. Call 721-2881 for information.

Learn about Glacial Lake Missoula and the Ice Age Floods at the Montana Natural History Center at the Saturday Discovery Day, April 9, from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Discover how this incredible geological event shaped the local landscape into what we know today. Presentations offered throughout the day will focus on different aspects of the lake and floods. Cost is $10, with a coupon for a $10 discount on membership with IAFI and/or MNHC. For more information, call the Montana Natural History Center at 327-0405 or visit http://www.MontanaNaturalist.org . More information about Glacial Lake Missoula is available online at http://www.iceagefloodsinstitute.org and http://www.glaciallakemissoula.org.

The Missoula Community Concert Band will present their 14th annual spring concert, Sunday, April 10th, the Missoula Children’s Theatre. The concert will start at 2:30 p.m. with a reception following the concert. Dr. Benjamin Kirby is the musical director for concert. Bass trombonist Benjamin Luety will be the guest soloist. Mr. Luety has been associated with Miami’s New World Symphony, a member and soloist of The Montana Trombone Chorale, and has also performed with other symphonies and ensembles. He has also been a member of the Disney World All-American Collegiate Stage Orchestra. For more information, please call 251-4482. Admission is free.

The Missoula Mendelssohn Club will perform its 60th Annual Spring Concert Sunday, April 10, at 7:30 p.m. at the University Theatre, with special guests the New Big Sky Singers and the Missoula Children’s Choir. Call 728-4294 or visit http://www.missoulamc.org for tickets and information

The International Wildlife Film Festival is now in full swing with preparations for the 28th annual International Wildlife Film Festival. We are looking for volunteers to help out during festival week, which will be held April 30 ­ May 7. There are volunteer opportunities throughout the day and into the evening and include Host or Hostess; WildWalk Parade or WildFest Family Day; Video Projection at the Wilma and Roxy Theaters; Party Planning, Set Up & Clean Up; Theater Ushers; All around gophers; Administrative and Theater Assistance. To volunteer or for more information, please contact the IWFF at 728-9380 or e-mail us at: [email protected]. Also visit http://www.wildlifefilms.org

City Club Missoula meets Friday, April 15 in the Governor’s Room at the Florence (111 North Higgins), from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. This month’s topic is Milltown Dam Removal and Missoula’s Water presented by Russ, Forba, Milltown Project Director, Environmental Protection Agency, Keith Large, Remediation Specialist, Montana Dept. of Environmental Quality, Mine Waste Bureau, Pat Saffel, Regional Fisheries Manager, Montana Dept. of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and William A. Woessner, Ph.D., Acting Director, Center for Riverine Science and Stream Re-naturalization, The University of Montana. The panelists will speak to the following questions:

* What are the potential short- and long-term effects of the dam’s removal on Missoula’s water aquifer, drinking water, surface water and fisheries?
* What are the uncertainties in the removal of the Milltown Dam and what are the contingency plans to address any uncertainties?

The presentation will be followed by discussions at individual tables and then a general question and discussion session with the speakers. The intent of City Club Missoula is to inform and inspire citizens on issues vital to the Missoula area community through public forums that encourage new ideas and a free exchange of thought. Please RSVP to Tom Bensen at [email protected] or 721-9620 on or before Tuesday, April 12. Please say if you will, or will not, be having lunch. Lunch is $13 and for those choosing not to have lunch, there will be a $5 fee to help to defray expenses. Payment will be received at the door. If you RSVP and are not able to attend at the last minute, reimbursement would be appreciated.

Elsewhere in Montana and the Region…

On Friday Governor Brian Schweitzer announced six new members of the Montana Arts Council. The fifteen-member Montana Arts Council is charged with promoting and expanding the significant role of arts and culture through a variety of grant and technical assistance programs. The council also emphasizes the important role the arts play in economic development. The new members are:

* Tim Holmes, Helena – Holmes, a world-renowned sculptor, has had one-person exhibits from Montana museums to The Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia, where he was first American artist to exhibit solo. He is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the U.N. International Millennium Peace Prize, and the Outstanding Alum Award from Rocky Mountain College, where he earned a BA in Fine Arts. His works are in the private collections of national and international leaders including former President Jimmy Carter and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. He is also well-known as a speaker and teacher, and performs with the Montana Logging and Ballet Company.
* Rob Quist, Kalispell – Quist is a nationally known singer, songwriter and performer. He attended the University of Montana, where he studied music and physical therapy, and was named to the School of Fine Arts Hall of Honors. Quist has toured extensively throughout the United States, Canada, and Japan, headlining in every major concert hall in America. He’s released eight CD’s and his original music has been charted on Billboard’s Top 100, the National Independent Label Charts and has hit the charts in Europe. His music has been recorded by Michael Martin Murphey, Loretta Lynn, Mission Mountain Wood Band and The Montana Band. He is a member of local and national musicians’ unions, including the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
* Kevin Red Star, Roberts – Red Star is generally acknowledged as the premier Northern Plains fine artist and is well-known nationally and internationally. Born in Lodge Grass, on the Crow Reservation, his formal art education began in 1962 at the Institute of American Indian Art, where he later served as an artist-in-residence. He won a scholarship to the San Francisco Art Institute where he gained numerous awards and continued his studies at Montana State University-Bozeman and Eastern Montana College, Billings. His work is in the permanent collections of many national and international museums, including the Smithsonian Institute. Red Star is a board member of the Institute of American Indian Art and the Harvard Project (Ford Foundation grants to Native American projects). He has an honorary doctorate degree in fine art from Rocky Mountain College in Billings and is artist in residence at the Russian Academy of Art in Moscow, Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia and Mount San Antonio College/Gallery in Walnut, California.
* Kathleen Schlepp, Miles City – Schlepp is a board member of the Custer County Art and Heritage Center, which earned a previous Montana Governor’s Historic Preservation Award. The Custer County Art and Heritage Center was established in 1977 and is housed in the old Miles City Water Treatment Plant, a National Register of Historic Places landmark. Schlepp works as a dietitian for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, and received an undergrad and graduate degree in nutrition from Montana State University-Bozeman. She serves on the membership committee for the community concert organization, and has volunteered her time as a hospice volunteer, with Meals on Wheels, the local aging council and the nutrition coalition, as well as the Rotary. Schlepp fills a vacancy position on the board.
* Youpa Stein, Missoula – Stein combines extensive work in the Montana arts community with integrating art into health care settings. The founder and director of Living Arts, which supports whole-person healing through arts and nature-based experiences, she has a bachelor degree in fine arts from the University of Montana in Acting/Directing and a master’s degree in psychology/drama therapy from the California Institute of Integral Studies. She has toured with the Montana Repertory Company and has served in various leadership positions with small independent theater companies.
* Wilbur Wood, Roundup – Wood is a writer, editor, teacher, and resource consultant, with various awards for excellence in these areas. He is also recognized for his work in renewable energy and sustainable agriculture. He is a co-founder and longtime board member for Alternative Energy Resources Organization (AERO) and co-founder and officer for the Musselshell Valley Community Foundation’s Roundup Arts and Cultural Committee. He has a particular interest in promoting arts at the community and grassroots level. His degrees include a BA from the University of Montana and an MA from San Francisco State University in English/Creative Writing.

Governor Brian Schweitzer also announced this past week that he has signed an executive order creating the Montana Film and Television Advisory Council. The Council is designed to furnish advice and recommendations to the Governor, the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity and the Department of Commerce Film Office. "We have the opportunity to show the world how magnificent Montana is by putting the Big Sky on the Big Screen," said Governor Brian Schweitzer. "Having a group of dedicated people to work on film and television opportunities for the state is a critical component of being successful in attracting business." The Council will assist the state in doing the following:

* Promote Montana to the film, television and related media industries as the top creative destination in the industry.
* Assist production companies and other industry stakeholders on all matters relative to the development of their film, motion picture, video, commercial, television, and/or still photography projects within the state.
* Establish, maintain, and lend materials (including stock footage) from a resource library on the natural beauty, culture and history of the state to encourage an accurate depiction of Montana by filmmakers and television producers.
* Provide technical assistance to indigenous filmmakers and television producers to encourage the development of their craft.
* Increase the film and television production opportunities for new and emerging indigenous filmmakers.
* Provide a knowledgeable staff that can answer all location and production related questions.
* Act as a liaison between production companies, other state agencies and local governments to ensure a cooperative production experience for everyone.
* Attend and represent Montana at national and regional film festivals and trade shows and originate, develop and promote new and currently existing film festivals in Montana.

To apply to be on the Montana Film and Television Advisory Council log on to http://www.governor.mt.gov and click on Boards and Councils.

After a two-year stint as manager of Kumamoto Plaza in Helena, Junichi Matsumoto and his family are returning to Kumamoto, Japan, on Friday April 8. The Matsumoto

family made many friends in western Montana and daughter Ayaka charmed countless Montana audiences with her performances of traditional Japanese dance. The incoming manager is Kiyomichi Nagata who is accompanied by his wife and three daughters. Mr. Nagata, too, is scheduled to serve as manager for two years while Mr. Matsumoto has been reassigned to another position in the Kumamoto Prefectural Government in Kumamoto City.

The documentary feature Libby, Montana is now available on a limited-edition DVD with over an hour of bonus material including deleted scenes, trailers, and more. It is available exclusively from the High Plains Films web site: http://www.highplainsfilms.org/fp_libby.html. The New York premiere of Libby, Montana will be at the Lincoln Center’s Walter Reade Theater on April 7, 2005. The screening is part of the Independents Night series, a joint program of IFP New York and the Film Society of Lincoln Center. Visit the web site at http://filmlinc.com/wrt/programs/recur/indie/indie.htm . The Los Angeles premier will take place in late April at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood as part of the Artivist Film Festival. Visit http://www.artivistfilmfestival.org/index.html.

JMar Music’s Third Annual Jazz Festival occurs in Great Falls at West Elementary on April 7 and 8. Call 761-1911 for more information.

Chris Smither performs at the Hager Auditorium at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman on April 8. Tickets can be ordered through http://www.ticketweb.com

Mike Marshall and Darol Anger will be at the Hamilton Performing Arts Center on April 8 at 8:00 p.m. Call 375-6074.

The Hamilton Players invite the public to attend a hands-on sword combat workshop. Is This A Dagger? will be offered on April 9 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Hamilton Playhouse, 100 Ricketts Road. Produced by the Mercury Theatre and instructed by professional stage combat instructor Joseph Welles, Is This A Dagger? is offered in conjunction with The Hamilton Players production of Macbeth and includes a ticket to the production. The workshop invites a personal involvement with Shakespeare through a first-hand experience in swordplay. Registration is $50.00 per person for combatants and $25.00 for those who would like to sit in on the workshop. Registrations are accepted at Chapter One Bookstore in Hamilton. For more information, call The Hamilton Players at 375-9050.

The Glacier Symphony presents Misbehavin’ Tonight April 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the Christian Center in Kalispell, featuring trumpeter and singer Byron Stripling. Call 257-3241 for more information.

Jack Gladstone and Rob Quist present Odyssey West at Polson High School Auditorium on April 9 at 7:00 p.m. Call 675-0160 for more information.

Eileen Ivers and Immigrant Soul will perform at the Alberta Bair Theater in Billings on April 9.Call 256-6052 or visit http://www.albertabairtheater.org.

Elvis Costello and the Imposters are at the Big Easy in Spokane on April 9 at 7:00 p.m. Call 509-BIG-EASY for tickets and information.

Dale Dye is the Sunday Series Presenter for April 10 at the Ravalli County Museum in Hamilton. Dale will be presenting an “Introduction to Traditional Archery Manufacturing.” The Sunday Series are held at the Ravalli County Museum, on South 3rd &. Bedford in Hamilton. The program begins at 2:12, but the Museum is open on Sundays from 1:00 – 4:00. Admission is $3.00 for adults, $5.00 a couple, and $1.00 for students (6 – 18). Admission is free for all programs to members of the Historical Society. For more information call 363-3338 or 360-1969.

From the Montana Associated Technology Roundtable…

Steel life: Florence woman expresses her devotion to raptors through metal art
For more than 30 years, the founder and director of Raptors of the Rockies Kate Davis has done about everything there is to do with the noble band of high-flying birds that includes hawks, falcons, ospreys, eagles, and owls.

University of Montana Center for Ethics Hosts Regional Ethics Competition, 4/16, Missoula
This year, students will debate issues such as journalistic responsibility and violent live television broadcasts, Native rights to subsistence hunting, pigs as organ donors, post-menopausal pregnancy, psychological operations and the media in Iraq, and tribal traditions in rejecting twins.

For more about the Montana Associated Technology Roundtable, visit http://www.matr.net

Nationally…

Signs from Shreveport’s past: Painted ads survive on building walls.

Scan the old walls in Shreveport, Louisiana, and you will see pieces of local history. Faded, painted advertisements adorn the exteriors of many buildings, representing businesses and goods that formerly distinguished local commerce.

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050401/LIVING/504010310/1004

From Wolf, Keens and Co…

BBC.co.uk
Practice Gets You to Carnegie Hall, But What Gets You to the Metropolitan Museum?
What’s the message here? The prankster claims it’s easier to sneak works into museums than it is to sneak them out. In one case, at the Metropolitan Museum, he hung a portrait of George Washington holding a can of spray paint and a peace sign. The work went unnoticed for four days. Makes you wonder what people actually do in museums!

Chronicle of Philanthropy
Ways to Reach Donors Under Forty
Scary, isn’t it? Generation X is reaching an age when charitable contributions are feasible. But the sorts of engagement that these folks are looking for is a bit different from people at other age levels. Their aspirations and their style must be understood in order to capture them as donors.

To learn more about Wolf, Keens and Co. visit http://www.wolfkeens.com.

Internationally…

Arts seen as important to changing Canadian community.

Three delegates support arts and culture plan proposed by Cultural Capital coordinator. During 2004, the year of Powell River’s designation as a Cultural Capital of Canada, close to $1 million in cash flowed through the community and the economic impact almost hit $3 million. For the full story visit

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14254992&BRD=1998&PAG=461&dept_id=221589&rfi=6

Denmark in a frenzy over bicentennial of fairy tale writer’s birth

Tourists gather around the statue of the Little Mermaid in the Copenhagen Harbor on March 28. On Saturday, Copenhagen celebrated the 200th anniversary of the birth of Hans Christian Andersen, who penned such classic tales as The Little Mermaid and The Emperor’s New Clothes. For the full story visit http://www.bismarcktribune.com/articles/2005/04/03/news/life/lif01.txt

Finally… Students Stung by Sting!

British rock star Sting will perform as scheduled at the Adams Center on Thursday, April 7, at 7:30 p.m. as part of his “Broken Music” tour. However, he has unfortunately canceled plans to teach a master class to music students at the University of Montana without much of an explanation. For the full story in the Missoulian visit http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2005/04/01/news/local/news05.txt

Visit http://www.missoulacultural.org and e-mail [email protected] with submissions for this newsletter.

Thanks for your comments & corrections

Tom at MCC