Thursday 21
Real oldies. With a choral tradition dating to the early 19th century, the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir has mystified audiences all over the world.
Its distinctive, dark timbre and unique Northern European repertoire has made the ensemble a major force in the choral world. Together with the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, the choir offers a resonant, timeless program of works by Antonio Vivaldi and Arvo Pärt in its return to Centennial Hall.
The Estonian concert will feature Vivaldi's Psalm 69, Domine ad adiuvandum me festina and Psalm 112, Beatus vir and Pärt's Te Deum.
The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir was founded in 1966 as an amateur ensemble called the Ellerhein Choir by Heino Kaljuste, Tõnu Kaljuste's father. It became the professional Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir in 1981 and now performs all over the world to widespread acclaim.
Tõnu Kaljuste formed the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra in 1993, which is closely linked with 20th-century repertoire. The orchestra often performs works by Bartók, Britten, Tüürc and Pärt and frequently collaborates with the Estonian Choir. The orchestra also works with guest conductors, including Terje Tonnesen, Richard Tognetti and Juha Kangas.
The concert starts at 7:30 tonight at Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Blvd. Tickets are $36 to $48, with discounts available for children under age 18, all students and UA faculty and staff. Tickets are available at the box office, or by calling 621-3341 or online at www.tickets.com. A free "Arts Encounter" will be held 45 minutes before the performance in Room 100 of the Social Sciences Building, just east of Centennial Hall.
Friday 22
Bet you didn't know . . . Let's face it, unless you're some kind of a space freak, you don't realize that tonight's a great night for a Jupiter sighting.
February has been the best time of the year to view the giant planet Jupiter and the ringed planet Saturn in the evening sky. Both planets are highest in the sky and directly overhead for telescopic viewing during the convenient evening hours between 7 and 9 p.m.
But tonight, my friends, tonight is when Jupiter will be closest to the moon. (Just in case you are a space nut, here's the skinny: The gibbous moon will be less than 1.5 degrees away from Jupiter tonight in the Arizona sky, resulting in the closest conjunction for 2002.)
Both gas giant planets are usually considered consistently the brightest and best planets to look at in a telescope. To help you you, large telescopes and giant binoculars will be set up by Flandrau Science Center and the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association on the University of Arizona mall in front of Flandrau Science Center.
The free public viewing event will be held from 6:30 to 10 p.m. tonight, weather permitting. The center is located at 1601 E. University Blvd. Both planets will be best visible between 7 and 9 p.m. and also will be visible in the Flandrau Observatory's 16-inch telescope. For more information, call 621-4515 or 621-4310 or visit Flandrau's Skywatchers Guide at www.flandrau.org/astronomy/skywatcher.htm.
Pinpoint a few answers. If you've ever wondered who brought inoculation to America, or who made long distance phone calls possible, you may want to take a drive to Sierra Vista.
Pinpoints Theatre Company of Washington, D.C., presents 1001 Black Inventions as part of Fort Huachuca's Black History Month celebration.
The play features insights into the lives of brilliant men and women, then takes you into the "Twilight Zone," as a typical American family attempts to survive in a world without inventions created by African Americans.
Pinpoints Theatre Company is an extraordinary musical theatre group that takes subjects such as biology, history and math, and puts them into theatrical formats that "edu-tain."
Founded in 1978, these performers have received countless awards for artistic excellence. Their contemporary and historic adaptations have been highly acclaimed by the Smithsonian Institution.
The play begins at 7 tonight at La Hacienda. In addition to the play, there are cultural exhibits and food sampling. Tickets for are $5, and reservations can be made by calling (520)533-1287 or 533-5305.
Saturday 23
Don't worry, BUY something. Stop worrying about what those Third World idiots in plastic shower shoes are up to and start doing something other than hunkering down for the so-called "War on Terrorism."
Hey, some people have serious problems that existed before September 11 and just haven't gone away.
The Tucson HIV/AIDS Network -- TIHAN -- will hold its fifth annual Treasures for TIHAN auction tonight at the Radisson Hotel. Items to be auctioned include art, jewelry, household items and gift certificates for services and merchandise.
The event starts with a silent auction at 5:30 p.m. today, followed by a live auction, at the hotel at Broadway and Granada. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. For more information, call 299-6647 or visit www.tihan.org.
The real deal. At a thrift store in Albuquerque some years ago, I bought a beautiful silver necklace for my wife. Talk about a steal--I paid just $100 for an exquisite piece of Indian jewelry not unlike one my grandmother has worn for years.
I took it home, polished it up and quickly learned that my "real find" was a worthless piece of copper crap. (Ever tried to get a refund at a thrift store?)
The moral of the story? Well, there really isn't one, because I have since bought many other worthless things.
But anyway, I do think it helps to know your source, especially when it comes to Indian art and jewelry.
This weekend offers the valuable opportunity to meet the source -- at the Southwest Indian Art Fair, where you can meet more than 150 artists, hear their stories and buy directly from them.
The event also offers pottery making and weaving demonstrations by celebrated artists, contemporary painting and large-scale sculpture. Native dancing, a native fashion show, storytelling and traditional food preparation also are on tap.
It all takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Sunday at the Arizona State Museum, just east of the Main Gate at Park Avenue and University Boulevard on the UA campus. Tickets are $7 ($5 museum members) and $1 for kids 5 to 15 years old. A two-day pass is $12. For more information, please call 621-6302 or visit www.statemuseum.arizona.edu.
Sunday 24
Musical marriage. When Ali Ryerson met Joe Beck in 1996, two solo careers collided for smashing success.
Ali Ryerson is famous for her warm, full-bodied tone that emanates from a flawless and spirited technique. Her most accomplished attribute as a jazz flutist is her uncanny ability to swing. From gently lucid to boldly percussive, her playing embodies the spirit and styling of past luminaries, such as Miles Davis and Bill Evans, two of her early influences.
Educated in both jazz and classical music, studying with masters of her instrument, Ryerson has been a regular performer with such luminaries as Billy Taylor, Kenny Barron and Stephane Grappelli.
During a career spanning five decades, Beck has recorded with an incredible array of artists including Miles Davis (Beck was his first guitarist), Gil Evans, Duke Ellington, Buddy Rich, Paul Desmond, Maynard Ferguson and Sergio Mendez. Beck has been composing music for TV and film for 30 years and the recording industry (National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences) has honored him for his work.
The extraordinary duo of Ryerson and Beck doesn't come along often--and it won't be in Tucson long.
The Ryerson/Beck Duo--one performance only--is the second event on the Tucson Jazz Society's Chamber Jazz Series. The show starts at 7:30 tonight at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 400 E. University Blvd. Tickets are $10 for members and $15 general admission. For tickets or more information, call 903-1265. Viva España. The pageantry and artistic heritage of Spain can be had right here in the Old Pueblo--at least for this evening. From the deserts of Andalucía to the sunbaked plains of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain is a country with a landscape as lush as its culture. It is a land rich in historic pageantry with a distinctive legacy in the arts, producing some of the world's most intriguing performers.
UApresents offers a journey into this glorious country in a free Cultures in Context presentation. Teresa Campbell, regional director of Club España de Tucson and a local authority on the art of Spanish dance, will provide a glimpse into the country whose many artists include internationally-acclaimed guitarist David Russell and the magnificent dance troupe, Compañía Española de Antonio Márquez.
Campbell has a long history of performing and supporting dance in Tucson. In her role at Club España de Tucson, she schedules performances, recruits and trains dancers and choreographs many of the programs that are presented to more than 3,000 people annually. Her efforts have spurred interest in Flamenco and Spanish dance throughout the community.
Cultures in Context begins at 7:30 p.m. today in the Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering auditorium, at the northeast corner of Mountain Avenue and Speedway Boulevard. A free parking lot is adjacent to the building.
Monday 25
Fine (arts) furnishings. Art-lovers looking for something a little different should pay a visit to Joseph Gross Gallery.
Fully Furnished is an exhibition of furniture designed by Tucson artists. Touted as "fine, exquisite and funky design," the show includes the works of Stephen Paul of Arroyo Design; John Poole and Scott Baker of Metroform Ltd.; and Eric Cooper and Kevin Mills of Sedan Studios.
The exhibition runs through March 28 at the gallery at Speedway and Park. Regular gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1-4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free. For more information, call 626-4215.
Wednesday 27
Verse from the vinyards. Poet Diana García was born in a migrant labor camp. Her experiences of the hard life of the fields led to her award-winning book, When Living Was a Labor Camp.
"There is no doubt (she) knew 'the sweet-salt toil of harvesting the fields.' The result is a volume of poetry that examines and instructs about life on the margin where, toiling in the vineyard, you continually find yourself in a row 'as far from the beginning as the end.'"
So wrote Garcia fan and Great Whirl of Exile author Leroy V. Quintana.
Garcia, a San Joaquin Valley native, has seen her poetry appear in The Kenyon Review and in the anthologies El Coro, Paper Dance, and Touching the Fire. She teaches at California State University, Monterey Bay.
García will read from her work today for the University of Arizona Poetry Center's Visiting Poets and Writers Reading Series.
The free reading starts at 8 p.m. today in the UA Modern Languages Auditorium. An informal reception will follow and and Garcia's work will be for sale. For more information, call 626-3765 or visit www.coh.arizona.edu/poetry.
