Centre for the Arts News - January, 2012

New mixed repertory announced
for Gallim Dance

“...visceral excitement, fervor and undeviating commitment.” (The New York Times)

"...delicious strangeness, fierce aggression and raw beauty.”(New York Press)

We are pleased to announce that instead of performing the full production of I Can See Myself in Your Pupil, Gallim Dance will now be performing Pupil Suite featuring high-energy selections from that production, along with Andrea Miller's latest work, Mama Call, which premiered in New York City last month.


Click here for tickets and more information.

Discount tickets for children and students. PLUS MEMBERS BRING A FRIEND FOR FREE!

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Members bring a friend for FREE
to Volcano Theatre's gripping play Goodness
TONIGHT

Members bring a friend for FREE every month.

Exclusively for HOT TICKET Members,
when you purchase a ticket to any of these four shows
you will receive a second ticket FREE!

Take a chance and discover something new.

And bring your friends to share the experience!

Gallim Dance
Saturday, January 21

Ravi Coltrane Quintet
Thursday, February 2

Goodness by Volcano Theatre
Wednesday, March 28

India Jazz Suites
Thursday, April 12 CANCELLED

Click here for tickets and more information.

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Community Care fundraising tally -
thank YOU!

During the month of December, via our food drive and silent auction, Centre for the Arts helped collect over $4000 in cash and over 1500 lbs (20 barrels) of non-perishable food items for Community Care St. Catharines Thorold.

This even topped the fantastic collection of over 1200 lbs. of food collected at our member Sneak Preview event in May!

Thank you Giant FM and all the supporting sponsors, advertisers and prize donators.

A special thank you to all of our amazing members and patrons. Your generous donations are truly appreciated by us...and especially by those in need.

During the month of December, via our food drive and silent auction, Centre for the Arts helped collect over $4000 in cash and over 1500 lbs (20 barrels) of non-perishable food items for Community Care St. Catharines Thorold.

This even topped the fantastic collection of over 1200 lbs. of food collected at our member Sneak Preview event in May!

Thank you Giant FM and all the supporting sponsors, advertisers and prize donators.

A special thank you to all of our amazing members and patrons. Your generous donations are truly appreciated by us...and especially by those in need.

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MAVIS STAPLES - an official Diva
and almost fiance of Bob Dylan...

On December 22, legendary soul and gospel royalty Mavis Staples performed on VH1's Divas celebrate Soul.

Other performers included Mary J. Blige, Kelly Clarksen, Jennifer Hudson and Sharon Jones.

Click here for videos, photos and more information.


JANUARY 5/12 - Staples, Wilco star a great team

Click here to read the Toronto Star article.

NEWS - JANUARY 13/12 - Mavis Staples: 'We're Not All the Way Where Dr. King Wanted to Take Us'

Click here to read the Spinner magazine article.

NEWS - JANUARY 13/12 - Legendary singer will sing from the heart


Click here to read the Brock News article. NEWS - JANUARY 23/12 - Mavis Staples has only praise for the festival set




Click here to read the Globe & Mail article.






NEWS - JANUARY 23/12 - Gospel singer wasn’t ready for marriage when Bob Dylan popped the question




Click here to read the Hamilton Spectator article.

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ROCK AND ROLL IN RECORD TIME
Joel Plaskett's unique new record release

It should come as no surprise that the multi-talented and always unpredictable Joel Plaskett is taking a unique approach to the launch of his next record. Starting on January 10th, Plaskett and his band, The Emergency, will record and digitally release a song a week for 10 weeks. Plaskett is shaking up the standard process of recording and releasing, harkening back to the '50's and '60's when songs went from the studio to radio to the public very quickly. A physical version of the full record, Scrappy Happiness will be released to retail on March 27th and will be followed by a tour starting on April 13th.



As Canada's authority in national culture, CBC Radio will premiere each song as it is released on Radio 2's Drive with Rich Terfry at 5:15 p.m. EST, every Tuesday starting January 10th through March 13th. The new single will then be premiered on The Craig Norris Hour on CBC Radio 3 every Wednesday between 11 a.m. and noon PST. Listeners and fans alike will follow along consecutively for 10 weeks while each track is premiered.



It is an ambitious project that combines the best of both worlds - using a decades old approach to getting music to the public quickly and taking advantage of new technology to communicate and interact with audiences. Plaskett will document the process through social media with vlogs, twitter and online chats which will be available at www.cbc.ca/joelplaskett.

Click here for tickets and more information.

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FIVE NYC JAZZ PLAYERS
FOR THE PRICE OF FOUR!

Well, the price of TWO for members...

Ravi is currently recording some new music with a brand new quintet for Blue Note Records. That recording will be released this summer, but Ravi's Feb. 2 performance will be the Canadian premiere of some of those songs, and certainly of the new QUINTET.

Joining Ravi Coltrane will be four more of New York City's cream of the crop:

Ralph Alessi, trumpet
"Drop dead trumpet chops." (Jazz Times
Originally from California, he's performed regularily with Steve Coleman, Uri Caine, Fred Hersch and Don Byron. Alessi is the founder and director of the School for Improvisational Music and is on faculty at New York University.

David Virelles, piano
Of all the fine new musicians to come out of Cuba in the last five or ten years, one of the most prodigiously talented is the pianist and composer, David Virelles. He began to study music formally at 7 years of age and later enrolled at Estaban Salas Conservatory of Music, Santiago, Cuba. In 1999, Jane Bunnett, that passionate guardian spirit of Cuban music and its musician, met Virelles. That year he came to Canada to study at Humber College and has since studied and played with the likes of reed players Paquito D'Rivera, Bill Holman and Michael Brecker.

Joe Sanders, bass
"a fluent and adept soloist, as well as an attentive and inventive accompanist who doesn't get pushed aside." (JazzReview.com)
A graduate of the Thelonious Monk Institute, Sanders recently placed 2nd in the finals of both the International Society of Bassists Jazz Bass Competition and the Thelonious Monk Institute´s International Jazz Bass Competition. He has played, recorded, and toured with Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Heath, Wayne Shorter, Dave Brubeck, Mulgrew Miller, Geri Allen, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Roy Hargrove and Gerald Clayton.

Jonathan Blake, drums
"Blake is without peer among young drummers for clarity of his beat and incisiveness of his swing." (Brian Lynch)
Grammy-nominated drummer and composer, Johnathan Blake, has been working steadily in the contemporary jazz scene for the past 10 years. He has been a first-call drummer for many notable jazz musicians such as Tom Harrell, David Sanchez, Russell Malone, Kenny Barron, Randy Brecker, and Oliver Lake to name a few.

Click here for tickets and more information.

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Two Canadian premieres
from New York City artists

We are proud to be the site of the Canadian premiere of new works by some of New York City's hottest artists.

This Saturday, Gallim Dance present Andrea Miller's latest work, Mama Call, which premiered in New York City last month.

These breathless suites feature eight fearless dancers in brilliantly colourful costumes and are set to a highly eclectic score of beautiful and powerful global songs. These pulsing and whirling pieces will open your eyes to new ways of understanding movement, physical relationships and rhythmic possibilities.

Ravi Coltrane is currently recording some new music with a brand new quintet for Blue Note Records. That recording will be released this summer, but Ravi's Feb. 2 performance will be the Canadian premiere of some of those songs, and certainly of the new QUINTET featuring four more of New York City's cream of the crop.

Members can bring friends for free to either performance! Click here for tickets and more information.

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Put your stamp on
St. Catharines Culture Plan 2020
ROUND TWO - General Arts Survey

Between now and Spring 2012 the City of St. Catharines will undertake a renewal of its Municipal Cultural Policy. Be a part of the process and tell us your ambitions for the next decade of cultural vitality in St. Catharines. Pick up a blank postcard, jot down a story, draw a picture, write a poem – express yourself. Mail it back to us or drop it off at City Hall. Postcards will be displayed in online galleries and in an exhibit at City Hall in Spring 2012.

Blank postcards can be found at City Hall, Niagara Artists Centre, Sullivan Mahoney Courthouse Theatre, Rodman Hall and Centre for the Arts, Brock University.




For more information on the renewal process click here!


FEBRUARY 2012 - ROUND TWO - General Arts Participation Survey

The City is renewing its current Cultural Policy. A crucial part of this process is measuring how you spend your leisure time so that we can better develop programs and services to meet your needs.

Whether you’ve got season tickets to the Niagara Symphony or the Niagara Ice Dog’s – it’s all part of the cultural fabric of our City. Help set the course for cultural vitality in St. Catharines for the next decade by completing this short survey.

Your input is valuable to us. Thanks in advance for your feedback.


Click here to take the survey.

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