Louisiana Partnership for the Arts


September/October/November 2004			Vol 1. No. 2

Features: LDOA Assessment Festivals Acadiens Red River Revel Arts Festival "An Unexpected Life" Biedenharn JPAS Youth Chorale	LPA Dues LPN Block Booking We Three Kings Calendar Tatman Group
LEARN. REFLECT. PLAN. ACT. Louisiana Division of the Arts 2004 Assessment of Programs and Services The Louisiana Division of the Arts is surveying artists, nonprofit organizations, and anyone with a general interest in the arts in Louisiana. The online surveys can be accessed via the Division of the Arts homepage at www.crt.state.la.us/arts. Click on the appropriate button to take you directly to the survey: Organization, Artist, or Open Forum. The deadline to complete the survey has been extended to September 24, 2004. The methodology for the assessment includes not only the surveys, but also 4-year document review, focus groups, one-on-one interviews, and comparative analysis of other state arts agencies. Once the data collection phase is complete, the consultants, Emc.Arts, will prepare an assessment report that analyzes all the data and identifies key planning issues the Division of the Arts should focus on in the development of a new strategic plan. A draft plan will be made available to the general public at various locations statewide in March or April; this will give any interested party an opportunity to comment on the directions and focus of the Division of the Arts and to provide suggestions as to potential additions, deletions or adjustments to the plan. The final strategic plan will be brought the State Arts Council for adoption in June 2005 for implementation in FY 06. For more information, please contact the Division of the Arts at 225.342.8180. Back to Newsletter Top
Festivals Acadiens - Lafayette The Louisiana Crafts Guild has a major event in September! The Louisiana Crafts Fair, Festival Acadiens in Girard Park will be held September 18 & 19. Come and enjoy music, food and traditional and contemporary crafts featuring the finest artisans found in Louisiana. Demonstrations in pottery, blacksmithing, glass lampworking and wood turning will be some of the featured crafts. A hands-on activity tent will delight children of all ages. Stop by the Sans Souci Fine Crafts Gallery, 219 East Vermilion Street, Lafayette or visit either www.cajunhot.com or www.louisianacraftsguild.org for more information. Come let the good times roll! Back to Newsletter Top
Red River Revel Arts Festival
October 2-9, 2004 www.redriverrevel.com SHREVEPORT, LA – This year’s Red River Revel is one you sure can’t miss! With more new artists and new foods than ever before, you’ll definitely want to visit the Revel on more than one occasion. Art More than 130 visual artists from across the United States set up shop in booths at the Downtown Shreveport Festival Plaza. Art includes creations such as eclectic pottery, hand-woven baskets, exquisite jewelry and beautiful paintings. Music The Revel prides itself on attracting some of the most outstanding musical entertainment acts from around the country and the world. This year’s headliners include Trick Pony, Cameo, Emerson Drive, Little River Band, Marcia Ball, Wayne Toups, Theresa Andersson, Al “Lil Fats” Jackson, Brian Blade Fellowship, The Lost Trailers and Quetzal. Food One of the greatest things about the Revel is the wonderful food. From the Muffaletta Pizza and Turkey Legs to the Italian Ice and Funnel Cakes, there are many Revel foods we can’t do without! And each year we add several new items on the Revel’s food menu. What is new? Crawfish Cornbread, Crawfish Eggplant, 7-Up Cake and Fertitta’s “Muffy” Sandwich – to name a few. Children Although the Revel is known for food, fun and great entertainment, one primary goal continues to be arts education for children. Activities for children are numerous at the Revel. In fact, there is an entire area exclusively for children’s activities, complete with its very own performance stage and food booths. Don’t miss this year’s Revel! Back to Newsletter Top
An Unexpected Life How Corey Trahan’s Burgeoning Career Has Brought Him Home Again By Sarah B. Johnson "When I told my family what I wanted to do, they were shocked," recalls Corey Trahan of his complete divergence from the expected by choosing a career as a professional opera singer. "That came out of nowhere for them." The Louisiana native (he grew up in Baton Rouge) had never seriously sung before except in the same venues most of us do, the church choir and the shower. He was an undergrad at LSU on an academic scholarship planning to study medicine when he decided on a lark to audition for the music school. The faculty recognized his potential despite his lack of training and began mentoring him as he jumped headfirst into music classes. Soon he was appearing in musical theatre ("That's when, as they say, I got bit by the theater bug.") and even was accepted for the school's premier ensemble, the A Cappella Choir. He also started winning awards and eventually even won over his family to his new pursuit when they heard what some training had done for his voice. And what a voice! Critics have lauded him for his particularly rich, expressive baritone, one of those chills-down-your-spine miracles that makes whatever song he sings a showstopper. At LSU Corey found he loved opera and the classical training it provides. After his bachelor's, he completed a master's at the University of Houston, where he also found a love of acting. "People think opera singers are 'park and bark,' just standing and singing. Broadway always appealed to me because there's so much commitment to acting, and I wanted to bring that aspect of performance to my opera performances as well," he explains. At University of Houston he learned both acting as well as honing his singing, something he says makes a performer more marketable: "When you learn the notes and the music, you’ve only done half the job. The other half is being able to communicate. That's the reason you’re on stage in the first place!" That marketability has paid off for Corey. Since graduating with his master's, he has performed and taught with opera companies and theater groups across the country. Northeast Louisiana audiences have seen him perform as part of his apprenticeship with Shreveport Opera Express, with The Louisiana Trio, with flutist Sandra Lunte and keyboardist Richard Seiler, and as Artist in Residence for the Arts Council for the past two years. His enjoyment of this area and love of teaching have brought him back to Louisiana for the 2004-05 academic year, as the new Emy-Lou Biedenharn Endowed Chair of Music in ULM's new School of Visual and Performing Arts. The School's head, Dr. Keith White, is excited about what Corey can offer ULM’s students: "We are very pleased to have Corey here on campus. He brings a great voice and personality to the University and his background in opera and musical theatre will augment our vocal program nicely. He is great with students and fun to work with. We have several special projects planned for him in addition to his teaching and performing duties, including producing and performing in a fund raising Gala and developing a touring opera presentation. He will be highly visible on campus, in the community, and the region." Corey too is excited about what he brings to his classes. "At 28, I'm near in age to most of my students. I have just been through what most of them are about to go through (as professional singers and teachers), so I can pass on my experiences getting my own career started. I've been through six apprenticeships (part of an opera singer's formal training), and I am combining content from all six into a one-semester opera workshop. Also, I'm going to offer my undergraduates something else I didn't get until after I got my master's - a class in the business of singing, including how to prepare a promo information kit, get head shots (professional photos), and so on." He also wants them to experience the warm welcome Northeast Louisiana audiences have given him: "This community adopts you, and that rejuvenates your spirit when you’ve been out in the harsh performing world. I want my students to also experience the support our audiences give you. There’s nothing like a hometown audience!" Check out Corey's amazing voice and help out the university as well: Corey will be among the featured performers at "A Postcard from Broadway," a gala fundraiser to benefit the ULM School of the Visual and Performing Arts. The show will feature a program of Broadway showstoppers complete with sets, costumes, and performances by members of the voice faculty and the new ULM dance program. The black-tie-optional event is Oct. 12th and includes a pre- and post-show cocktail reception and silent auction featuring art by ULM art alums and faculty. Tickets are $50 each; cocktails are at 6:30 p.m., and the performance is at 7:30 p.m. For information or tickets, call the School of Visual and Performing Arts at (318) 342-3811. Back to Newsletter Top			Corey Trahan
Biedenharn Museum & Gardens Programs and Events September – December 2004 "Windows To Heaven: Russian Icons from the Collection of Daniel R. Bibb" Exhibit Through December 31, 2004 Due to the enthusiastic response from visitors, "Windows" will remain on display through 2004. These special objects are rich with symbolism and reflect the spirituality and stories of Russia’s past. The exhibit is free and open during regular museum hours. Call the museum at 318-387-5281 to arrange a group tour. Market-Fresh Designs Garden Path Class September 14 Jay Morris - owner of West Monroe’s A Floral Affair, award-winning designer, and current President of the Northeast Louisiana Florist Association – presents the latest in holiday trends and design ideas from Atlanta’s International Gift & Home Furnishings Market. Registration begins August 4. There is no fee, however, telephone registration is required. Please call the museum to register for the 12:10 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. class. A 9:00 a.m. class may be offered if there is sufficient interest. Registration begins August 4. Please note: Due to a scheduling conflict, the “Garden Design with Flower Pots” class with Lou Davenport was cancelled. Make an English Trough Container Garden Workshop September 18 Ashley Higginbotham uses Hyper-Tufa and simple tools to teach the basics of making quaint, stone-like containers. Each participant takes home a pot to cure. Also included are demonstrations on how to texturize surfaces and install the plants. Finished gardens from Ashley’s collection will be on display. All ingredients are provided, but please bring a pair of inexpensive rubber gloves and wear clothes for working with concrete. Reservations are guaranteed upon receipt of the $45 fee. Cancellations are accepted up to seven days before class with a full refund. 9 to 11 a.m. Garden Up with Vines Garden Path Class October 12 Dr. Neil Odenwald begins with a slide-illustrated lecture at the ground level and looks "up" for ways to extend the gardener’s growing area. Learn how to use vertical spaces such as walls, fences, arbors, and poles to grow vines for color, texture and special effects. Dr. Odenwald is the Landscape Horticulture Consultant for the Biedenharn’s ELsong Gardens, Afton Villa in St. Francisville, and LongVue Gardens in New Orleans. There is no fee, however, telephone registration is required by calling the museum for the 12:10 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. class. A 9:00 a.m. class may be offered if there is sufficient interest. Registration is in progress. "Mother Goose Avenue" An Outdoor Opera for Children October 14 & 15 Join in the fun as Dr. Andy Goodman and a cast of future music education teachers from ULM introduce Pre-K through 1st Graders to such famous characters as Little Jack Horner, Humpty Dumpty, Mary and her Little Lamb, Chicken Little and Little BoPeep. These characters come to life on Mother Goose Avenue, located in ELsong Gardens. Characters will greet children following each 30-minute performance. Tickets are $2. Performance times are 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 12 noon both days. Registration for school groups begins September 1. Education packets for schools will be mailed upon receipt of reservations. An evening performance for families is available this year on Thursday, October 14 at 7 p.m.; children who attend a school performance will be admitted free. Monroe Youth Symphony Concert November 13 The youth strings orchestra performs in ELsong Garden at 2:30 p.m. Show support for these talented young musicians and their new conductor, Myron Turner, by enjoying their music followed by a Coke and Cookie reception. Take an afternoon walk in the garden and visit the Windows To Heaven: Russian Icons from the Collection of Daniel R. Bibb Exhibit. Sunday hours are 2 – 5 p.m. Tulips 101 Every winter, tulip fans call to ask when the tulips begin blooming in ELsong. Head Gardener Pam Winfield, Gardeners Tommy Cole and Towana Lee, Seasonal Gardener Christopher Brantley and Assistant Director Christine Hilliard (upon whom the Gardeners rely for her expert advice) invite you to follow their steps, read their how-to tips and see the many tulip varieties as they bloom and are posted on our website at www.bmuseum.org. Printed information will be available after September 1, by e-mail at bmuseum@bayou.com, or you may pick up a copy at the Biedenharn. Save the dates for Christmas at the Biedenharn! December 1 – 31 Walk through the newly renovated Biedenharn Home to view Holiday Decorations during regular museum hours. On December 9, 10, 11 and 16, 17, 18 visit after dark to see lights and the Christmas decorations. Enjoy music, refreshments and the Russian Icons Exhibit from 6 – 8:30 p.m. On December 5 and 12 pianists perform at the 1930s Grand Piano from 2 – 4 p.m. Families may take holiday snapshots on the grounds and in the Fountain Room when the museum is open. Call the museum to be added to our Holiday mailing list. Brass Quintet Concert December 6 The University of Louisiana at Monroe’s Chamber Arts Brass Quintet returns for its traditional concert at the Biedenharn. 1:30 p.m., in the Fountain Room. Reservations are $7.50. Call the University at 318-342-1570 for more information or to register. Biedenharn Museum and Gardens is located at 2006 Riverside Drive in Monroe, LA, 71201. For more information, call 318-387-5281 or 1-800-362-0983. To see our complete calendar of events, visit our website at www.bmuseum.org. Back to Newsletter Top
JPAS Youth Chorale The Jefferson Performing Arts Society Children's Chorus and Youth Chorale announce its 20th season. This September, we embark on the Children's Chorus' 20th season. To celebrate we have concerts, performances and tours planned throughout the year. Each and every event is designed to inspire creativity and music within our singers and our audience members. Lauren Buckley begins this season as our full time artistic director and conductor. Elizabeth Cristina returns as the vocal director of our Music Explorers director for students in Pre K 4 - K. Our newest vocal program will be located in Westwego at the new performing arts center. Students in grades 3-7 will have the opportunity to participate in a weekly vocal training program on Thursdays. We begin the season with Pasta and Puccini on November 6th, the annual JPAS fund-raiser, during which the Youth Chorale, our high school choir, will perform with a Italian orchestra. In December, we will have our annual Holiday Concert on December 17th, at 7:00 pm an all-choir extravaganza filled with familiar carols and rousing spirituals. Alums will be honored at this special performance and will also be invited to sing along with our current members throughout the program. One of the highlights of our season is the U.S. premier of Le Paradis des Chats, a French children's opera, which in January. Although participation is open to non-choir members (through audition only), singers from our Preparatory and Concert Choruses are guaranteed places in the opera chorus. The composer of the opera, Vladimir Kojoukharov, will be collaborating with the JPAS staff throughout the rehearsal schedule and will conduct the full orchestra for the performances. Performances are January 28, 29, & 30. Tickets can be purchased by calling our office. Auditions for the opera is September 18th. Please call to schedule an appointment. 9 - 13 year olds are eligible to audition. As a reward for that hard work, the Concert Choruses tour to Orlando, FL, in early February to visit Mickey and friends! The second major highlight of the season is our Winter Concert, February 26, 3 pm at First Baptist Church of New Orleans' new location. We are thrilled announce this first collaborative effort with the Greater New Orleans Youth Orchestra (GNOYO). Teaming up for the first time, GNOYO and JPAS will celebrate the joy of youth and creativity, performing works inspired by the words of some of the most revered and loved poets, William Blake and Robert Frost. After such an exciting experience, we could only follow it up with another celebration, our 10th Broadway Gala, April 17th. Our Broadway Galas feature songs from some of the best eras in musical theater; it's truly a day to play on stage. Alums will also be featured at this event. Our season will close with a special Mother's Day Concert, May 8th, 3:00 pm, in which our young musicians will sing lullabies interspersed with tributes to mothers and families. As a fit ending for such an ambitious and exciting year, our Youth Chorale will travel to Paris, France in June, to soak up the culture and share their music with other children of the world. To learn more about music, singing and teamwork, please call the JPAS office (504-885-2000) to schedule an audition for our Children's Chorus or Youth Chorale. Singing in choirs is one of the best ways to improve musical abilities, experience artistry, and make new friends. Besides, it's fun! Back to Newsletter Top
LPA Membership Dues It's time again to renew your membership with the LPA! You should have received a letter and a dues/pledge form in the mail. Please take the time to either send in your payment or let us know, through your pledge, how much you plan to contribute to LPA this year! Back to Newsletter Top
LPN Block Booking Conference Nov. 11, 2004, Lafayette, LA The Louisiana Presenters Network (LPN) is holding the state-wide block-booking session on Thursday, Nov. 11, 2004 at the Lafayette Economic Development Authority (LEDA) office, located at 211 E. Devalcourt St. in Lafayette, LA. The meeting will take place in the technologically exciting LEDA board room rom 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. That's Thursday, Nov. 11, 2004. Please visit the web-site www.lapresenters.org for maps, artist forms and for further information. You can also contact Naomi Cordill, Coordinator at symphony@bayou.com. Back to Newsletter Top
Save the Date! Mark your calendar for Dec. 11th—the holiday concert of your dreams! By Sarah B. Johnson Go ahead, flip the date book over to December and mark off the 11th. That's the date of one of the most anticipated musical performances of the year, featuring four well-known talents debuting as an ensemble with the Monroe Symphony Orchestra. That date book reminder is the last one you’ll need for this group; their sound is something you'll literally remember for the rest of your life. It's that extraordinary! The group, playfully called "We Three Kings," is the dream-team ensemble of baritone Corey Trahan, this year's Emy-Lou Biedenharn Endowed Chair of Music in the ULM School of Visual and Performing Arts; tenor Richard Novak, known locally for his stint as a ULM voice faculty member while he commuted to Texas to complete his Ph.D., now on faculty at Oklahoma State University; and Louis Nabors, a ULM faculty member and local legend for his impossibly deep, resonant basso. The three are accompanied by Coralie White, also a ULM faculty member and longtime MSO pianist. The three were brought together by serendipity and Tommy Usrey, a combination that’s brought our area some of our most enjoyable arts events. Tommy recalls, "'We Three Kings' came about by happenstance – I was in the right place at the right time! Corey and I were having lunch, and Rick Novak and Louis Nabors came into the restaurant. The light bulb went off in my head and in Corey's at the same time: 'A we-three-kings concert.' The next day I got the guys together and pitched the idea to them. They started singing We Three Kings and fell right into their parts naturally. As I watched them, I knew we had a winner; all we needed was a great pianist to tour with them. Naturally, the first person who came to mind was the 'Queen of the Piano,' north Louisiana's favorite concert pianist, Coralie White. When I was finally able to get them all together in June to program the concert for their Monroe Symphony debut, it was just pure magic, and we all knew it!" Agrees basso Louis Nabors, "Our voices blended perfectly. That will make our performance together very pleasing to the ear." Adds Corey Trahan, "We surprised ourselves (with the beauty of the sound) when we started singing. Then we got excited, because we saw the potential the group has. We all have very different instruments vocally as well as diverse preferences in musical styles, but we complement each other well. We’ve used our differences to our advantage to put together a program that appeals to just about any audience." Notes Rick Novak, "I think one of the things that makes our group unique is the combination of experience and up-and-coming talent. It was neat sitting back and watching Louis, Corey, and I sing together. Then Louis flashed that big smile of his which seemed to say, 'Let me show you how it’s done, boys.'" Agrees Coralie White, "It's going to be fun to work with the guys as a group. They're all such good musicians, and there's a lot of humor too. They like to kid each other. It's fun to watch them and fun to work with musicians who are so good at and so obviously enjoy what they do." It’s no surprise that the group is amazing—their levels of training and experience alone would ensure that. Corey Trahan (see companion article for more about Corey) is a classically trained professional opera singer who has performed and taught both opera and musical theater across the country. He's performed in our area previously as part of the Shreveport Opera eXpress touring company and has been the Arts Council's Artist in Residence for the last two years. He's also a well known part of The Louisiana Trio, an ensemble including flutist Sandra Lunte and keyboardist Richard Seiler, who toured throughout the area last year in conjunction with the Louisiana Bicentennial. Corey's academic training includes a BM (LSU) and an MM (Univ. of Houston [TX]), both in Voice Performance. Critics have heralded Corey as "a performer with panache," recognized for his "well-formed lyric baritone." Similarly accomplished, Rick Novak has received his MM from Stephen F. Austin University and recently completed his DMA in Vocal Performance at the University of North Texas. He has taught and performed opera around the country and been recognized by such honors as Texoma Region Singer of the Year and winner of the UNT Concerto Competition, to name only a few. Louis Nabors, currently Voice Dept. chairman at ULM, received his MM at Prairie View University and has taught and performed across the country, appearing at the Kennedy Center as well as with top opera companies and symphonies in Arizona, Houston, Los Angeles, Fort Worth, and around Louisiana, as well as internationally in West Germany, the Philippines, and the Bahamas. He's also appeared in musical theater nationwide and has been recognized both artistically and personally by such nods as 1990 College of Liberal Arts Performing Artist of the Year award and several honors for outstanding community service. Standing toe to toe with her male counterparts, Coralie White is also a well known and respected teacher and performer. With a master's in piano performance, she’s been on ULM's keyboard faculty for 28 years and been principal keyboardist for the MSO for almost 30 years. She's appeared solo and in ensemble with groups throughout the region, and has been recognized by a Who's Who of Who's Whos—of American Women, of Teachers, in America, and in the World. She's active in a number of civic and professional organizations, but always has time for her eleven grandchildren. The group has put together a program that captures the best of the season and the best of themselves. They will perform some pieces as a group with the symphony, some solo with Coralie White only, and every other combination in between. Their selections include (at press time) old favorites like Hark the Herald Angels Sing (Novak, Trahan, Nabors, and White), Greensleeves (White solo), and O Holy Night (Novak, Trahan, Nabors, and MSO), as well as spirituals such as Go Tell It on a Mountain (Nabors and White) and classics like Gesu Bambina (Novak a cappella). Obviously relishing the treat this ensemble will be for audiences, Tommy Usrey muses, "This is really the fun part of my job. Promoting our local artists and giving them the opportunity to work together in unique ensembles that might not otherwise be possible. Can't you just imagine sitting in the audience when the four of them appear on stage with the MSO? This is one concert that HAS to be on everyone's ‘must do’ list for the holiday season!" For information or tickets about the Dec. 11th We Three Kings/MSO performance, contact the Arts Council at (318) 396-3520 or the Monroe Symphony Orchestra at (318) 435-0029. Back to Newsletter Top
Calendar of Upcoming Events Monday, November 15, 2004 Executive Committee Meeting 4:00 pm Sheraton Downtown Baton Rouge Tuesday, November 16, 2004 Partnership Meeting 10:00 am Sheraton Downtown Baton Rouge Monday, January 10, 2005 Executive Committee Meeting 4:00 pm Sheraton Downtown Baton Rouge Tuesday, January 11, 2005 Partnership Meeting 10:00 am Sheraton Downtown Baton Rouge Monday, March 21, 2005 Executive Committee Meeting 4:00 pm The Bankers Center Tuesday, March 22, 2005 Partnership Meeting 10:00 am The Bankers Center Tuesday, May 17, 2005 Executive Committee Meeting 9:00 am Location to be Announced Tuesday, May 17, 2005 Partnership Meeting 1:00 pm Location to be Announced Tuesday, May 17, 2005 Legislative Event 5:30 pm Location to be Announced Wednesday, May 18, 2005 Louisiana Arts Conference 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Location to be Announced Wednesday, May 18, 2005 Governor's Arts Awards 5:30 p.m. Location to be Announced Back to Newsletter Top
The Tatman Group The Tatman Group is here to meet your association’s needs. Please contact Paula Laird, your association management specialist, with any questions or suggestions you may have to better serve you. Our contact information is below:
The Tatman Group 10889 Perkins Road, Suite C Baton Rouge, LA 70809 P.O. Box 82531 Baton Rouge, LA 70884 Phone: (225) 767-7640 Fax: (225) 767-7648	DavidTatman david@tatmangroup.com Ashley Mendoza ashley@tatmangroup.com Paula Laird paula@tatmangroup.com Keli Ourso keli@tatmangroup.com Jessica Seals jessica@tatmangroup.com
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