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Each year, the Tasmeem Doha Design Conference, sponsored by Virginia Commonwealth University Qatar, hosts an international design student competition. This year's theme, Give Me Shelter, brought in over ninety entries from around the world including the United States, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Lebanon, Jordan and Zimbabwe. Congratulations to Cornish Design students Meg Norris (Graphic Design) and Stefani Swiatkowski (Motion Design) who received recognition in the top five list of contributors. As winners in the competition, Norris and Swiatkowski will receive travel and accommodations to attend the conference in Doha, Qatar.
In January 2008, Cornish Theater Department faculty Hal Ryder and nine students traveled to London for a week of history and theater. The trip included tours of London, Windsor, and Stratford, with trips to Shakespeare's birthplace and the British Museum, among other attractions. In addition to a Dickens walking tour and other fantastic explorations in the city, the group also enjoyed viewing performances of the musical Lord of the Rings and King Lear featuring Ian McKellan. Professor Ryder will be leading another trip to England next January, as well as a trip to New York in March 2009.
The distinguished faculty of the Cornish Art Department presents their newest work, offering a current look into the diverse talent of the Cornish community. Organized by Exhibitions Curator Jess Van Nostrand, the exhibition features the college's seventeen core and adjunct art faculty representing painting, photography, print, video, and sculpture. The exhibition opens on March 5th and runs through April 4th.
Mark-Makers offers students the opportunity to see faculty work outside of the classroom, while the public can take advantage of seeing new work by some of Washington's best artists. Within vastly different themes, techniques, and approaches to the creative process, the work of this group also presents visual and conceptual connections that may only be apparent after taking a look beneath the initial impression.
Featured artists include: Judith Allen, Bonnie Biggs, Robert Campbell, Linda Davidson, Marc Dombrosky, Julie Gaskill, Claudia Hollander-Lucas, David Nechak, Barbara Noah, Heather Dew Oaksen, John Overton, Kathleen Rabel, Dennis Raines, Kristen Ramirez, Ruth Marie Tomlinson, David Ulrich, and Preston Wadley.
The Cornish Music Series is proud to present Building Bridges with the Jim Knapp Orchestra, featuring the premiere of "Movements for Flute and Jazz Orchestra," commissioned by Cornish College of the Arts to honor Knapp's role in the founding of Cornish's jazz program 35 years ago.
When Jim Knapp joined the Cornish faculty in the early seventies, the Music Department had a curriculum that included some jazz classes, but only as a supplement to the basic conservatory-type curriculum. Recognizing a need, Knapp spearheaded an effort to enhance the presence of jazz music at Cornish. Gradually, the increased class offerings developed into a full program. New faculty such as Gary Peacock, Chuck Deardorf, Don Mock, Dave Peterson, Denney Goodhew, Phil Snyder, Julian Priester, Art Lande, Jerry Granelli, Jay Clayton, and many others were brought on board, and a jazz curriculum was established which remains essentially intact to this day. In honor of his efforts to propagate the Cornish College jazz program, composer Jim Knapp was commissioned to write a piece celebrating his rich history with the college. "Movements for Flute and Jazz Orchestra" will be performed by faculty member Paul Taub and the Jim Knapp Orchestra.
Taub, founding member of the widely acclaimed Seattle Chamber Players, is no stranger to building bridges himself. He offers these thoughts on the upcoming collaboration:
Almost all my life, and almost in spite of my "classical" roots, I've been in a musical environment that has multiple musical layers. I've always enjoyed the camaraderie, controversies, and challenges of being involved in a multi-genre musical environment. What better way to honor the trials and pleasures of such stimulation than with the challenge of a concerto "for classical flutist" and jazz orchestra, by one of my favorite Cornish composers.
- Paul Taub
"Movements for Flute and Jazz Orchestra" will be premiered on March 22, 2008 in PONCHO Concert Hall
April 9 - 11, 8 pm
April 12, 2 & 8 pm
Broadway Performance Hall
1625 Broadway
There's plenty of strife on the stage of Cornish's upcoming production of the The Pajama Game. The workers at the Sleep-Tite pajama factory are in conflict with management over a proposed raise, and there are sparks flying between the men and women in the factory, most notably between the fiery union leader Babe and Side, the factory superintendent. In the words of one of the classic musical's best-known songs, "Steam-Heat" is in the air.
Backstage though, The Pajama Game is a model of cooperation. Cornish's four performing arts departments are pooling their resources to present and produce the College's largest and most demanding production in many years.
The Pajama Game will open at Broadway Performance Hall on April 9. While the characters on stage spar, palaver and croon such memorable songs as "Hey There" and "Hernando's Hideaway," backstage a smoothly functioning team of artists and technicians will have pooled their skills and experience to provide as vivid a presentation as possible of the spirited clash of labor vs. management and the battle of the sexes.
Selected in the wake of its recent and highly praised Broadway revival starring Harry Connick Jr. and Kelli O'Hara, The Pajama Game is a 1954 musical with songs by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. Although over 50 years have passed since the inception of the piece, it still has plenty of relevant satirical bite in its depiction of worker grievances.
The Pajama Game is produced under the direction of the following faculty members: director Kathleen Collins (Theater), choreographer Wade Madsen (Dance) and music directors Roger Nelson and Natalie Lerch (Music). The cast is made up of students from the Dance, Music, Theater and Performance Production Departments, while Performance Productions students have designed the lights, costumes, props and sound. The set is designed by guest artist William Forrester.
The Pajama Game
Book by George Abbott & Richard Bissell
Music and Lyrics by Richard Adler & Jerry Ross
Directed by Kathleen Collins
Music Direction by Roger Nelson & Natalie Lerch
Choreography by Wade Madsen
April 9 - 11, 8 pm
April 12, 2 & 8 pm
Broadway Performance Hall
1625 Broadway
Tickets: $10 general, $5 students, alumni and seniors
Tickets can be purchased through Ticket Window at 206.325.6500, www.ticketwindowonline.com, or in person at Ticket Window's box offices located at Pacific Place, Pike Place Market, Broadway Market and Bellevue's Meydenbauer Center.
