On Saturday, December 5th, PVCC’s Education Department and the Division of Fine & Performing Arts proudly present the Festival of Tales; a free, literacy-focused celebration offered to the greater community.
Held from 9am to 2pm, the festival is a day of reading, literacy and cultural activities for children and families that includes storytelling, arts and crafts, games, face painting, live music, food trucks and much more!
Now celebrating its eighth year, FESTIVAL OF TALES brings books to life through the art of storytelling and provides FREE books to children who participate in the activities.
The festival also features live musical performances by Heidi Swedberg and the SukeyJump Band, PVCC faculty and student music ensembles, local elementary schools and community groups.
For more information, visit festivaloftales.com or on Facebook at PVCC Festival of Tales.
Jazz Under the Stars | Student Review by Sarah Toth
The Jazz Under the Stars event held on Tuesday October 13th in the PVCC outdoor amphitheater was a night of toe tapping entertainment. Between the two “Big Band Music” groups, there was a variety of slow, to moderate, to fast tempos of music. Any age could go out and enjoy the lovely music being played. The causal environment made the whole atmosphere a family-friendly setting. The bands helped each other out on stage during the performance, and the director openly made jokes about himself and the band. The casual setting also made the performance all the more enjoyable. The entire performance was outstanding.
THE INSTRUMENTS BATTLED EACH OTHER IN DISSONANCE AND THEN RESOLVED THEMSELVES IN HARMONIES. MOST BANDS TRY TO STAY CONSTANT WITH THE OTHER SECTIONS, BUT JAZZ IS FREER THAN THAT.
Each band kept the same tone throughout their movements. Hearing the instruments battling each other out in dissonance to resolve themselves in harmonies was a new experience. Most bands that play will try to stay constant with the other sections, but jazz is freer than that. For example, some pieces played were originally written for other instruments, such as the alto saxophone, but were manipulated for other instruments like the trombone. With each band, it was obvious that for some pieces, certain instruments were the focal point. With other pieces, adding an instrument made a huge difference. The addition of an instrument was the difference in making a classical piece modern.
Each band had soloists in every selection they performed. To highlight the soloists, they would stand and use a mic to amplify their instruments. Not only did the mic help the solo clearer, but the rest of the band would back off the notes and harmonies, just to crescendo back into the piece. In the first band, they had a key soloists perform with them. He is a professor at the University of Central Florida, Mr. Mike Wilkinson. Mike performed in several of the performances and added a new feel to the band.
The first band was bigger than the second band. They had larger sections for the instruments, as well as had more soloists. The first band is what you would think of with a stereotypical jazz band. The second band had an all around new style to the way they performed. The director was an actual band player himself and played in the performance. In this band, there was a more prominent feel to the revolutionary styles of jazz, and added more modern instruments, drum sets and a bass, to modernize the sets. Although the second band had fewer members, the power behind the instruments was well known. In the first band, the crescendos were powerful, and the sound carried throughout the amphitheater. Where the second band lacked in power, it made up for it in the difficulties of the music.
THE FIRST BAND BROUGHT A PROFESSIONAL TROMBONE PLAYER TO ASSIST THEM, WHERE THE SECOND BAND HAD A REALLY COOL ADVANTAGE OF HAVING A COMPOSER IN THEIR SET.
Each band also brought something different to the table. The first band brought a professional trombone player to assist them, where the second band had a really cool advantage of have a composer in their set. The second band always tries to play a piece of his every show, this shows being titled Burk the Baby.
Jazz Under the Stars was a very fun experience. From learning about music in class, to really hearing it live and in person is a whole new experience. From a college band, that amount of perfection put into these pieces was amazing. You wouldn’t have been able to tell if this was a class, or if it as a group of people doing what they love. Jazz Under the Stars was a really good all around experience.
Fall 2015 Visual Arts Events at PVCC
The PVCC Visual Arts Department is pleased to host the following events, workshops and visiting artists during Fall of 2015. We hope to see you there!
Friday, September 18th, 6-9pm
CHINESE CERAMIC MASTER ARTISTS EXHIBIT AND RECEPTION
KSC 1000A
See exceptional ceramic masterpieces created by Chinese Ceramic Master Artists. Meet the artists and enjoy refreshments, live music and a silent auction to benefit the PVCC Glassblowing Program.
Saturday, September 19th, 5-9pm
FIRED UP! HANDS-ON CERAMIC WORKSHOP
PVCC Ceramics Studio (D Building)
Choose a handmade ceramic pot, apply raku glaze, and watch your piece transform before your eyes into Art. This event is from 5-9pm in the PVCC Ceramics Studio (D Building) and is $25 per person. Proceeds benefit the PVCC Glassblowing Program.
Friday and Saturday, October 30 & 31, 8am-4pm
VISITING ARTIST SERIES: GLASS WORKSHOP WITH ANA THIEL
PVCC Ceramics Studio (D Building)
Free for PVCC students, this hands-on workshop introduces participants to techniques for working with hot glass by pouring, casting and combining with other materials. Registration is limited. Reserve a spot by emailing david.bradley@paradisevalley.edu.
Sunday, November 9th, 3-4pm
VISITING ARTIST SERIES: LECTURE WITH GLASS ARTIST ANA THIEL
Center for Performing Arts Main Stage
Ana Thiel is an internationally known artist who uses hot glass combined with other materials to create art. She was educated at Pilchuck Glass School, founded by Dale Chihuly, and has exhibited and taught around the world. She lives in San Miguel De Allende, Mexico. Free to the public, held at the Center for Performing Arts Main Stage.
For more information Contact David L. Bradley, Visual Arts Faculty
Email: david.bradley@paradisevalley.edu
Phone: (602) 787-6615
Office: M-165
Faculty Landscape Photography on Display at Desert Foothills Library
You are all invited to view the spectacular landscape images of three Valley photographers:
WILLIS PETERSON | former resident of Cave Creek, Former Chairman of Photography, Glendale Community College, long time Arizona Highways contributor
JERRY SIEVE | Long time resident of Cave Creek, Teacher at Paradise Valley Community College, long time Arizona Highways contributor
TOM BAKER | Current resident of Carefree, Photography student)
The images will be on display at:
Desert Foothills Library
September 21- October 5, 2015
38443 N. Schoolhouse Road
Cave Creek, Arizona
For more info email sieveimages@gmail.com
Acts Creative: Introduction
Dr. Brett Reed, Music Faculty
Long-time friend, collaborator, and schlagzeuger, Doug Nottingham, greeted me last week with the declaration, “I’m committed to doing a creative act every day of the summer break.” I wasn’t surprised at this comment, its a great idea, but I was at first puzzled - how is this different than our usual practice? Most days of an active musicians life has to be this way to teach, present concerts, make recordings and get better at our craft.
After mulling it over for some time here are the ways this proclamation is different than our typical modus operandi. First, for those of us whose body clock shares DNA with the academic calendar, this statement suggests that the summer break is not for finding the nearest couch and the remote that is sure to be on the arm rest. Second, and more importantly, the concept is rooted in commitment, in acknowledgment, in some form of accountability. There is a lot of power in owning something no matter if in the arts or any other aspect of life. Lastly, the pledge also suggests priority; to pull it off would take energy, planning, and active participation.
Consideration over, because it is a great idea and for how it coincides with other current things I have been chewing on about what it means to be a successful artist I, and fellow music faculty member Keith Kelly, have decided to take the same oath as Doug. Over the coming weeks each of us are going to post on weekly basis about what we get up to and share with you our progress, sources of inspiration, finished works or anything else that illustrates our acts creative.
I hope that at least you will find it interesting, better still it might encourage you to take the plunge with us and do the same, no matter your field, area of the arts, or otherwise. As a warmup here is clear documentation of a creative act, shared by Keith and I in the making of his most recent record:
Enjoy the music, see you next week.
Dr. Christopher Scinto honored at Annual Employee Recognition Luncheon
The Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation (MCCF), the fundraising arm of the Maricopa County Community Colleges (MCCC), each year recognizes MCCC employees who have made outstanding contributions to the MCCC District's mission.
This year, five awards were made to individual employees at a luncheon held April 28, 2015 at the Foundation’s offices. Dr. Stephen Helfgot, CEO/President of MCCF presided over the luncheon and remarks were made by Dr. Rufus Glasper, Chancellor, MCCC and Heidi Schaefer, Chairman, MCCF Board.
Congratulations to PVCC's own Dr. Christopher Scinto, Division Chair of Fine and Performing Arts, who was one of the five honorees. Under Dr. Scinto’s leadership students have flourished and demonstrated success in the arts; significant community partnerships and notable scholarships. In just the last five years, PVCC Center for Performing Arts has provided over 625 performances, drawing over 69,000 community attendees. Through various benefit events, more than $40,500 has been raised for Fine and Performing Arts scholarships.
Congratulations!
A B O U T D R . S C I N T O
Christopher Scinto's compositions have been featured on music festivals in Germany, Italy, Spain, and throughout the United States. His works, performed by the ASU Symphony Orchestra, the Cleveland Chamber Symphony, the NYU New Music and Dance Ensemble, and the Phoenix Chorale, have received awards and grants from the Long Island Composer's Alliance, Meet the Composer, the MidAmerican Center for Contemporary Music, and the National Association of Composers, USA. He holds degrees from Arizona State University (BM & DMA) and Bowling Green State University (MM), where his studies included composition, saxophone performance, and conducting. Currently, he is completing a work for saxophone and percussion, titled Octet, and is collaborating with nationally acclaimed poet and PVCC faculty member Lois Roma-Deeley on an opera, The Ballad of Downtown Jake. In addition to his artistic pursuits, Scinto is the Division Chair of Fine & Performing Arts at Paradise Valley Community College and is the founder and artistic director of the contemporary music ensemble Crossing 32nd Street.
The Ballad of Downtown Jake
The Ballad of Downtown Jake centers around the charming but helplessly drug addicted Jake Delmonico as he traverses the streets of New York City in a desperate search for eternal fame. In his struggle to become the next greatest saxophone player in history, the lives of Delmonico’s friends and enemies tangle and become the fire that destroy and rebirths love, lust, and hope in this skillfully crafted tale of the human experience.
Inspired by the poetry collection High Notes, written by PVCC Creative Writing Program founder, Lois Roma-Deeley, The Ballad of Downtown Jake mixes rhythmic prose with the spirited jazz of the 1950s, composed by PVCC Fine and Performing Arts Division chair, Christopher Scinto.
March 12th – 14th @ 7:30pm
Sunday March 15th @ 2:00pm
$8-$15 Admission.
*$4 additional ticket fee at the door 1 hour prior to performance.
ADVANCED TICKETS HERE: bit.ly/1BCKflW
The Center for Performing Arts
Paradise Valley Community College
18401 N. 32nd St
Phoenix AZ 85032
Open Mic Night @ PVCC | February 28th
Things I'm listening To Right Now by Keith Kelly
I like a lot of different music. Though I play mostly jazz and avant-garde music, I grew up very much as part of the alternative scene of the 90s: Nirvana came of age when I was in middle-school, Live 105 was the modern rock station in the SF Bay Area that played everything from R.E.M. to Tori Amos to NIN to The Cure to Violet Femmes - it was awesome!!! So, I like to think my musical taste is pretty diverse, and pretty good. But maybe not! HA! Anyway, here are 5 albums that I am into right now.
Sharon Van Etten
Album: Are We There? (2014)
Song:"Every Time the Sun Comes Up"
Singer-Songwriter, Americana, great harmony voices, thoughtful and punchy
S.Carey
Album: Range of Light (2014)
Song: "Crown The Pines"
Part of the band/creative team for band Bon Iver, saw him play live at the Crescent Ballroom last year (great show!), moody, brooding, lots of overlapping instrumentals
The Unfortunates
Album: (The Music That Inspired) The Unfortunates (2013)
Song: "Down and Out"
Played a great show at PVCC in November 2014, great blues-influenced music, wonderful voices, catchy melodies, makes you want to sing-a-long
Bruce Brubaker
Album: Time Curve (2009)
Song: "Etude No. 5"
Solo piano, haunting, playing the music of Phillip Glass, sparse
Paul Desmond
Album: Easy Living (1965)
Song: "That Old Feeling"
Swinging, happening, one of the most luscious sounds on the alto saxophone, put it on and make a drink
A San Francisco Bay Area native, Keith currently resides in Phoenix, AZ - where he is Coordinator of Music Humanities and Performance at Paradise Valley Community College. Prior to this appointment, he was Assistant Professor/Coordinator of Jazz Studies at California State University - Stanislaus. Additionally, he has taught graduate and undergraduate courses at Arizona State University, University of the Pacific, and Boston University (Online). Keith holds a DMA in Music Education (Jazz Studies) from Arizona State University. An in-demand woodwind doubler and improviser, he performs regularly with Running From Bears, Static Announcements and The Scorpion Decides.
Auditions for THE BALLAD OF DOWNTOWN JAKE
Auditions will be held January 22nd-24th for the new contemporary music drama, THE BALLAD OF DOWNTOWN JAKE, created by PVCC Fine Arts Faculty Dr. Christopher Scinto (music) and Dr. Lois Roma-Deeley (book & lyrics).
Synopsis: Against the backdrop of the 1950s Civil Rights Movement, an interracial love story unfolds. THE BALLAD OF DOWNTOWN JAKE, a contemporary music drama, explores four character’s struggles with addiction, redemption, hope and one last shot at fame.
Character Breakdown:
HARRY JONES—age 45 hustler, drug dealer and addicted to power and control, Tenor.
JAKE DELMONICO—age 34 jazz saxophone great, addicted to heroin, Baritone.
JASMINE JUNE—age 52 sometime blues singer, waitress, civil rights, Mezzo-Soprano.
SUGAR BABY HAYES—Age 27 blues singer, common-law wife to Jake addicted to alcohol, heroin and grief, Soprano.
ANGEL/Woman in Red—spirit of grace and redemption, addicted to hope, Soprano.
Other speaking roles include: RICHIE—Club Owner, PAWNBROKER, CUSTOMERS IN CLUB and MUSICIANS.
Auditions are by appointment only. Please call (602) 787-6595 to schedule an audition.