#constella13

Among fine art that will be part of the Constella Festival of Music and Fine Arts: Mozart opera “reimagined” by sculptor Rondle Royce West; Mick Jagger photograph by Gary Lee Boas; Cincinnati scene by outsider artist Andrew Van Sickle; violin sculpture by Tom Marioni.

By Jennifer Feld, Artist and Constella Festival volunteer

The Constella Festival of Music and Fine Arts is known for the for the star-power musicians it brings to Greater Cincinnati stages each fall.

Indeed, we are privileged and proud that such world-renowned names such as violin virtuoso Joshua Bell, Grammy-award winning conductor Paavo Järvi and jazz legend Jimmy Heath will be joining us – and you – for a celebration of our region's best music, arts, organizations and venues.

That’s what our name is all about – a constellation of the brightest of music, arts and more for magical events that will build enjoyment, appreciation and support for our rich cultural community, all year round.

We have been writing a lot about, deservedly, the musicians. Now, let's take a moment to let the artists take the stage and highlight some of the fine art exhibitions that will be presented as part of Constella events. All exhibits are free to festival patrons. In many cases the artists will be at events so you may meet them. And their work will be available for purchase if you care to support our artists and enjoy their work.

Queen City Connections: Glory and Prosperity Exhibition

Thursday, October 10 7:30 p.m. at Memorial Hall.

Performance: Tatiana Berman, violin, Paavo Järvi, conductor in a world premiere of a violin concerto by composer Charles Coleman. Details.

About the art:  The Queen City Connection’s art exhibition titled "Glory and Prosperity" will feature the pop art influences of Andrew Van Sickle, Outsider Artist legend Rev. Howard Finster, and famed celebrity photographer and author Gary Lee Boas. Cincinnati artist Van Sickle first met Howard Finster in 1987 while a student at the University of Cincinnati.  He spent that summer living with Finster and his family at his celebrated outdoor environment Paradise Garden in Summerville, Ga. Their 14 year friendship, developed VanSickle's art style, marketing and press relation skills.  Gary Lee Boas is the celebrated Outsider photographer/ author who focused on the world of celebrity with no formal training has thrilled the photography world the past decade.

Exhilarating Arias and Music Art and Beyond Festival

Saturday, October 26, 8 p.m., Memorial Hall

Performance: Kelley O'Connor, mezzo soprano, Jessica Rivera, soprano, Robert Spano, piano. Details.

About the art: Carl Solway Gallery presents a special one-night exhibition for Constella  The exhibition features innovative contemporary artwork by three internationally recognized artists born in Ohio who now live and work in the San Francisco Bay: Paul DeMarinis, Tom Marioni, and Alan Rath. Curated by Michael Solway, Director, Carl Solway Gallery. 

Rath and DeMarinis are pioneers in the fields of electronic and electronic media art respectively.  Marioni is best known as a Conceptual artist.  Rath and DeMarinis will show artwork integrating aspects of sound with the visual arts.  Rath’s contribution is a kinetic, robotic sculpture in which large pheasant feathers are choreographed by mechanical parts that emit subtle, whirring sounds.  DeMarinis presents “Hypnica” a group of talking metronomes using the voices of hypnotists to create a cacophony of speech.  Marioni creates his work with musical instruments including a sculpture constructed from a violin and drawings made with a drum brush.

Spellbound: Three Centuries, Three Summits

Saturday, October 19, 8 p.m., Memorial Hall

Performance: Stewart Goodyear, piano. Details.

About the art:  This concert will feature a one-night only art exhibition "Function/Dysfunction" featuring artists and craftsmen from Brazee Street Studios. Fine art, furniture, and accessories from local designers will be for sale the night of the exhibition. Some of the artists participating will be: Sean Druley, Cedric Cox, C. Jacqueline Wood, Susan Byrnes, Reptiles + Rainbows, Kent Krugh and more.

Inspired Improvisations and Stravinsky

Wednesday, October 30, 7:30 p.m., Freedom Center

Performance: Choreographers Heather Britt and Jimmy Cunningham, dancers of the Cincinnati Ballet and festival musicians on stage with the magnificent work of artist Sandra Gross. Details.

About the art: The Cincinnati Art Museum is kindly loaning the Constella Festival 6 prints from their Ballet Russe series to be on display at the rear of the theater in the Freedom Center from October 28 – November 4. The Museum will also have an exhibition entitled: Degas, Renoir, and Poetic Pastels which features a selection of pastels from the museum’s world renowned permanent collection and includes Degas’s poignant ballet dancers.  This exhibition will be on view at the Cincinnati Art Museum from October 26, 2013 – January 19, 2014.

Joshua Bell, Constella Festival Finale

Thursday, November 7, 7.30 p.m. Memorial Hall

Performance: Joshua Bell, violin, Sam Haywood, piano.  Details.

About the art: Three sculptures from “MozART: A pop-sculpture opera in 13 acts” by Rondle Royce West. The sculptures reimagine the main characters in Mozart’s folk opera, The Magic Flute, with the thirteenth piece being the maestro himself.  The vision for these characters is to blend their 18th Century origins with who they would be today. Rondle Royce West “was born an artist in 1965 and has been one since,” he said. Rondle lives in Cincinnati and Palm Springs.

Please support artists in the Constella community

Before and after events, please take time to discover the myriad of galleries, museums and other places where art lives and thrives steps from our venues and close to our hearts. We encourage you to support the artists who are part of the constellation of artistic talent in Greater Cincinnati.

See you at the festival!

Jennifer Feld attended the University of Cincinnati for an undergraduate degree in Fine Art, Painting major and Art Education as well as Southern Utah University for Masters for Arts Administration.  She works full time for Artonomy Inc as the Senior Art Consultant since 2007. She has run several gallery spaces in Greater Cincinnati; the founder of The MarX Gallery in Covington Kentucky and the Art gallery director for four years at Thomas More College's Eva G. Farris Art Gallery and was the Marketing and Education director at the Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery at Southern Utah University.

She is also a working artist having exhibited and sold her work across the nation as well as overseas.   She is a very passionate art supporter, hoping to spread her love of the arts to all.

Jazz has been described as “living art form “– a genre that “endures the ages and improvises with the times.”

That pretty much sums up jazz great Jimmy Heath. And he prefers talking about these times, not them.

The 86-year old NEA jazz master saxophonist respects traditions but wasn’t much interested in the old days when Constella called him to talk about his Oct. 3 “Fiesta Mojo” concert at the University of Cincinnati College of Music’s Corbett Auditorium.

Jimmy will be playing with musicians from the Cincinnati Contemporary Jazz Orchestra, Scott Belck, Director. The CCJO features some of Cincinnati’s most critically praised and popular jazz musicians.

Jimmy said he’s looking forward to returning to Cincinnati in what has been a very long time. He couldn’t remember just when he was here last: “A lifetime ago,” he said. But he's looking forward to getting back, bringing something old, something new.

We talked a bit about Cincinnati’s rich jazz tradition. About how Louis Armstrong’s first recordings were at a studio near here in Richmond, Indiana.  And that Fats Waller was on the staff of WLW in the 1930s, with Fats' Rhythm Club and doing gigs in local clubs.

 But it didn’t take long for Jimmy to move on.

 “That was kind of before my time.”

 He wanted to talk about his plans for Constella, where he will perform selections from his Grammy-nominated album, Little Man, Big Band, plus new and classic arrangements of other original compositions and jazz standards.

“I’m always writing new things,” Heath said. “I’ll be writing today.”

Jimmy came up in the “big band” era and became known for “bebop” and credits his time with Dizzy Gillespie for helping him learn how to make a small band sound big. These days, he’s teaching jazz students old and new ways.

“I tell them not to be pigeon-holed into the jazz boxes defined by others -  swing, cool jazz, fusion, bebop,” Jimmy said. “Keep it fresh and always write new ways.”

So how does he describe what we’ll be hearing when he comes to the Constella Festival?

“It’s called Fiesta Mojo because it’s a party,” Jimmy said.  He said he’ll be performing some material for the first time at Constella outside his usual venues in New York, D.C. and in a recent trip to Germany.

“I've been traveling a lot to many places," Jimmy said. "And now I’m coming to Cincinnati.”

Yes, you are sir. We welcome you and look forward to the party of jazz you'll bring with Fiesta Mojo.

Tickets and information:

http://constellafestival.org/event/fiesta-mojo-with-jimmy-heath/

About the Constella Festival:

The festival will bring stars of classical music, dance and art to the region with its third festival October 1 to November 7. This will be a magical year for Constella, with the return of violin superstar Joshua Bell and first-ever Constella Festival appearance by the Grammy Award-winning conductor Paavo Järvi.

Constella will present 20 concerts at 15 Cincinnati venues including world-premiere music and dance works, children’s concerts, workshops, and master classes. Most Constella-produced events will feature art exhibitions and collaborations by prominent Cincinnati artists and art galleries.

Details and ticket information for all Constella and partner events:

http://constellafestival.org/events/

About Jimmy Heath:

Born to what would become one of America’s most storied jazz families Jimmy Heath is a saxophonist, composer, arranger, and educator. The middle member of the legendary Heath Brothers, (Percy, bass; Albert, ‘Tootie,’ drums), he has performed on more than 125 recordings. Many of his compositions have become standards, recorded by artists including Cannonball Adderley, Chet Baker, Ray Charles, Chick Corea, Miles Davis, Art Farmer, Milt Jackson, Ahmad Jamal, J.J Johnson, Dizzy Gillespie, Dexter Gordon, Blue Mitchell, James Moody, Clark Terry, and McCoy Tyner.

Jimmy has composed extended works — twelve suites and two string quartets. His first symphonic work, ‘Three Ears,’ premiered while he was a Professor at Queens College (CUNY). Heath has performed at jazz clubs, concert halls and other major venues, including Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, and the White House.

Heath’s autobiography, ‘I Walked with Giants,’ with a foreword by Bill Cosby and introduction by Wynton Marsalis, was published in 2010.

For more on Jimmy Heath, please go to www.jimmyheath.com.

About The CCJO: The Cincinnati Contemporary Jazz Orchestra gave its debut performance at last year’s Constella Festival. Focused on the music of living composers and arrangers, it features some of Cincinnati’s most critically praised and popular jazz musicians, including Phil DeGreg, Brent Gallaher, Art Gore and Kim Pensyl.

Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cincinnati-Contemporary-Jazz-Orchestra/463995683623089?ref=ts&fref=ts

CCM Jazz:

Planning the Constella Festival Music and Fine Arts Festival 2013 started when the curtain went down at last Novembers finale, continued through the months and is right on track today.

Constella’s third festival, October 1 to November 7, will be a magical year, with the return of violin superstar Joshua Bell and first-ever festival appearance by the Grammy Award-winning conductor Paavo Järvi. Constella and its partners will present 21 concerts at 15 venues including world-premiere music and dance works and art exhibitions by prominent local artists and art galleries.

Venues have been secured, flights and hotels booked. Pianos and music arranged. There’s still much to do between now and opening night, but our wonderful volunteers are working hard to make the magic happen.

You can help us, too.

Your job: Plan a Constella party!

That would be now in the form of a "friendraising" event in which supporters host gatherings in neighborhoods and communities from Over-The-Rhine to Northern Kentucky to Greater Cincinnati north, east and west and everywhere in between. The gatherings would be elegant but not elaborate -- tickets to events run from free to $25 to less than $100 for the very best seats at the top-name events and group discounts are available and encouraged. These "friendraisers" are more about building community and supporting our musicians and artists than big dollar fundraising.

The most important goal now: Get the parties started! 

Yes, what’s better than an afternoon or evening with friends – combined with time at a fine restaurant, a walk through the park and a performance by accomplished musicians, dancers and artists from your home town and around the world.

We’ll make it easy on you by providing the entertainment –  internationally-renowned and locally acclaimed musicians and artists.  Your host venues will be historic treasures such as Memorial Hall and The Cincinnati Art Museum, interesting, intriguing and important places like NKU’s Digitorum, UC’s College Conservatory of Music and The National Underground Freedom Center.

And food? Constella is partnering with the finest restaurants in town for many events. And always, we encourage you to stop in and support the vast array of restaurants, shops, museums and green spaces within steps of most performances.

Please act now. Organize a neighborhood friendraiser or just invite in your own way friends, host business connections to an event as a group showing appreciation and support for our community's cultural treasures. . 

Many events feature receptions and after-parties at the venues, and Constella can also work with your group on reservations and discounts at our restaurant partners near the venues.

Groups of 10 or more receive a 10 percent discount on tickets. Your group will receive VIP passes and recognized in promotional materials and possible stage mentions, if fitting to the event’s program. We’ll have our photographer available and follow up to ensure your group or cause gets mention and attention in promotional and media materials.

We can also arrange for a Constella representative to share insights and back stories about the program and artists with your group. We'll do our best to arrange performances at friendraisers as schedules permit. So acting now would be a good idea. No promises for that on event nights, likely. But let's talk!

If you have questions or would like help with planning and arrangements, please contact [email protected].

Note to nonprofits: Contact us for details on an additional matching contribution program by the Charitable Words fund, bringing your discount to 20% for group tickets.

See you at your Constella party  -- before at a "friendraiser" to encourage support and attendance -- or better yet with a group of your friends at a the festival!

Details and ticket information for all Constella and partner events:

At least once in your life, you’ve got to see a performance by violin virtuoso Joshua Bell.

Often referred to as the “poet of the violin,” Bell is one of the world’s most celebrated musicians, enchanting audiences with his breathtaking virtuosity, sheer beauty of tone, and charismatic stage presence. His restless curiosity, passion, universal appeal, and multi-faceted musical interests have earned him the rare title of “classical music superstar.”

Problem is, he’s on the road a lot. This summer: Australia, Germany and the Netherlands, Brazil and South America. It would take some time, travel and more than a few dollars to get to catch up with him.

He will be back in New York October 2 to open Carnegie Hall’s season. You’d best book a flight now, get a room and tickets. Carnegie’s first tier already is sold out. Second will run you around $100 and the balcony about half that. Worth the price, certainly, to see the finest musician of his generation and among the best of all.

If you want something to eat at a fine restaurant before or after, add another $100 each.  Travel, lodging, and meals don’t come cheap in most places with great symphony and chamber musicians.  But the priceless experience would be worth it.

Better yet, how about seeing Joshua Bell by staying at home and supporting Cincinnati’s local musicians and artists? He will return “home” to for the Constella Festival’s 2013 finale Thursday, November 7 at Memorial Hall.

Tickets run $36 to $95, even for best available and boxes.

And fine restaurants? Just walk across Elm Street to the newly renovated and restored Washington Park (take some time to enjoy its lush civic lawn and fountains), walk a couple of blocks.  If you’re staying the night, elegant urban hotels are nearby. This is a city on the move – up!

Can you tell we love Cincinnati? Well, yes. Our mission is to “provide compelling, memorable experiences that illuminate the depth and breadth of culture in Cincinnati and enhance its arts, image and economy.”

Joshua Bell, who provided a memorable closing for the first festival in 2011, loves Cincinnati too.

The Indiana native told Soapbox:

 “I love coming home to the Midwest, and Cincinnati is quite close, so it is a nice opportunity to have my family come to hear me play. I have a long history with Cincinnati; I think I first played a Cincinnati recital when I was maybe 16 years old. 

Bell said his friendship with Constella Founder Tatiana Berman was his primary reason for coming to the first festival.

“They were just starting, but because she is a friend, and she seemed to have high hopes for the Festival, I told her I would come. In the end, I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the venue that we played. I thought it was a beautiful place to play. I hope they are continuing to be successful. “

Thank you, Joshua. Constella is doing very well and planning bigger things yet.

This year’s festival, running from October 1 to November 7, which will also feature  the first-ever Constella Festival appearance by the Grammy Award-winning conductor Paavo Järvi.  Constella will present 21 concerts at 15 Cincinnati venues including world-premiere music and dance works, children’s concerts, workshops, and master classes.  Most Constella-produced events will feature art exhibitions and collaborations by prominent Cincinnati artists and art galleries.

For more information, event calendar and ticket information, please go to www.constellafestival.org

Joshua Bell, we love to follow your adventures across the globe.

Thanks for keeping Constella and Cincinnati close to your heart.