KSER Advisory Audio Description Service In the second part, a narrator gives blind Appointed Gives Unique Perspective audience members full access to the play by Committee describing important actions, significant glances visual On June 22, twelve newly -appointed mem- "As a professional in the field of perform- or gestures and jokes. The Audio -Description its bers of KSER citizens' Advisory Commit- ing arts, I was amazed by the unique per- Service, in third tee sat down with the Jack Straw Board of spective that audio description could give," year, received support from the Jack Straw Foundation, Directors to get acquainted and lay the said Susan Phillips -Vincent. Susan is one of Equal Time, the King County Arts groundwork for building a strong, respon- many visually impaired people who used the Commission, and the Washington State sive community station. Audio -Description Service at Intiman Thea- Arts Commission. The value All Advisory committee members are ter this year. of the service is best communi- involved in community affairs and support The service, produced by Jesse Minkert cated in the words of Joy Iverson, "I cannot the goals of broadcast diversity and quality and Joan Rabinowitz, consists of two parts. express how much more complete the plays represented by the Jack Straw Foundation A pre -show program tape filled with infor- are to a blind person because of the audio policies. They've been asked to serve as a mation about the play in which listeners hear description on stage. As a blind person myself, having major, two-way communication link, spread- the voices of actors in character, as well as the audio description of each ing the concept of listener -supported radio the directors and designers of the set, details performance really completes the theater throughout the community and bringing back on costumes, and background on the actors. experience." to the KSER staff a clear sense of local is- sues, tastes and areas of support. "Composer to Performance" Broadcast Schedule Community Advisory Committee mem- KBCS Bellevue/Seattle: FRIDAYS 10 AM bers are: Robert Anderson; Edmonds, musi- Nov. 10: George Perle and the Seattle Symphony cian and conductor of the Cascade Symphony Nov. 17: William O. Smith and the Soni Ventorum Orchestra. Steve Burr; Everett, Citizen -involve- Nov. 24: Paul the Nippon Kan Theatre ment activist and manager with Intermec Chihara at Corporation. Diego Gavilanes; Everett, attorney Dec. 1: Karen Thomas and the New Performance Group and volunteer with refugee support groups. Laura Also to be broadcast on: Hall; Edmonds, Edmonds City Council member KUOW Seattle: Tuesday - Friday, December 26-29. 3 p.m. and arts advocate. Linda Jones; Marysville, KUGS Bellingham: Four consecutive Mondays beginning November 6, 10 a.m. member and Tribal Services Manager for the Tulalip Tribe. Ewell Madry; Everett, trucker at KAOS Olympia: Four consecutive Fridays, beginning November 10, Scott Paper Company, formerly a jazz and rhythm time to be announced & blues programmer at KRCL-FM, Salt Lake KSVR Mount Vernon: Four consecutive Thursdays, beginning November 9, 11 a.m. City, Utah. Margaret Riddle; Everett, historic COMPOSER continued from front page archive librarian at the Everett Public Library and Soni Ventorum woodwind Quintet to per- ing and informative, providing an insight music collector. Jim Rondeau; Everett, student form in more than one tempo at the same into and professional broadcaster at KUBE, Seattle. the thrill and terror of breathing life into time. While the musicians performed their Paul Shaner; Kenmore, social worker and Pro- a work which has never before been ex- parts displayed on individual computer gram Director with Northshore Youth and Fam- plored. screens, audience members could follow the ily Services. Doris Sinclair; Lake Stevens, From employing traditional rehearsal tech- music "illuminated" on a large screen on mental health therapist and radio interview pro- niques to creating a computerized musical stage. gram host at KBAE, Everett. James Sneddon; notation system, the artists illustrate con- Without Performa, Paul Chihara's subtly Lynnwood, photographer, producer media and trasting means by which new music can be Oriental "Serenade" might never have been director of the Prima Art Gallery at Edmonds lifted from the page and into performance. created. After years of wanting to commis- Community College. Nancy Weis; Everett, pro- "The program begins with Pulitzer winner fessional volunteer in human services. sion a new work by Chihara, but lacking the George Perle's "Lyric Intermezzo," per- funds, the Nippon Kan Heritage Association formed by 15 members of the Seattle Sym- received a New Music Performing Arts grant Kudos for Herb Levy!! phony. Here, a mainstream contemporary from KCAC in association with Performa composer, conductor and musicians followed '87. The excitement created by Chihara's The King County Arts Commission traditional methods of rehearsal. "It's the piece in Seattle's Japanese community was recently presented Herb Levy (Jack conductor's business to understand what the especially meaningful to the composer who Straw Foundation Board Member) composer wants, " Perle says. "Musicians grew up in that district. with a Special Service Award for dis- must then add the magic to make the piece The series culminates with Karen Tho- tinguished contributions to the Arts in come alive," notes Rabinowitz. mas' robust and quintessentially American, King County. Jazz musician, composer and clarinetist "There Must be a Lone Ranger," a musical The award was given in recognition William O. "Bill" Smith, known for his the- inspired in part by the poetry of E. E. Cum- for Herb's facilitation of "this region's atrical and experimental music, took his mu- mings and performed by the New Perform- growing reputation as a center for the sicians into uncharted territory with "Illumi- ance Group, in residence at Cornish College presentation and development of new nated Manuscripts." By creating a new of the Arts. In addition to working with a music." computerized musical notation system, conductor and musicians, Thomas had to Smith made it possible for members of the (continued on page four)