O R C H ESTRA T R A V E R S E C I T Y R E C O R D - E A G L E S E C T I O N C Going places ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT Friday, February 6, 2015 [email protected] FROM STAFF REPORTS TRAVERSE CITY — The In- ARTS terlochen Arts Academy Or- chestra is hitting the road. The orchestra, already tapped to appear on an all- Interlochen “From the Top” to be broadcast by National TC hailed ‘art hotbed’ Public Radio in April, will perform May 9 with French Expert: The ranking key-based Crooked Tree Arts Cen- northwest lower Michigan where earn the highest available ranking pianist Alexandre Tharaud ter which recently merged with researchers collected data, a in the “arts dollars” category. at The Berman Center for could be higher ArtsCenter Traverse City. “We do reflection of census data about Both Ahrens and the study the Performing Arts in West accomplish quite a bit up here.” the metropolitan area supplied to pointed to Interlochen Center for Bloomfield. BY NATHAN PAYNE Southern Methodist University’s researchers, Giraud Voss said. the Arts as a major contributor to [email protected] In 2016 the orchestra will National Center for Arts Re- The group produced the report the high ranking. play at the NY Phil Biennial, TRAVERSE CITY — Traverse search slotted the Traverse City in hopes of helping local arts “Interlochen is a $30 million (per the New York Philharmonic’s City is the only place in Michi- area in at 20 on its “arts vibrancy organization directors learn more year) organization,” Ahrens said. spring festival of contem- gan to rank among the nation’s index” in the small and medium about their regions’ arts strengths The study also listed organiza- porary music. The festival most art-loving cities in a study city category. The study ranked and weaknesses, she said. tions like the Traverse Symphony debuted in 2014 and featured recently published by a national 900 communities on numbers of The Grand Traverse region Orchestra, the Northwest Michi- arts providers, arts dollars and placed in the top half of the list in the music of 50 contemporary arts organization. But 20th place gan Ballet Theatre and Sweet government support across 11 arts both arts providers and govern- and modern composers from might be too low, according to a Adelines International. But the and cultural sectors. ment support, 287th and 178th, report did not specifically cite 12 countries. local expert. “It’s an incredibly exciting “It’s really driven more in this respectively. But it was the arts some other organizations integral “I think that’s probably under- time for the orchestra,” said case by the arts dollars,” said dollars category — Traverse City to the region’s arts community like reported because a lot of people Carolyn Watson, conductor of Zannie Giraud Voss, director of ranked seventh — that catapulted the Traverse City Film Festival. the Academy Orchestra. don’t show up in those cross NCAR. the region into the top 20. Grand Giraud Voss explained that section studies,” said Liz Ahrens, The report lists a population of Traverse and Benzie counties executive director of the Petos- about 147,000 for the section of were the only two in the state to SEE ARTS PAGE 2C IN BR IEF From staff reports “There’s going to be some charisma Northport and maybe some irreverence.” dinner theatre Michael Thurber NPR’S NORTHPORT — The North- port Community Arts Cen- ter’s first dinner theater production, in partnership ‘FROM THE TOP’ with Tucker’s Restaurant of Northport, will perform RETURNS TO INTERLOCHEN “Sylvia” on Saturday and Sunday and again Feb. 14-15 at the restaurant, 116 Wauka- YouTube sensation zoo St. “Sylvia” is a modern ro- Michael Thurber joins mantic comedy for adults about a marriage and a dog. orchestra for show The story follows middle- BY MARTA HEPLER DRAHOS aged couple Greg and Kate’s [email protected] conflict over a new addition RAVERSE CITY — Michael Thurber to their recently empty nest, composed music for the Royal a stray dog named Sylvia. TShakespeare Company, Vanity Fair Dinner includes Caesar and BBC America. But his offbeat YouTube salad; a choice of chicken “musical video experiments” — including a Parmesan, beef short ribs or cellphone ringtone medley and a history of stir fried veggies and des- whistling — are what made him a sensation. sert. Now the composer and bassist is bringing Tickets cost $45 per per- what likely is the world’s first “quadruple son and are available at the concerto” to his alma mater, Interlochen Arts Northport Community Arts Academy. He’ll perform with the Academy Center. Tucker’s will begin Orchestra in the debut of his “Three Muske- seating at 6 p.m. for Saturday teers: A Play for Instruments” March 13 in performances and the show Corson Auditorium. will start at 8 p.m. Sunday “It’s a concerto not for one but for four performances will begin instruments, and an unusual combination seating at 2 p.m. and the of instruments,” said Academy Orchestra show will start at 3:30 p.m. conductor Carolyn Watson, of the humorous Dinner will be served a half piece based on the opening of the classic hour after seating begins story, “The Three Musketeers.” “It’s really for each show. For tickets or a concerto for jazz combo and orchestra. It more information, contact mixes elements of musical theater, comedy, the NCAC at 231-386-5001 or jazz and classical music. For the orchestra [email protected]. it’s going to be completely different.” Soloists Thurber, Mark Dover, clarinet, Kris Steel drum concert Bowers, piano, and Charles Yang, violin, will take to the stage one at a time in another TRAVERSE CITY — The En- Record-Eagle photo/Jan-Michael Stump departure from concerto tradition. Each core Society of Music will host represents a different character — Thurber’s “Running on Island Time” Conductor Carolyn Watson leads a rehearsal of the Interlochen Arts Academy Orchestra on Tuesday in Corson Auditorium. The orchestra will tape a live performance score even calls for a Musketeer duel — and featuring guest performer, the each movement a different style of music. Petoskey Steel Drum Band, at of “The Three Muskateers: A Play for Instruments,” by Interlochen alumnus Michael 3 p.m. Sunday at First Congre- Thurber for the National Public Radio program “From the Top.” SEE NPR PAGE 2C gational Church, 6105 Center Road. Tickets are $15, $10 for seniors and are available at P E RFO RMING the door. Veteran singer-songwriter keeps raising bar amid national folk resurgence Senior euchre BY JOHN SINKEVICS Minnesota. “I’ve always than in a single stretch. Special to the Record-Eagle played guitar, but I never “Instead of trying to get tournament considered myself a gui- it all done at once and TRAVERSE CITY — tar player. I would like to getting all of the pressure GRAWN — Senior Center Internationally renowned become more proficient on a few days, I wanted Network will host a euchre Red House Records tournament with registration and be able to provide a it to reflect how I sound artist John Gorka never more complete accompa- when I play live, which and pizza bar beginning at 1 stops seeking ways to im- p.m., Sunday, Feb. 8 at Incred- niment to the songs.” is mostly solo,” said the prove his musicianship, ible Mo’s. Tournament play is Consequently, his most singer who’s released a to change the way he from 2 to 4:30 p.m. recent album, 2014’s dozen solo albums since attacks another record- A $10 registration fee in- “Bright Side of Down,” 1987 as well as collab- cludes pizza bar and a non- ing even 30 years into his boasts “uncluttered” orative projects with Red alcoholic beverage. Sign up career. arrangements that “keep Horse, featuring label- at any Senior Center loca- “I’ve been trying to the focus on the vocal and mates Lucy Kaplansky tion; advance registration is pay attention more to guitar.” And the songs and Eliza Gilkyson. required. For more informa- my guitar playing,” the were recorded “a little “I wanted the arrange- tion please email sneumann@ singer-songwriter said in bit at a time” at his home ments to be built around Special to the Record Eagle grandtraverse.org, or call the a recent phone interview and in a Minneapolis John Gorka plays Inside Out Gallery Saturday Senior Center at 922-4911. from his home in St. Paul, recording studio, rather SEE GORKA PAGE 6C night. www.record-eagle.com 2C ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT TRAVERSE CITY RECORD-EAGLE Friday, February 6, 2015 several times at both Interlochen Arts Acad- NPR emy and at the sum- ARTS mer Interlochen Arts ‘From the Top’ Camp, said Christo- TC hailed pher Gruits, executive returns to director of Interlochen ‘art hotbed’ Presents. The show Interlochen features performances, FROM PAGE 1C interviews and other the data sets used in the re- FROM PAGE 1C radio bits with some port likely include more than of the country’s best the listed organizations and “It’s almost like a young musicians. It is is drawn from census and YouTube playlist in broadcast on over 250 state arts agency data sets. that you’ll hear every stations nationwide Ahrens, who also serves kind of music genre,” to more than 700,000 on the Michigan Council for said Thurber, of Chica- listeners. go. “The four soloists Thurber is a “From Arts and Cultural Affairs, are from very different the Top” alumnus who said some large organi- musical backgrounds was first taped per- zations in the area that and culturally from forming in his home don’t ask for state fund- different backgrounds, state, Indiana.