Local music, women in the arts, a timely play and more
Welcome back to Interlude, chock-full of events and arts resources to spice up a slow news week.
Meet the man behind the lights
You probably don’t see Jared McGowan when you come to a show at the Palladium, but you can’t miss his work. As the Center’s longtime Lighting Director, for nearly every performance, he either creates the lighting design for the full concert hall to accompany each artist’s set list, or he works with the touring crew to make their vision happen on our site.
Jared McGowan’s lighting designs are a key feature at Palladium performances.
Don’t miss this week’s stuff
Saturday: Our Live at the Center concert webcast series sponsored by Allied Solutions can be enjoyed sitting in your living room, but you’ll want to get up and move for this one. Register for free to watch 800 lb. Gorilla (pictured above) rock the Palladium at 8 p.m. Saturday.
Women have to fight for equity and respect in many fields of endeavor, and classical music is no exception. Among those leading the charge is violinist Dr. Laura Colgate, whose D.C.-based Boulanger Initiative works to raise the profile of women composers.
For the Center’s next free online Classics in Context presentation at 7 p.m. Jan. 28, Colgate will outline those efforts and answer your questions about how music lovers can help to create a more level playing field in the classical music industry. (The event was originally scheduled Jan. 20.) Register now for “Where Are the Women?”
In the Archives: How to choose the perfect song
Tuesday’s episode of In the Archives with Michael Feinstein featured a special guest: two-time Songbook Academy alum Griffin Scott! With the Songbook Academy application deadline quickly approaching on March 15, the Songbook Foundation dedicated this episode to help young artists choose repertoire that will help them stand out. Michael and Griffin also offer handy tips for learning music (Hint: The Songbook Archives house thousands of arrangements and copies of original sheet music). Though this episode was made with the next generation of Songbook performer in mind, one Songbook fan reminds us: "To research a song that captures your ear or whose lyric you relate to is a wonderful learning journey at any age."
With its themes of racism and censorship, the drama Alabama Story seems even timelier today than in 2019, when our resident company Actors Theatre of Indiana staged it to wide acclaim in the Studio Theater. Accordingly, ATI has made a recorded performance of the production available online for on-demand viewing through Feb. 14.
January 18: On this date in 1973, the final episode of Monty Python’s Flying Circus with the full original cast aired on the BBC. Python member John Cleese appeared at the Palladium in November 2019.
January 20: On this date in 2003, caricaturist Al Hirschfeld passed away at age 99. He began capturing the spirit of Broadway performers in the 1920s, and his drawings were used to promote Broadway hits including My Fair Lady, Hello, Dolly! and Man of La Mancha. The Great American Songbook Foundation has two Hirschfeld drawings in its Songbook Archives: one of Liza Minnelli and one of Barbra Streisand, both donated by Michael Feinstein.
January 21: On this date in 1987, blues legend B.B. King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and he donated his 7,000-record collection to the University of Mississippi. He performed to a full house at the Palladium in November 2012 (pictured above).
