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By Anonymous — Tuesday, May 8th, 2012
CLU summer institute returns for fifth year
 Master Teacher Angela Rasmussen Hicks THOUSAND OAKS, CA - The California Lutheran University Summer Vocal Institute is returning for its fifth year and scholarship auditions will be held Saturday, May 19. The academic summer camp for aspiring singers aged 12 to 18 is scheduled from Saturday, July 7, through Saturday, July 14. The program will run from 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. each day. For the first time this year, room and board is also available. The program covers vocal technique, solo repertoire and performance. Students will explore their voice and artistry through one-on-one coaching, daily master classes and course work in technique, sight singing, performance etiquette,interpretation, movement, and classical and musical theater repertoire. The institute is open to youths of all levels, whether they just started singing in a choir or have been studying voice for several years. Enrollment is limited to preserve the individualized nature of the program. The program will include a mix of choral and solo singing. Master teachers Angela Rasmussen Hicks, a mezzo-soprano, and Heidi Valencia Vas, a classically trained soprano, will focus on solo singing with students. Both Hicks and Vas are CLU faculty members. A solo recital will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 14. Wyant Morton, who chairs the Music Department and conducts the chorale ensembles at CLU, will lead students in intense daily sessions of ensemble singing that will culminate in a concert at 7 p.m. Friday, July 13. In addition to the student concerts, the public is also invited to a free faculty concert at 7 p.m. Sunday, July 8, in the chapel. All concerts will be held in Samuelson Chapel. Up to three camp participants will receive $1,000 CLU music scholarships at the end of the session. Tuition is $865. To schedule an audition or for more information, email CLUSVI@callutheran.edu, go to http://www.callutheran.edu/music/svi or call 805-405-0148 or 818-605-3944. Students will need to be prepared to perform an art song, aria or musical theater selection of their choice for the audition. |
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By Anonymous — Tuesday, May 8th, 2012
Team Work: Horses and Mules on the Job, an exhibition opening Saturday, June 2 at the Museum of Ventura County’s Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula, illustrates a time before tractors and automobiles, when four-legged horsepower provided the major muscle for agriculture and commerce. Rare photographs from the museum’s research library collection, as well as oral and written accounts, tell the story of how horses and mules were essential to Ventura County’s growth during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A free reception on Sunday, June 3, from 2:00-4:00 p.m. will celebrate the opening of the Team Work exhibit and the accompanying exhibit Horse Play: Paintings by Katie Upton. The public is invited to meet artist and horse enthusiast Katie Upton and enjoy the Texas swing and bluegrass music of the Ventucky String Band. Both exhibits run through September 2 at the Agriculture Museum. Team Work specifically explores the local use of draft animals in agriculture, the oil industry and by the railroads. They also pulled stagecoaches, streetcars and buggies; prepared the roads, delivered mail, freight, groceries and consumer goods; were first responders when fires broke out; and no patriotic parade was complete without a horse-drawn carriage or float. Museum of Ventura County’s Agriculture Museum is located at 926 Railroad Avenue, Santa Paula, California, in their historic downtown, near the Depot and railroad tracks. Hours are 10 a.m.– 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Admission is $4 adults, $3 seniors, $1 children 6-17, free for Museum of Ventura County members, and for children ages 5 and younger. On first Sundays of the month, general admission is always free. For more information, go to www.venturamuseum.org or call (805) 525-3100. |
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By Anonymous — Tuesday, May 8th, 2012
The Ventura County Rose Society will hold its monthly meeting on Thursday, May 24, 2012, at the Ventura County Office of Education Conference Center at 5100 Adolfo Rd., Camarillo. The doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for advice from Consulting Rosarians and refreshments, and our speaker presentation will begin at 7:30 pm. The VCRS meeting will spotlight Dr. Thomas Cairns, one of the most famous Rosarians in the United States. He has been the President of both the American Rose Society and the World Federation of Roses winning Gold Medals from both organizations. He is a world famous Rose Judge, author of numerous books on the cultivation of the rose, and the Editor of Modern Roses X and XI. He has won just about every award and honor available in the Rose World. Dr. Cairns will be speaking on "Growing Beautiful Roses". Our roses will certainly benefit from hearing Dr. Cairns. Visitors are always welcome. For more information contact: Janet Sklar at 818-337-9970 or Dawn-Marie Johnson at 805-523-9003. Our website is www.venturarose.org |
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By Anonymous — Tuesday, May 8th, 2012
Dr. Irina D. Costache will discuss her new book, “The Art of Understanding Art”
 Dr. Irina D. Costache, Professor of Art, Camarillo, CA - CSU Channel Islands (CI) Professor of Art Dr. Irina D. Costache will present her new book, “The Art of Understanding Art,” at an Author’s Gallery Talk, Thursday, May 10, at 6 p.m. at the Carnegie Art Museum in Oxnard. The event is free and open to the public, though a $3 donation to the museum is suggested. Costache’s book breaks new ground, delving into the learning process of understanding and appreciating art by examining case studies and topics not usually covered in introductory art texts. She offers readers new and meaningful ways of developing ideas and opinions about art and how to express them with confidence. The book covers such topics as provenance, art conservation, art classification, research sources, museums, the Web and copyrights, as well as world-famous artists like Monet and lesser-known artists more likely to be seen in regional museums. It provides a valuable resource for students and art history educators alike by suggesting innovative class assignments and projects useful for developing lesson plans. Though books will not be available for purchase at the Gallery Talk, the author will be available to sign copies. To learn more about the book and purchasing options through Amazon and the publisher, Wiley-Blackwell, visit http://faculty.csuci.edu/irina.costache/book/. Costache, a member of the CI faculty since 2002, is an art historian specializing in 20th Century art and critical theory, with an emphasis on Italian art and electronic media. She received her Ph.D. in Art History with minors in Critical Theory and Italian Literature from UCLA. She has taught art history, humanities, and film at UCLA, Loyola University, Cal State Northridge and Mount St. Mary’s College. Her extensive teaching experiences and innovative methodologies have been recognized with numerous awards and grants. She has lectured nationally and internationally and published on topics related to modern and contemporary art and pedagogical issues. Dr. Costache has also curated several contemporary art exhibitions and organized interdisciplinary symposia. The Carnegie Art Museum is located at 424 South C St. in Oxnard. For more information on the Gallery Talk, visit http://www.carnegieam.org/authors-gallery-talk.html or call 805-385-8158. For additional information contact Dr. Irina Costache at 805-437-8993 or irina.costache@csuci.edu. About California State University Channel Islands |
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By Anonymous — Tuesday, May 8th, 2012
Camarillo, CA - The Art Program at CSU Channel Islands (CI) has announced the First Annual screening of Film & Animation for the spring semester featuring works from current art students on May 9, 2012 at Malibu Hall 100 on the CI campus. The free one-night-only public screening will be held on Wednesday, May 9 from 7 to 9 pm. In what is geared as a new annual red carpet event, the Art Program at CI will showcase a juried selection of student animations and short films for the entire campus and surrounding community to enjoy. Works range from traditional hand drawn animation to digital 2d and motion graphics to short live action and documentary films. All submitted works were created from current CI students. Following the screening, a brief awards ceremony will recognize the achievements of student work. The audience too will participate with a special Audience Choice Award. The event will culminate with the grand Best in Show Award. Jurors who select the award winners are working professionals who have held various positions in the entertainment production industry. One juror also is a CI Art Program alumni. Limited parking is available on campus with the purchase of a $6 daily permit; follow signs to the parking permit dispensers. Free parking is available at the Camarillo Metrolink Station/Lewis Road parking lot in Camarillo with bus service to and from the campus. Riders should board the CI Vista Bus to the campus; the cash-only fare is $1.25 each way. Buses arrive and depart from the Camarillo Metrolink Station every 30 minutes from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday. For exact times, check the schedule at www.goventura.org. For additional information, contact the CI Art Program at 805-437-8863 or art@csuci.edu. About California State University Channel Islands |
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By Myrna Cambianica — Tuesday, May 8th, 2012
The Ojai Valley Museum combines two fabulous shopping opportunities/fund raisers on Saturday, May 12, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Help support the Exhibition and Outreach Programs of the museum as you “go native” buying plants in the Back Courtyard, and collecting Treasures in the Front Courtyard! With this 8th annual Native Plant Sale, the Ojai Valley Museum offers its membership and the greater Ojai Valley community, numerous species and varieties of native and drought resistant plants suitable for climate and water conditions of the Ojai Valley and nearby southern California valley communities. Laurence Nicklin (Plantasia Landscaping) and Scott Smith (Euterpe Farms) will be on hand to provide professional advice about the care and maintenance of the specialty plants they have available for purchase. In addition, for the first time, Friend’s Ranches of Ojai will be represented with Pixie and Tango trees for sale. This is an extra special opportunity to add these Ojai-specific fruit trees to your pastoral setting! Please note that according to federal quarantine law, citrus trees cannot be transported out of the Ojai Valley. Only two trees will be sold per household. Pixies and Tangos will be available for tasting the delectable fruit your new trees will bear. Jim Combs, Chairman of the Plant Sale Committee says, “Part of our mission at the museum is to educate our community, so our plant sale includes Master Gardeners providing gratis advice to shoppers, free mini-lecture(s) on relevant subjects, as well as the expertise of the growers on hand. For the third time in the 45-year history of the Ojai Valley Museum, the institution combines a Treasure Sale with the Native Plant Sale. The front courtyard of the museum will be dedicated to selling specially selected treasures, including de-accessioned items from the museum’s permanent collection, personally solicited private donations including original production animation cels, furniture, china, ‘objet d’art’, kitchen ware, electronics, antiques, collectibles, framed art, and more! All items are of pristine quality and fairly priced by volunteer experts! As of last year, the combined Plant and Treasure Sales became an annual combined fundraiser for the Ojai Valley Museum. Come help us by shopping this now yearly, unique shopping opportunity! The museum’s goal is to raise $10,000 for its programs and exhibitions by the end of the day! The Ojai Valley Museum gratefully acknowledges the Sponsors/Vendors of the May 12th Event: Aqua Flo Supply, BernScott Pottery, California Native Plant Society, Euterpe Farms, Friend’s Ranches, Janet Jacobs Pottery, Mark Hatten (Tri Valley Tree), Medicine Shoppe of Ojai, Matthews Chiropractic, Ojai Land Conservancy, Plantasia Landscaping and Quick Pumbing and Heating Company. The Ojai Valley Museum, established in 1967, is generously supported in part by Museum Members, Private Donors, Business Sponsors and Underwriters, the Smith-Hobson Foundation, Wood-Claeyssens Foundation, City of Ojai, and the Rotary Club of Ojai. The event will be held at the Ojai Valley Museum, 130 W. Ojai Avenue. For more information, call 640-1390 x 203. For gallery hours and exhibit information visit the museum website at: http://www.ojaivalleymuseum.org/ and Facebook Ojai Valley Museum |
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By Myrna Cambianica — Monday, May 7th, 2012
The Ojai Valley Photography Club welcomes internationally recognized Santa Barbara photographer, Ines Labunski Roberts as our May presenter and guest judge. The meeting will begin at 7:00 pm, May 15, at Help of Ojai’s Kent Hall, 111 Santa Ana Street, Ojai, CA. The event is free and the public is cordially invited to attend. Roberts was born in Danzig (now in Poland), was educated in Germany and England, and has been passionately involved in photography since moving from Scotland to California in 1966. She is a member of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain and a member of the London Salon of Photography. She is the recipient of numerous awards and commendations, and is a much-published author/photographer. With her poetic eye, remarkable vision, and deep love for our natural world, Roberts will share two digital slide shows set to music: “Bodie, A California Ghost-Town” and “Fantastic Journey.” The “Bodie” presentation will explore a gold-mining ghost town from the 1800’s and will speak of the endurance, aspirations and disappointments that the settlers experienced. Roberts says, “Walking in the stillness of the few remaining deserted buildings it is hard to imagine that this town was once one of the biggest towns in California, buzzing with a population of 10,000. Frequent fires, severe weather conditions, and high snowstorms which flattened whole buildings and structures at this high and merciless altitude, gradually destroyed this once prosperous town.” Roberts created “Fantastic Journey” after her tour through the southern United States. She explains, “It deals with the magnificent and dramatic expanses of our country, which are in contrast to people’s attempts to establish themselves, then failing and leaving ruins, which often display cynical or humorous testimonies of hope and defeat.” For additional information about the Ojai Photography Club visit: http://ojaiphotoclub.com/ A biography of Ines Roberts can be found at: https://sites.google.com/site/ccccangle/bios/ines-roberts |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012
Camarillo, CA - The CSU Channel Islands Choir will present two public spring performances. Both concerts feature a broad spectrum of song selections, ranging from spirituals and folk music to madrigals and Mozart. The first performance on Monday, May 7, at 8 p.m. in Malibu Hall 140 on the CI campus, is free. Parking is available with the purchase of a $6 permit available at any campus parking permit dispenser. The second performance will be held Saturday, May 12, at 4 p.m. at St. Columba’s Episcopal Church, 1251 Las Posas Road, Camarillo. The CSU Channel Islands Choir will be joined by the children’s choir from the Los Primeros School of Arts and Sciences and Dos Caminos Elementary. Parking is free; however, a $20 donation to support the choir is suggested. The CSU Channel CONTINUED » |
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By Anonymous — Monday, April 30th, 2012
The recent focus for Robert Diehl of Camarillo, formerly a wedding and portrait photographer, has been on making fine art images in limited editions from his travels. His exquisite candid street scenes, geometric landscapes and architectural abstractions first catch the eye, then prod the mind. So Diehl’s upcoming solo exhibition at the Buenaventura Gallery, “Idioms: A Play on Words,” is quite a departure: It is studio work instead of location photography, and is thoughts turned into pictures. The show will run May 22 through June 16 at the downtown Ventura gallery, with an opening reception from 4-7 p.m. May 26. Diehl will also be present during First Friday Ventura Gallery Crawl on June 1 between 5- 8 p.m. Idioms are groups of words CONTINUED » |
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By Anonymous — Monday, April 30th, 2012
Conquest of the Americas
Conquest of the Americas, the newest exhibition of George Stuart Historical Figures® at the Museum of Ventura County, illustrates how conquistadors, explorers and settlers brought far-reaching consequences for the indigenous peoples of the Americas, and for the entire world. The exhibit opens May 22 and runs through August 5. Among the 27 one-quarter life-size figures are those of Christopher Columbus, Hernán Cortés, Moctezuma II, Malinche, Junipero Serra, Alexander Mackenzie, Jedediah Smith, and John Charles Frémont. Two related monologues by artist and historian George Stuart are both presented on Tuesdays at 3:00 p.m. Age of the Conquistadors is June 19, and Exploring the Western Frontier is July 31. Admission to each monologue is $15 for general public, $10 for museum members. For reservations call (805) 653.0323 x 7. The Museum of Ventura County is located at 100 East Main Street in downtown Ventura. Hours are 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. For more museum information go to www.venturamuseum.org or call 805-653-0323. |
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By Anonymous — Monday, April 23rd, 2012
The Museum of Ventura County’s Art Start program for budding young artists returns this summer. The July 9 - 13, and July 16 – 20 sessions from 9:00 am to noon are designed for students currently in 3rd through 5th grades, of all artistic abilities and interests. The Art Start program gives participants a chance to have fun discovering different art media and techniques, to learn from guest professional artists, and to be inspired by special tours of the museum’s exhibitions and art collection. Sessions are limited to 15 participants. T-shirt, snacks and all art materials are included in the registration fee, which is $85 for the general public, $70 for museum members. Partial scholarships are available. Registration forms may be downloaded under education resources/summer programs, at www.venturamuseum.org, or picked up in the Museum of Ventura County lobby, 100 East Main Street in Ventura, from 11 a.m. to 5 pm, Tuesday through Sunday. For further information contact education@venturamuseum.org or call (805) 653-0323 ext. 300. |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, April 18th, 2012
In both the bold colors of his acrylic paintings and his immersion in the creative process, saturation is the key to Brent Hanson’s art, so that’s what he’s calling his solo show next month at the Harbor Village Gallery in Ventura. “The works in this show range from surrealism to expressionist to nonrepresentational abstraction. One commonality about my work is the intensity of color — ‘Saturation,’ if you will,” he says. The exhibition will open May 2 and be up through May 28, with an opening reception planned from 5-8 p.m. May 4. Hanson, an Oxnard resident, is a financial planner who says, “It took the recent recession to wake me up to there being more to life than work, though I love it, too.” As a teen he liked to draw, a talent his mother nurtured with private art classes, but Hanson says he put the paintbrushes aside in favor of pursuing an education, then a career. Thirty-nine years later, the economic downturn slowed his work, and that led Hanson back to a familiar path. “I felt something was missing from my life and recalled how painting made me feel, so I began taking classes again,” he says. One of his mentors, painter Robert Burridge, had devised a color wheel and palette based on the color principles of inkjet printers that Hanson also uses because, he says, “it tends to help make my paintings ‘pop.’” He paints nights and weekends in his home studio, “mostly from my imagination, dreams and emotions, but with an occasional photograph or a variety of types of music as inspiration.” His art can be found online at www.brenthansonstudio.com. The Harbor Village Gallery is located at 1591 Spinnaker Dr. Suite 117C in the Ventura Harbor Village. Open everyday except Tuesday from 12 to 5 pm. For more information, call the gallery at 805-644-2750 or visit www.BuenaventuraGallery.org for more information. |
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By Anonymous — Tuesday, April 17th, 2012
The Museum of Ventura County is now accepting registration for its summer Chumash Youth program, which gives youngsters hands-on learning about Ventura County’s indigenous Indian culture. Sessions will be held at the museum the weeks of June 18 - 22 and June 25 - 29, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Chumash Youth is open to students currently in 3rd and 4th grades, and sessions are limited to 15 participants. The Chumash Youth junior anthropology program teaches children about the culture of the Chumash through their songs, stories and games, as well as through instruction in making their own arrowhead, plant fiber string, a clapper stick instrument and other projects using traditional methods and materials. T-shirt, snacks and all materials are included in the registration fee, which is $50 for the general public, $40 for museum members. Partial scholarships are available. Registration forms may be downloaded under education resources/summer programs, at www.venturamuseum.org, or picked up in the lobby of the Museum of Ventura County, 100 East Main Street in Ventura, from 11 a.m. to 5 pm, Tuesday through Sunday. For further information contact education@venturamuseum.org or call (805) 653-0323 ext. 300. |
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By Anonymous — Tuesday, April 17th, 2012
SANTA PAULA, CA – To celebrate the Santa Paula Art Museum’s Douglas Shively Retrospective, the Museum will host Shively: A Show and Tell Event on Sunday, April 29, 2012 at 4 p.m. The Museum invites you to show Shively paintings from your personal collection, tell stories about the artist, or simply share your love for Douglas Shively with fellow collectors and enthusiasts. The cost of admission to the event is $5.00 for Museum members and $10.00 for non-members. “The Douglas Shively Retrospective exhibit at the Museum features nearly one hundred of the artist’s paintings as well as sketchbooks and other memorabilia, but Shively was so popular that there are many more of his works in local private collections,” said Museum Director Jennifer Heighton, “This event is a unique opportunity for collectors to show their favorite Shively paintings and mingle with other fans.” Refreshments will also be served during the event. The Museum is located at 117 North 10th Street, Santa Paula, CA 93060. Reservations for the event are recommended but not required. The Douglas Shively Retrospective exhibit is open now through June 17, 2012. The Museum’s regular hours are Wednesday – Saturday, 10 AM – 4 PM, and Sundays, 12 PM – 4 PM. More information is available by calling the Museum at (805) 525-5554, or by emailing info@santapaulaartmuseum.org. |
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By Anonymous — Tuesday, April 17th, 2012
Get a kick out of the Museum of Ventura County’s “Mules At the Mill’ fundraiser and annual Katherine Hoffman Haley Award Gala, to be held Saturday, July 7 at the museum’s Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula. Proceeds support museum exhibits, education, and family programs. This year’s dinner and gala honors Dorcas Hardison Kimball Thille for her dedication to the museum and Ventura County. With a theme suited to the Agriculture Museum’s horses & mules summer exhibit, the 4:00-8:00 p.m. festivities include a Buy it Now silent auction and a drawing for glass artist Larissa Strauss’ mosaic landscape of Ventura County agriculture. Gala tickets are $125 per person; reservation deadline is June 25. For more information contact Esthefany Polanco at 805 653-0323 x 304, epolanco@ venturamuseum.org, or go to www.venturamuseum.org. |
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By Anonymous — Tuesday, April 17th, 2012
The preeminent Emerson String Quartet is slated for May 8
Ventura, CA. Ventura Music Festival will present a lineup of top classical and jazz artists to perform May 3-12 for its 18th season at intimate venues throughout Ventura and a family-friendly outdoor setting. “Artistic excellence is our guide to selecting artists,” says Nuvi Mehta, “Ventura Music Festival consistently brings to Ventura a choice selection of the world’s best classical and jazz music. This season’s array includes career greats as well as rising stars who are winning the top competitions and on their way to outstanding performing careers.” Slated to appear May 8 at Ventura Missionary Church is the career-distinguished Emerson String Quartet, widely acclaimed the foremost chamber ensemble in the world. Since its origin in 1976, the Quartet has earned an unparalleled list of achievements, including more than thirty acclaimed recordings, nine Grammy Awards (including two for Best Classical Album, an unprecedented honor for a chamber music group), three Gramophone Awards and the coveted Avery Fisher Prize, another first for a chamber ensemble. Violinists Eugene Drucker and Philip Setzer, violist Lawrence Dutton and cellist David Finckel have been with the group for 33 years. In their signature standing position, they will perform the last quartets of Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven for the Festival’s concert. Fans of Spanish classical guitar will get to hear charismatic virtuoso Pablo Sáinz Villegas on May 11 at Community Presbyterian Church. Now considered one of the world’s greats, Mr. Villegas, in 2006, captured the Gold Medal at the inaugural Christopher Parkening International Guitar Competition. Mr. Villegas has since performed in more than twenty countries on such prominent stages as New York’s Carnegie Hall, Milan’s Sala Verdi and Moscow’s Tchaikovsky Theater and amassed more than twenty-five international awards. Dubbed “The Soul of the Spanish Guitar,” Villegas will play a program of Bach, Barrios and Rodrigo. The Festival will bring classical and jazz genres together in a single concert with saxophonist Federico Mondelci, to perform May 4 at Community Presbyterian Church. A powerful performer and master of musical styles ranging from tango to classical, Mr. Mondelci’s Festival “Classical Meets Jazz” program features compositions by Di’Rivera, Creston and Piazzola. Mondelci has performed regularly in countries all over the globe, such as Germany, Spain, Russia and Japan. In his home country of Italy, he has performed as soloist with all the major orchestras, including the Orchestra Filarmonica della Scala at La Scala, Milan. The Festival’s annual afternoon outdoor jazz concert features three-time Grammy-nominated Afro-Cuban jazz combo Tiempo Libre, to take place at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 6 on the Ventura College Green. “This popular concert is perfect for families who want to picnic together and enjoy the outdoors and fine music at the same time,” says Mehta. Tiempo Libre’s music is a fiercely intense mix of Latin jazz color and danceable Afro-Cuban rhythms, often combined with classical forms ala their “Bach in Havana” recording. As teen-agers growing up in Havana, the group’s future musicians developed their signature timba sound while secretly listening to American music banned during Cuba’s “Special Period.” The enterprising kids rigged up makeshift radios on rooftops with antennas fashioned out of coat hangers. Tiempo Libre was recently featured on “Dancing with the Stars.” Opening for Tiempo Libre is exciting newcomer, jazz pianist Alfredo Rodriguez and his trio. Rodriguez was discovered by producer Quincy Jones 2 ½ years ago. His music mixes elements of avant-jazz with Afro-Cuban, Brazilian and African music. The Festival’s annual “Rising Stars” concert on May 10 features 20-year-old, Julliard-trained violin prodigy, Jourdan Urbach, and 14-year-old, award-winning pianist David Fraley. David Fraley is from Camarillo and was introduced first to Ventura Music Festival’s “Rising Star” concert in 2010. Jourdan Urbach, also a former “Rising Star” performer, has already headlined at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, among dozens of other venues, including appearances on the “Today Show,” “Good Morning America” and the “CBS Sunday Morning program.” Violinist Urbach’s other passion is raising money for pediatric medical research, founding Concerts for a Cure when he was only seven years old. Since then, he has raised $5.1 million for research on children’s neurological disease and on March 6 was honored with the Jefferson “Globe Changer” Award, one of the nation’s highest public service awards. Each year Ventura Music Festival selects a winner of one of the top international piano competitions for a feature classical piano concert. This year it’s German-born Alexander Schimpf, the 2011 first prize winner of the Cleveland International Piano Competition, one of the world’s most competitive and remunerative contests. Twenty-nine year-old Schimpf has risen to prominence over the last few years with a series of prestigious awards and regular appearances at important music centers including the Vienna Konzerthaus, Berlin’s Konzerthaus and New York City’s Carnegie Hall. “Mr. Schimpf is a skilled interpreter of Bach – one of the few artists whose technical excellence allows for Bach’s music to sing through at its purest and most sublime,” says Mehta. Known for his “expressive power and passion” Schimpf will perform Bach, Beethoven and Ravel on May 5 at Ventura Missionary Church. Closing the season will be international opera sensation and native Venturan, Nicole Cabell, who will perform on May 12 in the acoustically-pristine performing arts auditorium of her alma mater, Ventura High School. This will be Cabell’s second Festival performance, the first in 2008 when she sang to a sold-out audience at the same venue. With her distinctively creamy, lyrical voice, described by the Times of London as “liquid gold,” and by the Chicago Classical Review as “one of the most beautiful soprano voices of our time,” Ms. Cabell, together with tenor Shawn Mathey, will perform works by Mozart, Shubert, Britten and Gershwin. Ms. Cabell was the 2005 winner of the BBC Cardiff “Singer of the World” competition, the most prestigious competition in the world of voice. Since then she has garnered rave reviews for engagements across the globe from Vienna to Oslo and New York to London, recently performing at the Royal Opera House of London, Oper Köln, Deutsche Oper of Berlin and the New York City Metropolitan Opera. A unique aspect of the Festival is Artistic Director Nuvi Mehta himself with his highly entertaining and informative pre-concert “What’s the Score?” talks for select events. Maestro Nuvi weaves fascinating anecdotes from the lives of the program’s composers into the history of the period’s music, delivered in his inimitable, eloquent style. Ventura Music Festival’s 18th Season, May 3-12 Concert Schedule • Tea & Trumpets with Festival Brass Quintet: 3 p.m. Friday, May 4, Nona’s Courtyard Café, 67 S. California St. • Federico Mondelci: 8 p.m., Friday, May 4, Community Presbyterian Church, 1555 Poli St. “What’s the Score?” at 7:15 p.m. • Alexander Schimpf: 8 p.m. Saturday, May 5, Ventura Missionary church, 500 High Point Drive; “What’s the Score?” at 7:15 p.m. • Tiempo Libre with Alfredo Rodriguez Trio: 2 p.m. Sunday, May 6, Ventura College Green, 4667Telegraph Rd. • Emerson String Quartet: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 8, Ventura Missionary Church, 500 High Point Drive; “What’s the Score?” at 6:45 p.m. • Rising Stars, Jourdan Urbach & David Fraley: 7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 10, First United Methodist Church, 1338 E. Santa Clara St; “What’s the Score?” at 6:45 pm. • Tea & Trumpets with Festival Brass Quintet: 3 p.m. Friday, May 11, Nona’s Courtyard Café, 67 S. California St. • Pablo Sáinz Villegas: 8 p.m. Friday, May 11, Community Presbyterian Church, 1555 Poli St. • Nicole Cabell and Shawn Mathey with the Festival Orchestra: 8 p.m. Saturday, May 12, Ventura High Performing Arts Auditorium, 2 N. Catalina St. For more information about the Festival’s performers and to listen to a music clip of each, go to www.venturamusicfestival.org or call (805) 648.3146. About Ventura Music Festival Founded in 1994, Ventura Music Festival brings top classical, jazz and Latin Jazz performing artists to Ventura in early May each year. In addition to the May concerts, the Festival presents other concerts and events throughout the year. The Festival stands as one of Ventura County’s signature arts events, attracting 6,000+ concertgoers annually. Each year, the Ventura Music Festival’s Education Outreach Program presents live performances and interactive instruction to nearly 4,000 local students through “Music in the Schools” presented by Artistic Director Nuvi Mehta. The Ventura Music Festival is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization. ####### |
 VHS Honors String Quartet members (l-r) Sarah Jackson, Maya Tamang, Madeline Offerman and Danica Neuhaus. Enlarge Photo By Anonymous — Tuesday, April 17th, 2012
Ventura, CA - The Ventura High School (VHS) Honors String Quartet, the VHS Wind Ensemble and the VHS String Orchestra earned top honors at two adjudicated music competitions held in March. All groups are part of the Ventura High School instrumental music program, led by Music Director Paul Hunt. With all new members this year, the VHS Honors String Quartet scored straight Superiors in the Solo/Ensemble Festival of the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association (SCSBOA), held in Santa Ana, CA on March 24. Their Superior Award qualifies them to compete in SCSBOA’s Regional Festival to be held on April 21 at California Baptist University in Riverside, CA. Members of the quartet include Sarah Jackson, an 11th grader, and Danica Neuhaus, Madeline Offerman and Maya Tamang, each 9th graders. “This group was established last year and consists of the top performers of the String Orchestra, each of whom has shown exceptional musical ability. They have been performing on advanced and professional repertoire,” said Mr. Hunt. For the second consecutive year, the VHS Wind Ensemble has earned a unanimous Superior Gold ranking at the nationally-adjudicated Heritage Music Festival in San Francisco, this year’s festival held on March 30 & 31. The Wind Ensemble received an additional honor this year, taking First Place over other high school wind ensembles and receiving an Adjudicator Award for their performance. The group consists of 9th – 12th graders who are required to audition to participate and play some of the most challenging wind repertoire available. Competing at the Heritage Festival in San Francisco as well, the VHS String Orchestra won their highest rating to date, an Excellent Silver Award, performing on advanced and professional repertoire. More half of the String Orchestra consists of 9th graders. The San Francisco Heritage Festival judging was carried out by Dr. Donald Peterson, Vincent Gomes, and George Hattendorf. The well-regarded Heritage Festival is an accredited travel study school established in 1980 to provide performance and educational opportunities for student music groups in the U.S. and Canada. “I am extremely proud of the students’ accomplishments in these competitions. The students are playing a difficult repertoire and have worked hard to earn these achievements,” said Director Hunt. Background information: Part of the Ventura Unified School District, Ventura High School offers music to students as a curriculum elective. Students who elect to study music attend class five days a week, and learn music theory and practice according to the California State Standards. Ventura High School’s music program is supported by an active Music Boosters Club, made up of volunteer parents who raise funds for competition field trips, scholarships, concert attire, instruments, instrument repair and other necessary equipment and supplies. Music Booster President Carolyn Blossom said, “We are grateful for parent and community support, without which we would not have a music program. We encourage community members to attend our evening concerts to hear these talented students perform and to see the results of our school’s excellent music instruction.” The Wind Ensemble and Honors String Quartet will perform in “An Evening of Art and Music,” to take place on April 19 at 7 pm. at the Ventura High School Performing Arts Auditorium. If you would like more information go to http://www.venturahsmusic.org/ or to make a donation to the music program call Carolyn at 658-7505. |
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By Anonymous — Monday, April 16th, 2012
THOUSAND OAKS, CA - The 56th Annual Conejo Valley Days (CVD), May 3 through May 6 at Conejo Creek Park South (23 Freeway/Janss Rd. exit) in Thousand Oaks, will mix Old West traditions with today's exciting entertainment including motocross, live band and dance nights. The four-day event, with the support of its premier sponsor, Regenerate Films, also features over 40 carnival rides and a section just for kids with a petting zoo and pony rides. Motocross extreme jumping exhibitions will be held Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 4, 5 and 6. Produced by LivFast, three shows will be held each day. Top freestyle rider Jesse Jolson will be showing off his skills at each exhibition. Festival goers will get a chance to meet the riders on Thursday, May 3 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. On Thursday, Friday CONTINUED » |
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By Anonymous — Monday, April 16th, 2012
Saturday, April 21 • 3 pm General public: $15 Adults • $10 children Admission to exhibits included “. . . virtuosity with a touch of lunacy.” Open: Tuesday - Sunday • 11 - 5 |
