Special—And Artistic!—Events

Last week was a busy one for local arts supporters, with fundraising events for two venerable Madison groups taking place on opposite ends of the city.

Monday brought the Madison Symphony Orchestra’s fifteenth annual Concert on the Green. Hosted by the Madison Symphony Orchestra League, the event raises money for the MSO’s in-school music programs, youth concerts, concerto competitions and outreach programs in the community.

And it’s a beautiful event! Concert on the Green begins with a cocktail party on the lawn in front of Bishops Bay Country Club clubhouse in Middleton. After about an hour of mingling, guests move toward the lake and into an enormous white tent with gold chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

Inside the tent, we ate dinner and took in a concert featuring works by Rossini, Tchaikovsky, Neilsen and Strauss performed by members of the MSO and conducted by James Smith, director of orchestras at the UW School of Music. Throughout the program, Smith stressed how fortunate the city of Madison is to have such a talented symphony orchestra.

A highlight of the concert was a guest performance by Benjamin Seeger, a Madison Memorial senior who was one of the winners of the 2009 Bolz Young Artist Competition. It was a pleasure to watch this young musician and wonder where his talent and passion might lead him.

Later in the week, Thursday marked Tandem Press’ sixteenth annual Wine Auction & Dinner, an event that funds graduate student fellowships at Tandem.

Director Paula Panczenko says the event has been held at various locations throughout Madison over the years, but decided to make a repeat visit to the Promega campus in Fitchburg.

The event had a decidedly fun, creative feel—which started from the moment guests stepped onto the campus and were greeted by brightly costumed, stilt-wearing members of Cycropia, the local aerial dance troupe.

Inside, auction-goers perused wine and items up for bid, checked out recent artwork made at Tandem, and enjoyed a gourmet buffet from Lombardino’s and excellent wine, particularly a Ramey chardonnay.

Then the auction action started. It was entertaining to watch auctioneer Daniel Donahoe of Teira Wines in California lead the crowd through items ranging from magnums of wine to concert tickets to a trip to California’s wine country. And it was exciting when someone near my table participated in a bidding war.

I would happily attend Tandem’s Wine Auction and the MSO’s Concert on the Green next year. And you should consider doing the same next June! For more information on these events, visit the Madison Symphony Orchestra and Tandem Press.

Photos of Concert on the Green are by Amy Lynn Schereck and photos of the Wine Auction & Dinner are by Anette Hansen.

Loving Local Arts

Valentine’s Day doesn’t seem to fall on a weekend very often. And I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the holiday than by showing some love to local arts.

Here are a few ways to fill your Saturday, no matter what type of art you heart (but as always, check ahead to make sure tickets are available for performances).

MUSIC

David Bicknase 7 p.m.–11 p.m. The Cove Lounge, The Edgewater, 666 Wisconsin Ave. 256-9071, theedgewater.com

Cherry Pie 9:30 p.m. The Dry Bean, 5264 Verona Rd., Fitchburg. 274-2326. thedrybean.com

Desperate Ottos 10 p.m. Harmony Bar and Grill, 2201 Atwood Ave. 249-4333.

DJ Vinny T 10:30 p.m. Café Montmartre, 127 E. Mifflin St. 255-5900. themomo.com

Elf Lettuce 10 p.m. Mr. Roberts, 2116 Atwood Ave. 249-1660. myspace.com/mrrobertsmadison

Goran Ivanovic & Andreas Kapsalis 9:30p.m. Restaurant Magnus, 120 E. Wilson St. 258-8787. restaurantmagnus.com

Thriving Ivory and Missy Higgins with Company of Thieves 9 p.m. Majestic Theatre, 115 King St. 255-0901. majesticmadison.com

Little Mama Joe featuring Susan Hofer 9 p.m.–12 a.m. The Brink Lounge, 701 E. Washington Ave., Suite 105. 661-8599. thebrinklounge.com

Umphrey’s McGee 8 p.m. Barrymore Theatre, 2090 Atwood Ave. barrymorelive.com

Umphrey’s Afterparty 10 p.m. High Noon Saloon, 701A E. Washington Ave. 268-1122. high-noon.com

UW School of Music Faculty Concert Series: Parry, Howard and Frances Karp 8 p.m. Mills Hall, Humanities Building, 455 N. Park St. 263-9485. music.wisc.edu

THEATER

A Wake 8 p.m. Broom Street Theater, 1119 Williamson St. 244-8338. broomstreet.org

Jesus Christ Superstar 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Overture Center, 201 State St. 258-4141. overturecenter.com

Kenosha! (Not Quite Chicago) 6:30 p.m. By WhoopDeDoo Productions at the West Side Club, 437 County Hwy M. 442-5806. whoopdedoo.org

Love is in the Air 8 p.m. By Strollers Theatre at the Bartell Theatre, 113 E. Mifflin St. 661-9696 x2. strollerstheatre.org

Proof 7:30 p.m. By Madison Theatre Guild at the Bartell Theatre, 113 E. Mifflin St. 238-9322. madisontheatreguild.org

Steel Magnolias 7:30 p.m. By the Sun Prairie Civic Theatre at the Sun Prairie High School Auditorium, 220 Kroncke Dr., Sun Prairie. 837-8217. sunprairiecivictheatre.com

Those Fabulous Fifties—Part 2 1:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Fireside Theatre, 1131 Janesville Ave., Fort Atkinson. 1-800-477-9505. firesidetheatre.com

Vagina Monologues 8 p.m. Wisconsin Union Theater, 800 Langdon St. 262-2201. uniontheater.wisc.edu

VISUAL ART

A Fairyland of Fabrics: The Victorian Crazy Quilt 12–5 p.m. Design Gallery, UW School of Human Ecology, 1300 Linden Dr. 262-8815. designgallery.wisc.edu

A Show of Affection: Valentine’s Day Gift Special 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Fanny Garver Gallery, 230 State St. 256-6755. fannygarvergallery.com

Everett Kitts 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Absolutely Art, 2322 Atwood Ave. 249-9100. absolutelyartllc.com

From China to Madison: Crossing Cultural Bridges, Mayra Rangel-Capelle & Ana Rangel: Our Mexico, Our Roots and Respite = Relief: 30 Years of Building in Children through Art 10:30 a.m.–9 p.m. Overture Galleries, 201 State St. 258-4177. overturecenter.com/galleries.htm

Dagny Quisling Myrah 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Grace Chosy Gallery, 1825 Monroe St. 255-1211. gracechosygallery.com

Rafael Francisco Salas: Recent Drawings and Paintings 8 a.m.–8 p.m. DeRicci Gallery at Edgewood College, 1000 Edgewood College Dr. art.edgewood.edu

Ann Singsass: Birches and Others 12:30–4 p.m. UW Arboretum Steinhauer Trust Gallery, 1207 Seminole Hwy. 263-7888. uwarboretum.org/about/gallery/

Something Wicked This Way Comes and Barbara Probst: Exposures 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, 227 State St. 257-0158. mmoca.org

SuperBug: An Installation by Jennifer Angus and John Hitchcock 11 a.m.–9 p.m. James Watrous Gallery of the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters
201 State St. (Overture Center). 265-2500. wisconsinacademy.org

The Joy is in the Middle: Michael Wodyn, Eternal Return: Brian DeLevie, Abstract in the Representative: Zsuzsanna Nagy and Fictitious Plants: Jsun Laliberte 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Wisconsin Union Galleries, 800 Langdon St. 262-7592. union.wisc.edu/art

Writing with Thread: Traditional Textiles of Southwest Chinese Minorities and Mannerism in Italy and the Low Countries 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Chazen Museum of Art, 800 University Ave. 263-2068. chazen.wisc.edu

Images of Parry Karp, Jesus Christ Superstar and a work from Mannerism in Italy and the Low Country are courtesy of the UW School of Music, Overture Center and Chazen Museum of Art.

All in the Family

The start of the university’s fall semester means one thing to a very musical Madison family: the annual Karp Family Concert, the performance that kicks off the UW School of Music’s Faculty Concert Series.

“We’ve been doing the opening concert since 1976,” says Parry Karp, a professor of cello at the School of Music and cellist with the Pro Arte Quartet.

The Karp family of performers includes Parry on violoncello, as well as his wife Katrin Talbot on viola, brother Christopher Karp on violin, and parents Howard and Frances Karp on piano.

The series started in 1976 when Parry began teaching at UW, the school his father was already at teaching piano. Howard Karp is now professor emeritus of piano at the School of Music.

Labor Day weekend—the days before the fall semester begins—was chosen as the performance date because it meant students were in town but wouldn’t be busy with homework yet.

As impressive as a family that’s been able to work and perform together for over three decades is the fact that they’ve always played different works.

“We haven’t repeated a piece in thirty-two years,” Parry says.

They choose pieces that feature the instruments family members play and also “pieces we believe in,” according to Parry. “I’d say we’ve played everything from Bach to things being written today,” he says, adding that they’ve done a good deal of Beethoven and Brahms.

Changing the repertoire keeps the family concerts exciting, Parry says, and it’s a good creative challenge to come up with a new program each year. One general guideline that’s been maintained over the years is to play masterpieces as well as works by “unjustly neglected” artists.

This year’s opening concert—which features Linda Bartley on clarinet—is a good example. It combines works by Beethoven (Piano Trio in E-flat major, Op. 70, No. 2) and Tchaikovsky (Andante cantabile for cello and piano, Op. 11) with music by lesser known Robert Kahn (Quintet in C minor for clarinet, violin, viola, cello and piano, Op. 54) and Charles-Marie Widor (Sonata for cello and piano in A major, Op. 80).

Kahn, a disciple of Brahms, is a relatively unknown artist, but Parry’s been playing his work in the roughly three years since discovering him. And Widor was a French organist who was prolific in a lifetime that stretched from the 1844 to 1937, he says.

Parry looks forward to presenting the music selections to audiences. “We hope they enjoy the music and that it’s a nice way to start the school year and faculty series,” he says. 

The concert takes place September 1 at 7:30 p.m. at Mills Hall in UW–Madison’s Humanities Building. Advance tickets are recommended, though may also be purchased at the door. Tickets are $11 general admission, $8 for seniors and students, and free for UW–Madison students with valid ID. The School of Music hosts a reception following the concert for the audience in the Humanities Courtyard.

The 2008–2009 Faculty Concert Series is as follows:

• Stephanie Jutt, flute, and Christopher Taylor, piano: September 13, 8 p.m.
• Linda Bartley, clarinet, and Friends: September 18, 7:30 p.m.
• Pro Arte Quartet: September 20, 8 p.m.
• Martha Fischer and Bill Lutes, piano: September 27, 8 p.m.
• Wisconsin Brass Quintet: October 4, 8 p.m.
• Paul Rowe, baritone, and Christina Lalog, piano: October 18, 8 p.m.
• Anthony Di Sanza, percussion: October 23, 7:30 p.m.
• Tyrone Greive, violin, and Ellen Burmeister, piano: October 25, 8 p.m.
• Mark Hetzler, trombone: November 1, 8 p.m.
• Marc Vallon, bassoon: November 6, 7:30 p.m.
• Parry Karp, violoncello, and Eli Kalman, piano: November 8, 8 p.m.
• Uri Vardi, violoncello: November 13, 7:30 p.m.
• Pro Arte Quartet: November 16, 7:30 p.m.
• Wingra Woodwind Quintet: November 20, 7:30 p.m.
• John Stevens, tuba, and Friends: December 6, 8 p.m.
• Christopher Taylor, piano: January 22, 7:30 p.m.
• Julia Faulkner, soprano, and Martha Fischer, piano: January 24, 8 p.m.
• Marc Fink, oboe, and Friends: January 29, 7:30 p.m.
• Javier Calderon, guitar: February 5, 7:30 p.m.
• Wingra Woodwind Quartet: February 12, 7:30 p.m.
• Parry Karp, violoncello, and Howard and Frances Karp, piano: February 14, 8 p.m.
• Jessica Johnson, piano, and Friends: February 19, 7:30 p.m.
• Pro Arte Quartet: February 21, 8 p.m.
• Paul Rowe, baritone, and Christina Lalog, piano: February 26, 7:30 p.m.
• Wisconsin Brass Quintet: February 28, 8 p.m.
• Les Thimmig, woodwinds: March 26, 7:30 p.m.
• Pro Arte Quartet: March 28, 8 p.m.
• Mark Hetzler, trombone, and Martha Fischer, piano: April 9, 7:30 p.m.
• Marc Vallon, baroque bassoon: April 16, 7:30 p.m.
• Suzanne Beia, violin, Parry Karp, violoncello, and Eli Kalman, piano: April 17, 8 p.m.
• Sole Nero, Jessica Johnson, piano, and Anthony Di Sanza, percussion: April 23, 7:30 p.m.

The Faculty Concert Series is only one component of the School of Music’s annual offerings. Says concert manager Richard Mumford, “The School of Music presents more classical music concerts than any other arts organization in Madison. With more than thirty faculty concerts, ten to fifteen guest artists, three opera productions, several orchestras, five bands, seven choirs, specialized instrumental ensembles and student recitals, there’s more than enough to keep even veteran concert-goers busy.”

Visit music.wisc.edu for a full schedule of events, call the Concert Line at 263.9485 for a weekly recorded message, or send your email address to music@music.wisc.edu to be placed on the weekly Digest email summary.

Photo, courtesy of the School of Music, features (clockwise from left) Christopher Karp, Katrin Talbot, Parry Karp, Howard Karp and Frances Karp.