UMS at Festifall

Come visit the UMS table at Festifall (on the Diag, in front of the library) to get information on all of our incredible student ticket programs, inlcuding $10 Rush Tickets and the Fall Half Price Sale! 

As a student, you can experience the world’s best live music, dance, and theater right here on campus — all at discounted prices!

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Portrait of John Cage (by Klosty courtesy of the John Cage Trust)

Time seems to slow down in the summer in Ann Arbor.  I sit at my desk at the Institute for the Humanities (on South Thayer Street, in the heart of campus)  and pretend I live in a resort town off-season.  The everyday sounds of the IH fellows bustling and conversing is missing.  Students are gone, streets are quiet, the coffee pot in the kitchen is empty, and the IH gallery is dark.

And then…September comes.  And it’s thrilling.   You can almost feel it, hear it, the momentum, the rhythm of the school year.  Time speeds up.

This year, the IH gallery opens with John Cage’s installation, “Lecture on the Weather,” a multi-media presentation based on the writings of Thoreau that brings together speech, music, lighting, and a weather soundscape.  The installation sets the stage for a year of fantastic presentations and programming university-wide that will consider experimental music, dance, and performance, and the value of revisiting and re-creating time-based work.

In some ways, “Lecture on the Weather”  is an atypical piece for Cage, because it’s overtly political.  It was commissioned in 1975 by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to commemorate the American bicentennial.   The work engages 12 expatriate men who settled in Canada either during or soon after the Vietnam War. In the preface, that starts every performance or presentation of the work, John Cage expresses his dissatisfaction with American politics.

But what Cage more frequently did, both here and elsewhere, was embed political ideas into the very forms and practices of his composition.  “Lecture on the Weather,” like virtually all of Cage’s works from the 1950s forward, was conceived through a variety of chance means, and it comprises a delicate balance between what he called “law elements” and “freedom elements” – that is, law elements deliberately employed where he felt they were needed, and freedom elements everywhere else.

Accompanying Cage’s installation (in the Institute’s Osterman Common Room) are original programs, manuscripts, and photographs documenting the influential avant-garde ONCE festival, held annually in the 1960s in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and attended by Cage.   A now and then exposition, it reprises the phenomenon of the event, the brazen energy of the new-music scene from the era, and honors the talents of the ONCE founding composers Gordon Mumma, Roger Reynolds, Donald Scavarda, Robert Ashley, and George Cacioppo.  Cage and the ONCE composers ran parallel, overlapped, and intersected professionally and personally in their inquiries and collaborative efforts.

Cage spoke of time as horizontal rather than vertical, “the past is not a fact but simply a big field that has a great deal of activity in it.”  These exhibitions in duet continue the conversation in time, both real and imagined, without the notations of a clear beginning or end.

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Rather than solely relying on our own ideas, we consult quite a bit with our UMS Teacher Advisory Committee, an invaluable and indispensable resource to us. Its members (about 40 educators from throughout southeastern Michigan) represent the range of K-12 stakeholder and service providers: classroom and retired teachers, administrators, school board members, university faculty and staff, and others.

We see these folks formally three times a season and informally throughout the year in meetings at our office, in the lobby at performances, at professional development workshops for teachers, or in various community meetings. During these interactions, the committee members let us know what’s working and what’s not…and they feel comfortable being very honest…

In our chats with this committee, we might learn the following:

- that a prospective Youth Performance fits in perfectly with certain grade level content expectations or that a school group loved/hated a past Youth Performance

- that teachers are now choosing professional development sessions based on based on state certification standards rather than just based on their personal interests

- that a school district is focusing its energy on improving student achievement in one particular content area, like math

The volunteer service they provide of sharing this feedback with us allows UMS to stay responsive to the K-12 community and it’s a service that we GREATLY APPRECIATE and upon which we rely heavily.

Thank you to all who participate and we’re happy to have any interested educator join us. For more info contact me at 734-615-0122 or umsyouth@umich.edu.

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Arts Issues

• “Soundcheck Smackdown” looks at the impact and value of live cinema broadcasts.
• The New York Times asks, “Does music make you exercise harder?”

Artist Updates

• Detroit Symphony Orchestra musicians authorize strike after talks fail
• A look at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s new digs
• The struggles of historic Beijng Opera in the 21^st Century
• The Village Voice chats with jazz pianist Vijay Iyer about his new album, Solo

Local Shout-Outs

• No Labor Day Weekend plans? Head downtown to the 2010 Detroit International Jazz Festival.

Just For Fun

• Graduating from Kindergarten hardly an accomplishment for this 6-year-old piano prodigy.
• Need to kickstart your workday? Flashmob-turned-flashdance got things jumping at Liverpool Station.

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Arts Issues

• Pianomania puts the wishes of the world’s greatest pianists in the spotlight from the perspective of their Steinway technician
• The Wall Street Journal takes a look at how a new generation of leadership is changing the role of art museums

Artist Updates

• Just who is  Grupo Corpo? Here’s a primer from UK’s The Guardian
• And now that you know them,  check out a review of Grupo Corpo’s  latest work, Parabelo
• In tough times, the Seattle Symphony opts for a “new” approach, commissioning 18 new works for the 10/11 season
• The New York Times reviews a new biography about Ballets Russes master Serge Diaghilev

Local Shout-Outs

• Introducing a new ballet troupe in metro Detroit – crazy talk or toast of the town?

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UMS had nearly 40 student workers last season, assisting us in all areas of our organization: the ticket office, production, programming, education, marketing, development, and administration. From driving airport runs to running merchandise tables, preparing mailings to designing posters, selling tickets to editing program books, UMS can never pull off a successful season without the help of dedicated students, some of whom receive work-study money through financial aid, and some who volunteer their time unpaid.

On our current staff of 32, 10 of us began our careers as UMS interns. Other former interns have moved on to careers at places including Jazz at Lincoln Center, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and artist management agencies; others are performing professionally in orchestras, opera companies, as conductors, or on Broadway.

I asked Mo Stych (above left), last year’s UMS Programming Intern, some questions about her experience as a UMS intern:

How did you find out about UMS internships?
I found the UMS internships while looking for a job at the end of last summer. It immediately caught my attention, because I love copy-editing and I love music and live performances, so it was really a match made in heaven from the first time I read the job description.

What are some of the things you’ve learned while working at UMS?
The most important thing I’ve discovered from working at UMS is that people really can love their jobs. Everyone I work with is so friendly and willing to help students (and each other) with any problems that arise, and it’s such a great work environment that I’m not the least bit worried about having to find a “real” job when I graduate. My co-workers are in love with what they do, and it comes through in all the hard work and effort they put into making each and every show the best it can possibly be. It’s an exhilarating feeling to work with such determined and motivated people.

What was one of your favorite moments related to working at UMS?
One thing I’ll never forget from working at UMS is getting the Punch Brothers‘ sandwich orders from Zingerman’s. I know that sounds mega-lame and makes me looking like a ditsy ten-year-old girl with a crush on her favorite boy band, but when it comes to the Punch Brothers, that’s basically what I am. It was almost overwhelming getting to talk with them one-on-one and see them in a real-life environment; I’ll truly remember it my whole life.

What events are you most looking forward to in the coming season?
This upcoming season, I’m really excited to see the Paul Taylor Dance Co. (I’m excited to see more of the dance world in general) and the Carolina Chocolate Drops. Oh, and, of course, I’m always thrilled to see Handel’s “Messiah”!

Are you a student? If you’re looking for an exciting way to spend some free time, or need to fulfill your work-study award, we’ve just posted our student job postings for the coming season. Click here to view internship and work-study opportunities. The application deadline is September 1, 2010. We look forward to hearing from you!

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Leonard Slatkin conducting the DSO

JN: They can expect to see and hear, first of all, excellent musicians.  The “thousands” on the stage will include the Detroit Symphony, UMS Choral Union, U-M Chamber Choir, U-M University Choir, U-M Orpheus Singers, MSU Children’s Choir and the incomparable Leonard Slatkin leading the charge.  The sheer mass of humanity will be impressive to see, and their music will be absolutely unforgettable.

SN: Have you ever seen another of Mahler’s Symphonies performed live? What about the performance(s) was the most memorable for you?

JN: Last season, I was fortunate to be in the audience when the San Francisco Symphony and Michael Tilson Thomas presented Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 (Resurrection), with the choral portion of the fourth movement being performed by the UMS Choral Union.  Gustav Mahler believed that, “The symphony must be like the world.  It must embrace everything.”  In the Resurrection Symphony, he did exactly that; he embraced everything.

SN: What are you most looking forward to about experiencing Mahler 8 live?

JN: I am looking forward to experiencing the power and genius of Mahler’s music in the hands of Leonard Slatkin.  This piece is Mahler’s magnum opus;  in his words, “the greatest thing I have done.”  For Mahler enthusiasts, this is the pinnacle.

SN: What other events are on your “must see” list for the 10/11 season?

Joanne Navarre

JN: After Mahler 8, there are three things on my “must see” list:   Susurrus (September 9-October 3, Matthaei Botanical Gardens); The Cripple of Inishmaan (Druid and Atlantic Theater Company), and Richard III and The Comedy of Errors (Propeller).  I love theater.

SN: What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

JN: I am a sports fan.  I like football and baseball, but I enjoy hockey most of all.

SN: What have you been listening to on your iPod?

JN: Renée Fleming’s Handel arias, the Hilliard Ensemble’s Morimur, and Les Arts Florissants’ Charpentier album.

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Single Ticket Day in Burton Tower, 1979

The ticket-buying process has seen much change over our 132 years with new developments in technology: the telephone, printers, computers, and most recently, the internet!

In honor of Single Ticket Day, we dug deep into our photo archive to share photos of past Single Ticket Days with you. When viewing the slide show below, click the button on the bottom right to make it full screen, then click “Show Info” at the upper right corner to see captions of the photos.

One of the most exciting things about Single Ticket Day for the UMS staff is hearing what shows you’re excited about. So tell us–what tickets are you buying today?

Need suggestions? Want to try something new? Take a look at some of our Staff Picks here on www.umslobby.org to hear what we’re excited about!

Haven’t seen our Single Ticket Brochure yet? Click here to check it out!

Arts Issues

• The Los Angeles Times asks, “Are Conductors Really Necessary?”
• The National Jazz Museum and audio engineer Doug Pomeroy are on a mission to save “The Savory Collection” of recorded radio broadcasts from the late 1930s
• John Kay of the Financial Times on measuring the true value of the arts

Artist Updates

• A behind-the-scenes look at the making of Renée Fleming’s new album on CBS’s “Sunday Morning”
• Philadelphia Orchestra Joins the Popcorn Crowd
• The Metropolitan Opera set a new opening day record in box office sales for the 2010/11 season
• The Detroit Symphony Orchestra under pressure with contract talks

Local Shout-Outs

• Detroit’s Music Hall announces 2010/11 season
• A remembrance on how the Barton organ saved the Michigan Theater in 1979

Just For Fun

• Dōmo arigatō, Mr. Roboto. But can they really act?

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