Hope College Arts Update for Sept.29: River North Dance, Free at 3 Series

Your connection to the arts at Hope College and in the Holland area community

September 29, 2011

River North Chicago Dance
Sponsored by Hope College's Great Performance Series
Thursday-Friday, September 29 & 30, 7:30pm
Knickerbocker Theatre

Under the direction of Artistic Director Frank Chaves, River North is a jazz-based contemporary company. The "Chicago Sun-Times" has described River North Chicago Dance Company as "enthralling, a hugely attractive and technically impressive company," while "The Arizona Republic" has said that the company "Sizzled like ice droplets on a hot skillet."

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Live Acoustic Concert
Thursday, September 29, 7:30pm
Third Reformed Church of Holland

The "Stones Unturned"will feature Christopher Layer on wood flute and small pipes as well as Martha Waldvogel-Warren on harp

"Folks can expect to hear Scots and Irish tunes, as well as some really sweet ballads and American folk tunes that are timeless," explains Martha Waldvogel-Warren, Harp Instructor at Hope College. "Both of us play traditional music, but both of us love how traditional tunes influenced Baroque composers like Bach or Telemann as well. Neither one of us believes that "classical music" should wear a powdered wig and high collar, so we are pretty "free" with our interpretations. We are looking for things like improvisation and groove in Baroque music: two things that were abandoned for a long time during the 20th century when folks interpreted that early music."

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"Sylvia"
Friday-Sunday, Sept. Sept. 30-Oct. 1
Fri. and Sat. performances: 7:30pm, Sun. at 2pm
The Red Barn Theatre

A. R. Gurney's modern romantic comedy about a marriage and a dog.

The original production won several Critic's Choice awards when it was first mounted in 1995 with Sarah Jessica Parker in the title role. The plot features several cosmic and comic twists that tests the relationship of a suburban couple who move to the big city after their children grow up and leave home. Daniel DeWaard is Greg, the man who brings Sylvia home. Vicki Kavanagh is wife Kate, who dislikes Sylvia on sight.

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Hope College Orchestra Concert
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 7:30pm
Dimnent Memorial Chapel

The opening Hope College Orchestra concert for the 2011-12 season will feature work by Sullivan, Mozart and Brahms

To open the program, the orchestra will perform the Overture to the "Mikado," by Arthur Sullivan. The orchestra will next perform "Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550," by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. To close the program, the orchestra will perform "Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 56a," by Johannes Brahms.

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Hope College Critical Issues Symposium
Tuesday- Wednesday, October 4-5
Hope College Campus

"Exploring Islam" is the theme of the 2011 Critical Issues Symposium at HopeCollege, which will begin with a keynote address Tuesday evening, Oct. 4, and continue throughout the day on Wednesday, Oct. 5, featuring a variety of presentations across campus.

"Delving into the multi-layered diversity of Islam's core beliefs and practices, 'Exploring Islam' will embody the college's commitment to open inquiry and civil discourse about differing beliefs and traditions," said Alfredo Gonzales, who is associate provost and dean for international and multicultural education, and is co-chair of the event's planning committee. "In 'Exploring Islam,' the Critical Issues Symposium Planning Committee seeks to enhance discernment, understanding and interfaith cooperation for all constituencies of Hope College about a topic of vital importance to our global society."

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Free at 3 Concert Series
Sunday, October 2, 3pm
First Reformed Church

For the first time in the series' 12-year history concert-goers will hear the organ "roar" as Richard Van Oss plays the First Reformed Church Casavant instrument in combination with voice, trumpet, and piano. The organ, built in 1962 by the Casavant company of Quebec, Canada, has 39 ranks of pipes for a total of 2086 pipes.

Joining Van Oss will be Julia Cosgrove, soprano, Cheryl Van Oss, piano and organ, and trumpeters Bruce Formsma and Jonathan Van Oss in music by Vivaldi, Franck, Hovhaness and John Philip Sousa. Richard Van Oss, a graduate of Hope College.

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Dance Auditions
Friday, Oct. 7, 1pm & Monday, Oct. 17, 6:30pm
Evergreen Commons

Evergreen Commons is proud to announce a new opportunity this year to area dancers, male and female, age 50+. Community-wide auditions for dancers to participate in the very popular Evergreen Commons Tulip Time Shows will take place on Friday, October 7, at 1:00 p.m. and Monday, October 17, at 6:30 p.m. Auditions will take place in the Seminar Room at Evergreen Commons, 480 State Street, in Holland. No preparation or previous experience is required but dancers with experience are strongly encouraged to attend. Prospective dancers may come to either session. No appointment is necessary.

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