Mentors' DinnerTonight dinner was the first the students met their mentor. My mentor this year is Bryan Horvath a musician, and entrepreneur and executive director of International Arts Movement. Leigh Ann Dull asked if Bryan would be an acceptable mentor and I gladly agreed because I want to understand more from a person in art management position what it means to be a Christian art director in a secular art community. How does faith and relationship in an art organization prosper and thrives. I haven't reach Bryan yet but I can't wait to start working with Bryan. Tomorrow the arts track will be visiting Redeemer Presbyterian Church at Hunter College auditorium to hear from Tim Keller.
Daniel's Divine Appointment
Today I went with one of my students Daniel and his roomies to a place on 59th Street and seventh Avenue called Steinway Hall near Andrew Carnegie Hall for vintage piano to play. Apparently there was already a recital starting and we were a not invited. We went upstairs to the gift shop where we found out all the piano rooms were either reserved or recitals were going on so we boogie like Piet : Broadway Boogie Woogie to 49th Street and broadway. There we were looking for 723 building where a vintage drum shop exist. Daniel purpose there were to find a guy named Derek who used to be his jazz drums professor assistant, so he can show Daniel all the good jazz places in town. We nearly did not find the place because the building elevator did not work unless you have an electronic key to the elevator so we were stuck on the ground floor. Luckily out of God's divine appointment a guy wearing black glasses and a gray vest used the elevator going up to the third floor which happened to be Derek! What were the chances of Derek showing up when we arrived ten minutes before eleven when it opens. Derek was super friendly and don't mind if Daniel tag along with him to jazz places he planned on going to see- including one in Brooklyn which is only $10 for standing and you don't have to buy a drink to get in. For those who don't understand how grateful Daniel was to find this connection in New York, I like to compare it to a visual artist visiting the MoMA and then having his work display in the museum. Apparently this Derek guy is a big deal, and played in big name places in New York City and try to get Daniel to play drums at one of the jazz places. Praise God!
Quote of the Day: Elizabeth "This is like the GQ version of phone booths."
Babette's Feast by Thread Theater Company
For those who do not know the play Babette's Feast must go see it yourself. It is a remark story about two daughters belonging to a pastor in a town called Berlevaag on the coast of Norway. The story tells about a deeply closed mind religious family which Philippa one of the daughters sings for her father's choir. Throughout the play the family would pray from their prayer book. The family wore formal clothing. The daughters would wear long black dresses which look morbid. Martine is the other daughter who General Lawrence falls in love with as a young man. But General Lawrence stop pursuing Martine after one day of prayer have a revelation from God to leave and go elsewhere. The play is site specific and does not use props or stage set at all only piano as music to tie the piece together and improvisation and gestures. I love the story not only for how uniquely it was told but because of the plot. What happens is a famous French Opera Singer Papin taught Philippa singing lesson to become famous like he is one day because he see potential in Philippa. A romantic gesture from Papin developed which straddle Philippa away from pursuing singing as her passion and instead work together with Martine to oversee their father's church. Afterwards the daughter father's death, they received a letter hearing about Papin's death, his wife Babette comes to the footstep of the daughter's home wanting to be accepted in as their housemaid. Babette is a french cook yet the daughters simply want plain cuisine and nothing else. Babette obeys their orders not to make anything else but what they ask for and lived with the daughters for 12 years. After 12 years Babette won the lottery which made her the recipient of $10,000 francs. Babette could return to Paris again yet before she leaves she want to cook the daughter's and their family one last meal to celebrate their father's passing away anniversary. The daughters were anxious of Babette french cooking as something ungodly. In the end Babette cooked one of the most enjoyable feast the family had and explained to them she can not return to Paris because she spent all her money on the feast and wish to stay with the family.
There are certain themes to this play which involves- living with regrets, living without joy, and what it means to be alive. Although Babette may not go to church or follow God, she did understood enjoyment and living life to the fullest. It is apparent by how different her outfit is compare to the two daughters who dressed aesthetically for a funeral. The daughters has hopes and dreams but never took risks, for example Philippa never took a risk to venture to Paris to pursue her dreams of singing in front of a concert hall. I love to hear others thoughts and questions of Babette's Feast if you have any.
My highest praise for this play because I felt engage with the storyline the whole time. The play has its serious moments but comic relief especially when one of the actress plays the turtle being used as soup for the feast.
Daniel's Divine AppointmentToday I went with one of my students Daniel and his roomies to a place on 59th Street and seventh Avenue called Steinway Hall near Andrew Carnegie Hall for vintage piano to play. Apparently there was already a recital starting and we were a not invited. We went upstairs to the gift shop where we found out all the piano rooms were either reserved or recitals were going on so we boogie like Piet : Broadway Boogie Woogie to 49th Street and broadway. There we were looking for 723 building where a vintage drum shop exist. Daniel purpose there were to find a guy named Derek who used to be his jazz drums professor assistant, so he can show Daniel all the good jazz places in town. We nearly did not find the place because the building elevator did not work unless you have an electronic key to the elevator so we were stuck on the ground floor. Luckily out of God's divine appointment a guy wearing black glasses and a gray vest used the elevator going up to the third floor which happened to be Derek! What were the chances of Derek showing up when we arrived ten minutes before eleven when it opens. Derek was super friendly and don't mind if Daniel tag along with him to jazz places he planned on going to see- including one in Brooklyn which is only $10 for standing and you don't have to buy a drink to get in. For those who don't understand how grateful Daniel was to find this connection in New York, I like to compare it to a visual artist visiting the MoMA and then having his work display in the museum. Apparently this Derek guy is a big deal, and played in big name places in New York City and try to get Daniel to play drums at one of the jazz places. Praise God!
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