Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 18, 1994 TAG: 9403180213
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
"The music of African-Americans is a house of many mansions," says composer Joe Kennedy Jr.
Whether it's religious, secular or so-called "serious music," it's not only an artistic expression of the people but also a social and cultural vent for the people.
Kennedy, the jazz composer-in-residence with the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra and Virginia Tech, writes music drawn from a variety of influences. His latest work, Sketches for Solo Violin, Jazz Trio and Orchestra, calls forth those from Beethoven, Ravel and Copland to Duke Ellington, Benny Carter and Thelonious Monk.
"Sketches" is one of two new works featured in world premiere performances by the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra performs Monday at the Roanoke Civic Center Auditorium and Tuesday at Virginia Tech's Burruss Auditorium.
In addition to Kennedy's work, the musicians will play "Devil's Punchbowl," a composition by Lois Vierk. The work, commissioned by the Bang on a Can Orchestra, the Monadonock Festival Orchestra and the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, is typical of Vierk's directional development music, a style that builds to high energy climaxes.
Vierk said "Devil's Punchbowl" was inspired by the canyon in the southern California desert with the same name.
"At the canyon," she says, "you are always aware of both extreme beauty and extreme danger."
"Devil's Punchbowl" opens the program, followed by Kennedy's "Sketches." The finale is Bela Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra.
Tuesday's concert at Virginia Tech starts at 8 p.m. Tickets, on sale now at the box office in Squires Student Center, are $10 for adults or $5 for students and senior citizens. Call 231-5615 to make reservations.
The New River Friends of the Roanoke Symphony is offering a treat called "Complete Evening" which includes a reception and buffet dinner at the Donaldson Brown Hotel and Conference Center before the concert. The deal also includes conductor Victoria Bond's pre-concert talk, bus transportation and preferred seating at the concert. The total cost is $25.
To make reservations for the "Complete Evening," call 953-3841 or 951-8305.
WOMEN'S WEEK:"One is not born a woman, one becomes one."
- Simone de Beauvoir, "The Second Sex"
Women's Week, a week celebrating the achievements, concerns and diversity of women, is the big event at Virginia Tech. A variety of discussions and special events will run throughout the week. Look for a detailed listing in Sunday's New River Current.
One event you won't want to miss is the "Take Back the Night" rally and march Tuesday. Members of the university and community will gather on the drillfield in front of Burruss Hall at 7:30 p.m. to protest violence against women and to promote an awareness of the things that perpetuate this violence. After the rally, head for South Main Cafe at 117 S. Main St. in Blacksburg. Five talented women will be there to entertain you in a benefit performance for the Women's Resource Center. Called "The Night of the Goddess," the performance features acoustic music and poetry by women of national and local acclaim.
Julie Adams, a former member of The Fabulous Twister Sisters who now heads a band called The Rhino Boys, will participate, along with recording artist Kiya Heartwood who just released her first solo album, "True Frontiers." Heartwood headed the group Stealin' Horses, a band that had several alternative hits and received play on MTV.
Two local musicians, Wendy Jaffe of The Kind and Jane Gabrielle of Radar Rose, will be there, too. The artists will perform in the round with intermittent readings by Siobhan, a Floyd County poet who writes about the trials and joys of being a woman and a mother.
Admission is $5 if you're under 21 and $4 if you're over 21.
GO-TO-MEETIN' SONGS: Joyful noises await you at the big gospel sing this weekend in Riner. The Martin Family's annual anniversary sing is Saturday, starting at 7 p.m., in the Auburn High School Auditorium.
Joining The Martin Family, a nationally-known singing group from Christiansburg, is Charles Johnson and The Revivers and The Wilburns.
The Wilburns, a quintet from Tennessee, has had several top records on gospel music charts. The group's first number one song was "God's Promised Land." It spent 11 months on the charts in both Gospel Voice and Singing News.
Other memorable songs by The Wilburns include "When Dust Shall Sing," "Another Safe Crossing" and "It's Not So Hard to Praise Him." "Looking Through the Eyes of Love" is the group's latest release.
"The main thing about this group," says singer Jackie Wilburn, "is that we started out 25 years ago as a ministry and that hasn't changed. We are still a ministry."
Advance tickets for Saturday's concert are available at Blue Ridge Heating and Air, 381-1137, or from The Martin Family, 382-1954. They are $8 for adults.
Admission at the door Saturday is $10 for adults. Admission for kids under 12 is $5.
THE WHOLE WORLD IN OUR HANDS: Radford University is having a celebration this month called "WorldFest." It focuses on the rich international and cultural diversity there.
The kickoff is a formal dinner and show Saturday, starting at 6 p.m., in Muse Banquet Hall. Diners may choose from 42 international dishes made by Radford University students from all over the world. Seating is limited to 300.
Tickets, available now at the Heth Hall information center, are $12 for adults, $8 for students and $6 for kids under 12.
Call 831-5420.
Proceeds from ticket sales will help out the International Scholarship Fund, an ongoing student effort to raise money and provide scholarships for international students. Each year, the university enrolls more than 200 students who represent 58 countries.
SAIL AWAY: The Sea Chanters, the chorus of the United States Navy Band, will sing everything from patriotic songs to Broadway tunes Tuesday, starting at 7 p.m., at Pulaski Middle School. New River Community College's Office of Continuing Education is sponsoring the visit.
Organized in 1956 as an all-male chorus specializing in songs of the sea, the group was named by Adm. Arleigh Burke who was then Chief of Naval Operations. Later, women joined the chorus and the repertoire expanded to include a variety of music.
The Sea Chanters perform all over the country and are frequent entertainers at the White House and the Vice President's House. The chorus performed at the Kennedy Center in a show honoring Bob Hope and has appeared with the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony, the Virginia Symphony and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra.
Admission to Tuesday's concert is free but tickets are required. They are available at the Office of Continuing Education in Godbey Hall at Dublin's New River Community College. For more information, call 674-3607.
LITTLE BUT LOUD: The Giles Little Theatre will present Neil Simon's "Chapter Two," a two-act comedy, tonight and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Pearisburg Community Center. The play has its second run March 25 and 26.
Curtis Downey Jr. is directing this play about four best friends whose matchmaking efforts go astray. "Chapter Two" was first presented on Dec. 4, 1977, at the Imperial Theatre in New York.
Cast members in the Giles community theater production are Brian Edwards, Victor Kuehn, Lynda Conley and Amy McCallie.
Advance tickets for adults are $4. Call 921-3070 after 5 p.m.
Admission at the door is $5 for adults, $3 for youths under 16 and $4 for senior citizens.
by CNB