Wednesday, March 7, 2012

MUSE/IQUE launches season March 19 in Pasadena

MUSE/IQUE, Pasadena's exciting new orchestra founded last year by dynamic Artistic Director Rachael Worby, launches its inaugural season with an UNCORKED event Ebony and Ivory on March 19, 2012 at 7:00pm. Six pianists - Joanne Pearce Martin, Markus Pawlik, Julia Greer (assistant professor of Materials Science and Mechanics at Caltech), Bryan Pezzone, Kirk Wilson and Gavin Martin withwriter/performer Sandra Tsing Loh perform together and separately. The season includes seven performances including four UNCORKED events and three summer events. The second UNCORKED event takes place on April 9, 2012 with premier American singer/ songwriter Michael Martin Murphey (Wildfire), award-winning documentary filmmaker, Ginger Kathrens, Ed Harris, Amy Madigan and Wendie Malick.



The summer events begin on June 23, 2012 with a free concert on the steps of the Pasadena Civic Center. On July 14, 2012, the second summer event will take place on the historic campus of Caltech's Olive Garden on the lawn of Beckman Auditorium and features the celebrated multi-Grammy winning musician Arturo Sandoval. The final summer event headliner on August 18, 2012 will be announced soon.



The final two UNCORKED events take place on October 8, 2012 and November 12, 2012. The October performance features Steven Page (Grammy-nominated founding member and former lead singer of Barenaked Ladies), joined by the musicians of MUSE/IQUE, singer/songwriter/ guitarist/ pianistCharlie Greene and The Coals, a local six-piece folk band that mix barroom bluegrass with brokenhearted ballads. Legendary producer Phil Ramone said "Charlie Greene is truly a joy to watch perform" andLA Weekly called The Coals "a rare and beautiful thing to behold." The final performance of the season in November features String Theory, the always exciting, LA based, hybrid performance group. The ensemble was founded by instrument designer/builder and composer, Luke Rothschild; choreographer/ director, Holly Rothschild; and cellist, composer, Joseph Harvey.


"MUSE/IQUE produces unique innovative concert experiences, and looks to transform the relationships between music, artists, audiences and arts enthusiasts by finding new ways of blending classical music with other genres and other art forms," said Artistic Director Rachael Worby



The UNCORKED series events opening March 19, 2012 are unscripted and unrehearsed in unexpected settings. They are a journey to re-discover music by getting closer to it than you have ever been before and are limited to 300 audience members. Artistic Director Rachael Worby curates each evening's eclectic program offering a stylistic mélange of performances, experiences and surprises. Much of the thrill of UNCORKED comes from knowing that, while anything can happen, it can only happen once. The audience gathers for intimate evenings of bold performances, open discussion and fearless exploration. The evenings all begin at 7pm with a celebratory party.


"The inspiration for UNCORKED comes directly from our community's desire to experience the arts intimately and mischievously, leaving the worlds of pomp and circumstance and rows of seats far behind!!" enthused Worby.

ABOUT MUSE/IQUE'S SEASON



Ebony and Ivory, the first UNCORKED event on March 19, 2012, takes place at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. Audience members will enter through the sacred "Artist Entrance" in the rear of the building and actually sit on the stage with the musicians. From Moonlight Sonata to Coltrane, bebop Bach to a 12-hand arrangement of Stars and Stripes Forever, the stage is set for an evening of surprises that will include National Magazine award finalist and Pushcart winner, pop culture analyst/ writer/ performer Sandra Tsing Loh.



Melody. Spurs. Memory, UNCORKED on April 9, 2012 includes a number of impassioned individuals headlined by Western Music Hall of Famer, singer/ songwriter, Michael Martin Murphey (Carolina in the Pines, Wildfire). He's won numerous awards and honors from such organizations as the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, Academy of Country Music, "The Golden Smokey Award for Outstanding Service in Conservation from the U.S. Department of the Interior, The Grammy Awards, Country Music Association Awards and The Academy of Western Artists. He will be joined by: Golden Globe winner and Emmy-nominated actress Wendie Malick (Hot In Cleveland, Just Shoot Me); Oscar and Tony-nominated actor/director Ed Harris (A Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13); and Amy Madigan (Gone Baby Gone, Field of Dreams). The evening will be a magical mix of film clips, poems, fairytales, songs and dances of the American West that will bring to life the Old West after hours at the Autry National Center in Griffith Park. The evening will embrace cowboys and wild horses with film footage of dramatic encounters by award-winning documentary filmmaker, Ginger Kathrens.



The FREE community concert takes place on the steps of the Pasadena Civic Center on June 23, 2012. The concert will feature members of MUSE/IQUE.



On July 14, 2012 legendary trumpeter Arturo Sandoval will grace the stage at Caltech with MUSE/IQUE. From Haydn's Concerto for Trumpet to his hottest Latin hits, the Sandoval event promises to be an exciting evening with an extraordinary artist. His power and grace was influenced by jazz legends Charlie Parker, Clifford Brown, and Dizzy Gillespie. In 1990, Sandoval defected to the United States while touring with Gillespie in Spain, and became a naturalized citizen in 1999. Sandoval's life was the subject of the 2000 TV film For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story, starring Andy García.



Worby on Sandoval, "Arturo Sandoval is that rare musician whose artistry has penetrated the very fabric of our nation and our world - he is the consummate musical artist".



The August 18,2012 summer program at Caltech will be announced soon.



On October 8, 2012, the eve of the 45th anniversary of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club, MUSE/IQUE presents Hey, Hey, My, My, Rock 'N Roll Will Never Die. Steven Page (Grammy-nominated founding member and former lead singer of Barenaked Ladies) will be joined by the musicians of MUSE/IQUE, singer/songwriter/ guitarist/ pianist Charlie Greene and The Coals. The evening is a mash-up of the Beatles' music and will include the stories behind the songs. Appropriately, the event will be held at the Rose Pavilion of Phoenix Design in Pasadena, Los Angeles' legendary Rock Ballroom and home to the Rose Parade floats.



The final UNCORKED of the season, String Theory Meets "String Theory" takes place at Pasadena's Castle Press on November 12, 2012. String Theory is a collaborative ensemble of musicians and dancers that utilize invented instruments and sonic sculpture to create their unique performance landscape and sonic footprint. They are well known for their large-scale performance installations that transform environments and architecture into giant musical instruments. String Theory will be joined by one of Caltech's prize-winning professors who will rap on the subject of - string theory. String Theory will compose and perform an original work incorporating anything (and anyone) present into the making of music through motion.


All tickets for the Uncorked events are $60 and are on sale now at www.muse-ique.com or call 626-539-7085. Children 9-17 are half-price. Tickets for the summer season at Caltech range from $45 - $120 and will go on sale May 15, 2012.

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