BY BRETT CAMPBELL
Creative Collaboration
Artists from across the spectrum perform
new works at Lord Leebrick.
T
he key to artistic progress is often
collaboration — artists from vari-
ous fields working together, hang-
ing out together, creating together. The
resulting cross-fertilization can stimulate
artists to go beyond the perimeters of their
own field, build audiences across artistic
boundaries and produce multi-faceted
works of lasting appeal. Unfortunately, too
many forces conspire to separate artists, so
it’s been gratifying to see opportunities
emerging recently for progressive artistic
collaboration in Eugene.
One is Cherry Blossom musical arts,
which created last year’s children’s music
theater production, Nisse’s Dream, which
sold out every show. Next weekend, Cherry
Blossom convenes a broad spectrum of
Northwest artists at Lord Leebrick Theatre
for what promises to be the most compelling
show of the season for regional performers,
creators and arts lovers. Highlights include:
• A dance poetry piece called September
11, a response to the tragedies in New York,
Iraq and Afghanistan, based on a poem by
Carter McKenzie, in which a quartet dances
to music composed by Paul Safar and per-
formed by a quartet of local musicians
• Improvised music to accompany an
original film by composer/flutist Daniel
Heila, performed by Heila, clarinetist Kurt
Doles and trumpeter Tim Clarke, all of
whom created a wonderfully atmospheric
soundtrack to one of Heila’s films at DIVA
last month
• A humorous audience participation
piece called Examining the American
Search for the Perfect Partner, perpetrated
by OSU music professor and performance
artist Michael Coolen
• A short film accompanied by Rob Tobias
• Jazzy rock by Brook Adams and friends,
accompanied by projected graphic images
• Theatrical improvisation by one of
Eugene’s most accomplished musicians,
the great pianist Art Maddox
• Ballroom dance and solo piano by
Staver Dance Sport, a narrated musical tale
by composer Gary Noland, modern dance
by Traduza, performance painting by Mika
Holtzinger, and more.
Local artists responding to current
events by collaboratively creating new mul-
timedia works — this is the kind of venture
that builds a vital artistic community here,
and I hope our community supports it.
Another hotbed of local creativity is
DIVA, the visual arts institute that’s also been
putting on some intriguing music and other
performances. On April 22, DIVA hosts the
Eugene Composers Collective’s third and
final concert of the season, featuring original
works by local composers. The ECC is
another new institution that’s contributing to
Eugene’s artistic vitality; these shows always
feature some thought-provoking music.
Many of these composers got their start at the
UO, which hosts the Oregon Composers
Forum featuring new music by UO composi-
tion students, a free show at Beall Hall on
April 25. And one of the school’s most
Rob Tobias
accomplished graduates, percussion wizard
and UO faculty artist Sean Wagoner, presents
a solo showcase there on April 24.
Still another source of local creativity is
the spiritual community associated with
Indian music and chant. On April 15,
Dharmalaya Yoga Center hosts a CD
release party for Solala Towler’s new
Sacred Soundings disk, featuring members
of Windhorse and guests on tabla, vocals,
didjeridoo, tamboura, percussion, violin,
1041 Willamette St.
flute, bass and more to accompany throat
singing, harmonic singing and chant.
I always get excited about new music, but
there’s plenty of beauty in the old stuff, too —
especially the really old stuff. One of the
finest concerts I ever attended in Eugene hap-
pened a few years ago at Beall Hall, when the
amazing French singer Anne Azema joined
renowned early music multi-instrumentalist
Shira Kammen in an intimate journey through
medieval music. The duo returns to Beall on
April 18 in a free show featuring music and
poetry on the theme of courtly love.
Most of the composers will be new to
you (they certainly are to me, and I love this
period), but this pair is adept at explaining
what’s going on in these lovely (and some-
times lusty) songs, and they make their con-
certs unforgettable time travel experiences.
Essential to early music fans, and recom-
mended to everyone.
Finally, there’s some striking new
music coming to Portland this month. One
of the hottest contemporary music groups,
Ethel, will play their greatest hits at Reed
College on April 23. This is another group
that really reaches out to audiences while
presenting groundbreaking music. And on
April 21, Portland’s own terrific new music
ensemble, Fear No Music, welcomes
zheng (Chinese zither) virtuoso Mei Han
and composer-instrumentalist Randy Raine
Reusch in music that combines thousands
of years of Chinese musical traditions with
original world music and jazz influences.
It’s at the Wieden / Kennedy building on
Northwest 13th Street.
ew
Eugene, OR 97401
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Straight Line has played with some of best punk
bands around, like Fugazi, Agent Orange, Good Riddance
and Unwritten Law. With the release of Heterodoxy, the
punk band formerly known as Spun has returned!
Their 2nd release titled Black & White, is due out later
this year. To find out where to see them live this
Saturday night go to Eugene Weekly’s nightlife page.
Moving Sale: 20% off
Storewide—April 14&15
Zafus. Bindis. Prayer Flags. Jewelry. Tapestries. Singing Bowls.
Clothing. Handmade Paper Journals & a lot more...
CALL: 338-4611
myspace.com/straight_line
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Garden Statues • Vases
Aromatherapy • Candles
Yoga Mats • Books
Cards • Journals
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152 W 5th @ Charnelton
EUGENE • 344-4074
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APRIL 13, 2006 27