Co-participants for 2012 Returning Artists Program: Sallie DuMaine and Darwin Harris

The University City Arts and Letters Commission (UCALC) announced the tentative schedule for the 2012 Returning Artists Program, which features co-participants Sally DuMaine and Darwin Harris.

Partial funding for the Returning Artists Program is from the Darwin Portman Fund.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
RETURNING ARTISTS TO THE SCHOOLS
UNIVERSITY CITY, FEB. 6-10
(A work in progress)

MONDAY, FEB. 6
HIGH SCHOOL 10:02-11:12 Mr. Stuart – Broadcasting Class
BRITTANY WOODS 1:25-2:50 Ms. Bakeman’s 8th grade Class (Gifted)

TUESDAY, FEB. 7
BRITTANY WOODS 8:39-9:24 Dr. Duncan’s 6th Grade Choir
BRITTANY WOODS 1:25-2:50 Ms. Bakeman’s 8th grade Class

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 8
HIGH SCHOOL 10:02-11:12 Mr. Stuart–Broadcasting Class –Finish up video interviews with the artists.
HIGH SCHOOL 11:18-12:34 Ms. Williams–Newspaper Class

THURSDAY, FEB. 9
HIGH SCHOOL 7:25-8:35 Ms. Ibnabdeljalil–Concert Choir
FLYNN PARK SCHOOL 10:00-10:50 5th grade music class
CHRIST THE KING 1:35-2:35 Assembly 4th and 5th grades
HIGH SCHOOL 7 p.m. Public Reception in the Library

FRIDAY, FEB. 10
HIGH SCHOOL 8:41-9:56 Ms. Williams–Journalism
FLYNN PARK SCHOOL 10:00-10:50 5th grade music class
BARBARA JORDAN 1:00-1:45 Assembly 4th and 5th grades
JACKSON PARK SCHOOL 2:30-3:15 Assembly 4th and 5th grades

More information on the program can be found at our initial announcement.

The annual Returning Artists Program, since 1994, features artistically renowned University City High School (UCHS) graduates who return to share their fields of creative work with University City’s current students.  The program’s activities will take place in schools around the city.  Middle and elementary schools, both public and private, as well as UCHS will be included in this year’s program.  UCALC sees the program as a chance to enrich the University City schools’ art programs and to encourage students to consider careers in the arts.

DuMaine, UCHS Class of 1980, is a writer and musician, nominated in last year’s Kevin Kline award for her musical direction in “Pump Boys and Dinettes” at the Bear Stage.

Harris, UCHS Class of 1991, pursues his acting in Los Angeles where he has appeared in commercials, television and films.  Previously he worked in television and stage productions out of Chicago.

Returning artists in past programs have included visual artists, glassblowers, photographers, writers, filmmakers, graphic designers, videographers, animators, instrumental musicians, composers, actors, singers and dancers.

Partial funding for the Returning Artists Program is from the Darwin Portman Fund.

Now in its 43rd year, the University City Photo Show is open to youth (twelfth grade and younger) and adult amateur photographers in the St. Louis metropolitan area.  Juried photographs are selected to hang at the Centennial Commons and the top winners receive cash awards.  All entries will be considered for inclusion in the calendar distributed to University City residents.

More information and entry form here.

Per the press release:  The City of University City presents the first U City Jazz Festival on Saturday, September 24, 2011 from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. in Heman Park. Local and nationally renowned jazz artists perform free concerts featuring straight-ahead, contemporary, and Latin jazz music.

When you consider the rich musical pedigree that’s grown from the small inner-ring St. Louis suburb of University City, you might have expected the artistry of a jazz festival soon to match. University City is home to over a third of the St. Louis Symphony, and it has also been nationally recognized in jazz education. There are numerous jazz figures who started out in University City — Todd Williams, Peter Martin, Neil Caine, Jeremy Davenport, Chris Thomas, Mike and Rob
Silverman — and it remains home to many more.

“I think people in St. Louis are somewhat aware of the legacy of University City, but it’s important for U City to make a big noise about it, and harness the great talent that is in the area,” said University City native Mike Silverman, who went on to say, “it takes some organization to let people know what we’ve got, and the jazz festival is one way to do that.”

Brothers Mike and Rob Silverman are the Artistic Directors of the festival. “Both of our parents are music educators and our father was a member of the St. Louis Symphony for over 40 years,” said Mike Silverman. The Silverman brothers are the by-products of symphonic masters who call the University City historic district home.

The mission of the festival: “The U City Jazz Festival stimulates interest in and promotes awareness and appreciation of jazz by facilitating cross-cultural interaction, providing performance opportunities, and educating young people and adults about the important role of jazz as an indigenous American art form.”

SCHEDULE

Heman Park Stage
11 am: Washington University Jazz Clinic
12 Noon: Clave Sol – Latin Jazz
1:30 pm: John Coltrane Tribute with Maurice Carnes Hipjaz Quintet
3 pm: U Cityʼs Young Jazz Lions
4:30 pm: Michael Silvermanʼs Classical Jazz Quartet
6 pm: Jeanne Trevor & Friends

More information at the festival’s website: http://www.ucityjazzfestival.com

Non Park by Madison Sembler sits at the intersection of Olive and Kingsland, one of many compositions you can find around town in this year's Sculpture Show.

University City Arts & Letters celebrates 25 years of public sculpture

The University City Arts and Letters Commission 2011 Sculpture Series is now available for free viewing through the end of August.  The sculptures were designed, built and installed by Washington University students to grace the public spaces of University City.

This year’s works:

Open Enso by Jessica Star

Yours, Mine, Ours by Erica Sandrock

Non Park by Madison Sembler

EarthComposition by Cathryn Garcia-Menocal

Living Room by Brianna Jordan

Collections by Anna Roseberry

A map to the sculptures is available here.

The Starlight Concert Series schedule for 2011 is as follows:

June 13: Inner City Blues Band
June 20: Velvet
June 27: American Dream
July 11: Power Play
July 18: Cee-Jazz
July 25: Jim Stevens
August 1: Trench Town Rock Reggae
August 8: Musica Slesa

Concerts begin at 6:30 p.m. on Heman Park’s south side. For more information call 505-9626.