General Arts & Culture

[UrbanWaterloo]

Region boosts funding for arts
By Terry Pender, Record staff
March 16, 2010 - http://news.therecord.com/News/Local/article/685447

WATERLOO REGION — After increasing arts and culture funding the Region of Waterloo is waiting for local councils and the private sector to respond in kind.

“I think the region has stepped up to the table, and we certainly have indicated support for the cultural community and I think we are doing our bit,” Regional Chair Ken Seiling said.

In 2010 the region’s spending on arts and culture includes:

• $300,000 for the K-W Symphony
• $300,000 for the Waterloo Regional Children’s Museum
• $100,000 for the Creative Enterprise Enabling Organization
• $28,000 for the Grand Philharmonic Choir
• $31,000 for Waterloo Regional Arts Council

These funds are in addition to what the region spends on its own arts-culture-heritage departments, such as the $850,000 for the operation of Joseph Schneider Haus on Queen Street South or the $4.2 million for the Region of Waterloo Museum and Doon Heritage Crossroads.

“Arts funding is important to the health of the community both from an economic point of view and also just from a quality-of-life point of view,” Seiling said.

Economists and urban planners say funding for arts and culture is increasingly important for an area that is changing from a manufacturing-based economy to a knowledge-based economy. This region has lost thousands of manufacturing jobs in the past few years. At the same time about 2,000 jobs go wanting in the area’s high-tech sector.

Knowledge workers can choose to live in a long list of attractive cities. A vibrant arts and culture sector helps attract and retain educated and mobile knowledge workers.

Theatres, cinemas, museums, concert halls and festivals play a big role in place-making and branding, Jason Kovacs, a University of Toronto instructor, said.

“Culture improves the over-all quality of life of a city’s residents, helps revitalize downtowns, and promotes investment and spending,” he said.

“It can boost tourism, and we know all about the multiplier effects of tourism, the overnight stays, the spending that occurs in restaurants and pubs,” Kovacs said.

The executive director at The Museum in downtown Kitchener, formerly known as the Waterloo Regional Children’s Museum, hopes that message from Kovacs and other researchers, such as Richard Florida, is getting heard at City Hall.

The Museum needs a total of $600,000 in annual funding from the municipal sector to become financially sustainable. With the region’s recent allocation of $300,000 it is now looking for city councillors in Kitchener and Waterloo to combine their resources and come up with another $300,000 in annual funding.

A few years ago the museum was getting $45,000 from the region. That is now up to $300,000.

“So I very much applaud them,” David Marskell, the museum’s executive director, said.

“It is wonderful the region recognizes and acknowledges our efforts, it is a huge step in making us sustainable,” he said.

In the past few years the museum has become one of the biggest draws to downtown Kitchener.

While Marskell looks to the councillors in Kitchener and Waterloo, Genevieve Twomey is looking to the province. Twomey is the executive director of the K-W Symphony.

In addition to the regional grant, the symphony will receive $178,000 from the City of Kitchener, $88,000 from the City of Waterloo and $5,000 from the City of Cambridge this year. All government grants comprise only 28 per cent of the symphony’s $5 million budget.

“When I look at the municipal funding, especially with the region coming up to $300,000, we are more on par with municipal funding,” she said. “We would like to see more funding from the province.”

Twomey will get some help in that department from The Creative Enterprise Enabling Organization. It will lobby upper levels of government for more funds for arts and culture in this area. The organization’s founding board of directors was recently appointed, and it will also seek increased funding from the private sector as well.

Some of the most high-profile high-tech firms in this region have not supported the area’s arts and culture sector and that’s something Seiling would like to see change.

“I think both the public sector and private sector have to spend the next year or two taking a look at assessing what their roles are and what support they can provide,” he said.

“I think there is a need for the private sector to be more active,” Seiling said. “There are new driving factors in the local economy and we are certainly looking for changes in support out of that sector.”

The Prosperity Council of Waterloo Region, which represents 3,400 businesses in the area, recently announced the founding board of directors for The Creative Enterprise Enabling Organization. It will work to bring sustainable funding and administrative support to the arts-culture-heritage sectors.

[UrbanWaterloo]

http://www.buttonfactoryarts.ca/GuitarSummit.htm

A full day of Workshops and Sponsor Exhibits
9:30 – 4:30PM

Workshops on: Slide guitar in regular tuning, Flat picking, DADGAD tuning,
Tricks of the Trade - Tuning, Guitar Set-Up, How to Practice, Independence Exercises, Nail Care,
choosing a pick and more….


Bob MacLean
Your host for the day; Roots/ Celtic and traditional folk music with lots of altered tunings and percussive finger-style guitar licks.Info: www.bobmaclean.ca


Jason Fowler
Toronto singer/songwriter, session guitarist and producer. An award-winning performer acknowledged as one of Canada’s most gifted and versatile guitarists.


James Anthony
The most sought after sideman and opening act …A dedicated bluesman and R&B artist ….A hard working, in-the-trenches player who has played with many of the big names in the business.

We have two stores(Folkway Music and Waterloo Music) and 2 luthiers (Mike Pawson and Tony Karol) who want to support the day and show off some of their prized inventory/projects.

Jason Fowler, James Anthony and Bob MacLean will be your workshop leaders and we are looking to cover off the following topics in the workshops…

• One & Two String Altered Tunings
• Tricks of the Trade
• Regular slide in normal tuning
• Playing Rhythm on sessions
• High string overdubs and harmonys
• Playing the right part to fit the song )(The money licks intros and endings)
• Accompanying others – tips and considerations
• Intro to DADGAD tuning.
• Fingerstyle 101 For Newbie Fingerstyle Players

Here is how the day will shape up…
Concurrent sessions! - Each workshop time slot will have 2 or 3 workshops for you to choose to attend.
Select the ones you want when you get there.

9:30 - arrival - Exhibits
10:30 - Workshops
11:30 - Performer Set
12:00 – 1:00 Lunch - Exhibits
1:00 - Workshop
2:00 - Performer Set
2:30 - Workshop
3:30 - Performer Set
4:00 - 4:30 - Discussion - Q&A = wrap up
4:30 - close
Exhibitors present all day!

Workshops - $35 (Students - $25)

For Tickets contact: Waterloo Community Arts Centre
Tel. 519-886-4577 E-mail: ed@buttonfactoryarts.ca

[UrbanWaterloo]

MUSAGETES ARTS & CULTURE FUND
Councillor Berry Vrbanovic, Chair, and Members of the Finance and Corporate Services Committee
DATE OF REPORT: April 14, 2010 | DATE OF MEETING: May 10, 2010
SUBMITTED BY: Dan Chapman, General Manager of Financial Services
PREPARED BY: Dan Chapman, General Manager of Financial Services; Ingrid Pregel, Manager of Cultural Development
REPORT NO.: FIN-10-076

RECOMMENDATION:
That, on the recommendation of the Musagetes Arts & Culture Fund Advisor, the following grants be made from the Fund as outlined in staff report FIN-10-076:

• The Museum $ 269,037
• Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery $ 200,000
• Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Foundation $ 100,000
• University of Waterloo School of Architecture $ 100,000
• Perimeter Institute $ 50,000
  
• Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery $ 25,000
• Total $ 744,037

That, on the recommendation of the Musagetes Arts & Culture Fund Advisor, the following grants be made from the Fund as outlined in staff report FIN-10-076, subject to the recipient qualifying as a registered charity or identifying a registered charity willing to act a sponsoring organization for their program:

• CAFKA $ 50,000
• Open Ears Festival $ 30,000
  
• MT (Multicultural Theatre) Space $ 20,000
• Total $ 100,000

BACKGROUND:
In 2005, the City of Kitchener entered into a Deed of Gift Agreement with the Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation (KWCF) and 1258703 Ontario Limited to receive a gift of property from the KWCF in the amount of $1.1 million. This gift established the Musagetes Arts & Culture Fund as a trust fund of the City. The agreement required the gift to be disbursed
within five years from the date of the agreement to support registered charities within the City of Kitchener carrying on charitable activities in the areas of arts and culture. The City entered into an Advisor Agreement with 1258703 Ontario Limited (the original donor of the funds) concurrently, so that the original donor could provide advice to the City with respect to the use of the gifted property. The City must disburse the remaining funds in 2010. This report provides detail with respect to proposed grants to nine organizations in order to distribute the balance of funds on the recommendation of the Advisor.

REPORT:
As outlined in the background section, the City received a gift of property in 2005 to establish the Musagetes Arts & Culture Fund. The purpose of the fund is to:

• Advance the arts in the community by supporting the visual, literary, performing and media arts;
• Advance the arts in the community by supporting research on the arts and on the role of the arts in the community, and by supporting arts education at all levels of education and in the community at large;
• Assist arts organizations in developing their arts programs and in pursuing their objectives by providing financial support for their operating programs and their capital projects;
• Assist meritorious individuals in the development of their artistic skills by providing them with scholarships, fellowships, bursaries and grants that will assist them in their pursuit of formal programs of study at qualified educational institutions;
• Assist visual, literary, performing and media artists by awarding grants to support their artistic activities and prizes to reward their artistic achievements; and
• Advance the visual arts by purchasing artistic work of merit and donating it to organizations and institutions that are qualified donees.

Of the original $1.1 million gift, $844,037 is available to be granted as of this date. The Advisor has recommended that the balance be distributed to the organizations identified in Appendix A. Staff has reviewed these recommendations against the fund’s purpose in the appendix. Three of the proposed grant recipients do not have registered charity status. Staff recommends that the grants be withheld until these organizations achieve charitable status or identify a charity willing to receive the grant and sponsor the program. Staff will report to Council with alternative recommendations if neither of these conditions can be satisfied prior to the end of 2010.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The proposed grants totalling $844,037 will expend the balance in the Musagetes Arts & Culture Fund, in compliance with the timeline outlined in the Deed of Gift Agreement.

[UrbanWaterloo]

New Hamburg Live! Festival of the Arts
June 2-6, 2010 | www.newhamburglive.ca


Second Annual Festival of the Arts comes to New Hamburg in June
New Hamburg hosts its second annual live, arts and culture event, June 2-6, 2010. The New Hamburg Live! Festival of the Arts will include concert events ranging from country and folk music, Gilbert and Sullivan tunes and lyrical classical performances to big band swing. The Festival will provide a stage for area visual artists, local authors and choral singers, and will include performances by internationally known actors, authors and singers. The event is presented by New Hamburg Live!, now being incorporated as a not for profit corporation. Headline events include an opening night Big Band Gala, with Silent Auction; Canada's supergroup Quartette in concert; an evening of G&S featuring the best of Canadian light opera performers, hosted by Broadway and Stratford star Barry MacGregor; a unique and entertaining classical concert featuring the music * and written letters * of rebellious, 17th century nuns; and a Sunday afternoon gospel and bluegrass concert featuring Ken Whiteley, Vicki St. Pierre, and a mass choir. The choir in the Sunday event will be made up of area choral singers who participate in the Saturday morning choral singing workshop led by St. Pierre and Whiteley, a superb opportunity for singers from the area to enjoy a great training and performance opportunity. The art show will be highlight at the Gala venue, and also open at various locations through New Hamburg for the duration of the New Hamburg Live Festival of the Arts. Tickets will go on sale in mid-April, at Upper Case Books in New Hamburg. For updated information, visit www.newhamburglive.ca

The Events

Wednesday, June 2

• 6 p.m. Art Show
  New Hamburg Community Centre. Featuring artists from southwestern Ontario; also open in all other Art Show venues
• 7 p.m. Big Band Gala
  New Hamburg Community Centre, Featuring The Toronto Big Band, with silent auction and lots of surprises

Thursday, June 3

• Opens at 12 noon. Art Show
  All venues; Featuring the best artists from southwestern Ontario
• 8 p.m. The Best of Gilbert and Sullivan
  Zion United Church; with Colin Ainsworth (tenor), Rachel Clealand-Ainsworth (soprano), Jason Nedecky (baritone), Vicki St. Pierre (mezzo), Erin Bardua (soprano), Kate Carver (pianist); hosted by Broadway and Stratford star Barry MacGregor

Friday, June 4

• Opens at 12 noon. Art Show
  All venues
• 1 p.m. Celestial Sirens
  The music and letters of holy but rebellious nuns of the 17th century, performed by Capella Intima (Bud Roach, founder artistic director), at St. George's Anglican Church. Featuring Sopranos Dawn Bailey and Erin Bardua; Alto Vicki St. Pierre; Tenor Bud Roach; Organ, Sara-Anne Churchill; Theorbo, Lucas Harris.
• 3 p.m. Word Alive - Local History
  Sponsored by Upper Case Books
  At Puddicombe House
  Ernie Ritz, author of "New Hamburg as it Really Was"
  Marie Voisin, author of "William Scott and his Extended Family"
  Paul Knowles, author of "History of New Hamburg" and "Castle Kilbride"
  Karl Kessler, photographer, chronicling the region's endangered professions
• 7:30 p.m. Pre-concert talk about Elmer Iseler
  8 p.m. Elmer Iseler Singers in Concert
  Zion United Church

Saturday, June 5

• 10 a.m. Choral Music Workshop
  Featuring: Vicki St. Pierre, and Ken Whiteley; open to all choir members or singers interested in choral singing; culminates in a concert, Sunday afternoon.
• Opens at 12 noon. Art Show
  All venues
• 3 p.m. Word Alive
  Sponsored by Upper Case Books
  At The Waterlot
  Neil Pasricha, creator of 1000awesomethings.com, and author of "The Book of Awesome"
  Drew Hayden Taylor, humourist, playwright, and prolific author, with his latest work, "Motorcycles and Sweetgrass"
  Nicholas Ruddock, author of the chilling and poetic thriller "The Parabolist"
  Roger Clark a.k.a Philip Allen Campbell, author of a murder-mystery set in New Hamburg, "The Big Wheel"
• 8 p.m. Quartette in Concert
  Sylvia Tyson, Caitlin Hanford, Cindy Church and Gwen Swick and their band at Steinmann Mennonite Church hall.

Sunday, June 6

• 2 p.m. Choral Concert
  At Steinmann Mennonite Church hall; featuring: Ken Whiteley Band, Vicki St. Pierre, Mass choir

[UrbanWaterloo]

Kitchener-Waterloo Arts Awards
Sunday, June 6, 2010 6:30 PM | Centre In The Square
www.kwartsawards.ca



Twelve (12) categories of achievements are awarded from public nominations of both amateur and professional artists:
- Literary: Includes all forms of creative writing, fiction, non-fiction, poetry, prose, etc.
- Visual Arts: Includes painting, sculpture, multi-media, film, photography, etc.
- Performing Arts: Includes theatre, dance, mime, musical, artistic or technical direction, etc.
- Music: Includes musical performance, composition, conducting, etc.
- Mentor: Includes educator, leader, etc.
- Open: Includes arts supporters, volunteers,radio group musical instructors, etc.
- Textile, Fibre, Quilting Arts Award
- Leading Edge: any arts discipline; under 25 years of age.
- Festival or Event
- New Festival or Event
- Festival or Event Volunteer Program
- Festival or Event Community Achievement

Two (2) categories are awarded each year by the Arts Awards Jury for Lifetime and Corporate achievements to the arts:
- Lifetime Achievement
- Corporate Arts Supporter

Arts Awards Winners receive the prestigious Denney statuette created exclusively for the Kitchener-Waterloo Arts Awards by local artist Alan Denney and a silver Denney pin created by Knar Jewellery. Leading Edge Award Winners receive a framed certificate and a cash honorarium.

[garthdanlor]

I really hope this means that Teenage Fancub will make a local stop on their next tour...I'm a big fan...


Transplanted Teenage Fanclub singer learns the Canadian experience

CAM LINDSAY
METRO CANADA
June 11, 2010 11:00 p.m.

Earlier this year, Norman Blake learned what it meant to be Canadian with a snow shovel in his hand and a toque on his head.

Having relocated from Glasgow to Kitchener-Waterloo with his Canadian wife this past winter, the Teenage Fanclub vocalist/guitarist quickly learned what it takes to live in Southern Ontario.

“The first couple of weeks we had some heavy snowfall,” he remembers over the phone from his former home. “I was terrified when I found out I had to go and clear the front yard and sidewalk. Of course, our house is on the corner so I had two sidewalks to clear. But once we got into the early part of summer and the barbecues were open, I've been enjoying it much more!”

A 3,000-mile transfer doesn’t seem like the ideal situation for a band celebrating their third decade, but Blake says that the transition for him and the other Glasgow-based Fannies — primarily original members and co-songwriters Gerard Love and Raymond McGinley — has been smooth so far.

“With the advent of the Internet it’s pretty easy to stay in touch,” says Blake. “And you can get cheap flights now, so if you don't mind flying it's not a problem at all. I'm pretty happy to go back and forth.”

That’s a good thing, considering Blake will definitely be racking up some major Air Miles with the release of Teenage Fanclub’s new album, Shadows. Their first since 2005’s Man Made, album number ten may have taken a while to get to us, but like the previous nine, it’s yet another example of the Fannies’ superiority as warm melodicists.

A reaction to the limitations of recording Man Made in Chicago, Shadows was recorded in the U.K. where the band could “back the truck up to the studio and load in all sorts of different instruments. With this record there were lots and lots of overdubs and more harmonies — we really threw the kitchen sink at this one. It was just to make the experience different.”

Blake says the gap between albums is simply because “the band has been working at that pace for the last decade. Hopefully, we'll get more prolific and make a few more records. For some reason Teenage Fanclub has gotten into this five-year cycle.”

No matter how long it takes the band, they’re definitely more focused than ever.

http://www.metronews.ca/calgary/ente...ian-experience

[UrbanWaterloo]

KW Turkish Festival
www.kwturkishfestival.com



The Festival will be open to general public free of charge from Saturday July 10th(food service only) to Sunday July 11th(food, live music, folk dances and more), 2010 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Waterloo Public Square Uptown Waterloo. Free live performances will take place. The Festival will display Turkish art, folk dance, music and gourmet food, where visitors will get an opportunity to celebrate, learn, and savour Turkish hospitality, culture, heritage and cuisine. Visitors will be able to browse and buy Turkish products, souvenirs and handicrafts, participate in activities for children, view many authentic demonstrations and performances, sample Turkish cuisine, and do much, much more at the Festival.

What to Expect?

• Whirling Dervish at Kitchener Waterloo!!!
• Performances of Turkish folk dances, Authentic Turkish music;
• Watch an Ebru, water marbling, demonstration;
• Turkish decorative pillows, traditional jewellery, handicrafts, and more;
• Enjoy Turkish cuisine, sample gourmet foods including kababs, donair, vegetarian dishes, desserts, baklava, Turkish delight, dried apricots, figs, hazelnuts and much more;
• Taste popular Turkish coffee;
• Let your kids enjoy all sorts of activities: coloring, face painting and games. Don't miss cotton candy!
• Don't miss out on the opportunity to savour Turkish culture and cuisine, so mark your calendars today!

Photos July 10, 2010 (early in the day)

[UrbanWaterloo]

Government of Canada Supports Waterloo Municipal Archives
July 12, 2010 | http://www.pch.gc.ca/pc-ch/infoCntr/...cIDCd=CR100763

On behalf of the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, Stephen Woodworth, Member of Parliament (Kitchener Centre), today announced funding for the Regional Municipality of Waterloo Archives.

This funding will be used to purchase and implement a new collections management system with specialized software that will provide improved access to the archival records. This will replace the current records system and allow for a more efficient retrieval of materials by both internal users and external clients.

"The Government of Canada is proud to offer support for projects like this, which increase the public's ability to access our cultural and artistic heritage," said Minister Moore. "By using technological advances to improve upon existing services, we are enriching the lives of Canadians."

"I am happy to present this funding on behalf of our Government," said Mr. Woodworth. "This is a concrete way the Government of Canada is contributing to preserving the history of our region."

"The Region of Waterloo appreciates this grant from Canadian Heritage for the purchase of collections management software for our archives," said Ken Seiling, Regional Chair. "The resulting database will contain descriptions of the collection held at the Archives dating from the 1820s to the present day and will provide a rich source of information for researchers and all who are interested in the story of this great community."

The Government of Canada has provided funding of $35,600 through the Museums Assistance Program of the Department of Canadian Heritage. This program provides funding to Canadian museums and related institutions for projects that foster excellence in museum activities and that facilitate access to the treasures of our collective heritage.

[UrbanWaterloo]

EKTA United India, United World
UWIC - University of Waterloo's Indian Connection
July 16, 2010 7:30pm - 1:00am
Royal Canadian Legion, 19 Regina Street North, Waterloo

[Sameer]

This was definitely a fun night. The MC'ing could use a little more polish but definitely something memorable.

[UrbanWaterloo]

Actor/Comedian Tim Allen to delight fans at The Aud - for one night only!
July 26, 2010 | http://www.kitchener.ca/news/MediaDetail.asp?tid=19574

KITCHENER - Fans of the hit television series Home Improvement and family movies, including The Santa Clause and Toy Story series, will be thrilled to learn actor and comedian Tim Allen will take the stage Oct. 3 at The Aud in Kitchener. Showtime is 7 p.m.

Allen, best known for playing Tim ''The Tool Man'' Taylor on Home Improvement, will perform his hilarious stand-up routine for one night only.

Allen honed his talents as a stand-up comic throughout the 1980s, providing the perfect lead-in to his highly successful ABC television series Home Improvement. The series garnered Allen a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award nomination. He was also honoured with the People's Choice Award for ''Favourite Male Performer in a Television Series'' for an unprecedented eight years in a row.

In November 1994, Allen simultaneously starred in the #1 film at the box office, The Santa Clause; earned #1 status on the New York Times best-seller list for his book, Don't Stand Too Close to a Naked Man; and appeared in the #1 series on TV, Home Improvement.

Allen has most recently delighted moviegoers with his roles in Toy Story 3, Wild Hogs and The Santa Clause 3.

Don't miss this hilarious household name, when he performs one show only on Oct. 3 at The Aud. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, July 28 at 10 a.m. and are available by phone at 519-578-1570; online at www.theaud.ca; or in person at The Aud box office or Centre in the Square. Ticket prices are $74, $64, or $54 plus applicable service charges.

[DHLawrence]

Galt reverts to 1898 today, disrupting traffic
July 28, 2010
BY RECORD STAFF
CAMBRIDGE — Expect traffic disruption in the downtown Galt area of Cambridge Wednesday.

Television crews are filming episodes of the Murdoch Mysteries.

The Main Street bridge will close for filming, along with Water Street between Main and Dickson streets. Road closures start at 11 a.m. Wednesday and last until 1 a.m. Thursday.

Until 5 p.m. crews will be dressing the bridge and street to look like 1898, including horses and carriages and actors in costume. Filming is from 5 p.m. until 1 a.m.

There will be extensive lighting and simulated (but relatively quiet) gunfire on the bridge.

Waterloo Regional Police will supervise traffic for most of the day.

[panamaniac]

Sounds fun - le Kitchener profond does not lack for its humorous aspects!

An unlikely theatre venue
August 20, 2010 | Martin DeGroot, Arts and Culture
http://news.therecord.com/article/765233

We have theatre in a schoolhouse, a church and an old county records office; theatre that was lost and then found and theatre seeks to fill the empty space; theatre in the asphalt jungle downtown and theatre in an outlet mall way, way uptown.

Coming up early in September there will be a new addition to this extraordinarily diverse local theatre scene: a premier presentation from an enterprise called Backyard Theatre, housed in a kind of garage or shed on Homewood Avenue, off the Iron Horse Trail in Kitchener’s historic Victoria Park area.

Kitchener, Ich Liebe Dich is a two-act romantic comedy written, directed and produced by Kathleen Cleland Moyer.

The title and theme were inspired by Paris, je t’aime (Stories of Love. From the City of Love), the 2006 film and its sequel, New York, I Love You. In this case, the tagline is Finding love in the city of summer sausage.

The basic premise: a pair of newlyweds set out on the romantic honeymoon of their dreams, but find themselves stuck in Kitchener, where they have all sorts of adventures and learn about love and life from the other ordinary (and extraordinary) folks who seem to pop up whenever the privileged pair need to learn a thing or two.

It’s a romance, a comedy, a satire, a farce; there’s even a musical element. The play makes fun of Kitchener and its peculiarities, but it is an affectionate kind of fun aimed toward strengthening a feeling of community and an appreciation of the commonplace.

The project evolved in an impromptu, informal manner. The structure is more like a neighbourhood party or picnic than a full-fledged drama production. The cast, including a core ensemble of experienced artists from near and far plus people of all ages for various walk-on parts, gradually expanded to as many as 22 individuals.

Promotion has been primarily by word of mouth, but that has proven to be more than adequate. With a cast that large and the garage setting, space is very limited. At this point, just about all the places in a two-evening run on the Thursday and Friday before Labour Day weekend (Sept. 2-3) have been spoken for.

Moyer and her family, friends and neighbours have done something similar before, hosting a backyard concert to raise money for a worthy cause. All the proceeds this time will go to Canada World Youth, an agency that provides opportunities for young people to be engaged in international development projects.

In offering a light-hearted community play instead of music, Moyer is experimenting with something she’s been interested in for a long time: creating great theatre, aimed at people who understand and love the dramatic arts. She also hopes to draw on the resources of the community we live in — the stories, life and beauty immediately around us.

This interest is rooted in Moyer’s upbringing as part of a Bruce County farming family that was accustomed to performing plays, sketches and recitations for one another. She studied theatre in college, and worked as a drama teacher for a while. Her main career in the field of restorative justice and conflict resolution is an important part of all this as well.

Kitchener, Ich Liebe Dich is related to previous work such as I Just Moved to Tavistock (1990), Barn Talk (2003) and Friendly Fire, which won an honourable mention at the Herman Voaden Playwriting Competition last year.

What’s new here is the backyard dimension. Moyer has been interested in doing something with the space for some time. Kitchener, Ich Liebe Dich is something of an experiment. It will be interesting to see what the next step will be.

Martin DeGroot is executive director of the Waterloo Regional Arts Council. He comments on arts and culture Saturdays in The Record. You can reach him by email at mdg@golden.net.

[panamaniac]

I haven't been to the other venues, but if you are Downtown, I can recommend the noon hour concerts at St Andrews - their pipe organ is an amazing instrument, you can get church lady sandwiches and check out the building at the same time. And no religion, if that is not your thing.

Blind pianist among artists in noon concert series
September 10, 2010 | By Valerie Hill, Record staff
http://news.therecord.com/arts/article/773684

Waterloo Region has long been recognized as a hotbed of celebrated musicians. Starting this month, their talents will be presented in a series of free, noon-hour concerts.

The series will be available in three locations: Wilfrid Laurier University, First United Church in Waterloo and St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Kitchener.

For more than 30 years, the two church venues have provided a wide range of musical genres, from the incredible jazz horns of Larry Larson, to the exquisite voice of soprano Stephanie Kramer. And to sweeten the pot, the church women’s group provides a light lunch of sandwiches and a beverage, all for less than $6 to enjoy while soaking in the music.

“We have free parking and free pickles,” jokes Sharon Gowland, retired teacher and co-coordinator of the 25-concert Tuesday music series at First United. “This is my seventh season and I retired from teaching early to do this,” she enthused. “I love it.”

The problem is, with so much talent out there, Gowland had a difficult time whittling the schedule down to cover weekly concerts from Sept. 21 to April 19.

“We have an audience of 200 to 400 every week and it just keeps growing,” she said. For the musicians, having such a large and enthusiastic audience keeps them coming back, though they are only paid an honorarium. “We have more musicians (applying) than I can accommodate.”

Profit from the lunches supports church projects and covers the musicians’ honorariums though fees for larger ensemble groups is partially supported through a grant from the public service organization, Music Performance Fund.

Highlights at First United this year include classical guitarist Kevin Ramessar (Sept.28), the Penderecki String Quartet (Oct. 5) and jazz pianist Andriy Tykhonov (Oct. 26) and his wife, classical pianist Olena Klyucharova (Nov.9). On Feb. 22, the all-female Madawaska String Quartet will perform and on March 15, there’s the incredible duet of Willem Moolenbeek on saxophone and Boyd McDonald on piano.

Never one to reject some experimental music, the series will feature Ensemble Mujirushi from Edmonton, a group that bills itself “avant-garde/alt classical multi-media collective.”

Wilfrid Laurier University’s Thursday concert series runs Sept. 16 to Dec. 2, then picks up again in January, featuring professional musicians, several from the school’s faculty.

At St.Andrew’s in Kitchener, the Wednesday series runs Sept. 22 to Dec. 15, featuring five outstanding organists: Douglas Haas, the church’s musical director launches the series Sept. 22, followed by German organist Julian Bewig (Oct. 20), Marlin Nagtegaal (Nov.2) and Jurgen Petrenko (Nov. 17) and incredible John Vandertuin makes a return engagement on Oct. 6.

Blind since birth, Vandertuin holds PhD in music and is a much sought-after composer and performer.

“People often ask me how I do it and I say ‘the good Lord and a lot of hard work,’” says the affable Vandertuin.

Born in Manitoba, his parents sent him to the Ontario School for the Blind in Brantfor. There he learned music, though he tinkered with a toy piano with broken legs when he was just a toddler. Vandertuin made his profession debut at age 14 in Paris and has since received many accolades and awards, though he knows his instrument only through touch.

In Kitchener he will perform a few romantic era piano sonatinas as well as a commissioned piece celebrating the 35th anniversary of the St. Andrews free concert series. Vandertuin will also play a piece commissioned by former student William Gaskarth, a graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University.

Gaskarth is teaching English in Korea and had commissioned his former organ teacher to write music celebrating the life of Canadian organist and teacher Stuart Kennedy who died in 2007. Kennedy had accomplished so much despite being disabled from childhood polio, said Vandertuin.

“He suffered all his life. It’s a wonder he was able to play the organ at all.”

Vandertuin perhaps doesn’t recognize that many people ask the same about him. When he learns music, he must feel the Braille score with one hand, while playing the tune in the other, memorizing every detail. When composing, he writes the score in Braille and then has it translated into sheet music before it can be sent for publication.

For a blind musician, nothing is simple or comes easily, yet it is these very kinds of stories, of the musicians, the music, the history that enhances these noon hour concerts series and guarantees an enchanting afternoon for audiences.

Concerts

First United Church, corner King and William streets, Waterloo
Concerts Tuesdays, 12:15 to 12:45 p.m., Sept. 21 to April 19
www.firstunitedwaterloo.com/noonconcerts.html

St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, corner of Queen and Weber streets
Concerts Wednesdays, 12:15 to 12:45 p.m., Sept. 22 to Dec. 15.
www.standrewskw.com/musical.htm

Wilfrid Laurier University, Maureen Forrester Recital Hall
Concerts Thursdays, 12 to 1 p.m., Sept. 16 to Nov. 18
For information, contact Kathryn Ladano, kladano@wlu.ca, or 519-884-0710, ext. 2150.

[KevinL]

Knit camBridge - September 11, 2010

The Main Street bridge was closed all day Saturday for the public to appreciate this installation.



From upstream:


From downstream:

[David]

That is amazing to see. Wow! Thanks for posting, KevinL!

[DHLawrence]

Love it! Looks a lot better than it does un-clothed. The concrete repair work was not of the greatest quality and left the bridge in 'two-tone':




It's a pity they can't seal it and keep it like that for a while longer.

[UrbanWaterloo]

Awesome photos KevinL! I'll have to make a visit down to Galt this week to check the installation out in person.

[Shawn]

Every since Linda Carson mentioned the "knit bombers" in her Livable Waterloo Region presentation I've noticed them all over, however the bridge in Cambridge is by far the largest (and coolest)!!

Me being me, I've wondered how these knitted art pieces would hold up to inclemate weather. In my mind, I'm thinking that after a rainfall the bridge may begin to smell like a wet sweater. You know the kind.. like the one you left out on the picnic table when camping and discovered the next morning drenched from the overnight rainfall and morning dew. Don't ask me why I think of these kind of things.