BREAKFAST WITH THE ARTS
New
concert series starts six-month run May 20
Thursday, May 11, 2006
By LIN RICE
ThisWeek Staff Writer
Patrons of Uptown will soon be
able to enjoy live music with their morning meal when Gallery 202 Partners in
Art Inc. hosts the first event of its new performance series, Breakfast with
the Arts.
The first concert is scheduled
from 10 a.m. to noon May 20 at Gallery 202, 38 N. State St., and will feature
Michael Isla, a local classical guitar player. He will perform Spanish and Latin
American music, and possibly a few pieces he's written himself. Afterward, Isla
will discuss his craft and answer questions, as each following performer will
also do.
The series is free to the public;
coffee and refreshments will be served, according to Renee Kropat, owner and
curator of Gallery 202.
"We wanted to bring something
to the community that people can come to on a Saturday morning, drink some
coffee and listen to musical artists," said D.D. Parker, Gallery 202 board
member.
"I don't think anything like
this has really been done before, showcasing local artists in Uptown,"
Parker said. "I'm really excited."
May 20 will mark the first
performance of what is planned as a six-installment summer series. If things go
well, Kropat said, Breakfast with the Arts could become a permanent series.
"We're going to see how it
goes, and if things go well and there's a good response from the patrons and
artists, we may have it in an ongoing basis," she said. "I'd like to
continue this year-round."
Breakfast with the Arts will take
place the third Saturday of each month for the next six months. Isla is
currently gathering musical artists to fill the venue for future performances.
"So far, there are about 10
to 15 people we're looking at of super high quality," Isla said.
"Some are doctorate of the musical arts candidate students, those who can
give a good perspective on a piece of music and how it works."
He said Gallery 202 is looking for
wind and string players, and has included in the show Hank Arbaugh, a
"veteran and expert in English and Scottish medieval ballads," who
performs on dulcimer, guitar and mandolin.
"The point is to bring in
various types of musical styles, but at the same time, to educate people as to
why they're played that way -- how they fit into the time period they were
created in and today," he said. "We want to approach this with a
worldwide feel."
Kropat said she hopes the program
will catch on with local performers.
"We're hoping to expand on
the concept of partners in art, to expand and incorporate these performances
along with our visual artists," she said. "I want to reach out to our
local performers and those who might be interested. This really is giving an
opportunity for our adults to act as artistic educators."
More information on the Breakfast
with the Arts is available by calling 614-890-8202.