Children's Carnival Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

From the Orchestra of Southern Utah

To Be Released: January 31 – February 7, 2008

Contact: Laurel Kay Dodgion. 435-865-1492

www.orchestr= aofsouthernutah.org

Photo Cutline:= Guest vocalist Janice Brooks-Nichter will perform with the Orchestra of Southern Utah at the Children’s Carnival on February 8^th.

Children of= All Ages Welcome

   &nbs= p;        Ladies and gentlemen, boy and girls of all ages…you are invited to attend th= e
Children’s Carnival on Saturday, February 9^th, at the Heritage Center in Cedar City, Utah.= The Carnival takes place from 1:00 – 4:00 pm, with special activities scheduled each hour. The Orchestra of Southern Utah focuses on Africa for this special event. The m= ajor sponsor for the Carnival is the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation. Additional sponsors include the Na= tional Endowment for the Arts; George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation; Utah Arts Council; Cedar City Recreation, Arts, and Parks Tax; and the Ster= ling and Shelli Gardner Foundation; Spectrum Newspaper; and Utah Public Radio.
   &nbs= p;        The theme for this year’s Children’s Carnival Concert is African Mu= sic. The music of Africa is one of the continent’s most dynamic art forms.&= nbsp; The rhythms of sub-Saharan Africa, particularly West Africa, have influenced modern samba, blues, jazz, reggae, rap, and rock and roll. Many Afric= an languages are tone languages, languages in which pitch level determines meaning.   This can be he= ard in African musical melodies and rhythms. The tones and pitches are expressed through a variety of instruments. The most commonl= y used are drums, but bells, musical bows, lutes, flutes, and trumpets are also used. OSU Manager Sara Penny = expressed how excited she and the Orchestra are to bring African music to the childre= n of Iron County. “It’= s fun to explore the world through music,” she said.

The Children’s Carniv= al begins at 1:00 pm with displays and performances in the Heritage Center Lobby. Tyler Braun directs Dj= age, a form of West African Drumming. Musical Instruments from Cedar Music Store and Studio and Ling Yu, b= ooks by Classic Books, and kites from Breakin’ Wind add to the festivities. James and Sharron Larkin display artwork and artifacts from Ghana. Todd Pri= nce shares his gourd art. The SUU= Black Student Alliance provides a display, as well as “Lydia’s Natural Creations.” For small children Toddlerville provides toys that young children love.

   &nbs= p;        The Orchestra performs at 2:00 pm. The concert will open with “Kpanlogo” performed by the SUU Percussion Ensemble directed by Patrick Roulet, who sp= ent time studying African percussion in Ghana.= Kpanlogo is a form of recreation music from Ghana, West Africa. It i= s a celebration song that became popular in the 1960s, although it is based on = much older drumming patterns. In f= act, Kpanalogo is also the name of the drum associated with this form of music.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> The drum originated from the Ga pe= ople of the Greater Accra Region in Ghana. Kpanlogo drums are traditionally played by an ensemble of drummers.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> The kpanlogo is usually accompanie= d by the Djembe, dunum, and cowbell. Roulet will also give a brief explanation about each instrument used= by the SUU Percussion Ensemble.

   &nbs= p;        OSU will then perform “Porgy and Bess” by George Gershwin. Gersh= win based this opera on DuBose Heyward’s novel Porgy. Both works deal with African American life in 1930s Charleston, South Carolina. “Summertime” is the best-known piece from Porgy and Bess.

Porgy and Bess will be followed by “Africa” by Marshall McDonald and Steven Sharp Nelson. The Orchestra will be joined by OP= US Chamber Choir, directed by Grace St. Pierre, and Guest Vocalist Janice Brooks-Nichter. Janice was appointed and served several years (two as Vice-Chairman) for the Clark County Hou= sing Authority and as Chairman of the Commissioners Committee for the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials. Because of her dedicati= on and service to the Las Vegas community the “Janice Brooks Bay,”= a 100 unit affordable housing development in Las Vegas, was named in her hono= r.   Janice has been a featured storyteller at many events, incorporating music, games, Brain Gym, yoga, movement and meditation to tell her tales.= She is currently “The Social Circle” Columnist for St. George Magazine and serves as the Community Representative for The Spectrum= and Daily News Editorial Board. J= anice savors the joy of combining her prior professional experience, strong communications skills and spiritual insights to reach the heart, mind and s= oul of humanity. The message of “Africa” is expressed through its lyrics: “Kuishi ni kuona mengi”, meaning “To live long is to see much.”=

The concert will be following by Hands-on = Art and Science Activities at 3:00 pm. The activities will include gourd painting with Chase Nichter and Friends, Mask Design with Jennifer Rasmussen, Science with Laura Cotts and = SUU Students, Face Painting with Arlene Braithwaite and student artists plus a Musical Safari introduction to the orchestra.

The Orchestra of Southern Utah would like = to thank its sponsors and Janice and Chase Nichter, Annie Linn, James and Shar= ron Larkin, Cedar Music Store and Studio, Breakin’ Wind Kites, Jennifer Rassmussen, Todd Prince, Tyler Braun, Laura Cotts and SUU Science Students, Arlene Braithwaite and Art Students, SUU Black Student Alliance, Heritage Center Staff and Friends and Music Guild for making the Children’s Carnival possible.

The Carnival takes place on February 9th from 1:00-4:30 pm at the Heritage Center, 105 North 100 East in Cedar City. Tickets are $8 per child which includes two free adults, $6 per single adult, and $30 for groups of six. Parents and grandparents= are encouraged to attend with their children.&= nbsp; So…come one, come all, to the Carnival.

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