SEPTEMBER 9–10, FRIDAY–SATURDAY
Pre-semester workshop with everything smaller
Morning session, 9:30 A.M.–Noon; afternoon session, 1:00–5:00 P.M., Center for the Arts, Dance Theatre
Jessica Jolly, David Schmidt, and Donnell Turner make their second visit to Middlebury for a two-day intensive for returning student dancers and interested others. Morning and afternoon sessions highlight their luscious, athletic approach to movement techniques and choreography. Free
SEPTEMBER 9, FRIDAY
Second Annual ¡Vamos a Bailar! Salsa Workshop
9:00 P.M., Center for the Arts, Lobby
Salsalina Studio (Burlington) founder Victoria Moore and partner, David Nicasio, open the joyous world of salsa to entering students, returning students, and friends in this one-shot dance workshop for beginners. Learn basic footwork and partnering skills, then practice to the irresistible sounds of Latin American salsa. Co-sponsored with the Office of Student Affairs Orientation Committee. Free
SEPTEMBER 12, MONDAY
Open Rehearsal with the Middlebury College Chamber Singers
4:30-6:30 P.M., Center for the Arts, Concert Hall
The Middlebury College Chamber Singers are Middlebury's premier a cappella ensemble. Any student interested in the Chamber Singers may attend this rehearsal, and sign up for an audition time. If you can't make rehearsal, please call to schedule an audition (auditions end September 16). The Chamber Singers perform classical a cappella music from the renaissance to the present, give concerts in December and April, and participate in special College ceremonies and the annual Service of Lessons and Carols. For more information, call Jeff Rehbach, director, ext. 5811.
SEPTEMBER 13, TUESDAY
First Rehearsal: Middlebury College Orchestra
4:30-6:30 P.M., Center for the Arts, Concert Hall
The Middlebury College Orchestra is directed by Troy Peters, conductor. All are welcome. All interested students should e-mail to tpeters@middlebury.edu in advance.
SEPTEMBER 14, WEDNESDAY
Open Rehearsal with the Middlebury College Chamber Singers
4:30-6:30 P.M., Center for the Arts, Room 221
The Middlebury College Chamber Singers are Middlebury's premier a cappella ensemble. Any student interested in the Chamber Singers may attend this rehearsal, and sign up for an audition time. If you can't make rehearsal, please call to schedule an audition (auditions end September 16). The Chamber Singers perform classical a cappella music from the renaissance to the present, give concerts in December and April, and participate in special College ceremonies and the annual Service of Lessons and Carols. For more information, call Jeff Rehbach, director, ext. 5811.
SEPTEMBER 14, WEDNESDAY
Auditions: Dance Company of Middlebury
4:30 P.M., Center for the Arts, Dance Theatre
Open auditions for Middlebury College students for the Dance Company of Middlebury, directed by Amy Chavasse. This year's project, tentatively titled Enemies, will tour to Arizona over February break and includes reconstruction of I Will Spare You ('03) and co-creation of a new group work. Two former members of Compañìa de la Danza Narciso Medina (Cuba) will also participate in DCM rehearsals and performances. The Cuba Project lives on! For more information, visit go.middlebury.edu/dance.
SEPTEMBER 15, THURSDAY
Theatre Auditions: 10th Annual First-Year Student Production
7:30 P.M., Center for the Arts, Seeler Studio Theatre
Director: Mike Doyle '98. Performance Dates: October 27 -29, 2005, in the Hepburn Zoo. The rehearsal schedule will be flexible, but rehearsals will be held regularly in the evenings starting the second week of the term. Procedure: Come to the Center for the Arts (CFA) Studio Theatre at 7:30 for an informational meeting about this production for first year students. Those who are interested in auditioning will be asked to deliver a short (less than 60 seconds) monologue. It is preferable that the monologue be memorized, but you may hold the script if necessary, and those without a script can be provided with one. Use any monologue that reveals your acting ability to best advantage. Those who choose to audition should plan on being present until sometime between 9:30 and 10:30. If you are interested in working as Stage Manager or Assistant to the Director, please come and speak to the director.
SEPTEMBER 15, THURSDAY
An Evening of Sea Music
Discussion and Song by Geoff Kaufman '69
8:00 PM, Center for the Arts, Concert Hall
Most widely known for his music of the sea, this performance of traditional and contemporary maritime music is sponsored by the Departments of English, American Literature, and the Enrichment Fund. As chanteyman, Foreman of Interpretive Music Programs, and Director of the annual sea music Festival at Mystic Seaport in Mystic, Conecticut, Geoff combines vocals and acoustics and draws upon the rich resources of folk story and song. Free
SEPTEMBER 16, FRIDAY
East to West and Back Again: What Really Happens to Board Games
4:30 P.M., Center for the Arts, Room 221
Slide lecture by Dr. Irving Finkel, assistant keeper, Department of the Ancient Near East at the British Museum and cocurator of the exhibition Asian Games: The Art of Contest. Cosponsored by the Museum of Art and the Rohatyn Center for International Affairs. Free
SEPTEMBER 16, FRIDAY
Opening Reception:
Inaugural Exhibition: Robert F. Reiff Gallery of Asian Art
Asian Games: The Art of Contest
5:30 P.M., Center for the Arts, Middlebury College Museum of Art
Opening remarks by Richard Saunders, director of the museum. Free
SEPTEMBER 16, FRIDAY
Games, Refreshments, and the Rhythms of the Tabla
7:15 P.M., Center for the Arts, Lower Lobby and Middlebury College Museum of Art
A special event for Middlebury College Students! Come and celebrate the opening of Asian Games: The Art of Contest and the Robert F. Reiff Gallery of Asian Art with an evening of Asian culture. Explore the exhibitions, challenge you friends to board games such as go, chess, and backgammon; nibble on Asian snacks; and then enjoy the unique rhythms and melodies of Indian classical music. Celebrated tabla (drum) player and Grammy winner Sandip Burman is the only currently touring exponent of the tabla torung (12 melody-playing drums), and together with Leonice Shinneman (South Indian percussion) and Colin Mason, he performs a range of Indian melodies with audience participation. Sponsored by MCAB, Atwater, Brainerd, Cook, Ross, and Wonnacott Commons, the Rohatyn Center for International Affairs, the Music Department, and the Museum of Art. Free
SEPTEMBER 16, FRIDAY
Bad Play Festival
7:00 P.M., Center for the Arts, Room 232
Tired of mediocre theatre? Why not try something truly awful -- an evening of six-minute plays by Middlebury playwriting students. Come watch, feel superior, and maybe even read a role. Free
SEPTEMBER 17, SATURDAY (THROUGH DECEMBER 11)
Asian Games: The Art of Contest
Center for the Arts, Middlebury College Museum of Art, Christian A. Johnson Memorial Gallery
Asia has been the source of some of the world's great games—chess, backgammon, playing cards, and polo. The first major exhibition to explore the histories of these games, The Art of Contest includes exquisite examples of Asian games from as early as the second century B.C.E., as well as fine Persian, Chinese, and Japanese paintings of game-playing scenes. Asian Games: The Art of Contest is organized by the Asia Society, New York. Major funding for the exhibition and related programs is provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts. Free
SEPTEMBER 17, SATURDAY (ONGOING)
Inaugural Exhibition:
Robert F. Reiff Gallery of Asian Art
Center for the Arts, Middlebury College Museum of Art
Featuring recent acquisitions and loans, the exhibition explores silk and the Silk Road, Chinese ceramics, jade carving, and Asian religions. In addition to the main themes, the display includes fine examples of Indian miniature painting, Chinese scroll painting, and 20th-century Japanese prints. A highlight of the display is a suit of 18th-century Japanese armor. The gallery is generously funded by Barbara P. and Robert P. '64 Youngman. Free
SEPTEMBER 18, SUNDAY
A Cantor's Tale
3:00 P.M., Dana Auditorium
This award-winning film by Erik Anjou '83 features cantor Jacob Mendelson. Both Anjou and Mendelson answers audience questions after the showing. Sponsored by the Department of Music, Jewish Studies, Chaplain's Office, the Department of Film and Media Culture, and the Saltz Judaica Fund. Free
SEPTEMBER 18, SUNDAY
College-Community Chorus Rehearsal
7:00-8:30 P.M., Mead Chapel
Open to all singers (no auditions!), as we prepare for our Thanksgiving Celebration concert on November 20, singing music of Mendelssohn; historic New England composers William Billings and Justin Morgan; and contemporary American composers Aaron Copland, René Clausen and Stephen Paulus. Rehearsals continue on Sundays and Tuesdays. For more information, call Jeff Rehbach, director, ext. 5811.
SEPTEMBER 19, MONDAY
Concert by Cantor Jacob Mendelson
8:00 P.M., Center for the Arts, Concert Hall
Cantor Jacob Mendelson combines an informal concert with commentary about the cantorial tradition and takes questions from the audience. Cantor Rebecca Carmi joins Mendelson in song. Sponsored by the Department of Music, Jewish Studies, Chaplain's Office, the Department of Film and Media Culture, and the Saltz Judaica Fund. Free
SEPTEMBER 21, WEDNESDAY
Auditions: Dance 360 (Advanced)
4:30 P.M., Center for the Arts, Dance Theatre
Middlebury College student dance auditions for choreography to be created during the fall and spring terms, including the annual "Newcomer's Piece" choreographed this year by Kate Elias '05. There will be a group warm-up, followed by audition phrases taught by various choreographers. Everyone welcome; come ready to dance. For more information, visit go.middlebury.edu/dance.
SEPTEMBER 21, WEDNESDAY
Jazz Combo Workshop
7:00 P.M., Center for the Arts, Room 221
The Music Department offers a weekly jazz combo workshop for College students, led by Dick Forman. Structured sessions with work on repertoire development, jazz idiom and theory, improvisation and combo etiquette. Players of all abilities are welcomed. It's fun and it's free. Reach Dick Forman at 802-352-6679.
SEPTEMBER 22, THURSDAY
The Theology of Art and Writing in Ancient Egypt
4:30 P.M., Christian A. Johnson Memorial Building, Room 304
Slide lecture by Colleen Marie Manassa, postdoctoral fellow, Yale University. Sponsored by the Department of History of Art and Architecture, the Museum of Art, and the Christian A. Johnson Enrichment Fund. Free
SEPTEMBER 23–24, FRIDAY–SATURDAY
The Birdhouse Project
4:30 P.M. on Friday, 12:00 P.M. on Saturday,McCardell Bicentennial Hall
Celebrating movement, birds, and the land,The Birdhouse Project includes original dance, music, and set design. Andrea Olsen directs Middlebury and alumni dancers, with music by David Rothenberg (author of Why Birds Sing) and set by visual artist and birdhouse designer Carl Phelps. This event focuses attention on the impact of climate change and the options for positive action. Presented as part of the Nicholas R. Clifford Symposium, Renewal: Perspectives and Possibilities in an Age of Climate Crisis. Funded in part by an Ada Howe Kent Fellowship. Free
SEPTEMBER 24, SATURDAY
Before Sunset
3:00 and 8:00 P.M., Dana Auditorium
Jesse (Ethan Hawke), a writer from the U.S., and Celine (Julie Delpy), a French woman working for an environmental-protection organization, who became acquainted nine years ago in Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise (1995), meet again when Jesse arrives in Paris for a reading of his novel about their night together. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Sponsored by the Hirschfield International Film Series. (USA, 2004, 80 minutes) Free
SEPTEMBER 24, SATURDAY
Kirill Troussov, violin
Alexandra Troussova, piano
8:00 P.M., Center for the Arts, Concert Hall
Brother-and-sister duo Kirill Troussov and Alexandra Troussova played a sumptuous recital here last October for President Ronald Liebowitz's inauguration. In this encore performance, they return to play a program of music by Vitali, Mozart, Brahms, and Beethoven (the "Kreutzer" Sonata). Sponsored by the Middlebury College Performing Arts Series. Reserved Seating. Tickets: $12/10/5 order tickets online
Pre-performance dinner: Rehearsals Cafe, 6:30 P.M. Reservations required.
SEPTEMBER 26, MONDAY
Hip-Hop Theatre: The Lecture
7:30 P.M.,Wright Theatre
Award-winning actor, rapper, playwright, and educator Will Power traces the beginnings of hip-hop culture; investigates its social, political, and spiritual roots; and explores some of this growing art form's current trends. Power lectures and demonstrates elements of hip-hop performance and engages the audience in a question-and-answer session. Free
SEPTEMBER 27, TUESDAY
Flow
Written and performed by Will Power
7:30 P.M.,Wright Theatre
A pioneer in the genre of hip-hop theatre, Will Power fuses original music, rhymed language, and dynamic choreography in this electrifying solo show. Directed by Danny Hoch and produced by the New York Theatre Workshop and the Hip-Hop Theatre Festival, Flow combines Power's narrative monologue in rap with live sound and music by DJ Reborn. "Will Power combines the complexity of serious drama with the visual and sonic arsenal of MTV." —New York Times. Sponsored by the Middlebury College Performing Arts Series and the Theatre Program. Tickets: $12/10/5 order tickets online
SEPTEMBER 28, WEDNESDAY
A Simple Country Painter
4:30 P.M., Twilight Auditorium
While his paintings are on tour in a retrospective exhibition, painter and Newsweek art critic Peter Plagens, Mellon Visiting Distinguished Professor at Middlebury for the fall term, talks about his work. Cosponsored by the Museum of Art and the Faculty Lecture Series. Free
SEPTEMBER 29, THURSDAY
Go Demonstration and Competition
7:30 P.M., McCullough Student Center, The Grille
Invented in China sometime before the sixth century B.C.E., go (or weiqi) is the world's oldest board game of skill. Former women's world champion Feng Yun demonstrates the game and plays simultaneously against multiple opponents. Cosponsored by the Departments of Chinese, East Asian Studies, Japanese; and the Museum of Art. Free
SEPTEMBER 30, FRIDAY
Vermont Symphony Orchestra
8:00 P.M., Center for the Arts, Concert Hall
The VSO presents its most ambitious "Made in Vermont Music Festival" program ever! The concert begins with a world-premiere commission by Vermont composer David Ludwig, of Marlboro fame, who also speaks about his new piece. Then Music Director Jaime Laredo sets aside his baton to pick up his Stradivarius for the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto (his all-time favorite). Beethoven's exuberant Second Symphony rounds out the evening. Tickets: $20 regular; $16 senior citizens; $10 students; $10 College faculty and staff; $5 Middlebury College students. order tickets online