PREVIEW: An Evening with Frank Warren


Sometimes -Frank Warren
"Sometimes we don't keep secrets, our secrets keep us" -Frank Warren

An event not to be missed, America’s “most trusted stranger,” Frank Warren, will bring his most inspirational stories and secrets to Ann Arbor this Friday.  Warren is the mastermind behind PostSecret, a community art project he started in 2004 that has since exploded into numerous publications across the globe and the largest ad-free blog, PostSecret.com, where every Sunday new secrets are posted.  Click here to see a moving collection of Postcards submitted to PostSecret.

“When I started PostSecret my motive was to create a “place” where people could feel free to share their private hopes, desires and fears,” says Warren, “A place where the secrets they could not tell their friends and family would be treated with dignity in a non-judgmental way.”

Read more: http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2007/10/ten-questions-w.html#ixzz0YeXhHojq

PostSecret is a place not only for those to share their own secrets but for readers as well who identify with those secrets, possibly giving them the courage to release their own.  Even Warren himself was inspired to send his own secret on a postcard to his house about a supressed childhood incident.  The secrets sent in are so personal, heartfelt, and insightful that the ones you identify with make you feel that you are not alone.

An example of the artistic and emotional confessions of the postcards
An example of the artistic and emotional confessions of the postcards

His fall tour to colleges across the U.S. coincides with the release of his new book, “Confessions on Life, Death, and God,” which will also be available for signing during the event.  Warren says the live events usually consist of background on the project as well as display of postcards that were banned by the publisher, and also a chance for audience members to share their own secrets in an open atmosphere.

Confessions on Life, Death, and God
Confessions on Life, Death, and God

If you’ve got something to get off your chest, or you just plain love PostSecret,  I highly suggest you get your tickets asap.  Tickets are still available through MUTO or on the ticketmaster website.

Recap:
Who: Frank Warren, creator of PostSecret, shares his stories as part of the ConversA2tions series.
When: Friday December 4th, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Michigan Theater
How much: $15-$35 a ticket

Hope to see you all there!

-Sarah

Preview: Chanel on the Big Screen

‘ >Coco Before Chanel
“Coco Before Chanel”… A film that I’ve been looking forward to seeing and didn’t think I’d get the chance. But here I am, writing about it before I get to watch it, knowing that in three hours I’ll be sitting in the State Theater enjoying a medium popcorn and watching previews with a friend. The part of the famous fashion designer is played by Audrey Tautou as the movie moves from Coco’s sad beginnings to her huge success in the design industry. From what I’ve heard, the movie is supposed to be a fantastic story with wonderful acting. This drama is a classic Rags-to-riches story with sentimental and romantic backstage themes. I’m so excited! Everyone should hurry and go though, because there are only two nights left, tonight and tomorrow (Wednesday and Thursday, December 2 & 3). Both nights the show plays twice, 7:15 and 9:30.

Link to preview \"Coco Before Chanel\"

Only $7 for student tickets! So just to remind everyone…
Fantastic show
“Coco Before Chanel” rated PG-13
Wednesday, December 2 at 7:15 and 9:30
Thursday, December 3 at 7:15 and 9:30
State Theater, Ann Arbor
$7
Go see it!
Danny Fob: Artist and Art Reviewer

PREVIEW: The Swell Season Returns

The Swell Season
The Swell Season

The Swell Season returns again, this time with an even bigger tide.  I unfortunately missed their performance last year but the infamous duo grace the Michigan Theatre with their presence a second time this Wednesday night.  You may recognize them from the critically acclaimed indie film, “Once” which was sort of a mockumentary documenting the creative and emotional growth between Glen and Marketa (I actually saw the film at the State Theater during my freshman orientation).  The movie is beautifully touching with a soundtrack that essentially loans the film its fame (Two Grammy nominations and an Oscar win for Best Origninal Song, “Falling Slowly”).

Glen and Marketa in Once
Glen and Marketa in "Once"

If you’re into mesmerizing, soul-touching music, I suggest you check them out this Wednesday night.  Sorry to get to you so late on this one (I only just got my tickets yesterday) but you should still be able to snag a seat.  Tickets are still available at MUTO ranging from  $29.50-$39.00 and you should also be able to stop by at the Michigan Theatre before the show at 7:30 to see if there are any still available. This concert celebrates the release of the follow up to the Once soundtrack with “Strict Joy,” you can check out the preview here.  Concert opener will be Rachael Yamagata, hope to see you all there!

Eagerly Anticipated Strict Joy
Eagerly Anticipated "Strict Joy"

Recap:
Who: The Swell Season
Where: Michigan Theater
When: 7:30 p.m. tonight!

-Sarah

A Serious Man: Seriously Good

A Serious Man, click to view trailer
A Serious Man, click to view trailer

A Serious Man, the new Coen brothers’ film, is not one of those indie flicks that take you on some long-winded journey in an attempt to make you feel empowered and boisterous. But rather, this witty film spins you around and around in circles until you get dizzy. And when you catch your breath to refocus, you realize you are exactly where you started off: comfortable and confused.

A Serious Man, features Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg) a father, husband and physics professor at a quiet Midwestern university.  He is a figure everyone can relate to. Larry is somewhere in his 40’s, has a stable career, and what would seem like a stable life. His hopeless brother Arthur (Richard Kind) yells at him for being given everything. However, the grass is always greener on the other side, Larry is tormented with the everyday.

The everyday, in Larry’s case is: Bribery from students for a passing grade; a wife heavily engaged in a love affair- ensuing a request for a divorce; a daughter who launders his money for the purpose of a nose job; a financial and emotionally dependent brother; a taunting naked sun-bathing neighbor and an anonymous writer who sends vulgar letters to the University in an effort to hinder his chances at tenure. Okay, so this is not everyone’s everyday qualms; but everybody has those little everyday issues that poke at us, as they squeal for a non-existent resolution.

In an attempt to rid himself of the constantly jabbing everyday qualms, Larry turns to the temple­­–more specifically, the Rabbi. Larry meets with three different Rabbis, each of which offers little insight into his dilemmas.  One Rabbi almost outright argues that it all means nothing and that he should just continue on with his life. Of course this was not the eye-opening insight Larry, or the viewer was hoping for. With this analysis, Larry continues to continue with the everyday, struggling and juggling his problems as the plot bounces between dilemmas.

So, I guess the question becomes, why watch a movie that just makes you dizzy? I am no Rabbi, and I too don’t have an answer. But, perhaps it is a chance to get away from our nagging everyday issues and instead, relish in the fact that squirming characters like Larry are getting no further in relinquishing their personal issues than we all are.

Conclusion:  Not a must-see, but a good way to appreciate your own lawn.

PREVIEW: Vienna Boy’s Choir

What better way to ease back into the daily grind after an overstuffed thanksgiving break than with a lovely afternoon seranade? If you want to prolong this mini break as much as I do, I suggest  you bring in the holiday cheer this Sunday and check out the world renowned Vienna Boy’s Choir (a.k.a. Die Wiener Sängerknaben).

Here We Come
"Here We Come"

Formed during the late middle ages by Emperor Maximilian I of Austria, the Vienna Boy’s Choir is a long standing tradition, having worked with such big names as Mozart, Bruckner, Haydn, and Schubert (The names of their four respective touring choirs).  The choir itself is composed of 100 choristers from all over the country known for their angelic voices and skill but by the looks of it, seem to be regular 14 year old boys.  Check out this epic commercial they did last year for the European Football Championship, it won the best commercial at the ITB Berlin!  (BTW: If I could have O’Fortuna play everywhere I walked, I would be one happy gal)

Kickflippin it
Kickflippin' it

Aside from touring the globe, working with world renowned composers, and being some of the most skilled choristers, I find it hard to believe these kids are all under the age of 14.  Their lives will be featured in the upcoming documentary, Silk Road-Songs Along the Road and Time, which aims to explore the history of the choir and its influence and unity through a year spent with the choir boys on tour and at home.

Majestic Melodies
Majestic Melodies

The choir originated exclusively for the Viennese Court and it wasn’t until 1918 that the choir disbanded and formed their own institution, allowing them to tour the globe.  Now in 2009, the choir boys return again, since their first performance at Michigan in 1933, and bring Christmas in Vienna all the way to Ann Arbor.  If you’re looking for a way to cure those coming winter blues, you should grab some hot cocoa and head over to Hill Auditorium at 3 tomorrow. where there will be carolers on the steps before the show at 4.  You can still snag some tickets for as little as $12 but unfortunately you can only buy them online (Click here to buy).

Recap:

What: Vienna Boy’s Choir

Where: Hill Auditorium

When: Sunday at 4 p.m. (Carolers on the steps at 3)

Why: To be inspired and amazed? For Christmas cheer? Something new? Insert reason here?

How much: 18 euros, or 12 buckaroos

See you there? Alright!

Later skater,

Sarah

REVIEW: UM Men’s Glee Club with the Friars – 150th Annual Fall Concert

The University of MIchigan Men’s Glee Club is the oldest student organization on the UM campus and has long been acclaimed to be one of the finest male choruses in the world. This year they are celebrating 150 years of tradition, camaraderie, and musical excellence. This was the first time I had the chance to see the MGC perform live, and I have to say it definitely lived up to everything I had hoped it would and beyond.

The first thing that stood out about their performance was how professional it seemed right from the beginning. They seemed to run-while-actually-walking onto the stage and turned so suddenly at such sharp angles, giving them a very intense quality. As soon as all the members and the director were on stage, they began to sing just as suddenly as they walked on, which had a very powerful effect.

The second couple of songs were very soothing, with a great combination of all ninety-nine voices (Is that right? I tried to count…). I especially loved when they began with just a whisper, and suddenly just boomed. You can probably tell that I don’t listen to choir music often, but at the same time even I was very touched. The music seemed to match the words so nicely, and the Paul Rardin, the director, emulated the emotions so strongly when he conducted. It actually helped a lot to hear his introductions to each piece; he did a great job of explaining the background of the music and poetry, and he was in general just a very good speaker, too.

The first song that stuck out to me was Lowlands, an American Sea Chanty arranged by Alice Parker and Robert Shaw. The repetition of the phrase “My dollar and a half a day” was intense every single time they came back to it, and the soloist was absolutely amazing. I recall my friend, an amazing singer herself, touching her heart several times during the solo. The next song wasn’t as good in my friend’s opinion, but I think it would be unfair to judge it right after Lowlands. I personally enjoyed the timpani in this piece, “A stopwatch and an ordnance map, Op. 15.” The volume control was great by the percussionist, but also by the MGC. I felt like it was perfectly easy to separate each individual voice, which is what made the solos stand out so well.

The next couple of pieces were by the men of the Southfield-Lathrup High School Madrigal Singers. It’s easy to say that they didn’t compare to the MGC, but that’s understandable–there were only 13 of them, so the overall sound was a bit soft. Most of their voices were quite nice, though, except maybe some of the higher pitches ones. The best part for me was the a capella, when the conductor, Jeffrey Martin, joined three of them in “Coney Island Baby” by Les Appleton, a lighthearted song that brought a lot of laughs from the audience. Overall, I was very impressed by their performance, except perhaps an overpowering piano at times. But after the initial couple of pieces, both choirs joined together to sing three more songs, in which I thought the piano was actually quite excellent, and the songs were overall empowered by having more members in the choir.

Following next was the world premiere of “Searchlight Soul,” a composition by Grammy and Pulitzer Prize winning composer William Bolcom, a distinguished faculty member of the School of Music here for thirty-five years. It was split into five poems, all written by University of Michigan students and alumni. I personally enjoyed the third piece, Searchlight, the most, though it was slightly ruined by a cough during the silence right before it began. Interestingly enough it was my friend that coughed. To add to the irony, we had just been reading a warning in the program where it informed us that, “During a recent test in the hall, a note played mezzo forte on the horn measured approximately 65 decibels of sound. A single ‘uncovered’ cough gave the same reading.”

Other pieces from Searchlight Soul which stood out were the last two, “Mosquito” and “Dude, Where’s My Car?” Both were pretty funny, particularly the end of Dude, Where’s My Car when they actually said that line. It was a good that the lyrics were in the program, though, because without it I don’t think I would have understood them fully. It was pretty difficult for me in general to pick up all the words, which is why I enjoyed the conductor’s introductions, as I mentioned previously.

Next up were the Friars. I have to be honest, I was looking forward to this the most out of any part. The Friars, if you don’t know, are an a capella group of eight men from the MGC who choose and prepare their own music and choreography. I have to agree completely with the description in the program where it refers to the “spirit of light-hearted spontaneity which is the trademark of every Friars performance.” I love all of the small jokes they toss out, as well as the goofy choreography. I was particularly happy with their song “Buckeyed Girl,” which was duly welcome after the game on Saturday.

I don’t want to say that the next few songs weren’t good, but they went by quite fast and so I didn’t have many opinions on them. I remember Jonah’s Song having a very strong opening–loud but soft sounding at the same time. Bright Morning Star had a very touching duet, and the choir coming in after it had a powerful effect. Beyond that, I remember Wonderful Is Your Name being “fun,” but that’s all.

The concert ended with Paul Rardin inviting to the stage all MGC alumni that came for the night in singing the Yellow and Blue. It was very, very cool to see alumni of all ages come to stage and perform. I tried to put myself into their shoes, which gave me an odd sense of pride in the UMMGC. Overall the concert was excellent and I suggest that everyone that can go see their concert next semester on April 10th.

Look out for the Friars in Rackham Auditorium on December 5th!

Bhaj, [art]seen Reviewer