November means students are eyeing Thanksgiving break. But before we enjoy turkey and time with our families, the campus will offer a cornucopia of arts events.
The Fort Lewis College Music Department has some exciting education events during November. On Nov. 14, it will host the Fort Lewis College 17th annual Honor Choir. This event will bring vocalists together from all over the region to be taught by Charissa Chiaravalotti, FLC director of choral activities, in a large choir setting. The event concludes with a free concert, open to the public, in the Community Concert Hall. On Nov. 1, Katherine Jetter and Nathan Lambert will host special guest Andrea Meyers for the 7th annual Honors String Orchestra Festival. Various public school string ensembles will head to the Concert Hall to receive clinics and perform in a concert on the day of the event.
The Concert Hall will be host to a wonderful variety of events this month. On Thursday, gospel/folk/bluegrass duo, Robin and Linda Williams of “Prairie Home Companion” fame will perform. Another artist to not miss is folk musician Maura O’Connell (Nov. 15). Her unique blend of Celtic and American bluegrass music has earned her two Grammy nominations. Finally, two-time Grammy award-winner Robert Mirabel will perform “Blue Corn, The Journey.” Mirabel has been described as a “Native American renaissance man” and has traveled the world sharing his exquisite Native American flute performance.
Different performance groups from the community will come together to present movements from “The Messiah” by George Friderich Handel (Nov. 24) in the Community Concert Hall. The San Juan Symphony will be joined by the Durango Choral Society and Farmington’s Vices Voces to bring this great oratorio to life. The work was completed in 1741 and still stands today as one of the most recognizable works for choir and orchestra. Fort Lewis College faculty members and students will be a part of the performance ensembles.
The Fort Lewis College Theater Department will stage its second performance of the season this month. “Sun & Room” is an experimental work written for the actors’ own voices. Actors were cast before the play was created. Set in a Durango basement, the play explores young adult angst and optimism, while offering a fascinating and revealing look at contemporary college life. Staged in the gallery, the work will also make use of the lobby. The show is directed by Ginny Davis and is written by last year’s guest artist, Danny Mitarotando. Performances will begin Friday and continue through Nov. 16. The show is recommended for mature audiences. On Wednesday night, Mitarotando and Davis will speak at the Open Shutter Gallery for a conversation about their collaboration on “Sun and Room” and what writing for the voices of actors can do for the future of contemporary storytelling.
As the semester continues, it is always an exciting time on campus. So you may want to take a break from raking leaves and preparing for the snow and enjoy some great arts on the Fort Lewis College campus.
Latta_J@fortlewis.edu. Jonathan Latta is an assistant professor of music and director of percussion studies at Fort Lewis College.
