Entertainment briefs - Feb. 21

■ CLC bands to present
concert Tuesday

The Central Lakes College (CLC) Instrumental Music Department will present its annual winter concert “Deep Winter Fun” at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Chalberg Theater on the Brainerd campus.

The concert will feature three groups - the CLC Woodwind Ensemble, under the direction of Chris Bolstad; and the CLC Brass Ensemble and Jazz Band, both directed by Steve Anderson.

The music will range from swing to bop with the Jazz Band, featuring tunes from Dizzy Gillespie and Neil Hefti. The Brass Ensemble will run the gamut, from Tschaikovski to American Patriotic to Mariachi. The Woodwind Ensemble will offer several tunes especially adapted by Chris Bolstad for this group by Philip Sparke, Vincent Persichetti and Richard Rodney Bennet.

There is no reserved seating and doors opens at 7 p.m.

Admission is $5, with children 12 and under and CLC students with identification admitted free of charge.

In the Jazz Band, on saxophones are Mike Bender, Crosby, Shaun Kob, Pillager, Frank Milo and Isaac Armstrong, Pine River; trumpets are Sue Kavanaugh, East Gull Lake, Claudette Kitzma, Lake Shore, Ian McNamara, Brainerd; trombones are Jerry Swanson and Doug Durant, Brainerd, Neil Leisenheimer, Little Falls; guitar is Greg Botts, Brainerd; bass guitar is Sue LaFlex, Brainerd; drums is Cody Johnson, Deerwood.

In the Brass Ensemble, on trumpets are Dave Borash and Ashley Deem, Brainerd, Mike Pontius, Baxter; French horns are Claudette Kitzman, Lake Shore, Richard Salswedel, Backus, Becky Stadum, Brainerd; trombones are Jerry Swanson, Jim Anderson and Jennifer Paterson, Brainerd; euphonium is Cassidy Trott, Ironton; tuba is Doug Durant, Brainerd, Meredith Sternaman, Backus and Steve Anderson, Merrifield.

In the Woodwind Ensemble on oboe is Cameron Trott, Ironton; bass clarinet is Sarah Jo Armstrong, Pine River; bassoon is Darrel Rodekuhr, Walker; saxophone is Isaac Armstrong, Pine River; flute is Robin Myers, Brainerd; clarinet are Jennie Plae and Kristina Myers, Brainerd and Kassandra Wisely, Ironton.

For information contact Steve Anderson at 855-8215 or sanderso@clcmn.edu .

■ CLC Community Band
spring season to start March 4

The 2013 spring season of the Central Lakes College (CLC) Community Band will begin on at 7 p.m. March 4, with the first rehearsal in the rehearsal room of the Brainerd campus.

“The 20th anniversary of the band is this spring,” said Director Steve Anderson. “We invite all former band members back for the spring season and to celebrate the milestone. We also invite musicians who have never been in the band before to come and join.”

Rehearsal are every Monday with the exception of March 11, with the spring concert on May 14 in the Chalberg Theater. Music will be some of the songs from the first concert and some new ones.

“We invite all members past and present to bring photos and other memorabilia for display at the concert,” Anderson said.

For more information, contact Anderson at sanderso@clcmn.edu or 855-8215 or 831-3652.

■ ‘African America’ to be
played in New York Mills

NEW YORK MILLS - Mixed Blood Theatre will present “African America,” a play by Warren Bowles, at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center. Admission is $12 with advance reservation by calling 218-385-3339. Student admission is free. Bring a non-perishable food item to donate to the New York Mills Food Shelf and receive a $1 discount on admission.

This play provides an insightful look at the modern African diaspora in Minnesota. The surprising appearance of a charming, magical African leads a modern interracial couple to a better understanding and appreciation of the experience of immigrants to Minnesota from Liberia, Ethiopia, and Somalia and helps them consider how to connect with and celebrate everyone’s heritage.

This activity is made possible in part by a grant provided by the Minnesota State Arts Board, through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature from the Minnesota arts and culture heritage fund with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on Nov. 4, 2008.

■ Bellydance show set in Pine River

PINE RIVER - The third annual “Tribal Wonderland! Bellydance Super Show” hosted by Gaia Sophia will be held Saturday at the Pine River-Backus School Commons.

Doors open at 7 p.m., with the show being held from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Ticket are $10 at the door and children 12 and under are free. Proceeds from ticket sales to benefit the Local Area Food Shelf. A donation box for non-perishable food items will be available the ticket booth for added generosity.

Sophia presents the family friendly performing arts bellydance show, featuring the dance talents of Anita Lalwani of FatChanceBellyDance and Sofia Tribal, a FCBD Sister Studio as well as many regional bellydance soloists and troupes. Additional information can be found at www.gaiasgoldengrove.com .

■ Northwoods dinner show set March 3

HACKENSACK - The Northwoods Arts Council’s annual winter dinner show will be held at 6 p.m. March 3 in the Union Church Friendship Hall in Hackensack.

This annual event began in response to the many requests to “Do something in the winter.” The first show in March of 2002 included a dinner and a one act play. In following years the dinner, has been followed by musical performances or re-enacted radio scripts from the Golden Age of Radio.

Following dinner, this year’s show will feature the musical group, Just Us THE BAND, composed of Steve Reiter, Ray Fidler and Lynn Mineer. This group got their start when Steve Reiter met Ray Fidler, who just happens to play fiddle and banjo, at an old time sing-a-long.

Fidler, originally from Illinois, grew up in a musical family. He started playing the banjo at an early age, then picked up the fiddle and has played professionally in several music groups. Mineer sings and plays guitar. He also sings with the group, Gospel Four plus One. Reiter, the unofficial leader of the group, sings and plays the string bass. He has been singing and playing in various musical groups since high school. The group plays everything from rock and roll to blue grass, folk and church music.

Tickets are $10 each and may be purchased at Southside or Swansons in Hackensack or by calling 218-675-6619. No tickets will be sold at the door.

■ Sestri to perform at Sacred Heart Chapel

LITTLE FALLS - St. Francis Music Center is presenting the women’s singing group, Sestri, in concert at 7 p.m. on Saturday in Sacred Heart Chapel at St. Francis Convent, Little Falls. Sestri is a women’s performing group that sings the folk songs of Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Russia and the Ukraine. The lyrical songs tell stories of love, work, war, country life and sorrow. The group strives to maintain the original mode of the music, which often includes dissonant harmonies, unusual rhythms, and distinctive vocal qualities which make Slavic music unique and exciting for so many listeners.

Celo V’ec, founder and conductor of Sestri, also started the world famous Yale Slavic Chorus in 1969, the first year of undergraduate co-education at Yale. This choir was the first all women’s group on the Yale Campus. At that time Celo was a music major in Yale College and a member of the all male Yale Russian Chorus. In 2009 the chorus celebrated their 40th anniversary with a reunion concert that drew alumnae from all across the globe. After attending this reunion, Celo was inspired to start a local group. He received an individual artist grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board and thus Sestri (meaning “sisters”) began.

The concert will feature a wide variety of songs. Each song will have an introduction so the audience will get a feeling of the story behind each song. The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, please call St. Francis Music Center at 320-632-0637.

■ Friends of Lindbergh Heritage host fundraiser

LITTLE FALLS - The Friends of the Lindbergh Heritage will host its second annual fundraiser Friday at the Falls Ballroom in Little Falls.

Doors open at 7 p.m., with an open pizza bar, with music from 7:45-11 p.m. Club Ramone, one of central Minnesota’s favorite bands will perform. Well known for their eclectic music, the band features musicians Bob Gatts, Celo V’ec, Carol Christenson, Kristen Blann, and former Lindbergh Historic Site manager Charlie Pautler will be returning from Kansas City, Mo., to join them on the drums.

Tickets are $15 in advance, or $20 at the door. Tickets may be purchased at Reality Roasters, Ambiance@53, GRAA, Denny’s Floorcovering, Pete & Joy’s Bakery, and Pap’s Sport Shop, all in Little Falls, and the Lindbergh Historic Site and the State Park.

The Friends of the Lindbergh Heritage was created to preserve, protect and provide education and advocacy for the Charles A. Lindbergh Historic Site, Lindbergh State Park and the Little Elk Preserve. The Friends have been supporting these entities since being established in 2006 by the late Chuck Stone and a group of concerned citizens. During the 2009 Minnesota State budget shortfall, with the possibility of the closure of the Charles A. Lindbergh Historic Site, this group vigorously conducted a letter writing campaign to state legislators and the governor’s office to make them aware of the importance of the site.

The Friends group has also provided funding for signage, maps and a parking area for the Little Elk Preserve, helped with the purchase of a lawn mower for the Historic Site, and purchased supplies for the annual candlelight event at Lindbergh State Park. Volunteers help the staff with educational programs and have landscaped the front of the site’s Interpretive Center.

For more information call the Friends of the Lindbergh Heritage at 320-360-4394.

■ ‘Frostiana’ concert to be performed

STAPLES - The Staples Area Women’s and Men’s Choruses will perform “Frostiana” at 7:30 p.m. March 2 at Centennial Auditorium in Staples.

“Frostiana,” is titled work from American composer Randall Thompson, who was a friend of American poet Robert Frost. In celebration of their bicentennial, the work was to be performed by their men’s and women’s choruses, which rehearsed separately. “Frostiana,” is comprised of seven movements; two for each individual chorus and three for mixed chorus.

In addition, both Staples community choruses have performed several of the movements individually, the entire work has never been performed here, thus giving the choruses an opportunity to bring another new musical experience to the community.

The concert will begin with each chorus performing on their own and then together. Following intermission, the choruses will perform one of Thompson’s most famous choral works, “Frostiana.” In an effort to make the experience unique and more interesting for than a traditional performance, the choruses will use some “basic” technology to enhance the concert. A large screen above the stage will display pictures depicting rural life, many taken by chorus members, throughout the performance of “Frostiana.” Rather than staring at chorus members and the backsides of directors, the audience is invited to sit back, relax, and watch the performance on the big screen, which is something brand new for the choruses.

“None of us feel very tech savvy,” says SAMC director Steve Hoemberg, “but our intention is to experiment with a little technology in an effort to make improve the audience experience … or at least try our hand at something a little different than we’ve ever done.”

Tickets can be purchased at any time online at www.staplesmen.org , from chorus members, at the door or by calling community education at 218-894-5400 extension 3001.