Visual Arts Series promises to offer the best in entertainment

Kara Hodge Entertainment Beat

The 2001 Visual Arts Series, sponsored by the Office of Cultural Affairs, is offering a variety of events for the spring semester.

The series was kicked off on Jan. 12 with the critically acclaimed "Jellyeye," a dancing and drumming performance troupe. The twelve dancing drummers had rave reviews from both faculty and students at Appalachian State University and the public of the High Country.

The next event for the series, "Rhythm and Brass," a jazz ensemble that The New York Times calls "intelligent spunk," will perform Tuesday, Jan. 30.

Since their start in 1993, Rhythm and Brass has incorporated influences like Pink Floyd, Josquin Des Pres, John Coltrane, Johann Sebastian Bach and Duke Ellington.

"The Comedy of Errors", an acting company founded by Margot Harley and the late John Houseman puts on their show of Shakespeare's best on Tuesday, Feb. 13.

The company takes one of the writer's greatest comedies and selections of poetry and transforms it into lyrics, making a musical that is both elegant and funny. "The Acting Company," states The New York Times, "endures as the major touring classical theater in the United States."

"Each musician is a maestro," a critic once said during the first North American tour of the Prague Chamber Orchestra. An ensemble of 36 musicians, the orchestra plays without a conductor, sustained instead by the musicianship of each player.

The Prague Chamber Orchestra and the Beaux Arts Trio, which consists of Menahem Pressler on piano, Young Uck Kim on violin and Antonio Meneses on cello, will perform Beethoven's "Triple Concerto" as well as Mozart's "La Clemenza di Tito." The Orchestra and Trio will play Monday, Feb. 26.

In case you haven't seen the famous Irish dance group Riverdance, you can see a dance team that is a little less famous but just as good. "Trinity Irish Dance," founded in 1990, is an Irish-American company that has become the birthplace of progressive Irish dance as well as an opener to other productions like Riverdance.

The Chicago-based school has taken an unprecedented number of gold medals for the United States at the World Championships for Irish Dance held annually in Ireland. "Trinity Irish Dance" will perform Saturday, March 24.

The last performance of the 2001 Visual Arts Series is "Leahy," sponsored by SkyBest Communications. Consisting of five sisters and four brothers, the Ontario-based Leahy family has quickly risen to fame, establishing a reputation as one of central North America's most entertaining groups.

Their talent lies in the art of French-Canadian step dancing and Celtic and Canadian folk music. Irish in sound and looks, this instrumental and vocal performance features over 100 years of tradition. "Leahy" will be featured Tuesday, April 3.

All 2001 Visual Arts performances will be held in Farthing Auditorium at 8 p.m. Tickets are $6 for university students and children age 12 and under, $14 for university faculty and staff and senior citizens and $16 for the general public.

For tickets and information, call the Office of Cultural Affairs at 262-6084 or the Farthing Auditorium Box Office at 262-4046.