Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Congratulations Encinitas City Council, JFS & Leichtag Foundation

I think we all should congratulate Mayor Catherine Blakespear and three other members of the Encinitas City Council who voted their hearts, and not their fears, in the recent battle over providing safe overnight parking spaces to 25 homeless families who are forced to sleep in their cars. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, USA

Conductor Yoav Talmi a classical composer

As Yoav Talmi continues to receive accolades for his guest conducting throughout the world and his inspiring teaching at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Tel Aviv University, the internationally acclaimed maestro is also garnering increased recognition as a world class composer. His recent CD, Yoav Talmi COMPOSITIONS, released by the Israel Music Institute and produced with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Sport, contains three of his large compositions, De Profundis, a four movement work for mixed choir and orchestra; Animi Motus, a four movement work for orchestra with children’s or women’s choir; and Elegy for strings, timpani and accordion (Dachau Reflections). [Eileen Wingard]

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Eileen Wingard, International, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County

Crying and laughing with a Holocaust survivor

Only a few moments after her audience had sat in stunned silence hearing about how the mother of Fanny Krasner Lebovits sacrificed her life so her youngest child should not have to go alone to her death, a cell phone tinkled from somewhere in the front of the audience. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County

Jewish melody infuses German, U.S. chamber music

… They first performed at the Los Angeles Holocaust Museum in 2019. This year, in observance of the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp they will premiere the first public performance of a piece composed for them by Laurence Sherr of Kennesaw State University in Georgia. Sherr has a specialty in music of the Holocaust. The program will be cosponsored by the German and Italian Counsels of Los Angeles. Audiences should be prepared for remarkable music, by a remarkable globe-trotting couple. [Oliver Pollak, PhD]

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Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Oliver Pollak

Jacob’s Ladder by Chagall up for auction

For the first time in over two decades a painting by Marc Chagall will be going up for auction in Israel. Tiroche Auction House will be hosting the Israeli & International Art auction on January 25th – featuring paintings by a number of Israeli masters, including Reuben Rubin, and Yosl Bergner. The highlight of the evening however is Chagall’s Jacob’s Ladder (1970-1974), a theme to which the artist would return at least a dozen times in paintings and drawings. [Sam Ben-Meir, PhD]

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International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Sam Ben-Meir

World Beat Center honors the dream

Just north of Presidents Way and across the street from the Veterans Museum lies the World Beat Cultural Center. Housed in what used to be a water tower, this cylindrical building is filled inside and out with brightly painted murals celebrating the many cultures of the world. Inside, you will find a vegan café, an art gallery, reggae concerts and classes in the arts. What better place to celebrate Martin Luther King Day? [Eric George Tauber]

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Eric George Tauber, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County

Wosner, Thayer, Zhao shine in Beethoven’s Piano Trio

The Israeli pianist, Shai Wosner, shone in Beethoven’s Piano Trio in C minor, Op. 1, No. 3, as he collaborated with violinist, Jeff Thayer, concertmaster of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, and Yao Zhao, the orchestra’s principal cellist. The concert, part of the San Diego Symphony’s celebration of Beethoven’s 250 anniversary of his birthday, featured three of the composer’s early works. It took place on Tuesday evening, January 14, at the new Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center on Fay Street in La Jolla. [Eileen Wingard]

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Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County

Welk Village revives ‘A Chorus Line’

In charge of these auditions in this show is the director, Zach, (Jeffrey Ricca) who barks out orders to this chorus of those wannabe chosen. He does this by relentlessly probing, questioning, and eliminating while all the while getting under their collective skins by having each one give a brief background of themselves as the “I Hope I Get It” mantra is chanted in the background. This is the heart of A Chorus Line. One by one Zach prods, encourages and yells out orders from some place in the back of the ‘theatre’ for information from each with the usual suspects and personalities standing out over and above the others. [Carol Davis]

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Carol Davis, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Balloting begins Jan. 21 for World Zionist Congress

Between Jan. 21 and March 11, American Jews may participate in the selection of U.S. delegates to the World Zionist Congress, which will meet in Jerusalem from Oct. 20-22 to help set policy for three major Jewish organizations: the World Zionist Organization, the Jewish National Fund, and the Jewish Agency for Israel.  The Congress’s policy decisions will influence how approximately $1 billion is allocated. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Artistic genius of Félix Vallotton

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is currently presenting through Jan. 26 the work of Félix Vallotton, an artist who has been largely neglected relative to his contemporaries, such as Pierre Bonnard and Édouard Vuillard. This makes the present exhibition all the more welcome, and fascinating. Vallotton’s work unquestionably merits the renewed attention — his paintings possess a mysterious quality, narrative appeal, and attention to detail, as well as invoke a delicious sense of irony and wit. [Sam Ben-Meir, PhD]

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International, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USA

SDSU wins plaudits for blocking anti-Semitic speaker

StandWithUs, a national organization combating anti-Semitism on American college campuses, has congratulated San Diego State University for blocking a speaking invitation to Ava Muhammad, who is a spokeswoman for Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Strong opinions surface over Soleimani assassination

Prior to Iran’s retaliation on two Iraqi bases where American troops are stationed, congressional candidate Sara Jacobs denounced the killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani by American forces.  She wrote: “This ill-conceived operation was the culmination of a reckless strategy toward Iran that started with the Trump Administration pulling out of the Iran deal. Of all the hyperbole and questions being thrown around, the only one that needs to be asked is this: is the United States safer for having done this? The answer is clearly no.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

‘Song of Names’: Beautiful music, haunting story

Song of Names is not simply a movie.  It is a work of love and mourning.  The music,  so essential to the drama,  travels through our ears and into our souls.  After the movie opens in San Diego on Jan. 10, I doubt that anyone who views it will fail to be moved by the emotion behind it, however understated it is. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast