PLAY ON! – The Weekend’s Full of Music at ArtSpace
“Play On!” is a month-long celebration of music in the new ArtSpace Falls Church in Pearson Square, 410 South Maple Avenue. Sponsored by Creative Cauldron, the guest artist series shines a spotlight on the vibrant and diverse musical community that exists in the Washington metro area through performances from classical to contemporary, from the Old World to the New World. This weekend features three events:
FRIDAY, January 15, 8 p.m. — Randy and The Barretones. Local bluegrass legend Randy Barrett and his band play an exciting mix of bluegrass, country, swing music and beyond. Randy is a triple-threat standout, top shelf songwriter, award-winning vocalist, and a stellar instrumentalist on guitar and banjo. His rich and soulful baritone has collected several Washington Area Music Awards for Best Male Vocalist in Bluegrass and Traditional Folk as well as Bluegrass Album of the Year for his CD, Lights of Home. Adults $15, Students $10.
SATURDAY, January 16, 2 p.m. — Hui O Ka Pua ‘Ilima, a Polynesian dance troop based in McLean, performs traditional and contemporary songs and dances of Hawai’i and the Polynesian islands of New Zealand and Tahiti. The informative and interactive presentation aims to spread the spirit of aloha and love for the history and culture of Hawai’i and Polynesia through song and dance. Co-directed by Carol ‘Leolani’ Takafuji and her daughter, Vivian “Kuolanani’ Takafuji. Adults $10, Students $8.
SUNDAY, January 17, 2 p.m. — Mpingo Clarinet Quartet Quartet. Mpingo is the Swahili name for the black wood used in making clarinets. The quartet employs use of bass clarinet, basset horn, E flat soprano clarinet, as well as B flat and A soprano clarinets in their varied extensive repertoire. The different timbres of these instruments create a whole different sound in the ensemble. Larry Bocaner, Nancy Genovese, Robert Little, and Christopher Hite, former National Symphony and Military Band Performers, have been playing together for about five years, giving concerts at the Ellipse Art Center in Arlington, Old Town Hall in Fairfax and various northern Virginia venues. Adults $10, Students $5.
By Special to the Falls Church Times
January 12, 2010
One of the Mpingo quartet members, Nancy Genovese, has been a resident of the City of Falls Church since the 1960s. Having heard this group perform several times, I can confirm that they provide a high level of performance quality and entertainment value.