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Museum of Boulder Celebrates Women’s History Month

BOULDER, CO | February 20, 2019 – Throughout March, Americans commemorate Women’s History Month by highlighting women’s vital contributions to our history, culture and society. Throughout the month, the Museum of Boulder will offer educational and engaging programming for community members to learn about the women in our city whose accomplishments and influences are sometimes overlooked and frequently misunderstood. In addition to presentations and a film screening, the Museum will provide hands-on opportunities for community members to change the usual historical narratives to be more inclusive of female voices and stories through a Wikipedia training.

“Through my work at the Museum, I’ve noticed a persistent lack of female representation and an oversimplification of women’s accomplishments in general. By highlighting lesser known stories from Boulder’s past and present, I hope these programs add nuance and detail to our shared history and inspire participants to keep learning about the women who have contributed to Boulder’s unique history,” notes Megan Moriarty, the Museum’s Director of Community Engagement.

The Museum kicks-off Women’s History Month on March 7th, featuring Colorado outdoors women who helped to shape the modern culture of outdoor recreation and how they made Colorado’s outdoor industry—and the outdoors—a more welcoming space for women and families. It continues with the Museum’s unique Inclusipedia project where community members learn how to add and edit Wikipedia pages for women overlooked by this massive open-source reference on March 9th. This training day will conclude with a student and faculty performance of rare and seldom performed musical compositions by female African-American composers at the University of Colorado Boulder’s College of Music.

On March 13th, hear from local triathlete pioneer and former world champion Colleen Cannon about her life’s work to inspire and motivate women to achieve their goals. March 19th brings an interactive presentation about the trailblazing women of the temperance movement, their male allies, and how their progressive movement kept Boulder dry for decades. The final program on March 30th is a film screening of “Pioneers” that  explores the lives of four Colorado women artists who courageously confronted social stigma and prejudice in their pursuit of equal opportunity and artistic expression.

Photo courtesy of the Carnegie Library for Local History / Museum of Boulder Collection.

To learn more about these programs, please visit www.museumofboulder.org/womenshistory.

The Season Finale concert, Classical Evolution!, with harpsichordist Jory Vinikour

Boulder, Denver, Longmont, Colorado—Pro Musica Colorado Chamber Orchestra (PMC) will be ending their concert season with Classical Evolution!, performed in three locations: Friday, February 22, 7:30 pm at First Baptist Church of Denver (1373 Grant St, Denver, CO), Saturday, February 23, 7:30 pm at Mountain View United Methodist Church (355 Ponca Place, Boulder, CO), and Sunday, February 24, 2:00 pm at the Stewart Auditorium – Longmont Museum (400 Quail Road, Longmont, CO).

Classical Evolution! explores the evolution of classical music in this century, and the inspiration from previous eras and multiple cultures, with the use of an instrument choice from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, the harpsichord. World-renowned harpsichordist, Jory Vinikour, joins Pro Music Colorado Chamber Orchestra on this musical journey.

The concert opens with a World Premiere of composer Max Wolpert’s “Baroque in Mirror.”   

“Max Wolpert’s new composition is a wonderful homage to the Baroque Era in general and the folk fiddlers of the time,” says Cynthia Katsarelis, Music Director and Conductor of Pro Music Colorado Chamber Orchestra. “The work starts with a well-crafted, Baroque-sounding fugue that bursts out into an exhilarating fiddle tune! The outer movements honor Scottish and Welsh fiddlers while the middle movement comes closer to home. It is based on the Jewish fiddle music of 18th century by Abraham Caceres.”

Wolpert says ‘It was written in memory and mourning for the victims of the Tree of Life Synagogue massacre, October 27, 2018.’ A portion of the music is labelled “Kaddish” and quotes from that prayer. Music of our time, knitting together music of the past that speaks to the present.”

Also programmed is J.S. Bach’s Harpsichord Concerto in D minor.

“This harpsichord concerto is one of his most popular works. It is also a fantastic example of Bach the Recycler,” says Katsarelis. “Its earliest incarnation was probably a violin concerto. By the 1720’s, all three movements appear in two of his cantatas. Finally, it appears as a keyboard concerto around 1734, probably for a performance with C. P. E. Bach as soloist. While the recycling speaks to the resilience of the music, the original inspiration came from J. S. Bach’s study of Vivaldi’s concertos. The concerto became quite popular in the 19th century. It was performed in Berlin by Felix Mendelssohn’s great aunt, Sara Levy, and later Felix’s sister, Fanny. Johannes Brahms even composed a cadenza for the last movement. It has everything we love about Baroque concertos: propulsive energy, delightful twists and turns, and lovely affects.”

The program closes with Haydn’s Symphony No. 22, the Philosopher.

“We love presenting those early Haydn symphonies; they are filled with delights and interesting twists and turns. Symphony No. 22, in particular, is considered a landmark of symphonic development. Haydn’s thematic invention, harmonic spinning out, and intriguing orchestration inspire and challenge the creative imaginations of later symphonic composers,” says Katsarelis.

The journey through the evolution of music, with use of the harpsichord, requires a musician with depth, which is why Jory Vinikour was approached for this program.

“Jory is an extraordinary musician, the range of his work includes soloing with the Cleveland Orchestra and working with major singers and conductors in Baroque and Classical Opera in Europe and the US,” says Katsarelis. “He was my collaborative pianist when we were undergraduates at Peabody Conservatory; this reunion will be especially joyful.”

Ticket prices for Classical Evolution – 2018-2019 Season: $35 General, $25 Seniors, $5 Students, $55 (supporter ticket). Groups save 15% when you purchase 10 or more Adult tickets for the performance. Tickets are available online at: www.promusicacolorado.org. For more information, or to purchase tickets by phone, call: 720-443-0565.

Classical Evolution!

Friday, February 22, 7:30 pm - First Baptist Church of Denver, 1373 Grant St, Denver, CO 80203

Saturday, February 23. 7:30 pm - Mountain View United Methodist Church, 355 Ponca Place, Boulder, CO 80303

Sunday, February 24, 2:00 pm – Stewart Auditorium – Longmont Museum, 400 Quail Road, Longmont, CO 80501

Jory Vinikour, harpsichord
Max Wolpert, composer

Cynthia Katsarelis, conductor

Program:

Max Wolpert “Baroque in Mirror” - World Premiere!

Johann Sebastian Bach Harpsichord Concerto in D minor, BWV 1052
Franz Joseph Haydn Symphony No. 22, The Philosopher

Note: Programs are subject to change.

About Pro Musica Colorado Chamber Orchestra and Cynthia Katsarelis, Music Director and Conductor

Now in its sixth season, Pro Musica Colorado Chamber Orchestra has many of Colorado’s finest musicians and is committed to impassioned performances of repertoire ranging from the classic to the cutting edge. 

Cynthia Katsarelis has served with the Cincinnati Symphony, Pops and May Festival, the Greensboro (N.C.) Symphony, and has conducted many professional, college, and youth orchestras. She has assisted James Conlon, Keith Lockhart, Erich Kunzel and Michael Christie. Most recently she conducted the Colorado Music Festival’s Young People’s Concerts. Katsarelis is a graduate of the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University, with degrees in both violin and conducting. READ MORE

About Jory Vinikour, harpsichord – Full bio available upon request.

Jory Vinikour is recognized as one of the outstanding harpsichordists of his generation. Born in Chicago, he came to Paris on a Fulbright scholarship to study with Huguette Dreyfus and Kenneth Gilbert. First Prizes in the International Harpsichord Competitions of Warsaw (1993) and the Prague Spring Festival (1994) brought him to the public’s attention, and he has since appeared in festivals and concert series, and as soloist with major orchestras, throughout much of the world. He has appeared as conductor/harpsichordist with the Juilliard415 Baroque orchestra at Carnegie Hall, as well as with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Korea Chamber Orchestra, etc… READ MORE

About Max Wolpert, composer

Fiddler, composer, and storyteller Max Wolpert conjures up monsters and myth where the traditional, classical, and theatrical meet. Drawing from tradition both musical and mythological, Max Wolpert makes music inspired by stories from around the world.  Whether built upon the verve and bounce of an Irish jig, the endearing asymmetry of a Welsh pipe tune, or the drive of a Virginian breakdown, Max's pieces are crafted with taut detail and a flair for the dramatic honed over years as a pit musician, conductor, and orchestrator for theatrical productions… READ MORE

Until recently, International Women’s Day has remained largely in the shadows as a somewhat obscure holiday only recognized in a handful of countries and celebrated in even less. WIth the current political climate, it is no wonder that it has skyrocketed in popularity and become increasingly celebrated both here and abroad. However, in a time of loud protests and marches, it is refreshing to see a local aerial troupe celebrate International Women’s Day using aerial artistry and dance to celebrate the strength and power of women.

In the Wings was officially founded in January 2018 by Fallon Voorheis-Mathews. After dancing, choreographing, and teaching in another aerial company for many years, Voorheis-Mathews took up the challenge of creating her own company. Her troupe slowly came together over several months as she recruited six dedicated and very talented women all of whom she had danced with before in other companies and shows. The fact that all of the dancers are female is merely a happy coincidence.

As an all female aerial dance troupe it is only fitting that they scheduled their first official show celebrating women on International Women’s Day. The show is titled Divine: A Celebration of Women and focuses not only on the power and courage of women, but the challenges they face as well.

“I’ve always considered myself a feminist,” Voorheis-Mathews explained. “I work in professions that are dominated by females, but even so, I still feel that males have an edge. I wanted to focus on how we can continue to overcome and break through that proverbial glass ceiling. I feel that if we share our stories and experiences through dance and the arts we are able to better connect with the people around us and just maybe help people form a new understanding of what it is to be a woman.”

Voorheis-Mathews went on to explain that this show has become a platform for the dancers to process their own past traumas and the negative experiences of women they are close to. Company dancer Cecilia Potter Whyel choreographed a touching piece inspired by her mother who was deported from her native Philippines for being a devoted activist. Other company members dive into the sobering and dark experiences that relate to the #metoo movement.

One of Voorheis-Mathews favorite pieces that she choreographed and dances in focuses on female sensuality. She created this particular piece because she has always “struggled with owning my sexuality and sensuality.” Growing up in a religious household where you are told sensuality is bad and wrong had a profound negative affect on her. She created this piece as a way to try and let that go and understand that sensuality is a beautiful and powerful thing.

Not only does this show touch on the struggles of women, it also highlights the fun and empowerment of being a woman as well with a number of pieces. One piece is a fun interpretation of the “Cell Block Tango” from the musical Chicago. The show ends with an empowering piece set to Beyonce’s “Run the World”. Adding another fun and inclusive layer into the show, the host of the night is the local, well-known drag performer Alice Glamoure. Who better to help celebrate women than a fabulous drag queen? Overall, it is a well rounded show that expounds upon the struggles and joy of all women and definitely worth going to see on this upcoming International Women’s Day

You can see the show on March 8th and March 9th at 7:30 PM at the Boulder Circus Center. Reserved seating is available on Eventbrite. They are offering a ladies’ night out package with a discount on 4 tickets. 

Get Tickets Here