The Orlando Concert Band.

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I sketched a rehearsal of the Orlando Concert Band at Saint Luke’s Lutheran Church (2021 West SR 426 Oviedo FL.) Pam Schwartz and I arrived just as the band began to play the Star Spangled Banner. Everyone in the audience was standing so we stood in the back row waiting to scope out a seat. The concert celebrated the music of John Williams and even the Star Spangled Banner was arranged by him. After the usual musical refrain you would hear at a football game the arrangement then expanded as if scoring an important scene in a movie.

The Music Director, Jon Territo, clearly loves the John Willams musical scores and the evening highlighted music from films such as Jurassic Park, Jaws, 1941, Saving Private Ryan, Schindler’s List, Catch Me if You Can, Superman and Star Wars. Between arrangements the conductor spoke to the audience about each piece. This was a working rehearsal although the audience was packed. On occasion the music stopped so that a passage could be reworked. The evening was an eclectic mix of scores that have become iconic over the years to scores that supported the drama of less known films.

The Orlando Concert Band was founded in 1989. If is composed of both professional and amateur musicians. The band’s mission is to celebrate and preserve America’s musical heritage through professional level performances of music for concert band, including major symphonic works and a wide variety of traditional contemporary and popular selections.

Mark Your Calendar

The remaining concert this season include:

Saturday February 17, 2018 at 6 PM. UCF Symphony Orchestra. Rising Star a Local Legend – Chung Park Director with guest composer Stella Young.

Sunday March 18, 2018 at 3 PM.  Lutheran Cantata Choir and Chamber Ensamble. A Voice from Heaven – Claire Hodge, Director. Reception for the audience after the concert.

Saturday April 14, 2018 at 7 PM. Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra. Mozart and Dvorak – Benjamin Hochman, Pianist and guest Conductor.

Free admission to all concerts. For more information.

The Chinese New Year Dragon Parade.

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Orlando will celebrate the Year of the Dog on February 25, 2018. The 2018 Dragon Parade is a celebration of Unity, Harmony and Diversity. It starts at the corner of North Thornton Ave and Oregon Street and will end at North Thornton Avenue and Colonial Drive. The Year of the Dog marks the 7th annual Central Florida
Dragon Parade Lunar New Year Festival held in Orlando, Florida. This
event has received overwhelming response from local and distant
communities alike.

I love getting to the parade start early to sketch the parade before it gets started. Dragon handlers practice bringing the dragon to life, and once the parade starts, the dragons weave and slither side to side. Everyone wears bright vibrant colored clothing. As the parade marched off, I was still struggling to get down all the colors on the sketch.

The parade will be followed by five hours of the
Lunar New Year Festival that will take place at 728 North Thornton Ave., Orlando,
FL 32803. The Lunar New Year Festival will feature Asian entertainment
including Dragon dancing, Lion Dancing, cultural dances, martial arts,
taiko drummers, arts and crafts and Asian food. In 2017, over 8,500
patrons attended the event.

History in a Glass: The Grand Finale.

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The Orange County Regional History Center (65 E Central Blvd, Orlando, FL 32801) hosted three previous History in a Glass competitions.  At the final installment of the 2017 History in a Glass series, the winners from the previous competitions competed for bragging rights by creating one-of-a-kind libations. The drink recipes were inspired by the theme of “The City Beautiful.” Guests learned how Orlando chose our nickname as they enjoy great food and music, plus three hand-crafted cocktails.

Pom Poms Teahouse and Sandwicheria (67 N Bumby Ave, Orlando, FL 32803) catered the event and the food disappeared in an instant. The caterer returned to their restaurant and made a second batch of sandwiches to the sold out crowd. A hand crafted trophy was created by the History Center art department. The trophy consisted of a model of the lake Eola Fountain with a swan perched on top. Above the swan, was a pig and a bottle of whisky. The entire tower was painted gold. Each item referred to the stories told in past History in a glass competitions. The swan was based on Billy the swan who murdered his mate. The pig was from “Hog Wild” which told the story of how Winter Park had to pass an ordinance banning wild hogs from it’s streets. A similar ordinance was passed last year banning artists from the streets of Winter Park. The whisky bottle referenced the story of the murder in the San Juan Hotel in which a man a man was given a bottle of whisky which was then offered to the woman he was trying to impress that evening. She died after one sip.

The History Center Chief Curator, Pam Schwartz entertained the crowd by explaining how Orlando became “The City Beautiful. Once referred to as Mosquito County, the Central Florida region was considered a nightmarish place my many of the early explorers who couldn’t stand the bugs and insane heat. They denouncing the region as a “hideous,” “loathsome,” “diabolical,” “God-abandoned” mosquito refuge.

In 1908, an Orlando beautification drive inspired city leaders to find a
more suitable name than “The Phenomenal City.” Residents planted trees
and shrubs, and a contest was announced to find a new nickname. A number
of candidates were submitted, including “the Queen City,” “the Magic
City,” “the Picturesque City,” and “the Health City.” But Jessie Johnson Branch, formerly from South Dakota, won the prize
with “the City Beautiful.” The new name sparked a wave of interest in
beautification that soon made the Orlando an even more fitting setting
for its name.

With an event like this I always hope to sketch the winner. I sketched Dan Lynch in his baseball cap and bib overalls, and he did indeed win the coveted trophy for his delicious “City Beautiful” cocktail. 

The Uke Jammers in the West Wing.

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I joined a bus load of Orlando Arts advocated on a trip to Tallahassee to convince legislators to stop cutting funding for the arts. The top floor of the capitol complex had windows overlooking the Tallahassee skyline in all directions. Groups of advocates went office to office to meet with legislators. Around lunch time there was a meeting on the top floor to discuss how arts funds might be allocated in the following year.

In the West wing, the Uke Jammers set up on folding chairs and began to perform. It was a lively informal jam session meant to show that arts are still alive in Florida.  It was a visual reminder that arts, arts education, and culture
are part of the solution and matter to Floridians and tourists. It was also a toe tapping good time.

There is going to be an Arts and Culture Day in Tallahassee on January 24, 2018. State appropriation investments were fully restored in 2014-2015 for all Division of Cultural Affairs (DCA) grants; however, Florida’s
investment in the DCA grants’ programs have been reduced over the
last three years as the demand for them has increased.  Art Advocates must work collaboratively and strategically to restore state-appropriation investments needed to fund  matching grants. They also must  demonstrate that these are wise state investments with
substantial economic and social impact throughout the region and
state. It is an opportunity for you to go the state Capitol to unite with arts,
arts education, and culture advocates from throughout Florida to step up and share our unified voices in Tallahassee with our legislators and their staff. It is a fascinating process and your voice could make a difference. 

Noor Salman Federal Court hearing.

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Noor Salman, the wife of Omar Mateen, the Pulse Nightclub shooter was in Federal Court in Orlando on Thursday for a pre-trial hearing. Federal prosecutors say that she knew that her husband was going to attack Pulse on the evening of June 12, 2016. This hearing was set to decide which evidence could be allowed in the court case which should begin March 1, 2018. The hearing was set to  decide what evidence jurors could see or not see at the trial.

The defense wants to include testimony from a man nicknamed Nemo who is a friend of Omar’s, and he was used as an alibi when Omar was cheating on his wife. Salman told the FBI that her husband went to have dinner with Nemo on the night of the attack. Prosecutors argue that Noor came up with the Nemo story. She send a text to her husband on the night of the attack, saying, “If ur mom calls, say Nemo invited you out and Noor wants to stay home.” Was this a cover story, or was it a statement based on what she believed to be true? Nemo plans to plead the 5th amendment id asked to take the stand.

Dr. Bruce Frumkin a forensic clinical psychologist from Miami who specializes in Miranda rights and false confessions made statement to the effect that Salman was intellectually impaired. The prosecutors feel that she is in no way impaired and that statements she made on the evening of June 12 are accurate and incriminating. The doctor will be allowed to testify in March.

The defense had no objections  to evidence of the purchase of a rifle and ammunition at Walmart, or the purchase of airplane tickets and a $7000 diamond ring for Noor. She was signed up for Women, Infants, and
Children (WIC)  a special supplemental nutrition program for low income families that provides Federal grants to States for supplemental foods,
health care referrals, and nutrition education for low-income women. The defense argued that showing that Noor benefited from the horrific Pulse Nightclub attack would anger the jury. The judge countered that in arson cases, there are certain red flags such as the purchase of life insurance. Mateen might have made these large purchases knowing he would not be around to pay off the maxed out credit card. Mateen and Salman’s bank account records will be allowed in court.

The defense wanted to exclude video that showed the couple and their child driving to Disney Springs which is alleged to have been a possible target for the attack. The 6 minute video was shown but only lawyers and the judge could see the screens. The video also showed the couple going to a mosque that evening. The prosecutors were concerned that the child was kept up so late. Defense attorney Swift argued that they obviously aren’t familiar with Ramadan, were worshipers fast all day and then stay up late eating and gathering together. “This is not a case against Islam” judge Byron stated. I found it interesting that the defense has a new attorney who wears a hijab which is a veil worn by some Muslim women in the presence of adult males outside of their immediate family. This is a visual clue that made it seem like Noors’ religion is under attack. The judge stated that a church is just a church and the evidence would be allowed.

The defense argued that all the video shot inside the nightclub on the night of the attack was prejudicial and should not be allowed. There is so much police video footage, that it seems redundant to show it all. He said that no one denies that what happened that night was horrible, but that evidence should be limited to what Salman did to aid and abet that attack. “Lets have Ms. Salman’s trial not Omar Mateens’.” said her attorney Charles Swift.

The defense also wanted photos of the couple smiling at a gun range removed as evidence, arguing that it was inflammatory. The judge however said that he has photos of himself at a gun range and that such photos are common. If a juror were upset by a photo of someone smiling at a gun range, they would be weeded out in the jury selection process.

On the evening of the attack, Omar brought a hand gun from his security job to the club. This was a violation of his security company job. That gun was left in the van on the night of the attack. Noor Slamans’ gun range membership card will also be allowed to be shown in the March trial.

Salman has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, she could face life in prison. 

Driving Miss Daisy at Saint Lukes Methodist Church.

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Driving Miss Daisy is a warm hearted,
humorous and affecting study of the unlikely relationship between an
aging, crotchety white Southern lady, and a proud, soft-spoken black
man. A long-run Off-Broadway success and an Academy Award-winning film. It is the Winner of the 1988 Pulitzer Prize and the
Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway Play. I went to a dress rehearsal at the Theater at St. Luke’s (4851 S. Apopka-Vineland Road, Orlando, Florida 32819.)

The
place is the Deep South, the time 1948, just prior to the civil rights
movement. Having recently demolished another car, Daisy Werthan, (Elizabeth Murff) a rich,
sharp-tongued Jewish widow of seventy-two, is informed by her son,
Boolie, (Chad Lewis) that henceforth she must rely on the services of a chauffeur.
The person he hires for the job is a thoughtful, unemployed black man,
Hoke, (Michael Mormon) whom Miss Daisy immediately regards with disdain and who, in turn,
is not impressed with his employer’s patronizing tone and, he believes,
her latent prejudice. 

But, in a series of absorbing scenes spanning
twenty-five years, the two, despite their mutual differences, grow ever
closer to, and more dependent on, each
other. Slowly and
steadily the dignified, good-natured Hoke breaks down the stern defenses
of the ornery old lady, as she teaches him to read and write and, in a
gesture of good will and shared concern, invites him to join her at a
banquet in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. 

As the play ends Hoke has a
final visit with Miss Daisy, now ninety-seven and confined to a nursing
home, and while it is evident that a vestige of her fierce independence
and sense of position still remain, it is also movingly clear that they
have both come to realize they have more in common than they ever
believed possible—and that times and circumstances would ever allow them
to publicly admit. The chemistry between the veteran actors, was natural and charismatic. I had seen these actors play the same parts back in 2010 and they have grown into the roles over the years.

Tickets ($15) are available.

Performances are at 7PM at Saint Luke’s Building C Founder’s Hall.

Remaining show dates:

2:30 PM Saturday January 20, 2018

7 PM Saturday January 20, 2018

2:30 PM Sunday January 21, 2018

Weekend Top 6 Picks for January 20th and 21st.

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Saturday January 20, 2018

6 AM to 1 PM. Free. Parramore Farmers Market. The east side of the Orlando City Stadium, across from City View. Purchase quality, fresh and healthy food grown in your own
neighborhood by local farmers, including Fleet Farming, Growing Orlando,
and other community growers.

Noon to 4 PM. Free. Winter Music Series. Lakeridge Winery and Vineyards 19239 US 27 North, Clermont, Florida 34715. Each Saturday afternoon during the month of January, Lakeridge Winery
holds its famous Music Series, featuring live music on the outdoor
stage, and inside at our Wine & Cheese Bar upstairs in the winery.
The musicians selected are all fantastic performers, hand-picked from
the wealth of talent located throughout Central Florida. Lakeridge wine,
beer, soft drinks and a variety of food is available for purchase,
along with complimentary Winery tours and tasting.

BAND SCHEDULE:

OUTDOOR STAGE

Jan 20, 2018 NOON – 4pm Shawline

Jan 27, 2018 NOON – 4pm Mike Quick Band

WINE & CHEESE BAR

Jan 20, 2018 NOON – 4pm Bobby Blackmon

Jan 27, 2018 NOON – 4pm Jeff Whitfield

2:30 PM and 7 PM. $15. Driving Miss Daisy. Theater at St. Luke’s (4851 S. Apopka-Vineland Road, Orlando, Florida 32819.) A
warm-hearted, humorous and affecting study of the unlikely relationship
between an aging, crotchety white Southern lady, and a proud,
soft-spoken black man.

Sunday January 21, 2018

10 AM to Noon. Free. Heartfulness Relaxation and Meditation Class. University, 5200 Vineland Rd, Orlando, FL 32811. The Method of Heartfulness. A simple and practical way to experience the heart’s unlimited resources.

Noon to 3 PM. Donation based.  Music at the Casa. Jazz Sax and Guitar Matt Festa. Casa Feliz Historic Home Museum, 656 N Park Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789. Members of the public are invited to visit our historic home museum to listen to live music and take a tour
of our historic home museum and the James Gamble Rogers II Studio by
trained docents.

2:30 PM $15. Driving Miss Daisy. Theater at St. Luke’s (4851 S. Apopka-Vineland Road, Orlando, Florida 32819.) A
warm-hearted, humorous and affecting study of the unlikely relationship
between an aging, crotchety white Southern lady, and a proud,
soft-spoken black man.

Orlando Story Club Concluded Its Season With “Best Of 2017.”

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Orlando Story Club is held quarterly at The Abbey, 100 South Eola Drive, Orlando, FL 32801. The December 2017 edition of Orlando Story Club featured the  2017 winners who shared their best personal narratives in hopes of being crowned the
best storyteller of the year. All qualifying storytellers are given the
opportunity to put their name in a hat, and chosen individuals are
selected randomly to share their stories for the enjoyment of the local
community. The December event theme was “Best Day Ever” and the
benefiting organization was ArtReach Orlando.

All
storytellers who placed in the top three during one of the 2017 events were invited to compete in the finale. Three randomly selected judges
scored the storytellers. First, Second, and Third place winners
received a prize. Drinks, refreshments
and laughter were available in abundance. Each event throughout the year had
a different theme and all proceeds raised support different Orlando
philanthropic causes.

Jack Graham told a story of a road trip to see the total eclipse of the sun. The eclipse totality could be seen in a 500 mile wide stripe that ran cross the united states. It crossed over Charleston South Carolina which is where I went to see the once in a lifetime event. Jacks road trip was filled with laugh out loud suspense and a rouge police radar tracking device. Clouds threatened to hid the sun but at the last moment the clouds parted to allow for a clear view. The world grew dark and the birds became silent and creatures of the night began their songs. The real magic of it all however was sharing the experience with friends.

Jesse James story of “The Impossible Dream” garnered a higher score from the judges. He spoke of his longing to start a family but realizing that he could not father a child. He met a woman who shared his dream and together they started the long arduous process of adopting a child. When he spoke of his trip to Korea to finally pick up the child his voice choked up as he recalled the incredible moment when he saw his daughter for the first time. Hearing such inspiring stories is what Story Club is all about.

Janessa Gursky explained the focus of the December charity partner which was ArtReach Orlando, which promotes
creativity and art projects that in return develop a positive platform
and chance for self-expression for children in underprivileged areas of
Orange County. The grant program, ArtReach Orlando Artist-in-Residence,
supplies teachers with additional content and learning material that
fosters comprehension among children, while encouraging and supporting the
teachers and students involved. The organization aims to empower its
participants and children as it maintains a focus of improving youth’s
self-esteem, self of being and belonging in the community. These lofty goals are the reason I tend to sketch each and every day.

Here is the schedule for 2018:
January 17: This is Orlando – benefiting Zebra Coalition
April 4: Make My Day – benefiting Summer of Dreams
May: Fringe TBD
July 18: What a Mess! – benefiting Pet Alliance
Oct 10: Down to the Wire – benefiting Homeless Coalition
2018 Championship Dec 12: My Favorite Things – benefiting ArtReach Orlando

Nakatani Gong Orchestra.

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The Inbetween Series at The Gallery at Avalon Island (39 S Magnolia Ave, Orlando, Florida 32801) features experimental music Inbetween he times that shows are hung in the gallery. An art exhibit titled Atelier was hung and ready for the November 20th opening, the show featured the works of Edson Campos and Kathleen Brodeur. The nude paintings added a pinch of creative class to the evening.

Earlier in the day, Tatsuya Nakatani had offered a gong workshop for fourteen Central Florida celestial, sonic jockeys. Using bows mallets the performers became a gong orchestra. Artist Lesley Silvia was one of the workshop attendees. She had never performed with a gong in her life, yet she seemed to blend seamlessly into the Gong blend.

Tatsuya began the evening with a solo performance. In his pre-show chat with the audience, he confided that being a gong virtuoso isn’t exactly a lucrative wasy to make a living. He used multiple gongs and a small drum set in his orchestrated piece.  I sketched him in several of his signature poses as he performed. At one point gongs crashed to the ground and it was all part of the creative din.

Sketching Blackrock with Elite Students.

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On the final class of my Urban Sketch course with my Elite Animation Academy students, I tend to bring them to Blackrock Bar and Grill, a restaurant that recently opened in Windermere (8965 Conroy Windermere Rd, Orlando, FL 32819.) I order an appetizer to share with the students. At Blackrock, your choice of meat or seafood arrives seared and sizzling, sitting atop
a square, inch-thick piece of volcanic granite, heated to 755 degrees.
Your server demonstrates the process of slicing, cooking, and time
needed – as quickly as a minute – before reaching your preferred
doneness.

On Sunday afternoon when we went to sketch, the bar was active with sports fans. It was too early for the dinner crowd, so we didn’t get to experience the sizzling rocks being delivered to tables. The point of this exercise was to focus on one point perspective. I showed every student this sketch in the early stages with the one point out by the far window which is the brightest light in the sketch.  I ordered a pretzel and cheese fondue appetizer for $9.99. Cheese and caffeine are fine fuel to do a quick sketch. I had a real talent in this class. The young girl seated in front to f me was doing stellar pencil line work. Her sketches were brilliant and it would have been nice to push her even further, exploring color and mass.I just hope she keeps doing a sketch each and every day which was my main mantra throughout the 10 classes.

This month I will be teaching Urban Sketch principals to adults for the first time at Crealde School of Art (600 St Andrews Blvd, Winter Park, FL 32792) on Sundays. I am excited to get the opportunity to share my experience with artists who are already well into their artistic journey. I did one workshop at Crealde and had a blast teaching. The Crealde classes start on Sunday January 28th. Contact Crealde if you want to join us. Classes will start in the classroom with a clothed model and then expand outside the studio so that we explore the community with our sketchbooks. The Urban Sketching: Tips and Techniques class starts at 9:30 PM until 12:30 PM each Sunday. Time to crack open those sketchbooks.