TeenTix Blog

The Henry Art Gallery didn't need our help getting down with the youth - the Henry's been free for students forever. But the Henry still wanted to do something special for you guys, so they said: "Hey, bring your friends!" Teen Tix members can bring a guest of any age and get them in for five bucks ALL DAY, EVERY DAY that the Henry is open. How happy would your mom be if you told her you want to take her to a museum this weekend? Very happy. Go see this stuff:Vortexhibition PolyphonicaThe Henry is experimenting with a new way of exhibiting work in this fluid, constantly shifting exhibit: "Henry curators will select distinctive objects to act as conceptual 'hubs.' These anchoring works will establish topics around which a constellation of other objects will orbit." It's eclectic, weird, and unusual, but don't call it random.The Gift ShopOh, it's so much more than a gift shop. “The Henry museum shop has been in deep hibernation since last year, an inaccessible space of institutional dreaming, a snoring lacuna in the museum’s lobby—but not for much longer. Beginning the last week in August this project will turn up the temperature, transforming the shop into a hot house, a catalyst, an incubator for Northwest artists. Exhibitions will fall like dominoes: a cascading cavalcade of adventurous, collaborative, celebratory artistic energy. How do artists work together? What can an art exhibition do? What is an audience? Who are you? What can we learn from each other? I hope you’ll join us.” -Matthew OffenbacherRobert Mapplethorpe PolaroidsBefore Robert Mapplethorpe was Robert Mapplethorpe, he took some polaroids of his friends. These are the pictures that, if he took them today, might have ended up on facebook. Instead, they sat in boxes for years until they were found and brought to light and hung on the walls of the Henry. Go look at them.The Henry Art Gallery11:00-9:00 Thursday, Friday11:00-4:00 Saturday, SundayClosed Monday, Tuesday, Wednesdayhenryartgallery.org

Tomorrow night, Isabella Rossellini will stand on the stage at Benaroya Hall and talk about something. We really have no idea what, and we really don't care. We would stand in line to hear her read from the phone book. Probably, she'll talk about her long, thrilling, strange career ("People always say to me that I do such strange films, but it's not that I'm looking for something so different necessarily, it's simply that I meet a person who strikes me as intelligent and interesting and I want to take a trip into their brain") as an actress, model, writer, and generally astonishingly creative person. Or she'll talk about being the daughter of legendary actress Ingrid Bergman and film pioneer Roberto Rossellini. Or she'll talk about being married to Martin Scorcese and then engaged to David Lynch. Or she'll talk about being a dedicated trainer of Labrador puppies for the blind, or the fact that she is, at the age of 57, enrolled as an undergrad at NYU. She might talk about any of those things. Probably, she'll talk about being celebrated filmmaker Guy Maddin's "muse", and about her fantastically odd Sundance channel series about the reproductive habits of bugs and sea creatures, Green Porno. We mentioned in the newsletter that there might not be Teen Tix tickets for this, but (happily) we were wrong. There should be plenty. So go. Go! Just go."As a storyteller, Isabella is at once an awestruck little girl and a regal beauty with a hair-trigger laugh and a taste for the Grand Guignol. She is frank, practical, perceptive, refreshingly morbid and always surprising.” —Guy MaddinIsabella RosselliniWednesday, November 18th @ 7:30Seattle Arts & Lectures @ Benaroya Hallmore info

The library posted this awesome video from Shorecrest High School on their blog, and I found it impossible not to repost:Thank you, Shorecrest people, for filling my heart with joy on this dreary Monday. Were you perhaps inspired by this also wonderful video made by some students at the Université du Québec?Yes, I am trying to inspire a inter-high school lipdub battle. Send us your videos! We'll totally post them!

Review of Carmina Burana, an evening of Mendelssohn, Bohr, and Orff at Seattle Symphony by Tavis H.

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Felix Mendelssohns Overture to Die Heimkehr aus der Fremde (The Son and Stranger):

A brief, merry piece, Mendelssohn’s Overture serves as a refreshing aperitif to whet the listener’s appetite. Written for his parent’s anniversary when he was twenty, Mendelssohn’s Overture is the first piece in his repertoire to demonstrate his potent command of composition. Light, springy, and strings oriented, the piece flows in a manner reminiscent of a sunny spring day spent frolicking through grassy, floral foothills or perhaps a leisurely sail on a warm blustery day.

Bohr’s Violin Concerto No. 8:

Ludwig Bohr’s Violin Concerto is definitely contrasts the joyful flowing nature of Mendelssohn. The piece isn’t necessarily tragic or foreboding, but rather is husky and serious. The guest Maria Larionoff gives an appropriate performance given the nature of the piece. Reserved and defiant of all exhibitionism, her performance naturally absorbs the subliminal tones of the piece and avoids succumbing to the exploitation of ducking, twisting, and sawing during moments of intensity and passion; a habit often misused by soloists.

With the violin perceived as an individual and the orchestra his thoughts and memories, a literal likening to the piece might remind one of a young man’s banishment, and his being ferried across a foggy river to land outside the city limits. As he drifts away he watches his friends and family disappear from the cloudy shore. This causes him to reflect upon the good times he shared with them, and then lament’s that he will never see them again. However, as he nears the bank he embraces the adventurous uncertainty and speculative prosperity of his life yet to come. Upon his landing he let the manifestation of optimistic bravado lead him to a possibly lighter future.

Orff’s Carmina Burana:

The Carmina Burana was the first symphonic event that I had ever attended in my history of patronizing Seattle Symphony. In 2006 it blew me away, and once again it did not fail to utterly captivate my soul. I could go on an explicit tirade pertaining to the deep sense of arousal that I am given by the piece; alas I wouldn’t be able to publish this review if I were to do so. To put it briefly and simply, the Carmina Burana is Tonal Erotica.

Based on a tome of 13th century Middle High German, Old French, and Latin poetry, the epic nature of the lyrics bore in the mind the glorified fantasy of the medieval age and combines it with the musical grandeur of late Romantic Movement. However, there are two flaws with the production, and both lie in the performances of the two soloists, soprano Terri Richter and tenor/baritone Paul Karatis.

Although Ms. Richter had moments of great power, she ultimately had too young a voice. Bright, choppy, and often shrill, her few moments of solo was unfortunately strained. On the other hand, Paul Karatis did not have technical difficulties rather than acoustic misfortunes. He suffered from two problems, the first was his projection. He was an intense and sincere performer, but I was sitting front and center and still found it difficult to hear him well. The other issue that troubled his deliverance was a nick in his throat that, sadly enough, led to a scratchy sound throughout the performance. By no means should Karatis be blamed for this situation, but it did impede his solidity.

It could be said that singling out an individuals performance is much easier than singling out an ensembles, but matter still lies that these few flaws mildly detracted from the performance.

Ultimately, I highly suggest seeing the Carmina Burana. From the beginning to the end it rocks the proverbial socks and not for one second will it disappoint.

- Tavis H.

Carmina Burana is closedNext up at the symphony: Tchaikovsky's Pathetique Symphony, Nov. 19 - 22more info

"I've licked a few things there...and I want to tell you, the Vermeers taste terrible"The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30cThomas Campbellwww.colbertnation.comColbert Report Full EpisodesPolitical HumorU.S. SpeedskatingStephen Colbert grills Metropolitan Museum of Art director Thomas Campbell on the point of art. Conclusion: "If they like it, they should lick it."

Review of youssou n'dour: i bring what i love by Molly LIt seems to me that many Americans are uninformed about what it means to be Muslim. In my World History class, we’re learning about the beginnings of Islam, but watching historical documentaries and reading text books can’t tell you everything. When I saw the film, i bring what i love, I was expecting a story about the making of Senegalese pop star Youssou N’dour’s album Egypt. What I got instead was an insight into what it really means to be a Muslim today. Youssou has always included messages about social justice in his music, but Egypt is the only one of his albums about his faith. Usually, people don’t associate Islam and music, but they are both huge parts of Youssou’s life and he couldn’t have on without the other. That’s why he chose to make Egypt, bringing together two things that he loves. He believes in moving forward, to a “New Africa,” and this is one step in bringing about change, exposing his faith to the world. Youssou says that the West needs to learn that “Africa is not just about poverty.” He is looking towards advancing and says that “the diversity… [of Africa] is not an obstacle, but a richness.”This film documents some of the diverse cultures of Africa and gives the viewer a picture of being a Muslim in Africa. Youssou, along with hundreds of men, women, and children gather together on the day of the Tabaski, facing the city of Mecca. They kneel together, pressing their foreheads to the rugs under them in unified reverence of Allah. Then they rise, although not at all at once. When everyone is standing wearing their finest bright clothes, the prayer begins again, foreheads to the ground. Such a spectacle is incredible, the unity of the group and their common purpose. Festivals such as Ramadan and the Tabaski, commemorating the Prophet Abraham’s sacrifice to God, are very important to Muslims everywhere. Even on tour, Youssou and his band use a compass to find the direction of Mecca so they can say their prayers in that direction five times a day. Egypt, which contains songs about the prophets of Sufi (a branch of Islam), was not welcomed in Youssou’s home country of Senegal because of the religious content. In fact, many vendors refused to sell it because of the controversy surrounding it. They thought it was improper for Youssou to sing about Muslim subjects and about God for other people. Elsewhere, it was widely welcomed because of its insight into Islam, and its haunting traditional melodies. The film has so many qualities: beautiful music, insight into a very private religion, and it perfectly accomplishes what Youssou had intended to do, share his faith with people around the world. - Molly L.November 10th, 2009youssou n'dour: i bring what i loveNovember 13th & 14thSIFF Cinema

Well, this is exciting news. We made the Stranger's short list for this year's Genius Awards in the Organization category. I think the best way to describe our general mood would be, just, y'know, ECSTATIC. The profile (posted in full below) sites the fact that, by the end of 2009, Teen Tix will have facilitated the sale of over 12,500 teen tickets to the arts. So we just want to point out that it's YOU Teen Tixers, not us, who really deserve the credit. It's you - who've told your friends, who've served on our steering committee, who've written reviews, who've talked your favorite venues into joining, and who've seen tons of art over the last five years - who've made Teen Tix a success. You've proven that teenagers can be curious, engaged, invested, and discerning arts-goers, just like everybody else. You've plunged your flag into Seattle's arts community and said "we're here too!" And you've been heard. Congratulations. And we would be remiss if we didn't take a minute to thank our incredible participating organizations without whom there would be no Teen Tix. It's important to remember how lucky we are. Not that many cities in the U.S. - heck, in the world - have such a large active community of young arts-goers and an arts community that is truly committed to welcoming them. In fact, hardly anybody does. Seattle is special. Our participating organizations make it special, and we love them. Here's the text of our Genius profile. There is a party on Friday, but (oh, the humanity!) it's 21 and over. Sorry friends. We'd love it if any ex-Teen Tixers (or Teen Tix supporters) who are now of legal age wanted to come and celebrate with us. Here's the info. And here's that profile:"As the subscription generation fades into history, arts organizations have scrambled to find new, young audiences. Enter Teen Tix, Seattle's leading force for getting young butts into theater seats and museum halls, which lives in a little office in a musty corner of the Seattle Center House. Over the past five years, Teen Tix has cajoled local arts institutions into selling its members (13- to 19-year-olds) $5 tickets. Smart institutions, like Pacific Northwest Ballet, jumped at the opportunity. Less smart institutions dragged their feet. But Teen Tix persevered, and its members now have access to over 30 theaters, museums, etc. around the city: On the Boards, Seattle Art Museum, the Vera Project, Seattle Arts & Lectures, Northwest Film Forum, and so on. By the end of 2009, Teen Tix will have facilitated the sale of over 12,500 tickets (2,500 a year) to teenagers. In its most recent survey, 70 percent of Teen Tix members said they now attend the arts "more frequently" or "a lot more frequently" than they did before joining. If Seattle culture has a future, Teen Tix is at its heart. (Full disclosure: I sometimes teach a critical-writing class for Teen Tix members. But the organization's achievements far predate—and have nothing to do with—my involvement.) BRENDAN KILEY"We'll get back to work now. Thanks Genius committee! You made our year.

Review of Opus at Seattle Repertory Theatre by Lauren W.

The first sound in Michael Hollinger’s play, Opus, is the sound of strings tuning—a preparatory, evocative sound, a sound that readies an audience for a relaxing evening at the orchestra. And part of that is true. Opus is a musical work indeed. The set includes mere music stands, chairs, and wood backdrops embossed with music. The play takes poetic interludes for its characters to rhapsodize about music together in separate spotlights, speaking a monologue in four parts as if it were a piece they were playing. The play is full of these lyrical moments, where realism is suspended for an underscore.

Photo by Chris BennionBut that’s only part of it. The lyrical gives way to the colloquial. At the end of a beautiful piece of music, we see the quartet explode in quarrels and nitpicking that the audience never gets to see during their night at the philharmonic. It’s an interesting take, and one that any artist will identify. That painting, that dance routine, that scene may seem moving and effortless. But the audience doesn’t see the dark underbelly, the hours of frustration and ugliness that go into creating something lasting and beautiful. I commend Hollinger for taking on such an intriguing and untapped subject for his play.

The plot is centered around a string quartet full of interesting characters. They have recently lost a member, and the play commences when they hire a woman replacement for him. But the former member’s genius presence hangs over the characters like a ghost, and the play goes on to show how interpersonal dynamics can affect the art that a group can create.

The play lacks a protagonist, and this might prove troubling to some. Hollinger likely intended the quartet itself to be the protagonist; the audience does not root for particular players but for the group’s welfare as a whole. This ploy might have come off better if the group seemed more cohesive. The group seemed to take a while to gain its footing, as if the actors were warming up like they would with an instrument. Each individual actor portrayed his or her character well—especially Allen Fitzpatrick, who was able to infuse energy and believability into the over-the-top Elliot.

The events of the play are the stuff of real life: awkward silences, broken relationships, bickering, small personal tragedies. Don’t go to Opus if you’re looking to get caught up in a great human drama. It’s there, but that’s not what the show is about. It’s about music. It’s about how messy, petty humans can come together to make something great, and how little audiences tend to think of that when they go to see a show. Even though the play’s Elliot is an antagonist, all he wants to do is to “create an opus: something worthy of posterity.” Opus is a fascinating exploration of everyday artists.- Lauren W.November 4th, 2009OpusSeattle Repertory TheatreThrough December 6th

Late, but still great. Our very own Emma K (teen reviewer, Book-It intern, and current YCW student) discusses Book-It's Emma:You still have time to catch Emma! It runs through November 22nd at Book-It Repertory Theatre.

...but this facebook group has a point. Harry Potter does look uncannily like the young Dmitri Shostakovich. See? Russian composer British wizardI noticed it the other day when I was searching for a photo of Shostakovich for this great piece by Tavis on last weekend's Russian program at the Symphony.From the facebook page of the group "Shostakovich: even emo-er Harry Potter?":"Everyone (yeah you) knows and loves the emo string quartets, emo piano music, emo symphonies, emo concerti, emo operas, and generally bitter sarcastic emoness of Dmitri Shostakovich. He died in 1975.Fast forward now to the 21st century. Harry Potter bursts on the scene, sporting the exact same glasses.How?"I don't know, but I do know that these kids love them some Shostakovich, and that makes them our kind of nerds.

Thursday night, the Pacific Northwest Ballet unveiled Director’s Choice, a collection of four smaller ballets and works. PNB Artistic Director Peter Boal has striven recently to encourage modern and new ballets, and he remains true to this goal in Director’s Choice. All of the four works presented premiered after 1990—one, The Seasons, enjoys its world premiere here. Each ballet is its own creation, and are powerful statements in their own right. Presented together, they reveal the PNB’s commitment to presenting a variety of fascinating new works. Pacific Northwest Ballet company dancers in Jiri Kylian’s Petite Mort Photo © Angela Sterling The first, Petite Mort, is a visually striking dance that quickly grabs your attention. When the curtain opens, six men with swords raised slowly back towards the front of the stage; figures swirl in and out of the darkness at the back of the stage. Dreamlike and surreal, the dancers occasionally run an enormous sheet across the stage. When it falls, you discover that the scene behind it has changed entirely. It is the dancing, though, that is truly fascinating, shifting from graceful steps and duets to stilted, broken movements. At other times, the female dancers come on stage behind enormous wheeled black gowns. They play behind and then leap out from them—the imagery is starkly entrancing. Remarkable and rich in meaning, it truly has to be seen to be appreciated. James Moore in Marco Goecke’s Mopey Photo © Angela Sterling Mopey, presented next, is sure to be a favorite with Teen Tix patrons. James Moore is spectacular in this one-man ballet, a perfectly done exploration of a teenage mind. Beginning with Moore whipping around the stage in anxious, frenzied steps, his angst is palpable. The dance is inward; Moore dances around the stage like a train of thought, moving between feelings in a smooth flow. Next becoming whimsical and vivacious, Moore marvels in his strength and energy with a crazed enthusiasm, leaping about the stage. Mopey changes again; the music stops and Moore begins a writhing dance filled with anger and violence, descending further into chaos as he goes. Mopey perfectly captures the changeability and volatility of the teenage mind, and is one of the show’s best moments. Peter Boal makes a pitch toward the more traditional in The Seasons—here, tutus and more formal hallmarks of ballet return, and the choreography becomes less experimental. Though not as intellectually rich as the previous two, The Seasons is an interesting revision of an older ballet. The Seasons flows through each and explores its different moods, weaving a narrative of love blossoming from the cold of winter and into the craze of summer. The dance shines through autumn’s revelry, capturing the season’s austerity and frenzy. While The Seasons is a well-done work by itself, young viewers may find that it pales in comparison with the first two. The dancers seemed determined to have some plain fun at the show’s close with West Side Story Suite. Perfectly suited for the grace and power of ballet, the dancers dominate the dance and feeling of West Side Story. While some numbers don’t shine as brightly as others, the show ends on a high note with the dancers on stage, singing “Somewhere” with all the passion and power it deserves. Director’s Choice refuses to be pinned down into any category. An innovative, provocative, and breathtaking show, it brings together the classical and the modern. Worthwhile, fascinating, and imaginative, the imagery and energy of it will remain with you long after you have left the theatre. - Tucker C November 5th, 2009 Director's Choice Pacific Northwest Ballet Through November 15th

Review of Lydia Davis at Seattle Arts & Lectures by Mykaila O.Lydia Davis does not make me want to write my history paper. Somehow, after her lecture last Wednesday night at Benaroya Hall, the Manhattan Project does not seem as important to write about as, say, the dried mangoes I am eating. It sounds weird, I know—the development of the atomic bomb seems much more consequential than dehydrated fruit which in a matter of hours will undergo quite a few chemical changes and end up in one of the local wastewater treatment plants. Davis does a glorious job of writing about the everyday, and frankly, her literature is loads more inspiring than the Department of Energy’s dry definition of “radioactivity.”Illustration by Adrian Tomine in the October 19, 2009 issue of The New Yorker.Davis read her lecture, "A Beloved Duck Gets Cooked: The Influence of Innovative Forms" instead of speaking spontaneously, she said, “because I’m really not gifted that way.” It is apparent that indeed she is a writer and not a speaker, but her quiet, initially nervous tone did not undermine her sharp wit and hilarious honesty.The lecture was a wonderful narrative of Davis’s path to becoming a writer. Incorporating many examples of short short literature, Davis painted a vivid picture of the work that inspired her own writing. One such example was Sparrow’s "Poem":This poem replacesAll my previous poems. Woven in with these tiny gems were examples of her own work, like "Lessons in French", which is exactly what the title suggests: a short story intended to teach the reader a little bit of French. “Lessons in French” was inspired by Bob Pearlman’s “Analogy,” a grammar lesson poem.Davis is a writer of short short fiction who breaks all the rules. She writes stories of all lengths—from 2 lines to several pages. Some of her stories have no plot, no characters, no apparent theme. She writes what she what she needs to. “It never works to write with an agenda,” she said on Wednesday. (Bad news for my history paper.) She has also translated several French novels, memoirs, and volumes of literary criticism. She is a professor of creative writing at SUNY Albany in upstate New York.Davis also included several stories of frustration and failure from the tale of her story-writing career. After being exposed to some apparently paralyzingly inspiring literature in her early twenties, Davis became somewhat of a recluse for about two weeks, “agonizing” over her own writing and trying desperately to write something just as captivating. When a friend suggested to her that she needed to get outside and do something, she grew even more distraught. “I wasn’t doing nothing, I was agonizing,” she told us. (It’s hard not to empathize.) Davis admits that not all of her stories are great. Some are failures, she says. That’s what being a writer is.It is so clear that writing is Davis’s passion. Lately, she has been spending most of her time translating and teaching, which she says “really must stop.” Her lecture clearly illustrated her love for writing and literature.I highly recommend that you read Davis’s work—you will indubitably find something you love (or at least something that makes you think). My favorite so far is her short story "Three Letters of Complaint." I fully intend to explore more of her work—after I finish that history paper.- Mykaila O.November 4th, 2009Next up in Seattle Arts & Lectures' Literary\Arts Series:The Wire writer Richard PriceTuesday, December 1st at Benaroya HallMore info at lectures.org

Dylan Pickus (with a little help from his big brother) won tickets through a slog contest to go see Frank Rich interview Stephen Sondheim two weeks ago at Benaroya Hall. We asked him to report back, and here's what he said:"So often the visions we conjure up of our heroes can greatly disappoint. But this is not so with Stephen Sondheim. He is just as witty, intelligent and worldly as his lyrics and music would suggest he was. However, he possesses something that you cannot guess from his work: warmth. This pure joy for the life he has lived was the most prominent aspect of his almost two hour interview with Frank Rich last Tuesday. Whether he was poking fun at Ethel Merman or recalling the eccentricity of Hermione Gingold, Mr. Sondheim always did it with a smile on his face and a sparkle in his eyes. When he made a reference or allusion that he did not think the entire audience would understand, he always made sure to explain it. The evening was wide-ranging in scope but intimate in tone. Highlights included the aforementioned Ethel Merman stories and a moment when Mr. Sondheim turned Mr. Rich’s own words on the former critic. There were laughs galore, but the evening was not lacking in poignant moments. When Mr. Sondheim called Jerome Robbins one of the only geniuses he had ever met in his life, the admiration in his voice was more than evident. While I wish I had more specific moments to share with you, the evening passed in such a rush of cleverness and sincerity I could have sat there for many more hours. So fear not fellow worshippers at the altar of Sondheim, he is everything you imagined, and judging by his zest for life, he’s not going anywhere soon."

Review of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto at Seattle Symphony by Tavis H.This weekend Seattle Symphony has treated us with a wonderful bill of Russian music. First is Borodin’s 3rd Symphony, followed by Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, and Shostakovich’s 15th Symphony. These three pieces take the listener through a century of the Russian school, and please the ears with intensity of the Russian style known for its tender passion as well as epic combustion.

Pyotr Iiyich TchaikovskyA merry piece, Borodin’s 3rd transmutes from softness to elated joviality to epic drama without ever compromising its lyrical nature. For example the beginning of the second movement starts with quiet, bouncing arpeggios from the strings, then slowly the rest of the symphony is brought in for a full bodied crescendo that accumulates into a powerhouse theme of Slavic meme. Ultimately, if one seeks comparison, the piece has a similar sound to Grieg’s Peer Gynt. Borodin and Grieg definitely have different styles, but the same sense of joyful grandeur is common in both.Dmitri ShostakovichTchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto No. 1 is by far a darker piece but it still doles out a significant dose of the spectacular. Leonidas Kavakos -the lead soloist- maintains a composure of sheer brilliance, passion, and performing drama. These three virtues of the virtuoso that, in a magical way, interact to create a beautiful narrative between the orchestra and the lone violinist. With my own interpretations set aside, it is just to state that the dialogue created between the two forces fabricates a young, soft, yet brilliant aura for the notes of the soloist, and a hardened, boisterous, wily temptress of the sensation and despair, for the symphony. One interesting part of Tchaikovsky’s music is its universality. Although Slavic hints penetrate Tchaikovsky’s work, his violin concerto, outside the Russian folk rooted allegro moderato, retains little ethnic influence. Certainly, it falls under the Russian canon of structure, however it remains unique in its own way by defying the conventionality of the traditional music so often found in composers works of that era ranging from Hungary to Spain.Alexander BorodinShostakovich’s final, 15th symphony –and perfectly enough the evenings last performance- is very disturbing. It reminded me of walking down a dark alley way, alone, to a mad nobleman running through chateau of mirror whilst hallucinating Vaudeville acts. In a strange way I find Shostakovich’s work to be soundtrack to insanity. Not rambunctious or creepy, but rather how the insane would perceive themselves…not insane. The music itself is not insane –per se- but rather is sane without being aware of how it has lost itself. For example, the dissonance used in his pieces of course make the listener uncofortable, but they don’t know why they feel uncomfortable. Ultimately, his music is definitely for the patient. It is dark, cerebral, and slow, but those who listen are rewarded. Shostakovich’s massive unconventionality –in structure, tone, format, and other ways- piques the ardent follower and rewards their trust in his talent to deliver haunting bursts of pure catharsis that can easily slice through the core of the man into his heart.An interesting question, that I suggest one ponders upon entrance, is that of era and style. Borodin came in the time of the Russian Empire’s rising height, Tchaikovsky was composing during its peak and descent, and Shostakovich was writing on the staff under communist reign. If one listens, the political connotations of prosperity, eternity, and the power of culture can be heard as well as poverty, despair, and the loss of hope. What else can you hear? What else can you see? What were the three men trying to tell us in their music?

"disney_passport_photo" by Tengaport on flickr(search results is an art project. Everyday we search for and post a random flickr photo using the search term "passport".)The Teen Tix Passport to the Arts contest is still on!Here's how it works: - Download the passport- Take it with you and ask for a stamp at the box office every time you use your Teen Tix pass - Once you have 6 stamps, return your passport to us to be entered to win fabulous prizes like a $200 gift card to a retailer of your choosing (choose from Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, GAP, iTunes, Pagliacci, Starbucks, Target, or a pre-paid Visa card). The contest runs through December 29th, 2009, so you still have plenty of time to see art and win! Download your passport and all of the contest details here.

Writers: this just came in from Theat(er/re), a "group of performance artists who exist to facilitate in the creation of new works through workshops, readings, and production development.""Hey, Just wanted to introduce Theat(er/re). If you have a script written by you or have always wanted to write one we will workshop it for you or let you hear your script read by actors on stage in front of an audience! As a service to you and Seattle Theater. An incredible opportunity not to be passed by. For more information contact theat.theat@gmail.com. Also stay tuned for our ten-week write a play workshop. - Theat(er/re)"You can also find them on facebook.

Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto @ Seattle SymphonyLeonidas Kavakos was a boy wonder, winning both the Sibelius Competition and the Paganini Competition while still in his teens. He went on to become one of the world's leading classical musicians, and this weekend he is playing Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, a crowd-pleaser known for its virtuosity-requiring solo part. And, in case you have any doubt as to Kavakos' virtuosity, here's a little clip to whet your appetite. It's okay, I guess...if you're into, like, genius.Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35Seattle SymphonyNovember 5th @ 7:30November 7th @ 8:00November 8th @ 2:00

Argentinian choreographer Diana Szeinblum brings her "fearless zeal" (danceviewtimes) to On the Boards this weekend. Check out this short, sweet, little preview video:Thanks to Professor Kiley for posting the video on Slog.Diana Szeinblum/AlaskaThursday, November 5th - Sunday, November 8thOn the Boards

We Are The World, by the Henry Open House Karaoke Chorus:And you thought arty people were serious.