2017 Smyrna Arts & Cultural Council Plans

The Board of Directors of the Smyrna Arts & Cultural Council approved our 2017 plans during our January 17 monthly meeting.  This year we will present a wide variety of art, music and theatrical events as well as offer monthly opportunities for community residents to volunteer.

The first event of the year on our calendar is our co-sponsorship of the 2^nd Annual Smyrna Schools Celebrate the Arts on March 23^rd at Brawner Hall.  It will feature art from students from all of the public school that feed students to Campbell High School.

The introduction of fine art at the Jonquil Festival that we managed last October, Art at the Fountain, will return to the Spring Jonquil Festival and continue again in the fall.  More artists will exhibit and additional family activities and art workshops will be added. Special thanks go to festival managers JRM Management for their invaluable support of this great project.

Plans are being developed to create a new Art Walk concept in Smyrna similar to those hosted in other cities in Metro Atlanta. This would be an afternoon/evening event with artists selling fine art and interacting with the public in a fun and casual atmosphere.

The Fresh Market Music concert series returns to the Smyrna Fresh Produce Market on Saturday, May 6 at 9:45 am and will continue every Saturday through September 30.  The 22 performances will be accompanied by a new addition this year – a local visual artist with original art for sale.  Keep Smyrna Beautiful, thank you for the financial support to hire the musicians.

The SACC annual meeting and board member elections will be held in August.  A guest keynote speaker is sought for the occasion.  Our largest event last year was Tales, Tricks and Treats.  It returns in bigger form to Tolleson Park this Halloween weekend with storytelling, art projects for children, fun family activities for all ages and trick-or-treating.

Planning is being finalized for the Jonquil City Sessions concert series and several new public art initiatives we are sponsoring. Our theatre and history committees have a number of programs that will be announced in the spring. Over 100 volunteer opportunities will be offered to local residents this year.  Check our website events calendar for volunteer meeting schedules.  A new committee will soon be formed to manage an annual event that will celebrate our wonderful volunteers. 

Our plans for 2017 are bigger than last year and we are confident the community will enjoy this year’s programming and the professionalism that guides our every action.  In 2017 we will offer more tangible benefits to members in the form of ticket discounts and special invitations from leading arts organizations in Atlanta.  We also want to start the conversation with Smyrna residents about much needed performing arts venues.

To fund our activities we will expand our membership and donation drives. Click here to join or the Smyrna Arts & Cultural Council or to renew your 2017 annual membership. 

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Jeff Jones
President

jjatlanta@gmail.com
770-401-3050

Balalaika Fantasie Close Out 2017 Jonquil City Sessions Concert Season

Balalaika Fantasie closed out the 2017 Jonquil City Sessions concert season with a wonderful holiday season performance on Saturday night.  The show featured a wide variety of Eastern European compositions representing Russian, Ukrainian and Yiddish cultures and more.  

Click here to enjoy the photo album

About Balalaika Fantasie

The musicians of Balalaika Fantasie draw their inspiration from their life-long passion for Russian folk music and their diverse cultural backgrounds. Performing on authentic Russian folk instruments, the group’s repertoire includes Russian, Ukrainian, Gypsy and Jewish folk music.

Angelina Galashenkova-Reed (domra) has toured the world as a soloist with the Andreyev Russian Folk Orchestra of St. Petersburg, Russia, performing with them at Carnegie Hall’s 100th anniversary. A virtuoso of the three-string domra, she is a winner of Russia’s prestigious “Cup of the North” competition, and holds the title of “Laureate of International Competitions of Professional Folk Artists.” Immigrating to the U.S. in 2001, she has had numerous solo appearances, most notably at Spivey Hall, and is the concertmaster and domra soloist of the Atlanta Balalaika Society Orchestra. Angelina performs in the domra-guitar duo, 9 String Theory.

David C. Cooper (balalaika, domra, vocals) has been recognized by Russian virtuosi for his artistry as a balalaika soloist. Pennsylvania-born, Mr. Cooper is an authority on Russian folk instruments (he plays them all), studied conducting and performance at the Glier Institute of Kiev, Ukraine, and is the artistic director and conductor of the Atlanta Balalaika Society Orchestra. Mr. Cooper’s diverse talents also make him in demand in jazz, Klezmer and steel drum ensembles.

 Alla Melnik (bayan, vocals) is a Ukrainian-born bayan soloist who received her music degree from the Kiev University of Arts and Culture. She has performed and taught bayan, music theory and piano throughout Ukraine.  Alla has a vast repertoire of folk, classical and popular music, frequently appearing in concerts and festivals. She frequently performs bayan solos with the Atlanta Balalaika Society.

Gregory Carageorge has been a professional contrabass balalaika and string bass player for over thirty years, performing in numerous ethnic music groups such as the Berkeley, CA based Klezmorim and Troika Balalaikas, The Massenkoff Russian Folk Festival, and several very popular touring Greek folk music bands. He was the leader of the house band at New York’s Russian Tea Room, and  has appeared with numerous folk, bluegrass, and jazz ensembles.

Irene Perloff McCullough (alto domra) and David McCullough (alto balalaika) have performed in Russian folk music ensembles in Boston and Detroit and Atlanta, and perform together as the balalaika-guitar duo, “Russian Romance.”

All musicians of Balalaika Fantasie are members of the Atlanta Balalaika Society Orchestra.  The Atlanta Balalaika Society is one of the most highly-regarded orchestras of Russian folk instruments outside of Russia, and is the primary promoter of Russian folk culture in the Southeast. It is celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2016. Don't miss this great cultural experience!  

Matt Lemmler Jazz Combo Performs at Jonquil City Sessions

The Matt Lemmler Jazz Combo performed at Jonquil City Sessions last night.  Attendees were treated to classic New Orleans jazz including original music written by Matt. The band also incorporated jazz interpretations of classic modern songs into the play list.  Everyone enjoyed an evening of superb entertainment.

Click here to enjoy the photo album

About Matt Lemmler

Recently elected Governor for the GRAMMY Recording Academy, Matt Lemmler is considered to be one of the most original musicians to recently emerge from the birthplace of jazz. Influenced by the music he heard growing up in New Orleans, Matt Lemmler is a noted and accomplished jazz pianist, vocalist, producer, arranger and educator. He is among an elite group of musicians recognized and officially designated as a “Steinway Artist”.

Videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iU28zvkqA88

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHDpiVlgF_s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTxONmvQm1k

He grew up playing music and studied arranging with Grammy award-winning arranger Tony Klatka and jazz piano with Ellis Marsalis, patriarch of the Marsalis family. These early and influential mentors inspired him to pursue and dedicate his life’s work as a professional jazz musician.

During college, he was the house pianist for a jam session at New Orleans’ premier jazz club, Snug Harbor and played with many local greats. After completing his Bachelor’s degree at Loyola University in 1990, Lemmler moved to New York City where he received his Master’s Degree in Jazz Performance & Composition from The Manhattan School of Music. While living in NYC, he studied with jazz pianists Kenny Werner and Harold Danko, composed and arranged many original works, some of which he performed in Europe and debuted at Carnegie Hall, and arranged and performed with many of the jazz greats until eventually relocating back to his hometown of New Orleans in 1994.

Shortly after returning home, he was hired as pianist for Andrew Lloyd Weber’s musical The Phantom of the Opera, touring the U.S. for 4 years before returning home to work with New Orleans jazz legend, Pete Fountain. In 2000, Lemmler set out to pursue his own projects and recordings, the first, Portraits of Wonder, a tribute to the genius of Stevie Wonder, earned a truckload of kudos for this innovative CD, which recast gems from the Stevie Wonder songbook into elegant modern jazz showcases.

In 2004, Lemmler was commissioned to arrange and conduct for French pop star, Dany Brillant. Brillant’s fascination with New Orleans inspired him to record A La Nouvelle Orleans in the Big Easy using members of Harry Connick, Jr.’s big band. A La Nouvelle Orleans went Platinum Gold in Europe.

While teaching jazz piano and arranging at both Loyola University and the University of New Orleans, Lemmler was recommended by Ellis Marsalis to replace him, upon his retirement, as full-time Assistant Professor of Jazz Piano at the University of New Orleans. In August 2005, after accepting the tenure track position at UNO, fate stepped in and Hurricane Katrina changed his life forever. He evacuated to Houston, Texas where he was working within two weeks as pianist for Tommy’s Seafood Steakhouse.

After the huge success of Lemmler and Brillant’s first collaboration, Matt was hired once again by Brillant to serve as his musical director for his next CD, Histoire d'Un Amour. On this project, Lemmler arranged & conducted for a 16 piece big band and 30 piece orchestra featuring 60’s/70’s pop cover tunes. Because New Orleans was still reeling from the devastation of Katrina, Lemmler hoped recording there would bring new life and hope to his hometown.

In January 2006, Matt was hired as musical director for Tommy’s Seafood Steakhouse, where he elevated the restaurant and jazz club into one of Houston’s leading venues for live jazz. Top notch players from New Orleans, New York and Houston performed nightly.

In the spring of 2006 Matt recorded his next CD, a compilation of classic New Orleans standards. The Music of New Orleans is a soulful and heart-rending tribute to his beloved city and to all the New Orleans musicians, past and present, which influenced him and his music.

After leaving his position at Tommy’s, Lemmler accepted the prestigious position as musical director of Trinity Church/Houston for the Sunday Jazz Mass services. He was honored to hold a creative/spiritual position that allowed him to arrange and compose hymns/spirituals for each Sunday’s services. He also helped produce the 9th Annual Trinity Jazz Festival and composed the concluding Sunday Jazz Mass “Tribute to the Music of New Orleans” which featured New Orleans musicians Jason Marsalis, Roland Guerin, Herlin Riley, Kim Prevost as well as Houston’s best jazz musicians.

After five years in exile in Houston, Matt’s spiritual awakening and musical path led him back home to New Orleans. Shortly after returning home in 2010, Lemmler’s piano and arranging skills were featured on New Orleans Jazz trumpeter and vocalist Kermit Ruffins’ (from HBO series Treme) last two CD’s, Have a Crazy Cool Christmas and Happy Talk. That same year, Lemmler established his production company SMartist Productions LLC and immediately started producing promising artists and new projects with his New Orleans Jazz Revival Band.

This ensemble performs arrangements from Portraits of Wonder, Music of New Orleans and music from the soon to be released CD UBUNTU, which features musicians Brian Blade, Bill Summers, Jason Marsalis, Sean Jones, John Ellis, Kim Prevost, Evan Christopher, Mark Mullins, Shane Theriot and others. This new path of Spiritual inspiration continues to enlighten Lemmler about the healing power of music, and continues to motivate him to perform New Orleans Jazz for people around the world.

In 2011, Lemmler was elected to the GRAMMY Recording Academy Governor position, Memphis Chapter Board and also appeared in an episode of HBO’s TREME performing an original composition.

For this jazz concert Matt will be accompanied by a select ensemble of his New Orleans musical collaborators.

http://mattlemmler.com/

Inaugural TALES, TRICKS & TREATS held at Tolleson Park

The Smyrna Arts & Cultural Council hosted the first annual TALES, TRICKS & TREATS at Tolleson Park last Saturday night.  The family event featured storytelling, art projects and trick-or-treating. Over 500 people attended.

The featured storytellers for the evening were Greg Garrison and Bean and Bear.  Garrison performed in the “spooky mansion” that was created by the SACC Theatre Committee.  The committee also created the “Lost Souls” cemetery.   Bean and Bear entertained the younger children with fun stories that put a smile on everyone’s face.

Abrakadoodle Atlanta presented a skeleton art project and Jitterbug Performing Arts offered face painting and balloon artists. The featured food truck for the evening was Freckled & Blue with a custom menu for the event.

Kids of all ages enjoyed the 1000 square foot chalk art venue and the trick-or-treat stations around the park.

Volunteer Lee Sanders was named MVP of the event. He built the set props and led the activities for the entire day. Special thanks go to the Charyn Darby foundation for sponsoring the event.

Plans are already underway for the 2017 TALES, TRICKS & TREATS.

Successful Art at the Fountain Concludes

The Smyrna Arts & Cultural Council is thrilled to have introduced fine art to the Fall Jonquil Festival. The inaugural ART AT THE FOUNTAIN at the Jonquil Festival was a BIG SUCCESS! The fine art sales exceeded $7,500. The art was incredible. Our army of volunteers exceeded ALL expectations and hundreds of children were engaged in the art activities we organized.

Thank you, JRM Management and Charyn Darby Foundation, for your generous sponsorship of the event!

PRESS RELEASE: Smyrna Arts & Cultural Council Presents “Art at the Fountain” at the Jonquil Festival

The Smyrna Arts & Cultural Council will introduce fine art to the Fall Jonquil Festival on Saturday, October 22 and Sunday, October 23.  The signature fine art addition to the festival,Art at the Fountain, will be located in the circular fountain plaza on the Village Green in front of the Smyrna Public Library and the Smyrna Community Center.

Jeff Jones, President of the Smyrna Arts & Cultural Council says "we're thrilled to be adding a fine arts attraction to the Jonquil Festival. This reflects the demands of the community for more fine art offerings.  Many of the artists who will be exhibiting are local fine artists who have exhibited nationally. It's great to be able to showcase our local talent in our own neighborhood."

The presenting fine artists represent a variety of mediums including painting, drawing, pottery, photography and sculpture. Featured artists will have art on display and for sale.  “En plein air” fine artists will be conducting educational demonstrations “in the open air”.  Three creative family activities will be presented – art education for children, 60-square foot community art painting project, pencil sketching workshop – to engage festival attendees with fun art experiences led by skilled artists.

Featured Fine Artists:
Aida Arias, Ida Beth Barner, Stacey Brown, Jerry Deeds, Katy Lockhart, Jenna Mason, Sue Pezely, Demone Phelps

En Plein Air Fine Artist Demonstrations:
Deb Cook, Paula Landry, Freedom Rodriguez, Steve Stoichev

Family Arts-Related Activities:
Art Education Workshops by Abrakadoodle Atlanta (SAT & SUN)
Community Art Painting Project by ArtServ (SAT & SUN)
Pencil Sketching Workshop by Kevin Rucker (SUN)

Jones also says “we presented the fine art concept to JRM Management, the festival organizers, earlier this year.  They have been enthusiastic supporters as we developed and implemented our plan.  We are very grateful for their support and honored to be their partner for this event.”

Visit the Smyrna Arts & Cultural Council’s website at www.SmyrnaACC.org for complete information on the artists and workshops. 

Smyrna Artist Kevin Rucker to Teach Pencil Sketching Workshop at "Art at the Fountain" at the Jonquil Festival

Smyrna artist Kevin Rucker to teach free Pencil Sketching Workshop at "Art at the Fountain" at the Jonquil Festival on Sunday, October 23. 

Kevin’s remarkable, imaginative illustrations have gained this award-winning Atlanta artist an enthusiastic following. Kevin creates illustrations that appeal to traditionalists and modernists alike. As Kevin says, “Art evokes emotion. When I am creating, I am at my best.” Originally from New York, Kevin began his formal art education with a degree in Commercial Design and then went on to earn his Bachelor of Science degree (with a minor in Visual Arts) from the State University of New York at New Paltz. After moving to Atlanta in 1996, Kevin earned a degree in Computer Animation from the Art Institute of Atlanta, achieving many honors as a student. He was then invited to join the faculty as a 2-D and 3-D animation instructor.

Kevin went on to a distinguished career as a Graphic Artist, Illustrator, and Creative Director. The quality and creativity of his work has attracted numerous public and private commissions, with past clients including Coca-Cola, The Home Depot, and Visa. As an artist, Kevin has won numerous excellence awards and produced illustrations that have had global influence. Working as a commercial designer for over 20 years has now afforded him the opportunity to pursue his creative passions full-time.

Kevin reflects: “…I have considered myself extremely lucky to have had such talented and patient art teachers and invaluable opportunities to make a living doing what I love. I feel very privileged that God has given me such a gift. Of course, I give Him all the credit.”

http://kmrucker.com/