Composer George Kirazian is a retired college instructor of Humanities, Composition, and Opera Appreciation. Born and raised in New Jersey, he completed his undergraduate and graduate studies at New York University and taught English Literature and Composition at Grossmont College for nearly 40 years, and served as Chairman of the English Department. He also taught Opera and Music Appreciation at San Diego State University. He is a longtime resident of San Diego with his wife Dikranouhi. They have three daughters: Yvette (husband John Harpootian), Andrea (husband Steven Urrutia) and Lisa (husband Steve Kradjian), and six grandchildren: Mark, Eric, Zari, Dante, Ani and Mari.
Kirazian’s musical compositions include The Book of Ruth: A Ballet, various art songs, hymns, and a new version of The Divine Liturgy of the Armenian Apostolic Church, which has been performed and recorded by Pacific Camerata of San Diego, the Paros Chamber Choir of Armenia, and also performed by members of the Armenian Church of San Diego. He has also published fiction and non-fiction: Easy Writing: A Practical Guide for Practically Everybody; A Time for Fathers (short novel), and five young reader books: The Sleeping Violet, Perry the Peacock, Beyond the Koala Kingdom, Leo and the Mulberry Flute, and The Princess of December. His website is georgekirazian.com.
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Patricia Sandback is a dance choreographer, performer, and educator. Her award-winning dances have been performed locally, nationally, and internationally. Patricia was Professor of Dance at San Diego State University where she taught courses in dance theory and practice.
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Rhythm Talk: Swiss Percussion Band from Olten Switzerland
The contemporary percussion music of Rhythm Talk is so explosive, sensitive and complex that it evokes a wide range of feelings and emotions.
Faith Jensen-Ismay, SD choreographer, and Noby Lehmann, Swiss composer, have found a strong connection, and work close together despite the distance between San Diego and Switzerland.
Over the past six years they have created many original works together, and have adapted older work to compliment each others work. The collaborative process began at The Tanzinolten Festival, Nov. 2006 with the two groups performing together to pre-created scores by Noby Lehmann and Rhythm Talk. In Fall 2007, Rhythm Talk made their first US appearance in their California Tour with Mojalet where they premiered the first true collaborative pieces, Sculpt and Transparency. The completion of the 2007 CA Tour inspired the newest Rhythm Talk combo pack CD Collection Stick Together that premiered Jan 2009 in Olten, Switzerland; the band returned to CA in 2010 for the Stick Together Tour with Mojalet: the companies joined in Switzerland and Germany in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011. In Nov. 2012, Mojalet returns to join Rhythm Talk for the opening of the Tanzinolten Festival with “On The Move” before traveling to Zurich & Lugano, Switzerland and Konstanz Germany.
You Tube Video Link
Stacy Fraser, Opera
“Jensen-Ismay, dancing solo, and Fraser played off of each other with delicious physicality and intelligent restraint in a set of songs that ranged from a ferocious Dear John letter (“The Farewell Letter”) to a poignant yearning for an impossible utopia (the tango-flavored “Youkali”) to a condemnation of oil companies’ greed (“Brown Islands”). Fraser, who’s performed with the San Diego Opera, is a singer who can move, and at times she and Jensen-Ismay did unison gestures – extending their arms to heaven in “Nanna’s Lied,” as a girl of the street says she’s learned “to transform desire into small change.” Those moments of unison underlined the dramatic contrast when Fraser sat still and contained the anguish of “Je ne t’aime pas” (“I Don’t Love You”) in her rich voice, while Jensen-Ismay launched into interrupted turns, then flailed on the floor.” - Janice Steinberg SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE (Seven Songs of the Unknown Kurt Weill 2009)
Artist Vicki Leon and choreographer Faith Jensen-Ismay from Mojalet Dance Collective, are excited to bring to life this concept using contemporary dance along with the interactive sculpture and thereby creating a new and unique art experience through the inter-disciplinary collaboration.
The "Quilts of Light" series consists of experimental glass installations for the wall that are designed to be interactive for the viewer. The "quilts" consist of sculptural glass pieces that reflect bright, pure color and throw reflections onto walls, floors, ceilings, objects and people in the environment. The intention is to engage the participant/viewer in a playful, experience with unusual and beautiful optical phenomena.
The glass artist and the choreographer are each deeply inspired by the beauty of light in nature. They have found a creative compatibility and are energetic about exploring these ideas to create a unique performance and gallery exhibition. White costumes will allow reflections to "dance" with the dancers and stage lighting will expand the dynamic aspect of the quilts with dramatic shadow imagery. The dance performance will be a beautiful, inter-disciplinary expression as well as an introduction to the concepts of the artwork.
We are grateful to the San Diego Foundation for funding this project through the Creative Catalyst Program. This grant is specifically designed to support innovation, defined by the San Diego Foundation as "the output of creative activity that offers new approaches in the development or production of art or new ways of engaging audiences with art and the creative process."
