All in Inspiring Stories
On stage at Arts Commons there’s no doubt that you’ll see amazingly talented people. Whether they’re delivering a classic sonnet, challenging your perspectives with a new work, bringing the house down with an evening of soul-energizing music, or sharing their stories of exploration and discovery around the globe, Arts Commons is a building filled to the brim with talent. Few people think about the individuals behind the scenes that make it all happen.
Shortly after COVID-19 shut down stages across the country, musicians from the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and Edmonton Symphony Orchestra recorded a virtual performance that went viral, reaching more than 70,000 combined viewers on YouTube and Facebook.
The project was spearheaded by Calgary Phil Assistant Concertmaster Donovan Seidle.
There’s nothing quite like a live concert. The energy, the music, the power of a shared experience that only exists in that one moment in time. But after the concert is over, there is one person who can help us remember those amazing moments.
Photographer Will Young has been working with Arts Commons to capture these amazing moments for over ten years and has some tricks of the trade to share with aspiring shutterbugs.
How many times, recently, have you heard or used the phrase, “We are in unprecedented times”? It has been used often in the past several months because it is undeniably true.
While a global pandemic has ravaged our economy and impacted the well being of our community, another crisis necessarily took the spotlight.
Wunmi Idowu is an accomplished dancer, choreographer, instructor, performer, and producer, as well as the Founder and Director of Woezo Africa Music & Dance Theatre Inc., and the creative force behind Unganisha: Explore.Connect.Dance. In this episode of This Feels So Real, Wunmi speaks about the importance of being an authentic ally to the Black Lives Matter movement and her drive to create a better world.
We caught up with Jeff Boyd, RBC Regional President, Alberta & The Territories, as well as a member of the Arts Commons board for the past two years, to get his perspective on how things have changed since COVID-19, and the direction RBC is taking in this brave new world.
It seems to me if you ask a good question, you will get a good answer. My name is Jennifer Roberts, and my role at Arts Commons is to work with teachers and students to design and then implement an immersive arts-focused session or a week-long field study. A large part of how I go about doing this is through asking questions.
Keith O’Rourke is a man of many musical talents, and now he can also call himself an entrepreneur. His jazz trio was set to perform in the Jack Singer Lobby for the Arts Commons Presents TD Jazz Series: Jazzmeia Horn concert on May 26th, before it was forced into cancellation. Click to learn about his unique new project. Here’s a hint! It’s called “Bread for Jazz”.
