1) U.S. Air Force Heritage Brass Performs Nov. 6 at Appalachian
Enjoy a concert by the United States Air Force Heritage Brass of the USAF Heritage of America Band Nov. 6 at the Broyhill Music Center’s Recital Hall at Appalachian State University. The concert begins at 6 p.m. and is free and open to the public. It will be followed by a masterclass conducted by the members of the Heritage Brass. The Heritage Brass features the diverse talents of five professional Airman-musicians whose commitment to excellence has earned worldwide acclaim and military distinction. From Bach to the Beatles and patriotic favorites, Heritage Brass offers a musical experience enjoyed by all audiences. For additional information about the concert, contact Dr. Drew Leslie at lesliedc@appstate.edu or visit the band’s website www.heritageofamericaband.af.mil. Activated in 1941, The United States Air Force Heritage of America Band has a rich history of inspiring public patriotism and enhancing esprit de corps among all the U.S. military service branches. The world-class musicians are stationed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Hampton, Va. They travel throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, presenting more than 300 events annually for the general public and in support of Airman morale and protocol events.
2) Appalachian Flute Ensemble Performs Oct. 30
Contemporary, classical and Celtic compositions for flute will be performed by the Hayes School of Music’s Appalachian Flute Ensemble Oct. 30. The performance will begin at 8 p.m. in Broyhill Music Center’s Rosen Concert Hall at Appalachian State University. Admission is free. The 21-member ensemble is directed by Dr. Nancy Schneeloch-Bingham, a member of the Hayes School of Music faculty.
3) Early Chamber Music Performed Oct. 29
The seven-member chamber ensemble Collegium Musicum will perform compositions from the 17th and 18th centuries during an Oct. 29 recital at 8 p.m. in Broyhill Music Center’s Rosen Concert Hall at Appalachian State University. Admission is free. Members of the group are Elizabeth Chapa, soprano; Chandler Fadero, violin; Cassidy Quillen,violin; Nicholas Allion, cello; David Dauphine, gamba; Alicia Chapman, oboe and gamba; and J. Hunter Cox, harpsichord. All are students in the Hayes School of Music except Chapman who is a member of the music faculty and Dauphine who is a guest member from the Blowing Rock community. The ensemble will perform works by Bach, Telemann, Handel and Lully.
4) Docu-Comedy “The Muslims are Coming!” to be Shown Oct. 28
The award-winning docu-comedy “The Muslims are Coming!” will be shown Tuesday, Oct. 28, at 8 p.m. in the Parkway Ballroom of the Plemmons Student Union. One of the directors of the film, Dean Obeidallah, will host a Q&A session afterwards. Admission is free. “The Muslims are Coming!” follows a group of Muslim-American comedians as they visit big cities, small towns and rural villages to explore the issue of “Islamophobia” by performing stand-up and creating ridiculous interventions in unsuspecting public places. Throughout the film, comedy icons Jon Stewart, David Cross, Janeane Garofalo, Colin Quinn, Lewis Black, Liz Winstead and Aasif Mandvi comment on the power of comedy and the political scope of bigotry. They are also joined by broadcast personalities like Rachel Maddow, CNN’s Soledad O’Brien, CNN’s Ali Velshi and Current’s Cenk Uygur. U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison and hip hop mogul Russell Simmons are also featured in the film. Obeidallah directed the film with fellow comedian Negin Farsad. Both directors also appear in the film. “Our hope is that film can bring people of all faiths and backgrounds together to laugh and to foster understanding, especially in these times when films about Islam are causing protests, division and, sadly, even violence,” Obeidallah said. Obeidallah is a regular contributor to CNN and has appeared on ABC’s “The View,” NBC’s “Rock Center,” Current TV, PBS and “Comic’s Unleashed with Byron Allen.” He also appeared in a co-starring role for the Comedy Central special “Axis of Evil.” These comedians took their mission to build a bridge so seriously that all shows throughout the tour are free. “We wanted to reach as many people as we could, and if you were on the fence about Muslims, but broke, we didn’t want you to have any excuse not to come,” Farsad said. Farsad is also the director/producer of the critically acclaimed documentary “Nerdcore Rising” and has been named a 2013 TED Fellow and One of the 50 Funniest Women by The Huffington Post. She has also written for and made appearances on “The Joy Behar Show,” IFC, MTV, PBS, Nickelodeon, and Comedy Central’s “The Watch List.”The docu-comedy, which won the audience award at the 2012 Austin Film Festival, also features Muslim-American comedians Preacher Moss, Omar Elba, Maysoon Zayid and Kareem Omary and comedians of other faiths including Aron Kader and Scott Blakeman. The screening of “The Muslims are Coming!” is presented by The Appalachian Popular Programming Society’s Council for Cultural Awareness (CASE) and the Muslim Student Association. For more information, contact the APPS advisor Jana Vise or visit the APPS http://apps.appstate.edu/.
5) Book Drive Hosted by HACDA Oct. 1- Nov. 10
A Book Drive will be hosted Oct. 1-Nov. 10 by the Highlands Association of Child Development and Advocacy (HACDA). Donation boxes will be placed throughout Boone, at the College of Education elevators, the ASU Child Development Center and the foyer of the ASU Library. This event is to help promote literacy for children by collecting new and used books to donate to local childcare centers and organizations in need of books for children. For more information contact Hannah Easter at 828-638-4750 or appstatehacda@gmail.com.
6) Alta Vista Gallery Hosts Meet the Artist Oct. 25
Alta Vista Gallery in Historic Valle Crucis, NC, has a new show hanging now through mid-November — “This is My Father’s World — Palette Knife Oils by Amos Westmoreland.” Meet the artist at the gallery on Saturday, Oct. 25, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Refreshments will be served. Please Forward this to your friends! There’s still plenty of leaf color up here, so come enjoy the colors inside the gallery and outside! There are 20 new oils in this show, so there is a large variety of subjects, colors, and sizes, ranging from 6×6 inches up to 36×36, 24×48, and 30×40 inches. The paintings were created entirely with the palette knife and therefore are very loosely painted and have much texture and colorful underpainting. Subjects include many High Country scenes, such as the Watauga River and autumn forests full of color and dappled light. Westmoreland is an Impressionist painter who is also a Colorist, so he has brought all of the vibrant colors of the mountain forests into the gallery! Some of Westmoreland’s art, as well as a map and directions to the gallery, can be seen on the gallery page on Facebook and also at www.altavistagallery.com. Alta Vista also shows over 100 other artists in oils, watercolors, pastels, collage, and art prints, as well as sculptures, stained glass, Craftsman-style art tiles, fused glass jewelry, and Mangum Pottery. Opening Receptions are held on the 4th Saturday of each month, June through October, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., as part of the “Avery Tour de Art.” On Nov. 29, the gallery hopes you’ll attend our Annual Christmas Open House featuring holiday décor and foods and new oils by Bob Francisco in a show titled “Painting the Vanishing Landscapes.” Alta Vista Gallery is located minutes from Boone, Blowing Rock, and Banner Elk, in a National Register historic farmhouse at 2839 Broadstone Road, Historic Valle Crucis, NC — between Mast Farm Inn and Mast Store Annex. Please e-mail, or call the gallery at (828) 963-5247, if you have questions or need more information.