international recognition

Chautauqua Institution
P.O. Box 28
Chautauqua, New York
14722-0028
Chautauquan
POSTMASTER PLEASE DELIVER BY FEBRUARY 28, 2011
The
Season: June 25 – August 28, 2011
www.ciweb.org
Winter 2011
Chautauqua
shines during
off-season
small community category included
Emly, Ireland; Haapsalu Municipality,
Estonia; Pushchino, Russia; and Trim,
Ireland. Communities in all population categories for the LivCom competition were
judged on five criteria: enhancement of
the natural and built landscape; arts,
culture and heritage; environmental
best practices; community participation
and empowerment; healthy lifestyle;
and strategic planning.
After submitting a written application in June, Chautauqua Institution
learned it was a finalist for the Whole
City category in August.
On an evening in late January,
television viewers from communities throughout the United States
were introduced to life on the
grounds at Chautauqua.
The premiere of the WNED documentary “Chautauqua: An American Narrative” on PBS reached
audiences in New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Austin, Los
Angeles and Albuquerque, among
many, many other cities. While the
film certainly reached the largest
audience in Chautauqua’s history,
the PBS premiere is only one of several events during the off-season
that have allowed the Institution to
re-introduce itself to the world.
Building upon partnerships
formed during seasons past,
Chautauqua has and will present
programs in New York, Washington, D.C., Colonial Williamsburg
and Norfolk, Va., that speak to its
strengths: the collaboration of the
arts, fostering interfaith dialogue
and embracing the complexity of issues facing our world.
As a follow-up to Week Seven’s
focus of “Sacred Spaces” during
the 2010 Season, Chautauqua once
again partnered with World Monuments Fund to present “Reflections
on Sacred Spaces: A Chautauqua
2010 Theme” at Governors Island in
New York City.
Featured speakers included
Chautauqua lecturers Bonnie Burnham, president and CEO of World
Monuments Fund; Georgetown
University professor Ori Z. Soltes;
Amy Freitag, program director of
the U.S. World Monuments Fund
and executive director of the New
York Restoration Project; and historian Jeffrey Simpson, author of
Chautauqua: An American Utopia.
Please see LIVCOM, page 2
Please see OFF-SEASON, page 2
Photo by Greg Funka
INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
Competition honors Chautauqua as one of world’s most livable communities
Chautauqua Institution has been
recognized as one of the world’s most
livable communities.
At a ceremony in Chicago last November, Chautauqua was presented
with the Silver Award at the International Awards for Livable Communities, also known as the LivCom
Awards. The competition, launched
in 1997, is endorsed by the United Nations Environment Programme and is
the world’s only competition focusing
on best practice regarding the management of the local environment. Delegations from communities in
22 countries and six continents were
in attendance for the five-day finals
event, presenting to a panel of inter-
national judges and exchanging best
practices in a collegial atmosphere. Chautauqua is the first dedicated
community institution to reach the finals of the international competition
and the only American finalist in the
small community (under 20,000 population) category. Other finalists in the
New website valuable tool for first-time, returning visitors
As preparations are made for an
influx of first-time visitors to Chautauqua this summer, the Institution’s
marketing and communications team
has focused its efforts on redesigning
all aspects of the Chautauqua website
to provide a more user-friendly tool for
learning about Chautauqua and planning your summer visit.
While a number of interactive features have been included to introduce
the unique mix of Chautauqua’s programs, the new website is also designed
to allow returning visitors easier access to the latest community news and
specific program information, as well
as better tools for purchasing tickets,
making reservations and customizing
your Chautauqua schedule.
Home Page
Imagine learning about Chautauqua
for the first time by stumbling upon the
premiere of the WNED documentary
“Chautauqua: An American Narrative”
on PBS. The credits roll and you turn
to your laptop to learn more. A Google
search or a link on the documentary’s
website directs you to ciweb.org.
The new Chautauqua home page is
designed to share the summer experience with great visual impact. An “Ex-
perience Chautauqua” video and interactive “Typical Day at Chautauqua”
page provides the first-time visitor a
glimpse of life on the grounds. Using
beautiful photographs and introductory videos, the rest of the Chautauqua
website is structured for easy browsing
among five program areas: arts, education, religion, recreation and youth.
Each area features a landing page with
an introductory video, latest news and
links to all related programs.
For those checking in periodically
during the off-season, the home page
also provides the latest program news
and easy access to detailed informa-
tion on updates to the morning lecture platform.
Build Your Own Calendar
The new “Build Your Own Calendar” feature—accessible by clicking
the large purple icon on the home
page—allows users to customize their
visit based on their program preferences and arrive on the grounds this
summer with your Chautauqua calendar in hand. Enter the date of your visit
and select from seven program categories, including Evening Entertainment,
Please see WEBSITE, page 3
The Chautauquan
Page 2
Winter 2011
news
Institution names new chief marketing officer
For Chautauqua’s newly appointed
chief marketing officer, George Murphy, the premiere of the WNED documentary “Chautauqua: An American
Narrative” on PBS in January was a
momentous opportunity to introduce
Chautauqua Institution to millions of
American families. Joining Chautauqua in September, Murphy has led efforts to prepare Institution staff and
infrastructure for the surge in inquiries regarding visits to the Institution
following the nationwide broadcast
Jan. 31. A new Chautauqua website,
online accommodations and ticketing services, and a 24-hour call center
is part of an effort to improve overall
customer service and make it easier for
first-time visitors to plan their Chautauqua stay.
As chief marketing officer, Murphy
is also charged with positioning Chautauqua’s brand in a way that is consistent with its recently adopted strategic
OFFSEASON from page 1
Presentations explored the concept of
sacred space at the confluence of religion, architecture, history, geography
and culture.
In early December, Chautauqua
partnered with the renowned 92nd
Street Y in New York City for two
conversations on the power and importance of words. Joan Brown Campbell, director of the Department of
Religion, served as moderator for
“The Power of the Spoken Word: An
Interfaith Dialogue” featuring Rabbi
Joseph Telushkin and Imam Feisal
Abdul Rauf. The discussion centered
on current tensions within each of
the Abrahamic faiths, the tensions between and among the faiths and the
way these tensions affect future interfaith relations.
During an evening presentation,
frequent Chautauqua program collaborator Roger Rosenblatt led a conversation on “The Importance of the
Written Word: A Literary Dialogue”
with author E.L. Doctorow, journalist Jim Lehrer, and playwright Marsha Norman, all of whom have joined
Rosenblatt on the Amphitheater stage.
As part of its upcoming Week Nine
partnership exploring “The Path to
the Civil War” with Colonial Williamsburg and the National Museum
of African American History and Culture, Chautauqua Institution joined
the organizations in presenting major
events in mid-February in Washington, D.C., and Colonial Williamsburg.
On Feb. 16, Smithsonian’s National
Museum of African American History and Culture presented “Children
of the Enlightenment: The Ideological
Origins of Black Agency and Activism.” A dramatic reading of Frederick
Douglass’ speech “What to the Slave
is the Fourth of July” set the stage for
a wide-ranging discussion and interpretation of the evolution of black
activism between the Revolutionary
plan, developing
a regional and
national marketing strategy and
developing digital programs for
extending
the
Chautauqua experience beyond
the
nine-week
season.
GEORGE
“Chautauqua
MURPHY
Institution is all
about broadening our understanding of contemporary ideas through engagement with
the arts, education, religion and recreation,” Murphy said. “This role continues to grow in importance in a world
where issues are more complex and
need clear understanding. I am excited to be leading the effort to position
Chautauqua more prominently as a resource for all to enjoy.”
and Civil War periods. An exploration
of expository works produced by 19th
century African American luminaries
including David N. Walker, Harriet
Jacobs and Sojourner Truth was followed by an in-depth exploration of
the issues by a distinguished panel of
speakers that includes Lonnie Bunch
and Rex Ellis of the National Museum
of African American History and Culture, Clement Price of Rutgers University, and Martha Simmons, author of
Preaching with Sacred Fire: An Anthology
of African American Sermons.
Later that week, Colonial Williamsburg hosted “Storm on the Horizon:
Slavery, Disunion, and the Roots of
the Civil War,” a weekend of activities
and programs focusing on the Civil
War’s roots in the American Revolution. Speakers included Pulitzer Prize
winner Gordon S. Wood and Columbia University professor Alan Brinkley. Wood will also be a featured
speaker during Week Nine of the 2011
Season, Aug. 22-26.
This May, Chautauqua Theater
Company will bring its production of
Peter Shaffer’s Tony Award-winning
play Amadeus to the Virginia Arts Festival. After making its stunning debut
last summer in the Amphitheater with
the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra,
CTC co-artistic director Vivienne Benesch and Buffalo Philharmonic JoAnn
Falletta reunite to delve into the mind
and music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.
The off-season events reflect a key
aspect of the strategic plan adopted
last February by Chautauqua’s board
of trustees, which affirms that the
Institution must move from being a
“best-kept secret” to being a nationally and internationally known center
of programmatic excellence and relevance. Among the initiatives aimed
at achieving this goal is a focused outreach to an audience beyond the gates
and moving aspects of the Chautauqua program to a year-round basis.
Thomas Becker
Institution president
George Murphy
chief marketing officer
The Chautauquan is published
by the Chautauqua Institution,
Chautauqua, NY 14722.
Matt Ewalt
publications editor
www.ciweb.org
Printed by The Corry Journal, Corry Pa.
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Murphy has marketed and developed numerous brands worldwide for
over 20 years. From 2001 to 2008, he
was senior vice president for global
marketing for DaimlerChrysler, responsible for worldwide marketing of
the Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep brands.
From 1999 to 2001, George was chief
marketing officer for Ford in North
America, responsible for the marketing of the Ford brand. It was during
the launch of the Ford Focus that a
television first was introduced, the live
broadcast of a commercial based on
consumer voting. From 1988 to 1999,
George worked for GE Lighting in the
US, Singapore and England becoming
vice president for worldwide product
management. George managed and
launched the GE brand in Asia and
Europe while introducing energy saving, compact fluorescent lighting into
the US market.
After leaving DaimlerChrysler,
George was the CEO of two start-ups:
Trumedia Technologies, who developed an audience measurement technology for digital signage based on
facial recognition, and Aladdin Lighting Technologies, an industrial LED
lighting company. He remains an equity investor in both companies and is
a board member at Aladdin.
Murphy earned an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University, a MSE from
Duke University and a BSE from Duke
University. He is currently a member
of the board of visitors at Duke’s Pratt
School of Engineering.
George is married to Susan Moran
Murphy and they have three daughters, Kathleen, Mhoire and Ryan. Susan was a Chautauqua Institution
trustee from 1998 through 2006 and is
currently a member of the Chautauqua
Foundation board of directors. The
Murphys have been coming to Chautauqua for 22 years.
State Department forms
CLSC in Zimbabwe
Chautauqua
Institution and the Chautauqua
Literary & Scientific Circle
are pleased to partner this
spring with the U.S. embassy in Harare, Zimbabwe, in launching a Zimbabwean chapter of the
CLSC. The pilot program
evolved from an idea from
Chautauquan
Sharon
Hudson-Dean, the embassy’s public affairs officer and spokesperson, who was
granted an “Innovations in Public Diplomacy” award to implement it.
U.S. Ambassador Charles A. Ray
will lead the guided reading program,
which will include in its membership
a “senior group,” comprising several
high-ranking Zimbabwe government
officials, businesspeople and media
figures, and a “junior group” of future
leaders. Selected participants will be
given Kindles with pre-loaded books.
“We will pilot two groundbreaking
modern literary discussion clubs using Kindles to connect Zimbabwean
political, opinion and youth leaders,”
Hudson-Dean stated in her pitch to
the State Department. “With our partner the Chautauqua Institution, we
will take a leadership role in Zimba-
bwean intellectual circles
and build strong bridges
with key people who will
determine, today and tomorrow, the direction of
this country.”
With a 92 percent English literacy rate, Zimbabwe is an excellent country
for the State Department
pilot. Designed to give the
Zimbabweans a well-rounded sampling
of books that reflect literature, history
and leadership, CLSC Zimbabwe’s inaugural reading list will include 12 titles
from the last three decades of CLSC
selections. Sherra Babcock, director of
Chautauqua’s Department of Education,
assisted in selecting the books.
“We are so proud to further the
CLSC’s international presence, and to
partner with the State Department to
enhance mutual understanding and
open discussion in a developing nation,” Babcock said. “If the program
proves successful, we hope other embassies will want to replicate it.”
CLSC alumni classes will be given
an opportunity to support this program
by designating their class philanthropy
toward the dues ($10/year/participant)
of the Zimbabwe members.
LIVCOM from page 1
other communities to draw from.”
The delegation’s presentation focused on Chautauqua’s efforts to
protect Chautauqua Lake through
stormwater management, implement
energy-saving best practices in all
its facilities, and engage all residents
and visitors in programs encompassing the arts, education, religion and
recreation. Aspects of good community planning and design were also
highlighted, including the importance
placed on public space, a pedestrianfriendly environment, and a strong
connection with nature and the lake.
“Having attended presentations
made by other communities at LivCom, we were also impressed by the
emphasis on lifelong learning, volunteerism and healthy living by the judges,” Ewalt said. “Chautauqua truly sets
a global standard in these areas and in
its focus on community engagement.”
For more information on the award,
please visit livcomawards.com.
Attending the finals event on behalf
of Chautauqua were Charlie Heinz,
community planning associate and
former vice president for administrative and community services; Matt
Ewalt, editor of The Chautauquan Daily;
architect Marty Serena; and summer
resident Ernest Mahaffey.
“We were honored to be part of this
international gathering of communities that have dedicated themselves to
issues of historic preservation, environmental sustainability, civic engagement and lifelong learning,” Ewalt
said. “Recognizing that the institution does not operate as a city, town or
village in the traditional sense, it was
important for our delegation to call attention both to Chautauqua’s unique
functions as well as its true strengths
as a livable community and how it
functions as a prototype, a model for
The Chautauquan
Winter 2011
Page 3
news
F rom the presi d ent
A vital force for the understanding our world
Author Roger Rosenblatt opened a
Chautauqua program hosted by the
92nd Street Y in Manhattan in early
December by declaring that writers
write for four reasons: “to make sorrow
endurable; to make evil intelligible; to
make justice desirable; and to make
love possible.”
As in almost all ideas that, at once,
capture my heart and engage my mind,
I think of Chautauqua. Roger’s eloquent
evocation of the writer’s urgency can be
applied to why Chautauqua remains a
vital force for the understanding of the
world in which we live, our engagement
with that world, and the opportunity
to contribute toward its illumination
and improvement.
Sorrow is a ubiquitous experience,
part of being human with all our
mortal frailties. Writers, artists and
others contribute to not only our
articulation of the sorrow itself but
also to the beauty within the sorrow—
what Roger called the contribution of
the minor chord. When he made this
point I thought of a documentary made
by Bestor Cram, grandson of former
Chautauqua president Arthur Bestor
and an award-winning filmmaker,
titled the “Unfinished Symphony,”
describing the activism of Vietnam
War veterans toward the close of that
war. He used as soundtrack to the latter
portion of the film
“The Symphony
of
Sorrowful
Songs” by Henryk
Gorecki, a piece of
elegiac character,
deep sorrow and
stunning beauty.
I remember the
music
more
vividly than the
THOMAS M.
particulars of the
BECKER
story.
We have witnessed in recent weeks
the reminder of the evidence of evil
displayed in a shopping market in
Tucson and practiced upon people,
young and old, of earnest intent to
make the world a better place. We have
also witnessed how important it is to
understand the source and expression
of that evil. It is important to call it what
it is and not fall into the temptation to
adorn the action with the costume of
the politics of our disagreements. This
is hard work requiring some discipline
and the capacity to absorb information
critically and carefully. This is a study
of what we are capable of doing to one
another. We must not turn away. We
must see it for what it is.
Justice is not simply desirable; it is
essential for a foundation of hope. We
have to believe that right will be done.
We construct systems of laws around
the idea of navigating the common
good, the balancing of individual
and collective rights, the protection of
fundamental rights. We critique those
very systems based on their ability
to deliver justice. Our ideals declare
justice blind to race and class.
This summer we will spend time
considering the pathway to the Civil
War. We will discuss the fact that the
first democratic assembly on these
shores happened in the same year as the
first arrival of slaves. We will consider
these two realities and their interaction
with the swirling confluence of
westward expansion and international
influences. The pathway to racial
justice teaches us of the resistance to
change, and power of tenacity and the
importance of charismatic leadership.
Chautauqua has had a multi-year
relationship with Karen Armstrong,
winner of the prestigious TED Prize,
through which she established her
Charter of Compassion. In this effort
she has worked to gain the active
endorsement of the world’s religious
leaders for a common statement of
affirmation of compassion as a basic
requirement for a world more prone
to peace and justice. Recalling again
the events of Tucson, I have marveled
at the example of the husband of
Congresswoman Giffords who has
embodied the very qualities Karen has
so diligently codified. Mark Kelly has
broken every popular model of outrage
and vengeful retribution. Instead he has
been a pillar of measured response, with
a focus on life, displaying a sympathetic
joy and a concern for nearly everybody
within or around the incident, including
the perpetrator of the violence. He is
such an unusual character the media
isn’t quite sure what to make of him.
We seek experiences at Chautauqua
that inspire or awaken moral
imagination. There is nothing soft or
easy in this development, but rather
real, purposeful effort. The outcome of
this effort is a personal and collective
atmosphere in which love is possible.
Beginning Saturday, June 25, and
every day through Sunday, Aug. 28,
Chautauqua Institution will present an
array of programmatic and community
experiences that among other things
will make sorrow endurable, evil
intelligible, justice desirable and love
possible. This isn’t simply an important
experience; it is fundamental to
developing our capacity to be a society
prepared to exemplify the promise of
the gift of our democracy and to live
up to the obligation of governance for
and by the people. To be better people
and a better society.
introducing the new
ciweb.org
WEBSITE from page 1
Lectures, Literary Arts, Performing
Arts, Religion, School of Music and Visual Arts. Scroll over any program on
the calendar for detailed event information. Save as a file for your iPhone
or iPad, or print your calendar to bring
with you to Chautauqua.
Community News
Whether you are a year-round resident or annual visitor, the Community page—accessible by clicking the
“Community” tab at the top of the
home page—is designed to keep the
public informed on community news
throughout the year and provide basic
information on services, environmental initiatives and volunteer organizations. The “Community News” page
will provide updates on Institution
projects, environmental initiatives and
special events. The Community page
also provides links to The Chautauquan
Daily, Bird, Tree & Garden Club, Chautauqua Women’s Club and Chautauqua Property Owners Association.
Ticketing
Purchasing gate passes and related
tickets, including parking, theater and
opera, youth programs, golf and tennis, is now an easy four-step process
on Chautauqua’s new ticketing site, accessible by clicking on the “Visit Us”
tab. Upon creating an online account,
customers register all ticket holders
and are then led through a process for
purchasing tickets. Internet orders are
confirmed by e-mail. Once filled, orders
will be shipped within two weeks.
Beginning Monday, Feb. 14, users
are able to purchase single tickets to all
Amphitheater performances using an
Easy access
View the 2011 calendar,
shop at the bookstore,
or click “Visit Us” to
purchase tickets and
secure accommodations
and plan your visit. The
“Community” tab is the
hub for all community
news.
Explore
Click on these tabs to
view an introductory
video or browse
programs within the
Arts, Education, Religion,
Recreation and Youth
Customize
A Typical Day
Use the interactive
calendar to pick the
programs that interest
you and build a
printable calendar for
your visit
New to Chautauqua?
Learn what a full day at
Chautauqua offers with
a slide show featuring
beautiful images of the
grounds.
Lecture Platform
Learn more about
recently announced
speakers and related
news for each week of
the season’s morning
lecture platform
express option available on the Ticketing home page.
Accommodations
Chautauqua Institution’s new webbased accommodations system allows
users to search for condos, hotel rooms,
historic inns or apartments by entering
the length and date of your stay and
your specific accommodations needs,
including rental type, number of
rooms and location on the Institution
grounds. As of early February, more
than 300 units are available using the
service. Browse the rental offerings
Latest News
Check back weekly
for the latest program
announcements,
including Amphitheater
performers, CLSC
selections and special
events
that fit your criteria with photographs
and rate information provided by the
owner and request a reservation. Since
most rental units are privately owned,
you will be automatically directed to
their reservation page at the end of the
booking process.
Seasonal changes
The Chautauqua season itself brings
about a need for different information,
and the Institution’s website has been
redesigned to focus on the daily program during the summer months. Users will find a daily calendar on the
home page with program announcements and any schedule changes. As
the season comes to a close, the website will transition to a third phase, one
of celebration. Highlights of the season
will be showcased, with photos, videos, Daily articles and other content
available for users to further explore
topics and share their Chautauqua
experience with family and friends.
With the arrival of the new year, as the
next summer’s program information
becomes available, the website will return to its current format.
The Chautauquan
Page 4
Winter 2011
news
BRIEFLY
Foundation announces changes to Bestor Society
After a careful analysis of Chautauqua Institution’s needs and projected
income provided by the Chautauqua Fund and the Chautauqua Foundation,
both the Foundation’s board of directors and the Institution’s board of
trustees unanimously approved a recommendation to increase the entry
level of the Bestor Society from $2,000 to $3,500, effective Jan. 1, 2011.
More information on this decision is available by clicking on the “Annual
Giving” link under the “Giving to Chautauqua” tab at giving.ciweb.org.
North Carolina Chautauquans gear up for spring lunch
The Triangle Chautauquans of Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, N.C. are
planning their annual spring lunch for the latter part of March at Meredith
College in Raleigh. Chautauquans throughout North Carolina are welcome
to attend. E-mail or call Sue Kister ([email protected] or (919) 544-2514).
When plans are finalized, you will receive an invitation with reservation
form.
Babysitting list available for families
The Office of Recreation and Youth Services maintains a babysitting
list that includes names, addresses, phone numbers and availability of
potential care givers. Anyone interested in placing his or her name on this
list should contact Gwen Papania at (716) 357-6290. The list is intended as
a public service and will not rate or recommend any individual. Payment
arrangements are made directly between the family and the babysitter.
The list will be updated weekly through the season and made available at
various locations on the grounds.
Host a CSO reception
Hosting a Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra reception is a great way to
entertain the conductor or soloist in a low-key atmosphere after a performance.
If interested, please contact the Program Office at (716) 357-6217.
Support young artists through Connections program
Now is the time to sign up to be a “Chautauqua Connection” with an
orchestra, piano, voice or dance student (or two) during the 2011 Season.
Get to know some very special people and be on the “inside” during their
summer training—and often beyond. There are only two requirements:
attend performances and recitals by your student whenever possible and
be a friend to your student. For details, visit www.chauconnect.org or contact
Susan Helm at (502) 897-3870 or [email protected]. There is no need to
re-register if you signed up last year.
IRAS conference returns to Chautauqua
The Institute on Religion in an Age of Science (IRAS) will hold its 57th
annual conference, open to the public, at the Athenaeum Hotel prior to the
start of the 2011 Season, June 18 – 25. The conference will explore “Doing
Good, Doing Bad, Doing Nothing: Scientific and Religious Perspectives
on Human Behavior.” Daily offerings include a chapel service, three
presentations or panel discussions, a poster session, workshops, a book
seminar, children and youth programs and happy hour. The last night
features a talent show and chorus. Registration forms and additional
information can be found at www.iras.org.
Guild of Seven Seals announces ‘Winter Read’
The CLSC Guild of the Seven Seals has selected Adventures of Huckleberry
Finn to be its 2011 “Winter Read.” The work by Mark Twain is among
the first in major American literature to be written in the vernacular,
characterized by regionalism and its colorful description of people and
places along the Mississippi River, often satirizing a Southern antebellum
society by presenting a scathing look at entrenched attitudes, particularly
racism.
Athenaeum Hotel names new
director of sales, marketing
Jason Toczydlowski
Prior to moving to
has joined the staff of
the
Chautauqua
area,
the Athenaeum Hotel
Toczydlowski lived in San
as director of sales and
Sebastian, Spain, where
marketing beginning
he taught English and
Jan. 1, after holding the
business English.
position of dining room
In this newly created
manager during the
position at the Athenaeum,
2010 Season.
Toczydlowski will focus on
Prior to Chautauqua,
marketing, outreach, social
Toczydlowski
was
networking and hospitality
JASON
a sales and catering TOCZYDLOWSKI operations at the hotel.
manager at Chautauqua
“At the Athenaeum, we
Suites, was a major account executive are looking at every department to
with T-Mobile in New York City, and find ways to improve customer service
a hospitality representative with and add overall value to our guests’
Simon Piece Restaurant and William experience,” Toczydlowski said. “With
Patrick Catering in Philadelphia. He special porch programming this
attended Westchester University in summer, we also want to strengthen
Pennsylvania, graduating with a B.S. the sense of community our guests
in marketing and a B.A. in Spanish enjoy at this historic treasure
with a minor in international business. overlooking Chautauqua Lake.”
Photo courtesy Chautauqua Archives
Three hundred firefighters from 29 fire companies responded to a fire at the
Colonnade the morning of Sunday, Jan. 22, 1961. The incident took the life of a
resident in a third-floor apartment and caused extensive damage to the facility.
Firefighters remember
massive response to fire at
Colonnade 50 years ago
by Rosemary Rappole
Chautauqua Volunteer Fire Department
At 5:44 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 22,
1961, Chautauqua County Fire Control Center in Mayville received a
report of a fire at Chautauqua Institution’s Colonnade building. The incident that would take the life of an
elderly resident in a third-floor apartment brought 300 firefighters from 29
fire companies to battle the blaze that
gutted the historic building.
On that day 50 years ago, with
temperatures reportedly 12 degrees
below zero, the first responding engine companies from Chautauqua
Volunteer Fire Department found the
hydrants on Pratt Avenue and the
adjacent Bestor Plaza area frozen and
inoperable. Relocating two engines
up Ames and Miller, they were able
to pump from working hydrants at
the Palestine Avenue intersections
down to the fire lines established
around the Colonnade Building. By
the end of the day, four miles of hose
line had been laid, mostly by engines
drafting water from the ice-covered
lake and relay pumping it back up to
Bestor Plaza.
Firefighters reported that all six
women living in the third floor apartments were safely out of the building
on their arrival. Ada Wright apparently re-entered to retrieve something from her unit located at the
front southwest corner of the building. A subsequent search for her by
two Chautauqua firefighters proved
unsuccessful when they were met
with extreme heat and thick black
smoke in the stairway leading up to
the hallway to the third floor.
County Fire Coordinator Carlton
Winchester said that the fire, which
was fought under the worst possible
conditions, was the largest mutual
effort by firemen in the history of
New York state. Nearly every department in the county sent personnel
and equipment, including the city of
Dunkirk, which drove its open cab
ladder truck west on Rt. 90 along the
Lake Erie shoreline in the sub-zero
temperatures. The few departments
who did not respond directly to
Chautauqua were dispatched to cover their neighbor’s empty stations.
The Dunkirk 1949 Seagrave truck
was directed in to the right front cor-
ner of the Colonnade where the extended ladder provided access to the
upper stories. Once inside, the crew
was able to cut holes in the second
and third floors to relieve the weight
of over 18 inches of water load accumulated from several hours of hose
streams pouring into the building.
This defensive maneuver ultimately
saved the building from collapse and
total destruction.
The fire was declared under control by the incident commander,
Chautauqua Assistant Fire Chief
Spencer Shaw, at 11:15 a.m. Flames
continued to flare up from concealed
spaces in the structure well into the
afternoon keeping firefighters busy
on the scene for nearly 10 hours.
While fire crews fought the fire
on the third floor, teams of firemen
assigned to salvage detail worked to
remove files and other items from
the lower floors. Throughout the day,
shelter and rehab were provided in
the spacious sun room of the St. Elmo
Hotel. Firemen’s coats and helmets
coated with ice stood in the lobby of
the hotel to thaw out before the men
returned to duty.
Mrs. Ada Wright’s body was found
under collapsed structural debris in
her third floor apartment the following day. County Coroner Ralph Wallace issued a death certificate citing
asphyxiation from smoke inhalation
as the probable cause.
Later that week, Chautauqua Institution President William Carothers announced the Institution’s intent to open the summer season on
schedule. Temporary offices were
moved to the Smith Memorial Library where Carothers, Treasurer
Curtis Haug and other Institution
employees gathered the files and records salvaged from the Colonnade
during the fire.
Total damage to the Colonnade
was estimated at $1.5 million.
With the roof open to the sky after
the fire, the third floor was removed.
The original walls and exterior façade were reinforced and used in
the reconstruction of the current
Colonnade Building. The interior
of the structure was rebuilt during
the ensuing months and was ready
for occupancy by the Institution administrative staff by the following
spring of 1962.
The Chautauquan
Winter 2011
Page 5
community
making a d ifference
Life without Chautauqua inconceivable to Millers
For Greg Miller and Bijou ClingerMiller, second- and fourth-generation
Chautauquans, respectively, the idea
of missing a summer at Chautauqua is
unbearable.
“There is no jousting between us
when it comes to spare time in the
summer,” Greg said. “If we have it, we
know we are going to Chautauqua.”
Residents of New York City for 30
years, the Millers love all the city has to
offer, but there is nowhere these lifelong
Chautauquans would rather be during
the summer than on the grounds.
“Chautauqua is a magnet that pulls
us in,” Greg said.
“It is where I feel most at home, and I
look forward year after year to walking
through those gates, running into Dick
and Bill Karslake and having them say,
‘Welcome home!’” Bijou added.
Falling in love at Chautauqua is part
of their family history; Bijou’s parents
met here. And so it was no surprise that
attending a dance as teenagers at what
used to be the High School Club became
the first chapter in Greg and Bijou’s life
together. Years later, they would be
married in the Hall of Philosophy.
They have two daughters, Sara and
Juliet. Sara attends Hamilton College
and is studying abroad in Uganda
for the semester, while Juliet is a high
school freshman.
Greg and Bijou have both pursued
careers in the arts, the genesis of which
is their summers spent immersed
in the arts at Chautauqua. Greg is a
musician, composer, and independent
business owner. Bijou is a singer and an
actress. She also coaches young people
to help them gain acceptance into some
of New York City’s most prestigious
performing arts high schools.
Submitted photo
Greg Miller and Bijou Clinger-Miller
In the late eighties, Greg
and Bijou wrote, produced
and starred in a musical
that they performed on the
Amphitheater stage called
Emergency
Entertainment.
Greg has also composed
music that the choir still
performs today.
“Coming to Chautauqua is
such a wonderful experience overall,”
Bijou said. “It teaches you to never stop
learning, to keep challenging yourself.”
Greg and Bijou have long been
active members of the community.
When they were younger, they both
worked as counselors at Boys’ and
Girls’ Club and performed other odd
jobs on the grounds. Today, they stay
busy attending lectures, participating
in and teaching Special
Studies
courses,
and
enjoying various recreational
activities. Bijou also has
an extensive Chautauqua
memorabilia
collection,
including postcards, that
she lends to the Old First
Night celebration each year.
She is also very active in
the Chautauqua Literary & Scientific
Circle, and is currently authoring two
children’s books about Chautauqua.
Greg and Bijou have also held
leadership roles in the Chautauqua
Property Owners Association, and
Greg is currently a member of the
Institution’s Board of Trustees.
Above all of these commitments at
Chautauqua, however, is family.
“Emotionally our families are
very close, but geographically we are
very spread out,” Greg explained.
“Chautauqua is the place we all come
together. It’s incredible to spend that
kind of time with family.”
The importance of Chautauqua in
the Millers’ lives and the newfound
awareness of the needs of this place has
led them to consider how Chautauqua
fits into their philanthropic giving.
“As a trustee, I now have the
experience of seeing what’s under the
hood, and learning exactly what it takes
to keep Chautauqua running as it is,
and I know I need to do my part to the
extent that I am able,” Greg said.
In addition to their annual giving,
Greg and Bijou have included
Chautauqua in their wills and consider
it an investment in the future of
Chautauqua.
“We all should be aware that our
gate tickets do not cover all of the costs
of what it takes to put on a season
at Chautauqua,” Greg said. “We are
getting more than we pay for.”
“Giving, at all levels, is important,”
Bijou added. “No matter how little or
how much, it all adds up and can help
to sustain Chautauqua.”
Bijou sums it up in one perfect
sentiment: “My life would be completely
different without Chautauqua.”
Greg and Bijou’s bequest intention makes
them members of the Eleanor B. Daugherty
Society, a group of individuals who have
included Chautauqua in their estate plans
through a life income gift, retirement plan,
trust or by bequest. If you would like to
learn more about including Chautauqua
in your estate plans, contact Karen Blozie,
director of gift planning, at (716) 357-6244
or email [email protected].
Opera lovers, show your support
by Judy Oliver
President, Chautauqua Opera Guild
Submitted photo
Chautauqua will celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the Miller Bell Tower this summer.
Bell tower centennial to be
celebrated this summer
In 2011, the Miller Bell Tower
celebrates its centennial. This regal
tower and icon of the Institution will be
celebrated with all sorts of meaningful
remembrances throughout the entire
Chautauqua season.
Standing 75 feet tall and containing
a 14-bell carillon, the Miller Bell Tower
casts her spell on all those within
the sound of her voice. Perhaps she
touched your heart when you heard
your favorite song or brought a lump
to your throat when you heard “Happy
Birthday” or the Fourth of July concert.
The anniversary celebration will
include two major events this summer.
On Tuesday, Aug. 2, a birthday party
at 4:30 p.m. will be held at the tower.
Learn history, hear music, and celebrate
as part of the Old First Night festivities.
On Aug. 21, another event will mark the
centennial of the tower as part of the
yearlong celebration of the bicentennial
of Chautauqua County. The Chautauquan
Daily will also feature articles about the
history and significance of the tower
during the 2011 Season.
Chimemaster Carolyn Benton is
anxious to hear from Chautauquans
for any comments, ideas or questions.
Contact her at [email protected] with
“Bell Tower” in the subject line.
It won’t be long before large numbers of young people arrive in Chautauqua to perfect their skills, and it is
our privilege to make their experience
unforgettable. It is a major part of what
the Chautauqua Opera Guild does,
and we love it. I encourage all of you to
get involved with these young artists.
I am excited about our new season;
so excited, in fact, that I am planning a
parade, led by our very own Florence
Norton and escorted by Marty Merkley in the “Opera a la Cart.” This will
take place on the day of the first opera
performance in the Amp on Saturday,
July 9. I expect all—and I do mean
all—of you opera lovers to come out to
show your support.
With budgetary cuts being seen all
over America, including Chautauqua,
it has never been more important to express our love and appreciation of Jay
Lesenger and the Chautauqua Opera
Company and the unique contribution
they have made to the fabric of this
truly special place. You can express
your feelings through participation in
opera activities and joining the Opera
Guild, whose sole purpose is the support of opera and the young artists at
Chautauqua. We can’t all give in the
same manner, but whether through
financial contributions or volunteering
we can make a difference. We need to
unite and make our voices heard.
I know it is very early, but I want to
impress upon you the importance of
Opera Guild membership, and ask for
your continued participation. We have
made a difference in the past, and we
will so in the future.
Many of our young artists have
gone on to distinguished careers in the
opera world and in other endeavors as
well, for which we should all be very
proud. May this tradition continue for
many years to come.
For membership information, visit
opera.ciweb.org/guild.
Daily hiring for upcoming season
The Chautauquan Daily is looking
for excellent news and feature writers, photographers, page designers
and copy editors for the 2011 Season.
Daily staffers will begin work on June
14, 2011.
The Daily also welcomes applications for the positions of newsroom
office manager and business office
manager. Ideal applicants will have
some office managerial or supervisory experience.
Interested candidates should email a resume with cover letter, work
samples and at least three references
to Matt Ewalt, publications editor, at
[email protected]. For more information on the Daily, visit daily.ciweb.org.
The Chautauquan
Page 6
Winter 2011
L E C TU R ES
HELENE
GAYLE
DAVID
GERGEN
MICHAEL J.
SANDEL
STELLA
RIMINGTON
DAVID
IGNATIUS
ROCCO
LANDESMAN
ROBIN
WRIGHT
AZAR
NAFISI
Morning lectures bring big names, rising stars
Week One
Global Health and Development as
Foreign Policy
Secretary of State Warren Christopher,
and an adviser to the 1980 George H.W.
Bush presidential campaign.
John Hamre was elected president
and CEO of the Center for Strategic and
International Studies in January 2000.
Before joining CSIS, he served as the
26th U.S. deputy secretary of defense.
Under Hamre’s leadership, CSIS’s
Global Health Policy Center formed in
2009 its Commission on Smart Global
Health Policy. CSIS assembled the new
commission in response to the 2007
Smart Power Commission, whose final report put a special focus on global
health, making the case for public
health investments as the leading edge
of U.S. development programs and for
improving the U.S. image abroad.
Michael J. Sandel is the Anne
T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of
Government at Harvard University,
where he has taught political
philosophy since 1980. His latest
book, Justice: What’s the Right Thing to
Do?, a New York Times best-seller and
2011 CLSC selection, relates the big
questions of political philosophy to the
most vexing issues of our time.
At Harvard, Sandel’s courses include
“Ethics, Biotechnology, and the Future
of Human Nature,” “Ethics, Economics,
and Law” and “Globalization and Its
Critics.” His undergraduate course,
“Justice,” has enrolled over 15,000
students, and is the first Harvard
course to be made freely available
online and on public television. He is a
frequent Chautauqua lecturer.
Wednesday, June 29
Thursday, June 30
Helene D. Gayle is president and
CEO of CARE USA. An expert on
health, global development and humanitarian issues, she spent 20 years
with the Centers for Disease Control,
working primarily on HIV/AIDS. Gayle then worked at the Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation, directing programs
on HIV/AIDS and other global health
issues.
Gayle chairs the Obama administration’s Presidential Advisory Council
on HIV/AIDS, and serves on the President’s Commission on White House
Fellowships. She has been named one
of Foreign Policy magazine’s “Top 100
Global Thinkers,” Newsweek’s top 10
“Women in Leadership” and The Wall
Street Journal’s “50 Women to Watch.”
Week Two
Government and the Search for the
Common Good
Tuesday, July 5
Bill Purcell has spent more than 30
years in public service, law and higher
education. During his eight-year tenure as mayor of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson
County, Tenn., the city saw unprecedented economic expansion, earning
him “Public Official of the Year” honors in 2006 by Governing magazine.
Following his service as mayor, Purcell was a Harvard University Institute of Politics Fellow in 2007. He then
served as founding and interim dean
of the College of Public Service and Urban Affairs at Tennessee State University before returning to the Institute of
Politics as director, and a lecturer in
public policy at the Harvard Kennedy
School.
Wednesday, July 6
David Gergen is a professor of
public service at the Harvard Kennedy
School and the director of its Center
for Public Leadership. He also is a
senior political analyst for CNN and
has served as an adviser to four U.S.
presidents.
Gergen has served as director of
communications for Gerald Ford and
Ronald Reagan, a counselor on domestic
and foreign affairs for Bill Clinton and
Friday, July 8
Week Three
American Intelligence: Technology,
Espionage, and Alliances
Monday, July 11
Peter Earnest is the founding
executive director of the International
Spy Museum and a 35-year veteran
of the Central Intelligence Agency.
He served 25 years as a case officer
in its Clandestine Service, primarily
in Europe and the Middle East. He
ran intelligence collection and covert
action operations against a range
of targets including Soviet Bloc
representatives and Communist front
organizations. At CIA headquarters,
Earnest ran counterintelligence and
double agent operations, working with
the Federal Bureau of Investigation
and military intelligence.
Tuesday, July 12
Bruce Riedel is senior fellow for
political transitions in the Middle East
and South Asia at the Saban Center
in the Brookings Institution. He is an
analyst of Middle East and South Asia
politics with extensive experience in
counter-terrorism, energy security
and multilateral diplomacy.
Riedel served for eight years as a
senior adviser at the National Security
Council to the last three presidents of
the United States. He is the author of
Deadly Embrace: Pakistan, America, and
the Future of Global Jihad.
Wednesday, July 13
Dame Stella Rimington is the
retired director general of the British
Security Service (MI5). Appointed
director general in 1992, she was the
first woman to hold the post and the
first director general to be publicly
named on appointment.
During her tenure as director
general, Rimington pursued a policy
of greater openness for MI5, giving the
1994 Dimbleby Lecture on BBC TV. She
retired from MI5 in April 1996.
Thursday, July 14
Washington Post columnist David
Ignatius has had a distinguished
and wide-ranging career in the news
business, serving at various times as a
reporter, foreign correspondent, editor
and award-winning columnist.
He has written widely for magazines
and published seven novels, including
2007’s Body of Lies, which was adapted
into a Warner Bros. film directed by
Ridley Scott and starring Leonardo
DiCaprio and Russell Crowe.
Friday, July 15
R. James Woolsey is chairman of
Woolsey Partners LLC and former
United States Director of Central
Intelligence, heading the Central
Intelligence Agency and the U.S.
Intelligence Community.
Including his Central Intelligence
tenure, Woolsey served in the
U.S. government on five different
occasions. He was under secretary of
the Navy, general counsel to the U.S.
Senate Committee on Armed Services
and part-time delegate at large to the
U.S.–Soviet Strategic Arms Reduction
Talks (START) and Nuclear and Space
Arms Talks (NST). As an officer in the
U.S. Army, he was an adviser on the
U.S. delegation to the Strategic Arms
Limitation Talks (SALT I).
Week Four
A Case for the Arts
Monday, July 18
Rocco Landesman was confirmed
by the U.S. Senate on Aug. 7, 2009, as
the 10th chairman of the National
Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
Prior to joining the NEA, he was a
Broadway theater producer and owner
of Jujamcyn, a company that owns and
operates five Broadway theaters.
Before and after joining Jujamcyn
in 1987 as its president, Landesman
produced Broadway shows. In 2005,
Landesman purchased the company
and operated it until President Obama
announced his intention to nominate
him to the NEA chairmanship.
Friday, July 22
Robert L. Lynch is the president
and CEO of Americans for the Arts,
the national organization dedicated
to advancing the arts and arts
education in people’s lives, schools
and communities.
Lynch was executive director of
the National Assembly of Local Arts
Agencies for 12 years, and managed the
successful merger of that organization
with the American Council for the Arts
to form Americans for the Arts in 1996.
women, and development from 1993
to 2000, and again in 2009, she has
helped revolutionize the way the
world views population policy and
funding by making women’s sexual
and reproductive rights and health
central.
Tuesday, July 26
Isobel Coleman is senior fellow for
U.S. foreign policy at the Council on
Foreign Relations (CFR) in New York,
where she directs CFR’s civil society,
markets, and democracy initiative
and the women and foreign policy
program.
Coleman is the author and co-author
of numerous publications, including
Paradise Beneath Her Feet: How Women
are Transforming the Middle East. In 2010,
she served as the track leader for the
Girls and Women Action Area at the
Clinton Global Initiative.
Thursday, July 28
Hawa Abdi, M.D., operates a
refugee hospital and camp primarily
serving women and children in warravaged Somalia, a country that most
charities refuse to enter. She came
to international prominence in May
2010 for standing up to hundreds of
Islamist militants who tried to take
control of her camp. Adbi and her
daughters, Deeqo Mohamed and
Amina Mohamed, also doctors, were
named Women of the Year in 2010 by
Glamour. She will be interviewed on
the Amphitheater stage by journalist
and author Kati Marton.
Week Six
Iran: From Ancient Persia to
Middle East Powder Keg
Monday, Aug. 1
Robin Wright is a journalist and
foreign policy analyst. Since October
2010, she has been a joint senior
fellow at the United States Institute
of Peace and the Woodrow Wilson
International Center for Scholars.
During her fellowship, she will work
the book Jihad Against the Jihad and has
finished The Iran Primer.
Wright has reported from more
than a 140 countries on six continents
for The Washington Post, The Los Angeles
Times, The Sunday Times of London,
CBS News and The Christian Science
Monitor. Her foreign tours include
the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and
several years as a roving foreign
correspondent.
Tuesday, Aug. 2
Azar Nafisi is best known as the
Week Five
author of the national best-seller Read21st Century Women: The Road to ing Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books,
Social and Economic Growth
which electrified its readers with a
Monday, July 25
Adrienne Germain is the president
of the International Women’s Health
Coalition. Since her pioneering work
for women’s equality in the 1970s
and ’80s with the Ford Foundation,
Germain has reshaped global policy
on women’s health and human rights.
A skilled strategist and negotiator
on U.S. government delegations to
world conferences on population,
compassionate and often harrowing
portrait of the Islamic revolution in
Iran and how it affected one university
professor and her students.
Nafisi is executive director of cultural conversations at the Foreign Policy
Institute of The Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International
Studies. She has also taught at the University of Tehran, the Free Islamic University and Allameh Tabatabai.
The Chautauquan
Winter 2011
Page 7
L E C TU R ES
2 0 11 L e c t u r e T h e m e s
Week One (June 26–July 2): Global Health and Development
as Foreign Policy
BETHANY
McLEAN
DEV
PATNAIK
GEORGE
KEMBEL
GORDON S.
WOOD
to Amp stage in 2011
Wednesday, Aug. 3
A 27-year veteran of the United
States Foreign Service, Nicholas
Burns is professor of the practice of
diplomacy and international politics
at the Harvard Kennedy School, and
director of the Future of Diplomacy
Project and faculty chair for the
programs on the Middle East and on
India and South Asia.
Burns retired from the Foreign
Service in April 2008. As the State
Department’s third-ranking official
from 2005 to 2008, he led negotiations
on the U.S.-India Civil Nuclear
Agreement, on a long-term military
assistance agreement with Israel and
on Iran’s nuclear program.
Thursday, Aug. 4
Farideh Farhi is an adviser to the
National Iranian American Council, an
expert analyst on Iranian affairs and
an independent scholar and affiliate
graduate faculty at the University of
Hawai‘i at Mānoa.
Farhi has taught comparative politics
at the University of Colorado, Boulder,
University of Hawai‘i, University of
Tehran and Shahid Beheshti University,
Tehran. Her publications include States
and Urban-Based Revolutions in Iran
and Nicaragua and numerous articles
and book chapters on revolutions and
Iranian politics.
Friday, Aug. 5
Hossein
Mousavian
spent
more than two decades serving
various positions within the Iranian
government, including ambassador to
Germany, spokesman for the Iranian
Nuclear Team and foreign policy
adviser to the secretary of the Supreme
National Security Council.
Currently, Mousavian is a visiting
research
scholar
at
Princeton
University’s Woodrow Wilson School
of Public and International Affairs
and its Program on Science and Global
Security. He is the author of several
publications, including Challenges of
Iran-West Relations.
Week Seven
The U.S. Economy:
Beyond a Quick Fix
Monday, Aug. 8
C. Fred Bergsten has been
director of the Peterson Institute
for International Economics since
its creation in 1981 and frequently
testifies before Congress and appears
on television.
The
assistant
secretary
for
international affairs of the United
States Treasury from 1977 to
1981, Bergsten also functioned as
undersecretary for monetary affairs
from 1980 to 1981. From 1969 to 1971,
Bergsten coordinated U.S. foreign
economic policy in the White House
as assistant for international economic
affairs to Henry Kissinger at the
National Security Council.
Wednesday, Aug. 10
Bethany McLean is an editor at
large at Vanity Fair and a business
columnist at Slate. She is the co-author
of All the Devils Are Here: The Hidden
History of the Financial Crisis, a New
York Times best-seller which goes back
several decades to weave the origins of
the Great Recession.
McLean worked at Goldman Sachs
for three years as an analyst in the
investment banking division before
joining Fortune in 1995. In 2003 she cowrote a book about the scandal that
led to Enron’s collapse, The Smartest
Guys in the Room.
Week Eight
Sparking a Culture of Creativity and
Innovation
Tuesday, Aug. 16
Dev Patnaik is the CEO of Jump
Associates, a hybrid strategy firm
focused on growth named by The Wall
Street Journal as one of the best places
to work in America.
Patnaik is a trusted adviser to senior
executives at many of America’s most
admired companies. His articles have
appeared in numerous publications,
including BusinessWeek, Fast Company
and Forbes, and his book, Wired to Care:
How Companies Prosper When They
Create Widespread Empathy, was named
one of the best books of the year by
both Fast Company and BusinessWeek.
Thursday, Aug. 18
Joan Abrahamson is president of
the Jefferson Institute, a public policy
institute that brings creative thinking to
practical problems. She also is president
of the Jonas Salk Foundation and the
the founding chair of the Barbara Bush
Foundation for Family Literacy.
Abrahamson was assistant chief of
staff to Vice President George Bush from
1981 to 1985, and in 1985 was a recipient
of a MacArthur “genius” grant.
Friday, Aug. 19
George Kembel is a co-founder and
currently the executive director of the
d.school at Stanford University. He has
taught on subjects ranging from human
values and innovation in design to
creativity and visual thinking, and has
also won national and industry awards
for entrepreneurship and excellence in
design.
Kembel has led conceptualization,
design, and development of new
products and technologies for more
than 10 years in both research and
industry environments. He specializes
in the design process, idea generation,
concept development and rapid
prototyping.
Week Nine
The Path to the Civil War
Tuesday, Aug. 23
Gordon S. Wood is Alva O. Way
University Professor and Professor of
History Emeritus at Brown University,
and is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of many books on American history. Wood reviews in The New York Review of Books and The New Republic and
is a fellow of the American Academy
of Arts and Sciences and the American
Philosophical Society.
The U.S. government and private foundations have dedicated significant
funding toward improving the wellness of global citizens, both in monetary
contributions and research. What is, and what should be, the relationship of
these investments to U.S. foreign policy? How do we decide where to spend
valuable resources? What other factors affect global health, well being and
economic development? In our interconnected world these issues affect our
peace, stability and security. In a unique partnership with CARE and the
Global Health Council, we will examine what we know about global health
and development, what we are learning, and to whose benefit.
Week Two (July 3–9): Applied Ethics: Government and the
Search for the Common Good
How does a government determine “the common good” for its citizens?
What is fair and reasonable distribution of resources? We will spend the
week celebrating the Fourth of July and discussing what it means to be active citizens and what we expect of government at all levels. We will leave
with greater knowledge about becoming and encouraging others to become
more engaged citizens, more vigilant voters, and more effective participants.
Week Three (July 10–16): American Intelligence: Technology,
Espionage, and Alliances
In two months, our nation will confront the 10th anniversary of the Sept.
11 attacks. In the decade since, what have we learned? What is our espionage history, and why is it important? What is the appropriate balance
between civil liberties and national security? In this week, a collaboration
with the International Spy Museum, we will examine American intelligence capabilities, the methods by which we collect and analyze data, how
our justice system works, and what these issues tell us about who we are
and how we form alliances. We’ll learn about our technical capabilities in
an information-based global environment with billions of bits of information. What do we know about our espionage efforts, and how do we know
our strategies are working?
Week Four (July 17–23): A Case for the Arts
Each morning this week, we will hear from people representing and supporting the arts, particularly those art forms represented at Chautauqua
— literature, visual arts, orchestra, theater, opera, dance — discussing the
role of the arts in civil society — education, economic recovery, healing,
and cross-cultural understanding. Afternoon lectures will examine the
role of the arts in worship. This week will highlight Chautauqua’s fourpillar mix of arts, education, religion, and recreation.
Week Five (July 24–30): 21st Century Women: The Road to
Social and Economic Growth
Women’s lives around the world continue to be affected by deep-seated
prejudices that create inequities and abuse. This reality robs the future of
valuable assets. In this week, we will examine what action is needed to empower women to reach their full potential and, by that action, improve the
entire social, economic, religious, and cultural context in which they live.
Week Six (July 31–Aug. 6): Iran: From Ancient Persia to Middle
East Powder Keg
With a history that spans more than nine millennia, Iran is home to one of
the world’s oldest continuous civilizations, but one that still remains much
of an enigma to the rest of the world. How does Iran differ from the other
countries of the Middle East and how does its past inform its present and
future states? This week will look back on the country formerly known
as Persia, examine its emergence as present-day Iran, and postulate what
might be next for one of the most important Islamic countries in the world.
Week Seven (Aug. 7–13): The U.S. Economy: Beyond a Quick Fix
What must be done to insure a sustainable U.S. economy? What policies,
launched now, will build the foundation for long-term economic prosperity, secure foreign policy, and national security? Is the key within our
boundaries (health care, social security, taxes, private savings) or outside
(China, export and currency policy)? What does it mean to have a budget
deficit of more than $1 trillion a year for as far into the future as we can
see? Economists, business people, and government leaders will discuss
national and international issues that must be addressed to restore global
leadership and equilibrium to the American economic system.
Week Eight (Aug. 14–20): Sparking a Culture of Creativity and
Innovation
New ideas and new ways of looking may provide the answers to challenges to U.S. competitiveness in business, education, government, and health
care. In this week, our guests will reveal how they have created cultures of
creativity that foster innovation. We’ll define “design thinking” and learn
about collaborations that extend knowledge across disparate fields and
add value to society, products and services. We will discover how creativity can be taught and learned, and how to inspire creative confidence in
ourselves and others.
Week Nine (Aug. 21–27): The Path to the Civil War
In collaboration with Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and the Smithsonian’s
National Museum of African American History and Culture
The sesquicentennial of the Civil War in 2011 offers an opportunity to rethink its significance with regard to the evolution of U.S. society, American
identity, and race. Focusing on the path to the Civil War, what issues, confronted but unsolved by our nation’s founders, led within less than a century to war between the states and challenged the young country’s very
survival? Actor-interpreters, storytellers, historians, and present-day experts will illumine the controversies and tensions that led to the Civil War
and will reflect on how these issues continue to shape our society today.
The Chautauquan
Page 8
Winter 2011
t H e At e R
CTC celebrates new plays with 2011 festival
2011 SEASON
Three
Sisters
NPW
Festival
by Anton Chekhov
3 New Works
2 Weeks
1 Grand Celebration
Directed by
Brian Mertes
July 6-17
July 21-31
Love’s
Labour’s
Lost
by William
Shakespeare
Directed by
Ethan McSweeny
August 10-19
For tickets or more information visit:
http://ctcompany.org
2011 theater packages
SUPPORT THE THEATER, GUARANTEE SEATS AND SAVE!
Only a limited quantity of each package is available. Package buyers have the
opportunity to select their seats and get Free Ticket Exchange.
Don’t delay — pick the package that is right for you and subscribe today!
SEASON-PAK
(Limited Offer—only 100 packages available!)
$135
Make this special full season commitment to CTC!
Two Bratton productions, three new play workshops, special reserved seating at
the standing-room-only Bratton Late Night (Aug. 19) and all special events with
reserved seating where available.
5-PAK
At Chautauqua for the season? Guarantee all your seats now.
Two Bratton productions and all three plays in the NPW Fesitval.
$95
FESTIVAL-PAK
Are new plays your passion? Here’s your ticket.
Guarantee your seats for all three plays in the NPW Festival
$40
2-PAK
Don’t want to miss a moment of our two full productions? Pick a
2-Pak and save. Both Bratton productions.
$55
Artistic directors Vivienne Benesch and Ethan McSweeny are pleased
to announce the exciting lineup for
Chautauqua Theater Company’s 2011
season, its 28th summer as the vibrant
resident theater of the Chautauqua Institution.
Six years after making new play
development central to the company’s
programming, CTC is proud to announce two exciting initiatives. In
2011, the theater company will present
a New Play Workshop Festival featuring three new plays presented in repertory over the course of two weeks.
And, for the first time, CTC will award
a $15,000 Chautauqua Play Commission in conjunction with the Chautauqua Writer’s Center.
The New Play Workshop Festival,
running July 21–31, will kick off during Chautauqua’s week on “A Case for
the Arts.”
“What better case is there than
the celebration of important voices in
American theater,” Benesch said.
For the last six years, CTC’s New
Play Workshop series has introduced
Chautauquans to important new
voices in the theater and to the staged
reading as a thrilling theatrical event
in its own right.
“In the past we had selected plays
to specifically correspond with a particular weekly lecture theme,” Benesch said, “but the festival format will
allow us to relax that requirement and
open up submissions to any one of the
nine weekly themes of the summer.”
Chautauqua Writers’ Center, in conjunction with Chautauqua Theater
Company, will commission a new play
to be written by a prominent or emerging American playwright selected by
CTC’s artistic directors. The Writer’s
Center will award a $15,000 grant by
which this new, previously unwritten
play is commissioned and aided in the
development process by Chautauqua
Theater Company.
“Vivienne and I have always been
passionate about new play development,” McSweeny said, “and we’re
very proud of the forum we’ve been
able to provide for some tremendous
voices in the American theater.”
Thanks to the generosity of the John
C. Court Family Foundation, CTC is
able to elevate that commitment to a
whole new level. The foundation is
underwriting the commission as part
of its ongoing commitment to enhancing interest in the literary arts at
Chautauqua.
The Chautauqua Play Commission
will take place over a 16-month period encompassing two Chautauqua
seasons beginning this summer. In
the first season the playwright will
be present on the Institution grounds
for a two-week residency at the Chautauqua Writers’ Center to familiarize
themselves with Chautauqua, its environment, culture and aesthetic. Then
the playwright, in consultation with
the CTC artistic directors, will select
the theme or subject that will serve as
the focus or inspiration for a new play.
In the second season the playwright
will return to Chautauqua, at which
time a premiere workshop or full production of the play will be produced
by CTC.
Three Sisters
July 6–17
To lead off CTC’s season of full productions, it’s Three Sisters, Chekhov’s
masterpiece like you’ve never seen it
before. An army general’s three educated daughters yearn to escape their
provincial garrison town, their days
relieved only by a procession of officers, suitors, husbands, lovers and the
ever-present dream of returning to
Moscow. Known for his provocative
and piercingly human stagings, celebrated director Brian Mertes (Chekhov on Lake Lucille, Law & Order,
Guiding Light) takes on Chekhov’s
enduring classic, leading an ensemble
featuring artistic director Vivienne
Benesch.
Please see THEATER, page 9
Broadway stage filled with
theater conservatory alums
There’s so much going on with CTC
alumni these days that we can’t possibly put it all in print here. For a detailed listing of productions and performances happening all across the
country — on stage, screen and behind
the scenes — visit the Alumni page at
CTCompany.org. In the meantime, for
those of you visiting New York City in
the coming months, we wanted to alert
you that there are at least nine Conservatory alums on Broadway at various
times through the winter and spring.
The Merchant of Venice: Seth Numrich (’05) joins alumni guest artists
Peter Francis James (’08) and Glenn
Fleshler (’05) in this wonderful production of Shakespeare’s classic starring Al Pacino.
Brief Encounter: Gabriel Ebert (’05,
’06) is the only American in this whimsical British production of Noel Coward’s intimate play. Gabe also stood
by and performed last season in the
award-winning two-hander Red opposite Alfred Molina.
Mamma Mia: After being out with
the first national tour of Wicked, Blake
Whyte (’03, ’04) makes his Broadway
debut in this long-running ABBA-in-
spired fantasia.
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson:
Benjamin Walker (’01) has been making quite a splash starring as the controversial president in this raucous,
political musical alongside Bryce
Pinkham (’07) and guest artist Kristine
Neilsen (‘10).
The Importance of Being Earnest:
Santino Fontana (’02, ’03) will play Algernon in Roundabout Theater Company’s revival of “the funniest play
ever written,” featuring and directed
by Brian Bedford.
War Horse: Perhaps the most anticipated event of the season, the U.S.
production of this British sensation
will feature three CTC alumns: Seth
Numrich (05) in the leading role, with
Bhavesh Patel (’05) and Zach Appelman (’08, ’09) in support.
Mary Poppins: Guest artist and
faculty member Karl Kenzler (’05–’09)
continues his run as George Banks in
this Disney favorite.
Rock of Ages: This ’80s nostalgia
musical for big hair and heavy metal
culture features guest artist Adam
Dannheiser (’05).
Winter 2011
The Chautauquan
Page 9
v i s u al ar t s
Collaboration with
Albright-Knox Gallery
highlights VACI season
by Don Kimes
VACI Artistic Director
Last summer was my 25th year and
the highlight of my experience as artistic director of the visual arts program
at Chautauqua. VACI offered a seminal program with terrific exhibitions,
beginning with national visibility in
January at the Denise Bibro Gallery
in New York City, where we featured
50 faculty and alumni selected from
the thousands who have participated
in our program. Last summer we also
opened the gloriously renovated Fowler-Kellogg Art Center, made possible
by Chuck and Char Fowler, offered an
outstanding lecture series on art, celebrated the endowment of our ceramics program by the Lincoln family, and
began a campaign to endow other aspects of our programs.
Following such an enormously successful summer would appear to be
a tough act to follow but, as the 2011
Season unfolds, it looks like wonderful things are yet to come as a result of
these earlier achievements.
In 2011 we’ll mark the beginning of
our collaboration with the AlbrightKnox Gallery through a generous
grant from the Oishei Foundation in
Buffalo. Throughout the fall I have
been working with the curatorial staff
at Albright-Knox to organize an exhibition focusing on American Abstraction from the 1940s to the 1960s. Never
before in the history of Chautauqua
has so stellar a cast of acclaimed artists been on view in our galleries. Milton Avery, Louise Bourgeois, Dorothy
Dehner, Sam Francis, Adolph Gottlieb,
Jasper Johns, Franz Kline, Cy Twombly and other 20th century icons are
included. The show will be on view
throughout the season and concurrent with it will be a day trip to the
Albright-Knox collection, the new
Burchfield-Penney Art Center, Frank
Lloyd Wright’s Martin House complex
and his remarkable Graycliff Estate on
the cliffs of Lake Erie. Further information will be available in the spring
Chautauquan.
Additionally, this year I have invited Jim Kempner, of Jim Kempner
Gallery in New York City, to be the juror for the 54th Annual Exhibition of
Contemporary Art, which opens the
first Sunday of the season along with
several exhibitions organized by our
gallery director, Judy Barie, including
“Silver Linings,” “Animal Craft,” and
an exhibition of contemporary prints.
The visual arts lecture series will
THEATER from page 8
Love’s Labour’s Lost
August 10–19
Since Benesch and McSweeny assumed the leadership of CTC in 2005,
each season has concluded with a Shakespeare production featuring the entire
exceptional conservatory company. This
season, for the first time, McSweeny
will direct that final production: Shakespeare’s gem Love’s Labour’s Lost.
No sooner have the young King of
Navarre and his companions sworn
take place on Tuesday and Friday evenings from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Hultquist
Center during weeks one through six.
We’re in the midst of setting up the
School of Art program and, based on
the response so far, it appears that
the 2011 group of full-time students
will be as strong as ever. We’ll again
be offering Special Studies classes for
young artists and adult drawing and
ceramics classes in addition to the Special Studies program art offerings.
Week Four’s morning lecture theme
“A Case for the Arts” will be a very active time for VACI. The week begins on
Sunday, July 17, with the first of two
Art in the Park shows in Miller Park.
On Monday, July 18, I’m honored to
kick off the afternoon Interfaith Lecture Series in the Hall of Philosophy
with a talk about the relationship between interruption and creative discovery. There will also be a book presentation (the first in the United States)
at the galleries for the book Interruptio,
which is a series of essays by American and Italian artists, psychologists,
economists and philosophers on the
subject of interruption as a creative
catalyst. My lecture centers on the
chapter I have written for this remarkable anthology, which received critical
acclaim after its 2010 release in Italy
because of its focus on healing as a creative process.
On Tuesday of this week, “Out of
the Blue,” a series of works united by
the color blue and curated by Judy
Barie, opens at the Strohl Art Center.
On that Thursday, VACI Partners will
present our highly successful annual
“Stroll Through the Arts” celebration
with a wonderful dinner and early
evening of art, music and even dancing in the streets, as guests experience
the Fowler-Kellogg and Strohl art centers and the Melvin Johnson Sculpture
Garden. On Friday we’ll have an artist
lecture and, for a late “Arts Week” dessert, the always popular Annual Student Exhibition will open on Sunday,
July 24.
Rounding out the summer, to coincide with Chautauqua’s Week Six
theme on Iran, I am curating an exhibition of works by several contemporary Iranian artists, including a special
gallery talk with one of the artists, and
our annual VACI member show opens
Aug. 7.
We hope you’ll include VACI in
your plans this summer, and I, along
with the rest of the VACI staff, am enthusiastically looking forward to offering you a wonderful 2011 visual arts
to spend the next three years in solitary study than the beautiful Princess of France and her lovely ladies in
waiting arrive to demolish their ivory
tower. Egged on by the lovelorn Don
Armado, vows are made to be broken
in Shakespeare’s whimsical tale of the
pangs of youthful love. “It’s a notable season,” Benesch said,
“one that will once again challenge and
entertain our audiences in unexpected
ways. We will welcome extraordinary
artists, both new and returning, and see
CTC broaden its role as a champion of
new work in the American theater.”
2 0 11 VA C I E x h i b i t i o n S c h e d u l e
54th Chautauqua Annual Exhibition of Contemporary Art
June 26 – July 14 / Strohl Art Center / Main Gallery
This annual exhibition of approximately 25 works from contemporary
painters, sculptors, photographers and ceramicists, will be selected by Jim
Kempner of Jim Kempner Gallery located in the Chelsea Art District in
New York City. The show offers a unique representation of two and three
dimensional pieces, from artists across the United States and abroad.
Abstraction in America: 1940s to 1960s
June 26 – August 22 / Strohl Art Center / Gallo Family Gallery
This exhibition initiates an exciting three year series, “Albright-Knox
at Chautauqua,” organized by VACI Artistic Director Don Kimes in
conjunction with Albright-Knox Art Gallery’s curatorial assistant, Ilana
Chlebowski, and made possible by a generous grant from the Oishei
Foundation. This series of exhibitions will center on the evolution of
abstraction from the 1940s to the present. Albright-Knox Art Gallery,
founded in 1862 in Buffalo, NY, has a distinctive and impressive collection
of abstract art which grew to its height during the middle of the 20th
century.
Silver Linings
June 26 – July 28 / Strohl Art Center / Bellowe Family Gallery
This exhibition will feature six craft artists all working in silver or with
the color silver. Glass, brushed stainless, wire mesh, paper and sterling
silver pieces will all be included in this diverse silver-themed, threedimensional show.
The Contemporary Printmaker
June 26 – July 21 / Fowler-Kellogg Art Center / First Floor Galleries
This exhibition, curated by Tom Raneses, will feature original printed
images ranging from still life to abstraction. Printmaking techniques
represented include silk screen, color etching, woodcut and lithography.
The Art of Compassion
June 26 – July 21 / Fowler-Kellogg Art Center / Angela Fowler Memorial Gallery
This installation project designed by woodworking artist Jerry Alonzo,
originated during Chautauqua’s “Compassion Week” in 2009. The tall
columns contain many word contributions from Chautauquans as well as
others from around the world. The installation examines the call to treat
others as we wish to be treated ourselves, or to put ourselves in the place
of another.
Animal Craft
June 26 – July 21 / Fowler-Kellogg Art Center / Second Floor Galleries
Walk into a world where animals, including birds, deer, monkeys and
rabbits roam freely together. All of these three dimensional works plus a
selection of photographs, were created by distinguished craftsmen.
Out of the Blue
July 17 – August 23 / Strohl Art Center / Main Gallery
Paintings, prints, works on paper, glass and ceramics will be shown in
this themed based exhibition celebrating the color blue, curated by Gallery
Director Judy Barie.
Bilateral Trace: Four Emerging Artists From Iran
July 31 – August 22 / Strohl Art Center / Bellowe Family Gallery
In conjunction with Chautauqua’s Week Six theme on Iran, VACI Artistic
Director Don Kimes has curated this exhibition of works ranging from
pieces influenced by traditional Persian imagery to colorful, expressionistic
pieces rooted at the intersection of eastern and western cultures and the
“Middle East as Powder Keg.”
Chautauqua School of Art Annual Student Show
July 24 – August 4 / Fowler-Kellogg Art Center
VACI Open Members Exhibition
August 7 – 24 / Fowler-Kellogg Art Center
Melvin Johnson Sculpture Garden
June 26 – August 25
Featured artists include Scott Bye (painted wood), Roland Gephardt
(stone), Arden Scott (metal).
VACI Partners Special Events:
Art in the Park
Sunday, July 17 & Sunday, August 7 Noon – 4:30 p.m.
Due to the overwhelming popularity of the annual “Art in the Park”
shows in Miller Park each August, there will be two “Art in the Park”
shows once again in 2011. These events are hosted by the VACI Partners,
Chautauqua’s friends of the visual arts group. Stroll Through the Arts
Thursday, July 21 / 5 – 8 p.m.
Join the largest, most exciting fundraising event of the summer hosted
by VACI Partners. Guests will be treated to an array of appetizers, followed
with a diverse buffet and dessert station. The evening ends with dancing
in the streets to a live band while bidding on silent and live auction items.
The Chautauquan
Page 10
Winter 2011
music
Logan Chamber Music Series
2 0 1 1 S eason
Mondays at 4 p.m. • Elizabeth S. Lenna Hall
(subject to change)
June 27
Del Sol String Quartet
July 4
New Arts Trio
July 11 Chautauqua Quartet
July 18
Calmus
July 25
Chautauqua Wind Quintet
The San Francisco based quartet, two-time winner of the top Chamber
Music America/ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming, is breaking the boundaries of classical music in riveting performances of new music with a global pulse. Del Sol commissions and performs accessible new
music from the brightest living voices around the world.
Since its inception in 1974, the New Arts Trio has performed in major cities throughout the United States and Canada. The trio has been in residence
at Chautauqua since 1978. Current members include founder Rebecca Penneys, piano; Jacques Israelievitch, violin; and Arie Lipsky, cello.
Chautauqua’s own quartet, all first-stand members of the Chautauqua
Symphony Orchestra, is comprised of Vahn Armstrong, violin (associate concertmaster); Diane Bruce, violin (principal second violin); Thomas
Dumm, viola (principal viola); and Chaim Zemach, cello (principal cello).
This a cappella quintet was the winner of the 2009 Concert Artists Guild
International Competition as well as an appearance at Chautauqua. Founded in 1999 in Leipzig, Germany, the seamless blend of these five voices
lends itself to the almost limitless range of music from renaissance to contemporary.
Formed in 2005, the Chautauqua Wind Quintet is made up of the principal wind players from the CSO and Chautauqua School of Music faculty:
Richard Sherman, flute; Jan Eberle, oboe; Eli Eban, clarinet; Jeffrey Robinson, bassoon and Roger Kaza, French horn.
Aug. 1and 8 Audubon Quartet
The Audubon Quartet has been pleasing Chautauqua audiences for two
decades, and this afternoon will be no exception. In residency with the
Chautauqua School of Music, they teach, coach and mentor the students
in chamber music. The quartet is comprised of Ellen Jewett and Akemi
Takayama, violins, Doris Lederer, viola and Thomas Shaw, cello.
Aug. 15
Spanish Brass
In 1989, five Spanish musicians created Spanish Brass, an innovative
project that quickly earned an international reputation for the quality of
its playing, reaching across boundaries of geography and style. Renowned
for their high energy performances, educational activities and creative collaborations, they have presented hundreds of concerts around the globe. Aug. 22
Linden String Quartet
As winners of the 2010 Concert Artists Guild International Competition,
Linden String Quartet appears this season at Chautauqua. The quartet also
won the 2009 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. Founded in
2008, while students at the Cleveland Institute of Music, the members of the
quartet are violinists Sarah McElravy and Catherine Cosbey, violist Eric
Wong, and cellist Felix Umansky.
Piano alum’s Mozart album
named one of year’s best
by Rebecca Penneys
Chair, Chautauqua Piano Program
I’m pleased to announce that Kris
Bezuidenhout’s “Mozart Piano Works
Vol. 1 CD” on Harmonia Mundi was
listed as one of the New York Times’ albums of the year for 2010.
Kris came to Chautauqua from Australia to study piano with me in 1995.
Fifteen years old at the time, he was
urged to come to Chautauqua by Bruce
Cook, headmaster of Southport School
on the Gold Coast, where Kris was a
student. Bruce and family had been
to Chautauqua a few years earlier and
been exceedingly impressed.
Kris loved Chautauqua and Chautauqua loved him. Since he was so
young and had never been so far from
home for such a long period of time,
Walter and Ann MacIntosh invited Kris
to live with them. This worked well,
and after that first year he was on his
own in the dorms.
Kris, always a precocious and mature
individual, had only one issue at Chautauqua, and I remember it so clearly.
After a lesson one day, Kris whispered
into my ear, “Ms. Penneys, can I talk to
you for a moment? I don’t know exactly
how to put this, but I think I need a bit
of instruction about using the washer
and dryer.”
Since those teenage years, Kris has
been a frequent guest at Chautauqua,
and every year he still talks to me about
returning for another visit. Kris turned
30 in September, and we celebrated
his birthday together. Aside from his
parents and immediately family, he informed me that I have known him longer than anyone. For sure, I am thrilled
to be his mentor.
Kris was a young admit to Eastman
School of Music, starting his bachelor’s
degree in piano performance at 16 and
continuing with a master’s in piano
performance. He received Eastman’s
Performance Certificate along the way
but he opted out of finishing his Doctor
of Musical Arts because his performing
career escalated so rapidly. This was
an agonizing choice for him, but it has
become clear that he made the correct
decision. His present career is as much
about his huge talent, his warm joyful
personality, and his tremendous accomplishments as it is about his timing,
good sense and good luck. Kris is one
brilliant, lucky and charming fellow.
Kris first gained international recognition at the age of 21 after winning
the prestigious first prize as well as the
audience prize in the Bruges Fortepiano
Competition. He is now a guest professor at Eastman School of Music and the
Schala Acntorum in Basel, Switzerland.
Earlier this year, one of his Bach
chamber music albums won a Grammy
award. Kris’ primary residence is in
London, and he plays all over the world,
both fortepiano and modern piano. All
this fame could not have happened to a
nicer guy.
For more information on Kris, visit
kristianbezuidenhout.com.
Third annual sonatina festival
welcomes students of all ages
Chautauqua Music Festival’s Piano
Program will present its third Chautauqua Sonatina Festival on Sunday, Aug.
14 at Sherwood-Marsh Studios. The
event, named the “Franz List Bicentennial Festival” for 2011, gives piano students of any age the opportunity to perform a sonata or sonatina movement
before an audience and adjudicator,
receive a critique of their performance,
and hear other students perform.
All participants receive a certificate
of participation. One student from each
division receives an Award of Excellence Certificate, performs in a master
class with Piano Program chair Rebecca Penneys and is invited back to perform in the Honors Recital the following summer.
The registration deadline is Aug. 9.
For more information and to register,
visit music.ciweb.org/sonatina-festival.
CLSC Alumni Association reflects on ‘banner’ year
By Dick Karslake
CLSC Alumni Association
Thanks to the efforts of many
alumi, 2010 was a very good year for
the CLSC Alumni Association.
Bill Crittenden (’75), the association’s
vice president for Alumni Hall, had the
front walk leveled with the relaying of
the bricks from Alumni Hall to Wythe
Avenue. Crittenden also found—
and had the Alumni Association
purchase—a new boardroom table for
the Kate Kimball room in addition to
new lighting and appropriately placed
dehumidifiers within the building.
The Alumni Association’s weekly
programs of Eventides, book reviews
and science presentations were
organized and led by Jack McCredie
(’00), vice president for program; Jean
Badger (’87), John Khosh (’07) and
Bob Spirtas (’07). Yvonne McCredie
(’00) encouraged and coordinated
considerable class activity and
initiated work on a handbook for
class presidents. The Class of 2006,
led by Debbie Grohman, president,
sponsored the only high tea of the
season; they had such a wonderful
time doing it that they plan to offer
another in 2011.
Gary Doebler (’89), vice president
for the Guild of Seven Seals, inducted
a record number of alumni into this
advanced-degree organization and
increased its contribution to the work
of the Alumni Association. Since there
were more post-graduate degrees
awarded this year on Recognition Day
than undergraduate degrees, the Guild
of Seven Seals is becoming ever more
important and central to the Alumni
Association.
Marjorie Thomas (’96) completed
many years of service as recording
secretary and will be remembered
for her ever-present diligence. Pat
Rowe (’63) completed her first year
as corresponding secretary and
showed that she undertakes such
responsibilities
with
dedicated
intensity.
Recognition
Day,
under
the
direction of Tom Small (’99), was one of
the most successful ever. Tom enlisted
additional banner carriers at the last
minute, had the Honorary Parade
Marshall cart decorated (unfortunately,
designee Warren Hickman (’45) was
unable to attend for health reasons,
but he’ll be there next summer), had
additional personal on hand to assist
graduates up the new steep slope from
Fletcher to the Golden Gate (most too
proud to accept), and orchestrated a
memorable day. Four new arches and
their ‘Keepers’ were in place between
the Gate and the Hall of Philosophy for
the graduates to process through. Oh,
what a day it was!
The 2010 graduating class met
weekly for the last two years and
is destined to make substantial
contributions
to
the
Alumni
Association under class president
Maryanne Datesman. Their Vigil was
exceptional on Sunday evening before
graduation; watch for them at the
Great American Picnic next summer.
In looking to the future, Mary
Lee Talbot (’74), vice president for
history and traditions inspired
Nancy Eichelsdorfer (’07) to prepare
a PowerPoint presentation explaining
the CLSC. It is being used to develop
reading circles around the country
and bringing new graduates to
Chautauqua for Recognition Day and
familiarizing them with our unique
summer home. Also, Bill Crittenden is
looking for a location within Alumni
Hall to show the presentation on a
regular basis for hall visitors. Mary
Lee’s banner committee, under the
leadership of Martha Karslake (’00),
continues to do an outstanding job
in maintaining and controlling our
historic banner collection.
Winter 2011
The Chautauquan
Page 11
t h e ar t s
Stunning melodies, high drama
Opera returns to Amphitheater with premiere of Verdi masterpiece
Chautauqua Opwill do anything to
era Company’s 82nd
prevent an alliance
anniversary season,
between his noble
under the leadership
son and a peasant
of
general/artistic
girl. Unrequited
director Jay Lesenlove and famger, opens July 9 and
ily discord lead to
runs through Aug. 1
tragedy of operatic
Luisa Miller
and features a Chauproportions. Based
Saturday, July 9
tauqua Opera preon Friedrich von
miere in the AmphiSchiller’s play “InAmphitheater
theater and a major
trigue and Love”,
revival of a classic.
in the Verdi canon,
The Magic Flute
The 2011 summer
Luisa Miller immeJuly 29 and Aug. 1
season will kick off
diately preceeds
with a brand new
Stiffelio, Rigoletto,
Norton Hall
production of Verdi’s
Il Trovatore, and La
masterpiece
Luisa
Traviata, all recent
opera.ciweb.org
Miller. Luisa, daughChautauqua Opter of the local miller,
era productions. has fallen in love with Rodolfo, not Verdi’s beautiful and moving opera
knowing that he is in truth the son of will fill Chautauqua with stunning
the powerful Count Walter. The Count melodies, energetic ensembles and
high drama.
Returning for a third summer is
Chautauqua favorite Barbara Quintiliani, who will sing the title role. The
superb soprano thrilled Chautauqua
audiences in 2010 as Norma in Bellini’s
Norma and as Leonora in the 2009 production of The Troubadour (Il Trovatore).
This Chautauqua Opera premiere will
be sung in the original Italian with
English supertitles and performed on
the Amphitheater stage. Joseph Colaneri (Norma) will conduct and Jay
Lesenger will direct this tragic love
story for one performance on Saturday,
July 9.
The second production of the summer is a family favorite, Mozart’s The
Magic Flute. A handsome prince and an
abducted princess are caught between
the warring forces of the Queen of the
Night and the Priests of the Sun. But
the powers of the Magic Flute lead the
young lovers to Truth and Light. Their
comic companion, the bird catcher Papageno, uses his Magic Bells to find the
way to a pretty wife and a good dinner. For over 200 years, Mozart’s fairy
tale has delighted young and old with
its fantastic mix of intriguing symbolism, spirited comedy and ravishing
music.
Last performed at Chautauqua in
1996, this beloved opera appeals to everyone. Sung in English with English
supertitles and performed on July 29
and Aug. 1 on the Norton Hall stage,
this new production of The Magic Flute
will be conducted by Dean Williamson
(Cav/Pag) and directed by Jay Lesenger.
Chautauqua Opera’s 2011 season will
also include an array of Young Artist
performances including an opera highlights concert, pops concert, weekly artsong recitals, musical theater revues, an
opera scenes program and operalogues.
North Carolina dance facility honors Bonnefoux, McBride
by Karen Dakin
Chautauqua Dance Circle
Chautauqua’s own Patricia McBride
and Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux were
recently honored in Charlotte, N.C.,
home of the North Carolina Dance
Theatre—the dance company in
residence at Chautauqua during the
summer season.
When they moved to Charlotte 15
years ago, Patricia and Jean-Pierre were
promised a new dance center, and it
has taken several revised sets of plans
to create what the couple describes as
their “dream dance center.”
When the groundbreaking in
Charlotte took place, Patricia and
Jean-Pierre were totally overwhelmed.
They learned that this amazing
facility would be named for them—
the Patricia McBride and Jean-Pierre
Bonnefoux Center for Dance. JeanPierre said it was an exceptional honor
and a very generous gesture. The
company inaugurated their center on
June 12 with an open house.
The dance center includes six
dance studios—double the number
it previously had—and a studio
with space as large as the stage at
their new performance home, the
Knight Theater. With appropriate
lighting and sound, the company can
fully experience in rehearsal their
anticipated performance in the Knight
Theater. This new center greatly
enhances the program for NCDT’s
400-500 dance students.
The Patricia McBride and Jean
Pierre Bonnefoux Center for Dance is
a stunning structure. Besides the six
studios there are offices, a costume
shop, dressing rooms and even a
room devoted to the treatments
dancers may need, such as physical
therapy. It features a two-story atrium
with expansive windows that let
the sun shine in on the second floor
dance studios. A partition divides
two studios that can be pulled back
to reveal a black box theater with
comfortable seating for 200 people.
If Justin Van Weest is typical of
other NCDT dancers, they love their
new home.
“I think the facility is great for
the company,” he said. “People in
Charlotte have shown they are proud
of us and want us to be part of the
community.”
Traci Gilchrest stated, “I love the
new Center for Dance because there
are so many studios. This means more
space for the dancers to work on their
own thing, be it solo, choreography
or just doing a private barre before
rehearsal.”
Photo by Tom Johnson
North Carolina Dance Theatre’s new facility has been named the Patricia McBride and
Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux Center for Dance.
Patricia said that she and JeanPierre are blessed to be supported by
both the Charlotte and Chautauqua
communities. As with their dance
program in Charlotte, Chautauqua’s
dance program has thrived under the
dynamic and visionary leadership
of Jean-Pierre. It, too, has grown in
size and stature. Chautauqua’s Idea
Campaign resulted in renovations to
the Carnahan-Jackson studios and
the construction of the BonnefouxMcBride Hall, both of which have
allowed Chautauqua’s dance program
to continue to flourish. How fortunate
for Charlotte and Chautauqua that this
renowned couple has chosen to share
their enormous talents with these
communities.
Thank you, Jean-Pierre and Patricia!
Support theater company, form lasting friendships
by Gwynneth P. Tigner
Friends of Chautauqua Theater Company
The Friends take good care of our
theater company, and have a mighty
good time doing so. Where else could
a $10 membership do so much (as
outlined below) and have change left
over?
In 2010 we provided a $2,500
scholarship to company member Ellie
Rabinowitz, an extremely talented
lighting fellow. Ellie would not have
been here without this scholarship, and
she will always cherish her time and
the friendships forged at Chautauqua.
Under the creative leadership of
Carol Collins and Fred Zirm, we fed the
theater company twice at Jewett House
during tech rehearsal days. For You
Can’t Take it With You it was bratwurst,
sauerbraten and German potato salad,
and during the Macbeth rehearsal the
hungry company members dined on
Italian cuisine.
The company set-change crew works
through the night at Bratton when one
production concludes, striking its stage
set and creating the set for the next play.
Joe Sterman and Sylvia Weiss enjoyed
preparing a buffet feast for these hard
workers, leaving it back stage for the
crew, and then going home to bed. Joe
says that there is a special joy in doing
something nice for people who really
appreciate it, but who never know
exactly who put it all together. I call Joe
and Sylvia the “Friends tooth fairies.”
Gladys and Dick Ross, along with
Susie and Rick Rieser, coordinated
this year’s “Adopt a Theater Artist”
program. Twenty-one Chautauquans
hosted
18
company
members
throughout the season—feeding them
occasionally when they could break
away from rehearsals, cheering them
on at performances, and just offering
them a front porch respite or a washing
machine. Two parents, Joan Rosenthal
and Barb Rait, adopted Fisher Neal
together, and were delighted to find
that his grandparents played duets
here in the ’50s, and his uncle played
in the CSO in the ’90s. Other parentstudent relationships, past and present,
have resulted in strong bonds of
friendships through the years, with
parents traveling to see their adoptee in
performances around the country and
sometimes being able to boast “I knew
him or her when … .”
Friends is an open, welcoming
organization. We would love to have
you participate with us in either a
supportive or a leadership capacity.
Come and join us, and see just how far
your $10 membership can go. For more
information, contact me at (716) 7537462 or [email protected].
The Chautauquan
Page 12
Winter 2011
Religion
KATHARINE
HENDERSON
DAVID
E.J.
SAPERSTEIN
DIONNE
BARRY
BLACK
ANAT
HOFFMAN
GARY
DORRIEN
HAUWA
IBRAHIM
JOAN
CHITTISTER
Interfaith lecturers explore breadth of issues
It is the designed intention of the
Department of Religion that the 2 p.m.
Interfaith Lecture Series focus on issues that impact the lived experience of
everyday life from theological, ethical,
moral, humanitarian, philosophical and
religious perspectives.
Week Two
The Role of Religion in Engaging
Citizens for the Common Good
Monday, July 4
James Carroll is the author of 10
novels and six works of nonfiction,
including the National Book Awardwinning An American Requiem; the New
York Times best-selling Constantine’s
Sword (now an acclaimed documentary); and House of War, which won the
first PEN-Galbraith Award. His forthcoming book is Jerusalem, Jerusalem:
How the Ancient City Ignited Our Modern
World, to be published this year.
Tuesday, July 5
The Rev. Katharine Rhodes
Henderson is president of Auburn
Theological Seminary in New York
City. Author of God’s Troublemakers:
How Women of Faith are Changing the
World, Henderson is an international
leader in theological education and
has pioneered programs for excellence
in religious leadership and progressive
moral leadership in the public square.
Wednesday, July 6
David Saperstein is a rabbi, lawyer,
and Jewish community leader. He
has served as the director and chief
legal counsel at the Union for Reform
Judaism’s Religious Action Center
for more than 30 years. Saperstein
succeeded Rabbi Richard G. Hirsch as
leader of the Washington, D.C.-based
political lobbying arm of the North
American Reform movement. There,
he advocates on a broad range of social
justice issues.
Thursday, July 7
E.J. Dionne Jr. is a syndicated
columnist with The Washington Post,
a senior fellow at the Brookings
Institution and a professor at
Georgetown University. He is the
author of Souled Out: Reclaiming Faith
and Politics After the Religious Right,
which was published in January.
Friday, July 8
Barry Clayton Black is the U.S.
Senate Chaplain, having served in
this capacity since 2003. In addition
to opening the Senate each day in
prayer, Black provides counseling
and spiritual care for senators, their
families, and staff — a combined
constituency of over seven thousand
people. The Office of the Chaplain
is nonpartisan, nonpolitical, and
nonsectarian.
Week Three
Spies for God
Monday, July 11 and Thursday,
July 14
The Reinhold Niebuhr Professor
of Social Ethics at Union Theological
Seminary, Gary Dorrien is also
professor of religion at Columbia
University. Described as the most
rigorous theological historian of our
time, Dorrien moves from analyses of
social context and personal struggles
through the most abstruse theological
and metaphysical issues.
Friday, July 15
Al Staggs is a character. In fact, he’s
30 or more characters whom he brings
to life to rave reviews all over the
world. In addition to his performing,
he also serves as chaplain at Harris
Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth,
Texas. Staggs will bring the story of
the Bonhoeffer struggle alive in his
dramatic presentation. His sensitive
performances focus the audience on the
importance of making choices based
on moral and religious conviction.
Week Four
Art and Soul
Monday, July 18
Don Kimes divides his time among
Chautauqua, Italy, and Washington,
D.C. For the past 26 summers he has
been artistic director of Chautauqua’s
visual arts program, now known as
VACI (Visual Arts at Chautauqua
Institution). Kimes is also senior
professor of fine arts at American
University, where he served as head of
the studio art program for 15 years and
chair of the department of fine arts, art
history and design for 11 years.
Tuesday, July 19
Ethan McSweeny is co-artistic
director of the Chautauqua Theater
Company, which he has led for the
last seven years alongside Vivienne
Benesch, growing the company in
artistry, audiences, and national
impact while cultivating its reputation
as a training center for the finest
emerging actors in the country. At
Chautauqua, he has directed Glass
Menagerie, Death of a Salesman, The Just,
The Cherry Orchard, All My Sons, Cobb,
and the 2008 Amphitheater production
of Every Good Boy Deserves Favor.
Vivienne Benesch is an actor,
director, producer, and teacher who
has worked extensively on and offBroadway, in film and television and
at many of the country’s most eminent
theaters and arts institutions. Benesch
began as a student in Chautauqua
Theater Conservatory in 1989. For
CTC she has directed Amadeus, Rx, An
Incident, Sick, Much Ado About Nothing,
Measure for Measure, The Skin of Our
Teeth and The 9/11 Project and acted in
several other productions.
Wednesday, July 20
Since 1983, Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux
has been the artistic director, resident
choreographer and principal teacher
for the dance program at Chautauqua,
where he has developed a national
program of intensive training for
young dancers. He has served as artistic
director since 1996 and president since
2003 of the North Carolina Dance
Theatre. At Chautauqua, Bonnefoux
has choreographed more than 60
ballets, including full-length versions
of “Romeo & Juliet,” “Coppélia,”
“Sleeping Beauty” and “Swan Lake.”
Thursday, July 21
Jay Lesenger is general/artistic
director for Chautauqua Opera
Company. He has staged close to 200
productions during his almost 35year career as a stage director. His
staging of Donizetti’s Anna Bolena
opened Beverly Sill’s first season as
general director of The New York City
Opera. For the past three years, he has
been on the faculty of Northwestern
University’s Bienen School of Music as
Director of Opera.
Chautauqua knitters
deliver hope and
peace to 21 countries
2011 NEW CLERGY
CONFERENCES
Sustaining and Enriching Clergy
Leadership for Congregational Life
Two Entry Weeks at
Chautauqua Institution
Week Two: July 2 – July 9
Week Five: July 23 – July 30
Chautauqua’s ecumenical and interfaith
New Clergy Program is offering two entry
week conferences this summer and invites
applications from interested new
clergy in Christian, Jewish, and Islamic
faith communities.
In each of these identical seminar weeks,
the Chautauqua Institution provides full
accommodations for clergy and spouse
or partner. This is made possible through
foundation support and scholarships.
Grants cover residency, meals, and
access to the full Chautauqua program.
Participants are responsible for their
transportation arrangements and costs.
Conference participant grants are
awarded to women and men of the
Abrahamic traditions who have
served no more than seven years in
congregational ministry.
Participants will reside on the Institution
grounds, share meals, and meet
daily with the program’s director and
faculty. Discussions focus on issues
and experiences relevant to growth
and renewal in ministry. Participants
benefit from their engagements with the
distinguished chaplains and lecturers
present each week in Chautauqua’s
platform program. Both conference
schedules allow participants to enjoy the
various cultural and recreational programs
offered by the Chautauqua Institution.
For further information and/or for an
application, contact Nancy L. Roberts,
Administrative Assistant, Department of
Religion, Chautauqua Institution, PO Box
74, Chautauqua, NY 14722-0074 or
e-mail [email protected].
Application deadline:
February 15, 2011
Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell
Director, Department of Religion
Rev. Dr. Albert M. Pennybacker
Director, New Clergy Program
Chautauqua Institution • www.ciweb.org
Members of women4women-knitting4peace have created over 8,800
items since the nonprofit organization’s founding at Chautauqua in 2006.
The items are specifically crafted for
women and children in global areas of
conflict. Current deliveries are being
organized for multiple rural villages
in Southern Sudan, Guatemala, Haiti,
Honduras, India, Nepal, Syria, Turkey,
and Vietnam.
During the winter months, members knit and crochet individually or
in groups called Peace Pods. There are
currently over 30 pods, coast to coast,
including one that meets off-season 2
to 4 p.m. every Monday in Chautauqua’s Smith Library.
We invite you to join women4women-knitting4peace throughout the 2011
Season at 12:15 p.m. Mondays in the
Hall of Missions and Thursdays on the
UCC Reformed House porch. For more
information contact Susan McKee at
[email protected] or (303) 918-4617.
The Chautauquan
Winter 2011
Page 13
Religion
2 0 1 1 C h a p lai n s - i n - r e s i d e n c e
Week One: July 26–July 1
NADINE
EPSTEIN
YAAKOV
ELMAN
JOHN
CROSSAN
AMY-JILL
LEVINE
in afternoon platform
Friday, July 22
Music director of Chautauqua’s
Music School Festival Orchestra,
Timothy Muffitt is now in his 12th
season as music director and conductor
of the Baton Rouge Symphony and
his fifth season with the Lansing
Symphony. Recent seasons have
included return engagements with the
San Francisco Symphony and the Long
Beach Symphony along with his debut
at The Hollywood Bowl.
Week Five
Women Transcending Boundaries
Monday, July 25
A Benedictine Sister of Erie, Pa., Joan
Chittister, OSB, is the author of more
than 40 books. Currently she serves as
co-chair of the Global Peace Initiative
of Women, a partner organization of
the U.N. Sr. Joan has held positions
of religious leadership among women
in the Catholic Church for over 30
years, including that of prioress of her
Benedictine community.
Wednesday, July 27
Executive director of the Israel
Religious Action Center (IRAC) since
2002, Anat Hoffman guides IRAC in
its work to promote Jewish pluralism,
tolerance, and equality and to combat
racism, corruption, and religious
coercion. A founding member of
Women of the Wall, Hoffman led in the
battles for the right of women to pray
at the Western Wall and for women’s
equal pay for equal work.
Thursday, July 28
Hauwa Ibrahim, founder of Aries
Law Firm, in 2005 joined the ranks
of Nelson Mandela and Kofi Annan
as the only female recipient of the
Sakharov Prize hailing from Africa.
As an attorney dedicated to protecting
human rights within the Shariah
courts of Northern Nigeria, most of
her work involves defending women
sentenced to death by stoning for the
crime of adultery.
Friday, July 29
Friday’s Interfaith Lecture will
take the form of a panel discussion
moderated by Chautauqua’s pastor,
Joan Brown Campbell, and Nadine
Epstein, editor and publisher of
Moment magazine, an independent
Jewish publication that aims to build
a network of people interested in
serious, intellectual exchange on the
important issues of our time.
Week Six
Religion in Iran: the Many Faces
Monday, Aug. 1 and Friday, Aug. 5
Contemporary
and
historical
religion’s most prolific author, Karen
Armstrong is a highly sought-after
lecturer around the world. One of
the 2008 winners of the TED Prize,
Armstrong
in
November
2009
launched her Charter for Compassion
to help to restore the Golden Rule as
the central global religious doctrine.
Tuesday, Aug. 2
Yaakov Elman is professor of Judaic
Studies at Yeshiva University and
an associate of Harvard’s Center for
Jewish Studies. For the last decade he
has devoted himself to studying the
intersection of Babylonian Jewish and
Middle Persian cultures and religions.
The result has been a revolutionary
view of the interaction of Rabbinic
Judaism with the Zoroastrianism and
Manichaeism of the early Sasanian
period (200–500 CE).
Wednesday, Aug. 3
Charles Kimball is Presidential
Professor and Director of Religious
Studies at the University of Oklahoma.
He is a frequent lecturer on issues
related to the Middle East, Islam,
Jewish-Christian-Muslim
relations,
and the intersection of religion and
politics in the United States.
Week Seven
The Heart and Soul of Money
Professor Emeritus in DePaul
University’s Department of Religious
Studies, John Dominic Crossan was
formerly a member as an ordained
priest of a 13th-century Roman Catholic
religious order, the Servites (Ordo
Servorum Mariae). He is the author of 25
books on the historical Jesus, earliest
Christianity, and the historical Paul.
As professor of constructive
theology at SMU Perkins School of
Theology, for more than two decades
Joerg Rieger has worked to bring
together cutting-edge theology and
the struggles for justice and liberation
that mark our age. His work addresses
the relation of theology to public life,
reflecting on the misuse of power in
politics and economics.
Week Eight
Human Creativity, the Spark of the
Divine
Amy-Jill Levine is University
Professor of New Testament and
Jewish Studies, E. Rhodes and Leona
B. Carpenter Professor of New
Testament Studies, and Professor of
Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt University.
Levine combines historical-critical
rigor, literary-critical sensitivity, and
a frequent dash of humor with a
commitment to eliminating anti-Jewish,
sexist and homophobic theologies.
Week Nine
We Hold These Truths to Be Selfevident
Monday, Aug. 22
Michael J. Klarman is the Kirkland
& Ellis Professor at Harvard Law
School, where he joined the faculty in
2008. He has won numerous awards for
his teaching and scholarship, which are
primarily in the areas of Constitutional
law and Constitutional history. He
is the author of From Jim Crow to Civil
Rights: the Supreme Court and the Struggle
for Racial Equality; Brown v. Board of
Education and the Civil Rights Movement;
and Unfinished Business: Racial Equality
in American History.
Senior minister at Troon Old Parish Church since 1998, the Rev. Alastair
Henderson Symington also serves as Chaplain to the Queen in Scotland, a
position that he has held since 1996. Prior to his present dual roles, he had
served as assistant minister at Wellington Church in Glasgow, as a Royal Air
Force Chaplain, as Minister at Craiglockhart Parish Church, and as senior
minister at New Kilpatrick Parish Church, all in Scotland. This will be Symington’s fourth visit to Chautauqua as chaplain.
Week Two: July 3
The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori was elected Presiding Bishop of
The Episcopal Church in June 2006. She serves as Chief Pastor and Primate to
The Episcopal Church’s members in 16 countries and 110 dioceses. She joins
with other principal bishops of the 38 member Provinces of the worldwide
Anglican Communion.
Week Two: July 4–8
The Right Rev. V. Gene Robinson is Ninth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese
of New Hampshire since 2003, having served previously as Canon to the Ordinary (Assistant to the Bishop) for nearly 18 years. Bishop Robinson’s story is
featured in the 2007 feature-length documentary, “For the Bible Tells Me So.”
Week Three: July 10–15
The Rev. Tony Campolo is Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Eastern University in St. Davids, Penn., having previously served for ten years on the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania. Founder and president of the Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education (EAPE), Campolo has worked
to create, nurture, and support programs for “at-risk” children in cities across
North America, and has helped to establish schools and universities in several
developing countries. An ordained minister, he has served American Baptist
Churches in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and is presently recognized as an
associate pastor of the Mount Carmel Baptist Church in West Philadelphia. Week Four: July 17–22
Author of over 20 books, including First Freedom First: A Citizen’s Guide to
Protecting Religious Liberty and the Separation of Church and State, the Rev. C.
Welton Gaddy leads the national non-partisan grassroots and educational organization Interfaith Alliance and serves as the Pastor for Preaching and Worship at Northminster (Baptist) Church in Monroe, La. He is a long-time friend
of Chautauqua.
Week Five: July 24–29
The Rev. Barbara K. Lundblad is Associate Professor of Preaching at Union
Theological Seminary in New York City. She was an acclaimed preacher at
Chautauqua in 2007. Before accepting her current position at UTS, she taught
homiletics at Yale Divinity School, Princeton Theological Seminary, and the
Association of Chicago Theological Schools. Her teaching interests include
preaching in partnership with the congregation, preaching and social transformation, new forms of preaching, and preaching as an integral part of worship.
Week Six: July 31–August 5
The Rev. Raphael G. Warnock serves as senior pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church, the spiritual home of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The son
of Pentecostal-Holiness ministers, Warnock was licensed and ordained at the
historic Sixth Avenue Baptist Church of Birmingham, Ala., and then served as
assistant pastor of the historic Abyssinian Baptist Church of New York City.
His work and activism have been both local and global, working on behalf of
national causes as well as world peace and small democracies in our hemisphere such as Haiti.
Week Seven: August 7–12
Senior pastor of The First Presbyterian Church in New York City since 2001,
the Rev. Jon M. Walton has previously served congregations in Delaware,
Long Island, and New Canaan, Connecticut. A Visiting Lecturer in Homiletics at Union Theological Seminary in New York, Rev. Walton was selected
as one of 10 “exceptional and gifted” clergy to participate in the Vanderbilt
/ Lilly Foundation study to attract gifted students to theological study. He
was the recipient of the Outstanding Ministry Award given by the New York
City Council of Churches in 2006, and was also honored with a Doctorate in
Humane Letters by Macalaster College in Minnesota in 2005. Walton won resounding acclaim as the preacher for the Season’s final Sunday in 2008.
Week Eight: August 14–19
The Rev. Otis Moss III serves as Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of
Christ in Chicago. Prior to joining the pastoral staff at Trinity United Church
of Christ, Rev. Moss served as pastor of the historic Tabernacle Baptist Church
in Augusta, Ga., whose membership grew from 125 to over 2100 members
under his leadership. He has preached at Chautauqua on numerous occasions,
and has also shared Chautauqua’s pulpit with his father, Rev. Dr. Otis Moss Jr.
Week Nine: August 21–26
The Rev. William D. Watley is the senior pastor of St. James A.M.E. Church
in Newark, where he has served since 1984. During his tenure, Watley has
established the St. James Social Services Corporation, which, among other
services, provides meals for 287,000 homeless people each year, as well as the
Intergenerational After-School Program and the Safe Haven Summer Camp.
The Rev. Matthew L. Watley is the executive minister to more than 6,000
members of the Reid Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church in Silver
Springs, Md., where the Rev. Lee P. Washington is the senior pastor. Watley
has oversight of the churches’ five corporations, 50 person staff, $6,500,000
annual budget, and the 56 ministries of the church.
Final Sunday: August 28
The Rev. John C. Holbert is the Lois Craddock Perkins Professor of Homiletics at Perkins School of Theology, where he joined the faculty in 1979. He was
born in Indiana, raised in Arizona, and educated in Iowa and Texas, receiving a
Ph.D. in Old Testament in 1975. He has been a local church pastor in Louisiana
and professor of religion at Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth.
The Chautauquan
Page 14
Winter 2011
religion
Chabad honors members for their support Hurlbut serves
Chabad Lubavitch of Chautauqua
remains in touch with many
Chauatuaquans
throughout
the
year with a weekly e-newsletter,
informative holiday guides and
interactive personal communications.
For Chanukah the Vilenkins opened
their home for a wonderful festive
Chanukah party. The menorah was
kindled with the traditional blessings
and songs. The classic dreidel game left
winners with sacks full of “Chanukah
gelt” played with chocolate coins.
Games, laughter, music, sumptuous
food—including homemade “Latkes”
(potato pancakes) and doughnuts—
with just the right dose of meaningful
Chanukah insights, made the evening
a memorable one.
Chabad Lubavitch of Chautauqua
also launched a Chanukah toy drive,
collecting dozens of quality toys for
gifts to local Brooklyn families going
through financial hardships. Toys
were distributed through the local
community council and food pantry.
This past season Chabad celebrated
10 years at Chautauqua. Chabad hosted
a beautiful gala dinner and silent
auction at the Athenaem Hotel. Susan
Fishkoff, a well-known journalist for
the Jewish Telegraph Agency spoke
about Chabad’s unique contribution
to Jewish communities throughout
the world, generating greater Jewish
awareness, social programs and
education on so many levels. Dr. Rabbi
Noson Gurary, who first introduced
Chabad to Chautauqua in the late
1980s, spoke of the ripple effect the
connections he made with people in
Chautauqua had in assisting Jews in
the former Soviet Union with their
religious needs.
Chabad honored the memory of
Joe Rait for all his support. He was
instrumental in helping Chabad become
a recognized member of the religious
groups in Chautauqua. Chabad also
honored Alan and Deborah Zarestky
for their selfless dedication and
kindness. They hosted Chabad’s Jewish
discussion groups in their home for the
first season. Charlie and Penny Shuman
were honored as well, for all their
support and generosity since Chabad’s
inception at Chautauqua. The board
of Chabad also presented a special
tribute to Rabbi Zalman and Esther
Vilenkin for their efforts in enabling
the Chautauquan community to learn
in depth about Judaism and experience
its beauty through the many programs
Chabad offers throughout the season.
Chabad’s programs include daily
classes, weekly Shabbat services and
Kiddush/Shabbat
lunch,
Challah
baking,
special
lecture
series,
community
traditional
Shabbat
dinners and a kosher BBQ. During
the offseason, Chabad hosts events
for the holidays of Chanukah, Purim
and Lag B’omer in Brooklyn. If you
would like to receive Chabad’s weekly
e-newsletter, please e-mail Rabbi
Vilenkin at [email protected].
EJLCC builds upon successful 2010 with more speakers, films
The program committee of the Everett Jewish Life
Center at Chautauqua, under the leadership of Judy Farber, is currently planning another memorable program
for the 2011 season.
In addition to plans for a repeat of last year’s popular
film series, six of the nine weekly programs have been
confirmed, including a joint program with the Institution for a Jewish literary week and with the Depart-
Community
effort keeps
local hospital
‘full-service’
This fall, Westfield Memorial Hospital, operator of the Chautauqua
Clinic on the Institution grounds
during the season, announced it will
remain a “full-service” hospital.
In 2007, a directive from thenGovernor George Pataki formed
what is known as the Berger Commission. This entity, after months of
examining all hospitals in the state,
declared that Westfield Memorial
Hospital must close its inpatient and
maternity services. Further, the state
ordered the closure of its emergency
department.
Thus began a community effort
to contest the Berger decision. More
than 15,000 letters, faxes, e-mails and
petitions were sent to Albany and the
Department of Health. The fight was
joined by State Senator Catherine
Young and Assemblyman William
Parment. Meanwhile, WMH officials
and those from Saint Vincent Health
Service of Erie, with whom the hospital is affiliated, worked with the
Department of Health to retain full
health care services.
Many year-round Chautauqua
residents joined in the fight to keep
the emergency department by contacting Albany and notifying “summer” friends, thereby recruiting
more support.
The continuation of the hospital also means that the Chautauqua
Clinic, located on Roberts Avenue,
remains a permanent place for the
hundreds of people who use it during the season.
ment of Religion to bring Anat Hoffman as a speaker.
A native Israeli, Hoffman is a distinguished advocate
for human rights, especially women’s rights. Other featured speakers will include Arnold Eisen, Chancellor
of the Jewish Theological Seminary in NYC, and Aviva
Kempner, the documentary filmmaker known for such
films as “The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg” and
“Yoo-hoo, Mrs. Goldberg.”
Hebrew Congregation
plans 2011 special events
following anniversary year
The 2010 season was especially noteworthy for the Hebrew Congregation
because it represented the 50th anniversary of formal Jewish services held on
the grounds of Chautauqua Institution.
The importance of this milestone
was not lost on the Jewish community
and the entire Chautauqua community.
A series of celebrations took place all
season, in addition to the services and
other programs that are usually sponsored by the Hebrew Congregation.
A Shabbat service and buffet lunch in
honor of the anniversary was held at
Hurlbut Memorial Church that was
open to all Chautauquans. A more formal, special 50th anniversary luncheon
was celebrated at the Athenaeum Hotel, and finally, a Sunday afternoon
reception was given at the Everett Jewish Life Center that included several
speakers from Chautauqua Institution.
Throughout the summer, the Hebrew
Congregation enjoyed the support and
participation of the Department of Religion and the editor and staff of The
Chautauqua Daily for all these special
events, which was greatly appreciated.
Providing Friday night and Saturday
morning religious services continues
to be the “raison d’etre” for the Hebrew
Congregation. The wonderful rabbis
and cantorial soloists continue to offer
beautiful and enlightening services.
We are indebted to Rabbis John Bush,
Frank Muller, Harry Rosenfeld, Samuel
Stahl and Susan Stone, as well as soloists Beth Bates, Joanna Bush, John Myers, Julie Newman, Susan Pardo and
Dr. Andy Symons, who conducted
and participated in these meaningful
services during the past season. Each
individual adds something special to
the service, and the Hebrew Congregation feels most fortunate to have these
learned and talented people among us.
Attendance at all the programs sponsored by the Hebrew Congregation
has been excellent, and this past year
the Shirley Lazarus Sunday Speakers Series was no exception. Each year
we are amazed at the variety and
excellence of the speakers and the
2010 Season was a banner program.
The board members of the Hebrew Congregation are already organizing an exciting program for the 2011 season. Friday night Kabbalat services at the lake
and Saturday morning Shabbat services in the sanctuary of Hurlbut Church
are the mainstays of our program. The
Shirley Lazarus Sunday Speakers Series has already lined up Chautauqua
favorites David Zinman, Gerry Pops,
Marty Merkley and talented musicians
Jason and Nancy Weintraub. They will
be joined by other entertaining and interesting speakers. The popular Friday
night Shabbat dinners at the Everett
Jewish Life Center will be continued,
and the music recital featuring student
recipients of Hebrew Congregation music scholarships will also be repeated.
The board is also planning some special events for 2011 to enhance the regularly scheduled programs.
Rabbi Robert Gordis, in an address to
the Hebrew Congregation in 1974, predicted that, “As Chautauqua goes into its
second century, the Jews will play their
part.” Thirty-six years later, his words
are surely prophetic.
Chautauqua
community
year-round
Hurlbut Memorial Community
Church, on the grounds of
Chautauqua
Institution,
is
a
United Methodist Church with
an ecumenical outlook. Everyone
is invited for Christian worship,
education, fellowship and service.
Worship occurs at 10:45 a.m.
every Sunday through June 19 and is
preceded by Christian education at
9:30 a.m. Midweek Vespers happens
each Wednesday through June 15
beginning with dinner at 5:30 p.m.,
with worship following. Midweek
Vespers is a music-filled, prayerguided,
scripture-led
worship
experience, with special worship
offered for children during this time.
Hurlbut begins the Lenten
Season with a pancake supper on
March 8 for Shrove Tuesday, with a
communion service in the sanctuary
to follow. Each Sunday of Lent the
church will share Holy Communion
during its worship service. On
Maundy Thursday, April 21, Hurlbut
observes the practices of the Passover
with its Seder meal, followed by a
communion and “Tenebrae” service.
Two worship services will be held on
Easter Sunday, April 24: the Lakeside
Worship will be held at 7 a.m. at
Palestine Park and the sanctuary
worship service begins at 10:45 a.m.
at Hurlbut Church.
Beginning, Sunday, June 26,
Hurlbut worships every Sunday of
the Chautauqua Season from 8:30
to 9:15 a.m. The summer worship
is a communion, song, scripture,
meditation service.
During the season, Hurlbut will
also be serving lunches from 11:45
a.m. to 1 p.m. every Monday through
Friday. Turkey dinners will be served
beginning at 5 p.m. Thursdays. The
Hurlbut Lemonade Stand will be
open from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays
with drinks, pastries and grilled
items. Hurlbut Church considers this
summer meal ministry a way to be of
service to the summer community.
The proceeds go toward the many
missions and ministries the church
supports.
Hurlbut Church is also moving
forward with its capital campaign,
“God’s
Vision…Our
Mission…
Beyond Walls.” Phase Three of
the building project will make the
church
handicapped
accessible
on all levels, provide a new Scott
Street entryway, add a sanctuary
level restroom, create more storage
space and replace all non-stained
glass windows in the church. A lift
to create handicapped accessibility
remains at the top of the capital
project committee’s list of priorities.
Hurlbut is an active church yearround with a goal of making it easier
for all to use the building. This will
make an important difference in the
summer, enabling visitors to move
more easily throughout Hurlbut, as
the stairs are a challenge for many
attending Special Studies classes
and worship services that the church
hosts. The Hurlbut community
is optimistic that the church can
complete this phase in the very
near future, and gifts earmarked for
completion of the capital campaign
are most appreciated.
Winter 2011
The Chautauquan
Page 15
o r g a n i z at i o n s
Mock brings
Women’s Club ‘Grand Dame’ receives
much-needed renovations over offseason executive
At first glance, the house on the lake,
home of the Chautauqua Women’s
Club, looks stately and beautiful. Built
in 1929, a dream shared by both the
membership and Anna Pennybaker
— president of the CWC from 1917 to
1937 — the facility has housed both
members and programs for 82 years.
It is the real and symbolic locus for
CWC efforts in support of Chautauqua
Institution and the community,
including student scholarships in
the performing arts and an array of
educational programs for the entire
Chautauqua community.
Although general maintenance
was addressed with great care, in
recent years the house was showing
signs of wear and tear, and it became
clear that much of the infrastructure
had reached the end of its useful life.
Under the guidance of immediate past
president Barbara Vackar, a committee
began the process of devising a
restoration plan, the first phase of
which is underway.
“As
in
most
older
home
renovations, as the project started
we found problems that had not
been anticipated,” said Ann Fletcher,
chair of the architecture and design
committee. It quickly became apparent
that what started as a first floor project
needed to include renovation of the
second floor as well.
“It made economic sense to try to
renovate the second floor while the
walls and ceilings were exposed,”
she said. “The work needed to be
done, and the project would prove
less expensive in the long run if all
the work were completed at the same
time.”
Members of the architecture and
design committee have provided
hours of time and energy in
developing the concepts and plans for
the restoration project, which includes
addressing safety and building code
requirements, creating a handicapped
accessible restroom on the main level,
installation of ceiling fans and a
wheelchair lift, updating bathrooms
on the residential second floor, and
other improvements to increase the
functionality of the space.
The restoration has been funded
by generous donations from members
and friends of the Chautuauqua
Women’s Club and a long established
Property Fund. Over 125 donors
have made gifts thus far. Naming
opportunities are still available for
major gifts.
Although there is a lot of dust and
chaos at present, the home will be
ready for the 2011 Season.
The Women’s Club looks forward
to sharing its Grand Dame with the
community again this season.
Donations to the renovation
may be made by contacting Ann
Sullivan, chair of the development
and marketing committee (asullivan@
stlawu.edu), or Marilyn Mock, CWC
president ([email protected]).
Help CPOA improve life on grounds
by Hugh Butler
CPOA president
affect program, ticket prices and budget
as well as Institution grounds and other
property-related concerns.
You had multiple opportunities
You, too, are invited to volunteer
during the summer of 2010 to support, to help with the work of the CPOA.
celebrate or appreciate your Chautauqua The Street Lighting Task Force will
Property Owners Association (CPOA).
continue to expand its scope in coming
Beginning with the “Week Zero” years, helping remake our private and
(June 23) pre-season potluck dinner at public lighting to be more attractive
Hurlbut Church, through community as well as “Dark Sky Friendly” and
picnics and general meetings, including environmentally
responsible
(“A
the community feedback session on Shining Example”). The first “Lights on
street lighting during Week Eight, Chautauqua” recognition program in
Chautauquans have attended CPOA July attracted several property owners
events in abundance.
whose efforts were rated by a CPOA
Throughout the season the CPOA volunteer judging group. You may
campaign branding “Chautauqua: want to upgrade your lighting and
A Shared Space” helped encourage enter the event in 2011 to help us all
Chautauquans of all ages and mobility enjoy the nightlife of Chautauqua more
modes to respect, be aware of and thoroughly and safely.
interact safely with their neighbors in
The “Shared Space” campaign
our very small but mobile village.
helped calm the fears and faults for
Your participation in the work of the pedestrians and vehicle drivers in
CPOA goes beyond payment of dues 2010. CPOA will continue to fund
and attendance at meetings or picnics, Boys’ and Girls’ Club and Children’s
however. CPOA executive board School counselors who proudly wear
members nominate four trustees who the T-shirt every Tuesday for each of
you elect to the Institution Board of the nine weeks of the season. You are
Trustees, where they serve to represent invited to help shape and spread the
you in the sober deliberations which word about respectful awareness of
others as we get from place to place
on these very (pleasantly) crowded
grounds.
Of course, the community picnics
held Wednesday of Week Four were a
satisfying 2010 happening and will be
again in 2011. You can work with your
area representative to help make the
picnic experience a bountiful neighborsharing event. To find who represents
your area, please visit the CPOA
website at www.cpoa.ws, locate your
area number on the CPOA Map (under
CPOA General Info), and find your area
representative’s contact information on
the CPOA Board Members tab.
Also on our website, you may read
the latest from the North Lake Informed
Citizens as well as other important
Chautauqua County information on
house sales, assessments, taxes and the
budget.
All the volunteers on the board
welcome your e-mail and best wishes,
so please let us know that you notice
what we’re doing and can help us
improve life on the grounds here.
Along with the International Awards
for Livable Communities, we think we
live in a very special place.
BTG lakefront nature walk new this season
Bird Tree and Garden Club President
Norman Karp and Chautauqua
Watershed Conservancy Executive
Director John Jablonski recently
announced a new educational nature
walk along the lakefront at 6:30 p.m.
every Monday during the Chautauqua
season. This program will replace the
weekly nature walk led for many years
by naturalist and expert birder Bob
Sundell. Thousands of participants
have had the pleasure and educational
opportunity of following Bob across
the highway and up the hill to the
Kenneth Close Nature Trail.
Several experts on lake ecology will
take turns leading the Monday evening
walks, including John Jablonski, Becky
Nystrom and Tom Erlandson. Each
week will provide different outlooks
about the lake, with emphasis on
preservation and protection. The walks
will begin at Miller Bell Tower and end
at the John R. Turney Sailing Center at
the south end of the grounds. The walk
will be over in time for participants
to attend the 8:15 p.m. Amphitheater
performance.
“This is a perfect way to work
together,” said Karp. “The missions
of both BTG and the conservancy
are to provide educational programs
about nature and to preserve the
environment, and the mission of the
conservatory is to preserve and protect
the lake by teaching proper use of the
watershed.”
The staff at Children’s School
is excited to have a new teaching
aid funded by the Bird, Tree, and
Garden Club. A new Sensory Garden,
planted by Ryan Kiblin, Chautauqua’s
supervisor of gardens and landscaping,
provides a hands-on experience with
nature for children. Children will be
able to feel, smell, and appreciate the
beauty of selected plants. Kiblin has
planned the planting so as to not attract
bees, but there will be rotting logs so
children can investigate the world of
insects. One area of the garden will
have lettuce and beans for the children
to tend, water, harvest and eat.
Every other year, BTG makes
hundreds of mushroom sandwiches
for hungry Chautauquans. This year’s
event is planned for Friday, July 22,
at Smith Wilkes Hall. Proceeds from
this well-loved event are returned
to Chautauqua in the form of nature
programming, the planting of new
trees, and for special projects such as
the new Children’s Sensory Garden.
experience to
role as CWC
president
The Chautauqua Women’s Club,
founded in 1889, has elected its 23rd
president, Marilyn Rhoads Mock.
Over
the
past 30 years,
Mock’s
professional
experience has
included nonprofit
and
i n s t it ut io n a l
advancement,
including
f u ndraisi ng,
public
relaMARILYN
tions, marketMOCK
ing,
special
events, board
relations and executive search.
Mock served as vice president
for university relations at Southwestern University in Georgetown,
Texas. For the past 11 years she has
headed MRM Consulting, a practice
that focuses on marketing, fundraising and board relations for nonprofit organizations. In addition,
she is managing director of public
relations and strategic planning
for GDA Integrated Services in Old
Saybrook, Conn. In that role, she
consults with institutions of higher
education, art museums and other
non-profit organizations.
Mock obtained her B.A. from
North Texas State University and
a M.A. from Goddard College in
Vermont. She also completed the
Harvard Institute for Educational
Management. She entered the education field as a high school English
teacher, and, later, held various administrative, fundraising and public
relations positions in New Jersey,
Arkansas, South Carolina and Texas.
Mock is the third Chautauqua
Women’s Club president from Austin, Texas, where she is active with a
variety of arts and other non-profit
organizations. The other two Austin-based presidents are immediate
past president Barbara Vackar and
Anna Pennybacker, who served as
president from 1917 to 1937.
“This is such an exciting time to
serve as president of the Chautauqua Women’s Club,” Mock said. “I
am sincerely honored to be named
to a leadership position of an organization that has such a strong
history of providing charitable and
educational support for the Chautauqua community.”
“With the changes begun last
summer in adopting revised by-laws
and initiating the restoration of the
1929 Club House, I am fortunate to
have the opportunity to work with a
strong, talented group of board leaders and members as we enter this
new era in the life of the Chautauqua Women’s Club,” she said.
Mock added that she has been
privileged to have the advice and
assistance of Paula Mason—who
serves in the newly created position
of board chair—and the board vice
chairs.
“We are looking forward to sharing the renovated Club House and
the continued rich CWC programming with the Chautauqua community,” Mock said.
The Chautauquan
Page 16
Winter 2011
l i t e rar y ar t s
Scholarships Writers’ Center authors announced
Week Three
introduce
families to
Week Four
Chautauqua POETRY
Each summer the Chautauqua
Writers’ Center welcomes nationally
recognized authors to work with writers
at all levels of development. During
each week of the season, two workshops
in a variety of genres are led by a poet
and prose writer-in-residence For more
information, visit writers.ciweb.org.
Each
season,
Chautauqua
Institution offers opportunities
for several families with limited
incomes to enjoy a first-time
Chautauqua experience. Funded
through Chautauqua Foundation
endowments and Chautauqua
Fund annual gifts, scholarships
usually range from $800 to $1,200
and cover such costs as Institution
gate passes, tuition for Special
Studies classes and children’s
activities.
Remaining amounts may be
used toward food and housing
rental. Families may be provided
with lower cost housing in
Institution-owned apartments if
scheduling permits.
Applications
indicating
program selection, based on
previous season’s Special Studies
catalog, will be accepted through
March 14, 2011. Awards require
residency on the Chautauqua
grounds for one full week. There is
no application fee.
Family Scholarship Program
awards will be determined by
April 15, 2011, based on reviews
of the programmatic and financial
information outlined in the
application.
Approximately one month before
the opening of the Chautauqua
season, each family will submit
a final plan of activities selected
from the current season’s catalog.
Any family interested in
obtaining a Family Scholarship
Program application packet should
contact the Schools Office, PO Box
1098, Chautauqua, N.Y. 14722 or
call (716) 357-6232.
Week One
Shara McCallum is the author of
three collections of poetry, This Strange
Land, Song of Thieves and The Water
Between Us.
Week Two
Andrew Mulvania is assistant
professor of English (creative writing)
at Washington & Jefferson College. His
first book of poems, Also In Arcadia, was
published in 2008.
Week Three
Aimee Nezhukumatathil is the
author of Lucky Fish; At the Drive-In
Volcano, winner of the Balcones Prize
to honor an outstanding book of poetry
published that year; and Miracle Fruit,
which received the ForeWord Magazine
Book of the Year Award.
Week Four
Jacqueline Osherow is the author
of five books of poetry. Her sixth,
Whitethorn, is forthcoming from LSU
Press. She is Distinguished Professor of
English at the University of Utah.
Week Five
William Wenthe’s third book
of poetry, Words Before Dawn, is
forthcoming from LSU Press; his
previous books are Not Till We Are Lost
and Birds of Hoboken.
Week Six
Laura Kasischke has published
eight books of poetry, most recently
Space, In Chains. She teaches in the MFA
program at the University of Michigan.
Week Seven (Team teaching)
Mihaela Moscaliuc is the author
of Father Dirt and co-translator of
Carmelia Leonte’s Death Searches for
You a Second Time (2003). She teaches
at Monmouth University and in the
Drew University MFA Program in
Poetry and Poetry in Translation.
Michael Waters is the author of 10
books of poetry, including Gospel Night
(2011) and Darling Vulgarity (2006—
finalist for The Los Angeles Times Book
Prize. Waters teaches at Monmouth
University and in the Drew University
MFA Program.
Week Eight
Philip Brady’s most recent book is
By Heart: Reflections of a Rust Belt Bard,
which was chosen as Essay Book of
the Year by Foreword Magazine. He is a
Distinguished Professor at Youngstown
State University, where he directs the
Poetry Center and Etruscan Press.
Week Nine
Nancy Krygowski’s first book of
poems, Velocity, was chosen for the
Agnes Lynch Starrett Prize from the
University of Pittsburgh Press. She is
co-founder of the Gist Street Reading
Series in Pittsburgh.
Advanced Poetry Workshop
Weeks Eight and Nine
Robert Cording teaches English and
creative writing at College of the Holy
Cross where he is the Barrett Professor
of Creative Writing. He has published
six collections of poems, most recently
Walking With Ruskin (2010).
PROSE
Week One
David Valdes Greenwood is the
author of three books, most recently
The Rhinestone Sisterhood. A former
Boston Globe Magazine columnist and
book critic for Martha Stewart Body +
Soul magazine, he teaches writing at
Tufts University.
Week Two
Toni Jensen is the author of a story
collection, From the Hilltop, published
through the Native Storiers Series at the
University of Nebraska Press in 2010.
She is Métis, and she teaches creative
writing at Penn State University.
Celebrate wide spectrum of literary arts
Members of the Chautauqua community are invited to support literary
arts on the Chautauqua grounds by
becoming a member of Chautauqua
Literary Arts Friends (CLAF), the organization that celebrates the wide spectrum of literary arts at the Chautauqua
Institution.
The institution’s literary programs
include CLSC and Writers’ Center
Brown Bag lunches, Sunday readings
on the porch of the Literary Arts Center
at Alumni Hall, Writers’ Center workshops, the literary journal Chautauqua,
the pre-season Chautauqua Writers’
Festival and the Amphitheater lectures
that feature many important literary
figures throughout the season.
In addition to supporting the institution’s literary programs, CLAF enriches the lives of Chautauqua’s readers and writers with social events and
programs of its own. CLAF runs an
open mic each Sunday where Chautauqua writers can share their poetry,
stories, new publications and works in
progress. It is a sponsor of Robert Pinsky’s Favorite Poem Project, inviting
people from all walks of life to share
a favorite poem with the Chautauqua
community and to say a few words
about how that poem has touched
their lives. And CLAF sponsors three
literary competitions each season, The
Mary Jean Irion Poetry Contest, The
Young Writers Competition and the
Charles Hauser Award for Prose.
These contests are open to anyone
who spends as little as one day at
Chautauqua. Adult winners receive
a cash prize and consideration for
publication in Chautauqua, the Institution’s national literary journal. Judges
of the 2010 competitions were Berwyn
Moore, the first poet laureate of Erie
County and a professor of writing
at Gannon University, and Sherrie
Flick, a frequent writer-in-residence
at the Writers’ Center and the author
of I Call This Flirting and Reconsidering
Happiness.
The 2010 Mary Jean Irion Award
was presented to Sarah Averill for her
poem “How Beautifully the Light Includes These Things” while the Hauser
Prize went to Scott Dahlie for his story
“Crossing.” Both these works will appear in the 2011 edition of Chautauqua.
The Young Writers Prize was given to
Charlotte May for her poem “Breathe.”
Last summer was Sarah’s first visit
to the Institution. She commuted from
Buffalo, where she is a high school
English teacher, to attend Phil Terman’s poetry workshop at the Writers’ Center. She described that week as
“an amazing experience. I’m hoping to
spend a week or two on the grounds
next summer. It’s a beautiful place
with friendly, wonderful people.”
Scott Dahlie, in contrast, has spent
some 20 summers in Chautauqua,
every year since he was 5 years old
and his family bought a place on the
grounds. He observed, “When you
think of the Institution, its history and
stewardship of literature and the arts,
it’s hard not be inspired.”
The Chautauqua Literary Arts
Friends hopes even more visitors will
be inspired to enter the writing contest
this summer. Entry forms and information will appear in an early issue of
The Chautauquan Daily and at various
locations around the grounds, including the Literary Arts Center at Alumni
Hall, the CLSC veranda, the library,
the bookstore, the Colonnade, and the
Main Gate.
For more information, or to join
CLAF, visit writers.ciweb.org/literaryarts-friends.
Ron MacLean is author of the story
collection Why the Long Face? and the
novel Blue Winnetka Skies. He teaches at
Grub Street in Boston.
Janice Eidus is a novelist, essayist,
short story writer, and writing coach.
Her new novel is The Last Jewish Virgin.
Twice winner of the O. Henry Prize and
a Pushcart Prize, she’s published five
other books.
Week Five
Kristin Kovacic is the editor
of the literary anthology Birth: A
Literary Companion and teaches at
the Pittsburgh High School for the
Creative and Performing Arts.
Week Six
Joe Jackson is the author of six
nonfiction works and one novel. His last
book, The Thief at the End of the World, was
named one of Time’s Top Ten Books for
2008. He was an investigative reporter
for the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, covering
criminal justice and Death Row.
Week Seven
Donna Jo Napoli writes from picture
books to young adult novels, including
historical fiction, contemporary funny
tales, gothic horror, fairy tales, myths,
and religious stories. She teaches
linguistics at Swarthmore College.
Week Eight
Marion Roach Smith’s newest book
is The Memoir Project: A Thoroughly NonStandardized Text for Writing--And Life.
Under the name Marion Roach, she
authored The Roots of Desire: The Myth,
Meaning and Sexual Power of Red Hair; coauthored Dead Reckoning, and authored
Another Name for Madness.
Week Nine
David Madden is the author of
10 novels, two of which have been
nominated for the Pulitzer Prize: The
Suicide’s Wife and Sharpshooter: A Novel of
the Civil War. Founder of the United States
Civil War Center, Madden has edited
four books and written many articles and
short stories on the Civil War.
Register now for
eighth annual
Writers’ Festival
The
Writers’
Center
at
Chautauqua will host the eighth
annual Chautauqua Writers’
Festival Thursday, June 16,
through Sunday, June 19, 2011.
Award-winning poets, fiction
writers and nonfiction writers
will share their insights on
the art and craft of writing in
intensive workshops designed to
ensure participants personalized
attention. In addition to the
workshops, the festival will offer a
wide-ranging program consisting
of readings, panel discussions,
individual conferences with
faculty mentors, writing time
and open mics. Workshop
leaders include Frank X. Gaspar
and Denise Duhamel, poetry;
Jill McCorkle and Ron Carlson,
fiction; and Philip Gerard and
Valerie Boyd, nonfiction.
Visit
http://writers.ciweb.org/
writers-festival for 2011 faculty
bios and registration information.
The Chautauquan
Winter 2011
Page 17
l i t e rar y ar t s
CLSC selections challenge readers in 2011
The following authors have been
confirmed for the 2011 Chautauqua Literary & Scientific Circle season. CLSC
Roundtable/Lectures take place at 3:30
p.m. Thursdays at the Hall of Philosophy during the season. As in 2010, the
2011 season will feature 10 selections,
with two in Week Two.
Week One
Thursday, June 30
Each of the five stories in the jubilantly acclaimed Say You’re One of
Them by Uwem Akpan pays tribute to
the wisdom and resilience of children,
even in the face of the most agonizing
circumstances. Through the sanitized
windows of our televisions and newspapers, the truth about the pervasive
poverty and violence that exists in so
many African nations comes only in
fits and starts, clouded by physical distance and apathy toward what we may
feel we cannot relate to or change. In
Say You’re One of Them, Akpan brings to
life the issues facing children in one of
the most beleaguered places on earth,
so that their voices will no longer go
unheard.
Week Two
Thursday, July 7
In Hellhound on His Trail, author
Hampton Sides weaves an electrifying
account of Martin Luther King Jr.’s final
days and the manhunt for James Earl
Ray that followed. Drawing on a wealth
of previously unpublished material,
the book follows these two men as they
crisscross the country, Ray stalking
King, until the devastating moment at a
Memphis hotel when the drifter catches up with his prey. Then, against the
backdrop of the resulting nationwide
riots, political crises, and the pathos
of King’s funeral, Sides tells a crosscut
narrative of the assassin’s flight and the
massive, desperate search to find him.
Friday, July 8 · 4 p.m.
In Justice, author Michael J. Sandel
relates the big questions of political philosophy to the most vexing questions of
our time. He helps us think our way
through such hotly contested issues as
Wall Street bailouts, immigration, the
role of the markets, national service,
affirmative action, same-sex marriage
and the place of religion in politics, as
well as the personal ethical questions
we confront in our everyday lives. Justice invites readers of all ages and political persuasions on a fascinating journey of moral reflection, and shows how
reasoned debate can illuminate democratic life.
Week Three
Thursday, July 14
In the Garden of Beasts, by author
Erik Larson (The Devil in the White City),
follows America’s first ambassador to
Hitler’s Germany, William E. Dodd, to
Berlin in 1933, a year that proved to be
a turning point in history. As that first
year unfolds and the shadows deepen,
the Dodd and his family experience
days full of excitement, intrigue, romance — and ultimately, horror, when
a climactic spasm of violence and murder reveals Hitler’s true character and
ruthless ambition.
Week Four
Thursday, July 21
Former U.S. poet laureate Rita Dove’s
Sonata Mulattica: Poems blends history and imagination, truth and inven-
tion, to craft a brilliant “poem cycle,” a
grandiose performance that reasserts
her status as one of our country’s most
celebrated poets. Sonata Mulattica follows the prodigy George Augustus
Polgreen Bridgetower as he masters the
violin under Haydn and gains an admirer in Beethoven, rising to fame under his tutelage. But following a performance that earns him universal praise,
Bridgetower makes a fatal error and recedes into oblivion, just another faded
prodigy forgotten by time.
Week Five
Thursday, July 28
Amy Dickinson’s motto as an advice columnist is “I make the mistakes
so you don’t have to.” In The Mighty
Queens of Freeville, Dickinson takes
those mistakes and spins them into a
remarkable story. This is the tale of a
single mother and her daughter, and
the women in their family who helped
raise them. Though they live in London, Washington, D.C., and Chicago,
all roads lead them back to her original
hometown of Freeville (pop. 458), a tiny
upstate village where Dickinson’s family has lived for more than 200 years.
Week Seven
Thursday, Aug. 11
Set in a beautiful but economically
devastated Pennsylvania steel town,
American Rust by Philipp Meyer is a
novel of the lost American dream and
the desperation — as well as the acts of
friendship, loyalty, and love — that arises from its loss. Left alone to care for his
aging father after his mother commits
suicide and his sister escapes to Yale,
Isaac English longs for a life beyond his
hometown. But when he finally sets out
to leave for good, accompanied by his
temperamental best friend, former high
school football star Billy Poe, they are
caught up in a terrible act of violence
that changes their lives forever.
Week Eight
Thursday, Aug. 18
One day, author Diane Ackerman’s
husband, Paul West, an exceptionally gifted wordsmith and intellectual,
suffered a terrible stroke. When he regained awareness he was afflicted with
aphasia — loss of language — and could
utter only a single syllable: “mem.” The
standard therapies yielded little result
but frustration. Ackerman soon found,
however, that by harnessing their deep
knowledge of each other and her scientific understanding of language and the
brain she could guide Paul back to the
world of words. One Hundred Names
for Love is both a humane and revealing addition to the medical literature on
stroke and aphasia and an exquisitely
written love story.
Week Nine
Thursday, Aug. 25
In The Warmth of Other Suns, Pulitzer Prize winner Isabel Wilkerson
chronicles one of the great untold stories of American history: the decadeslong migration of almost six million
black citizens who fled the South for
northern and western cities in search of
a better life. The Warmth of Other Suns is
the story of three who made the journey, of the forces that compelled them
to leave and of the many others — famous and not so famous — who went
as far as they could to realize the American Dream.
Chautauqua mission reflected in Panama City charter school
by Kay H. Logan
Sharing the Chautauqua name and
its commitment to lifelong learning,
Chautauqua Learn and Serve Charter
School in Panama City, Fla., has become a groundbreaking extension of
the charter school concept for disabled
young adults. Founded and directed
by Cynthia McCauley, the school provides lifelong learning to participants
and needed services to the community
through its two unique programs.
Cynthia was first captivated by
Chautauqua Institution via a C-SPAN
broadcast of an Amphitheater lecture,
prompting her to view more lectures
and conduct more research into Chautauqua’s history and programs. The
powerful messages she received made
her decide to name her program the
Chautauqua Learn and Serve Charter
School because the title reflected her
personal philosophy and teaching goals.
Cynthia visited Chautauqua and
brought her husband, an attorney. He
has become an annual visitor, though
they are not able to be on the grounds
at the same time. Her daughter-in-law,
Tracy Irwin, studied dance with Patricia McBride at Chautauqua and then at
Indiana University.
Chautauqua Learn and Serve transitions students with disabilities ages 1822 for whom the public school receives
funding. The Chautauqua AmeriCorps
VISTA program is for individuals with
disabilities who have aged out of public
education at age 22 but come as nonfunded school volunteers. Ninety individuals with moderate to severe cognitive, vision, hearing, physical, sensory
and emotional challenges attend daily
with equal numbers in both programs.
Transitioning older students with
disabilities represents the first generation to be born and come of age in their
home community with the expectation
of living as long as their non-disabled
peers. This requires different commu-
nity perceptions, different program services and different options that maximize the abilities of the disabled.
The Chautauqua Learn and Serve
program has received a half-million
dollar dissemination grant from the
Florida Department of Education to create this model in every Florida school
district. Six Florida counties are creating Chautauqua models, and more are
being developed.
Chautauqua Learn and Serve was
founded in the fall of 2005, and since
2006 staff, a group of students and adult
program volunteers—usually numbering around 25—have made an annual
pilgrimage to the Institution. Students
and staff enroll in Special Studies
courses and attend various events on
the grounds. They also take trips to regional places of interest.
After the first “official” meeting with
Tom Becker and Institution staff in
January 2009 and embracing Cynthia’s
firm belief that participants had to ex-
perience the true Chautauqua to fully
understand the promise and potential of the concept, Chautauqua Learn
and Serve has since held two successful summer conferences at the Institution involving Florida advocates, board
members and educators.
Having spent many years in the developmental disabilities field, as well as
many years with various involvements
at Chautauqua, I’m hopeful that awareness of this program will result in our
community becoming more sensitive
to the needs of the disabled and creating links with Chautauqua visitors who
need assistance and information concerning inclusion and services.
I encourage anyone with suggestions or ideas regarding what might be
helpful with inclusion and services to
contact me at [email protected].
Chautauqua Learn and Serve’s Cynthia McCauley can be contacted at [email protected]. More information is
available at chautauqua-learn-serve.com.
The Chautauquan
Page 18
Winter 2011
youth
New medallion gives youths extra incentive to read
Institution’s history and importance.
“Not only kids from Chautauqua
but kids from all over can learn about
Chautauqua, like the origins of the
CLSC,” she said.
Voelker thinks the medallion will
represent more than simply a goal
achieved.
“It will give kids a tangible connection to Chautauqua and a program
that’s pretty well established,” he said.
The medallion is meant to mark
the culmination of Young Readers
participation, accomplished over a
period of years, said Sherra Babcock,
director of the Department of Education.
There is no formal ceremony;
CLSC Veranda staff will present the
medallions upon completion and will
provide support for the “graduated”
Young Readers as they transition into
reading more adult-oriented CLSC
selections.
“In a larger society where we fear
that reading is becoming a specialized
and fragmented activity, this is an
opportunity for people to read the
same books and discuss them — it’s
part of an education,” Babcock said.
“The medallion is meant not only to
encourage young readers to read, but
to translate that into CLSC readership
and a lifelong love of reading.”
She also is proud to have the
support of the Haucks and the Class
of 2002 in Chautauqua’s literary arts
programming.
“CLSC alumni classes are sometimes
seeking ways to fund philanthropic
efforts to benefit the literary program,”
she said. “We’re just thrilled that the
medallion program will be a lasting
memorial that will encourage kids to
read the wonderful books chosen from
the Young Readers Program.”
The medallion will be bronze,
about 1½ inches in diameter, and its
design will be based on the CLSC
Young Readers Selection sticker, with
“Chautauqua green” enamel coloring.
Questions on Young Readers and
the medallion can be directed to Peg
Snyder at the CLSC Veranda once the
season begins.
Experienced readers know good
reading is a reward in and of itself, but
for young people who aren’t so sure,
Chautauqua’s CLSC Young Readers
Program is about to offer something
more tangible.
Beginning in 2011, a new medallion
will reward Young Readers who read 16
books — 15 books from the program’s
historic list of more than 150 titles,
plus Jeffrey Simpson’s Chautauqua: An
American Utopia.
“This is certainly the first significant
change to the program since we
started,” said Jack Voelker, director
of the Department of Recreation and
Youth Services, who founded the
Young Readers Program in 1994.
The medallion is made possible by
a generous donation from the John
Bliss Memorial Fund and the support
of the CLSC Class of 2002. Terrie and
Jim Hauck, 14 Ames, established the
fund with the Chautauqua Foundation
in honor of Terrie’s son John Bliss,
who died unexpectedly last May, two
months shy of his 50th birthday. John’s
fondness for reading and love of his
three nieces, all big readers, led the
Haucks to make a gift specifically to
Young Readers.
“We started thinking of what we
could do to honor John, something
John would really like,” Terrie said.
“It just felt right for something in his
name to encourage reading.”
And though John only visited
Chautauqua once, Terrie said, the
Institution was the perfect place
to memorialize him because of its
importance to his family.
Jim, Terrie and John’s sister, Vaile
Vest, are graduates of the CLSC Class
of 2002, and John’s nieces — Sarah Vest,
12; Vanessa Bliss, 12; and Allison Bliss,
11 — all participate in Young Readers.
“We just love Chautauqua and
support it in any way we can,” Terrie
said.
Terrie said she hopes introduction of
the medallions will increase program
participation and, through reading
Simpson’s book, give Chautauqua’s
youth a better understanding of the
Youth registration
moves to Saturday
at Main Gate
Young Readers selections announced
In an effort to enhance customer
service by connecting with other
functions at the Main Gate, weekend registration for Children’s
School, Group One and Boys’ &
Girls’ Club will move from Sunday
afternoons in the Colonnade Lobby
to Saturday afternoons at the Main
Gate, beginning Saturday, June
25, and continuing on Saturdays
throughout the summer.
Hours will be from 1 to 4 pm.
As before, families may register
children for a youth program, or,
if they have registered pre-season,
may simply check in and turn in
their child’s Health & Emergency
Information/Camper Information
forms. Once the season begins,
weekday registration will only
be taken in person directly at the
program or by calling the program
during open hours. Early registration is recommended, since some
groups/classes do fill up before the
season begins.
Now entering its 18th year, the
Chautauqua Literary & Scientific Circle’s Young Readers program has announced the first of its selections for
the 2011 Season.
One of two non-fiction selections,
Sparky by Beverly Gherman recounts the
life and art of Charles Schulz. Schulz,
the beloved creator of the “Peanuts”
comic strip, is revealed as an artist and
family man, whose energy, talent and
perseverance led him to international
recognition. The book is filled with Peanuts characters—Charlie Brown, Lucy,
Linus, Snoopy and the whole gang—
shown in Schulz’s original artwork.
Artwork is also a feature of the second non-fiction choice, as the watercolors of Jerry Pinkney join the poetic
text of Marilyn Nelson in Sweethearts
of Rhythm. The book tells the story of
the famous all-girl African-American
swingband that toured the U.S. to record crowds from 1937 to 1946. The tale
is told in the voices of the band’s instruments, as they recount the excitement of
the road, the hardship of the times, of
segregation, and World War II, and the
ability of music to momentarily lift the
spirits of listener and performer alike.
Connecting with Chautauqua’s Week
Nine theme, Rodman Philbrick’s The
Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg is
set during the Civil War. When Homer’s
older brother is illegally conscripted
into the Union army, a long and colorful
journey unfolds taking Homer ultimately to the Battle of Gettysburg. Along
the way, a fair amount of history is revealed, yet balanced by the comic side
2011 Family Entertainment Series
The Program and Recreation & Youth Services offices are pleased
to announce a partial list of the 2011 Family Entertainment Series. A
complete list, with performance descriptions, will be featured in the
spring Chautauquan and available online at www.ciweb.org.
Week One
5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 28
Michael Harrison, ventriloquist
Week Two
5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 5
Opera Improv Trunk,
Pittsburgh Opera
Week Three
5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 12
In Jest, Nels Ross
(comedy/variety show)
Week Four
Nickel City Reptiles and Exotics
5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday July 19
Nickel City Reptiles and Exotics
Week Five
TBA
Week Six
Old First Night – No FES
Week Seven
TBA
Week Eight
7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 16
Chautauqua Regional Youth Ballet
Elizabeth S. Lenna Hall
of Homer, who never lets truth stand in
the way of spinning a good yarn.
The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan,
is a fictionalized portrait of the Nobel
prize-winning poet from Chile, Pablo
Naruda. Naruda—whose real name
was Neftali Reyes—was a timid child
with a great sensitivity to the wonder
and the rhythms of the natural world.
Discouraged by his father in pursuing
his dreams, he nonetheless finds his
means of expression through his poetry.
A nature theme continues in the
beautifully crafted fable The Night Fairy
by Newbery-winning author Amy
Laura Schlitz (Good Masters, Sweet Ladies). Flory, a fairy who loses her wings,
must learn to survive without them in
her garden home. Her encounters with
spiders, squirrels, hummingbirds (and
even a bat) offer clever insights into nature’s creatures, and at the same time offer valuable examples of kindness, compassion, generosity and courage.
Selections for 2011 will be complete
by late winter and weekly programs
scheduled by early spring. Consult the
Young Readers page on the Chautauqua
website or call Recreation & Youth Services at (716) 357-6403 for information.
Youth News
Registration for Boys’ & Girls’
Club, Group One and Children’s
School has begun. Group size is
limited and pre-registration is
strongly
recommended.
Many
groups routinely reach capacity and
late registrants are turned away.
Call the Chautauqua Box Office at
(716) 357-6250, or visit Chautauqua’s
website, www.ciweb.org.
Important youth programming
dates for the 2011 Season include:
• Children’s School Fourth of July Parade—Friday, July 1
• AirBand—Thursday, July 28
• Old First Night Run/Walk/
Swim—Saturday, July 30
Winter 2011
The Chautauquan
Page 19
news
Program offers choral, dance,
theater during off-season
Encore Creativity for Older Adults will
return to Chautauqua Institution Aug.
29 through Sept. 2, partnering with the
Liz Lerman Dance Exchange based near
Washington, D.C. and the Stagebridge
Theatre of Oakland, Calif., to present three
performance institutes in choral, dance/
movement and theater for adults over age
55. These innovative programs will attract
adult students from all over the country
to learn a new art or continue to perfect
lifelong skills.
For the past three years, Encore has
offered a choral program at Chautauqua
for singers over age 55. The Encore Choral
Institute will bring back Encore founder
Jeanne Kelly and Barry Talley, retired
director of musical activities for the United
State Naval Academy, to conduct the
Encore Chorale. Singers will begin their
day with a movement and dance class
followed by a full choral rehearsal. After
lunch singers will be able to choose from
a vocal technique class, a choral sectional
or a dance or theater class. Another choral
rehearsal will follow. Repertoire will
include spirituals, oratorio selections,
Americana, and the best of Gilbert and
Sullivan. Singers at all levels of experience
are welcomed.
The
Encore
Dance/Movement
Institute with Dance Exchange will
include daily warm-up and technique
classes, collaboration on ensemble work
and development of solos, exploration
of composition methods and practice,
with a focus on individual movement
vocabulary. The incorporation of spoken
word and personal story into dance will be
studied. Dancers will enjoy a performance
opportunity as a culminating event of the
institute. The program is appropriate for
a wide range of adults over 55, including
current dancers, those who have danced
in the past and want to be dancing again,
and those with no dance training but
an interest in a structured movement
experience.
The Encore Theatre Institute with
Stagebridge Theatre will be headed
up by Stagebridge director Stuart
Kandell. Students will take the stage,
experience the excitement of acting,
the art of storytelling and the thrill of
performance. In the acting portion, they
will work together on 10-minute plays
and short scenes from famous plays. The
actors will learn techniques of developing
characters, expressing themselves through
movement and voice and learn methods of
learning lines. In the storytelling portion,
they will tell a personal or traditional
story of their choice, expressing character
and setting, at the same time learning to
hold the audience’s attention. The program
culminates in a performance of short plays
and stories. All levels, from beginner to
advanced, are invited.
Students will stay at the Athenaeum
Hotel, and there are no gate fees or parking
charges. Bus transportation is provided
free for travel around the institution.
For
more
information,
visit
encorecreativity.org or contact Encore
at (301) 261-5747 or jeanne.kelly@
encorecreativity.org.
Band, orchestra camp
returns for week eight
For 13 seasons, the Chautauqua
Band/Orchestra Camp has offered
a musical experience for young
instrumentalists entering grades
six through nine. Recent years
saw the addition of a high school
wind chamber music program and
middle/high school orchestra, and
last summer a high school jazz program, directed by John Cross, was
created.
“The camp offers many exciting and valuable musical experiences for the middle school and
high school-aged instrumental
student,” said camp director Peter
Lindblom. Lindblom is Assistant
Principal Trumpet with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra and
director of bands at Persell Middle
School in Jamestown, N.Y.
This year’s camp will be held
during Week Eight of the Chautauqua season, Aug. 15–20, culminating in a concert in Elizabeth S. Lenna Hall. The camp will once again
have a high-caliber faculty and
the availability of the Institution’s
School of Music facilities, making
the camp a exceptional experience
for the musical youth of Chautauqua and from across the county.
Tuition is $200 before June 15,
2011 and $220 thereafter.
A typical day for both programs
begins at 9 a.m. with band and orchestra rehearsals led by conductors Donna Davis, string teacher
and Suzuki coordinator from Dallas, Texas, and Terry Bacon of the
Churchville Chili School District.
Following a lunch break, which
includes recreational activities,
the band and orchestra resume
rehearsals in smaller sectionals
and larger groups. The day ends
around 2:30 p.m.
The jazz program for high
school students is under the direction of John Cross, local Chautauqua County music educator and renowned jazz performer. The high
school chamber program is being
synthesized into the jazz program.
The orchestra program is open
to string players entering grades 7
through 12; exceptions for younger
players will be made based on experience. Coordinator of strings is
Davis, a much sought-after strings
teacher in Dallas/Fort Worth,
where she coordinates the Suzuki
Strings Program. The jazz program
is available to interested wind and
rhythm section players in grades
9 through 12. The middle school
band camp is for band instrumentalists entering grades 6 through 9.
For more information, contact
Lindblom at [email protected]
or (716) 484-8851 or write P.O. Box
2202, Jamestown, NY 14702-2202.
Applications are also available
at music.ciweb.org by clicking on
“Chautauqua Music Camps” at the
bottom of the page.
Enhance the symphonic experience
by Judith Claire
Symphony Partners President
Symphony Partners is one of the newest
volunteer organizations on the grounds at
Chautauqua.
The 2010 season brought the largest
crowds yet to Partner events, and we
hope to maintain that this summer. New
in 2011, our hope to host an evening
reception open only to Symphony Partner
members where the honored guests will
be the fifteen principals of the Chautauqua
Symphony Orchestra. There will also be
the usual Partner events, including brown
bag lunches for “Meet the CSO Musicians”
in Smith Wilkes Hall, the after-concert
back porch receptions, the CSO Musicians’
Open Recital, and the CSO Open Rehearsal
and Picnic for members only at Elizabeth S.
Lenna Hall.
Last summer our two lecture programs
with Ann Heiles and David Levy were
extremely well-received. Many people
commented how the Levy presentation
enriched their appreciation for the Mahler
Symphony performed later that week.
Also, there was a good crowd for the
screening of the film “Music from the
Inside Out.”
As always, we will continue our mission,
which is to provide opportunities for the
audience and Chautauqua Symphony
musicians to interact on a personal level,
as well as to support the orchestra. More
information will be available in the spring.
Enhance your symphonic experience.
Come join our band of musical enthusiasts.
Like so much at Chautauqua, you can only
find such opportunities here. We welcome
all Chautauquans.
New legislation allows window
for tax-free charitable giving
On Dec. 17, 2010, President Barack
Obama signed into law the “Tax
Relief, Unemployment and Insurance
Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act
of 2010.” As part of this legislation,
Congress has renewed special incentives
for those age 70-and-a-half to make
charitable distributions of up to $100,000
from a traditional or Roth Individual
Retirement Account (IRA) directly to a
not-for profit organization. The bill is only
effective for 2011. By making a gift in this
way, you will not have to pay income tax
on the amount you withdraw and give to
charity, which translates to a 100 percent
deduction on your gift.
To make a gift to Chautauqua of up
to $100,000 per person, transfers must be
completed before Dec. 31, 2011. You must be
70-and-a-half years of age at the time you
make the gift and transfers must be made
directly from your IRA administrator to
Chautauqua Foundation.
Excluded retirement accounts include
SEP, 401(k), 403 (b), SAR-SEP and SIMPLE.
Please contact your advisors with questions
concerning your individual circumstances
as state and federal income, gift, and estate
tax laws could impact your gift.
If you are interested in taking advantage
of this opportunity to make a gift to
Chautauqua, please call Karen Blozie,
director of gift planning, at (716) 357-6244
or e-mail [email protected].
Why
drag
your
feet?
There’s no time like the present
to think about the future.
Chautauqua changes lives through
its training of students in the schools
of fine and performing arts – and
promotes our next generation of
great artists.
Have you considered how you
might use your will or estate
plan to help change lives and
promote the arts?
An endowed scholarship
creates opportunity for young
artists – forever.
For more information,
please contact:
Karen Blozie
Director of Gift Planning
716.357.6244
e-mail [email protected]
www.ciweb.org
The Chautauquan
Winter 2011
Page 20
E v e n i n g ENTE R T A INMENT
BILL
COSBY
larry
rachleff
Alexander
Gavrylyuk
STRAIGHT
NO CHASER
2011 Amphitheater Specials
TICKETS ON SALE MONDAY, FEB. 14 — www.ciweb.org
Mormon Tabernacle Choir**
Pink Martini**
Called “America’s Choir,” this
330-member volunteer choir along
with the Orchestra at Temple Square
will present two concerts. The choir
and orchestra, along with the Massey
Memorial Organ, will thrill and inspire
the audience as they fill the Amphitheater
with radiant and powerful sound.
In 1994, drawing inspiration from
music the world over — crossing genres
of classical, jazz and old-fashioned pop
— the “little orchestra” Pink Martini
was founded in Portland, Oregon. With
a wildly diverse repertoire, they are a
distinctly American band, blending
a broad spectrum of eras, styles and
languages. Pink Martini’s 12 musicians
have performed around the world.
Saturday, June 25, 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Apollo’s Fire: “Come to the River”
Tuesday, June 28, 8:15 p.m.
Taking its name from the classical
god of music and the sun, Apollo’s Fire
(The Cleveland Baroque Orchestra) is
dedicated to the performance of 17th
and 18th century music. “Come to the
River: An Early American Gathering”
is a special cross-over program that
brings to life the rich American tradition of early American gatherings from
the spiritual heights of an old American revival, to the driving rhythms of
New England barn dances, shape-note
singing and Southern harmony.
Steve Martin Performing with
The Steep Canyon Rangers “An
Evening of Bluegrass & Banjo”**
Friday, July 1, 8:15 p.m.
Steve Martin, one of the most diversified performers in the motion
picture industry today, has branched
out even further to become a Grammy
Award-winning musician. In 2009, he
received a Grammy for Best Bluegrass
Album for “The Crow: New Songs for
the Five-String Banjo.” Martin is now
collaborating and touring with bluegrass band Steep Canyon Rangers who
have built an award-winning reputation with their recordings and many
performances around the world.
Natalie Merchant with Members of
Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra**
Friday, July 8, 8:15 p.m.
Natalie Merchant, singer-songwriter, musician and native of Jamestown,
N.Y., returns with both her band and
28 members of the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra. Merchant began her
career by joining the 10,000 Maniacs in
1981 as lead vocalist and left the group
in 1993 to pursue her career as a solo
artist. Over her 28-year career, she has
earned a place among America’s most
respected recording artists with a reputation for being a songwriter of quality as well as a captivating performer.
An Evening with Pianist
Alexander Gavrylyuk*
Wednesday, July 13, 8:15 p.m.
Chautauqua continues its love affair
with Alexander Gavrylyuk. He returns
for his sixth season to present an evening
recital in the Amphitheater, perform
with the CSO and present master classes
for the Chautauqua Piano Program.
Friday, July 15, 8:15 p.m.
New York State Summer School of
the Arts School of Choral Studies
Sunday, July 24, 2:30 p.m.
90 high school students from
across New York State gather at SUNY
Fredonia each summer to study and
sing at the New York State Summer
School of the Arts.
Tommy James and The Shondells
with Felix Cavaliere’s The Rascals**
Friday, July 22, 8:15 p.m.
The music of Tommy James is
played around the world and has been
for more than a generation. To date, he
has sold more than 100 million records
and has been awarded 23 gold singles,
as well as nine gold and platinum
albums. Felix Cavaliere’s The Rascals
will open the show with more songs
from the 1960s.
known for her documentary theatrestyle plays that feature her as the
sole performer of multiple, diverse
characters. She returns to Chautauqua
to present an evening of her solo
performance material putting a face
on the state of the U.S. economy and its
impact on the individual.
Clint Black in Concert**
Friday, August 12, 8:15 p.m.
Prolific singer-songwriter Clint
Black has long been considered one of
country music’s brightest and enduring
stars. He is a three-time Country Music
Association Award winner, a five-time
Academy of Country Music Award winner, a two-time Grammy winner
and a TNN Music Award winner. To
date, Black has written, recorded and released more than 100 songs, selling
20 million albums worldwide.
Barbershop Harmony Parade
Sunday, August 21, 2:30 p.m.
They’ve been filling the Amp for
over 60 years with quartet singing at
its best – fun for the whole family.
The DePue Brothers Band*
Monday, August 22, 8:15 p.m.
The 42nd Infantry Division Band
of the New York Army National
Guard is a 35-member ensemble with
members from New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania and Maryland.
The four DePue brothers merge brilliant technical prowess with highly
creative joy to encompass a vivid blend
of bluegrass, classical and rock genres.
Jason (member of the Philadelphia
Orchestra) and Zach (member of the
acclaimed ensemble ‘Time for Three”
and concertmaster of the Indianapolis
Symphony Orchestra) both attended
the Chautauqua School of Music and
participated as members of the Chautauqua Youth Orchestra and MSFO.
Straight No Chaser**
Storm on the Horizon*
Straight No Chaser has taken the
nation by storm! They were originally
formed over a dozen years ago while
students together at Indiana University.
This male a cappella ensemble has
reassembled and reemerged as a
phenomenon with a massive fan base,
more than 20 million views on YouTube,
numerous national TV appearances,
popular recordings and sold-out
concerts across the U.S. and Canada.
In cooperation with Colonial
Williamsburg and the morning lecture
platform, character-interpreters as
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson
and James Madison will discuss
the “Question of the Union.” This
presentation is focused on the lecture
theme of the week: “The Path to the
Civil War.”
42nd Infantry Division Band
Sunday, July 31, 2:30 p.m.
Friday, August 5, 8:15 p.m.
Jamestown Drama Enrichment
Program Showcase
Sunday, August 7, 2:30 p.m.
The Jamestown (NY) Drama
Enrichment
Program
provides
immersion in the performing arts for
young people in Chautauqua County.
An Evening with Anna Deavere
Smith**
Monday, August 8, 8:15 p.m.
Acclaimed actress, playwright
and MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship
winner Anna Deavere Smith is best
Wednesday, August 24, 8:15 p.m.
An Evening with Bill Cosby**
Saturday, Aug. 27, 5 and 8:15 p.m.
Over the past century, few entertainers have achieved the legendary
status of Bill Cosby. His successes span
five decades and virtually all media.
He has been making America laugh
with a string of hilarious, best-selling
comedy albums, which won him eight
gold records, five platinum records
and five Grammy Awards. He is a national treasure with the unique ability
to touch people’s hearts.
*Community Appreciation Evening
**Preferred Seating Available.
Mei-Ann
Chen
joan
kwuon
Stellar guests
highlight a
season of
transition for
symphony
The Chautauqua Symphony
Orchestra will celebrate its 82nd
anniversary season in 2011. The
2011 season opens Saturday,
July 2, and closes Tuesday, Aug.
23. With the end of Stefan Sanderling’s tenure, 2011 will see a
series of guest conductors and
guest artists presenting an exciting and diverse repertoire. The
search for a new music director
will most likely begin in 2012.
Guest conductors and guest
soloists to date are:
July 2 Jorge Mester
July 4 Stuart Chafetz,
“Independence Day”
July 7 Robert Moody with Alexander Gavrylyuk
July 12 Grant Cooper with NC Dance Theatre
July 14 Miguel Harth-Bedoya with Alban Gerhardt, cello
July 19 Christopher Seaman
July 21 Christopher Seaman
with Joan Kwuon, violin
July 26 Larry Rachleff
July 28 Larry Rachleff with Susan Lorette Dunn, soprano
July 30 William Eddins with Jared Jacobsen, organ
Aug. 4 Carl St. Clair with Brian Reagin, violin
Aug. 9 Stuart Malina “CSO Community Concert”
Aug. 11 JoAnn Falletta
Aug. 13 Grant Cooper with
NC Dance Theatre
Aug. 16 Rossen Milanov with Angela Cheng, piano
Aug. 18 Mei-Ann Chen with Augustin Hadelich, violin
Stay tuned for more details
and check ciweb.org for updates as
we plan for great music and great
performances this summer.