Real Vocal String Quartet

Wednesday, September 12 – Glenwood Springs, Spring Valley

Thursday, September 13 – Edwards

Friday, September 14 – Breckenridge

A string quartet, a string band, a woman’s vocal quartet, a jaw-dropping improvising world-music collective, pick a box andReal Vocal String Quartet will think outside it, with style. RVSQ’s simultaneous singing and stringing may just be the perfect combination for straddling musical worlds. RVSQ plays original songs and unique arrangements that pay tribute to music from Appalachia to Kenya to Brazil, incorporating sparkling improvisation that impresses and moves.

Chief Leon Little Bird

Thursday, January 17 – Glenwood Springs, Spring Valley

Friday, January 18 – Rifle

Leon truly understands the magic of Colorado. With roots in both pioneer and native cultures he embodies the spirit of the mountains. Leon’s great grandfather was one of the original settlers in Blackhawk Colorado, and his great-uncle was a classical composer and performer in Silver Plume and Georgetown.

This connection to the rich history of Colorado comes through in Leon’s music. A prolific songwriter and performer, his unique style tells tales of Colorado and the people of the west. His performances shape compelling stories into a musical show that leaves audiences asking for more.

Jeremy Kittle Band

Thursday, March 21 – Glenwood Springs, Spring Valley

Friday, March 22 – Steamboat Springs

Jeremy Kittel is one of the foremost among a new breed of fiddlers and violinists who easily navigate a multitude of musical styles and traditions, while cultivating new ground and redefining the role of the instrument.

TICKETS ARE ALREADY SELLING FOR THE SANTA FE GUITAR QUARTET!

GET YOURS NOW. 970-947-8367

MARCH 16 – CMC SPRING VALLEY THEATER, honoring Hal Sundin

MARCH 17 – CMC ASPEN CAMPUS, honoring the Catto Family

Honoring the Cordillera Motorcycle Association in Edwards January 21 at the Colorado Mountain College Edwards campus, call 970-947-8367 for tickets or more information.

Welcome, friends

Twelve years ago we had an idea to honor outstanding generosity and major contributors to Colorado Mountain College through a performance series.  This idea of joining together as family and friends to celebrate and honor the spirit of giving is now a tradition that enriches our communities through the arts and brings CMC closer to the people they serve.  The support of our audience over the last twelve years has made much of this possible, thank you for embracing the arts and congratulations to this season’s honorees.

My best regards,

JIM CALAWAY

The Jim Calaway Honor Series is presented annually in grateful recognition of exceptional philanthropy and sustained service in support of Colorado Mountain College and the advancement of education.

We live in one world. What we do affects others, and what others do affects us as never before.

To our honorees that support CMC’s students and faculty with your gifts of time, talent and financial resources, we thank you – today and every day.  Your generosity makes a significant impact on the lives of our students and the college at large.

SEASON TWELVE HONOREES

The Catto Family

The Cordillera Motorcycle Association

Kate McGinniss-Feinzig and Herbert Feinzig

The Jackson Family

Hjalmar Sundin

Cheryl and John Wells

The Jim Calaway Honors Series Season 12 Schedule of Performances

The Rifters

November 4, Glenwood Springs – November 5, Leadville

Paul Frantzich

January 20, Glenwood Springs – January 21, Edwards

The Sante Fe Guitar Quartet

March 16, Glenwood Springs – March 17, Aspen

If you would like to receive a brochure, due out in October 2011, contact ArtShare:

call) 970-947-8367 / email) abeauchamp@coloradomtn.edu

Ex-CU football player scores on opera stage

Keith Miller to perform in three CMC communitiesBy Mike McKibbin

Football and opera likely have little in common, but in the case of Colorado native and former football star Keith Miller, you might say he’s reached the Superbowl of professional singing with the New York Metropolitan Opera.

The now-36-year-old Miller, who was born in Ovid, Colo., played in several college bowl games as a fullback at the University of Colorado, then was a professional football player in Europe and a five-year veteran of the Arena Football League. He had tryouts with National Football League teams before turning to the stage five years ago.

Since then, Miller has participated in nearly 200 performances of increasingly larger roles at the Metropolitan Opera, and has appeared in numerous live high definition Met productions broadcast to auditoriums and movie theaters in 46 countries. This season Miller debuts at the Washington and Seattle Opera, at Glimmerglass and returns to the Met for opening night in “Anna Bolena.”

Most recently he has been seen in Breckenridge in the Met’s “Live in HD” January simulcast at the campus, in “The Girl of the Golden West.”

Miller, a bass-baritone, returns in person to his native state for three concerts presented by the Jim Calaway Honors Series at Colorado Mountain College in early April. Fellow Coloradoan and soprano Kara Guggenmos and pianist Debra Ayers will join him.

Miller credits much of his singing success to his athletic training, and has founded Puissance Training, a progressive way of training singers for today’s physically demanding roles and scenes. One of Miller’s former football trainers is his business partner in the endeavor.

“I wanted to make sure I could do things on stage that no one else could,” Miller said. “I think it’s a responsibility to offer the audience something they might not have seen before.”

Conditioning strengthens musical performances

Miller’s training helps singers cope with things like high altitudes, lack of humidity, time zone changes and even recovering from childbirth. Miller said he began training for these concerts a month or so before the dates.

“I need to get my red cell count up, work on my diet,” he said. The first time he performed at altitude, he said, it was virtually impossible to keep up with daily concerts, along with school visits before each concert.

Thanks to his training, though, and the experience he’s gained from performing in the high country, Miller said he’s ready for the challenge. He said he hopes students he visits in classrooms during the day will get their parents to take them to the evening concerts.

“That’s why I do these,” he said. “It’s not a big money maker; it’s to get opera out to areas that don’t get to hear live opera. I was denied that opportunity as a kid, so I hope we can get the younger generation out.”

Miller also serves as the director for opera and the Opera Young Artist program at the Crested Butte Music Festival.

Concerts through CMC April 1, 3, 5

Guggenmos will join Miller on stage for several duets in this upcoming mini-tour of Colorado Mountain College communities. They have frequently performed together. She received her master’s of music degree in vocal performance from the University of Colorado-Boulder and lives in Longmont.

Ayers performs extensively as a recitalist with singers, instrumentalists and chamber music ensembles, including the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, Aspen Music Festival Chamber Players and Breckenridge Music Festival.

Several of the songs Miller, Guggenmos and Ayers will perform are from Miller’s past opera roles and include songs from “Phantom of the Opera,” “Les Miserables” and other well-known operatic plays.

The three artists will perform concerts at Colorado Mountain College in Glenwood Springs-Spring Valley April 1, at the Bud Werner Memorial Library Hall in Steamboat Springs April 3, and, in cooperation with the Breckenridge Music Festival, at Colorado Mountain College in Breckenridge April 5.

The first concert will be Tuesday, April 1, at 7:30 p.m. in the New Space Theatre at the college’s campus in Spring Valley, near Glenwood Springs. This concert will honor Alexandra and R. Douglas Yajko of Glenwood Springs. Now retired, Alexandra Yajko was the executive director of the CMC Foundation, where she helped raise $34 million for student scholarships, buildings and programs. Her husband is a longtime and well-known surgeon. The Yajkos are being recognized for their considerable volunteer work, and support, for many Roaring Fork Valley organizations.

Concert attendees can enjoy a free 6:30 p.m. pre-concert dessert reception, where they can meet Dr. Jill Boyle, the college’s new senior vice president.

The second concert is Sunday, April 3, at 3 p.m. in the Bud Werner Memorial Library Hall in Steamboat Springs. This concert will honor Jayne and J. Edwin Hill, longtime college supporters and community volunteers.

A free 2 p.m. pre-concert reception will feature light hors d’oeuvres and will introduce Jim Swiggart, Steamboat Springs regional development officer for the CMC Foundation, as well as Matt Spencer, CEO of the foundation.

The third concert will be Tuesday, April 5, at 7:30 p.m. in the college’s Breckenridge auditorium, which that evening will be formally dedicated as the Eileen & Paul Finkel Auditorium. This concert will honor Eileen and Paul Finkel for their philanthropic support of and volunteer work for the college and the community.

A 6:30 p.m. pre-concert reception will include Summit County Commissioner Thomas Davidson, who will participate in the auditorium dedication ceremony.

Tickets for the Spring Valley and Steamboat Springs concerts are available at the door or by calling Alice Beauchamp at 970-947-8367 or 1-800-621-8559, ext. 8367. For more information, call Beauchamp or go to www.cmcartshare.com.

Tickets for the April 5 concert are available at the door or by contacting the Breckenridge Music Festival at 970-453-9142 or admin@breckenridgemusicfestival.com. More information is available at www.breckenridgemusicfestival.com.

Music, comedy, circus arts come to Colorado Mountain College

Family fun and frivolity are on tap when two veterans of film, television and stage, Wells and Woodhead, bring their new show, “Foolz,” to Colorado Mountain College as part of the Jim Calaway Honors Series.

“Foolz” is described as a character-driven amalgam of music, comedy and circus arts. Wells (Henrik Bothe) and Woodhead (Woody Keppel) have performed their one-of-a-kind antics on six continents. Recent appearances include the nationally televised China Comedy Festival from Beijing, the HBO Comedy Festival in Las Vegas and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Their first performance will be Friday, Jan. 21, at 7:30 p.m. in Colorado Mountain College’s New Space Theatre at Spring Valley, south of Glenwood Springs. This performance will honor YouthZone. For nearly three decades, YouthZone has helped to enhance the quality of life for young people and their families through prevention, advocacy, parent education and direct services.

“Foolz” will also be presented on Saturday, Jan. 22, at 7:30 p.m. in the Clough Auditorium of the college’s campus in Rifle. The Grand River Hospital District will be the honoree of this performance. The district serves the health needs of more than 27,000 people in its 1,500-square-mile service territory, much of it in western Garfield County.

Tickets are available at the door or by calling 947-8367.

It’s highly recommend you buy your tickets in advance!