'Red Door is Open Again': Improv Music and Art Return, March 6
February 21, 2014
Contact: University Relations
Phone: 410.837.5739
"The Red Door is Open Again," an improvisational performance by virtuoso pianist Robert Hitz and University of Baltimore Integrated Arts Program Director Jeffrey Hoover, will be presented by Spotlight UB on Thursday, March 6. This dynamic interplay between art, discussion and improvisational music will begin at 8 p.m. in UB's Wright Theater, located in the University's Student Center, 21 W. Mt. Royal Ave. Atteance details are listed below.
Using samples of the visual art of Jessica Damen, Maxine Taylor and Hoover as a springboard, Kimberley Lynne, UB Theater Events host and moderator, will lead the audience's perceptions and observations of their art, which Hitz and Hoover will then translate into responsive musical pieces. This "see/hear/respond/react" dynamic creates an integrated concert experience for the audience. It is the second performance of "The Red Door" approach; last spring's debut was a highlight of Spotlight UB's 2013 season.
The visual artists will display their work from 7 to 8 p.m., and at 8 the concert and conversation will begin.
Robert Hitz received B.M. and M.M. degrees respectively from the Peabody Conservatory and Syracuse University. Known as a "21st Century Romantic," Hitz has composed award-winning musical pieces that express the eternal melodies of the musical masters, combined with his own spiritually inspired improvisations. He has performed nationally, from concert halls to yoga retreats.
Jeffrey Hoover both performs and composes new classical music and jazz as a saxophonist and woodwind player, as well as paints visual interpretations of his own music. Holding an interdisciplinary arts doctorate from Texas Tech University and bachelor's and master's degrees in music, Hoover is program director for UB's Integrated Arts degree.
Jessica Damen, dubbed the "Lewis Carroll of Baltimore" by renowned artist Grace Hartigan, is known for creating magical-realist oils and expressive ink brush paintings. Her work has been feature in regional solo gallery shows, invitational shows at the Maryland Art Place, the Delaware Center of Contemporary Art and national juried shows.
Maxine Taylor's mixed media abstract paintings capture the essence of a particular place or space. Her large-scale mixed media abstracts focus on lines, shapes and their relationship to movement. Her work has been exhibited in solo shows throughout the region including Studio Gallery in Washington, D.C. and Montage Gallery in Baltimore. She was also an invitee at the Sacramento Temporary Contemporary in California.
Kimberley Lynne has been UB's coordinator for theater events for the past seven years. She is a published playwright and novelist. Her collection of short stories, Something with a Crust, and collection of ghost stories, Dredging the Choptank, have received critical acclaim. Lynne earned her M.F.A. in Creative Writing and Publishing Arts from University of Baltimore. She is a teacher, scenic designer and theatrical director.
Tickets for "The Red Door is Open Again" are $15 for general admission, $10 for seniors and UB faculty and staff, and $5 for students and alumni. They are available at www.etix.com (search under University of Baltimore) and one hour before the show in the Wright Theater lobby.
Spotlight UB features performances by artists from the worlds of experimental music, chamber music, politically-conscious theatre and slam poetry, as well as live comedy and one-of-a-kind performances. For more information about Spotlight UB, go here.
(Painting on home page by Jessica Damen.)
The University of Baltimore is a member of the University System of Maryland and comprises the College of Public Affairs, the Merrick School of Business, the UB School of Law and the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences.