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Spotlight on the arts: Busking
Published
12 years agoon
By John Zirkle Warren Miller Performing Arts Center
In spring of 2007, Joshua Bell, considered by many to be one of the greatest violinists in the world, stood at the entrance of a metro station in D.C. and played for 45 minutes to passersby on their way to work. The performance was part of an experiment thought up by Gene Weingarten at the Washington Post to see how Americans respond to great artistry in unexpected venues.
A few weeks earlier, Bell played to sold-out crowds in Boston with a minimum ticket price of $100. After his performance in the metro station, Bell accumulated a whopping $32.17 in the case of his $3.5 million dollar Stradivarius violin, and out of the thousands of people that passed by that day, only a handful stopped to listen.
As it turns out, thousands of performers around the world make a living by doing exactly this. It’s called busking. There are countless ways to busk; all you need is a performance medium and a public space to perform. A percussionist can pay the rent by beating on empty buckets outside of Cubs games in Chicago. Mimes collect euros by posing as living statues on the central walking avenues in Europe, and snake charmers try to fill their baskets with rupees on the Ghats of India.
When I was living in Croatia last year, I befriended a busker who played guitar on a street corner for a couple hours each day near the main square in Zagreb. As I got to know him, I realized we were very similar in our approaches to art and performance. The only difference was that I was accustomed to performing on a stage with a paying audience, while Kris, the guitarist, sat on the ground and played for preoccupied pedestrians.
This comparison begs the question: What role does venue play in a performance? What happens when a Satanist metal band rocks out at an elementary Christian school assembly? What about a solo classical flautist playing a Bach Concerto at an L.A. Nightclub on a Friday night? Surely context matters.
There is something liberating about busking. It’s one thing to walk out on stage to an adoring audience, but it’s entirely different to put yourself out there on the street in front of a crowd who may not want to hear what you have to say, even if you are in fact the world’s greatest violinist.
Spotlight on the Arts is a reflection on the world of performing arts in both historic and contemporary contexts. To find examples of busking, keep an ear out next time you’re walking around a public place. To read the full Washington Post story on Joshua Bell, go to washingtonpost.com and search “Pearls Before Breakfast.”
The Warren Miller Performing Arts Center is scheduled to be completed by December of this year, and will feature many acts that challenge the way we see and think about performance.
Megan Paulson is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Outlaw Partners.
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Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm We will combine the heart-opening powers of cacao with the transcendental powers of breathwork and sound. Together, these practices will give us the opportunity for a deep
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March 23 (Saturday) 6:00 pm - April 23 (Tuesday) 8:00 pm
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169 Snowy Mountain Circle
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We all are familiar with using a limited palette, but do you use one? Do you know how to use a
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We all are familiar with using a limited palette, but do you use one? Do you know how to use a limited palette to create different color combinations? Are you tired of carrying around 15-20 different tubes when you paint plein air? Have you ever wanted to create a certain “mood” in a painting but failed? Do you create a lot of mud? Do you struggle to achieve color harmony? All these problems are addressed in John’s workbook in clear and concise language!
Based on the bestselling “Limited Palatte, Unlimited Color” workbook written by John Pototschnik, the workshop is run by Maggie Shane and Annie McCoy, accomplished landscape (acrylic) and plein air (oil) artists,exhibitors at the Big Sky Artists’ Studio & Gallery and members of the Big Sky Artists Collective.
Each student will receive a copy of “Limited Palette, Unlimited Color” to keep and take home to continue your limited palette journey. We will show you how to use the color wheel and mix your own clean mixtures to successfully create a mood for your paintings.
Each day, we will create a different limited palette color chart and paint a version of a simple landscape using John’s directives. You will then be able to go home and paint more schemes using the book for guidance.
Workshop is open to painters (oil or acrylic) of any level although students must have some basic knowledge of the medium he or she uses. Students will be provided the book ($92 value), color wheel, value scale and canvas papers to complete the daily exercises.
Sundays, April 14, 21 and 28, 2024
Noon until 6PM.
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Come join us at Cowboy Coffee as we celebrate a fun night of drinks, games, and meeting others within the community. This event is from 6-8 and all are welcome
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Come join us at Cowboy Coffee as we celebrate a fun night of drinks, games, and meeting others within the community. This event is from 6-8 and all are welcome to come, if you don’t know who to bring come alone this is a great mixer event! This is an event hosted by Big Sky OUT as we work to provide queer safe spaces throughout the community.
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25 Town Center Ave. Big Sky, MT 59716