WESM

Arts

Arts and culture

New director takes over at Walters Art Museum

By The Associated Press • Apr 1, 2013

BALTIMORE (AP) — The new executive director of the Walters Art Museum is on the job.

Monday is Julia Marciari-Alexander's first day at the museum in Baltimore. She was named executive director in February, replacing Gary Vikan, who retired after 18 years as director. The museum made admission free in 2006 under Vikan's leadership.

Before Marciari-Alexander was hired at the Walters, she was deputy director for curatorial affairs at the San Diego Museum of Art.

UMES Jazz Ensemble hosts jazz great

By The Associated Press • Mar 27, 2013
UMES Office of Public Relations

PRINCESS ANNE, MD –

   Legendary saxophonist Jimmy Heath performs with the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Jazz Ensemble March 27 at a 7 p.m. concert in the Ella Fitzgerald Center for the Performing Arts. 

Director of Bands Dr. John R. Lamkin said he and students are honored to work with a musician of Jimmy Heath’s stature.  “To be around someone of that caliber who has experienced all of the changes in the music industry from the 1940s to the present, is like being around a living encyclopedia of jazz,” he said. 

UMES Dinner Theater set for April 12 and 13

By The Associated Press • Mar 14, 2013
UMES Office of Public Relations

PRINCESS ANNE, MD –

– University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s drama director is set to stage one last play—as a full-time professor and director, that is—before retiring after 38 years.  The play by Vernel Bagneris slated for UMES’ annual Dinner Theater is appropriately named, “One Mo’ Time”.  

Dameron-Johnson describes those years as a dream. 

“Coming to work every day to teach, direct and perform never felt like a job to me,” she said.  “I love my students, first and foremost, and my colleagues on campus.  I’ve had a good run.” 

MSU hosts famous a cappella ensemble

By The Associated Press • Feb 28, 2013

BALTIMORE (AP) — The renowned a cappella group, Sweet Honey in the Rock, is coming to Morgan State University and bringing its unique blend of musical genres.

The group will perform at the school's Murphy Fine Arts Center on March 8.

Organizers say that the singing group possesses a vocal prowess that captures the complex sounds of blues, spirituals, traditional gospel hymns, rap, reggae, hip-hop, and jazz improvisation.

This year is the group's 40th anniversary.

Co-found of Saffire women's blues trio dies in Va.

By The Associated Press • Jan 30, 2013

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Pianist and vocalist Ann Rabson, co-founder of the trio Saffire-The Uppity Blues Women, has died in Virginia after a battle with cancer.

Alligator Records says Rabson died Wednesday in Fredericksburg. She was 67.

Rabson recorded eight albums with Saffire and one solo CD for Alligator Records, and three solo albums for other labels. A barrelhouse blues pianist, Rabson was also a songwriter and guitarist.

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