With host Amanda Blue, Soprano
Thursday, September 21, 2023 | 6:30pm - 8pm | MMAM, Oberton Education Room
MMAM and RAA members free | Non-members, free with MMAM admission
Registration is required, and space is limited to 25 attendees per program.
About the event
What if every rule, lesson, practice about music flipped upside down... How would that shape the way that you think about music and the practice of music? Well, American composer John Cage did just that and more. “A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde.” For this lecture, Amanda Blue will be performing one of his famous vocal pieces named “Aria.” Through the performance and analysis of this piece, along with a few others, we will unpack the unique characteristics that make Cage’s works paint a picture of American contemporary music.
About Amanda Blue
Amanda Blue is a professional Opera singer currently based in the Midwest. She received her B.A. in Vocal Performance at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire and her M.M of Vocal Perfomence and Pedagogy at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ with distinction. During her studies, she has performed at Carnegie Hall, Kimmel Center, Lincoln Center, Italy, Montreal, throughout central Europe, and across the country while also focusing on musicology and ethnomusicology as apart of her continued studies and still studies those topics and themes today. Amanda has performed roles ranging from The Countess in “le nozze di Figaro” by Mozart to the New Prioress in Poulenc’s “Dialouge of the Carmelities.”
Under the tutelage of Dr. Christopher Arneson, she continues to focus on her vocal development and repertoire. She has worked and collaborated with Deb Birnbaum, Martina Arroyo, Joan Dornaman, Glen Morton, the late Ruth Falcon, and many more in productions and vocal literature. Recently, Amanda has been invited to continue her recital program and performance at the Union League Clubs of both Chicago and New York City. One of her greatest achievements was creating her Hospital Recital Series that she toured though out all of the New York City hospitals, accompanied by David Holkeboer. She continues to perform regularly in recital and performance settings. In her free time, Amanda loves to practice the art of interior design and continue her studies in opera, while working on her philanthropic work with music.
Inspire. Be inspired. Everyone welcome.
About artsXchange:
The Minnesota Marine Art Museum + River Arts Alliance are coming together to bring you a monthly informal artist exchange - a chance for artists and creatives from across a variety of mediums to gather for inspiration, exploration and exchange at the museum. Each month, a member from River Arts Alliance, a nonprofit that supports and celebrates regional arts and culture, hosts a 90-minute artist meet-up and conversation with an artist, maker, designer, writer, or another creative person.
The event will begin by gathering in the atrium at MMAM and meeting their artist host. The group will then a take a short inspirational tour of the museum (identifying a couple of signature pieces to spark conversation, chosen by your artist guide), and continue with a meet-up in the Oberton Education Room for inspiring conversation that ranges from anything from technique, to who’s making what, to sales strategies, and other opportunities.
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.