The guy never stops, does he? Mason Bates scooped up another bit of metalic for his composition skills in Forth Worth’s 2009 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Okay, you’re right, Bates isn’t a pianist, but in addition to giving two awards to pianists, the festival invites composers to enter into the American Composers Invitational which Bates easily secured winning votes. Check out an article with more details on his loot.
Will he ever stop? Let’s hope not!
Passion. The word evokes deeply rooted emotions in everyone of us. Passion means many things to many people. Webster’s dictionary provides several definitions for passion all of which have the same core meaning. Passion is an intense, driving and liking for some activity, object or concept. As I peruse reviews of the artists coming to the Festival, the concept of “passion” eminates from the screen. It solidfies itself as the common denominator that cuts across disciplines and binds the performers together as a formidable artistic force poised to take Sarasota, Florida and the world by storm. Imagine the energy, spirit and inspiration that will be unleashed during those five days in October. Ready yourself for the explosion that will captivate and motivate you by indulging your artistic passion this weekend.
I’m meeting with media around Florida again this week to promote the Ringling International Arts Festival. Yesterday the SCVB public relations rep and I visited the Naples/Ft. Myers area. Today we plan to be in the Ocala/Gainesville area. Then Wednesday we’ll cross the state to visit Florida’s largest metropolitan area, Jacksonville.
If you are media, or if you know any media that we should meet with, drop me a line. Every lead helps to promote this awesome fesitval.
Posted by Lynn Hobeck Bates, Public Relations Manager, The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
Ella Hickson stakes her claim again.
Read this great article on up and coming female playwrights by the Ruby Room. We couldn’t have written it better.
In an effort to keep you updated on some key festivals happening this summer, American Dance Festival’s 76th season, Where Ballet & Modern Meet, kicks off today in Durham, N.C. If you happen to be up in that area this time of year ,as many of the Rinlging Museum’s seasonal residents may be, stop by and take in a performance or two. And when the summer winds bring a breezy air to Florida this October, journey down to Sarasota/Bradenton and check out dance choreographers and artists Azure & Artists, OtherShore and Deganit Shemy & Company at the Ringling International Arts Festival. Also, don’t forget to check out our ad in the program book. Bring us back a copy that would even be better.
One of the best things about festivals is often the food. After all, festivals focused solely on food have popped up across the country from New York to L.A. In additon to the Festival Cafe (more to come soon!) Treviso Restaurant on the Ringling Museum grounds will offer fresh ingredients blended into dishes that will make your taste buds dance. In addition to being open 11 a.m.-11 p.m. every day of the festival, Treviso will also serve up a Sunday brunch–every Sarasotans favorite–on Oct. 11. I hope to share some recipes from the chef soon.
For patrons wanting a more casual lunch between performances, grab a bite to eat at the Banyan Café and dine beneath the banyans. If you are in the mood for some culinary explorations beyond the Museum gates, you are in luck. The area is home to some highest-rated restaurants in the country.
And, by the way, you can actually hit up Disney World’s Food and Wine Festival before or after the Ringling International Arts Festival. Orlando is just a hop-skip-and-a-jump from Sarasota/Bradenton.
Spain and South American have been on my mind this week. Naturally, my mind drifts to thoughts about food and cultural arts. I realized that while I am familiar with the tango, Argentina’s spicy aphrodisiactic dance, I am not as familiar with flamenco. Since Spain’s leading flamenco virtuosos María Pagés will be performing at the Festival, I thought I should freshen up.
Flamencos’ origin is most commonly attributed to Andalusia, an autonomous region now part of Southern Spain, however the colorful history is richly debated. More details to come in a future blog. Let’s keep it simple for now. There are three main forms of flamenco–dancing or baile, guitar playing or guiterra and songs or cante-and a mixture of any three of these elements, or any one element on its own, can be considered “flamenco.” Flamenco takes on a variety of themes from love, passion, loss and heartbreak to politics and humor and is performed around the world. Performers clap, kick, sing, snap small hand-held percussion instruments call castanets and move their body in tempered rhythms to music unleashing a presentation of passion and emotion that is seemingly unbridled yet precisely structured.
Compañia María Pagés will present Flameco y Poesía with her company of nine dancers and musicians in October. It is sure to be a passionate display of song, dance and music that is alluringly graceful and exotically enticing.
Lynn Hobeck Bates, Public Relations Manager at the Ringling Museum
This morning Dwight Currie and I took a long, casual drive to Holmes Beach on Anna Maria Island to further drum up community support for the Festival. After finding a mom-and-pop cafe for Monday morning’s requisite coffee, Dwight presented to the Manatee County Tourist Development Council. The TDC is an advisory committee appointed by the county that recommends policy and oversees the use of all “bed tax” funds collected in Manatee County. The Council is eager for the Bradenton CVB to work with the Ringling and they were glad to hear that we have already met to discuss marketing and public relations opportunities. If you’ve got any great marketing ideas for us send them our way. Better yet share this blog with your friends, family and co-workers.
Lynn Hobeck Bates, Public Relations Manager at the Ringling Museum
This morning City of Sarasota Vice Mayor Kelly Kirschner sat down with Dwight Currie, Associate Director of Programming at the Ringling Museum, to film for the City of Sarasota’s television station, Access 19. Dwight was delighted to share with the Vice Mayor how the festival came to be, where we are going and what to expect. From the government to the tourism industry and everyone in between, it is great to have the community’s support. They recognize the potential impact the Festival can have on the community this year and in the future. In the end, it is what the Ringling has been saying all along “What is good for the Ringling is good for Sarasota and Manatee Counties.” The show will air later this month.
Festival subscription packages are on sale now.
Single ticket sales commence May 15 through the Historic Asolo Theater box office at the Ringling Museum of Art: 941.360.7399.
Please sign up for our Email List to receive early announcements for Festival package sales.
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art and New York’s Baryshnikov Arts Center invite you to be a part of history as artists from all over the world come together to present the Ringling International Arts Festival.
From October 13 - 17, 2010 celebrate the rich diversity of ideas and forms at play in the world today all on a beautiful, 66-acre waterfront estate on Sarasota Bay.
