Rochester School of the Arts

Back in the dark ages, when I went to high school and performed in the musicals (strictly chorus), the audience for our shows consisted primarily (solely?) of fellow students and family.  Since I don't have kids, I've never had the occasion to attend a high school production, and it would never occur to me to want to.  Then I heard the kids from the School of the Arts perform.

I've often passed the School of the Arts (SOTA) building in Rochester, but never given it much thought.  If someone had asked me, I'd have guessed it was a private high school.  I had heard, however, that the Drama Department had been invited to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this summer (as part of the American High School Theatre Festival) , and I was curious to learn more, when I had the opportunity to attend a presentation by Adele Fico, Art Center Director. Adele is an extremely accomplished and passionate woman, who has been at SOTA for over a decade.  She explained that the students at this public middle and high school must live in the city of Rochester (which made sense once we understood that it was a public, not private school), and must declare an arts major, in addition to the normal classes they take.  She was justifiably proud of the school's statistics:  over 90% graduate high school, over 90% continue with higher education, and the school has the highest attendance rate in the city.  Not all of the students make the arts their career (although one notable exception is Taye Diggs, best known to me from Private Practice, and being Idina Menzel's husband...), but the training and discipline enable them to excel in a myriad of fields, such as computer technology, science, and law.

When people ask her how SOTA is so successful, she answers that it is because of the arts focus - that the arts are a necessity, not a luxury - they are the "carrot" to keep kids engaged.  If only other schools would come to this realization, instead of their incessant focus on sports!  It reminded me of a comment Marvin Hamlisch made at a benefit I attended years ago on the importance of the arts in schools, and especially performing arts, as an outlet for kids who are not athletic, or who might be a bit 'different' and need a way to express themselves.

Acceptance to the school is based solely on audition, not academics, and SOTA auditions many more students than it can matriculate.  Adele noted that in auditioning a 6th grader, the focus is less on talent than it is on passion, temperament, and ability to take direction.  It was heartbreaking to hear her tell of students who give their primary reason for wanting to attend the school as the desire to go someplace safe.  70% of the students live below the poverty line, so it was not surprising when Adele explained that several of the students who were supposed to perform at Edinburgh had to drop out because they could not raise the funds necessary to participate.  15 students will be going, however, and performing Seussical the Musical.  We were fortunate to hear some selections, performed by eight of the 15, and were enchanted.  Although they have not yet begun seriously rehearsing this show (since they're focused on their current Legally Blonde production, which runs this coming weekend), and despite some of their voices still recovering from winter illnesses, the kids, in partial or possible costumes, gave us a hint of the parts they will perform in Scotland.

My Florida friend and occasional bridge partner, Nanette, will be attending the Fringe Festival at the end of July and early August, so I know she'll be on the lookout for their performance (and she'll keep her eye out for them on the Royal Mile, where they will be performing snippets and passing out flyers for the actual show).

The SOTA drama department performs seven shows a year - who knew?  I hope they perform Seussical in the fall, when they return, so that those of us who aren't fortunate enough to got to Scotland this summer will be able to see the show, and also hear a bit about their trip, and what they learned from the experience.  And I know I will be on the lookout for the 2014-2015 schedule, and make a point to attend at least one of their performances.  I guess I don't have to be a parent to enjoy a high school musical, after all!

Brighton Bicentennial

On Saturday, April 5, Charlie and I attended Historic Brighton’s re-creation of the first meeting of the Town of Brighton.  We were bused from a nearby church (courtesy of Wegman’s, after a lunch also graciously donated by them) to the Stone Tolan House, the oldest building in Monroe County.  It was originally a tavern, owned by Orringh Stone, and was where, on April 5, 1814, the newly formed town of Brighton (when the town of Smallwood was divided into Brighton and Pittsford) had its first meeting.  Even though Charlie grew up in Brighton, he’d never been to this museum, and I will have to return sometime just to learn more about the building itself (and make sure I got my facts straight…).

The reenactment in the tavern room was only a snippet, but it gave us a sense of the concerns of the time.  Four actors portrayed some of the town fathers, who were drawing up Brighton’s charter and electing officers.  Before calling the meeting to order, there was a good deal of discussion about the safety of the community and protecting it from potential invasion by the British – it had never occurred to me that the British were a threat to Rochester, but they had already made two raids on nearby Charlotte by 1814!

In 1814, only male property owners could vote.  (In 2014, every citizen can theoretically vote, although one party is making it more difficult for minorities and the elderly to exercise their rights.  Just as in 1814, money and politics go hand in hand today, especially with the Supreme Court’s recent decisions in the Citizens United case, which removed campaign restrictions on special interest groups, and the McCutcheon case, which overturned limits on aggregate federal campaign contributions.  So while each citizen has a vote, wealthy corporations or individuals retain an undue influence on the system. Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose…).

At the meeting in 1814, one of the gentlemen moved to table the election of officers until more “letters” were received.  I got the sense, from the meeting excerpt, that the election proceeded anyway (similar to Rochester’s mayor recently appointing a police commissioner without waiting for the resume submission deadline?).  And another gentlemen digressed to complain about his particular problem with his neighbors.

After the parlor, we were shepherded into the kitchen, where “Sally West,” who was helping care for the Stone’s 8 children after the death of their mother, offered to barter some dry goods for food, which they were in short supply of after the long winter.  Then “Olive,” the 15-year old daughter, took us to the parlor, where she complained a bit about her overprotective father, who was trying to keep Sally’s brother from wooing her. 

The reenactment, complete with costumes on loan from the Genesee Country Museum, was both charming and interesting;  I definitely left wanting to know more.  As we exited the house, we “reentered” 2014 and headed to the barn, which dates from the 1860s, when the Stones sold the property to the Tolans.  There, Brighton town supervisor, Bill Moehle, explained that Brighton is about 79% smaller than it originally was.  Much of the town was annexed into the city of Rochester, including Genesee Valley Park and, in 1905, the village of Brighton, which was at the corner of East and Winton (hence the location of the Brighton Post Office, and the Brighton Restaurant). 

I asked Mr. Moehle about the 624 local governments in our county, and he explained that  some of them are neighborhood districts for services such as refuse collection or snow removal, and that these require no extra staff or expenses.  He said he’s in favor of consolidating services when it can save money, but didn’t offer any suggestions. Someone else questioned the high percentage of Brighton property that is tax exempt (approximately 25%). Mr. Moehle cited some obscure town in New York that has some insanely high percentage, rather than explain, as I found from a quick googling of statistics for New York, that 25% is actually, incredibly, about average. A good portion of the property included in that figure is residences with STAR exemptions, but the impact is mostly from government and non-profit (religious, charitable, educational, hospital) properties. In any case, he did mention that local governments are working with the University of Rochester for payments in lieu of taxes to support the services they receive.

 

Another group was pressing behind us, so reluctantly, we let them enter.  Happy bicentennial, Brighton!

Eastman Opera Theatre - Dialogues of the Carmelites

As I freely admit, despite the many operas I’ve seen over the years (mostly in New York City), I am not an opera aficionado.  I much prefer a musical (especially if it’s Sondheim.  And a Sondheim musical performed by an opera company is the best of both worlds!). But opera offers something most other musical experiences do not - the opportunity to hear the finest singers, without unnecessary amplification.

One of the goals of Eastman Opera is to bring a wide variety of musicals and opera to the stage, both for Rochester audiences’ enjoyment, but also to add to the students’ versatility.  The choice of particular productions takes into account the talent and range of language and styles of the current student pool.  In preparation for their roles in this particular production, the students met with the Discalced Carmelites of Rochester, in Pittsford (who knew there was a monastery here in our suburbs?), and talked to them through their grate about their stories.

My friend Gwen and I attended the April 4 performance of Eastman Opera Theatre's Dialogues of the Carmelites.  The date is pertinent, because there were actually two separate casts, each performing on two different dates.  How and why are there that many talented singers studying opera here in Rochester?  Kodak Hall was fairly empty, so we were able to move at intermission to better seats than we had been assigned.  On the one hand, I felt bad for the singers, performing to such a small crowd.  On the other, I envied them this experience of performing in such a wonderful hall.

This was my first time in that space where the orchestra was in the pit and a curtain and set were used.  The staging was fantastic – we particularly liked the backdrop of Escher-like staircases, and the cross through which the nuns proceeded to the guillotine.  The entire performance was on a professional level. Both Gwen and I found it odd that there was no applause at the end of scenes, only the end of acts, since the students certainly earned it.  And I found the supertitles a bit distracting, since the students were performing an English version, and their diction was so good it didn’t require ‘translation.’

All of the singers had wonderful voices, which was to be expected.  I thought two of the students, however, stood out for their stage presence and their acting ability:  Katie Weber, as Mother Marie, and Athene Mok, as Sister Constance. Thirty years ago, when I was a member of the New Amsterdam Chorus in Manhattan, our director, Clara Longstreth, occasionally hired singers from the community, when there was a particularly demanding solo. I remember one particular soloist, and thinking she was pretty good.  There was something about her voice and her poise that was different, and destined her for greatness.  By now, most people, even non-opera-goers, have heard of her: Dawn Upshaw. (I was reminded of this because she will adjudicate the Jesse Kneisel Lieder Competition in Kilbourn Hall in May.)  I can’t but hope that someday Katie Weber and Athene Mok will be recognizable names as well, and I’ll be able to say I heard them when…

MUSE at the Arts & Cultural Council Gallery

"Icarus"

Every time I got an e-mail from the Arts & Cultural Council about an exhibit in their gallery, I meant to pop in for a peek, but life got in the way.  The few times I was in the building for meetings, I always enjoyed the displays, whether I liked the specific art itself or not.  When I took the postcard at Rochester City Ballet’s Nazareth performance for the upcoming MUSE exhibit, I put it in my huge pile of possible interesting things to do.  So it came as a shock to read in the local paper that this show would be the last at that venue before it closes, and the A&CC moves out of downtown. 

The gallery isn’t on the beaten path (it’s across from Village Gate, but still, that has to be a better location than the Eastman Business Park?), and it’s a bit forbidding that you need to buzz to be admitted in, both of which may have contributed to the lack of foot traffic in the past. 

"October Skies"

Friday’s opening night of the final artist to show in the space, Brian O’Neill, was packed, even though it was a chilly, rainy evening.  My friend Gwen and I stopped in before dinner and the opera, not knowing exactly what to expect in this collaboration between Brian and The Rochester City Ballet.  The paintings were stunning, and we both admired his use of vibrant colors and gold and silver leaf to give the works a shimmering quality.  Six of the roughly 30 paintings already had red ‘sold’ dots on them at 6pm, including “October Skies,” which really did evoke an autumn horizon.  

"Serendipity" and "Three Graces"

Two of my favorite paintings were hung side by side, so you couldn’t miss the connection:  “Three Graces” (a stunning painting of three beautiful blonde dancers in the waters of Corbett’s Glen, their photographic features blending seamlessly into the impressionistic surroundings) and “Serendipity” (an abstract inspired by its more realistic counterpart).  His portraits of the dancers were just as graceful as his subjects, many of whom seemed to be milling about (in any crowd, a bunch of young, waif-like, tall, blonde women would stand out, and I wished I had had the nerve to ask one to pose beside her likeness).  I also especially liked two other very different paintings:  “Pause,” which gave you the feeling of peeking through a frosty window of a rehearsal studio,  and “work-in-progress,” with its creative use of space. 

Gwen and I did get to introduce ourselves to the artist and tell him how impressed we were with his talent, and his proficiency in so many different styles.  We also chatted with his partner, Jim, an Associate Professor of dance at SUNY Brockport.  He amused us with a story from their prior house on Park Avenue:  one morning Jim commented that a stretch of wall could use a mural, and several hours later, Brian had completed a giant Tuscan scene!

The exhibit goes through April 24, so if you have a chance, it’s definitely worth stopping by.  Who knows – you might find a painting that wants to come home with you, or one that prompts you to commission a painting for your particular space.  At the very least, you will get to see a variety of work by a local talent, and say goodbye to this particular downtown gallery.

For more information about Brian O'Neill, this particular exhibit, the collaboration with RCB, or the A&CC, visit:

• http://www.brianoneillstudio.com/
• http://www.rochestercityballet.org/collaboration.php
• http://www.artsrochester.org/#gallery

"work-in-progress"

"Pause"

A "Lovely" Lunch

Apparently Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren is making the rounds of private clubs in the area, hoping, I assume, to reach out to business people and get them on board as partners in change. My husband and I invited two of our 'city' friends, Bernie and Cliff, to attend a luncheon at our club, curious to hear what she would speak about, and whether she'd address any of her recent missteps. She didn't mention them, and no one in the audience asked.

I felt a bit uncomfortable when she was preceded by the Baptist Reverend Cherry giving a "benediction." It was then also odd, after that "introduction," that she stood at the podium for several minutes while an overly long and repetitive "happy" video played (as the friend next to me said, "that's one way to fill an hour.").  It was Mayor Warren's way of segueing to her proclamation that Rochester is "one of the happiest cities in the nation." By what measure, I wonder?  And does that correlate with the city being one of the poorest, as well?  Again, no one asked - this was a very friendly audience.

Warren gave a nice enough speech - mostly filled with metaphors and platitudes ("Rochester is "a place that embraces our differences," "Rochester's past does not define our future," "good leaders surround themselves with talented people... I have some great people on my team," Rochester is "rising like a phoenix").  She talked about the city's three basic problems - education (she shared a sad and frightening statistic:  82% of city 8th graders are functionally illiterate), economic development, and public safety, and addressed some of her solutions to each.  In terms of education, her hopes are to make Rochester a pre-K model for the country.  She also talked about her support for charter schools and their ability to use existing underutilized public schools, as well as the 2-year certificate and workforce development programs at MCC.

She cited the economic development projects of Midtown, Sibley, filling in the Inner Loop (sadly, just with dirt, not with much needed underground parking), and the Port of Rochester redevelopment, and took credit for putting CityGate back on track (even though this, as well as several other projects, were all begun well in advance of her election to office).  In terms of public safety, she offered her new police chief (no mention of the odd process of his hiring) as an example, and  her greater commitment to community policing (with its commensurate price tag).

She referred to Rochester as a majority minority city, a term I hadn't heard before, but which is extremely apt.  Her request for $100million from Governor Cuomo for a new performing arts center reflects her "big dreams for our city."  She was questioned about this audacious request at the end, and declared Rochester to be a "city of the arts" in the way that Buffalo is a city of professional sports, Syracuse is a city of college sports, Albany is the state's capital, and NYC is the financial center.  I'm not sure that saying it makes it so, but perhaps this is reflected in her logo, which was prominently displayed on the screen:  Believe.  (Do you believe?  Oh please, please believe.  If you believe...clap your hands...)

Obviously, with only 94 days in office, it's too soon for her to demonstrate results.  I wish she had shared more concrete plans and goals for the city, but that then invites measurement. I thought that Warren handled questions very well. Even though her inexperience has been highlighted in the news, she obviously understands the issues and has thought about how to address them, and she is able to think on her feet.  My husband asked a question about how she plans to get jobs to return to Rochester, and she talked about the city's application, due mid-April, to become one of Obama's 12 designated manufacturing hubs (which will receive federal funding for two years).

Mayor Warren promises to be a woman to watch, and if she is able to cultivate the business relationships that are critical to effecting meaningful change in Rochester, and to reach beyond her existing advisor network, she just might gain the the trust of the entire community, and start to turn things around downtown.  So I clapped my hands!

Pittsford's School Budget - Part II

In a current commercial (http://vimeo.com/88089123), Governor Cuomo reports that “of the 15 counties in the nation with the highest property taxes, 12 are here in upstate New York.”  (And yes, our Monroe County is one of them.)  Over half of our property taxes relate to the school system.  So I went to another Pittsford budget “workshop,” to see if I could understand more about why we’re so over-taxed.  Mr. Kenney gave another Powerpoint presentation, with a reduction in budget increase from 2.39% at the last session, to 2.36%, which translates to a 2.52% increase in the tax levy, which still exceeds the cap of 1.81%.  At one point, he joked about trying to get the budget to be $120 million even, instead of $120,019,408.

Why wouldn’t they simply prepare an alternate budget showing only the allowed increase?  Because the Board of Education is still bent on educating the public on why they need to exceed the cap, whether it happens this year or next.  While Superintendent Pero reiterated his feeling that they should stay within the cap this year, he explained that that would just make the next year more difficult.  Kim McCluski, President of the Board, reiterated her position that breaking the cap, and requiring a super-majority vote, is a matter of ‘when,’ not ‘if,’ and that they should explain to residents all of the cuts that have already been made (e.g., eliminating some sports teams and coaches, consolidating some music programs, eliminating some secretaries).  Mr. Pero posited that there is “no more low hanging fruit” and that any additional cuts will hurt the students.  But what does that mean, and why is there no consideration to the financial burden their quest places on taxpayers?

The workshop part of the meeting ended early, and I finally got to ask some questions (Mr. Kenney denied having received any of my e-mails).  So I asked about the student enrollment, historically and projected.  They didn’t have numbers at the ready, but directed me to their website, and said that their enrollment projections are based on census info, and the current budget projects no increase in students or staff:

http://www.pittsfordschools.org/files/filesystem/2013-14%20enrollment%20projections.pdf

I also asked what the cost per student was, and again, they didn’t know the number, but thought it was around $17,000.  Looking at their on-line chart, though, their projection of 5,893 students equates to roughly $20,400 per student.  Even if the budget were exactly the amount allowed by the cap, it would still be over $20,000 per student.  Doesn't that seem a bit high?  They seemed to complain about the portion of the budget this isn't under their control - pensions and insurance - rather than focusing on thinking creatively about what is in their control, and controlling it.  

Another of Cuomo’s commercials explains that there are 624 local governments in Monroe county. In a county of roughly 750,000 residents, that seems like a ridiculously high number.  Of course the local governments are all speaking out against his proposed tax freeze and his invitation to them to consolidate services.  What local government is going to reduce its size or eliminate itself, just because it’s the right thing for to do for the taxpayers?