Tusculum University Arts Outreach will reshow “The History of Hip-Hop” which includes a virtual recorded concert and a question-and-answer session that followed. The event was first held via Zoom March 24 and will be re-aired Tuesday, April 27, at 7 p.m. The event features Jonathan Blanchard, a soul singer, songwriter, actor and preserver of the Negro spiritual. Students who attended the event the first time are welcome to watch it again but cannot receive additional credit. The Zoom link is https://tusculum.zoom.us/j/82418577254?pwd=MmZjVjRnWC92TnpPdVZUUVg1djdadz09

 

We encourage you to mark your calendars for Tuesday, March 30, when one of our own will serve as the lecturer for the annual Cicero Lecture Series.

Dr. Joel Van Amberg, professor of history, will present “Themes of Renewal, Restoration and Rebirth in the Renaissance and Reformation” beginning at 7 p.m. He will speak from the Meen Center lecture hall to a limited audience of 50 people, but Tusculum University family members are welcome to watch it via Zoom with this link: https://tusculum.zoom.us/j/87998458143.  As part of the free lecture, Dr. Van Amberg welcomes questions from and dialogue with the audience.  

Dr. Van Amberg describes the 15th and 16th centuries as transitional for Europe. He will examine how Europeans held deep feelings of yearning and affinity and sought to restore the best of their ancient past. He said they hoped that would lead to the birth of a new Europe to meet that period’s challenges.

“The political, economic and intellectual structures of the Middle Ages seemed increasingly ill-suited to accommodate the new realities with which Europeans were grappling,” Dr. Van Amberg said. “However, the contours of a new arrangement, one that we will come to call Modernity, were not yet in view. To think their way forward, Europeans who were associated with the age’s two great movements, the Renaissance and the Reformation, reached backward.”

Dr. Van Amberg has served as a Tusculum professor since 2005 and as an administrator since 2006. He is a historian of 16th century Europe and the author of “A Real Presence: Religious and Social Dynamics of the Eucharistic Conflicts in Early Modern Augsburg 1520-1530.” He delivered the lectures for Tusculum’s Theologian-In-Residence series in 2018 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in religious studies from Bowdoin College, a Master of Arts in church history from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and a doctorate in European history from 800-1648 from the University of Arizona.

The lecture’s namesake, Cicero, was a Roman statesman, lawyer, teacher and orator. He established an academy at the former Roman town of Tusculum, where he outlined principles of civic virtue in a republic to vote, volunteer, serve the community above oneself and work to achieve excellence. His principles serve as the inspiration for our focus on civic engagement.

Anyone who wants to reserve one of the 50 seats in the lecture hall or has questions can contact Jennifer Hollowell, coordinator of Tusculum Arts Outreach, at jhollowell@tusculum.edu.

 

Jonathan Blanchard, a soul singer, songwriter, actor and preserver of the Negro spiritual, will share his rich voice during a virtual recorded concert followed by a question-and-answer session, all highlighting African American music, for the Tusculum family and the community.
The event, called “The History of Hip-Hop,” will be Wednesday, March 24, with the concert beginning at 7 p.m. and the Q & A starting at 8 p.m. Both activities will occur via the Zoom virtual platform. The Tennessee Arts Commission has provided a grant to fully fund the event.
“The History of Hip-Hop” is an interactive history lesson that takes the audience on a journey through generations and genres of music. It encompasses African American music from the field song all of the way through jazz, blues, rock and roll and hip-hop.
“We’re thrilled to have an accomplished artist in Jonathan who will provide a compelling history lesson in an entertaining and informative format,” said Wayne Thomas, dean of the College of Civic and Liberal Arts. “Music is a powerful and moving way to share stories, and we look forward to this listening to this outstanding performer’s songs. We also welcome his insight during the question-and-answer session.”
Blanchard’s talent matured while he was immersed in Memphis’ divergent styles of music and art. His voice is comparable in depth and richness to Isaac Hayes, Paul Robeson and Barry White. Following the tradition of great soul singers, Blanchard creates music that lets his deep, soulfully rich voice to blend naturally with the times.
His first studio album, “Freedom’s Soul … the Revolution,” was a culmination of musical genres and steeped in soul music and lessons learned. It is a fusion of soul, funk, jazz, spirituals and rhythm and blues and contains truth, pureness and clarity in the message. His concerts at colleges, churches, festivals and performing arts venues throughout the United States showcase his original works.
Blanchard received a Bachelor of Science in commercial music and a Master of Science in music education from Tennessee State University.  He is a strong proponent of arts education and conducts workshops and residencies in schools and colleges, celebrating African American music and the artistry, history and message of the Negro spiritual. He is a Lincoln Center Teaching Artist and a teaching artist for the Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee Arts Commissions. He embraces social issues and uses music to explore topics such as bullying and other life issues relevant to today’s youth.
To participate in the event, please use the following link: https://tusculum.zoom.us/j/86020971521
To learn more about Blanchard, please visit www.jonathanblanchard.com. For more information about the university, please visit www.tusculum.edu.

 

Central Ballet Theatre (CBT) of Greeneville’s ballet, The Snow Queen: A Frozen Adventure, is slated for January 28th through 31st, 2021 at Tusculum University, Annie Hogan Byrd Auditorium.

CBT’s ballet, The Snow Queen: A Frozen Adventure, is taken directly from the story of Hans Christian Andersen’s book The Snow Queen. Frozen 2, Disney’s movie, is loosely taken from the same story. The ballet portrays how the faithfulness of true love can reclaim the lives of those lost in deception.

The theme verse of CBT’s ballet, The Snow Queen, is Joshua 1:9: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” In this ballet, viewers watch sixteen-year-old Gerda travel forth to find and save her beloved Kai as God continually sends His help and guidance to be with her.

In the beginning, Winter, the season, is attracted to the images cast forth by the magical mirror
of deception created by Lucifer. When the mirror is broken, Lucifer stabs winter in the heart with
a sliver of this magical mirror. This act turns her heart ice cold. He blows fragments of the mirror
into her eyes turning her into the Snow Queen, who hates anyone born of true beauty.

The Snow Queen hears the boastful remark of a young Kai threatening to put the Snow Queen
on the stove and melt her. As the Snow Queen watches Kai and Gerda’s growing relationship of true love, she decides to strike Kai’s heart with coldness.

The dark Snow Queen captures Kai and whisks him away to her ice palace in the north. Gerda travels to find her beloved Kai.

Within the story, the audience experiences Gerda’s travel through spring, summer, autumn, overcoming fears and temptations within each season, and finally, to the cold northern ice palace to find Kai and return home with him. Will Kai be released to return to the land of life with Gerda, or will he remain frozen and heartless in the land of the Queen?

Closely following the storyline of Hans Christian Andersen, there are many encounters where
the Lord is invoked to take part. From the opening scene, Lucifer, who designs a mirror that distorts beauty and makes evil look promising, compares to Satan, the prideful boaster who desires to be God. Viewers witness Gerda’s prayers for guidance which necessitate the need for divine assistance found in the angelic spirit of Gerda’s departed Mother, the Raven, and guardian angels.

At one point during the ballet during a great struggle to proceed, Gerda finds she does not have the strength to go on. Falling to her knees, she recites The Lord’s Prayer. As she does, each
puff of smoke from her breath becomes an angel sent to protect her. For advance biblical application of the ballet, a study may be found on the website, CentralBallet.com or by request at loriannsparks@gmail.com.

Returning again to CBT’s stage for his seventh season is Dillon Davis from Chattanooga Ballet to play the lead role of Kai. Dillon started his professional career as a trainee at Alabama Ballet under the direction of Wes Chapman. He later attended the highly respected Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet under the tutelage of Marcia Dale Weary.

After completing his training at CPYB, Dillon performed professionally with Nashville Ballet and Dance Theater of Tennessee dancing various soloist roles such as Escamillo in Carmen, Peter in The Diary of Anne Frank, the jester in Cinderella, and Franz in Coppélia. While with Dance Theater of Tennessee, he had the opportunity to work with world renowned choreographers Ma Cong, Darrell Grand-Moultrie and Ron De Jesus of Hubbard Street. Dillon is excited to be in his 6th season with Chattanooga Ballet.

Other lead roles are danced by Greeneville / Greene County high school residents Morgan Brink (Gerda), Ay-La Boschee (Snow Queen, pictured above), and Katy Higgins (Liefste). David Sparks, a Greeneville paramedic, dances Lucifer in the opening, and Adrian Robertsen, originally from Rogersville, portrays Blixxem, the reindeer.

Lori Ann Sparks, CBT artistic director, asks that the public please come enjoy this ballet. “We are taking severe precautions to protect the health of our community and have added two extra shows to do so. This ballet is for all ages and has a wonderful message appropriate for our time of life when we must stay strong and be courageous through the year of great loss from the world-wide pandemic. The audience will leave with a sense of fulfillment remembering that if love persists, everyone wins.” For those restricted by Covid-19, CBT will be offering an online link, in mid-March, to watch the performance of The Snow Queen ballet.

Because the ballet’s storyline is carried by the narration of Hans Christian Andersen, the author of the fairytale and portrayed by Brian Sparks, CBT provides a deaf interpreter for the hearing impaired at the Saturday 2:00PM performance. Annie Hollenbeck, a CBT seamstresses who teaches at Knoxville’s Tennessee School for the Deaf, has graciously agreed to interpret for those who need assistance in hearing. Upon arrival for seating, be sure to let the box office staff know you need to sit in special seating for interpretation.

Tusculum University has allowed Central Ballet Theatre to continue its performances under strict Covid-19 requirements. Temperature checks will be taken before entering the lobby, and masks are required throughout the performance. Limited tickets and seating are open to the public. Shows are slated for Jan 28, 29, 30, & 31 at 7:00 pm and Jan 30 & 31 at 2:00 pm.

We welcome the public of all ages to come enjoy our presentation to the Greeneville community. Tickets may be purchased at Central Ballet Studio on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 4:00 – 7:00 PM (120 W. Summer St, Greeneville) or at the Annie Hogan Byrd Auditorium lobby on Saturdays from 12:00 – 4:00PM. Call 423-724-7014 for more information.