Thursday, April 23, 2015

Dreamweaver Marketing News, STEM-BASED ENGINEERING PROGRAM FOR LOCAL STUDENTS



STEM-BASED ENGINEERING PROGRAM FOR
LOCAL STUDENTS CULMINATES WITH COMPETITION THIS MAY
PITTSBURGH—Over the last five years, WQED has engaged several hundred middle school students through its Design Lives Here program.

Participating educators and students of the program utilize Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) activities and content from Design Squad Nation episodes (airs Sundays at 7:00 p.m. on WQED-TV) and

Made possible by ANSYS, MSA Safety Incorporated (MSA), Bombardier Transportation, and American Design Lives Here is presented by WQED in partnership with the Engineers’ Society of Western Pennsylvania (ESWP) and Inventionland.

On Friday, May 1, 2015 these students will come to Inventionland in RIDC Park for “Invention Convention”, a day-long competition event that includes three hands-on/minds-on engineering challenge activities and the opportunity to speak with engineering mentors and staff. Students will be grouped into teams across schools and given challenges such as “Zip Line” where they are challenged to design and build a carrier that can transport a Ping-Pong ball from the top of a zip line string to the bottom in four seconds or less using a limited supply of materials. The challenge activities are supported by local engineering mentors, giving students and teachers the opportunity to interact with professional engineers throughout the day. 



In addition to the on-site engineering challenges, students complete one final challenge – the Invention Challenge. Prior to attending “Invention Convention”, students will identify a problem in one of eight invention categories: kitchen/culinary; outdoors; pets; sports/hobbies; toys (non-electronic); vehicles (transportation); wearables/fashion; and miscellaneous. In teams, they will invent a solution to that problem, and illustrate or build a specialized model (prototype) of their invention. Students will then have the opportunity to “pitch” their ideas and products to the professional inventors at Inventionland and receive specific feedback and coaching regarding those creative designs.
interactive resources, with support from local engineers, to learn about the engineering design process and complete a number of engineering challenges throughout the school year. Aimed at encouraging area kids to learn more about and consider a profession in engineering, this year’s program includes seven returning schools with the addition of three new participating schools. Approximately 230 students in grades 5-8 will represent these different southwestern Pennsylvania educational stakeholders in preparation for the culminating competition.
Bridge,
To view the complete release click here.

NOTE TO WORKING PRESS: Photo opportunities are available on Friday, May 1, 2015 from 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at Inventionland located at RIDC Park, 585 Alpha Drive, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15238. A copy of the day’s agenda is available by request to mpisano@wqed.org. Please note that you will have to sign a waiver to enter the building. 

Dreamweaver Marketing News, Pittsburgh CLO's 2015 Summer Season to Feature a GLEEful Cast



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Aja Jones
412-281-3973 ext. 224
ajones@pittsburghCLO.org
Images: Press Room
User: pressroom Pswd: pittstadium
 
Pittsburgh CLO's 2015 Summer Season to
Feature a GLEEful Cast Complete
with the Brightest Stars of Stage & Screen!
First Casting Announcement for
Summer Festival of Musicals

Pittsburgh, PA • April 22, 2015 — Pittsburgh CLO’s 2015 Summer Season will be highlighted by stand-out performances from Broadway’s best and distinguished stars of film and television, including Jenna Ushkowitz from Fox’s hit series “Glee” and the dynamic duo of Kim Zimmer and Robert Newman from "Guiding Light."

MARY POPPINS, June 9 - 21

from LindseyBliven.com
Lindsey Bliven joins Pittsburgh CLO for the first time in the title role of Mary Poppins. Her credits include the National Tours of Mary Poppins, A Chorus Line, Oklahoma! and The Wizard of Oz.  In addition, she appeared as Mary Poppins at The Walnut Street Theatre and Music Theatre Wichita.  She holds a BFA in Musical Theater Performance from The University of Oklahoma, Weitzenhoffer School of Musical Theatre.

David Elder returns to Pittsburgh CLO as Bert after starring as Don Lockwood in Pittsburgh CLO’s 2014 critically-acclaimed production of Singin’ in the Rain.  Mr. Elder previously appeared in the Broadway productions of Curtains, 42nd Street; Kiss Me, Kate; Titanic; Once Upon a Mattress; Beauty and the Beast; Damn Yankees and Guys and Dolls. He recently starred as Bert at The Walnut Street Theatre and Music Theatre Wichita’s productions of Mary Poppins where he showcased “a big, broad smile that draws us into the wonder of this show!” –Kansas.com


Mason Park first burst onto the small screen in Nickelodeon’s “iCarly” and has amassed a multitude of impressive credits in his young career spanning television, film and stage.  He was introduced to Pittsburgh CLO through the National High School Musical Theater Awards, during which time he was featured on PBS’s reality series “Broadway or Bust.”  Mr. Alexander is making his Pittsburgh CLO debut in the roles of Miss Andrews, Miss Smythe and Queen Victoria.  He is currently a student at Point Park University and is the founder of P.A.R.K. Productions.
GYPSY, July 10 – 19

Robert Newman returns to Pittsburgh CLO to play Herbie after appearances in The Full Monty and A Little Night Music. He has guest-starred on several television shows including “Homeland,” “N.C.I.S.,” “Criminal Minds,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “Santa Barbara,” “General Hospital” and his celebrated role as Josh Lewis on “Guiding Light.”  Mr. Newman has been nominated for four Soap Opera Digestawards for his role as Josh Lewis. In addition, he was nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.Amanda Rose last appeared on the Pittsburgh CLO stage as Betty Schaefer inSunset Boulevard and returns to Pittsburgh in the role of Louise.  She previously starred as Nessarose in the Broadway and National Touring production of WICKEDin addition to her work on the National Tours of Doctor Dolittle and Oklahoma! Ms. Rose has starred in productions for Walnut Street Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse, Fulton Theatre, Ogunquit Playhouse, Sacramento Music Circus and Goodspeed Opera House in addition to many others throughout the country.

Kim Zimmer makes her Pittsburgh CLO debut as Mama Rose.  She is best known for her role as Reva Shayne on CBS’s “Guiding Light,” for which she won four Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama.  She also appeared on “Seinfeld,” “Babylon 5,” “University Hospital,” “Santa Barbara,” “Designing Women” and countless other television shows.  Her work in the theater includes the National Tour of WICKED and countless regional roles.  She joins her former co-star on “Guiding Light,” Robert Newman, in this American musical masterpiece.
THE WEDDING SINGER, July 24 – August 2Kirsten Scott is a Pittsburgh native and Carnegie Mellon University graduate who counts among her many credits Broadway roles in Jersey Boys, Big Fish, Follies andHairspray.  She returns to Pittsburgh CLO as Holly after appearing in Curtains in 2010.     
Matthew Scott charmed audiences last summer as Emmett in Pittsburgh CLO’sLegally Blonde The Musical.  He now returns as Robbie to join his wife Kirsten Scott, in the cast of The Wedding Singer. Mr. Scott appeared in the Broadway productions of Sondheim on Sondheim, Jersey Boys, A Catered Affair and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas in addition to regional roles in Beaches, Company, The Light in the Piazza, Sunset Boulevard (Pittsburgh CLO, opposite Liz Callaway), West Side Story, My Fair Lady, South Pacific and countless others. 
Jenna Ushkowitz is making her Pittsburgh CLO debut as Julia, the role first made famous by Drew Barrymore in the film “The Wedding Singer.”  Ms. Ushkowitz began her career at a very young age on the set of “Sesame Street.”  She went on to appear in episodes of “Reading Rainbow,” “As the World Turns,” and many other television series before making her Broadway debut in The King and I in 1996.  Ms. Ushkowitz returned to Broadway in Spring Awakening in 2008 alongside future co-star Lea Michele before they both rocketed to fame as cast members in the hit Fox television show “Glee.”

Additional casting news will be released in the weeks ahead, including casting details for MAN OF LA MANCHA!
Tickets for Pittsburgh CLO’s 2015 Summer Season
Tickets are on sale now at pittsburghCLO.org, by calling 412-456-6666 or at the Box Office at Theater Square. Groups of 10 or more enjoy exclusive discounts and specialty packages. Call our Group Sales Hotline at 412-325-1582 for more information. Visit pittsburghCLO.org for further information.
Pittsburgh CLO offers family-affordable and flexible Season Ticket packages to fit even the busiest summer schedule.  See three shows for under $50 when you buy Season Tickets today!
Full and partial packages are now available.  The 6-Show Premium Series allows season ticket buyers to see six award-winning summer musicals.  Flexible packages allow buyers to design their own season.  Season Ticket Buyers can choose a 3-Show Series or the Pick-3 Series.  A complete list of options is available atpittsburghCLO.org.  Season Ticket packages may be ordered online or by calling 412-281-2822.
Pittsburgh CLO gratefully acknowledges the generosity of PNC for its sponsorship of the PNC Spotlight Series, our Season Sponsors: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and WTAE-TV, and Giant Eagle for its sponsorship of select half-price children’s tickets for MARY POPPINS.

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Dreamweaver Marketing News, ANDY WARHOL MUSEUM ANNOUNCES SCREEN TESTS ARE PART OF MIDNIGHT MOMENT IN NEW YORK’S TIMES SQUARE


  
 
Contact
Jessica Warchall
T 412.237.8351
E warchallj@warhol.org
W warhol.org/museum/pressroom/



Image: Andy Warhol, Screen Test: Bob Dylan [ST82], 1966, 16mm film, black-and-white, silent, 4.6 minutes at 16 frames per second, ©2015 The Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh, PA, a museum of Carnegie Institute. All rights reserved. Film still courtesy The Andy Warhol Museum.









 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE ANDY WARHOL MUSEUM ANNOUNCES SCREEN TESTS ARE PART OF MIDNIGHT MOMENT IN NEW YORK’S TIMES SQUARE

 
Pittsburgh, PA, April 22, 2015 —

Midnight Moment
May 1 – 30, 2015

The Andy Warhol Museum announces the public presentation of 10 rarely seen Andy Warhol Screen Tests on Times Square’s electronic billboards from 11:57 p.m. to midnight each night in May 2015. The screenings are part of the ongoing project Midnight Moment, a monthly presentation by The Times Square Advertising Coalition (TSAC) and Times Square Arts. Among the Screen Tests shown are those of Bob Dylan, Allen Ginsberg, Lou Reed, Harry Smith, and Edie Sedgwick.
Between 1964 and 1966, Warhol created almost 500 of these three-minute film portraits of famous and anonymous visitors to his studio, filming his subjects using a stationary Bolex camera loaded with 100-foot rolls of black and white 16mm film. During the 1960s, these films were seldom shown in public, but were often shown at his studio, The Factory.
Screen Tests featured in Midnight Moments include: Screen Test: Rufus Collins, 1964; Screen Test: Walter Dainwood, 1964; Screen Test: Bob Dylan, 1966; Screen Test: Allen Ginsberg, 1966; Screen Test: Donyale Luna, 1965; Screen Test: Nico, 1966; Screen Test: Lou Reed (Apple), 1966; Screen Test: Twist Jim Rosenquist, 1964; Screen Test: Edie Sedgwick, 1965; and Screen Test: Harry Smith, 1964.
“The Andy Warhol Museum is delighted to bring Warhol’s Screen Tests to the Times Square Midnight Moment,” says Patrick Moore, The Warhol’s managing director. “Working with our partners at MPC, we now have high quality digital scans of Warhol films that allow us to show them in innovative ways, reflective of Warhol’s own cutting edge experiments in cinema. These films, some of which have never been seen or rarely seen, document a moment of great creative energy in New York and sharing them with a new public in Times Square is surely a fitting tribute to the city where they were created.”
“Andy Warhol is one of 20th century New York’s foremost icons,” says Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance. “It’s an honor to showcase his rarely-seen snapshots into the lives of leading musicians and artists of the 60s and bring the era back to the present-day cultural center of Times Square.”
“We’re excited to showcase the work of world renowned artist Andy Warhol in the Crossroads of the World; especially as the content of his work features some of the most iconic advertisements of the 1960s,” says Harry Coghlan, chairman of the Times Square Advertising Coalition.
“It’s a unique experience to see the gritty, black-and-white nature of Andy Warhol’s Screen Tests, harkening back to Times Square’s past, displayed on the modern, high-tech digital screens. Visitors and locals will surely be intrigued by this month’s Midnight Moment,” says Fred Rosenberg, president of the Times Square Advertising Coalition.
The public is invited to participate in the project using #ScreenTestTSq and #MidnightMoment.



The Warhol receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency; and The Heinz Endowments. Further support is provided by the Allegheny Regional Asset District.
 
About The Andy Warhol Museum
Located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the place of Andy Warhol’s birth, The Andy Warhol Museum holds the largest collection of Warhol’s artworks and archival materials and is one of the most comprehensive single-artist museums in the world. The Andy Warhol Museum is one of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh.  Additional information about The Warhol is available at www.warhol.org.
About Times Square Advertising Coalition (TSAC)
Times Square Advertising Coalition (TSAC)is a trade association comprised of major advertisers, retailers, real estate firms, media companies and other businesses involved in the outdoor sign industry in Times Square, along with organizations representing Broadway and the community.   Members of TSAC include:  ABC Regional Sports & Entertainment Sales, Clear Channel Spectacolor, Daktronics, D3 LED, Digital Domination, Hines Management, Jamestown One Times Square, Lamar Advertising Company, Landmark Sign & Electric, Metro Media Technologies, Newmark Knight Frank, North Shore Neon, P.R.omotion!, Sherwood Outdoor, SL Green, Times Square Alliance, The WOW Factor and Thomson Reuters. Visit www.timessquareadcoalition.org for more information. Follow TSAC on twitter at@TSACNYC
About Times Square Arts
Times Square Arts, the public art program of the Times Square Alliance, collaborates with contemporary artists and cultural institutions to experiment and engage with one of the world's most iconic urban places. Through the Square's electronic billboards, public plazas, vacant areas and popular venues, and the Alliance's own online landscape, Times Square Arts invites leading contemporary creators to help the public see Times Square in new ways.  Times Square has always been a place of risk, innovation and creativity, and the Arts Program ensures these qualities remain central to the district's unique identity. Generous support of Times Square Arts is provided by the New York State Council on the Arts, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Visitwww.timessquarenyc.org/times-square-arts/index.aspx for more information. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @TSqArts.
About Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh
Established 120 years ago by Andrew Carnegie, Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh is a collection of four distinctive museums: Carnegie Museum of Art, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Carnegie Science Center, and The Andy Warhol Museum. The museums reach more than 1.3 million people a year through exhibitions, educational programs, outreach activities, and special events.

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Phone:             412-237-8300
Hours:             Tues, Wed, Thurs, Sat, and Sun 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
                          Fri, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
                          Mon closed
Admission:     Members free
                          Adults $20; Children/Students $10
                          Good Fridays 5 – 10 p.m., half-price museum admission
                          The Warhol Store/The Warhol CafĂ© – free

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Dreamweaver Marketing News and Views, EXHIBITIONS Someday is Now: The Art of Corita Kent Closing April 19, 2015

 
 
Contact
Jessica Warchall
T 412.237.8351
E warchallj@warhol.org
W warhol.org/museum/pressroom/



Image: Madeleine Peyroux, photo by Rocky Schenck






EXHIBITIONS Someday is Now: The Art of Corita Kent Closing April 19, 2015 This is the first full-scale survey covering more than 30 years of work by American artist Corita Kent (1918–1986). In her rich and varied career, she was a designer, teacher, feminist, and activist for civil rights and anti-war causes. Her thousands of posters, murals, and signature serigraphs reflect a combined passion for faith and politics. Kent became one of the most popular graphic artists of the 1960s and 1970s, and her images remain iconic symbols that address the larger questions and concerns of that turbulent time and continue to influence many artists today. Pearlstein, Warhol, Cantor: From Pittsburgh to New York May 30 – September 6, 2015

This exhibition explores the work of Philip Pearlstein, Dorothy Cantor, and Andy Warhol as students in Pittsburgh at Carnegie Tech (now Carnegie Mellon University), and as aspiring artists in New York City. This early period was one of close association between Warhol and Pearlstein as they were fellow students, roommates in New York, and eager artists working in commercial illustration. Cantor, one year younger, was equally looking to pursue her work, but abandoned her practice when she started a family with Pearlstein. This exhibition is the first to study this important period for the three artists. The exhibition also features Pearlstein’s most-recent paintings—a brand new series that has never before been exhibited. Exposures Through June 28, 2015 For the second installment of Exposures, The Warhol presents Pittsburgh-based artist Cecilia Ebitz’s Good Intentions, an installation inspired by the work and

Contact Jessica Warchall T 412.237.8351 E warchallj@warhol.org W warhol.org/museum/pressroom/ Image: Madeleine Peyroux, photo by Rocky Schenck Image: Youth Invasion 2014, photo by Laila Archuleta The Andy Warhol Museum 117 Sandusky Street Pittsburgh, PA 15212-5890 T 412.237.8300 F 412.237.8340 W www.warhol.org

One of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh Upcoming Public Programs at The Andy Warhol Museum…Page 2 -moreteachings of artist Corita Kent. With existing work I Wanna be free (2011), and two new works, Try Trusting it for awhile and Joyous Revolution, Ebitz uses Kent’s teachings to shape her practice while maintaining her aesthetic. Using a playful palette bright with the colors of childhood and ordinary objects and materials, Ebitz reminds the viewer of the beauty and poetry in the everyday. The exhibition’s accompanying selection of artist-designed objects available in The Warhol Store feature ceramics by Brooklyn-based Cassie Griffin, lamps by Pittsburgh artist Ron Copeland, and tin works by Pittsburgh-based Workerbird
.. 

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Dreamweaver Marketing News, THE TEXAS TENORS RIDE INTO HEINZ HALL WITH PNC POPS APRIL 24-26






For Immediate Release
April 9, 2015
THE TEXAS TENORS RIDE INTO HEINZ HALL
WITH PNC POPS APRIL 24-26
PITTSBURGH – A one-of-a-kind classically trained country trio, The Texas Tenors join the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra at Heinz Hall for a weekend of PNC Pops performances on April 24-26. 
Following their star-making turn on America’s Got Talent, The Texas Tenors — John Hagen, Marcus Collins and JC Fisher — have evolved into the country’s favorite tenors with an eclectic repertoire consisting of Broadway hits, classical, gospel and country music.  Audiences will hear classics like “God Bless the USA,” “Amazing Grace,” “Unchained Melody” and “Nessun Dorma,” all performed with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and led by Resident Conductor Lawrence Loh.
The Texas Tenors will be signing merchandise in the Grand Lobby following each performance.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets, ranging in price from $24.75 to $99.75, can be purchased by calling the Heinz Hall box office at 412-392-4900 or by visiting pittsburghsymphony.org. Learn more about the Texas Tenors at thetexastenors.com.




The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra would like to recognize and thank PNC for its 2014-2015 title sponsorship of PNC Pops. Fairmont Pittsburgh is the official hotel of the Pittsburgh Symphony.
Resident conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, music director of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic and music director of the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra, Lawrence Loh is an engaging conductor of impressive range and talent. Beginning in the 2015-16 season, Loh will become the first music director of Symphoria, based in Syracuse N.Y., founded by former members of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra.  As resident conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Loh works closely with Music Director Manfred Honeck and conducts a wide range of concerts including classical, educational and pops. He is active in the Pittsburgh Symphony’s Community Engagement and Partnership Concerts, extending the symphony’s reach into other communities. He made his debut on the main classical series conducting Handels Messiah in December 2008. Loh led the enormously popular Fiddlesticks Family Concert Series where he played the part of host and conductor. 
In addition to his duties on the podium, he is an audience favorite in the Pittsburgh Symphony’s Concert Preludes lecture series, edits radio broadcasts and makes many public appearances. His association with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra began as assistant conductor in 2005. He was promoted to associate conductor in 2006 and to resident conductor in 2007.  Since his appointment as music director of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic in 2005, the orchestra has made its mark as an ensemble of superb musicianship, performing electrifying performances year-round. Off the podium, Loh is very active in the region as an arts leader and music advocate, and is constantly in demand as a guest speaker and clinician.  Lohs recent guest conducting engagements include the National Symphony Orchestra, Knoxville Symphony, Florida Orchestra, Colorado Symphony, Charleston Symphony Orchestra (SC), Greater Bridgeport Symphony and return engagements with the Dallas and El Paso Symphonies. 
Other recent guest conducting appearances include the Malaysian Philharmonic, the Detroit Symphony and the San Angelo Symphony. He has conducted the symphony orchestras of Portland, Cedar Rapids, Colorado Springs, East Texas, Fort Collins, Fort Worth, Lubbock, Plano, Shreveport, Sioux City, Spokane and Tallahassee among others.  He has led Koreas Daejeon Philharmonic Orchestra, the Binghamton Philharmonic, the Yale Philharmonia, Omaha Area Youth Orchestra, Ottawas National Arts Centre Orchestra and the Dallas Chamber Orchestra. His summer appearances include the festivals of Bravo Vail Valley, Breckenridge, Las Vegas and Hot Springs, the Kinhaven Music School (Vt.), the Performing Arts Institute (Pa.) and the Carnegie Mellon Summer Strings Camp. 
Loh held the positions of assistant and associate conductor of the Dallas Symphony from 2001 to 2005. He led the Dallas Symphony in a variety of classical subscription and educational programs throughout each season. He was brought to national attention in February 2004 when he stepped in to conduct on short notice for an ailing Charles Dutoit, conducting Stravinsky's Petrouchka and Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique.  Prior to his Dallas appointment, Loh was appointed by Music Director Marin Alsop to be associate conductor of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. From 1998 to 2001, he conducted more than 50 concerts annually, including classical subscription, pops and education performances, as well as family and outreach programs. While in Denver, he was also music director of the Denver Young Artists Orchestra, the premiere youth orchestra in the Colorado Rocky Mountain Region. Additionally, Loh served as the interim director of Orchestras and Head of the Orchestral Conducting Program at Denver Universitys Lamont School of Music in 2000-2001. 
In May 1998, Loh received his artist diploma in orchestral conducting from Yale University, also earning the Eleazar de Carvalho Prize, given to the most outstanding conductor in the Yale graduating class. During his years at Yale, he was selected to be the assistant conductor of the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra and apprentice conductor of the Hot Springs Music Festival. He received further training at the world-renowned Aspen Music Festival and School and has additional degrees from Indiana University and the University of Rochester. A dedicated teacher, Loh held the position of associate instructor in music theory at Indiana University and teaching assistant at Yale University in advanced hearing, conducting and orchestration. He was also the guest curator at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science for “What Makes Music?” an interactive exhibit, offering the opportunity to explore the science of music and sound, as well as the role of music in culture.  Loh was born in southern California of Korean parentage and raised in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He and his wife Jennifer have a son, Charlie, and a daughter, Hilary. 
John Hagen has been described as “astonishing, a superb tenor of deep musicality." He made his Lincoln Center debut in New York City in Teatro Grattacielo’s mounting of Mascagni’s “Gulglielmo Ratcliff.” Hagen created three tenor roles in the world premier of “The Lost Dauphane” for Pamiro Opera airing on PBS. He has performed a vast array of operatic roles ranging from Alfredo in “La Traviata” to the title role of Otello for Cleveland Opera on tour. Hagen is highly regarded for his performances of the Verdi Requiem and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, having performed these works with more than a dozen symphonies across the United States. He has received many awards throughout his career including finalist in the New Jersey Opera Association of Verismo Opera competition held at Carnegie Hall, Metropolitan Opera Auditions Regional Finalist and winner of numerous other competitions. Hagen has taught voice and vocal pedagogy at Wartburg College and at his alma mater, the University of Northern Iowa.
Marcus Collins was born in a small town and began performing at the age of four. He first learned how to sing by emulating his favorite artists like Garth Brooks, George Michael and Freddie Mercury before training classically in college. Collins has performed throughout the world on cruise ships and numerous stage productions including a performance in Times Square with the Broadway cast of “Hairspray,” Off-Broadway’s “Altar Boyz” as Matthew and “Permission: A Rock Musical.” He also starred in multiple productions of “The Sound of Music” in the roles of Kurt, Rolf and Uncle Max. Beyond music, he has worked extensively as an actor with appearances in more than 100 episodes of network television and 25 films including “P.S. I Love You,” “Semi-Pro,” “Delirious,” “30 Rock,” “Sex and the City,” recurring roles on “One Life to Live” and “As the World Turns,” and a guest VJ on MTV's “TRL.” One of his favorite roles was appearing as Edward Carnby in the video game “Alone in the Dark” for Eden Games in 2008.
JC Fisher has entertained audiences around the world for the past 15 years. In high school, he had a passion for sports and also enjoyed singing in church. He discovered a deeper love for singing at Wichita State University where he earned his bachelor’s degree in music. Fisher performed various roles including Rodolfo in “La Boheme,” Tamino in “The Magic Flute,” Ernesto in “Don Pasquale,” Henrick in “A Little Night Music” and even Miss America's duet partner at the 1997 Miss Kansas Pageant. After college, Fisher traveled to Lucca, Italy where he sang in the Puccini festival under the direction of acclaimed Italian maestro Lorenzo Malfatti. He then created a home base in Katy, Texas before sailing the high seas aboard more than 75 cruise ships worldwide as a guest entertainer. This allowed Fisher to create a show featuring many different genres of music and world class arrangements, which eventually led to his idea of forming The Texas Tenors. After many years of traveling and concerts, his most memorable performance is still one from college where he found his future wife. Jennifer Vannatta, Miss Kansas 1998, married Fisher in 2004 and they have three children.
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, known for its artistic excellence for more than 119 years, is credited with a rich history of the world’s finest conductors and musicians, and a strong commitment to the Pittsburgh region and its citizens. Past music directors have included Fritz Reiner (1938-1948), William Steinberg (1952-1976), Andre Previn (1976-1984), Lorin Maazel (1984-1996) and Mariss Jansons (1995-2004).  This tradition of outstanding international music directors was furthered in fall 2008, when Austrian conductor Manfred Honeck became music director of the Pittsburgh Symphony. The orchestra has been at the forefront of championing new American works, and gave the first performance of Leonard Bernstein’s Symphony No. 1 “Jeremiah” in 1944 and John Adams’ “Short Ride in a Fast Machine” in 1986. The Pittsburgh Symphony has a long and illustrious history in the areas of recordings and radio concerts. As early as 1936, the Pittsburgh Symphony broadcast on the airwaves coast-to-coast and in the late 1970s it made the ground breaking PBS series “Previn and the Pittsburgh.” The orchestra has received increased national attention since 1982 through network radio broadcasts on Public Radio International, produced by Classical WQED-FM 89.3, made possible by the musicians of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. With a long and distinguished history of touring both domestically and overseas since 1900 — including 36 international tours to Europe, the Far East and South America—the Pittsburgh Symphony continues to be critically acclaimed as one of the world’s greatest orchestras.



Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts is owned and operated by Pittsburgh Symphony, Inc., a non-profit organization, and is the year-round home of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The cornerstone of Pittsburgh’s Cultural District, Heinz Hall also hosts many other events that do not feature its world-renowned orchestra, including Broadway shows, comedians, speakers and much more. For a full calendar of upcoming non-symphony events at the hall, visit heinzhall.org.

Editors Please Note:

Friday, April 24 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 26 at 2:30 p.m.

Heinz Hall
PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
PNC POPS: THE TEXAS TENORS           
LAWRENCE LOH, conductor
JOHN HAGEN, vocals
MARCUS COLLINS, vocals
JC FISHER, vocals
TIM LEE, keyboard
LARRY HANSON, electric and acoustic guitar, mandolin, keyboard
RYAN HURN, drums
MARCUS WILLETT, bass
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Contact: Louise Sciannameo, Vice President of Communications and External Relations
Phone: 412.392.4866 | email: 
lsciannameo@pittsburghsymphony.org
Contact: Joyce DeFrancesco, Director of Media Relations
Phone: 412.392.4827 | email: 
jdefrancesco@pittsburghsymphony.org
Twitter: @pghsymphony |Facebook: facebook.com/PittsburghSymphonyOrchestra

Dreamweaver Marketing News, Calliope presents TOM RUSSELL


For Immediate Release                    
Contact:  Lisa Alexander, PR Marketing Manager
Calliope Presents
(412) 361-1915, lalexander@calliopehouse.org  
       
Calliope presents
TOM RUSSELL
 Tom Russell 300
(Pittsburgh, PA)- Calliope welcomes TOM  RUSSELL to The Roots Cellar at The Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Sunday, May 3, 2015, 7:30 PM.


More information is available online at www.calliopehouse.org or by contacting the Calliope office at (412) 361-1915. Tickets are $28 / $12 (w/ student ID) *handling fees included.

Tom Russell songs have been recorded by such icons as Johnny Cash, Dave Van Ronk, Jerry Jeff Walker, Doug Sahm, Joe Ely, Nanci Griffith, Iris Dement, and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, among others. No less than Lawrence Ferlinghetti, the legendary poet, has said that he shares “a great affinity with Tom Russell’s songs, for he is writing out of the wounded heart of America.”
Tom's 52 Track, double record "The Rose of Roscrae" - A Ballad of the West, is to be released April 14, 2015…with guest artists: Johnny Cash, Leadbelly, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Guy Clark, Dan Penn, Gretchen Peters, Ian Tyson and dozens of others…the reviews are piling in:
"The Rose of Roscrae: A Ballad of the West is the third in a series of extraordinary concept albums Tom Russell has delivered...yet another masterwork. It is a work of rare ambition and rare brilliance that is beautifully and artfully executed...Tom’s performances are riveting throughout the long piece. So, too, are the other singers who take on various roles in the folk opera...There is an embarrassment of riches among the songs Tom composed for The Rose of Roscrae...Mike Regenstreif, Folk Roots"

"Russell’s Roscrae masterpiece, as well as his back catalogue, totally outstrips (so much of) the music by contemporaries that masquerades as (Americana.) He open heartedly understands that historic context and musical tradition are inextricably linked....Approached very much in the panoramic spirit of classical composer Aaron Copland...Celtic blood courses through this writer’s veins, and the sonically colorful melodies and richly poetic images embedded throughout The Rose Of Roscrae are the stuff of hair-raising chills and joyous optic moisture. Arthur Wood, No Depression, April 2015"

“My career seems to have gone in the opposite direction from a lot of people whose notoriety came over their first half dozen records,” says Russell. “Mine didn’t. My career built very slowly, and then I moved to El Paso in ’97, further outside than anybody could imagine. By not plugging into the machine, the records I’ve made in the past 10 years have been my strongest and most outside records, especially the past two. It seems that the older I get, the more I’ve been able to keep on the outside.”

Tom Russell has appeared on the David Letterman TV show five times in the last few years, and his songs have appeared in a dozen movies and television series including: The new Monte Hellman movie The Road To Nowhere, Tremors, Songcatcher and Northern Exposure.
Tom Russell has published three books: a detective novel (in Scandinavia), a compendium of songwriting quotes with Sylvia Tyson (And Then I Wrote - Arsenal Press), and a book of letters with Charles Bukowski: (Tough Company: Mystery Island Press).
Russell is also an established painter represented by Yard Dog Folk Art in Austin(www.yarddog.com), Rainbow Man in Santa Fe (www.rainbowman.com) and Liss Gallery (http://www.lissgallery.com) in Toronto.
 A book of Tom Russell`s art: Blue Horse/Red Desert was published by Bangtail Press in September 2011.


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Founded in 1976, Calliope is a non-profit music organization that organizes and administers a variety of concert series, a folk music school, and educational outreach programs.  As the premier promoter of roots music in southwestern Pennsylvania, Calliope’s mission is to promote and preserve traditional and contemporary heritage-based music and its allied arts.  Calliope programs are supported in part by the A.W. Mellon Education and Charitable Trust Fund of the Pittsburgh Foundation, The Allegheny County sales tax revenues awarded by the Allegheny Regional Asset District, The Heinz endowments, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, University of Pittsburgh Library System, and an anonymous donor. Calliope also thanks the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and Chatham University.
-- 
Lisa Alexander, MFA
PR Marketing Manager 
Calliope
6300 Fifth Avenue, 3rd Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
412-361-1915
www.calliopehouse.org

Dreamweaver Marketing News, PNC DONATES LANTERN BUILDING TO PITTSBURGH CULTURAL TRUST

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts
Shaunda Miles, Director of Public Relations, 412-471-1578/Miles@TrustArts.org
Diana Roth, Communications Manager, 412-471-8717/Roth@TrustArts.org
Images: Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Press RoomSearch name:  Lantern Building
PITTSBURGH CULTURAL TRUST ANNOUNCES
PNC DONATES LANTERN BUILDING TO PITTSBURGH CULTURAL TRUST
DONATION EXEMPLIFIES JOINT COMMITMENT TO ARTS
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE CULTURAL DISTRICT



Pittsburgh, PA—The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust announced today PNC’s donation of the Lantern Building to the organization in support of its mission to culturally and economically revitalize the Cultural District.  The Lantern Building is located at 600 Liberty Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh.  
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust will continue to use the gallery to showcase and enhance artistic programming.  The Trust has a well-regarded track record of effectively managing resources while bringing art to local communities.  As more people migrate downtown and as the local arts community continues to grow, PNC’s donation is timely and reflects the city’s commitment to the arts.
PNC plans to move its Legacy Project from the Lantern Building to its new headquarters, The Tower at PNC Plaza, which is nearing completion.  Through access to the Legacy Project, employees, customers and visitors to the tower will have an opportunity to learn about Pittsburgh and PNC’s contributions to the city.  The Tower at PNC Plaza will feature the exhibit’s reader rail, as well as two interactive panels that display the Legacy Project website and “Pittsburgh: Now and Then,” a dynamic portrait of the city.

PNC has long supported the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust through programs including, but not limited to, PNC Grow Up Great, ArtsMasters: Masterclasses for the Community, and through the PNC Broadway Across America series. The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s planned use of the space will be consistent with PNC’s long-term vision for the PNC Campus, which is to create an aesthetically pleasing space for employees, neighbors and visitors.



PNCThe PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (www.pnc.com) is one of the United States’ largest diversified financial services organizations providing retail and business banking; residential mortgage banking; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management.



Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has overseen one of Pittsburgh’s most historic transformations: turning a seedy red-light district into a magnet destination for arts lovers, residents, visitors, and business owners. Founded in 1984, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is a non-profit arts organization whose mission is the cultural and economic revitalization of a 14-block arts and entertainment/residential neighborhood called the Cultural District. The District is one of the country’s largest land masses “curated” by a single nonprofit arts organization. A major catalytic force in the city, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is a unique model of how public-private partnerships can reinvent a city with authenticity, innovation and creativity. Using the arts as an economic catalyst, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has holistically created a world-renowned Cultural District that is revitalizing the city, improving the regional economy and enhancing Pittsburgh’s quality of life. Thanks to the support of foundations, corporations, government agencies and thousands of private citizens, the Trust stands as a national model of urban redevelopment through the arts. www.TrustArts.org
Follow us on Twitter @CulturalTrust, and like us on Facebook.

Sunday, April 5, 2015

Dreamweaver Marketing News, CALLIOPE PRESENTS The Sherman Holmes Project with Brooks Long



For Immediate Release                                   
Contact:  Lisa Alexander, PR Marketing Manager
Calliope Presents

CALLIOPE PRESENTS
The Sherman Holmes Project with Brooks Long
(Pittsburgh, PA)- Calliope welcomes The Sherman Holmes Project with Brooks Long to Carnegie Lecture Hall (Oakland) on Saturday, April 25, 2015, 7:30 PM.
Tickets are available by contacting the Calliope office at (412) 361-1915, or by visiting our website: www.calliopehouse.org$39 $23 student rush w/ ID, (prices include handling fee).
For additional information, contact Calliope at (412) 361-1915.
Sherman Holmes – bass, vocals
Brooks Long – guitar, vocals
Eric Kennedy – drums, vocals

Visit their websites:  http://www.theholmesbrothers.com/

The year 2015 has brought loss and change to the acclaimed soul/blues/gospel band The Holmes
Brothers. Holmes Brothers drummer Willie “Popsy” Dixon died on January 9, 2015 of cancer. In April 2015, Wendell Holmes, vocalist, guitarist, pianist and songwriter, announced his retirement from touring and performing due to health concerns, having been diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension. Older brother, Sherman Holmes, vocalist, bassist, pianist, and songwriter with The Holmes Brothers, will continue to celebrate and explore The Holmes Brothers legacy, leading a new band: The Sherman Holmes Project with Brooks Long.
In late 2013, Wendell began working with a young and talented guitarist, singer, and songwriter, Baltimore blues and soul musician, Brooks Long. Wendell has been formally mentoring Brooks with the assistance of a Maryland Traditions Apprenticeship Award. The Award is a program of the Maryland State Arts Council’s folklife program, and is designed to honor master traditional artists, while enabling them to pass their skills on to the next generation. The result has been transformative, enabling Brooks to move into a creative, collaborative space with one of R&B’s wisest and talented singers, songwriters, and instrumentalists.
Sherman Holmes is renowned for his deeply soulful baritone voice and his unique, blues to jazz to funk, bass style, and he has been called an American Treasure. As a member of The Holmes Brothers, Sherman has released twelve albums and toured the world, performing in all fifty states and more than fifty countries. In 2005, The Holmes Brothers won Band of the Year from The Blues Foundation, followed by Soul Blues Album of the Year in 2008 for State of Grace. The most recent album is 2014’s Brotherhood on Alligator Records. Sherman has performed and recorded with such artists as Van Morrison, Peter Gabriel, Joan Osborne, Odetta, Willie Nelson, Levon Helm, and Rosanne Cash. The Holmes Brothers were honored with a National Endowment for The Arts National Heritage Fellowship in 2014, the highest honor the United States bestows upon its folk and traditional artists.
The newest chapter in The Holmes Brothers story will feature a new trio, anchored and led by elder statesman Sherman Holmes on bass and vocals, joined by Wendell Holmes’ protĂ©gĂ© and apprentice Brooks Long on guitar and vocals, and drummer / vocalist, Eric Kennedy. The Sherman Holmes Project will honor The Holmes Brothers repertoire with a blend of renewed energy, wisdom and youthful respect for timeless traditions.
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Founded in 1976, Calliope is a non-profit music organization that organizes and administers a variety of concert series, a folk music school, and educational outreach programs.  As the premier promoter of roots music in southwestern Pennsylvania, Calliope’s mission is to promote and preserve traditional and contemporary heritage-based music and its allied arts.  Calliope programs are supported in part by the A.W. Mellon Education and Charitable Trust Fund of the Pittsburgh Foundation, The Allegheny County sales tax revenues awarded by the Allegheny Regional Asset District, The Heinz endowments, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, University of Pittsburgh Library System, and an anonymous donor. Calliope also thanks the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and Chatham University.
-- 
Lisa Alexander, MFA
PR Marketing Manager 
Calliope
6300 Fifth Avenue, 3rd Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
412-361-1915
www.calliopehouse.org