Delaware Artist TAHIRA Set to Release First Single, "Freedom Call"

Delaware-based songwriter and storyteller TAHIRA is excited to release her first single, Freedom Call, which will be available worldwide on Wednesday, August 5.

Freedom Call is an anthemic song written by TAHIRA and executive produced by Darnell K. Miller. This single is sure to become a part of the soundtrack of this time period of protest and demand for social justice. 

TAHIRA and Miller gathered the First State's premier soulful vocalists to come together on this rousing single, in a artistic collective known as The Delaware Artists for Change.

In addition to TAHIRA (yup, her legal name is spelled in all capital letters) and Miller, The Delaware Artists for Change include:

• Maya Berlardo
• Nihkee Bleu
• Jahiti
• Nadjah Nicole
• Noelle Picara
• Jea Street, Jr.
• Donna Tucker

Better known for her national work as a professional storyteller, TAHIRA wanted her first song to be the byproduct of the talents within the Small Wonder state. Subsequently, all components of the single were created in Delaware, including the engineering, which was done by Ishmail Abus Salaam at King Creative, a studio which opened in Wilmington last year.

Members of the funky, soul band The Soulidaires make up the rhythm section on the song, joining TAHIRA on guitar and Miller on lead guitar. 

TAHIRA, says, "Tapping homegrown talents was imperative. Do not sleep on Delaware. This group of artists is not only gifted but each is dedicated to using their craft to speak to the times they live in and uplift their community."

Look for the single released online wherever music is available.

The Sold Firm Art Gallery Celebrates Grand Opening in Wilmington's Creative District

Content of this post comes from a City of Wilmington press release...

Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki and City Cultural Affairs Director Tina Betz congratulate Nataki Oliver, owner and operator of The Sold Firm, on the modern art gallery’s official grand opening held Saturday, August 1, 2020. 

The gallery, located at 800-B North Tatnall Street in the City’s Creative District, was founded by Oliver in 2019 to exhibit emerging modern and contemporary artists who tackle diverse subjects such as beauty, sexuality, emotions, and current culture.

“We are very happy to officially welcome Nataki Oliver and The Sold Firm to the Creative District,” said Mayor Purzycki. “This intimate space is an important addition to Wilmington’s cultural life and we are a better, richer City for the incredible talent assembled here. With Art Loop on hold for the foreseeable future, Oliver’s gallery provides a welcome refuge for art lovers from all over the City and the surrounding region.”

“The Sold Firm adds a contemporary newness to its surroundings,” said Oliver. “Fine art, culture, love, and support are our core elements to injecting vibrancy into Wilmington. Residents and visitors are welcome to immerse themselves in this modern art gallery. The collections of modern art displayed here have been carefully curated to represent multiple creative styles that complement our bright, simplistic aesthetic.”

At Saturday’s event, which included a ribbon-cutting and timed gallery tours, two black youths with an interest in the visual arts were presented with complete art kits and private art lessons at The Sold Firm this fall by local artist, James Wyatt. This initiative was funded by proceeds from the sale of OVOW (Our Voices Our Way) T-shirts. The grand opening was also celebrated by Council President Hanifa Shabazz and 4th District Council Member Michelle Harlee.

The Sold Firm’s current group exhibit, “Pendulum Swing,” also kicked off with the gallery’s sold-out grand opening ceremony on Saturday. The exhibit brings together 15 black artists from as far away as Florida to allow their voices about the current climate to be heard through visual art, each with a unique expression that conveys pain, triumph, and optimistic views of their feelings.

All of the “Pendulum Swing” artists will receive a 100% commission on any artwork sold during the public exhibit, which continues until October 30, 2020.

Tickets are available on the gallery’s website at www.thesoldfirm.com. You can also follow @thesoldfirm on Facebook and Instagram for updates.

Pacem in Terris To Host Virtual Youth Art Exhibit

Pacem in Terris is continuing their annual Visionary Peace Youth Art Exhibition -- with a virtual gallery! If you work with children or know others who would be interested in participating, please share this information.

Deadline extended to August 31, 2020!

 

Youth in Grades K-12 are invited to CREATE ART by painting or drawing images that answer the questions: What does peace look like? What does peace mean to you? 

These “Visions of a Peaceful World” will be displayed in an online gallery (take a look at last year’s submissions here). A number of pieces will be selected and framed to join their Traveling Peace Youth Art Exhibition, which goes on display at various locations throughout the state, including a scheduled exhibit at The Grand Opera House in downtown Wilmington!

 

Here are the general guidelines:

• Artwork can be created on any type of paper or canvas, any size up to 12” x 16”
• Each piece must be accompanied by a 1-3 sentence statement describing the artist’s vision.
• The artist’s name, age, group, and statement should be written on a separate paper (index card) and attached to the artwork by paper clip.

Your organization will be recognized in the gallery. They will accept up to 30 pieces per site. Include contact information for a teacher/counselor to receive future updates about the exhibition, and coordinate artwork pickup and returns at the end of the year. 

To submit your artwork, or ask any further questions, please contact Carolyn Bitzer at submissions@depaceminterris.org.

Serafin Ensemble Welcomes Cellist Jacques-Pierre Malan

Newest Serafin Ensemble member, cellist Jacques-Pierre Malan.

This post content originates from a release from Serafin Ensemble...
The Serafins add Jacques-Pierre Malan, South African cellist, soloist, chamber musician, teacher and music entrepreneur, to the roster of artists. 

Malan has received international acclaim for his unparalleled performances and innovative projects. Malan joins the Serafins for performances in January and April this year, as well as Serafin Summer Music festival in June.

“Joining the Serafin Ensemble roster is a thrilling addition to my musical path,” comments Malan. “We have more exciting opportunities this season to create magic together for the audiences we encounter, and I am confident we will enjoy a long and healthy partnership.”

Pyxis Lights Up Market Street Music Festival Concert Series

By Christine Facciolo
The Sunday, October 14, 2018 concert by Pyxis Piano Quartet — as part of Market Street Music's Festival Concert series — at Wilmington’s First & Central Presbyterian Church revealed once again the abundance of talent within each member of this laudable ensemble.  Members include Luigi Mazzocchi, violin; Amy Leonard, viola; Jennifer Jie Jin, cello and Hiroko Yamazaki, piano.

This 90-minute program offered works from the 18th, 19th and 20th Centuries, including two of the most demanding in the repertoire: Mozart’s Piano Quartet in G minor, K. 478 and Mendelssohn’s Piano Quarter in F minor, No. 2, Op. 2.

Mozart seems to have invented the piano quartet. There are no examples of the genre among his contemporaries or immediate predecessors, including the very inventive Haydn. He left only these two work but they count among the very best in the repertoire.

Mozart’s G minor quartet grew out of a commission from the Viennese publisher Franz Anton Hoffmeister for three such works. The remaining two were canceled when the publisher felt the finished work was too difficult for the amateur musician — the usual market for keyboard-based chamber music.

Pyxis Piano Quartet (L-R): Amy Leonard, viola; Hiroko Yamazaki, piano; Jennifer Jie Jin, cello & Luigi Mazzocchi, violin.

The quartet features true chamber music equality of part-writing, juxtaposing concerto-like passages in the piano with others in which the instrument fades and blends in with the strings in a lively interplay. The musicians effectively kept up the momentum throughout a cliffhanger of a development section which often hints at a resolution only to give way to other material. The second movement captivated with the sheer beauty of the playing, while the ensemble’s gentle handling of the phrasing in the finale provided a joyous conclusion to this darkly dramatic work.

Pianist Hiroko Yamazaki assumed an even more virtuosic role in Mendelssohn’s F minor quartet, while the string players offered less flamboyant bits, albeit ones that carried the thematic material. Leonard’s viola got to show off its high register during the exposition of the second theme. Yamazaki again displayed virtuosic technique in the rolling figurations throughout the Adagio movement which exhibited pure early Romanticism. The strings at last assumed an (almost) equal footing with their keyboard companion in the whiplash final movement.

The concert opened with a fine performance by Mazzocchi and Leonard of Martinu’s Three Madrigals for the (seemingly) austere combination of violin and viola. Each artist exaggerated the sounds of their instruments: Mazzocchi played up the brightness of the violin while Leonard reveled in the richness and warmth of the viola. 

It would have been tempting to blend the sounds but this approach maintained the independent voices when it mattered most. The result was what sounded like a unique instrument with a remarkable range of timbre and pitch. The two instruments matched when in the same range, establishing unity while preserving the individual capabilities of both. This was exploited to maximum effect during the playful competition of the many imitative passages.

See www.marketstreetmusicde.org. 

CheckIN’ Out the Brandywine Festival of the Arts

The full article can be found on INWilmingtonDE.com's blog HERE...

By Tee Alexander, Wilmington INBassador

Fly Home Birdhouses

It was 85 degrees at 10:00am, but that didn’t stop thousands of visitors from attending the annual event that is the Brandywine Arts Festival. In Brandywine Park, at the bottom of Monkey Hill, over 250 artists put up tents and tables in order to showcase their unique talents. They come from different locations across the country, and so do the patrons who travel to the festival to find that perfect “one of a kind” item for their home, or that special gift for someone else.

The variety of art is impressive. There are paintings, photographic works, sculptures, metal art, hand-crafted jewelry, personalized art, clothing, woodworking, blown glass, and so much more.

Wine Barrel Designs offers one-of-a-kind furniture made from recycled wine barrels. Some items displayed were a bistro table with stools and a wine rack in the base, as well as a coffee table with a wine rack in the middle.

Fly Home Birdhouses caught my attention with their bright colors, whimsical designs, and copper roofs atop their hand-crafted creations. Artist Clark Hansberger traveled 4 hours for the festival and shared that “Wilmington is a nice little town.”

READ MORE>>>

August 'ArtStuff' #INWilm

This blog post also available on the NEW INWilmingtonde.com blog site...
 
IN the final sweltering days of summer, beat the heat #INWilm with sizzling ArtStuff! Vacation — OUT! Stay IN and join the fun…

Art is After Dark: Doggy Days of Summer at Delaware Art Museum

Friday, August 8, 6:00 -10:00pm | 2301 Kentmere Parkway

Art goes to the dogs this weekend…and this FREE event comes with an enthusiastic “four paws up” endorsement from Dewey the Art Dog! In partnership with Delaware Humane Association, this free event includes dog portraits by caricaturist Sam Mylin in the Copeland Sculpture Garden, plenty of treats for four-legged friends and drinks for you.  P.S. While you’re here, also check out Transitions: The Brandywine Photo Collective, an exhibit featuring works of 20 local artists, located in the Outlooks Gallery.

Always...Patsy Cline at New Candlelight Theatre

Running now through August 24 | 2208 Miller Road, Arden

Showtimes vary; visit nctstage.org for tickets & info

More than just a musical (BONUS: you get dinner, too), the show is based on a true story about Cline’s friendship with Houston fan Louise Seger, who befriended the star in a Texas honky-tonk in l961.  All the favorite and memorable songs you love of Cline’s are here: Crazy, I Fall to Pieces, Sweet Dreams and more. It’s a nostalgic journey back in time and a timeless tribute to one of country’s most beloved and best singers. 

Need more #ALLINFUN and #INbudget ArtStuff? Check out these ongoing programs…

Summer in the Parks throughout City Parks in Wilmington

Running now through August 15 | Varying locations throughout Wilmington

Visit thegrandwilmington.org/parks for complete info

For the second summer, Wilmington’s parks are alive with all manner of arts and culture, thanks to Summer in the Parks.  The FREE programs found everywhere from Titlon, Haynes, Kosciusko and Holloway Parks feature live, interactive performances of music, dance, theater, visual arts and crafts. Bring the entire family and experience the Arts in Wilmington’s green spaces.

Cool Spring Farmers’ Market (with live music)

Every Thursday through October 16 | 10^th & Van Buren Streets

Thursdays in Cool Spring Park are the place to find fresh local veggies, delicious food truck options and plenty of great music, thanks to the partnership with Gable Music Ventures. Free live music livens up the park from 6:00-8:00pm ‘til Labor Day, and 5:00-7:00pm after Labor Day. The market itself opens at 4:00pm — get there early, buy some delicious snacks and stake out a prime spot to enjoy the likes of Nik Everett, Nature Jams and more!

Summer Under the Stars Rooftop Movie Series at ShopRite

Tuesdays through September 16 | ShopRite Christina Crossing

Another successful Year 2 event is this movie series, sponsored by The Kenny Family Foundation.  For only $6, you can enjoy big screen features on the rooftop of, with selections chosen by YOU! Many of Wilmo’s popular food trucks are also on hand to offer delicious snacks. Movies start at sundown and will be moved to Theatre N in case of rain. Showings of “Marley & Me,” “Frozen” and “The Blind Side” complete the month.