Conducted by Yale teaching staff, Festival Master Classes will take place on four consecutive mornings, with each series focusing on a specific aspect of the arts: drama, music, architecture, drawing, painting or writing. Some individual sessions will be open to the general public.
"We were able to put together this exceptional program of Master Classes because of the cooperation of the deans of all of Yale's arts schools, who are very supportive of Yale's role in the arts festival," says Stephen Victor, associate director for education and communication at AYA. "Yale has extraordinary resources in the arts, including some really superb teachers. People should be prepared to enjoy and take advantage of these programs."
Like Mr. Victor, city administrators and other festival planners are enthusiastic about the kick-off of what they hope will become an annual, two-week summer event that will draw thousands from around the world to New Haven to celebrate the arts. The festival has been designed not only to showcase area museums, theaters, orchestras and architecture but -- in the tradition of the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland and the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina -- it will feature a continuous roster of local, regional and internationally acclaimed artists. Among those slated to participate are jazz musicians Ellis and Branford Marsalis, South Africa's Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and Native American folk singer Buffy Sainte-Marie.
Organizers hope the festival -- which comes on the heels of last summer's Special Olympics World Games -- will help firmly establish New Haven as a locus of cultural, arts and educational resources. They anticipate that this year's festival will attract a rich demographic mix of more than 50,000 people.
AYA Master Classes
The Festival Master Classes will take place June 27-30, 9 a.m.- noon each day with the exception of the Organ Master Classes -- see below . Each class will be held on or near the Yale campus. The following series are being offered:
"Architecture and an Urban Community" with Michael R. Haverland, assistant professor of architectural design. The course will introduce issues of urban design and neighborhood development through the collaborative design of a school building near the Yale campus. Participants will work in small groups developing design proposals. Drawing or model-making skills are not required. The class size is limited to 12.
"Choral Performance" with Fenno Heath, the Marshall Bartholomew Professor Emeritus of Choral Music. This series of classes will be devoted to the study and rehearsal of both a capella and accompanied choral music from many periods and in a variety of styles. An informal concert will be presented on the final day. The class is limited to 60; it requires sight-reading and some previous singing experience.
"Drawing from the City" with Steve Sheehan, lecturer at the School of Art. Using various drawing materials, students in this intensive course will investigate compositional elements and conventions in order to create images of the urban landscape that communicate a sense of light, space and place. Drawing materials will be provided. The class is limited to 12 participants with some ability and experience in drawing.
"The Foundation of Acting" with Earle R. Gister, the Lloyd Richards Professor of Drama and chair of acting at the School of Drama, and James DePaul, director of undergraduate studies in theater. This is a scene study class which uses Chekhov plays as exercise materials. The class is limited to 12 students, and experience in acting is required. Applications should include a photograph and a resume delineating acting experience.
"Organ Master Classes" with Charles Russell Krigbaum, professor emeritus of music. Participants will have the opportunity to prepare and play pieces on one of three different organs. Since major organs are not available for Master Class instruction on Sunday, participants will meet for 12 hours over the course of three days. Each class is limited to 12 students. The first class, featuring music from the Romantic period played on a 3-manual 1871 E.& G.G. Hook organ, will take place Thursday, June 27, 9-11:30 a.m. and 1:30-3 p.m. at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, 5 Hillhouse Ave. The second class, focusing on the works of Johann Sebastian Bach played on a 3-manual 1951 Walter Holtkamp organ restored in 1984, will be held Friday, June 28, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Battell Chapel, corner of Elm and College streets. The third class, devoted to pre-Bach music played on a 3-manual 1971 von Beckerath organ, will be offered Saturday, June 29, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Dwight Memorial Chapel, 67 High St. Participants should have experience playing the organ and some familiarity with the classical repertoire. Call the number listed below for additional application requirements.
"Nonfiction Writing" with Dr. Richard Selzer, a surgeon and critically acclaimed author of essays and fiction. Participants will explore the styles and techniques of nonfiction writing, such as the personal essay, literary journalism, biography, travel and nature writing, and fictional techniques in nonfiction writing. There will be extensive daily writing assignments. The class is limited to 12 students. Applicants must submit one page of nonfiction prose either published or unpublished .
"Working with Color" with Richard Lytle, professor of painting at the School of Art. This workshop, which will explore how colors interact to affect perception, is designed both for people in interior design, advertising or painting, and those who are simply interested in the phenomena of color; individual projects will incorporate elements of the course Josef Albers introduced at Yale. Limited to 12 participants, the course is open to those with disparate ranges of experience.
There is a $250 fee for each series of classes; campus housing is available for an additional fee. Registration materials must be delivered by Monday, June 10, to the AYA Festival Master Classes, Box 209010, New Haven, CT 06520-9010. For information about how to register for the Master Classes, call Joan Kneeland at 432-1952.
Festival events
The International Festival of Arts and Ideas, which will utilize both outdoor and indoor spaces located within walking distance of each other, is actually made up of several sub-festivals, according to organizers. Among them is "Art on the Edge," considered a hallmark of the event.
Sponsored by the Arts Council of Greater New Haven, Art on the Edge is the local component of the festival and will take place in the heart of New Haven's arts district, on Audubon Street. The four major arts institutions along Audubon Street -- Artspace, the Creative Arts Workshop, the Educational Center for the Arts, and the Neighborhood Music School -- will function as anchors and provide continuous entertainment for the event.
Drawing on talent from throughout the state, Art on the Edge will feature exhibitions, dance, musical and theatrical performances, poetry and storytelling, film, a juried craft show, demonstrations and interactive art. The events are designed to appeal to people of all ages, and participants will have a chance to try out instruments, express an original idea, learn new dances, play with paint and clay, and purchase handmade crafts.
Many activities will be free, including all outside events taking place Saturday and Sunday, when Audubon Street will be closed to traffic 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Other "sub-festivals" being offered as part of the International Festival are:
The Festival on The Green, which will feature international storytellers, puppeteers and street performers, large-scale masked pageantry and parades, and a family area;
The Festival of World Theater, an international theatrical event in the Shubert Performing Arts Center;
The Festival of Music, which will include performances by international, national, regional and local musicians, with internationally acclaimed performers on The Green and classical ensembles in Yale courtyard and local churches;
The Festival of Film and Video, with screenings of international and American films and videos;
The Workshop Center, an opportunity for those of all ages and skill levels attending the festival to participate in a variety of art workshops;
The Festival of Writers and Poets, composed of readings and discussions by world-renowned writers and poets;
Public Conversations, which will provide the opportunity to meet and talk with festival artists, invited scholars and writers; and
Tours of relevant city, regional and state attractions.
Among the Yale affilates sitting on the board of directors for the International Festival of Arts and Ideas are Anne Calabresi and Vice President and University Secretary Linda K. Lorimer, both of whom are board vice-chairs.
For other information about the International Festival of Arts and Ideas, call 498-1212 or call the festival's toll-free number: 1- 888-ART-IDEA 278-4332 .