The Grammy Award-winning vocal ensemble Chanticleer and two Cal Poly choirs will present a concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 12, in Miossi Hall of the Performing Arts Center. The concert is titled “Beauty of the Day,” after Nico Muhly’s composition of the same name. The work will be performed by the combined choral groups. Chanticleer has been hailed as “the world’s reigning male chorus” by The New Yorker and is known around the world as an orchestra of voices. Founded in San Francisco in 1978 by singer and musicologist Louis Botto, the group has sold more than a million recordings and performed thousands of live concerts to audiences worldwide.
Chanticleer’s repertoire is rooted in the Renaissance but has expanded to include a wide range of classical, gospel, jazz and popular music. It has a deep commitment to the commissioning of new compositions and arrangements.
For the concert, Chanticleer will perform repertoire from its current tour, PolyPhonics will perform several short works from their recent tour, and the Chamber Choir will perform movements from Hindemith’s “Six Chansons.”
At the end of the concert, the Cal Poly choirs will join Chanticleer for the premiere of “Beauty of the Day,” Muhly’s composition which was commissioned by Chanticleer. The piece will feature university organist Paul Woodring on the Forbes pipe organ. Tickets are $24 and $35 for the public, and $15 for students. Tickets are available at the Cal Poly Ticket Office between noon and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. To order by phone, call 805-SLO-4TIX (805-756-4849). Event parking is sponsored by the PAC.
For more information, visit the Music Department’s calendar website, email music@calpoly.edu or call 805-756-2406.
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Strategic planning is good for your nonprofit, and it doesn’t need to be a long, painful process. Register for Spokes’ Introduction to Strategic Planning and learn the basics with this online session, such as basic components, who should be involved, the planning process, using your plan once it’s written and more. The cost is $35 for the general public and $20 for Spokes members. The course is led by Michael Simkins, Ed.D. The registration link is https://bit.ly/3xSGf58.
Morro Coast Audubon presents the Community Program: Birds of the Amargosa River in Death Valley, CA with Moed Gerveni on May 16 at 7 p.m. The event takes place via zoom at bit.ly/3CaxW4C. The meeting ID: 257 500 2542 and the passcode is morrocoast.
Description: Often described as the “Crown Jewel of the Mojave,” the Amargosa River tributary is an oasis of life. With the second highest biodiversity rating in North America, it plays a vital role in the survival of over 100 species of special conservation concern, many of which are endemic. Over 300 bird species have been recorded in this extremely important habitat, including the endangered Least Bell’s Vireo, Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and Southwestern Willow Flycatcher. Local grassroots efforts once saved Amargosa from degradation and development, but now there is an uphill battle against invasive plants, cowbird expansion, recreation, droughts induced by climate change, and most importantly, a sensitive topic for western communities: excessive water pumping from the nearby Pahrump and Las Vegas communities.
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San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre presents the Central Coast premiere of playwright “The Children” through May 15. The Tony-nominated drama is a one-act pressure cooker of a show that poses a difficult question: what do we owe, if anything, to the next generation? On a summer evening in an isolated seaside cottage in the East of England, a pair of retired nuclear scientists are startled by a visit from a former colleague. As some crackers and wine are trotted out, so are various old jealousies, leading to the revelation of a chilling and dangerous plan. Played out in real time, the three friends must come to terms with their shared culpability in this searing drama about responsibility and guilt, reparation and redemption. Performances are Thursdays through Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets range from $20-$38 and can be purchased online at slorep.org or by calling (805) 786-2440. All shows take place at SLO REP, 888 Morro Street in downtown San Luis Obispo.
Join internationally renowned author, teacher and artist, Day Schildkret of Morning Altars to learn how to use nature and art as a way to mark the special moments in our lives on Saturday, May 14 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Based on the practice conceived and popularized by Day’s first book, “Morning Altars: A 7-Step Practice to Nourish Your Spirit through Nature, Art and Ritual,” this workshop guides participants through Day’s unique seven-step practice and helps strengthen skills of wonder, belonging, gratitude, creativity, wholeness, and non-attachment. The first half of the workshop takes place in the gardens — opening our eyes, our senses, and hearts while practicing the first two steps. The second half of the workshop, involves making nature altars and dedicating them to all the celebrations, losses and changes that happened this past year, using art to tell our stories. The workshop concludes with an altar art tour, where folks go around and witness each other’s hearts and art. Tickets are $80 to $90 and are available at slobg.org/calendar. For more information, contact Ruta at (805) 541-1400 or email ruta@slobg.org.
SLO Gallery, 1019 Broad Street, San Luis Obispo, across from SLO Museum of Art presents curated works by artists from the Central Coast Artists Collective. The display includes fine crafts, jewelry, paintings, photography, sculpture and more. The pieces are available for sale and there is no charge to visit and view them. They are open Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. They can be reached at (805) 926-5050 or by email at info@slogallery.com. Check out their website at www.slogallery.com. The Central Coast Artists Collective, over 300 members strong, is an association of artist groups representing various disciplines. SLO Gallery also participates in Art After Dark, held on the first Friday of each month from 8 to 8 p.m. and sponsored by the San Luis Obispo County Arts Council. Photo by Bob Canepa
Yeeee – haaaw! Join the San Luis Obispo Rotary Club at their annual, family friendly, Spaghetti-Western Fundraiser on Saturday, May 7at the SLO Veteran’s Hall, 801 Grand Avenue, from 5 to 8 p.m. Enjoy Cafe Roma pasta, top sirloin BBQ, wine and beer, Cal Poly country line dancing, western movies, sweet shoppe and cake walk, carnival games for the kiddos, and a silent auction including local staycations and other vacation packages, tons of local dining gift cards and wine, a fishing trip, handcrafted jewelry and arts, spa packages, photography, golf packages at several area golf courses including the San Luis Obispo Country Club, and much, more.
Tickets are $35 adults (includes entry & meal), children under 12 attend and eat for free. Tickets are available at www.slorotary.org or at the door.
All proceeds benefit local student scholarships for high school and college students, as well as local non-profits.
Due to COVID-19, this is their first event since March 2019 and, now more than ever, they are in need of support.
Pianist and Music Professor Emeritus W. Terrence Spiller gives an all-Beethoven recital at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 13, in the Pavilion of the Performing Arts Center.
The recital is the sixth in his survey of the complete piano sonatas of Beethoven. For this year’s program, Spiller will perform two of Beethoven’s most famous “named” sonatas: “The Tempest,” and the mammoth “Hammerklavier.”
Spiller retired from full-time teaching in March 2021, but he continues to teach applied piano in the Music Department.
Tickets are $20 for the public and $10 for students. Proceeds will benefit the Cal Poly Music Department Scholarship Fund. Tickets are sold at the Cal Poly Ticket Office between noon and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. To order by phone, call 805-SLO-4TIX (805-756-4849). Event parking is sponsored by the PAC.
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