University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Monday September 28 7:30pm. South Indian Percussion. Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall, Fine Arts Building. Admission $20 main floor, $17 balcony, UALR students free. Call (501) 569-3288

Viswanath Kaladharan and Kalamandalam Shanmukhan

KATHAKALI - A classical dance-drama

A classical dance-drama tradition dating back to the 17th century, Kathakali of Kerala (India) is now one of the most widely known art forms in India. Is it a dance form? A pantomime? A classical theatrical tradition? A story-telling tradition replete with superhuman characters? In fact it is very difficult to give a comprehensive definition of Kathakali. It encompasses dancing, acting, vocal music, percussion, intriguing make-up, fantastic costumes and a riot of colors.

In full make-up & costume, Shanmughan will present selected scenes from some of the key Kathakali plays. Prior to the performance of each scene, Kaladharan will explain the story, context and some of the hand gestures to the audience. Following the performance, there can be a question-answer session on stagecraft, aesthetics.

Saturday September 26 8am-1pm UALR Fine Arts Building. Call 569-3294 for information.

Thursday September 17 12:15pm Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall, Fine Arts Building. Admission free. Call (501) 569-3294

Over the past 30 years, the New Orleans band Astral Project has evolved from a jazz group that played four or five nights a week on Bourbon Street or at Tyler’s Beer Garden where bassist James Singleton, drummer Johnny Vidacovich and keyboard player David Torkanowsky, who left in 2001 were the house rhythm section to the city’s preeminent contemporary jazz group. That endurance surprises Vidacovich but not guitarist Steve Masakowski, the junior member of the group having only been with it for 20 years. “Whether we’d be playing together with Astral Project or not, I’d still be playing with all these guys.”

Keeping any relationship together for 30 years is remarkable. Think of how many good bands with every reason to stay together couldn’t do it. And in jazz, think of how many great combos were together for only an album or two. For Astral Project, lasting this long has as much to do with what it isn’t as what it is.

Saxophonist Tony Dagradi, a devoted student of Eastern philosophy, coined the band name as a reflection of the group’s quest for a higher plane. As anyone who has seen the band in concert knows, every performance finds the band members reaching for the stars.

These veteran musicians — known as tops on their instruments in jazz-rich New Orleans, each with many album credits as leaders and sidemen — bring a wealth of diverse experience to the bandstand, which is why the group journeys into different musical spheres.

Sponsored by UALR Student Guitar Society with support from the Office of Campus Life

Thursday September 10 12:15pm Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall, Fine Arts Building. Admission free. Call (501) 569-3294

Thursday September 3rd. 12:15pm Performing Rachmaninoff Sonata in G minor, Op. 19 Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall. Admission Free. Call 569-3294 for information.

Sonata for Cello and Piano in G minor, Op. 19 Sergei Rachmaninoff
I. Lento – Allegro moderato – Moderato
II. Allegro scherzando
III. Andante
IV. Allegro mosso – Moderato – Vivace

Melita Hunsinger, Cello
David Belcher, Piano