Curtain Call: Popular orchestra conductor Martin Majkut has added another gig to his already busy schedule. Majkut, the music director of the Rogue Valley Symphony and the Queens Symphony Orchestra in New York, has been appointed the new music director of the Oregon Coast Music Association’s festival orchestra.
Folk singers are lighting up stages in the Northwest, talking about peace and the resistance to war and oppression. On Jan. 12, Rogue Valley residents will have the opportunity to come together to be inspired to work for peace at a special concert called “A Woman’s Song for Peace.”
First Frost, a family friendly community skate event, is set for 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, at the Ashland Rotary Centennial Ice Rink, 95 Winburn Way, Ashland. The evening begins with a Southern Oregon Figure Skating performance from 4 to 4:30 p.m., followed by open skating with music by DJ Tuffshed.
The Israeli Chamber Project, a New York-based music ensemble, came to Ashland for the first time Wednesday, Dec. 4, to give a recital in Southern Oregon University’s Music Recital Hall presented by Chamber Music Concerts, now in its 41st season.
The 32nd annual Festival of Lights parade will light up downtown Ashland this Friday as the beginning of a series of events to continue through the holiday season, the Ashland Chamber of Commerce has announced. The A&M Brass Band will begin the event by playing from the Brickroom Balcony with Santa’s Parade and the Grand Illumination to follow.
Curtain Call: Abigail Mace is the artistic director and conductor of Jefferson Baroque Orchestra, a position she assumed last March. Jefferson Baroque’s upcoming concerts will be December performances of Handel’s “Messiah,” a beloved holiday tradition.
Ashland is set to jingle all the way into the holiday season with a flurry of festive concerts starting this week, designed to bring joy, warmth and a dash of musical magic to the Rogue Valley. From soaring symphonic arrangements and merry choral harmonies to the uplifting, timeless music of Handel’s “Messiah” and a lineup of concerts at SOU, there’s a tune for every holiday mood.
Ashland, Talent and Phoenix will unwrap the magic of the holidays with a variety of events, festivities and activities for the season. Families can catch Santa as he makes his rounds, enjoy festive lighting ceremonies, watch a parade, stroll through holiday markets, and much more. Mark your calendars and get ready to join in the fun, because this holiday season your hometowns are turning up the cheer.
Southern Oregon Burners, a group of Burning Man participants based in Southern Oregon held a “decompression event” known as “Afterburnt” Saturday afternoon, Nov. 2, in Lithia Park. The event is aimed at fostering Burning Man connections and educating others about Burning Man principles.
Anima Mundi Productions, a sublime music and performance-art gift to Ashland since its inception in 2014, just wrapped up another year of invigorating new works by visiting artists and composers, including resident composer Ethan Gans-Morse, evocative and expressive poetry by Tiziana DellaRovere and performances focused on raising awareness of populations that are currently in crisis.
The Oregon Legislature is meeting this week to consider some major cuts to current spending levels as a large revenue deficit looms. That’s because the state’s tax code automatically replicates new federal tax cuts, including ones passed by Congressional Republicans this summer that will reduce state revenue
Michael O’Looney: Trump and the Texas Legislature are responsible for a partisan power grab that has unleashed bitterness and partisan vindictiveness, all in an effort to subvert an electoral system for partisan ends.
Councilor Bob Kaplan: While the cost of delivering kilowatt-hours to our homes has risen, Ashland Electric has been able to hold our rates steady with just one increase of 5.1% in 2021. I’m sorry to say we’re due for an increase, but fortunately it’s not likely to match recent increases elsewhere.
An estimate for the cost to abate asbestos found in the shuttered Lincoln School recently should be available as early as sometime this week, according to Steve Mitzel, operations director for Ashland School District. The cost to remove asbestos would be separate from the as yet-unknown cost for structural repair.
“We are still here” was the theme for Saturday’s Native American Heritage Celebration at Southern Oregon University, hosted by the SOU Native American Student Union (NASU) and SOU Native Nations Liaison Kenwanicahee (Kenwani) Kravitz (Madesi Bandi, Pit River Nation Winnemem, Nomtipom and Nomsus Bands Northern Wintu).
As Oregon lawmakers stare down a deficit of at least $373 million over the next two years — and brace for the possibility of a bigger shortfall in the state’s next quarterly revenue — they asked state agencies to create lists of ways to cut 5% of their approved budgets.
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