February 2 – March 25
The twelfth season of Music ‘N’ Mavens returns to the Rady Jewish Community Centre for a full season of great music and stimulating lectures. Presented by the Rady JCC and produced by Karla Berbrayer. Music ‘N’ Mavens runs on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Rady JCC. This year two programs will be held at the Gwen Secter Creative Living Centre on Wednesdays at a special time of 1:00 p.m.

Concerts: $5 rady JCC Members (with a membership card), $9 Non-Members                                                                  Lectures: Sliver Collection

Music 'N' Mavens Concert Cards:

Mini Concert Card: 6 concerts for the price of 5! $25 M / $45 NM                                                                                                        Full Concert Card: 11 Concerts for the price of 9! $45 M / $81 NM
 
The Rady JCC gratefully acknowledges the support of the Mark and Dorothy Danzker Perpetual Trust Fund at the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba, the Manitoba Arts Council, the Winnipeg Arts Council and our individual donors for the 2010 Music ‘N’ Mavens Series. To be placed on the mailing list please call Debbie at 477-7534.

Tuesday, February 2                                                                                                                                                                             Behind the Velvet Curtain:  A Conductor’s Life.  Alexander Mickelthwate, in his fourth season as Music Director of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, will provide insight into the daily grind of leading a world renowned orchestra. 

Thursday, February  4
The Hidden Minority:  Jewish-Hungarian Artists Before the Shoah.  Oliver Botar, Associate Professor of Art History at the University of Manitoba.  Professor Botar was born in Toronto of Hungarian refugee parents, and has studied and conducted intensive research into Hungarian art.

Tuesday, February 9
Vicious efficiency: rape as a tool of war. A Member of the Order of Canada since 1985 for her work on constitutional equality rights, Marilou McPhedran is the dean (Principal) of The University of Winnipeg Global College and a human rights lawyer who directs the Institute for International Women's Rights at Global College. Based on her work as an advisor to women's NGOs at the UN, she will speak on the recent shift in attention at the UN Security Council in recognizing that sexual violence in conflict is a threat to international peace and security.

Wednesday, February 10, 1:00 pm
At Gwen Secter Creative Living Centre, 1588 Main St.
Music & Legends of Métis History .  Ted Longbottom, composer, singer, guitarist, weaves magical tales in song of his Métis ancestors.  Accompanied by Daniel Koulack on fiddle, this afternoon of colorful traditional music is sure to enthrall.

Thursday, February 11
Aliza and the KGB (Klezmer Gypsy Band).  Here's a group that plays everything from hot klezmer to swing tunes in a Gypsy style. The band consists of Ariel Posen on guitar, Eli Herscovitch on woodwinds & harmonica, Tim Butler on guitar, mandolin and violin, Aliza Amihude on vocals and  Danny Koulack on bass, mandolin and violin. This multilingual show is a delicious sampling of folk, classical, swing, and klezmer music with a hot beat.

Tuesday, February 16                                                                                                                                                                          Jazzical Jewels-Revealed!   Merge classical pieces with jazz influences, polish them up for performance by a jazz band and voila - behold a breathtaking display of jazzical jewels!  At this concert featuring well-known jazz saxophonist and educator Janice Finlay, William Bonness, (piano), and Nenad Zdjelar (bass),  audience members will not only hear several jazzy versions of classical works but some of the musical methods used to transform the selections from classical to jazz will be revealed and explained. 

Thursday, February 18
Jeff Presslaff Trio.  Featuring compositions and arrangements by Jeff Presslaff, the trio consists of Julian Bradford, bass, Scott Senior, drums, and Jeff Presslaff, piano – (and a little trombone). 

Tuesday, February 23
The Art of Managing Surprise:  Thriving in Dynamic Times. Dr. Leigh Quesnel, organizational consultant, formerly of the departments of psychology and commerce at the University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg.

Thursday, February 25                                                                                                                                                                            Vocal Music Transcribed for Cello.  Minna Rose Chung, cello, accompanied by Judy Kehler Siebert, piano, both of the University of Manitoba Marcel A. Desautels Faculty of Music, perform an afternoon of romantic music. 

Tuesday, March 2                                                                                                                                                                                      They Don't Make Them Like That Anymore. Alison Gillmor, movie reviewer for CBC Radio in Winnipeg, pop culture columnist for the Winnipeg Free Press, will discuss changes in today’s movie industry.

Wednesday, March 3, 1:00 pm
At Gwen Secter Creative Living Centre, 1588 Main St.
Westgate Mennonite Collegiate String Orchestra , Andrea Bell Conductor.  Andrea Bell has conducted the Westgate Strings since 2000.  She is in demand as a teacher and cellist and often performs with many professional ensembles in Winnipeg.   Made up of twenty students from grades 7-12 at Westgate Mennonite Collegiate, this lively group present an upbeat and engaging concert.

Thursday, March 4                                                                                                                                                                       Tyborowski-Zdjelar Synergy Duo with special guest Stacey Nattrass. Featuring the music of Sid Robinovitch , Ryszard Tyborowski, classical guitar, and Nenad Zdjelar, double bass, will perform a program of ethno-classical world music, highlighted by the vocals of Stacey Nattrass.

Tuesday, March 9
Why We Need Art. Catherine Hunter, Professor and Chair of the English Department at the University of Winnipeg, is a poet and novelist.  Her books include the poetry collection Latent Heat and the crime novel Queen of Diamonds. Turnstone Press has recently reprinted her first novel, Where Shadows Burn.
 
Thursday, March 11
Masaki/Pokhanovski Duo.  Oleg Pokhanovski, violin, and Megumi Masaki, piano, present a recital of virtuoso violin and piano duo repertoire of Eckhardt-Gramatte,  highlighted by some unforgettable Jewish music.

Tuesday March 16
Spanish Music for the Cello.  Yuri Hooker, Principal cellist with both  the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra and Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, will be accompanied by Michelle Mourre, piano, former Conductor  in Residence of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. 

Thursday March 18
The Great Jewish Songbook performed by Helen White & Friends.  Accomplished jazz singer, Helen White, will reintroduce us to the songs of Irving Berlin, Harold Arlen, Ira and George Gershwin and more… some of the greatest composers of the twentieth century.  Ariel Posen, guitar, Jonathan Alexiuk, piano, Kinzey Posen, bass, Glenn Lambert, drums.  An afternoon of wonderful songs and memories. 

Tuesday, March 23
Literary Founders of Manitoba.  Céline Kear lectures at the University of Winnipeg in the area of 19th century  literature and the role of women in the development of the novel. Past President of the Manitoba Historical Society, Heritage Winnipeg, and the Jane Austen Society of North America .  President of the University Women’s Club of Winnipeg.                    

Thursday, March 25
Brazilian Jazz with the Marco Castillo Quartet. Vibrant and energetic music led by Latin sensation, Marco Castillo on guitar and vocals, with Ken Gold, sax, Gilles Fournier, bass, Scott Senior, percussion. Guaranteed to send you swinging into spring.

 Karla Berbrayer can be reached at kberb@shaw.ca