By TOM BENSEN
Tomorrow is Veterans Day, originally called Armistice Day, commemorating the end of World War I. The Missoulian has listed events occurring throughout the region.
Current exhibits at the Missoula Art Museum include The Art of Human Conflict Conflict through December 24; Pamela Caughey: Ubiquitous: Migration of Pathogens through December 2; Helen McAuslan: The Kent State Paintings, on loan from the Museum of the Rockies, through November 22; Crossing the River: Hmong Story Cloths through December 24; Kate Hunt: Recent Works through February 21, 2015; Elizabeth Dove: Corpus of the Unknowable through January 31, 2015; Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts: Selected Works through March 21, 2015 (pictured here).
The Montana Museum of Art & Culture presents Amanda Browder: End of the Infinite in the Meloy Gallery (pictured here), and Vanessa German: Bitter Root in the Paxson Gallery. Both exhibits run through January 10, 2015.
“Light our Bridges Missoula,” the project to light two Missoula pedestrian bridges, has started to light the Van Buren Street Foot Bridge, and is continuing with the “Light Our Way” fundraising campaign. For $25, donors can buy a “light” in honor or memory of a loved one. The Missoula City Council and the Missoula County Commissioners both approved the plan to light the Madison Street walking bridge and the Van Buren Street footbridge with tasteful non-blinking LED white lights. For more information, visit the website.
Fact & Fiction presents Douglas Emlen reading and signing Animal Weapons at 7:00 p.m. on November 14 at F&F Downtown.
Shakespeare and Co. presents Tanya Holland, Executive Chef and Owner of the Brown Sugar Kitchen in Oakland, reading from her new book of recipes Brown Sugar Kitchen, 7:00 p.m. on November 20.
The UM School of Music presents UM Jazz Small Groups, Jazz combos performing the music of jazz greats, 7:30 at the Break Espresso on November 10, free and open to the public; and the UM Opera Theater, 7:30 p.m. on November 13 at the UM Recital Hall. Call 243-6880.
The Downtown Dance Collective presents lessons in Salsa, Tango, Swing and more this month! Visit their website for more information.
Radius Gallery’s first annual Holiday Art Bonanza kicks off November 21. Fifty-three artists have contributed nearly 200 petite paintings, pastels, photographs, and mixed media works. Most works will be priced between $100 to $400 dollars. So this season consider giving a gift born of creative minds and hands. Because the gift of art is like a hi-def wide screen television in your soul. Call 541-7070.
Living Art of Montana presents “My Own True Face” is an upcoming 3-session mask making workshop taking place on November 11, 18 and 25 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. Youpa Stein will be facilitating and the workshop is open to anyone facing illness and loss including care providers and family members. We are limiting this workshop to 10 participants and pre-registration is required. Please call 549-5329 or email
info@livingartofmontana.org to register.
U.S. Senator Jon Tester will be speaking about Veterans’ Issues at the next City Club Missoula Forum today, Monday, November 10 at the Doubletree Hotel from 11:15 to 12:45 p.m. Call 541-2489 or visit the website.
The 20th Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition will open Wednesday, November 12 in the Gallery of Visual Arts at the University of Montana. An opening reception for the exhibit will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. that day, with juror’s remarks and award presentation at 5:30 p.m. The exhibition will be on display November 13-December 5. For more information, visit the website.
The Vienna Boys Choir performs at St. Anthony Church November 12 at 7:30 p.m.
The Vienna Boys Choir performs at St. Anthony Church November 12 at 7:30 p.m. For more information, call 243-4051 or 888-666-8262.
All About Porcelain, sponsored by the Clay Studio of Missoula, and juried by Beth Lo, is an exhibition showcasing ceramic work that explores the variety of approaches in works created with porcelain. Applications are due November 14. Submitted entries may range from functional, sculptural, or any works that are mainly created with porcelain. The exhibit takes place February 6-17, 2015. For more information and the link to the online entry form, please visit here
String Orchestra of the Rockies presents String Bling November 15 at 7:30 p.m. in the Music recital Hall. Call 493-2990 or visit the website.
The Montana World Affairs Council presents Global Gauntlet 2014, a dinner, raffle, and Team Trivia Fundraiser, benefiting the Montana World Affairs Council’s Classroom and Community Programs. Also included is the presentation of the Montana Global Educator of the Year Award. Saturday, November 15 at the DoubleTree Hotel Ballroom beginning at 5:00 p.m. Call 728-3328.
The Missoula Winery (5646 West Harrier) presents Perla Batalla and the Gospel According to Cohen, Sunday, November 16 at 6:30 p.m. $15 at the door.
String Orchestra of the Rockies presents String Bling November 15 at 7:30 p.m. in the Music recital Hall.
Master silversmith and consummate teacher Haddon Hufford will share all about his ancient metalsmithing techniques at the Art Associates of Missoula monthly meeting, Wednesday, November 19, at 10:00 a.m. in the Education Center at the Missoula Art Museum, 335 N. Pattee St, Missoula. Art Associates meetings are free and open to the public. For more information please call Susie at 544-0891.
The UM School of Music presents Celebrate Piano Series III: Anderson & Roe, Wednesday, November 19 at 7:30 p.m. in the Dennison Theatre. Reserved seating $35/$25/$15
The premiere piano duo of their generation, Greg Anderson and Elizabeth Joy Roe have excited audiences around the globe, and will play their Missoula debut immediately following their European Tour Preview their stunning performances on youtube.com. For tickets, visit go to griztix, call 243-4581, or stop by the UM Arts Box Office.
Light Our Bridges Missoula will be “flipping the switch” to turn on the newly installed white LED lights adorning the Van Buren Street footbridge on Wednesday, November 19 at 6:00 p.m. With trumpets playing a fanfare and an enthusiastic countdown, 102 year old Emma Lommasson will be turning on the lights on the first of two pedestrian bridges in Missoula to be illuminated for aesthetic and safety purposes. The public is invited and welcome to gather at the Van Buren Street footbridge. For more information call 239-3193 or visit the website.
The Montana World Affairs Council presents Global Competency with Dr. Udo Fluck, Director, Global Gateway. Part 1 is Thursday November 20, and Part 2 isThursday March 19. The University of Montana’s Global Gateway and the Montana World Affairs Council have teamed up to bring the Missoula community the first ever Global Competency Certification Seminar for Businesses. This two-part seminar will focus on the areas of developing a firm understanding of culture, its impact in business communication, collaboration, and negotiation, and developing strategies to utilize “culture” to strategically plan your success when dealing with culturally diverse individuals. This seminar is designed for business owners, employees, and individuals who want to enhance their cross-cultural competency. The seminars will take place in two parts. The first part will take place from 12:30 p.m.- 2:30 p.m. on November 20. The second part will take place on March 19, 2015. Both seminars will be held at The Loft on 119 West Main Street. To register or for more information, please contact Aimee Ryan at aryan@montanaworldaffairs.org or call 728-3328.
Award-winning author Bernard Cooper will visit the University of Montana to present a craft lecture and nonfiction reading Friday, November 21. The lecture will be held from 12:10 to 1:00 p.m. in McGill Hall Room 210 and the reading will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the Dell Brown Room of Turner Hall. For more information visit the UM Creative Writing Program website or call 243-5267.
Headwaters Dance Company presents its annual Gala Concert “Power and Strength” November 20-22 at MCT center for the Performing Arts. Call 728-1131 or visit the website.
The International Choral Festival and the UM School of Music will present their annual benefit performance of George Frederic Handel’s “Messiah” on Sunday, November 30 at 7:30 p.m. in the Dennison Theatre on the UM campus. This free concert is a beloved community sing-a-long with a volunteer chorus, which has delighted local singers and audiences annually since 1995. The chorus will be conducted by Dr. David Edmonds, Director of Choral Activities at the University of Montana, and accompanied by an orchestra of professional area musicians. And, honorable Mayor John Engen will be there too to welcome everyone and to mark the official kick-off of the holiday season in Missoula with this concert.
Join the Chorus by signing-up online at either website. The concert is free to the public, but as a fundraiser, singers are required to raise or donate a minimum of $75 to join the chorus ($40 for students), and are encouraged to obtain sponsorships from friends and family that exceed these minimums. Exciting prizes such as overnights with deluxe lodging, float trips, gift certificates, etc. will be awarded to those singers who bring in the highest level of sponsorships. Proceeds will equally support Missoula’s 10th International Choral Festival scheduled for July 13-17, 2016, and the UM School of Music students traveling to Vienna.
The International Wildlife Film Festival is now accepting submissions for the 2015 festival, happening in Missoula, Montana April 18-25 at the historic Roxy Theater. Now in its 38th year, the week-long event will feature new and exciting films, special guests, workshops, seminars, field trips, technology sessions, product demos, parties and dynamic networking events. With 6,000 annual attendees, IWFF engages Missoula’s progressive community with dozens of screenings and events like the WildWalk Parade. A filmmakers’ festival, IWFF focuses on films and filmmakers, and celebrates emerging artists and the future of wildlife & environmental media. Our expanded programming welcomes all films about the natural world, from environmental and conservation films, to issue driven explorations of earth and its inhabitants.
For more information about arts events in the Missoula area, visit our website
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Tom Bensen has lived in Missoula since 1986, and has been the executive director of the Missoula Cultural Council since June 2004. He has directed First Night Missoula each New Year’s Eve since 1997. He is a member of Missoula’s choral ensemble Dolce Canto, and enjoys being outdoors, whether it is hiking, biking, skiing, walking the dogs, or mowing the lawn. His wife Susan works for Montana Public Radio, and their son Peter attends Hellgate High School.