By TOM BENSEN
The Missoula Art Museum presents Terrain: Plateau Native Art & Poetry through February 27, 2016; John Buck: Free for All through March 12; Good Wood: Carved And Cut From MAM’s Permanent Collection through March 12 (pictured here); A Few of My Favorite Things, an exhibition selected by MAM’s Senior Exhibition Curator Emeritus Stephen Glueckert, through December 23. On November 6, MaryAnn Bonjorni gives a talk at 7:00 p.m. about her work of found objects and painting that explores the romance, customs, and everyday lore of the West.
The University of Montana Department of Music presents faculty artist Jennifer Gookin Cavanaugh, oboe, and special guest artist Elizabeth Crawford, bassoon November 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the Music Recital Hall. Call 243-6880.
The University of Montana presents DiverseU: UM’s 10th Annual Diversity Symposium from November 3-5 at the University Center. More than two full days of discussing, promoting and celebrating diversity from local and international communities. Information: Kathleen Stone, 243-5622.
Fact and Fiction presents Kim Heacox reading and signing Jimmy Bluefeather at 7:00 p.m. on November 4; and Amy Ragsdale reading and signing Crossing the River at 5:30 p.m. on November 6. Both events are at at F&F Downtown.
The Montana Museum of Art & Culture presents The Intimate Diebenkorn: Drawings 1949 – 1992 now through December 12 in the Paxson and Meloy Galleries. The exhibition features 52 pieces, many of which have never been publicly viewed, and includes pencil and ink drawings on paper, collages of torn paper and watercolors. On November 5 there is a Public Gallery Tour: “The Intimate Diebenkorn” from 4:30-5:30 p.m., at the Performing Arts and Radio-Television Center Paxson and Meloy galleries. Join Montana Museum of Art & Culture for a free public docent tour of the current exhibition. Tours meet in the lobby of the PAR-TV Center before walking through the galleries. Free and open to the public.
In Collaboration with Shakespeare & Co. and the University of Montana School of Art, the artTALK series pairs an Established Artist and an Emerging Artist for an evening of art, ideas, and dialogue. artTALK will happen every first Tuesday from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at Shakespeare & Co. On Tuesday, November 3, the featured artists are Beth Lo (with her talk “Speak English”) and Crista Ames (with the talk, “Transposing Memories”). For more information call Aja at 546-8483
The University Center Gallery presents “Nowhere to be Found”, a series of mixed media and drawings by Beth Huhtala inspired by her time this summer in Japan. There is an opening reception November 5 at 4:00 p.m. This is a DiverseU related event. For more information, call 243-5555.
The First Missoula Podcast Festival is November 5 at 7:30 p.m. at the Roxy Theater. An event that gathers audio shows from Last Best Stories, as well as a special presentation of Amy Martin’s podcast. Costs $8 for adults and $7 for students and seniors. For information, call 243-4001.
UM’s President’s Lecture Series presents Michael Kazin, Georgetown University professor of history, with a lecture entitled “What is the Legacy of the 1960s?” November 6 at 8:00 p.m. in the University Center Ballroom. For information, call 243-2981.
First Friday Gallery Night is this Friday, November 7, throughout Missoula. Visit here for the most complete information.
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 29 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. There is still time to join the chorus, sign-up online here. Proceeds will equally support Missoula’s 10th International Choral Festival scheduled for July 13-16, 2016 and scholarships for UM choral and orchestral students.
The University of Montana has released the Summer/Fall 2015 issue of its UM Crown of the Continent and Greater Yellowstone E-Magazine. The magazine is online here.
The Radius Gallery‘s anniversary show is underway and features the works of 12 fine artists at the core of this refreshing, contemporary art space. For the autumn season, we have some especially haunting works in the front display window. Snap and send us your image with your favorite artwork to be entered to win some artistic prizes! Upload the image on Instagram, and don’t forget to #radiusgallery! Photo contest begins November 4 and goes until the hounds of hell find us. Call 541-7070.
The Missoula Folklore Society presents the Town and Gown Dance, 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. Saturday, November 7, in the University Center Ballroom at UM. The event also includes a beginner workshop at 7:30 p.m. This dance is free and open to the public, but donations to cover costs are appreciated. Dress is casual and eclectic. Day of the Dead costumes and political buttons are welcome. Live music will be played by Out of Wood, which specializes in Irish music, jigs and reels. Singles, couples, families, beginners and dance stars are all welcome, and no experience or partner is required. The Town and Gown Dance features a series of European country dances that were adapted in America to be danced in barns.
Living Art of Montana presents “Faces of Living Art: a 22-Year Mask Retrospective”, an exhibit of masks created by Living Art workshop participants from 1993 through 2015 displayed at the Downtown Dance Collective throughout November.
The Missoula Children’s Theatre presents Go West! on Saturday, November 7 at 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. at the MCT Center for the Performing Arts. This culmination of the fall afterschool performing arts class features K-5 students in a musical full of history and drama about the Gold Rush days. For tickets, visit here or call 728-7529.
Timothy Donnelly, poetry editor of Boston Review, will present the Bagley Wright Lecture Series on Poetry, “Sighing: Audible Breath and Its Relation to Poetry,” November 6 at 7 p.m. in the Turner Hall Dell Brown Room. The event is presented by the UM Creative Writing Program and is free and open to the public. For more information, call 243-5267, or visit here
The Missoula Symphony Orchestra returns to the stage for the third concert of the season, “Timeless Romance.” Saturday November 7 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday November 8 at 3:00 p.m. at the Dennison Theatre. For more information, call 721-3194 or visit here.
The Missoula Community Chorus presents the fourth annual sing-along community event Sunday November 8 featuring the smash hit Disney’s “Frozen”. Costumes are encouraged and we’ll have a small parade before the film starts as well as a “warm-up” to get those vocal chords going. A photo booth with some costumes and props provided will be available in the lobby and concessions will feature special Big Dipper’s special flavor just for the occasion. November 8 at the MCT Center for the Performing Arts, 12 noon, 3:00 and 6:00 p.m. Visit us at singalongmissoula.com
The Art Associates of Missoula monthly meeting for November will be held at the Montana Museum of Art & Culture on the UM Campus in the PARTV Bldg, Wednesday, November 18 at 10:15 a.m. for a docent led tour of The Intimate Diebenkorn: Works on Paper 1949-1992. Art Associates meetings are free and open to the public. For more information please call Susie at 544-0891.
Asaph Adonai has released Supermarket Pianist: Memiors of a Pianist’s Life. It is available at Hastings on Brooks St or amazon kindle and paperback.
There will be a recital of rarely-heard music for baroque violin and harpsichord to be performed in Missoula on Sunday, November 15 at 7:30 p.m., University Congregational Church. The recital will feature St. Louis violinist Lorraine Glass-Harris and Missoula harpsichordist Aneta Panusz performing on a double-manual harpsichord and a beautiful baroque violin produced in England c. 1760. Tickets are available for presale at Rockin Rudy’s. Prices are $25 for adults and $15 for students/youth. Tune into Montana Public Radio Morning Classics in the week of November 9 for a foretaste of some of the concert repertoire. For further information call 207-9338.
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.