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Festival Fun in the Land of the Midnight Sun
Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival
by Adela Batin Jackson
(Fairbanks, Alaska) The melodic tune
from the harmonic class floats through the morning air along with the
fragrant scent of lilac trees. Purple iris, blue delphinium, yellow
lilies and red poppies paint the hillside at the University of Alaska
Fairbanks, which is the location for the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival.
Located in interior Alaska the
Festival thrives amidst this lush setting. Musicians flock from
all over the world to study and teach in this Land of the Midnight
Sun. The synergy creates lasting friendships fueled by 24 hours of
daylight and a creative high. After an exciting day, instead of imbibing
in the evening's Happy Hour, a handful of students sit on the lawn and
soak up the evening sun while drinking in the heady, effervescent melody
of guest artist Valerie Naranja's marimba.
Internationally-known drummer, Valerie Naranjo, playing
the African Gyil.
UAF photo by Todd Paris
The Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival is
one of the finest and most unique of summer music institutions: Unique
in people and location. It is located on the University of Alaska
Fairbanks campus which overlooks the Tanana Valley and the Alaska Range,
dominated by North America's tallest mountain Mt. McKinley. Each year,
more than 800 students, ages 18 through post-college, join professional
musicians to devote themselves fully to music and the arts for two
intensive weeks of study and performance. In addition to a rigorous
schedule of instruction, students play side by side with faculty and
guest artists in the presentation of public concerts and performances
for a paying audience.
Busy bees on a midnight sun sunflower, UAF campus
sunflower,
UAF photo by Todd Paris
Because there is an emphasis on
performing with professional musicians in addition to instruction, the
Festival is unique in giving students the opportunity to understand the
world of the professional musician. Numerous performance opportunities
are offered for every student and visitors will see diverse
performances.
In 1980 Fairbanks didn't know it
needed a Festival! Founded 27 years ago by Jo Ryman Scott, of Fairbanks
and Edward J. Madden, of Boston, the Festival's primary mission has been
to promote quality music education and training in performance.
Painter at the Georgeson Botanical Gardens on the
UAF Experimental Farm, Fairbanks.
UAF photo by Todd Paris.
But it isn't "just music" anymore!
Each year during the last two weeks of July, the Festival offers a wide
variety of programs including ice skating, dance, visual arts, healing
arts, classical and world percussion, storytelling, creative writing,
piano, Shakespeare and theatre, opera and musical theatre, cabaret
and fundamentals of music, harmonica, accordion, voice, vocal
performance, instrumental jazz, Celtic and classical harp, strings,
woodwinds and brass.
University of Alaska museum, a world-class
facility houses a gold collection of Alaska gold nuggets.
UAF photo by Todd Paris.
2007's dates are Sunday, July
15- Sunday, July 29. Between the two weeks of instruction,
Interior Alaska offers easily accessible weekend adventures for
registrants. Kayaking the Chena River, hiking Granite Tors,
soaking in Chena Hot Springs, exploring the Ice Palace,
flyfishing for Arctic grayling, panning for gold, viewing
wildlife such as moose and caribou, fox and bears are all
adventurous possibilities.
Throughout the Festival's
history, famous spotlight guest artists such as Cab Calloway and
daughter Chris Calloway, Margaret Whiting, Rosemary Clooney,
Sarah Vaughn, Clark Terry, Marvin Hamlisch, Mel Torme and son
Steve March Torme, have come to perform and give master classes
for students. To study at the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival,
young musicians and artists must have completed high school.
During the summer of 2006, 842 registrants were from
approximately 25 states and 3 foreign countries. The Festival
succeeds in living up to its vision as a flourishing Festival
infused with its own energy and momentum, a caring Festival
touching the lives of thousands, a broadly-based Festival
reaching across all
borders, serving diverse populations and a
Festival improving the quality of individual lives and the
greater community it serves.
For more information on registering for
the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival visit
www.FSAF.org or call
907-474-8869.
To find out more about the Land of the Midnight Sun visit
www.Explorefairbanks.com
Information and photos submitted
by:
Footnotes and Credits information: Fairbanks Summer
Arts Festival
PO Box 82510
Fairbanks, Alaska 99708 907-455-8222 | 907-474-8869
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