We had a busy time experiencing the cultural opportunities available both on campus and in the Durham area during the last months of the semester.
Duke's music program has provided many excellent concerts during our stay in Durham. This Fall was no exception. Duke spent quite a bit of money renovating Baldwin Auditorium. When we got there 5 years ago it was looked a little like a 1930s high school auditorium. The renovations are artistically pleasing and have created a great venue to hear concerts. We attended both of the Fall Duke Jazz Ensemble concerts. The first, at the end of October, featured trumpeter Willie Murillo and vocalist Becky Martin. Both are from the west coast with Mr. Murillo having attended Cal State Fullerton, where daughter Erin works. One of the nice things that conductor John Brown has done this year is to include some vocalists to sing some of the standards. The second concert featured Gerald Clayton on piano. Mr. Clayton was outstanding. He finished second in the Thelonius Monk Piano Competition and was nominated for a Grammy for best jazz solo for his recording to Cole Porter's "All of Me."
One of the more interesting concerts we attended was the one presented by the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. It was great fun as this 8 member group did a variety of numbers with some very funny repartee interspersed. Nothing like seeing "Shaft" done on ukuleles by 8 white folk or "Pinball Wizard" as a sea shanty. It was great. Had a smile on my face for the whole time.
I had no smile on my face for a concert entitled "Specific Ocean" presented by a group named People Get Ready. This indy rock group combines their music with dance (actually movement is a better word for what they do). I just don't find it entertaining watching a young woman running around the stage and through the audience with an electric guitar strapped to her back clanging and banging and emitting loud, cacophonous sounds.
For our anniversary my kids had given us a gift certificate to the Durham Performing Arts Center. This downtown 3,000 seat venue is the home to most touring Broadway shows and big name groups on the road. We used our certificate to see Michael McDonald's Holiday Show. Very entertaining. Even got up and danced a little.
As far as plays were concerned, we saw a very intriguing new work by British playwright Alice Birch. Her play, Many Moons, consists of 4 character monologues which are intricately woven together. Structurally it was one of the most interesting play we've seen in a long time. It was well acted and staged. It is however about pedophilia and is tough in that regards.
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Semester Digest
I imagine we've all heard of Readers Digest(you remember that little book your parents had in the bathroom to kill time while you . . . well, you know). Anyway, I spent so much time documenting our trip to California that the rest of the semester just sorta slipped by. So to get us somewhat up-to-date, here's a digest of the rest of the semester.
SPORTS - I didn't attend as many Duke sporting events as I usually do. Having gone north for the 24-hour Theater Festival and the trip to Ca. cut into my sport's time. Here's a quick overview of what I did attend.
Field Hockey - I don't know much about the sport other than you try and put a ball into a net instead of a puck into a net and it's played on a field rather than on ice and the sticks are shorter and curved forcing the women(it seems only women are allowed to play at the college level) to run stooped over, other than that it's like real hockey. Anyway, Duke's field hockey team was good. I saw them lose terribly to the #1 team in the country, Maryland, in their last game of the season. But they got into the NCAAs where I saw them beat UNH and UMass. They then beat Maryland in the semis but lost to UConn in the finals.
Women's Soccer - Since most of their home schedule was while I was out-of-town, I only got to see the women play in the second round of the NCAA tournament that was held in Durham. They defeated both Florida and Arkansas, but lost to Virginia Tech in the quarterfinals. The lasting impression of the weekend was Arkansas Razorback fans cheering on their women's team with pig calls.
Men's Soccer - Only saw three games this season, with the men beating Old Dominion and Wright State and tying Wake. They didn't make the NCAAs but their coach won a life achievement award for his contributions to soccer.
Men's Basketball - I've been lucky enough to attend two games so far this year, both wins - one over Davidson the other over Michigan. In both, the star of the show was Jabari Parker who is the real deal - great court presence with tremendous skill. Glad I got to see him in person.
Volleyball - Not much was expected from this years team by the "experts", but they won the ACC title by beating that other school down the road with one of the best comebacks I've ever seen. Trailing 2 sets to 1 and behind by 9 in the 4th, they came back won the 4th and again trailing in the 5th came back to win the championship. Had the pleasure of seeing All-American Ali McCurdy, who set the all-time ACC "digs" record at 2538 for her career. That's a lot of diving and sliding across the floor.
SPORTS - I didn't attend as many Duke sporting events as I usually do. Having gone north for the 24-hour Theater Festival and the trip to Ca. cut into my sport's time. Here's a quick overview of what I did attend.
Field Hockey - I don't know much about the sport other than you try and put a ball into a net instead of a puck into a net and it's played on a field rather than on ice and the sticks are shorter and curved forcing the women(it seems only women are allowed to play at the college level) to run stooped over, other than that it's like real hockey. Anyway, Duke's field hockey team was good. I saw them lose terribly to the #1 team in the country, Maryland, in their last game of the season. But they got into the NCAAs where I saw them beat UNH and UMass. They then beat Maryland in the semis but lost to UConn in the finals.
Women's Soccer - Since most of their home schedule was while I was out-of-town, I only got to see the women play in the second round of the NCAA tournament that was held in Durham. They defeated both Florida and Arkansas, but lost to Virginia Tech in the quarterfinals. The lasting impression of the weekend was Arkansas Razorback fans cheering on their women's team with pig calls.
Men's Soccer - Only saw three games this season, with the men beating Old Dominion and Wright State and tying Wake. They didn't make the NCAAs but their coach won a life achievement award for his contributions to soccer.
Men's Basketball - I've been lucky enough to attend two games so far this year, both wins - one over Davidson the other over Michigan. In both, the star of the show was Jabari Parker who is the real deal - great court presence with tremendous skill. Glad I got to see him in person.
Volleyball - Not much was expected from this years team by the "experts", but they won the ACC title by beating that other school down the road with one of the best comebacks I've ever seen. Trailing 2 sets to 1 and behind by 9 in the 4th, they came back won the 4th and again trailing in the 5th came back to win the championship. Had the pleasure of seeing All-American Ali McCurdy, who set the all-time ACC "digs" record at 2538 for her career. That's a lot of diving and sliding across the floor.
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