Arts & Entertainment

Art, Music & John Wayne Highlight Busy March at Fort Lee Library

There's plenty going on at the Fort Lee Public Library in March; here's a quick look at the some of what's coming up.

The continues a busy March of programs Thursday with a reception for The Gallery’s March artist Rica Takashima, a public art artist and manga graphic novelist.

According to library program coordinators:

Takashima’s vivid and socially challenging work has appeared in a number of exhibits including Instant Gender, part of NewFest2011, the 2009 New York City Pride March; Aliens from New York, in 2010 and 2011 at Aomori Museum, Japan, A Second Chance through manga art, part of the 2009 ComicArt event in New Jersey and “Who Are You?” a showcase of artists-in-residence presented at the Tachikawa International Art Festival 2006 in Tokyo.  

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Born in the Shinjuku neighborhood of central Tokyo and currently living in New York, Takashima graduated from the Art Department, Tokyo University of Arts. She founded Aozora “Blue Sky” Art in 1994, in the Tokyo’s trendy Harajuku neighborhood.

The reception is Thursday, March 8, at 7 p.m.

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“Bring your camera to take a picture with Rica’s ‘Peek-A-Boo’ cut outs,” library program coordinators say.

Refreshments will be served.

Sunday, March 11, at 2 p.m. – Piques Dames Concert

Celebrate Women’s History Month at the public library with Piques Dames Vocal ensemble, “a group of passionate, classically trained musicians who share the excitement of heart-warming vocal music with their audiences,” according to program coordinators.

“As winners of several chamber music competitions, they have performed at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Steinway Hall and at Trinity Church's ‘Concerts at One,’” say library officials. “Piques Dames are invited to participate at the 5th annual vocal ensemble competition in Fukushima, Japan on March 24-25, 2012.”

The program they will perform at the Fort Lee Public Library Sunday is called "Russian Medley." It includes songs by Rimsky-Korsakov, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Glinka, folk songs and popular 20th-century works, many of which were arranged by Piques Dames.

Soprano Olga Shyp of Piques Dames has been a “proud Fort Lee resident” since 2008, according to program coordinators.

“[Shyp] is delighted that Piques Dames’ first recital in the state of New Jersey takes place at the Fort Lee Library,” they said.

Monday, March 12, at 7:30 p.m. – Iris Perry Piano Concert

The library is also hosting an evening of piano music with Iris Perry Monday in the lower level meeting room.

The program includes selections from “The Three Bs of Music: Bach, Beethoven and Brahms.”

According to program coordinators:

Perry has performed to high acclaim as a recitalist, chamber musician and soloist with orchestras throughout Austria, Holland, Romania, the former Soviet Republics and the United States.Perry is also a prizewinner of international piano competitions including the Stravinsky Awards and Young Keyboard Artists Association International Piano Competitions. She is a recipient of the Yale University Bruce Simonds Scholarship Award for outstanding performance in solo and chamber literature, as well as a PBD Foundation Music Scholarship.

For more information call program coordinator Olga Kuharets at 201-592-3614, ext. 4010 or visit the library’s website.

John Wayne Month Continues
Each week in March, the library is showing a classic film starring “the great American cowboy,” John Wayne, in some of his most renowned roles.
All films are screened on Thursday afternoons at 2 p.m. in the library meeting room. The schedule for the rest of the month—they’ve already screened The Searchers (1956) and True Grit (1969)—is as follows:

Legendary filmmaker John Ford directed all three of these classics.

Admission is free, and the public is cordially invited. For more information, call
Julia Strohmeyer at 201-592-3615, ext. 4007 or visit the library’s website.


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