'Welcome to the West' reopens thanks to TACA resiliency initiative
Multimedia concert film ‘Welcome to the West’ reopens online at 12:00 a.m. Central on Monday, December 28 to celebrate their TACA Pop-up Award.
Lumedia Musicworks has been awarded a Pop-Up Grant in December 2020 by TACA for the Welcome to the West production. TACA’s Pop-Up Grants "celebrate and reward local arts organizations for programming that demonstrates exceptional quality, creativity & innovations, and accessibility & inclusion".
This grant award is an important component of the TACA Resiliency Initiative. “Lumedia is resilient and will continue to bring exceptional programming to you, no matter what the world throws at us next,” stated Julianna Emanski, Artistic Director.
Dallas-based Lumedia Musicworks, a nonprofit performance organization committed to showcasing and performing early music, partnered with videographers and cowboy poets and narrators for the third production in Lumedia's 2020-21 season. This multimedia concert film vividly captures rustic life in the American West. This early music ensemble shatters expectations combining Baroque fiddling tunes and 1940s western swing.
The organization brings early music to new audiences by combining baroque fiddling tunes and 1940s western swing in a multimedia concert film about ranching life in the American West. The unique soundtrack reanimates historic film footage and photographs from the Library of Congress. Lumedia Musicworks’ Texas ensemble expands to collaborate with multiple videographers and cowboy poets and narrators from Texas, Nevada, South Dakota, Idaho and Utah.
"Baroque music, which was most popular in the 17th and 18th centuries, influenced the music we listen to today even if we don't realize it," said Emanski, who also holds a doctorate in music entrepreneurship and vocal performance from the University of North Texas. "For instance, there are aspects of modern country-fiddling style in Baroque music."
The performance portion of "Welcome to the West" was filmed in Celina and includes an ensemble of 10 instrumentalists; three vocalists, including Emanski; and four videographers all from Texas. Poets include a recording of the late Harry Jackson (1923-1973) of Cody, Wyo., the late Elizabeth Ebert (1925-2018) of Lemmon, S.D. which is narrated by Martha Weatherl of the Turtle Creek area of Dallas, and Paul Kern of Utah, which is narrated by RJ Wall of Stephenville. Living cowboy poets who narrate their own work include Waddie Mitchell of Elko, Nev., and Joel Nelson of Midland.
The film was shot in Stephenville with a cast all from Texas.
"Welcome to the West" tickets are $0-$20 at www.lumediamusicworks.com/west. [Student Tickets at no cost, and other discounts offered.] The performances will be available on-demand at the site until 11:59 p.m. Tuesday January 5, Central. Previously purchased tickets to this production maintain unlimited access for the duration of the performance.
Because of coronavirus concerns, all Lumedia's performances are online this season. For a full schedule of events, go to www.lumediamusicworks.com/season.