Ralph (aka Rafael) Farris from ETHEL offers a final update before their performance with La Nave de los Monstrous TONIGHT!  Tickets not available online but you can get them at the door so come on down!

Hola Amigos!

First of all, SORRY! Massive typo in my last posting. At the end, I had MEANT to write “Abrazos, Rafael”. But it looks like my spell-checker didn’t like the word “Abrazos”, and took it upon itself to write “Abrams, Rafael” instead.

…Abrams, Rafael? Wow. I’m a but wacky I know, but I ain’t THAT wacky. Anywho, moving on…

So we just had our run-thru. And it went swimmingly. Only a few page-turn problems and 3 or 4 note switcheroos, nothing really big to fix. Yay.

Again, very strange to feel so… calm.

Mary was playing drum rolls on her chin rest, Neil auditioned (and rejected!) a kazoo, Dorothy perfected her penny whistle performance, and my recorder playing has almost returned to a second grade level. Woo-hoo!

This movie is great. The music is a blast to play, Dorothy’s dance captain-ing is absolutely priceless, and the whole show is just darn good fun. We do hope y’all can come by. It’s gonna be a craaaaazy fiesta!

Abrazos(!),

Rafael

We’re feeling very cosmopolitan today since our first review in French was just posted on Trip Advisor. Dredging up Mme Cunningham’s AP French from way back, we’re pretty sure its glowing.   Check it out and while you’re there add your own thoughts about MASS MoCA to Trip Advisor in whatever language you choose.  Since we’ve only got 6 reviews you’ll stand out in the crowd.  Thanks!

Guy Ben-Ner will debut a new film commissioned for Performa 09, the Third Biennal of Visual Art Performance in New York.  The new work will be screened at the Performa Hub located at 41 Cooper Square from November 1-22.

Filmed and edited in-camera over the course of twelve months, Guy will present an unusual “live film� that captures an ongoing phone conversation he has with himself, flying to and fro between Berlin and Tel Aviv, as he sorts out the lives and relationships that he maintains in the peripatetic lifestyle that has become common for the global artist.

AND on Monday November 2  at 8 PM, Guy will be “in conversation� with Performa Founder RoseLee Goldberg at an event sponsored by Artis (who was also a sponsor for our show at MASS MoCA). A reception with Programma Magazine to follow courtesy of Pera. This event is free, RSVP required.

This month’s Flickr Finds features black and white photos from various MM locations and exhibitions.

Please note all photos shown in Flickr Finds blogs retain the copyright of the original photographer. To learn more about the photographer and the licensing of their images, click on the photographer’s name to visit their Flickr profile or webpage.

material guy

michelle.longo

clockworko51

Range of  Light

John Neidermeyer

Dan Hewins

Mock Heroic

Sara Blazevic

Cheers,

Brittany

P.S. If you would like to see your photos featured here next month make sure you add them to our Flickr Group (2,670 photos and counting!) for consideration. I’m also looking for themes for future Flickr Finds.  If you would like to see photos based on a specific color, exhibition, idea, etc… let me know!

Our good friends Larry Murray and Caleb Hiliadis at Berkshire Fine Arts and Gay in the Berkshires did an interview with ETHEL’s Ralph Farris.  We recommend the piece as a fun read AND a great primer on how to collaborate on a film score.

In a Mexican mood thanks to their upcoming performance, ETHEL’s viola superstar Rafael (aka  Ralph Farris) reports on the quartet’s prep for their visit to North Adams.  ETHEL will accompany La Nave de Los Monstrous (Ship of Monsters) on Friday, October 30.

¡Hola Amigos!

Dorothy, Neil and I just finished a marathon work session and I’m thrilled to report that we FINISHED editing and formatting our revised parts for Friday’s show! Woo-hoo!

Now Dorothy’s off to the printer and Neil’s cataloging our ever-growing collection of percussion instruments.

This is a highly unusual turn of events. We’re normally editing parts right up until show time, so I’m going to have to find some other drama to consume me for the next few days. Any suggestions?

We’re all coming together for the final touch-up on Thursday. That’s when Mary breaks out the drum sticks, and Neil and I get to practice our recorder intonation. Folks, it just doesn’t get any better.

OK — I’m going to take a nap now. Catch y’all on Friday!

Abrams,

Rafael