hanks to the support of the Arts Council, the arts at Middlebury play a leading role in the life and culture of the College—one

in which the arts integrate with the academic disciplines, enrich the cultural landscape of our campus and community, and provide a lifelong source of inspiration.

January 2012

The Arts at MiddleburyHighlights from 2011

TEvery year our campus welcomes celebrated musicians, acclaimed artists, distinguished lecturers, and renowned directors to our concert venues, museums, lecture halls, and theatre. Exposure to artistic creation at the highest level encourages curiosity, creativity, and intellectual ambition—all essential for a broad foundation of knowledge and

a genuine liberal arts education. Exploration and discovery are at the core of Middlebury students’ four-year journey, and our programs in the arts provide them with unparalleled opportunities to fulfill their creative potential, challenge boundaries, and experiment with different modes of expression.

ARTS BY THE NUMBERS

53 Architectural Studies majors 31 Art History majors 11 Dance majors 35 Film & Media Culture majors 21 Music majors 10 Studio Art majors 42 Theatre majors

Over 300 events, from concerts and

plays to dance performances, art

exhibits and movies.

Bach Festival Brings Town and College TogetherThe first of its kind, this Festival brought the College and the town of Middlebury together, modeled after how the famous organist/composer worked in Leipzig over 275 years ago. Opening on Friday, May 6, with a Gala event at the Mahaney Center for the Arts, the Festival continued Saturday with all-day interest sessions and an exciting concert in Mead Chapel, finishing with performances of music by Bach in congregations through-out Middlebury on Sunday. Internationally-recognized Bach scholar Christoph Wolff of Harvard University offered a featured lecture on Saturday.

HIGHLIGHTS IN STUDIO ART

Cameron Visiting Artists Program Welcomes Accomplished ArtistsVisiting artists are a valuable component of the Middlebury Studio Program, providing insight and inspiration to our students and faculty. In 2011, Middlebury welcomed two celebrated artists who worked side-by-side with students on a suite of prints.

Mark Dion is known for making art out of fieldwork, incorporating elements of biology, archaeology, and ethnography. He has exhibited his work at the Miami Art Museum, Museum of Modern Art, New York, and the Tate Gallery, London.

Nina Lopez has exhibited her work at MoMA in NY, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art

in LA, the Museo Rufino Tamayo in Mexico City, the Denver Art Museum in Denver, CO, and most recently, The Guggenheim Museum, New York. Through her work in printmaking, drawing and installation, Lopez describes and reconfigures our contempo-rary—primarily urban—landscape.

HIGHLIGHTS IN THEATRE

Big Love Performance Fills the HouseBig Love, a play by OBIE Award-winning playwright Charles Mee, was performed over Homecoming Weekend. Directed by Assistant Professor of Theatre Claudio Medeiros ’90, the play spins an extravagantly emotional comedyabout 50 Greek brides who are betrothed to their American cousins against their will. Performed entirely by students, its three performances filled Wright Theater to capacity.

PTP/NYC Celebrates 25 Years

This past summer marked the 25th anniversary of the Potomac Theatre Project (PTP). Founded in 1987 by the artistic triumvirate of Cheryl Faraone, Jim Petosa and Richard Romagnoli, PTP/NYC celebrated their one-of-kind collaboration with Middlebury College by bringing two of their critically acclaimed shows to the Seeler Studio Theatre. Territories offered up two short plays of

politics and desire, The Spoils and a light gathering of dust. The second presentation of the weekend was Spatter Pattern, a psychological drama. The productions included more than a dozen Middle-bury alumni. After the Saturday evening performance, President Liebowitz joined a reception for the cast, crew, and audience.

MUSEUM OF ART

Friends of the Art Museum (FOAM) 40th Anniversary CelebrationThe Friends of the Art Museum (FOAM) celebrated 40 years of membership and support with a festive gala night on October 16. The party also celebrated a new exhibition, Friends Bearing Gifts: 40 Years of Acquisitions from the Friends of the Art Museum. After an evening of food, drink, and dancing the Friends cast their votes for this year’s addition to the museum’s art collection, and chose to purchase The Empty Wineglass, 1648, an oil panel by Dutch artist Issack Koedijk.

Comprised of community members, alumni, faculty, staff, students, and their families, the Friends have been instrumental in helping to build a permanent art collection for the College.

HIGHLIGHTS IN HARC

History of Art Moves to MCA In the fall of 2011, the History of Art program moved from the Johnson Building to the Mahaney Center for the Arts. Moving the

History of Art program to the MCA brought the department closer to the Museum of Art, an important teaching resource for Art History majors. History of Art’s newly configured space in the MCA now includes an office suite and four heavily

used classrooms. According to Pieter Broucke, relocating the History of Art program has already increased traffic in the MCA. More important, the move signals that the arts will play an increasingly important role in Middlebury’s institutional identity.

HIGHLIGHTS IN FILM & MEDIA CULTURE

Vermont International Film Festival Middlebury’s Film & Media Culture program had a strong presence at this year’s Vermont International Film Festival. Three films by department affiliates were screened: Midd senior Brad Becker-Parton screened his dra-matic short video, Where the Cold Creeps, Midd junior Andrew Ack-erman screened his short video, The Gun Show, and FMMC Visit-ing Media Production Instructor Daniel Houghton ’06 screened his animated short, 3rd of Life.In addition, a team of five students from FMMC participated in Sleepless in Burlington, the festi-val’s 24-Hour Film Competition. Hirschfield International Film Series In 2011, FMMC hosted two visiting filmmakers in conjunction with our Hirschfield International Film Series. Academy Award winner Rob Epstein screened his latest feature film Howl, based on the life of Beat poet Allen Ginsberg and starring James Franco. Ngawang Choepel screened his documentary Tibet in Song, which won a Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. Choephel introduced the screening and discussed his career,

including his time as a Fulbright Scholar at Middlebury.

HIGHLIGHTS IN MUSIC

Professor Su Lian Tan Premiers Chamber Opera, Lotus LivesFunded by the Arts CouncilThe original chamber opera, Lotus Lives, composed by Professor of Music Su Lian Tan, opened at the Mahaney Center for the Arts concert hall on Friday, September 30, and Sunday, October 2. This semi-autobio-graphical work explores Mandarin and Malay culture, following three generations of bold women. The performance featured Julliard graduate and mezzo-soprano lead singer Brenda Patterson along with soprano Miriam Gordon-Stewart. The music composed by Su Lian Tan incorporated ele-ments of rap, Chinese folk music, and dance club music. A stunning video set, created by alumnus Tim Bartlett ’98, incorporated a montage of video accompaniments, including traditional Malaysian shadow puppetry, digitized images, and lasers effects. Grammy- nominated contemporary music and America’s leading brass group, Meridian Arts Ensemble, replaced the traditional orchestra for the performance.

ARTS COUNCIL INTERNSHIPS IN THE ARTS

In 2011, the Arts Council funded summer internships for six Middlebury students, including those below:

JJ Janikis ’11.5

Major: psychology and sociology Internship: San Francisco Mime Troupe / San Francisco, CA “I now know the com-plexities of running a small non-profit theater company and feel com-fortable participating in both the technical and creative process.”

Meghan Leathers ’13.5

Major: theatreInternship: Keen Company /New York City “My experiences this summer were invaluable to my education as an actress, and opened my eyes to the New York theater scene.”

Alexandra Vasquez ’12

Major: danceInternship: American Dance Festival / Durham, NC“Getting to see the work of amazing choreographers and the dancers that work with them persuaded me to consider being a professional dancer after Middlebury.”

HIGHLIGHTS IN DANCEThe Dance Company of Middlebury 2010–2011The Dance Company of Middlebury opened the year with performances of its new work—Culture, Cash and Com-munity—under the direction of Visiting Lecturer Christal Brown. The Company toured their concert to New Orleans at the end of January performing and teaching workshops at the Ashe Cultural Heritage Center in the 7th Ward, as well as attending a workshop offered by the People’s Institute for Undoing Racism.

Performing Arts SeriesBig APE (Big Action Perfor-mance Ensemble), directed by Artist in Residence Tiffany Rhynard, developed and present-ed Everyone Can Dance, inspired to resist the So You Think You Can Dance television show that purports to judge who can dance. The large multi-age, multi-ability cast included students, Vermont dance artists, and community members. Performances, open rehearsals, and week-long residencies were scheduled in Burlington, Montpelier, and at the Town Hall Theatre in Middlebury.

Big APE Takes Symposium by SurpriseDress rehearsal for the spring senior concert coincided with the grand opening of the 5th Annual Student Spring Sym-posium. A Flashmob, organized by Tiffany Rhynard, took over McCardell Bicentennial Hall at the end of a day of student presentations. Both President Liebowitz and Director of the Arts, Pieter Broucke, were seen dancing in the mob toward the end!

HIGHLIGHTS IN HARC

History of Art Moves to MCA In the fall of 2011, the History of Art program moved from the Johnson Building to the Mahaney Center for the Arts. Moving the

History of Art program to the MCA brought the department closer to the Museum of Art, an important teaching resource for Art History majors. History of Art’s newly configured space in the MCA now includes an office suite and four heavily

used classrooms. According to Pieter Broucke, relocating the History of Art program has already increased traffic in the MCA. More important, the move signals that the arts will play an increasingly important role in Middlebury’s institutional identity.

HIGHLIGHTS IN FILM & MEDIA CULTURE

Vermont International Film Festival Middlebury’s Film & Media Culture program had a strong presence at this year’s Vermont International Film Festival. Three films by department affiliates were screened: Midd senior Brad Becker-Parton screened his dra-matic short video, Where the Cold Creeps, Midd junior Andrew Ack-erman screened his short video, The Gun Show, and FMMC Visit-ing Media Production Instructor Daniel Houghton ’06 screened his animated short, 3rd of Life.In addition, a team of five students from FMMC participated in Sleepless in Burlington, the festi-val’s 24-Hour Film Competition. Hirschfield International Film Series In 2011, FMMC hosted two visiting filmmakers in conjunction with our Hirschfield International Film Series. Academy Award winner Rob Epstein screened his latest feature film Howl, based on the life of Beat poet Allen Ginsberg and starring James Franco. Ngawang Choepel screened his documentary Tibet in Song, which won a Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. Choephel introduced the screening and discussed his career,

including his time as a Fulbright Scholar at Middlebury.

HIGHLIGHTS IN MUSIC

Professor Su Lian Tan Premiers Chamber Opera, Lotus LivesFunded by the Arts CouncilThe original chamber opera, Lotus Lives, composed by Professor of Music Su Lian Tan, opened at the Mahaney Center for the Arts concert hall on Friday, September 30, and Sunday, October 2. This semi-autobio-graphical work explores Mandarin and Malay culture, following three generations of bold women. The performance featured Julliard graduate and mezzo-soprano lead singer Brenda Patterson along with soprano Miriam Gordon-Stewart. The music composed by Su Lian Tan incorporated ele-ments of rap, Chinese folk music, and dance club music. A stunning video set, created by alumnus Tim Bartlett ’98, incorporated a montage of video accompaniments, including traditional Malaysian shadow puppetry, digitized images, and lasers effects. Grammy- nominated contemporary music and America’s leading brass group, Meridian Arts Ensemble, replaced the traditional orchestra for the performance.

ARTS COUNCIL INTERNSHIPS IN THE ARTS

In 2011, the Arts Council funded summer internships for six Middlebury students, including those below:

JJ Janikis ’11.5

Major: psychology and sociology Internship: San Francisco Mime Troupe / San Francisco, CA “I now know the com-plexities of running a small non-profit theater company and feel com-fortable participating in both the technical and creative process.”

Meghan Leathers ’13.5

Major: theatreInternship: Keen Company /New York City “My experiences this summer were invaluable to my education as an actress, and opened my eyes to the New York theater scene.”

Alexandra Vasquez ’12

Major: danceInternship: American Dance Festival / Durham, NC“Getting to see the work of amazing choreographers and the dancers that work with them persuaded me to consider being a professional dancer after Middlebury.”

HIGHLIGHTS IN DANCEThe Dance Company of Middlebury 2010–2011The Dance Company of Middlebury opened the year with performances of its new work—Culture, Cash and Com-munity—under the direction of Visiting Lecturer Christal Brown. The Company toured their concert to New Orleans at the end of January performing and teaching workshops at the Ashe Cultural Heritage Center in the 7th Ward, as well as attending a workshop offered by the People’s Institute for Undoing Racism.

Performing Arts SeriesBig APE (Big Action Perfor-mance Ensemble), directed by Artist in Residence Tiffany Rhynard, developed and present-ed Everyone Can Dance, inspired to resist the So You Think You Can Dance television show that purports to judge who can dance. The large multi-age, multi-ability cast included students, Vermont dance artists, and community members. Performances, open rehearsals, and week-long residencies were scheduled in Burlington, Montpelier, and at the Town Hall Theatre in Middlebury.

Big APE Takes Symposium by SurpriseDress rehearsal for the spring senior concert coincided with the grand opening of the 5th Annual Student Spring Sym-posium. A Flashmob, organized by Tiffany Rhynard, took over McCardell Bicentennial Hall at the end of a day of student presentations. Both President Liebowitz and Director of the Arts, Pieter Broucke, were seen dancing in the mob toward the end!

hanks to the support of the Arts Council, the arts at Middlebury play a leading role in the life and culture of the College—one

in which the arts integrate with the academic disciplines, enrich the cultural landscape of our campus and community, and provide a lifelong source of inspiration.

January 2012

The Arts at MiddleburyHighlights from 2011

TEvery year our campus welcomes celebrated musicians, acclaimed artists, distinguished lecturers, and renowned directors to our concert venues, museums, lecture halls, and theatre. Exposure to artistic creation at the highest level encourages curiosity, creativity, and intellectual ambition—all essential for a broad foundation of knowledge and

a genuine liberal arts education. Exploration and discovery are at the core of Middlebury students’ four-year journey, and our programs in the arts provide them with unparalleled opportunities to fulfill their creative potential, challenge boundaries, and experiment with different modes of expression.

ARTS BY THE NUMBERS

53 Architectural Studies majors 31 Art History majors 11 Dance majors 35 Film & Media Culture majors 21 Music majors 10 Studio Art majors 42 Theatre majors

Over 300 events, from concerts and

plays to dance performances, art

exhibits and movies.

Bach Festival Brings Town and College TogetherThe first of its kind, this Festival brought the College and the town of Middlebury together, modeled after how the famous organist/composer worked in Leipzig over 275 years ago. Opening on Friday, May 6, with a Gala event at the Mahaney Center for the Arts, the Festival continued Saturday with all-day interest sessions and an exciting concert in Mead Chapel, finishing with performances of music by Bach in congregations through-out Middlebury on Sunday. Internationally-recognized Bach scholar Christoph Wolff of Harvard University offered a featured lecture on Saturday.

HIGHLIGHTS IN STUDIO ART

Cameron Visiting Artists Program Welcomes Accomplished ArtistsVisiting artists are a valuable component of the Middlebury Studio Program, providing insight and inspiration to our students and faculty. In 2011, Middlebury welcomed two celebrated artists who worked side-by-side with students on a suite of prints.

Mark Dion is known for making art out of fieldwork, incorporating elements of biology, archaeology, and ethnography. He has exhibited his work at the Miami Art Museum, Museum of Modern Art, New York, and the Tate Gallery, London.

Nina Lopez has exhibited her work at MoMA in NY, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art

in LA, the Museo Rufino Tamayo in Mexico City, the Denver Art Museum in Denver, CO, and most recently, The Guggenheim Museum, New York. Through her work in printmaking, drawing and installation, Lopez describes and reconfigures our contempo-rary—primarily urban—landscape.

HIGHLIGHTS IN THEATRE

Big Love Performance Fills the HouseBig Love, a play by OBIE Award-winning playwright Charles Mee, was performed over Homecoming Weekend. Directed by Assistant Professor of Theatre Claudio Medeiros ’90, the play spins an extravagantly emotional comedyabout 50 Greek brides who are betrothed to their American cousins against their will. Performed entirely by students, its three performances filled Wright Theater to capacity.

PTP/NYC Celebrates 25 Years

This past summer marked the 25th anniversary of the Potomac Theatre Project (PTP). Founded in 1987 by the artistic triumvirate of Cheryl Faraone, Jim Petosa and Richard Romagnoli, PTP/NYC celebrated their one-of-kind collaboration with Middlebury College by bringing two of their critically acclaimed shows to the Seeler Studio Theatre. Territories offered up two short plays of

politics and desire, The Spoils and a light gathering of dust. The second presentation of the weekend was Spatter Pattern, a psychological drama. The productions included more than a dozen Middle-bury alumni. After the Saturday evening performance, President Liebowitz joined a reception for the cast, crew, and audience.

MUSEUM OF ART

Friends of the Art Museum (FOAM) 40th Anniversary CelebrationThe Friends of the Art Museum (FOAM) celebrated 40 years of membership and support with a festive gala night on October 16. The party also celebrated a new exhibition, Friends Bearing Gifts: 40 Years of Acquisitions from the Friends of the Art Museum. After an evening of food, drink, and dancing the Friends cast their votes for this year’s addition to the museum’s art collection, and chose to purchase The Empty Wineglass, 1648, an oil panel by Dutch artist Issack Koedijk.

Comprised of community members, alumni, faculty, staff, students, and their families, the Friends have been instrumental in helping to build a permanent art collection for the College.