Pianist composing new friendships through music
Pianist and composer Ruth Shyu of Burbank will perform a free concert
as an act of friendship at 3 p.m. Sunday at Brand Library and Art
Center in Glendale.
She received the 2002 Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Music
Intern honor. On the internship, she worked with Alf Clausen,
composer for “The Simpsons,” and Jonathan Wolff, composer for “Will &
Grace.”
She is a graduate of Berklee College of Music, where she majored
in film scoring with an instrumental specialization in piano.
Shyu moved here from Boston a year ago and is starting her own
Burbank Piano School offering private lessons in classical piano
performance, jazz piano performance, improvisation and composition.
“I want to introduce myself to new people,” she said. “Music is a
way for me to extend my friendship.”
She will play original works as well as those by Chopin,
Rachmaninoff and Schubert.
One of her original works, “The Red Vineyard,” was inspired by a
Van Gogh painting, she said. People are working in a vineyard at
sunset.
“It gives me such a warm feeling about work, life, the Earth and
abundance,” she said, “because it looks like a family who is working
in the vineyard. The ordinariness of it is so extraordinary.”
Seating at the concert is limited to 150 on a first-come,
first-served basis. Brand Library and Art Galleries is in Brand Park,
1601 W. Mountain St., Glendale. For more information, call 846-7968.
SPECIAL EVENTS
NATURE DEPICTED IN DESCANSO EXHIBIT
Descanso Gardens’ Boddy House Gallery features depictions of
nature from four artists through Sept. 25.
Trish Kertes returns to the gallery with “Flowers and Fields,
Mountains and Streams -- The Painted Landscape,” a collection of
landscapes and still lifes in oil. Kertes is an award-winning
plein-air painter whose works recall Impressionist painters and the
world of early California artists.
In addition to her art, Kertes is a licensed marriage and family
therapist who specializes in working with young children with
disabilities.
As an artist and therapist, she tries to foster positive emotions
in her clients. Collectors have told her they hang her paintings in
places where they are seen first thing in the morning, setting a
positive mood for their day. Other clients have said they use them as
an image for meditation.
Leona Sanderson, who taught art in La Canada public schools for 37
years, exhibits watercolors featuring floral renderings with
still-life objects including antiques.
Jim Heuston is exhibiting ceramics. Heuston has taught for four
years at the Roger Barkley Community Center in La Canada Flintridge.
Chris Hogan shows his gourds that have been transformed into
colorful, contemporary reflections of Navajo artifacts.
Visitors have an opportunity to meet with the artists, at least
one of whom is at the gallery during open hours. The gallery is on
the main floor of the 22-room mansion built in 1937 as a family home
by Descanso Gardens founder E. Manchester Boddy. It is open 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m. daily and admission is free with gardens admission.
Descanso Gardens is at 1418 Descanso Drive, La Canada Flintridge.
The gardens are open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Parking is free. Admission
fees are $6 for adults; $4 for seniors and students; $1.50 for
children 5 to 12, and free for members and children 4 and younger.
For information call 949-4200 or visit www.descansogardens.org.
MEDIA DANCE CENTER HAS DANCE-A-THON
Media Dance Center in Burbank is having a Dance-A-Thon from 10
a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday to raise money for Media City Ballet’s
performance of “The Nutcracker” at The Alex Theatre in Glendale.
Participants can dance all day to a variety of popular and
classical music for a minimum flat fee of $40 or they can collect
individual sponsor pledges of $2 to $10 per dance or challenge
performance. Every two hours beginning at noon, the center will host
the specialties part of the Dance-A-Thon, showcasing dance skills in
tap, jazz, hip-hop and ballet with prizes for the winning
contestants.
Dancers must bring a completed sponsor sheet with them to the
event in order to register. All dancers are welcome. Call the dance
center at 972-9692 for more information. Media Dance Center is at 237
E. Palm Ave., Burbank.
TOLUCA LAKE ART FAIRE PLANNED FOR SUNDAY
Artists showing their works and live entertainment are planned for
the second annual Toluca Lake Art Faire from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday along Riverside Drive between Clybourn Avenue and Forman
Street in Toluca Lake.
A Pancake Breakfast kicks off the day’s festivities from 8 to
10:30 a.m. behind the Ramsey Shilling building, 10205 River- side
Drive. Tickets are $8.50.
More than 100 artisans will be displaying, including painters,
sculptors, watercolorists, glass blowers, potters, jewelers,
mixed-media artists and more.
There will be an awards ceremony for the artists at noon on Talofa
Avenue. The live music begins at 12:30 p.m. and continues throughout
the day.
CARNIVAL RAISES FUNDS FOR ALZHEIMER’S GROUP
The Alzheimer’s Carnival, hosted by Glen-Park Retirement
Communities, will be from 1 to 4 p.m. today at 1220 Mariposa St. in
Glendale.
The carnival’s theme will be “Proud to be an American” and will
feature games, prizes and entertainment for the whole family. For
more information, call 242-9000. All proceeds will go to the
Alzheimer’s Assn.
NAIROBI TRIO PLUS 2 APPEARS IN JAZZ SERIES
The Nairobi Trio Plus 2 will be featured in the monthly Jazz
Celebrations concert at 5 p.m. Sunday sponsored by the First Lutheran
Church in Glendale.
Artists in the group are Larry Muradian on bass, Jeff Donavan on
drums, Kye Palmer on trumpet, Curtus Brengle on piano and Chuck
Manning on saxophone.
The group’s current CD, “Straight Ahead,” features tunes from John
Coltrane’s “Grand Central” and “Lazy Bird,” Lee Morgan’s “Party Time”
as well as hits by Wayne Shorter, Dave Brubeck, Cannonball Adderly
and others.
The church is at 1300 E. Colorado St., Glendale. A free-will
offering will be taken. For more information, call 240-9000.
DAYTIME ACTORS HELP CHILDREN WITH CANCER
Actors from the daytime drama “General Hospital” and others will
support the Evening with the Stars cocktail party fund-raiser from 7
to 10 p.m. Sunday at the Ivar in Los Angeles, benefiting the Desi
Geestman Foundation.
The La Crescenta-based organization supports local families whose
finances are stretched while a child battles cancer.
Geestman died Jan. 19, 1999, of invasive neuroblastoma, which
spreads from the bone marrow to major organs. Her mother, with
support from others in the community, created the Desi Geestman
Foundation to help other families.
The Ivar is at 6356 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles. For more
information, call 249-1105.
ON STAGE
‘LATE NIGHT CATECHISM’ PRODUCED AT FALCON
“Late Night Catechism” is continuing in an open-ended run at 7:30
p.m. each Sunday at The Falcon Theatre in Burbank.
It was written by Vicki Quade and Maripat Donovan. Directed by
Marc Silvia, the interactive comedy features an irrepressible
“Sister” teaching a class of “students” (the audience). Parochial
school was never this funny!
The Falcon is at 4252 River- side Drive, Burbank. Tickets are $25.
For reservations, call 955-8101.
‘DAMN YANKEES’ ARE UP TO BAT
“Damn Yankees” is continuing this weekend at Glendale Centre
Theatre.
Written by Abbot, Wallop, Adler and Ross, the musical is about one
fan’s attempt to save his favorite baseball team. It has entertained
numerous generations since it first premiered on Broadway. The run
continues through Oct. 11. Tickets range from $16 to $20.
For the children, “Jack and the Beanstalk” by Byron Simpson
continues at 11 a.m. Saturdays through Nov. 15. Tickets are $12 and
$10 for children.
For reservations, call 244-8481. Glendale Centre Theatre is at 324
N. Orange St., Glendale.
‘TOYS IN THE ATTIC’ ENDS AT COLONY
The Colony Theatre Company’s “Toys in the Attic” by Lillian
Hellman ends its run Sunday at the Burbank Center Stage.
Directing the play is acclaimed director Jessica Kubzansky.
Funny while poignant, the play illustrates what happens after two
sisters discover their ne’er-do-well brother is suddenly wildly
successful.
Show times are 8 tonight and 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday. Tickets range
from $23 to $32. For reservations, call 558-7000. The Burbank Center
Stage is at 555 N. Third St., Burbank.
MUSICAL ‘ANNIE’ CONTINUES THIS WEEKEND
Stepping Stone Players are producing the musical “Annie” with Emma
Degerstedt in the starring role. Michael Le Beau is playing Daddy
Warbucks in this community theater production continuing this weekend
at Hoover High School’s Auditorium in Glendale.
Show times are 7 tonight and 2 p.m. Sunday. Performances continue
Friday, Sept. 20 and 21 at the Hoover High School Auditorium, 651
Glenwood Road in Glendale. Matinee performances Sunday and Sept. 21
will be interpreted in American Sign Language. Tickets are $10. Group
rates are available. For ticket information, e-mail
info@steppingstoneplayers.com, call 246-8822, or go online at
www.steppingstoneplayers.com.
ART EXHIBITS
ANIMALS AND ANIMATION IN EXHIBIT
Animation and animals are featured in an exhibit completing its
run today at White’s Gallery in Montrose.
“Animalia” is the title for the show featuring works of three
artists, James Worthy, Jean Paul Orpinas and Romy Muirhead.
Worthy, who draws for Nickelodeon, shows his animal character
pencil illustrations. Orpinas, who works for Disney Studios, exhibits
sketches of animals from the Los Angeles Zoo. Muirhead brings her
paintings of giraffes.
Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today. The gallery is at 2414
Honolulu Ave., Montrose. For more information, call 957-4071.
PENELOPE’S HAS NEW ARTISTS
Penelope’s Cafe, Books and Gallery is showcasing the works of two
artists. Mary Tracy of La Canada Flintridge is displaying her
collage works made with recycled materials while Catherine Parkinson,
also of La Canada Flintridge, is showing her photography.
Tracy has been making framed art pieces, art cards and bookmarks
for several years. She finds energy from taking discarded marketing
textile items and transforming them into part of art.
Parkinson won an award from the National Geographic magazine when
she entered its first photography contest a few years ago.
The exhibit ends Monday. Penelope’s Cafe is at 1029 Foothill
Blvd., La Canada Flintridge. For more information, call 790-4386.
‘POLISH EXPRESSIONS’ AT FOREST LAWN MUSEUM
“The Art of a People -- Polish Expressions,” featuring works of
three renowned artists of Polish descent, is continuing at the Forest
Lawn Museum in Glendale.
Contemporary artists Danuta Rothschild and Jerzy Skolimowski will
show large paintings and will be featured in a video about their life
and work. Jan Styka is known for painting the “Crucifixion” at the
Hall of the Crucifixion- Resurrection at Forest Lawn. The exhibit
will have artifacts and a 5-foot-high by 20-foot-long version of the
Crucifixion painting shown in the half-round as it was originally
intended when it was created.
The exhibit is free and continues through Nov. 16. The museum is
open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Forest Lawn Glendale is at 1712 S.
Glendale Ave., Glendale. For more information, call (800) 204-3131.
ARTISTS SHOW OPPOSITE STYLES AT BRAND GALLERIES
Two artists portraying the figure in opposite styles are
exhibiting beginning today at the Brand Galleries in Glendale.
Zhenya Gershman’s nearly life-size interpretations of contemporary
male and female forms are painted in the artist’s unique use of her
oil media placing them in their own visual world.
For her “Men in Tutus” series, Miriam L. Preissel hired a
professional choreographer, make-up artist and costumer to photograph
19 unlikely men invited to appear in tutus on a dramatically lighted
stage.
The exhibit ends Oct. 18. The galleries are in Brand Park, 1601
W. Mountain St., Glendale. Hours are 1 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and
Thursday; 1 to 6 p.m. Wednesday; and 1 to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
For more information, call 548-2051.
VILLAGE SQUARE OWNER FEATURED IN SHOW
Gallery owner Charles Borman of Glendale joins in a group show
titled “The American Landscape,” at his Village Square Gallery in
Montrose.
There are 18 artists exhibiting, including Walter Askin, Gerald
Brommer, Meredith Olson, Shirley Pettibone, Al Porter and Bonese
Collins Turner.
Borman is a former professor at Cal State Los Angeles. Emeriti
Professor Borman opened Village Square Gallery in 1995 after his
retirement. The gallery has been opened since 1995.
This exhibit features paintings, drawings, prints, pastels,
collage and mixed media.
The artists’ reception is from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Hours are 1 to
5 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and by appointment. The exhibit
closes Oct. 4. The gallery is at 2418 Honolulu Ave., Suite C, in
Montrose. For more information, call 541-9952.
PHOTOGRAPHER SHOWS WORKS OF NEW YORK
Los Angeles photographer Rick Penn-Kraus’ exhibit, titled “New
York: B&W; Photos from Before You-Know-When,” continues at the Wax
Poetic salon and art gallery in Burbank.
In addition to being an art photographer, Penn-Kraus is design
director at the international public relations firm Hill & Knowlton.
His photography has appeared on the covers of numerous national
best-selling books.
The exhibit continues through Oct. 20. Wax Poetic is at 3208 W.
Magnolia Blvd., Burbank. For more information, call 843-9469.
CLAY AND GLASS WORKS IN EXHIBIT
The Decorative Arts Guild presents “Clay and Glass,” an exhibition
and sale of clay and glass art, at the Creative Arts Center Gallery
in Burbank.
Twenty artists represent the guild in this show continuing through
Sept. 25. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday,
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and call the gallery for Saturday hours at
238-5397. The gallery is at 1100 W. Clark Ave., Burbank.
A LITTLE JAZZ WITH DINNER
RESTAURANT OFFERS MUSIC FROM ‘20s, ‘30s, ‘40s
The Oceanview Bar and Grill offers live entertainment six nights a
week for diners.
Entertainers perform a combination of piano and jazz guitar
pieces, and some accompany with vocals. Musical selections include a
mix of music from the 1920s, ‘30s and ‘40s to opera to Celine Dion.
Some entertainers also perform their original pieces and invite
diners to sing along with them.
Jennifer Russell and Michael Gayle sing jazz while playing piano
and guitar from 7 to 10 tonight. Singing behind the piano the rest of
the week are Bill Howe on Monday; Travis Warren on Tuesday; Mary
Ekler on Wednesday; Alexandra Caselli on Thursday; and Bob Fetherolf
on Friday.
The Oceanview Bar and Grill is at 3826 Ocean View Blvd., Montrose.
For more information, call 248-2722.
JAX OFFERS SUPPER, JAZZ EVERY NIGHT
Jax Bar and Grill is a supper club offering live jazz every night
of the week.
Show times are 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Thursday; 9 p.m.
to 1:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday; and 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Sunday.
Happy Hour Jazz is 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
Tonight, the spotlight shines on Gashouse Dave and The Hardtails.
Preston Smith & The Alligators performs Sunday. The schedule for the
week is Marty Harris Trio on Monday; Fred Horn Quartet on Tuesday;
Frank Wilson Group on Wednesday, Jack Sheldon on Thursday; and the
Banda Brothers on Friday.
Jax is at 339 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale. For more information, call
500-1604.
MUSEUMS
BURBANK HISTORICAL SOCIETY OFFERS EXHIBITS OF BURBANK
The Burbank Historical Society’s Gordon R. Howard Museum Complex
features exhibits of early Burbank. There are extensive collections
of vintage vehicles, costumes, dolls, cameras and special sections on
the history of Lockheed, Disney and Warner Bros. studios.
Hours are from 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays.
Admission is free, but donations are accepted. The complex is at
1015 W. Olive Ave., Burbank.
For more information, call 841-6333.
BURBANK MUSEUM DEDICATED TO AVIATION
Burbank Aviation Museum is dedicated to the memory of the men and
women who made aviation history in the San Fernando Valley.
Located at Pierce Brothers Valhalla Cemetery, artifacts are
displayed in the Portal of the Folded Wings-Shrine to Aviation, an
ornate domed building that is listed on the National Register of
Historic Places.
Visitors can enter on Valhalla Boulevard behind Fry’s Electronics,
off Hollywood Way or use the main entrance at 10621 Victory Blvd.
The Portal building is accessible from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily for
viewing the cenotaphs and burial stones.
The aviation displays can be viewed from noon to 4 p.m. on
Sundays. Admission is free, but donations are accepted. For more
information, call 845-3300.
* If you have press releases for the 48 Hours column, please call
JOYCE RUDOLPH at 637-3241 or e-mail joyce.rudolph@latimes.com or fax
them to 241-1975.