Festivals

Glass Heart CD Year after year, they hit it out of the ballpark. We are talking about key players of the Telluride Musicfest, now entering its 9th season. Recently, Musicfest's artistic director Maria Bachmann and her Trio Solisti colleague, Jon Klibonoff received raves from a Fanfare critic for their premiere performance of Philip Glass's "First Violin Sonata," on their latest CD, Glass Heart.

"Strongly recommended for recorded sound that transmits the subtlety and dynamic range of the performances, for repertoire astutely chosen to illuminate the program’s central work, and for insightful and convincing readings of Schubert’s and Ravel’s sonatas," Fanfare

With the sensuous cellist Alexis Pia Gerlach, the Trio Solisti is the heart and soul of Telluride Musicfest, this year, June 22 – July 3.

Timmy, leading the faithful
Timmy O'Neill leads the faithful, 2010

After record attendance and extraordinary critical acclaim last year, Mountainfilm in Telluride is poised for yet another bumper year. Even prior to the announcement of officially accepted films, the festival is garnering more interest, inquiries, support and sales than ever, according to Executive Director Peter Kenworthy. He predicts that the Memorial Day weekend event will sell out this year and attributes the event’s growing popularity, in large part, to the programming prowess of Mountainfilm’s festival director, David Holbrooke.

“David has an unusually extensive network of connections in diverse worlds – those of independent
filmmakers, writers and artists, foreign policy experts, media personalities, activists and athletes – that
he draws on," explains Kenworthy. "And he has a great eye both for compelling films and for mixing and matching guest presenters so that they fully engage and complement each other. It’s a winning combination and we’re definitely seeing the benefit.”

Extended List of Activists, Artists and Adventurers Includes Tim DeChristopher, Greg
Mortenson 
 

Tim DeChristopher
Tim DeChristopher

In keeping with the 2011 Moving Mountains Symposium theme of “Awareness into Action,” Mountainfilm in Telluride announced a series of special guests that Festival Director David Holbrooke says, “have all committed their lives to rolling up their sleeves and making a serious difference in the world.” Holbrooke added that he hopes their example will “not only inspire our audiences but also provide a clear road map for how they can get involved as well.”
 
Not everyone will follow in the footsteps of Tim DeChristopher, who was recently convicted by a federal court of making false bids on energy leases. But his presence at Mountainfilm this May, a month before his scheduled sentencing, will certainly help galvanize festival audiences. Tim will speak not only about the urgency of addressing global climate change but also why non-violent civil disobedience is so essential in these troubled times.

Terry Tempest Williams heads list of activists, artists and adventurers 
 
 The annual Mountainfilm in Telluride festival is always about much more than just powerful films. What really sets the event apart is the depth and breadth of its line-up of special guest presenters. The 33rd annual event, May 27 – 30, 2011, is no exception to the rule. Festival Director David Holbrooke feels that once again, the quality of the guests, plus the rare opportunity for audiences to engage and interact, will make the long weekend especially exciting and unique.
 
“Our theme this year is awareness into action,” Holbrooke said. “So we were particularly looking for special guests who can both motivate our audiences – engage and energize them – but also give them practical, hands-on help in actually becoming involved in critical issues. We want people to have much better tools for making a difference when they leave this year’s festival.”
 
Holbrooke is looking forward to welcoming Terry Tempest Williams back to Telluride.

 

Wayne, booth MOUNTAIN VILLAGE, CO, January 7, 2011 -- The Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association (TMVOA), sponsors and organizers of the Telluride Festival of the Arts (TFA) announced today the dates for 2011, which will take place Friday, Aug. 12 through Sunday, Aug. 14. The TFA celebrates the visual and culinary arts and will play host to over 5,000 local, regional and national visitors. Highlights of the event include nationally juried professional visual artists and the signature “Grand Tasting” event showcasing renowned culinary establishments, spirits and wineries.

Visual artists are invited to go online now and apply to be one of the exhibitors at the 2011 TFA. Prospectus and application are available at http://www.Zapplication.org, where artists create an online artist profile, prepare and upload images, and complete the online application. The deadline for application is midnight (MST) on Tuesday, February 22, 2011. The Cherry Creek Arts Festival, one of the nation’s most respected and competitive juried arts festivals, produces the show. The exhibition experience for the visual artists is like none other and includes breathtaking mountain views in a European-style resort town with a year-round population of second and third homeowners that embrace the visual arts. The artists' success and exhibition experience are the core values and measurements of success for the Telluride Festival of the Arts.

Trailblazers+Sam, 2010
Red Knuckles & the Trailblazers,
plus Sam Bush, TBF 2010

It's always exciting to see the preliminary lineup for the coming year's Telluride Bluegrass Festival. As we go through the list we look for favorites returning, and performers we don't know so well making the list, maybe for the first time.

This year's early release is no different. Brian Eyster of Planet Bluegrass cautions that there will be additions to the list, but this is the TBF lineup as we know it now. Got your tickets yet?

Awareness into Action: Galamsey     Telluride locals David Byars and Jenny Jacobi left last year's Mountainfilm with the same inspiration and desire to do good that many take away from Telluride's film and philanthropy festival. Not wanting to lose this feeling, they began a serious...

IMG_2253 Five Mountainfilm in Telluride grantees, from a field of 75 filmmakers, photographers, and adventurers, each receive $5,000 and an Apple laptop computer to help with new projects that key into Mountainfilm’s mission to educate and inspire audiences about issues that matter. The grants are the first made under the new Mountainfilm Commitment initiative designed to help ensure that important stories are told – and heard.

“The projects we’re supporting with grants cover very diverse ground but we think each are really worthy, compelling and vital,” said Mountainfilm Executive Director Peter Kenworthy. “We were at real pains to narrow the field because we were presented with such outstanding applications. We think our top five choices reflect the kind of breadth, depth and excellence that Mountainfilm strives for in its programming. We couldn’t be more pleased or excited to be partnering with them.”