"Confluence: A Duet of Words and Music."
Winslow |
From Beethoven to John Muir, artists have found inspiration for their creativity in nature. Today, to an unprecedented degree, the opportunities to experience solitude, open space, and unfettered wilderness have dwindled. Rather than embrace wilderness, we more often buffer ourselves from it; and by doing so deny this source of creative nourishment.
We present two accomplished Montana artists, a musician and a writer, who credit wild places, and experiences in nature, for much of their creative and artistic inspiration. Stuat Weber's classical guitar, and Alan Kesselheim's words flow as much from landscapes and the power of wide, quiet spaces, as they come from the inner wellsprings of creativity. This exploration at the frontier of shared passion and distinct artistic perspectives results in stimulating and provocative performances. In a unique blending of artistic expression, these performers weave together a medly of readings and musical compositions to evoke in the listener the fundamental natural themes which infuse the artists' work. This duet of contrasting art forms has in common the current of great rivers, the exhilaration of wind-buffeted peaks, and the quiet awe of a moonless prairie night.
This intriguing performance combination of music and letters is available for touring. Please contact:
Bridger Artists, Inc.
111 S. Grand Ave, Suite 202B, Bozeman, MT 59715.
PH: (406) 522-0707 Email: info@bridgerartists.com
The Making of "CONFLUENCE"
In 2001, the coordinator of an Arts & Letters series in Wisconsin contacted Stuart Weber and Alan Kesselheim with a request for a concert. Problem was, they didn't know each other, had never worked together, and were only vaguely familiar with each other's work. In fact, the whole concept seemed a stretch, if not an outright blunder.
What this coordinator was after was a concert that featured a combination of music (Stuart's classical guitar) and literature (Alan's writing). She had heard Stuart play and read one of Alan's books, realized that they lived in the same part of Montana, and had a brainstorm. Let's put these guys together and let them perform, she thought.
Weber and Kesselheim were already well established professionals. Weber has spent decades touring North American concert halls, including the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. The Denver Post calls him "a western original". Kesselheim is the award-winning author of eight books, along with hundreds of essays and articles published in national magazines. The Boulder Daily Camera lauded Kesselheim's "perceptive observations recorded with the eye of a naturalist and the ear of a poet."
Despite their career successes, when this out-of-the-blue opportunity presented itself, it was hard for them to resist. Kesselheim and Weber were flattered. They were intrigued. And they were more than a little stymied. What sort of concert would this be? How would two very separate art forms work together? What would audiences think?
Luckily, they were intrigued enough to take the suggestion seriously, and to start exploring the concept. What has emerged out of the experiment is Confluence: A Duet of Words and Music, a unique expression of creativity which marries two bodies of work in a compelling and provocative format.
The two artists pull from their western roots and wilderness experiences for much of their material. They juxtapose pieces inspired by shared pieces of geography and similar outdoor themes. Weber and Kesselheim have also integrated their pieces, weaving together a tapestry of image and sound that evokes something entirely fresh and original and stunningly unique.
Audiences have responded enthusiastically to the collaboration. Weber and Kesselheim have performed formal, 90-minute concerts in music halls, they've worked with school groups, and have entertained at conferences and museums.
Photograph
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