September Song
I’m stealing that title from a wistful Kurt Weill ballad that Frank Sinatra made famous—“it’s a long long while from May to December” and all that—but I’m not feeling wistful at all. Our September song at the Hylton Center is more about new beginnings than looking forward to quiet endings.
September is “kickoff” time for so many things. In the realm of sport, it’s Friday night lights, Saturday flights (a nod to the new NCAA Conference geography), and Sunday delights (or frights). In academia, it’s the traditional start of a new semester (though we’ve already been at it for a couple of weeks at Mason). In the arts, it’s the on-ramp to an express lane full of performances and exhibitions. And traffic is flowing freely.
As you browse through this newsletter I invite you to consider trying something new, adding something unfamiliar to your repertoire. If there’s a local or regional group you’ve heard about but never seen, there’s no better day to give them a try than September 10, the annual Arts Alive! festival that we co-host with the Prince William County Arts Council. Short performances, exhibitions, interactive fun for the whole family, and delicious food are the order of the day. There’s so much to do and see, and all the performances are free!
Or maybe you’ve been wondering about the artwork that is exhibited throughout the year in our Buchanan Partners Art Gallery. Here’s a chance to learn about the upcoming show from the artist himself.
If mind-blowing, ear-pleasing a cappella singing is your thing (or, to my earlier point, even if it isn’t) be sure to read about Voctave, one of the hottest groups out there in the jazz-pop-and-Broadway vocal field. I’ve seen and heard this ensemble in person and on record, and they are simply the best at what they do. And they have lots of fun doing it.
I could go on (as many of you know all too well). But September is a busy month and I’ve got places to go!
Thanks for reading, I’ll see you at the Hylton Center.
Rick Davis
Dean and Executive Director