UCSD Arts Libraries

8th Annual Toy Piano Festival!

Hosted by toy piano guy Scott Paulson!
Join us on Friday, September 5 at noon, in the Geisel Library building in the Seuss Room area (main floor of Library building).

Why does this date make so much sense for this show? September 5 is American composer John Cage’s birthday and among his many musical feats: he was the first to write a serious work for toy piano!

At this toy piano festival you’ll hear everything from John Cage to Dr. Seuss to new works from local composers. With featured composers & performers: Ryoko Amadee Goguen, Kenneth Herman, Wesley Hawkins, Christian Hertzog, Sue Palmer, Scott Paulson, and Matt Swagler.

Come early–or else you’ll have to sit on the floor (the toy piano performers have to sit on the floor, so certainly you’ll be in good company there!)

The Toy Piano Collection at Geisel Library consists of instruments, audio recordings, commissioned scores and extant works for toy piano. In 2001, because of the many activities at The Toy Piano Collection (and mostly because of Jim Soe Nyun and the Music & Media Catalogers here at Geisel) the Library of Congress issued a special subject heading and call number for Toy Piano Scores: M 175 T69. We continue to celebrate the toyful noise!
For more info call (858) 822-5758

Reccomended Blogs For Art Reviews

ARLIS NA Professional Resources Editor Kraig Binkowski has this to say about this great new delicious page!

“I am pleased to announce that the links that comprised the recently released Art Bib online publication: Recommended Blogs for Art Reviews have been incorporated into a dedicated Del.icio.us page and can be accessed at: http://del.icio.us/arlisnaPUBS/ArtReviews

In Del.icio.us, all of the links from this Art Bib publication have been bundled under the tag ArtReviews and individual locations can easily be accessed in the unbundled tags section of the sidebar. It is the hope of the Communications & Publications Committee that this use of a social networking and tagging site will make this specific Art Bib publication more vital and useful as well as release it to a wider audience.”

RIP Manny Farber

Please take the time to read this NYT obituary chronicling just some of this local artist and film critic’s long life..Manny Farber, Iconoclastic Film Critic and Artist, Dies at 91

Or read it in full after the jump.
UPDATE: Steve just told me about this great piece on Fresh Air
Continue reading RIP Manny Farber…

Short Attention Span Chamber Music Series

The next installment of the SAS series will be August 20th in the alcove outside the Seuss Room in Geisel Library at 12:30 for a short live concert of unusual movie music. Just music, no movies. It’s the best possible way for us to answer some intriguing movie-music questions:

What is the secret musical ingredient needed for a good spaghetti Western?

Why does the best music in American Westerns rely so heavily on the pentatonic scale of Japanese folk music?

Why is it that the most beautiful Henry Mancini movie tune I’ve ever heard from a film that I never heard of?

Where do the best cliché tunes for silent film come from?

The Arts Library staff will answer all these questions at the show. Please join us!

Beijing’s Terminal Three

Architecture Week has an interesting write up on Beijing’s Terminal Three–part of the massive work being done surrounding the upcoming Olympics.

Objectified

From the filmmaker who brought us Helvetica, comes a new project on Industrial Design and the people who make it. Very exciting, look for it to come out in 2009, but for now, stay caught up through their blog.

Architectural Jelly Design Competition Winners

This leaves me slightly speechless…who knew?

The winner, by Anna Liu (it’s a jelly version of Fresh Flower, the mobile pavilion designed for the London Festival of Design 2008):

and more..

Via Dezeen via NOTCOT

Short Attention Span Chamber Music Series

The Short Attention Span Chamber Music Series returns to Geisel Library on Wednesday, July 23 at 12:30 p.m. on the main floor near the Seuss Room. Series director Scott Paulson on oboe plays his favorite baroque sonatas with help from David Savage on bassoon and Christian Hertzog on harpsichord.

At this popular series, library musicians and some of their favorite patrons pull sheet music from the library stacks & then the musicians perform live in a cosy, friendly setting. Stick around afterwards and the Arts Library staff will show you how to look up further information about the music.

And there’s more! Here are the dates for upcoming shows:

Wednesday, August 6, 12:30 p.m.
Wind Synthesizer virtuoso Robert Williams plays live in the lobby near the Seuss Room.

Wednesday, August 20, 12:30 p.m.
Short Attention Span All-Stars play selections from their favorite composers in the lobby near the Seuss Room.

Etch-A-Sketch!

The exhibit is currently under construction and we want your help:Come borrow an Etch-A-Sketch!

See the staff at the Arts Library Ref Desk to borrow an Etch-A-Sketch, then create a sketch on the toy & we’ll place it in the exhibit case.

Visit us throughout the month of July and August (lower level, West wing, Geisel Library) to borrow an Etch-A-Sketch. Come back often to see the ever-changing gallery of sketches. Learn some secrets about this artful toy!

The Etch-A-Sketch, a popular educational toy, was introduced in the U.S. in 1960. The maker of the toy, the Ohio Art company, is currently celebrating its 100th anniversary.

Public Works: Music For Libraries

08.08.08 listen for the carillon and an original piece by 6th College student Braden Diotte.

Visit his MySpace page for more info