International, National and Regional Stars Highlight OTCA’s 11th Holiday Season in Old Town Cottonwood
Cottonwood AZ (November 15, 2018) – The Old Town Center for the Arts is pleased to announce a preview of upcoming performances for the 2018 Holiday season. International, regional and local talent bring fun, entertainment and celebration to OTCA’s December events.
OTCA has the distinction of completing ten previous seasons, presenting over 520 concert and cultural events, drawing performing artists from every continent except Antarctica. In addition to making a contribution to the cultural and entertainment scene in Verde Valley, OTCA has also produced and hosted many festival and community events devoted to education and sustainability.
Here are a few highlights of the coming 2018 Holiday season, with ticket information provided below:
Alta Kai – Saturday, December 1, 7:00 PM
The renowned Altai Kai, the ‘Master Throat Singers from the Republic of Altai” is a group of musicians, who sing their ancient folk songs accompanied by traditional hand made instruments. The Republic of Altai is situated in the Altai Mountains in the very center of Asia at the junction of the Siberian taiga, the steppes of Kazakhstan and the semi-deserts of Mongolia.
The throat singing group was founded in 1997 by Urmat Yntaev, with the goal of preserving and cultivating the traditional culture of the Republic of Altai, in particular the various styles of throat singing known as kai. Their velvety kargyraa (the lowest style of throat singing), mesmerizing khoomei (middle range throat singing), and melodic sygyt (highest range throat singing) place the listener amidst forests of singing birds, gurgling brooks, and the growls of nighttime predators. Stories of nature’s beauty and mighty folk heroes are accompanied by jocular melodies, dancing rhythms, and shamanic mysteries. The narrators skillfully relate traditional, sacred tales and epics of centuries past.
Caravan Dreams – Theatrical Bellydance Concert – Saturday, December 8, 7:00 PM
Caravan Dreams, the annual theatrical bellydance showcase, features many of the best Middle Eastern dance artists in Northern Arizona. Come enjoy an enchanting evening and a mesmerizing journey thru traditional, classical and modern music and dances of the Orient, sure to enliven your senses with the awe, wonder and magic of the holiday season.
“Winter Dreams” with R. Carlos Nakai, William Eaton and Will Clipman – Friday, December 14 and Saturday, December 15, 7:00 PM
Sponsored by the Best Western Cottonwood Inn
Join R. Carlos Nakai, William Eaton, and Will Clipman in exploration of answers to the question “Does Winter Dream”? Yes Winter Dreams, according to our ancestors who believed that all things were animate and participating in the ongoing dance of life. Following the sun, our indigenous relatives in the Northern hemisphere observed the sun’s emergence in the morning from far off to the east, its arc across the sky, and its submersion into the earth to the far west.
During the short days and dark nights of winter the sun spent much time underground, nourishing the roots of the plant world with its warmth and vitality. We also spent more time in the dark, close to the earth, replenishing our spirits. The Solstice was a time of storytelling, to one another and to the earth, and all it’s inhabitants, landscapes, rocks, plants, sky, seen and unseen. Certainly it was a time to renew our ideas, mythologies and beliefs. And it was a time to coax the sun back to its higher arc. In celebration of the Solstice, the trio will present a special tribute to our Native and indigenous ancestors, and the annual observation of this winter ritual.
Annual Winter Solstice Concert – Friday, December 21, 7:00 PM
This years Annual Winter Solstice Concert features the return of the incomparable Celtic Indian Arvel Bird. Joining Arvel for this evening of songs for the season are Earth Speak featuring William Eaton, Susannah Martin, Claudia Tulip and Bart Applewhite, and Kaleah, and Kimberly Kelley.
Arvel Bird, named by the prestigious Cowboy and Indian Magazine, as one of their top 4 favorite Native American Musicians, along with Buffy St. Marie and R. Carlos Nakai, is a violinist, flutist and composer who brings to life the dramatic connection between Native American and Celtic traditions, stirring up scenes that echo from North American memory.
In addition to playing his own music Arvel will weave his way in and out of the music selections brought by all of the performers to create a ‘holiday music in the round’ that expresses the spiritual traditions of many cultures that share a passion for music.
Mark your calendars and join us for these and other upcoming events at Old Town Center for the Arts. For ticket information and to learn more about the concerts, classes at Studio B and community events at OTCA please visit www.oldtowncenter.org. Tickets are available online at www.showtix4u.com, in Cottonwood at Desert Dancer and Mount Hope Natural Foods; and in Sedona at The Literate Lizard Bookstore. Old Town Center for the Arts is located at 5th Street & Main in Old Town Cottonwood. For more information please visit oldtowncenter.org or call Elena Bullard at 928.634.0940.
