4 ARTS rho Michigan Daily ___ Students have a Friday, December 8, 1989 Page 8 4 voice A capella Amazin' Blue gains recognition BY LYNNE COHN "WE have a kind of inspired lunacy about us," said graduate student Keith Chaffee. "It's definitely a learn- ing experience, though, and I'm having a great time." He is referring to the co-ed, 12-member a cappella singing group of which he is a member, Amazin' Blue. The group, which has been struggling for success since October 1987, has finally earned official University Ac- tivities Center committee status. This year.seems to be a turning point in many ways for Amazin' Blue. By the end of last year, they had re- tained only two original members, causing them to hold auditions for ten new spots this fall. "It's difficult only in that we have to teach our music to all the members instead of just a few new ones," said member Anna Callahan. "However, it's actually great for the group. We definitely have higher quality musicians this year." Amazin' Blue, started by a graduate student from Yale, wanted desperately to be a UAC committee. The group earned a two-year probationary status during which they performed as much as possible to gain recognition. It worked. Now Amazin' Blue, as a full- fledged UAC committee, is becoming recognized more and more on campus. "We produce a spring and a winter concert every year," said Callahan. "We are striving to point our mu- sie and arrangements more toward the musicianship rather than pleasing the audience." Callahan wrote some of the music that the group performs. One song entitled "Blind, Deaf, and Dumb," whose lyrics were composed by Chaffee and Fred Clarke, will be performed at tonight's show. Stronger ties are forming within the group, as they are trying to do more together. Amazin' Blue had its first retreat this fall at member Sarah Jackson's farm. They spent time getting to know one another and, of course, singing. The group rehearses four hours per week and one hour for each section, although their prac- tice time has skyrocketed as the show looms closer. Even though they have no director or faculty assistance, they seem to be doing just fine. Clarke, a new member, said, "I have seen Amazin' Blue perform since 1987 and watched them improve ev- ery year. I was impressed to see so much talent. I con- sider it an honor to be a new member. It's hard for me to believe that I am now a part of the Amazin' Blue awesomeness." The members like to push themselves to do difficult pieces. They do improvisational warm-ups, perform a mix of music, and continue to learn from each other. The group has produced a tape called Amazin' Blue's Little Black Box, which is available for $6 at tonight's show, and they are looking forward to their first tour this spring. "Everyone contributes different qualities to the group," said Callahan. The group seems to click. They help each other, they laugh together, and more impor- tantly, they have become a group of friends. Amazin' Blue will perform at 8 p.m. in the Michigan Union Ballroom. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $2. A A 14 Opera without the BY SHERRILL L. BENNETT ARE you interested in musical the- ater and opera, but don't have time to sit through an entire production? The School of Music Opera Work- shop has a solution. Tonight and tomorrow evening at the School of Music, the Opera Workshop will perform scenes from the opera and musical theater repertoire ranging from Gilbert and Sullivan's Mikado and Gondaliers to Rossini's Barber of Seville, and Bizet's Carmen. Each scene is a mini-production accompa- nied by live music, costumes, make- up, props, and simple sets and stage ring parts direction. The performances give both participants and audiences a broad sampling of different works - and both end up having lots of fun. "Everyone gets a chance to partic- ipate, and it's great performing expe- rience," says Kevin Murray, a School of Music senior and voice major involved in the production. Voice students take Opera Workshop as a class, part of their degree re- quirements, but many elect to take it more than once to get a chance to sing portions of roles they love. Ken Cazan makes his debut as the Workshop's director and coordi- nator, the first to hold this position on a full-time basis. Don't miss this free opportunity to get down to the I Ultraviolet rays cause cancer, anyways. The best things in life... An electric Santa at Meijer costs $50; faulty wiring will singe your beautiful lawn. Christmas in Cancun will cost you a cool grand, easily, and your luggage will end up in Waco, Texas. Truer to the Holiday Season, Charles Dickens (as assisted by Bert Hornback) will read A Christmas Carol tonight and tomorrow at 8 p.m. in the University Museum of Art. School of Music harpists will perform at 7:45 p.m. Caroling, courtesy of the Residential College Singers, will follow the reading. Doors open at 7:15 p.m. Admission is by free ticket only. HIDDEN ELECTIVES! !!! LS&A students (and others, too), there I best parts of the musical theater and opera experience. T1lE OPERA WORKSHOP takes place tonight and tomorrow at 8 p.m. in the School of Music's Mac- intosh Theater. Admission is free. are electives available to you outside your school. Do you need help in managng stress, -improving your diet & developing an exercise program? If you are interested in these & other health topics then N223 is for you. Get a syllabus at the Health Service by calling 763-6880 or by messaging Judith Hill on MTS-UB. Sign up for Personal Health & Wellness, N223 (DIV715) 2 credit hours, TTH 11-12 Check with your advisor - this may be right for you! Sponsored by UM Health Services and the School of Nursing SHAMAN DRUM BOOKSHOP INVITES YOU TO A PARTY TO CELEBRATE THE PUBLICATION OF B U E E I NTHE SPOTLIGHT Lenora Champagne, a New York director, author, and perfor- mance artist, will present some dy- namic art tomorrow at 8 p.m. in the Trueblood Theatre. Tom Simonian, DJ and ubiqui- tous campus figure, has a best of the '80s show in New Music tonight and in Reggae tomorrow night at the U Club; he will continue the best in those genres on December 15 and 16 and January 12 and 13. Expect the usual giveaways and prizes. Share the news, 10 UtiI r IoN C.O.N.C.E.R.T Michigan Union Ballroom Friday, December 8 Tickets $2.00 8 P.M. /A Cutter MES ARE YOU THICK AND TIRED OF IT? The Weight Control Clinic at The University of Michigan r r-- L Nutrition Seminars, Exercise Classes, Counseling, Body Composition Testing, Computer Diet Analysis, Personal Exercise Training ----p 11 # * Winter Program Begins January 29, 1990 Registration by Appointment January 8-25 *Winter Open House, January 18, 7-Bpm Room 1250 Central Campus Recreation Building 747-2722 4' BACKGROUNDS Works by People of Color Volume 1 Numb 14 $3.00 C6 .D r L F d !. E ~ i t a 1 ERID n Please join us to celebrate the birth of BACK- GROUNDS, a new journal dedicated to providing a fo- rum for the creative works of people of color in the educa- tional system. BACK- GROUNDS is published un- der the editorial direction of Curtis Chin and Darci McConnell, two University of Michigan students. The first issue includes work by Ali Mazrui, Duane Niatum, Renuka Uthappa, Scott Wong, and a number of other writers, photographers, and artists. March Fong Eu, the Secretary of State of Califor- nia, says in an open letter to the magazine: "We must work to change ... stere- otypes, those ways we see ourselves and those ways we see others who are different fromus."BACKGROUNDS is an exciting first reply to this challenge. Plasma Collection Facility oEIiI PEOPLE SPEOPLE " 40 million hospital patients rely on PLASMA industry products each year. "h20,000 hemophiliacs in the United States rely on PLASMA-produced Anti- hemophilic Factor con- centrate daily. Copies _ Than'. * Floppy Disks * FAX Service " Resumes * Collating & Binding * Laser Typesetting * Instant Passport Photos * Stationery & Office Supplies _ _ _ II