The Michigan Daily - Friday, October 15, 1993 - 9 .Music school's finest perform By KEREN SCHWEITZER The Contemporary Directions Ensemble, directed by H. Robert Reynolds isnotone ofthe most widely known performing groups on cam- pus. Nonetheless, it is one of the fin- est, comprised of some of the best of the music school. Its focus is on con- *temporary works mainly for wind in- struments usually in the form ofcham- ber works. The Contemporary Direc- tions Ensemble is a subgroup of the larger University Symphony Band, also under the direction of Reynolds. In addition to hisjob as Director of University Bands, Professor Reynolds is Director of the division that in- cludes the departments of Conduct- ing, Instrumental Education, Strings, *Winds and Percussion. He has been at the University since 1975, and he holds degrees from the University in Music Performance and Education. He has recorded for Pro Arte, Ca- price, Koch International, and Deutsche Grammophon. He is also the conductor of the Detroit Chamber Winds, consisting primarily of musi- *CHAMBER Continued from page 8 - a language new to most singers -- but one which came relatively easily in comparison to the German in the opening pieces. The style will also be new to most listeners, unfamiliar with what Morrison described as the "off- beat, different feel" of Indian con- *emporary music. The evening's second half will be performed entirely in English, and to the accompaniment of organist Karl Schrock. "Rejoice in the Lamb, Op.30," is the largest piece on the program, by acomposer equally great in terms of 20th century music: Ben- jamin Britten. What truly makes this piece memorable though, is the text, bind the unusual circumstances under which it was written. Set to the words of the 18th-century poet, Christopher Smart, Britten selected the most bril- liant of his sacred passages, all of which were written while Smart was hospitalized in a mental asylum. Concluding the evening (which is likely to last little over an hour), is a song by the Edwardian composer Parry, a grandiose romantic piece sung t the coronation of Queen Elizabeth the Second. Sure to be acrowdpleaser, it serves as a royal end, to what should be a truly majestic evening. The CHAMBER CHOIR will perform at 8:00 p.m. in the Hill Auditorium on Saturday Night. Admission is complimentary. cians from the Detroit Symphony. Reynolds is a committed cham- pion of contemporary music. He feels fortunate to be in a university envi- ronment where, he said, "the goal is to stretch knowledge and art and to re- sist staying within the conservative confines." Nevertheless, he is well aware of the difficulties new music has had in being performed to the general public. He admits that it is difficult for a first time listener to fully appreciate or even understand new music, but he adds, "People are too concerned with finding the melody - this worry hin- ders them from finding what is there." Reynolds cited that the current trends in composition were encouraging more accessibility to the audience. "For along time the composer did not consider his audience, but from the late sixties up to the present, contem- porary music has once again come around for the listener." He contin- ued, "Composers like William Bolcom or Michael Daugherty write music people like to hear." The Contemporary Directions Ensemble is not only concerned with educating its audience, but also con- cerned with educating its members. Reynolds, said, "These players need this type of experience ... the musi- cians that I have seen succeed in the professional world are those with the most versatility." He added, "Educa- tors today can't just train musicians for the most conservative music, those good old days are gone." The concert tomorrow consists of the premiere of "Piano Concerto for the Left Hand" by Stephen Rush who is an Assistant Professor of music and the Director of the Digital Music En- semble. The soloist is Howard Watkins who is also a member of the university faculty. Other works sched- uled to be performed are "New Fan- fares" by George Pearle, "Rain Spell" by Toro Takemitsu and "The Great Silences" by Nichoals Thorne. The Contemporary Directions Ensemble will perform tomorrow night at 8:00 p.m. in Rackham Auditorium. Admission is free. No, believe it or not, "The Beverly Hillbillies," is not as stupid a movie as many of us predicted it might be. i lb les' pleasantly charmig Rage Oni In light of the recent release of "Age Of Innocence," everyone seems to be catching the Martin Scorsese bug. This weekend M-Flicks is sponsoring a double feature of "Taxi Driver" and "Raging Bull." Both films are essential staples in any silver screen aficionado's diet. "Driver" is a seamy, sometimes revolting exploration into the scum-infested streets of New York as told by Travis Bickle (Robert DeNiro), a psychotic, horribly introverted vigilante / cabbie. Harvey Keitel, Jodie Foster and Cybill Shepard also star. "Bull" retells the painfully depressing prizefighting career of Jake LaMotta (DeNiro), the irreverent middleweight who degenerates from a titleholder to a pathetic stand-up comedian during the 20-something years that the film chronicles. Shot in black and white, the picture itself is a ambitious, if incoherent project that seems to digress into strangely dull subplots for huge chunks of time. Yet this seems to be Scorsese's point-_ the director manages to allow his story to dissolve into irrelevant Brando impersonations and other such banalities, only to emphasize the nothing- ness of LaMotta's post-pugilist life. DeNiro turns in what is beyond a shadow of a doubt the single most gripping performance in film history as afight-throwing misfit whodrinks his life into obscurity. "Taxi Driver" will be shown tonight and tomorrow night at 7:00 in Angell A, while "Raging Bull" will be shown directly afterwards at 9:30. Dangerous? In an exploration of love, lust, desire and degradation, the Performance Network's Simon Ha directs yet another winner (after this season's "Yan- kee Dawg You Die") with Heiner Muller's "Quartet". This postmodernist reworking of "Dangerous Liaisons" covers four characters with only two actors who switch off roles. A definite must-see tonight and Saturday at the Performance Network at 8 p.m., and Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. ($10 general, $6 student/senior). You are invited to CAMPUS CHAPEL 1236 Washtenaw Ct./662-2402 (parking in Church St. structure) SUNDAY, October 17 10am - Worship: "The Wonder of it All" Guest Speaker: Dr. Dale Brown, Prof. of English, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI 12:30pm Lunch 1-4:30pm - Workshop with Prof. Brown: "Paying Attention to our Lives: Christian Writers who Call us to Attentiveness" (F. Buechner; Will Campbell; K. Gibbons; D. Giardina; C. Edgerton) The Mystical Arts of Tibet Sacred Music - Sacred Dance Wed. Oct. 20 8pm Rackham Auditorium Ann Arbor UM Major Events a world tour by 9 lamas from Drepung Loseling Monastery "Sounds that seem to come from the womb of the earth..." Michigan Union Ticket Office & all Ticketmaster outlets By SARAH STEWART What happened to the days when television's place was in the TV room? Back then, viewers were fairly confident that their favorite television show wouldn't make it to the movies, and they liked it that way. The Beverly Hillbillies Directed by Penelope Spheeris; written by Lawrence Konner & Mark Rosenthal and Jim Fisher & Jim Staahl; with Diedrich Bader, Dabney Coleman and Jim Varney. But they can like the new way too. In fact, they can learn to love the idea of their favorite country bumpkins, "The Beverly Hillbillies," up on the big screen. Granted, "Hillbillies" is not an intellectual or even a comedic masterpiece, but its outstanding cast and light-hearted humor make it a lot of fun. The story line is only slightly more involved than the series and serves as a constant reminder that the actors may be different, but the Clampett family will never change. Like each television episode, the beginning of the film chronicles Jed's (Jim Varney) oil discovery and the Clampett's decision, much to the dismay of Granny (Cloris Leachman), to move to Beverly ... Hills that is. Jed's ambition is to find amother to help tame his daughter, Elly May (Erika Eleniak). When his unadulterated naivete allows him to fall into the gold-digging hands of Woodrow Tyler (Rob Schneider) and his girlfriend, Laura Jackson (Lea Thompson), the mad-capped "intrigue" begins. Fortunately, a profound plot is not the purpose of the film. The point is to entertain the audience with the Clampett's remarkable ignorance of what most would consider mainstream living. The beginning scenes are scarred by gratuitousjuniorhigh humor, but the Clampett's introduction to Beverly Hills opens up a world of witty misnomers and clever mistakes; the indoor swimming pool is a "cement pond," bowling consists of "rolling" yourself down the lane andJethro's (Diedrich Bader) first experience with an intercom system has him punching holes in the wall in search of the source of Jane Hathaway's (Lily Tomlin) voice. Without an accomplished cast, these same successful jokes might just as easily have bombed. Surprisingly; none of the characters lose their quirkiness in the transfet from television to film. Notably, Varney, of Earnest P Worrell fame, maintains the warm-hearted, paternal in- stincts integral toJed'scharacter, whileDabneyColeman's history as the "bad guy" makes him ideal for the role of the, money loving bank president, Mr. Drysdale. Bader, who plays the Clampett's gooney cousinJethro, stands out as the funniest amongst a cast of more experi- enced and well-known actors. He heightens the film's, humor with his sincere but futile attempts at adapting to the Beverly Hills way of being. Bader's hilarious double role as Jethro's sister, Jethrine, is further confirmation of director Penelope Spheeris' bold decision to choose a newcomer for the role. Jethro would be so lucky to have half as much talent as Bader. Maybe "The Beverly Hillbillies" should not be top on your list of "must sees" for the month of October, but taken for what it's worth, it's as good as it could be. THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES is playing at Showcase. U GARRISON KEILLOR The Story of Guys an evening of duets & stories WITH KATE MACKENZIE & RICHARD DWORSKY NOVEMBER 5 HILL AUDITORIUM ANN ARBOR UM MAJOR EVENTS k WDET 1 s# Y J 763-TKTS MICHIGAN UNION TICKET OFFICE & ALL TIC KETMASTER OUTLETS awareness week learn and live october 18 - 24, 1993 supported by the City of Ann Arbor & The University of Michigan XEROX COPIES 4and less (NOT BOOKS) ACCU-COPY 402 MaYnard 768338 EXHIBITIONS/EVENTS NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt display Michigan Room, Michigan League *Opening event will be Oct. 20, 6pm Portraits of the Quilt (photography exhibit) Michigan League Buffet Red Cross African Proverbs poster display Leonardo's, North Campus Commons The Individual's Response to AIDS: Materials from the Labadie Collection of radical social protest Hatcher Graduate Library, Special Collections, 7th Floor "AIDS Friendship Tree", Tree Planting Ceremony UM Hospital Courtyard (between Mott & main hospital) PERFORMANCES "QUILT, A Musical Celebration" Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre "QUILT, A Musical Celebration" Final Dress Rehearsal Benefit Performance (benefitting local AIDS service organizations) Talk to Us (anxieties concerning HIV testing) LECTURES/PANEL DISCUSSIONS Living with AIDS East Conference Room, Rackham Hall Democracy Under Siege: The Dismantling of Civil Rights . Suzanne Pharr, speaker HIV/AIDS Education Session Bursley Hall, North Campus 1Af-.n .,r. fT)0 Sep. 28-Oct. 24 Su-F 11:30-7:30pm, Sa 4:30-7:30pm Oct. 1-31, 8am-10pm Oct. 18-24 Oct. 22, 1pm Oct. 21-23, 8pm, Oct. 24, 2pm $14 & $10; students $6 w/ID Oct. 20, 7pm $10 minimum donation Oct. 26 Bursley Hall, (N. Campus) Oct. 21-24 oam-11pm State College. PA Oct. 21, 7:30pm Oct. 24, 7pm Rackham Auditorium Oct. 26 immediately following "Talk to Us" performance I I