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Aug. 21, 2003

ULM'S First Events of the 2003-2004 Season"Vital Signs II"

The School of Visual and Performing Arts at the University of Louisiana at Monroe announces the first event of the 2003-2004 season. The premier of "Vital Signs II" by L. Keith White will be performed Sept. 4 and 5 at 7:30 p.m. in Spyker Theatre on the ULM campus. Tickets are $10 and reservations can be made at 342-1569.

Dr. White is the new Director of the School of Visual and Performing Arts and states, "Interdisciplinary art events and aesthetics have been my creative and research focus for the past fifteen or so years and it seemed like a good idea to create a piece especially for the beginning of the newly formed School. It's an invitation to the community to be part of us and an opportunity for everyone to meet some of our faculty and see some of what we do."

"Vital Signs II, a 21st Century Aesthetic" will be performed by the newly formed I.D.E.A. group (Inter-Disciplinary Ensemble of the Arts). Members are faculty from Art, Dance, Music and Theatre. This is the first event of an annual Celebration of the Arts Festival which will focus on interdisciplinary arts and artists to be developed and expanded in future years. It includes elements of conceptual art, performance art, multi-media art, and philosophical art. New York City and San Francisco as well as other large metropolitan in the United States and Europe have active performing groups in this genre. The piece includes: an electronic score; a chamber music group including flutes, clarinets, french horn and cello; a percussionist; dancers; actors; and three artists including a painter, a sculptor and a potter. Performers will be performing specific scripted tasks as well as improvisation and subjective reaction to the events happening around them. The audience will be involved in an action, buying the art pieces being created on stage, and will have some choice in which performer(s) to showcase at various times during the evening. The concert is about an hour and half without an intermission. Programs of the ULM School of Visual and Performing Arts are supported by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council as administered by the Northeast Louisiana Arts Council.

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