Arts & Culture

After30years with Kern D.Holoman,UC Davis passed the baton to conductor Christian Baldini,an internationally acclaimed composer and conductor.In a new era of musical direction,Baldini brings a new ear and fresh take to the symphony orchestra.MUSE sat down to interview him on Tuesday.

It’s easy to say that electronic music is falling downhill with seemingly no return.Such a statement is neither unreasonable nor shortsighted,and backing it up wouldn’t be hard,either – JUSTICE,autotune and Timbaland come to mind. But it’s also a bit of a paradox that at the same time,writing and composing music is easier today than ever; anyone can download a music program and piece together coherent tunes.Media outlets talk about it all the time:the ease of music creation today is astounding,technology continues to transform the music world,we’re getting old,blah blah blah.

On average there are five student-run dance and theater productions held in Wright Hall each year,but the upcoming “Always/All Ways North” is one of the few to offer live nudity. “The nudity differs slightly with each performance,” said Jenna Templeton,recent UC Davis alum and stage manager for “Always/All Ways North.“ “Always/All Ways North” is a piece of performance art that combines dance,theater,cinematography,live music and yes,nudity,to comment on themes such as location,identity and pilgrimage.All shows run at8p.m.on Oct.2,3and9in Wright Hall Main Theater.Each show lasts for40minutes.

Friday,Sept.25; with the clock nearing8p.m.,an overwhelmed Mondavi staff scurried about in an attempt to seat a full house before the lights dim.It was opening night of the eighth season at the Mondavi Center anda diverse and excited crowdwaited for jazz legend Wynton Marsalis to take the stage. Following a brief introduction from Mondavi Center executive director Don Roth,the performers finally took the stage.In accordance with Marsalis‘ traditionalist aesthetic,even the orchestra’s attire hearkened back to an older jazz age – 16performers sporting matching black suits,lavender shirts and black ties.Marsalis,acting double duty as lead trumpet and music coordinator,took his place in the middle of the back row,overseeingthe entire ensemble.

It’s a story far too often told in the music industry:a band refuses to mature their sound and grow as artists,and because of it,they wind up scheduling their own downfall.Portugal.The Man on the other hand,a four-piece band hailing half from Portland,Oregon and half from rural Alaska,knows all about musical evolution and experimentation.

reCREATE & the Davis Art Center Tomorrow afternoon the Davis Art Center and Roseville-based reCREATE will present a recycled art competition to celebrate California Arts Day.The Arts Day takes place annually,onevery first Friday of October.This year’s Arts Day theme is “The Art in Me.“

Sometimes a story or an article can leave you wanting more,wondering where the ideas came from,what they mean and how to go about accomplishing something like it by yourself.The University Writing Program has opened up the opportunity to discover these answers with the Conversations with Writers Speakers Series.Faculty members work to bring speakers to the campus that have influenced them in some way or that they feel have beneficial and interesting knowledge to share.

MUSIC Yolo Mambo Today,7p.m.,free John Natsoulas Gallery Yolo Mambo,who appeared in Davis for events such as the Whole Earth Festival,will be featured in this week’s Thursday Night Summer Concert Series at the John Natsoulas Gallery.Check them out for a slice of Yolo County Latin/Caribbean fusion. The California Honeydrops Today,10p.m.,$3-5 Sophia’s Thai Kitchen In these troubled times of furloughs and fee increases,upbeat soul and blues is more than fitting,and The California Honeydrops will provide.They do a pretty solid rendition of Ray Charles‘ “I Got A Woman.” Check them out on Myspace for a preview.

Whether you’ve just made Davis your new home or you’ve been here for years,exploring the town’s culture is a must.Davis isn’t a metropolitan area but it has a surprisingly active art scene.Profiled here are several choices for the art-minded among us.Luckily,admission to these galleries is free.

The cover of the album resembles the fantastical outer space wallpaper of a seven-year-old boy’s room.Inside the CD jacket are cartoon replicas of children’s storybooks and childhood fantasies.But upon closer inspection,all of these vibrant images have a slight acid-trip feel to them.I was left confused and had no idea what to expect when I finally listened to the music.

College students agree:There is no better way to start the year than with a sobering dose of challenging,genre-clashing art.Well then,the Richard L.Nelson Gallery and Fine Art Collection has you covered.BeginningSept.24,the Nelson will simultaneously be hosting two different collections,African-American Quiltsand Merch Art.The following is a brief preview of the exhibit.

There’s nothing like the feel of elitism.Whether it’s a road bicyclist sneering at a passing fixter’s inferior gear ratio or a shaven swimmer scolding a newbie in a lap lane,elitism gives people a real edge to hone – especially in these times of ingenuous mediocrity. My favorite elitist outlet is music.That’s probably why I’m the California Aggie’s arts editor now.After writing multiple hasty album reviews about why I’m better than Weezer,Dragonforce or Mims,I had to get somewhere,right?