Five things I’ve been meaning to tell you

It must be a comfort to have a world-class conductor just up the road.  This from a Chicago Symphony Orchestra press release issued Monday:

“Music Director Riccardo Muti is suffering from the flu and has been forced to withdraw from this week’s subscription concerts. Edo de Waart (Music Director, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra; Artistic Partner, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra; and Chief Conductor, Royal Flemish Philharmonic) will conduct the CSO on Wednesday, January 9 at 6:30 p.m.; Thursday, January 10 at 8 p.m.; Friday, January 11 at 1:30 p.m.; Saturday, January 12 at 8 p.m.; and Tuesday, January 15 at 7:30 p.m. The all-Beethoven program remains unchanged, with Leonore Overture No. 3 and Symphony No. 3, (Eroica), as well as Piano Concerto No. 1 with soloist Radu Lupu on January 10-15. The Afterwork Masterworks program on January 9 includes just the overture and symphony.”

Rogue Violins: Associate concertmaster Ilana Setapen and MSO colleague Margot Schwartz have allied as a

violin duo, “Bowing Rogue.” (Cute name, no? With these tow, “Bowing Vogue” would have fit, too.) These young, talented and musically ambitious members of the orchestra, who also play together in the Arcas String Quartet , will go Rogue in public for the first time Tuesday, Jan. 22, at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music. Rogues don’t take credit cards; cash or check only, $15, at the door. $10 for students and MSO members. Pianist Stefanie Jacob and violinists Dylana Leung, Zhan Shu, Lindsay Erickson and Peter Vickery will participate in a program that includes the premiere of a work for six — count ’em — violins by Lawrence Dillon.

The Pfister Hotel and the Arts: We work with Marcus Hotels, especially the Pfister, a great deal. We care about arts and culture, as do general manager Joe Kurth and his crew. TCD founder Jon Anne Willow has served on the selection committee for the Pfister’s artist-in-residence, currently Timothy Westbrook.  I’ve served on the committee that selects the hotel’s resident writer, currently Jenna Kashou. The Pfister also partners with arts groups in a variety of ways, and of course is one of our leading advertisers.

So I’m pleased to pass along a hands-on arts and culinary package that the Pfister  has launched for its getaway-weekend guests in January, February and March. The Pfister Four Diamond Experiences encompass culinary arts, fine arts, and creative writing. Pfister artists-in-residence and writers-in-residence past and present are involved in the latter. Visit the Pfister website for details.

The Milwaukee Artists Resource Network has promoted Liz Carr from outreach manager to program director. Maggie Sasso, former MARNSalon Curatorial Protégé, will become operations director. Carr and Sasso will work closely with the board president Pamela Anderson, as well as the board of directors, to ensure sustained development of MARN’s programs and resources for professional artists. Both directors will contribute to the restructuring of and vision for the organization.

Carr has worked with MARN since early 2012 as the outreach manager. She will continue her work in building relationships with members and partners through MARN’s outreach initiatives including artist profiles and micro-fellowships on MARN’s website, representation at art and community events, volunteer coordination, and member recruitment and support. Carr will lead in organization of programs including professional development workshops, Open Portfolio Reviews, MARN Movies and Writers Wednesdays.

Sasso has worked with MARN as the 2011/12 Curatorial Protégée, under the guidance of Mark Lawson, director of galleries for the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. She will oversee operations at MARN’s headquarters in Washington Heights including fundraising, grantwriting and finances. Sasso will lead in organization of programs including MARN Salons and MARN Mentors.

Milwaukee  native John Neumeier, long the artistic director of the Hamburg Ballet since 1973, will return to the Midwest with his company for a run at the Harris Theater, Chicago, Feb. 1-2. The company will present Neumeier’s Nijinsky, an evening-length theatrical based on the life of the legendary dancer and choreographer. Chicago is the only Midwest stop on the Hamburg Ballet’s U.S. tour.