In brief: New talent contest coming to Gallo Center
The Gallo Center for the Arts is launching a local talent competition, “Talento Vivo en el Valle,” for up-and-coming ballet folklorico groups and mariachi singers from the Central Valley, this spring.
Organizers plan to make the competition, scheduled for May 14, an annual event, much like its ongoing show “Valley’s Got Talent,” which is going into its seventh year.
The event will be open to ballet folklorico dance groups and mariachi/ranchera singers residing in Stanislaus, Merced, Tuolumne, Calaveras, Mariposa and San Joaquin counties.
There will be a $750 prize for the winners in the categories of youth dance, youth vocal, adult dance and adult vocal. The judging will be based on best choreography and creativity in dance, and the best representation of the Mexican region or song that is selected.
One overall winner will be selected to compete in “Valley’s Got Talent” in August.
The new event is seeking entries. There is no fee to participate, and applications must be submitted or mailed and postmarked on or before April 1.
For more information, call 209-338-5020 or visit www.galloarts.org.
St. James Concert Series
The St. James Concert Series continues its season with a show by pianist Jason Sia this weekend.
Sia received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in piano performance from California State University, Sacramento. He has performed at Carnegie Hall and is currently the pianist for the Sacramento Valley Concert Choir.
The program will also feature the winners of the Sierra Music Scholarships. This year’s recipients are flutist Joseph Accurso, vocalist Obadiah Rivera, pianist Nathan Clark and vocalist Stephanie St. Clair. The scholarship fund, managed by the Sonora Area Foundation, was established in 1998 and to date has awarded $12,800 to 57 students.
Concert starts at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21, at The Red Church in Sonora. Tickets are $15 general; $5 students under 19.
For more information, call 209-536-0825 or visit www.sjconcertseries.org.
Central West Ballet benefit
The Central West Ballet invites the public to take part in its “Rat Pack” benefit on Saturday, Feb. 20. The event at the Infiniti of Modesto dealership will feature performances by Central West Ballet dancers.
The event will showcase selections from the company’s upcoming “Rat Pack” show in March at the Gallo Center for the Arts.
The fundraiser also will include silent and oral auctions, plus food and drinks provided by local restaurants including Concetta, El Ranchito, Galletto’s, Rivi’s, Verona’s and Beijing; wines poured by McManis and Silkwood; and desserts provided by Ann Endsley of Greens.
Show starts at 5:30 p.m. at the dealership on McHenry Avenue. Tickets are $75.
For more information, call 209-576-8957 or visit www.centralwestballet.org.
Stanislaus State auditions
The California State University, Stanislaus, department of theater is holding open auditions this month for its annual Shakespeare Under the Stars event to be held in May.
Auditions for the play “Two Gentlemen of Verona” will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 23-24, at the Stanislaus State Mainstage Theatre. Students and non-students alike are invited to attend.
Auditioners should prepare 30 to 45 seconds of a Shakespeare monologue or soliloquy. There will be cold readings from the script for those who do not have memorized pieces.
For more information, call 209-667-3451 or visit www.csustan.edu/shakespeare.
MJC faculty recital
The Modesto Junior College Friends of Music concert series will present a faculty recital this week.
The concert will feature performances by MJC music faculty members David Chapman and Travis Silvers on guitar, Robert Scott on clarinet and Alejandro Sabre on piano.
The program will include music by Johannes Brahms, Leo Brouwer, Morton Gould, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Schubert and Takashi Yoshimatsu.
Concert proceeds will be used to support the programs of the MJC Music Department and provide music student scholarships.
The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, in the MJC Music Recital Hall on East Campus. Tickets are $12 general; $10 for students and seniors.
For more information, call 209-575-6776 or visit www.mjc.edu.
MJC sculpture exhibit
The Modesto Junior College Art Gallery presents “Geometries in Cold Steel” featuring the sculptures of MJC art professor Lawrence Thomas Duchscher.
The exhibit opened earlier this week and will be on display at the MJC Art Gallery on the East Campus through Friday, March 4. Duchscher’s work over the past four decades has explored geometric forms. A free public reception with the artist and refreshments will be held from 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25.
The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Wednesday and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday. The exhibition is sponsored by the MJC Visual Arts Club and admission is free.
For more information, call 209-575-6819.
This story was originally published February 16, 2016 at 3:43 PM with the headline "In brief: New talent contest coming to Gallo Center."