Annette Homann – Artists Without Walls

ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS PRESENTS: A NIGHT of SUPERIOR TALENTS, JULY 26th at THE CELL THEATRE

Great line up on tap for Tuesday’s Artists Without Walls’ Showcase at The Cell Theatre.

Over the past three decades, Walter Parks has forged a distinctive international career as the lead guitarist for Woodstock legend Richie Havens, half of the folk-duo The Nudes, and guitarist and leader of the swamp/blues-outfit Swamp Cabbage. His original music is inspired by the swampy gospel blues that wails from storefront churches and roadhouses in and around the southeast Georgia low country. We’re looking forward to Walter’s return to an Artists Without Walls’ Showcase.

Playwright Derek Murphy and actors Karin de la Penha and Kimberly Kelly Adams will be making their Artists Without Walls’ debut when they present a scene from a new play Derek is currently writing, a dark comedy set in NY and Dublin, titled “Dyin’ For It.”

**Derek Murphy, Kimberly Kelly Adams and Karin de la Penha**

Would you like to hear a great singer who has performed all over the world and has toured and performed with artists such as Oscar winner Glen Hansard, Amanda Palmer, Angela McClusky (Telepop), Rob Moose, Thomas Bartlett (BonIver /Doveman), Nouvelle Vague and many others? Then you’ll want to come and hear Jenna Nicholls on Tuesday evening. Jenna’s music has been featured in film and television. She’s toured and released two full albums: “Curled Up Toes in Red Mary Janes” and “The Blooming Hour” Her third release is scheduled for 2016.

Richard Deane’s last appearance on an Artists Without Walls’ stage featured an emotionally provocative reading of the opening scene from his novel in progress, “When Yesterday Comes.” His use of poignant atmospherics and straight to the heart exposition pulled the audience into the midst of the dramatic conflict between his vividly constructed characters. Richard’s unabashed exploration into an uncomfortable subject was both captivating and moving.

Pianist and arranger Alexander A. Wu and violinist and composer Annette Homann recently presented “Strings n Keys – Three Centuries of Global Music,” celebrating the popular collaborative tradition of piano and violin. Alexander and Annette will be performing a variety of musical styles from their show including works of Ástor Piazzolla, Leonard Bernstein and more.

Kathleen Bennett Bastis has written prose and poetry all her life and, as a former producer for talk radio, she wrote hundreds of short descriptive “rip and read” segments about neighborhoods, restaurants, product alerts or shopping experiences in the New York tri-state area. She’s had two observations published in The New York Times Metropolitan Diary, and last year she performed her piece on Cyber Dating at an Artists Without Walls’ Showcase. Kathleen is also an accomplished artist whose work is inspired by the hue, shape and texture of salvaged materials she finds on the river, street and scrap yards. She reinterprets the history of these “found objects” by constructing them into a contemporary visual narrative.

The Cell Theatre is located at 338 W23rd St in Manhattan. The show will be hosted by Artists Without Walls’ artistic directors Niamh J. Hyland and Charles R. Hale. The doors and the bar open at 6:45. Presentations begin at 7:30.

ANNETTE HOMANN: THOUGHTS ON ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS

As Artists Without Walls celebrates its fourth anniversary this month, we’ve asked members to share a few thoughts about their experience with the group. Here’s what violinist Annette Homann wrote:

“The Artists Without Walls’ community has been one of the most supportive communities I have ever had the pleasure to be part of. AWoW has given me the inspiration and motivation to follow through with many creative endeavors that have now become a big part of my career. I have learned so much about other art forms from watching and collaborating with other artists. I can’t thank Charles and Niamh enough!”

German born Annette, a classically trained violinist, has been performing since the age of six. She has toured throughout Europe, China, Central America, Canada and the U.S. and at various New York City venues, including Carnegie Hall, Avery Fischer Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Symphony Space and New World Stages. Her extended techniques combine elements of bluegrass, blues, pop and classical with a theatrical vibe—the violin used in non-traditional ways, often replacing the guitar and percussion.

ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS' MEMBERS AROUND TOWN THIS WEEK

Today at 2:00 PM EST the curtain will rise on the seventh sold out Writers Read live event, “The First Time” at The Cell theater on West 23rd Street in New York City. In keeping with the theme, for the first time we’ll be beta testing a live stream via our Writers Read YouTube channel. If you’d like to see the show, please log in at 1:55 PM EST by clicking the link here.

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On Thursday, February 4th, Marty Plevel and Artists Without Walls will be bringing AWoW’s Showcase to Sid Gold’s Request Room, 165 W26th St., one of the hottest new piano bars in town. Marty, a generous supporter and promoter of AWoW, will be presenting a night of musical and spoken word performers, including Martina Fišerová, Noah Hoffeld, Annette Homann, Liv Mammone, Connie Roberts, & Niamh Hyland.

Doors open at 6:30pm and performances will start at 7:00pm sharp, so come early with your friends to grab a seat, catch-up with other AWoWers and sip on a delicious cocktail. Entry is free, but donations supporting Artists Without Walls are greatly appreciated.

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Annette Homann will be performing “Dancing and Singing with Violin,” Friday, February 5 at 7 PM. Bloomingdale School of Music, 323 W 108th St, New York, New York 10025. This is a free event.

Also on February 7th, 3pm, at the Bloomingdale School of Music, 323 W 108th street, NYC, Annette will be performing in a program called “Pop Arrangements for String Quartet.” This is a free event.

"ON THE TOWN" with ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS: THE WEEK of JUNE 14, 2015

Nancy Manocherian’s play “Hey Jude,” directed by Kira Simring at Urban Stages. Tickets are $45, but AWoW members can get them for $20 by emailing info@artistswithoutwalls.com Performances at Urban Stages, 259 West 30th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues. Fri -Performances: June 14 – June 21 Tues. & Wed. at 7:30, Thurs.-Sat. at 8pm and Sun. at 2pm.

Cellist/pianist Noah Hoffeld will be performing at Bowery Electric, 327 Bowery at Joey Ramone, Place, Wednesday, June 17th, 7:45. Noah will be playing songs from his upcoming album- Play Human. Also ‘save the date, Wednesday August 5th, 8pm for what is sure to be an amazing CD release party at the Bowery Electric.

Annette Homann will be performing with the North/South Consonance (Chamber Orchestra) at Christ and St. Stephen’s Church, 120 West 69th Street (between Broadway & Columbus), New York City, June 16th, 8 pm. Free admission.

What do you get when you throw 3 Moth SLAM Champions together — Adam Wade, David Crabb, Tricia Rose Burt — and mix in a singer/songwriter — Ann Klein — who played with Ani DiFranco and the B-52s and on Broadway with Kinky Boots? A mind-bending night with a barely-legal dose of hilarity. Plus there’s an Open Mic at the end (and Open Mic-ers get a 25% discount — 50% if they bring a friend). Friday, June 19, 2015, 8:30 – 10 PM at Spectrum NYC, 121 Ludlow St. (betw. Delancey & Rivington).

Big Block Party in Greenwich Village! AWoW member Deborah Monlux presents: Catahoula Cajun Band at a street dance set in Manhattan on Sunday, June 21st at 4PM on West 8th Street at MacDougal Street (between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue). Dance to the band’s “Northern Fried” Cajun music of Southern Louisiana or sit at a bistro table near the stage and enjoy food and drink from nearby restaurants as you listen. In addition to musical performances, there will be dance, art, and games at the all-day party. Bring your father—and your kids—and celebrate Father’s Day at this pop-up Louisiana dance hall right in the middle of Greenwich Village!

AWoW MEMBERS PERFORMING in NYC THIS WEEK

Nancy Manocherian’s play “Hey Jude,” directed by Kira Simring at Urban Stages. Tickets are $45, but AWoW members can get them for $20 by emailing info@artistswithoutwalls.com Performances at Urban Stages, 259 West 30th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues. Fri -Wed @ 7:30pm, Sun @ 2pm Performances: June 4 – June 21 Tues. & Wed. at 7:30, Thurs.-Sat. at 8pm and Sun. at 2pm.

Today, Sunday, June 7th, 2 pm, Annette Homann is performing with the Distinguished Concerts Orchestra and Distinguished Concerts Singers International at Carnegie Hall, W57th, St., NYC. The orchestra will be performing works of FAURÉ, DURUFLÉ, DINOS CONSTANTINIDES

On Thursday, June 11th, 6pm at Cornelia Street Cafe in New York City, Sasha Papernik and Alexander Wu will be officially launching their album, “Four Hand Band.” You can celebrate with them and hear them perform the new album live in its entirety. Poulenc, Gershwin, Bernstein, Berlin, Mozart, Bizet, Chopin…it’s going to be a wonderful night.

Click here for tickets, which are $10. Reservations are strongly encouraged.

Richard Stillman and Flip Peters’ “Spirit of Vaudeville” at The Concert Space at Beethoven Piano – NYC – June 11 @ 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm | 211 West 58th St. (Between Broadway & 7th Ave.) – 10019. Richard’s Show the “Spirit Of Vaudeville” won the Best Concert award at the United Solo Theatre Festival in NYC. This Show takes place in the waning days of vaudeville when the jazz age was in full swing & the Charleston was all the rage. The tale is told through banjo strumming, eccentric tap dancing, vaudeville stories, ukulele & mandolin solos & the Charleston Dance! Concert Charge – $10.00 at the door

Cellist/pianist Noah Hoffeld will be performing at Bowery Electric, 327 Bowery at Joey Ramone, Place, Wednesday, June 17th, 7:45.

POET CONNIE ROBERTS: PERMUTATIONS, TRANSFORMATION and AWoW–ALL IN ONE NIGHT

Permutations, Transformation and AWoW

by Connie Roberts*

Kathleen Bennett Bastis' Concerto #1 — **Kathleen Bennett Bastis’ Concerto #1**

In this week’s New York Times Style Magazine there is a piece about the 78-year-old experimental performance artist Joan Jonas, who lives in a loft in SoHo and who, since the late-60s, has been practicing her own unique art form: “Jonas has pursued a category-defying, perpetually exploratory practice that melds performance, drawing, film, video, sculpture, installation, sound and literature.” Jonas is a woman not constrained by any discipline. She would have fit in well with the sisterhood of artists—visual, performance, and musical—at the Artists Without Walls: Gallery Series, featuring Kathleen Bennett Bastis’ Permutations at the First Street Gallery, NYC this past Friday night. Mixed media artist Kathleen Bennett Bastis, singer-songwriter Martina Fišerova, violinist Annette Homann and performance artist Allison Sylvia, like Jonas, do not fit neatly into a pre-packaged brand: all are difficult—in the best way possible—to pin down. The aptly named exhibition Permutations served them all well. There was alteration and transformation in spades on the night!

The “art gallery etiquette” was thrown out the (second floor) window: no need to speak in hushed tones as you observed the marvelous surrounding art work in the white on white space. Laughter and conviviality abounded. Kathleen set the tone when she, in addressing the crowd, held up an AARP magazine with an image of Bob Dylan on the cover. Yes, indeed the times are a changin’. Kathleen beautifully (and magnificently) harnesses that sense of flux in her work, transforming and reimagining all kinds of detritus. “She’s the real deal,” someone leaned over and whispered to me. And we AWoWers that night had the best deal in town.

**Niamh Hyland introducing Martina Fiserova**

Martina Fišerova was the first of the evening’s entertainers. And boy did she entertain. In her green, tulle pixie dress and black boots, with guitar in hand, she worked her magic, opening with one of her classic quieter pieces, but, with encouragement from the crowd, embraced her wilder side toward the end, with a dazzling display of guitar work and what can only be described as supernatural vocals. It was riveting to watch and hear.

Allison Sylvia followed on Martina’s heels. Allison, a recent graduate of NYU, is a thinking young woman who melds song, dance, poetry, and chant (for now) in her work—I’ve a feeling she’ll push the envelope even further in future performances—also had the crowd on the edge of their seats. A year or more ago, I’d read snippets from journal entries Allison had written—character sketches she committed to paper as she rode the subway between Manhattan and Brooklyn. And lo and behold, there she was Friday night dramatizing these characters—cello players and unrequited lovers—for an enthralled audience. Just as Kathleen had done in her multi-media pieces, Allison transformed her scraps into art.It’s exciting to watch her perform. And mark my words, she’s only coming into her own.

Annette Homann, our very own lady-in-red, violinist extraordinaire, rounded out the evening’s entertainment. Over the past few years, I’ve seen Annette perform numerous times. She is an amazing musician, a powerhouse of talent. And when she steps on stage, not only are we captivated by her beautiful music, but we are held in the palm of her hand by her beautiful (and beautifully authentic) personality. Her mischievous wit (watch out for that twinkle in the eye!) and hearty laugh wins us over every time. Barefoot and resplendent in a flowing red dress, Annette, segued flawlessly from classical music to pop; in the latter, impishly gyrating exaggeratedly to the swells of Adele’s Skyfall, all to the sheer delight of the audience. This joie de vivre is trademark Annette: a consummate performer. She’s having a damn good time on stage; consequently, so do we.

AWoW co-founders, Niamh Hyland and Charles Hale, did an amazing job as always co-hosting. Their job is very important, as they create the space—literally and figuratively—for artists of all stripes to be their best selves, to push boundaries, to experiment, to collaborate in a safe, nurturing environment. They are also the glorious pied pipers whose charm keeps bringing us back again and again to these marvelous events.

I think Friday night we all left the Permutations exhibition more than a little transformed. Thank you Kathleen, Charles, Niamh, Martina, Allison and Annette.

*Connie Roberts debut collection of poems “Little Witness” is available here: Click on “Buy” on the right hand side of the page

ART UNLOCKS THE SOUL: JOHN MORAN on AWoW's GALLERY SERIES

ART UNLOCKS THE SOUL

by John Moran

I was driving a limousine at the time; It was a late night pick-up, Christie’s auction house to the Upper West Side. An art dealer sat in the back.

“What is art?” I asked.

“Art is the tool which unlocks your soul,” he replied.

“Then what is good art?” I said.

**Kathleen Bennett Bastis-Slate Study #2**

“If your soul needs a hammer to release it and your art hits your soul like a hammer, it’s good,” he answered.

“What if your art twists your soul like a wrench?” I challenged.

“Then it is good for the man who needs the wrench.”

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On Friday night Artists Without Walls celebrated the work of Kathleen Bennett Bastis at Chelsea’s First Street Gallery. Her mixed media art works are truly tools to unlock the soul.

Surrounded by Kathleen’s stunning and beautiful creations with names such as Sentinel, Concerto #1, Copper Spirit and Scattered Geometry, the equally evocative and eclectic artists Martina Fiserova, Allison Sylvia, and Annette Homann captivated the crowd with their own forms of highly skilled and entertaining art.

Martina’s accompanied vocals playfully and intensely reverberated through what seemed like near perfect acoustics in Kathleen’s First Street Gallery space. Martina’s sonority so total, so brilliant, so penetrating was a perfect prelude to Allison Sylvia’s attention grabbing, fast paced, stay focused so you don’t miss a thought, hey, I think just learned something about myself, spoken word brand of poetry. Allison is not a rapper, but if Socrates were a rap artist you might think of Allison. Brilliant.

Annette Homann wrapped up the evening’s entertainment by bringing us on a musical theme park ride: Soothing us with the classical, Massenet’s “Meditation on Thais;” moving us with the contemporary, “If I Aint Got You;” thrilling us with her fiddling in Mark O’Connor’s “Caprice for Unaccompanied Violin #2,” and making us smile with a sexy, funny, acrobatic interpretation of Adele’s “Skyfall,” complete with gypsie like dance moves and back bends while never missing a note. She is a profound talent.

Great art on every level for a warm and welcoming crowd.

Annette Homann’s Skyfall below:

AWoW MEMBERS "ON THE TOWN" the WEEK of 3/12/15

Musician, storyteller and actor Richard Stillman be playing Irish music at the Verona Inn with guitarist Paul Byrne, today, Sunday, 4-7pm April 12 and again on Sunday, April 19th. The music will include vocals, guitar, tenor banjo, mandolin, pennywhistle, concertina, bones, harmonica and bagpipes. The address is: 624 Bloomfield Ave. Verona, NJ. For info. call 973 239 0544.

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Jack O'Connell in The Biscuit Club — Jack O’Connell in The Biscuit Club

Opening on April 4th and running through April 25th, Jack O’Connell, will be starring in the World Premiere of The BISCUIT CLUB, Marianne Driscoll’s canine comedy inspired by The Breakfast Club. Directed by Kira Simring. For ticket info click here Use the code awow for discounted tickets.
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Ever wonder what goes on in a kennel when people aren’t around? THE BISCUIT CLUB gives audiences a behind-the-bars peek into Bradley’s Bed & Biscuit, a boarding house for dogs. When an aging Bulldog, a jumpy Beagle, a glamorous Shih Tzu, a grumpy Pit Bull, a champion Airedale Terrier and a wide-eyed Labrador pup are locked together for the night, a doggone good time is in store for all.

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On Wednesday, April 15th, 7:30pm, at the Irish Arts Center, 553, W51st, St, NYC, Polly Lee will read selections from Norah Vincent’s Adeline and Honor Molloy will moderate a conversation with Norah about Virginia Woolf’s life and art, as well as the creation of Adeline.

“It’s an exquisite book with deep insights into the creative process, Woolf’s inner and outer worlds, and her untimely death.” Honor Molly

For $10 tickets: please call the box office at 866-811-4111 or purchase tickets online by clicking here.

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Brona Crehan’s Moonlight Sonata, starring Grainne Duddy, will be part of a three day short play festival, which also includes a work of Don Creedon’s at An Beal Bocht Cafe, 445, 238th St, Bronx, NY, Thursday, April 16 through Sunday April 19th.

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Violinist Annette Homann will be one of the violinists playing performing Townsend’s triple violin concerto in following concert:

Washington Heights Musical Society Presents the Music of American Composer Douglas Townsend
Sunday, 19 Apr 2015 – 3:00 PM
Holyrood Episcopal Church, 715 W 179th street, NYC
Suggested donation: $10
For more info click here.

PREMIERING AWoW's GALLERY SERIES: "BRILLIANT ACROSS THE BOARD…KATHLEEN, MARTINA, ALLISON and ANNETTE"

There were so many wonderful comments about Friday night’s premier of Artists Without Walls’ Gallery Series, featuring Kathleen Bennett Bastis’ solo exhibition “Permutations,” that we are presenting a number of the comments here, which will be followed by others over the next few days. As you’ll, read and as you’ll see in the photos, it was an incredible night.

“In speaking about the materials that go into her artistic constructs that are on stunning display in her solo exhibition, “Permutations” (at the First Street Gallery in Chelsea), Kathleen Bennett Bastis has said: “Their unique shape, texture and hue guide my creative process.” The same might be said of the collaborative evening Artist Without Walls created at that gallery last night.

In bringing together a trio of performers, guitarist/vocalist Martina Fiserova, violinist Annette Homann and poet/spoken word artist Allison Sylvia— whose talents are perfectly in synch with Kathleen’s vision— it made for an event the likes of which you will rarely, if ever, experience. A melding of artists within the walls adorned by Kathleen’s masterful works… it was a memorable night. Yes, it was that good.” Ron Vazzano

“Visual and performing arts converged at First Street Gallery in Chelsea for a fabulously entertaining evening. The gallery walls were lined with Kathleen Bennett Bastis’ artistic sculptures. Sallie Benton aptly described Kathleen’s work on Facebook: ‘Bastis works primarily in metal; but there are stone & tile pieces, glass and mirrored pieces, cardboard, wire, string, etc. The pieces are quite varied but all have one very strong, exceptional and true artist’s voice.’

Martina Fiserova began the performances with an experimental number, displaying her unique talent on the guitar. Allison Sylvia followed with a ten minute thoughtful and humorous soliloquy on life, a well-written monologue with each word carefully chosen and placed. The inimitable violinist Annette Homan finished the night with pieces ranging from classical to pop. The joy exuded from Annette, particularly during one number when she provocatively engaged the audience with her violin music and playful dance. ” Tom Myles

**Annette Homann, Kathleen Bennett Bastis, Martina Fiserova and Allison Sylvia**

“Lovely and talented! Brilliant across the board; Martina, Allison, Kathleen, and Annette. Happy I was able to attend; super sounds, sights and words – magical evening it was!” Michael Muller

“An extraordinary evening. Unequivocally original. Martina ended her set with a song that was amazing and daring. Equally daring was Allison’s poetry; her words seem to come from the deepest parts of her energetic psyche. And violinist Annette Homann’s performance of “Skyfall” brought the audience to their feet. In a perfect world Annette would team up with Niamh Hyland to do the title track for the next Bond movie.” Sam Adelman

**Ron Vazzano, Kathleen Bennett Bastis and Jenai Huff**

“Thank you for a night that brought back memories of New York City “Happenings” of bygone days.” Joanna Migdal

Last three photos by Vincent Nauheimer

ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS' SHOWCASE at THE CELL: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16TH, 6:45.

The weather may be cold and dreary but inside The Cell Theatre, tomorrow night, Monday 2/16, 6:45, there’ll be great cheer and warmth, not to mention a wonderful array of talent as Artists Without Walls presents it’s February Showcase. Here’s the lineup:

Amy Virginia Buchanan is a musician, actor, writer, and producer, hailing from the midwest and living in Brooklyn. She recently released her first album, “I’ll Sing You Songs When You Aren’t Around,” and is presently writing an EP loosely titled “You/Me/Us.”

Violinist Annette Homann, who recently performed her CD release program in NYC, will be playing a piece by Russian composer Serge Prokofiev and a dazzling fiddling piece by Mark O’Connor, which she played at her CD show.

You may have seen Noel Lawlor perform a scene from “Shakespeare” a number of months ago. Good news: Noel will be returning to The Cell performing the Prologue from Henry V, in which Shakespeare asks his audience for their willing suspension of disbelief, to come along with him on an epic journey on land and sea, using only their imaginations as he depicts vast battle scenes during the 100 years war between England and France with just a few actors on a bare stage.

Actor/dancer/singer/writer Melissa Ritz will perform an excerpt from her award-winning one-woman show Journey of a Bombshell: The Ina Ray Hutton Story. Based on true events, 1930’s famed Big-Band leader Ina Ray Hutton found success and heartache on the stages of Broadway and beyond, with a secret she couldn’t afford to reveal at that time.

Award-winning actress and comedian Nancy Redman stars in THE DOCTOR IS NOT IN, her sci-fi comedy exploring the hypocrisy of Hippocrates, directed by Austin Pendleton at Abingdon Theatre Company Dorothy Strelsin Theatre 312 West 36th Street, 1st Floor NYC Sunday, March 15, 2015 at 7pm For her recent “The Doctor Is Not In,” performed twice in the United Solo Theatre Festival 2014 at Theatre Row, Redman has been honored with the Best Comedian Award.

And there’ll be a fair share of rock and pop including former world-touring back-up-singer and native New Yorker Sybil Scoby, who’ll pay tribute to Donna Summer, the woman who inspired her to sing, and Lily Sparks, a local rock band consisting of AWoW cofounder Niamh Hyland, Kg Noble and Margaret LaBombard. Here’s how one critic described Lily Sparks: “If Heart and Joan Jett had a baby and sent it to boarding school with Florence and the Machine you’d get a hard rocking band with killer vocals called Lily Sparks!”

The bar will be open at 6:45, so you can come and “chill out” or, as the case may be, “warm up” and chat with new and old friends before the event. We have an amazing line up from Shakespeare to “stand up,” from a disco icon to a “Bombshell,” from classical violin to Irish fiddling mixed with the virtuosic techniques in the style of Paganini and Tartini, and some “folk” and “rock.” This is going to be great. Hope to see you there

The Cell Theatre is located at 338 W23rd St.