Jazz Festival
Slated Feb. 6-8;
Tickets on Sale
The 25th Sitka Jazz Festival will be staged Feb. 6-8 and will include music for all ages.
Pianist Nick Milo will kick off the festival with a performance 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6, at Centennial Hall. The event is for festival pass holders.
Events Friday, Feb. 7, are: artists will perform in the schools; a free brown bag lunch concert is planned noon-1 p.m. at the Odess Theater on the SJ Campus; the Sitka Charitable Trust Student Concert with Ketchikan High School, Thunder Mountain High School and Blatchley Middle School Jazz II is 6-7 p.m.; the Westmark Sitka Evening Concert, with the Sitka High School Jazz Band and special guests feature artist vocalist Gretchen Parlato and the Herbie Hancock Performance Institute will be at 7 p.m.; and the Big Band Dance Party will be at 8:30-11 p.m. at Centennial Hall, sponsored by CBC Construction.
Saturday events include: 6-7 p.m. Alaska State Council on the Arts Student Concert, with Ketchikan Vocal Jazz, DZ Middle School, West Valley High School and JDHS Jazz Bands; 7:15 p.m. Alaska Airlines Evening Concert with Sitka High Vocal Jazz, BMS Jazz I, the All Alaska Jazz Band and the Kyle Athayde Dance Party & Guests; and 10 p.m. after hours event at the Mean Queen downstairs for ages 21 and older.
For information about the festival visit sitkajazzfestival.com. Tickets are available at Old Harbor Books or from a Sitka music student. Volunteers also are needed and can contact Nichel Kernin at nichelkernin@gmail.com.
The festival strives to teach music appreciation, skills, history, artistic expression and cross-cultural understanding through jazz in a supportive environment. Visiting artists and local educators provide clinics in jazz history, jazz theory, and jazz improvisation, as well as a variety of individual instrument and section-specific workshops.
Student performances are non-competitive, with an emphasis on cooperation and appreciation. Large ensembles perform for adjudication and for the public.
Bike Group Meets
The Sitka Cycling Club will meet 2:30-3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5, at the Sitka Public Library.
The monthly meeting is open to those wanting to promote safe cycling. Agenda items include building single track, planning group rides in 2020, and promoting the bicycle benefits program.
For information go to https://sitkacycling.wordpress.com/
Shakespeare
Group to Meet
I Read Shakespeare will meet 6:30-8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 10, at the Sitka Pioneers Home. All are welcome.
The group will start the play ‘‘Julius Caesar.’’
Kyle Athayde
Dance Party
Performs Feb. 8
The Kyle Athayde Dance Party will perform at the Sitka Jazz Festival 7:15 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, at the Alaska Airlines Evening Concert with Sitka High Vocal Jazz, BMS Jazz I, and the All Alaska Jazz Band.
The group of musicians is dedicated to the creation and performance of fun, good, original music, a press release from the festival said. It formed in New York City in 2011, and has since expanded to the West Coast. The band performs at clubs, in the streets, for dances, and for any situation that calls for creative, spirited music, a press release said.
Athayde’s music draws inspiration from a wide variety of sources, from video games and Internet memes to jazz and classical masterworks. The arc of a Dance Party performance ranges from images of nature to Japanese anime scenes to swing, hip-hop and rock grooves.
In addition to original music, Athayde also writes arrangements of well-known and popular songs of all kinds, while still retaining the sound for which the Dance Party is known, the festival said.
A 10 p.m. after-hours event follows at the Mean Queen downstairs for ages 21 and older.
Sacred Harp Sing
Set for Sunday
All are invited to learn to sing four-part a capella harmony in an American tradition at the Sacred Harp Sing 3:30-5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 9, at the Pioneers Home Chapel. Beginners and listeners are welcome. Singing is from the red Denson book, and loaner books are available. For information call Sara at 747-2915.
Martial Arts
Classes on Tap
Hames Center’s martial arts program has two upcoming events this week.
A women’s self defense workshop will be 10:30-noon Saturday, Feb. 8. The cost is $25.
Also on Feb. 8, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu worksop will be offered 1-4 p.m. The cost is $50.
Both courses will be led by visiting instructors from Ketchikan, Shellie and Jordan Tabb. Courses are open to ages 13 and older. No prior experience is needed. Space is limited and registration is open at Hames Center or call 747-5080.
Free Spin Class
At Hames Center
Hames Center, in partnership with SEARHC, will offer a free spin class 5:15 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7.
The class is being offered in observance of National Wear Red Day for Heart Health. Members and non-members are welcome. No experience is needed. Participants should register in advance at Hames Center or by calling 747-5080. For more schedule information visit www.hamescenter.org.
Women’s Book
Group to Meet
The Women’s Book Group will meet to discuss ‘‘America for Beginners’’ by Leah Franqui 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11, in Room 331 of the Pioneers Home.
All women are invited. Those with questions can call Dorothy at 747-3412.
Exchange Program
Seeking Hosts
The Sitka AFS high school exchange program is seeking two to three Sitka families to host students for the upcoming school year.
Students from India, Jordan, Romania and Mozambique will arrive in August and stay until early June.
Local training and support are offered to hosts.
Call Connie Kreiss, 747-5387, or Julia Smith, 738-6336, for information or go to www.afsusa.org.
Story Time Set
‘‘Bear Came Along’’ by Richard T. Morris, a cheerful and action-packed adventure about the importance of friendship and community, will be one of the readings at the 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 6, story time program at Sitka Public Library.
Rhymes, songs and a craft project will be part of the preschool program. All are welcome. For information, call the library at 747-4022.
Harry Potter
Book Night Set
Sitka Public Library announces the celebration of the annual Harry Potter Book Night 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7.
Literary wizards, witches and Muggles ages 8 to 10 from around the world are invited to take part in a Triwizard Tournament, competing in enchanting games, and testing their skills with an array of activities.
Students are to register at Sitka Public Library. Space is limited to five students per school. Costumes are being encouraged. For information, call Maite at 747-4022.
“The Triwizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago, as a friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry – Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school, and the three champions competed in three magical tasks…” said Albus Dumbledore, via the Sitka Public Library.
SJ Museum Updates
Film Times, Talk
Sheldon Jackson Museum has updated its film screening and event schedule.
The film ‘‘Project Chariot’’ will be screened at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8.
The film is being shown as part of the Friends of Sheldon Jackson Museum Winter Film Series. The documentary by Inupiaq filmmaker Rachel Naninaaq Edwardson tells the story of how in 1958 the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission planned to detonate thermonuclear bombs near North America’s oldest continually inhabited settlement, and how the Inupiaq village stopped the most powerful agency of its time.
‘‘The museum originally had a talk by Nancy Yaw Davis scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 1,’’ the museum said. ‘‘The museum regrets that this talk will not take place. We apologize for any inconvenience and hope to see you for the Feb. 8 film screening.’’
