Arts Interview with Nancy Kranzberg

Stéphane Denève, Music Director of SLSO, stopped by to speak with Nancy about the goings on at the symphony. ------

Stéphane Denève is Music Director of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Artistic Director of the New World Symphony, and from 2023 will also be Principal Guest Conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic. He recently concluded terms as Principal Guest Conductor of The Philadelphia Orchestra and Chief Conductor of the Brussels Philharmonic, and previously served as Chief Conductor of Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra (SWR) and Music Director of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. ------ 

Recognised internationally for the exceptional quality of his performances and programming, Stéphane Denève regularly appears at major concert venues with the world's greatest orchestras and soloists. He has a special affinity for the music of his native France, and is a passionate advocate for music of the 21st century. ------ 

Lyah LeFlore-Ituen, President and CEO of The Arts and Education Council, stopped by to speak with Nancy about the happenings at the organization.

Lyah B. LeFlore-Ituen serves as President and CEO of the Arts and Education Council. In this role she oversees all institutional matters including fundraising and grant making. ------

She is a bestselling author, television and film producer, and music supervisor.  As a 30 year entertainment veteran she has worked at Nickelodeon, Uptown Records/Entertainment, Wolf Films/Universal, and ran Alan Haymon Development for over a decade.  LeFlore has also written eight critically-acclaimed books.  She is the co-founder and executive director of the literary arts-based nonprofit, The Shirley Bradley LeFlore Foundation/Creative Arts and Expression Laboratory, which honors LeFlore's late mother, St. Louis Poet Laureate Emeritus, and 2Leaf Press author, Shirley Bradley Price LeFlore.

As Vice Provost and University Librarian, Mimi Calter oversees Washington University Libraries and its staff of expert librarians, curators, and archivists. She is charged with strengthening print and digital collections; developing programming in support of research, teaching, and learning; and collaborating with scholars on- and off-campus. ------ 

Before joining Washington University in September 2021, Calter worked at Stanford Libraries for 16 years. During her time there, Calter helped develop the libraries' $84 million budget, lead its 400-person staff, expand digital technologies and repositories, and manage capital projects, including relocation of the second-largest campus library and development of the David Rumsey Map Center. ------ 

Calter earned her undergraduate degree in English from the University of Pennsylvania and graduate degrees in business administration and library and information science from Drexel University. ------ 

Sue Greenberg, Executive Director for VLAA, stopped by to talk about the organization and its works.

St. Louis Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts (VLAA) supports the creative community by providing free legal and accounting assistance and a wide variety of affordable educational programs. They serve artists of every discipline and career level, nonprofit cultural organizations and small arts-related businesses. Their organization enhances the region's cultural fabric and offers volunteer opportunities. ----

About VLAA: Their volunteer accountants and lawyers donate their time and expertise to help their appreciative clients navigate the complicated world of finance and law. VLAA also provides information and skills training designed to help the creative community develop sound business practices and protect their rights. -----

Founded in 1982 by St. Louis University School of Law and the city's Arts and Humanities Commission, VLAA is housed in the High Low in Grand Center. Our primary service area is greater St. Louis, which includes St. Louis City, St. Charles, St. Louis, and Jefferson counties in Missouri and Madison and St. Clair counties in Illinois. They also serve Columbia and Eastern Missouri. ------ 

This nonprofit, tax-exempt organization is supported by the Regional Arts Commission with additional funds provided by the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency; the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; foundations; law and accounting firms; corporations and individuals. ----- 

About the New Jewish Theatre: The New Jewish, St. Louis' Premier Small Professional Theatre, is dedicated to the exploration of universal themes and issues and the examination of the full range of the human experience filtered through the lens of the Jewish experience. Through the medium of theater, we build bridges of multicultural understanding, tolerance, communication and education. ———

About Rebekah Scallet: Rebekah served as the Producing Artistic Director for the Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre, an Equity summer Shakespeare festival, from 2011 to 2020.  During that time, she produced 32 plays and musicals, directed eight, and oversaw the creation of 2020's "Revisiting Shakespeare," an online festival celebrating and investigating Shakespeare and his work's role and relevance today. ——-

Notable accomplishments during her time at AST include: more than doubling AST's audience size; expanding the performance season by one week; establishing a hugely successful educational touring program; and founding the AST Artistic Collective, a group of actors, designers, and directors who advise AST's artistic process and are committed to AST as their creative home. ——

Prior to her time with AST, Rebekah also worked as the Producing ——Associate and Literary Manager for Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, an Equity company based in Chicago with a mission of producing works by and about women's lives. She also served as the Marketing Associate for Northlight Theatre in Skokie for four years. ———

David Brinker, Director of the Museum of Contemporary Religious Art, stopped by to talk with Nancy about the museum as well as the current exhibition by Jordan Eagles and a selection of works from the MOCRA collection through December 18th.

About MOCRA: Through exhibitions, collections and educational programs, MOCRA highlights and explores the ways contemporary visual artists engage the religious and spiritual dimensions. MOCRA serves the diverse Saint Louis University community, and the wider public, by facilitating personal discovery, experience and inspiration, while contributing to a wider culture of interfaith encounter and dialogue.

The 2017 auction sale of a purported Leonardo da Vinci painting prompts a consideration of the value systems of art, religion and healthcare. Whose lives, experiences and stories are acknowledged and valued, in what contexts and by whom?

Bree Maniscalco, Executive Director of Cinema St. Louis, stopped by to speak with Nancy about the happenings at the organization.

Although she had no formal training in film, Bree's lifelong love of film, moved her to volunteer at Cinema St. Louis. She later became a board member, a staff member, and was recently named Executive Director.

SLIFF (St. Louis International Film Festival), Cinema St. Louis' flagship festival runs this year from November 3rd through 13th.

In addition to SLIFF, Cinema St. Louis also has educational programs, as well as hosting other festivals/events throughout the year including the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase, QFest St. Louis, and the Classic French Film Festival among others.

Helen Turner, Director of Education and Interpretation, for the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum, stopped by to speak with Nancy about the happenings at the Museum. ------

The newest version of the museum opens November 2nd 2022. ------

Helen Turner, originally from England, was moved at a young age to study the Holocaust, thinking to herself, "This is a story that must be told and remembered." ------

She says what she hopes people will take away from the museum, is not only a sense of the history, but to be inspired to make changes in their own life. ------ 

Also discussed are the various exhibitions and educational programs. ------ 

Rick Erwin, Creative Director at the City Museum, stopped by to speak with Nancy about the Museum and its offerings. 

Rick Erwin, describes the City Museum as a "constantly evolving sculpture," or as the world's largest game of "Chutes and Ladders."

Both educational and entertaining, the museum is located at 750 North 16th street in downtown St. Louis, and features, tunnels, an aquarium, several restaurants and bars, a ferris wheel on the roof, a circus, and many other attractions.

The city museum celebrates its 25th birthday in October. 

Jody Sowell, new President and CEO, at the Missouri Historical Society, stopped by to speak to Nancy about his new job at the MHS and about some of the exhibitions at the History Museum.

Though newly appointed as president, Jody Sowell has been working for the MHS for 16 years.

Some of the topics covered include the St. Louis Sound Exhibit, as well as the Coloring STL exhibit at the History Museum.