We look forward to the so-called forthcoming "high season" when galleries and theaters are all open, and Ogunquit in particular takes its established place among the foremost culturally active resort areas along the New England Coast.
However, not to be overlooked are the "shoulder season" events such as one I recently attended at Ogunquit's Dunaway Center when a significantly large number of residents and friends attended a world-class performance by acclaimed Japanese pianist Masanobu Ikemiya at Ogunquit's Dunaway Center's Great Hall.
The artist, noted world-wide for "his joyous and expressive tone" opened the event with a few friendly pre-concert words.
"This is a marvelous instrument," he said of the superb 1896 Steinway "C" Concert Grand Piano, which now graces the Dunaway's Great Hall, patting it as if it were a favorite pet. He went on to say that he wanted to dedicate this concert to "world peace."
One glance at the program Ikemiya had selected told all of us present that we were in for an exceptional evening. While the first half of the program consisted of well-known piano classics (some familiar especially to those who have studied piano) by Schumann and Rachmaninoff, the second-half was given over to a series of ragtime works, including not only such popular items such as Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag" and Debussy's "Golliwogg's Cake Walk" but also to lesser-known pre-ragtime compositions by L. M. Gottschalk, of New Orleans, thereby expanding our knowledge of this delightful syncopated style.
"I'm hooked on ragtime - just wild about it," he said as, in between various pieces played, he discussed the history of the genre, enthusiastically commenting on it as "joyous American music - optimistic and full of energy."
In both spoken word and virtuoso performance, Ikemiya's own energy, enthusiasm and love of the piano and the range of its message spilled over to all of us present. Since the artist makes his home in Bar Harbor, let's hope we are treated to a return performance from him in one of the many forthcoming cultural events scheduled for our area.
A few notes about future agenda
Quality programs on the 2008 horizon through Ogunquit Performing Arts include a Fiddler's Contest Saturday Evening May 17 at the Dunaway Center, a Chamber Music Festival at the Barn Gallery in June when several popular area quartets will perform, as well as art videos throughout July and August at the Barn Gallery every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
Ogunquit Performing Arts is also the sponsoring organization for the two-week long highly popular Capriccio arts festival, which takes place in the fall. For further information, call 646-6170.
In celebration of the 55th Anniversary of The Ogunquit Museum of American Art, its renowned Permanent Collection will be on view from July 1 to Aug. 19. Formerly known locally as "Strater's Museum," consisting of works the late Henry Strater had collected over the years - "I found I had so many paintings, I had no room in my house for them and so I opened a museum," founder Henry Strater said to me some 25 years ago when I wandered into the place and was astonished at the art in this private collection - the museum now, a nonprofit organization, has grown to have a permanent collection of over 1,600 works of art.
Artists whose works will be on view this summer include many noteworthy American painters such as Alexander Calder, Marsden Hartley, Rockwell Kent, Childe Hassam, Edward Hopper, John Marin, Robert Henri, Reginald Marsh, Louise Nevelson and Thomas Hart Benton.
