Ravinia Bloghttp://backstage.ravinia.org/blog/en-US2010-09-02T20:32:50ZSquarespace Site Server v5.11.5 (http://www.squarespace.com/)Jennifer's Favorite Thingshttp://backstage.ravinia.org/blog/2010/8/17/jennifers-favorite-things.htmlKristin Ayers2010-08-17T15:06:07ZShe’s charming, she’s sweet, and her shop is so neat!  And if you’re a regular in the park, it’s likely that Jennifer Wood, Ravinia Festival’s Retail Operations Manager, has helped you find some of your favorite things at Ravinia Gifts.  Now it’s her turn.  Here are a few of Jennifer’s favorite things:

Jennifer Wood, Retail Operations Manager of Ravinia Festival, poses with the Ravinia Excursion

For cool weather: The Ravinia full-zip appliqué navy zip-up sweatshirt

This universal and super soft collegiate-style sweatshirt is perfect for a chilly night at the park. Jennifer says, “On a night when you see people wearing it en masse, it’s almost like they’re on a team.”

For warm weather: The Ravinia white v-neck tee

“I always want there to be something new in the store when people come in every year so they can add to their collection,” Jennifer says.  This shirt is contemporary, comfortable, and looks good on everyone.  It’s definitely something to consider adding to your wardrobe while at the park. 

Picnic cooler: Excursion

Jennifer describes this tote as the “SUV of picnicking.”  Whether packing a picnic for a small or large group, this tote can handle it.  Not only is it practical, but it’s also environmentally friendly by promoting the concept of reusing.  Check it out! 

 Picnic Accessory: Scroll Candelabra

This adorable piece always brings the same question from customers: “Does the wine bottle come with it?” Unfortunately, it doesn’t, but Jennifer tells people to “make friends and drink quickly” in order to set up this romantic candle set. 

Ravinia Souvenir: Shot glass candle

This item holds a special place in Jennifer’s heart, as it was the first item sold in the shop this season.  What makes it especially cool is that doubles as a shot glass once the wick burns out!  Not only is it a great item to use on the lawn in here the park, but also in a kitchen or on a patio at home.  Next time you are in Ravinia Gifts, ask Jennifer to hook you up with one of these.

Inspired to find your favorite things?  Be sure to check out Ravinia Gifts next time you come out to the park!  If you just can’t wait to get your hands on all of the great items the shop has to offer, visit us online to browse and buy at any time. 

]]>I'm With the Band...http://backstage.ravinia.org/blog/2010/8/16/im-with-the-band.htmlFarah Ansari2010-08-16T17:14:50ZWorking weekends is a term that usually inspires visions of typing away feverishly at a computer, getting through endless stacks of documents and filing for hours on end – not at Ravinia.  When sent out to Wrigley Field (for the second time this season!) to play road for Todd of Big Head Todd and the Monsters, I had no complaints about working on a Saturday.  Todd (and I!) made the trip out to Wrigley, as he would be singing the national anthem that afternoon before the game.  From then on, I can only assume even Todd, from out west in Colorado, became a Cubs fan for the day.

 

 

Upon arrival, we were whisked away to the field where we snapped pictures near the dugout.  I know this lifelong Cubs fan was trying her best to believe where she was.  You do not get much closer to the action than on the field!  After filling up our memory cards, we were led to our seats.  We looked on from behind home plate, 11 rows back as Todd sang The Star-Spangled Banner.  His amazing rendition was met with applause and cheers from Cubs and Reds fans alike.  To add to an already perfect Saturday at the baseball game, a pair of jets flew over Wrigley Field just as Todd had finished up. 

 

Later in the evening, Big Head Todd and the Monsters made their way to Ravinia to put on an unbelievable show with their old friends The BoDeans.  I made sure I was in attendance for that one, too.  Yep, I love my job, even on the weekends.     

]]>Gearing Up for Lollapaloozahttp://backstage.ravinia.org/blog/2010/7/29/gearing-up-for-lollapalooza.htmlLisa Sanders2010-07-29T22:14:30ZAs one of my intern duties this summer, I was in charge of overseeing the Ravinia Kids Club, which is a free membership program for kids under 12 years old.  Our Kids Club is a great program that offers discounts in the park to members and encourages kids and their families to come out to Ravinia to learn about music of many genres.  From Ralph’s World to Synergy Brass, we’ve had some very exciting shows and events for families this season. 

Next week we’ll be doing an event that I’ve been looking forward to all summer.  Ravinia will be at Lollapalooza this year!  More specifically, we will be at the Kidzapalooza stage hosting a video karaoke station for all of the cool rocker kids who make it out to the park.  The pint-sized rockstars will be able to choose their own song, dress up in wacky rock n’ roll gear, and get a free DVD recording of their performance.  Kids 10 and under get free admission to Lollapalooza with a ticket-holding adult and there will be plenty of other kid-friendly activities. So, if you already have a ticket, consider bringing the little ones along to enjoy the artists that will be performing on the Kidzapalooza stage and also stop by our karaoke station to take home a truly unique souvenir.

I’m so glad that one of my last weekends working for Ravinia this summer will be spent at Lollapalooza.  I must admit, summer jobs don’t get much cooler than mine.  I’ve really come to value my responsibility with the Ravinia Kids Club for what it has taught me about managing a membership program and running events.  There is a lot of preparation that goes into each special program, but it’s fulfilling when it all comes together. I know the things I have learned here at Ravinia will come in handy when I return to college this fall, and even beyond then.   

Lisa Sanders

Communications Intern

]]>Ravinia Names 2010's Ultimate Picnichttp://backstage.ravinia.org/blog/2010/7/29/ravinia-names-2010s-ultimate-picnic.htmlFarah Ansari2010-07-29T15:05:15ZDay in and day out, picnickers on Ravinia’s lawns settle down in their own perfect little spots to look on and listen closely to the talent before them.  With all attention focused on the exciting shows taking  place on stage, we wait for that one special day when the picnics on the lawn become the sights to see.  That day came this past weekend when Ravinia teamed up with Rutherford Hill to name 2010’s ultimate picnic.  Special guest judges from around Chicago, including HGTV host and celebrity designer, Monica Pedersen, took to the lawns to scope out participants’ extravagant displays.  From piano-shaped cake to a lifesize cardboard cut-out of Pedersen herself, judges surveyed a variety of creative ways for participants to display their picnic set ups.

 

A judge's eye view:

   

Take the Ultimate Picnic tour by viewing the full gallery here. 

          

 

Participants were awarded with gifts from Ravinia Gifts, Rutherford Hill and Kerrygold.  But the icing on the Ravinia cake was the grand prize – two passes to Ravinia’s 2011 season!

]]>One Score, One Chicago: Students Discover Music and Art through Pictures at an Exhibitionhttp://backstage.ravinia.org/blog/2010/7/26/one-score-one-chicago-students-discover-music-and-art-throug.htmlAdriana McClintock, Marketing2010-07-26T21:37:20ZInspired by Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, Ravinia Festival partnered with the Art Institute of Chicago to introduce thousands of children and the public to connections between music and art.  Students listened to, performed and created original art inspired by Pictures at an Exhibition and studied works from the Art Institutes collection that were inspired by music, such as the works below.  Click here to see examples of art inspired by music that were created by Highland Park middle school art students. 

Thousands of public school students in Chicago, Highland Park, North Chicago and Waukegan were introduced to classical music through Ravinia’s One Score, One Chicago program this year.  The students learned about Pictures at an Exhibition, the 10-part work originally written for piano by Modest Mussorgsky in 1875 and then arranged for orchestra by Maurice Ravel, in three stages. Click here to learn more.

Isaac Sinnett

Project Manager, REACH*TEACH*PLAY

 

Archibald John Motley, Jr.

American, 1891-1981

Nightlife, 1943

Oil on canvas

91.4 x 121.3 cm (36 x 47 3/4 in.)

Signed and dated lower right: A. J. MOTLEY / 1943

The Art Institute of Chicago

Restricted gift of Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Field, Jack and Sandra Guthman, Ben W. Heineman, Ruth Horwich, Lewis and Susan Manilow, Beatrice C. Mayer, Charles A. Meyer, John D. Nichols, and Mr. and Mrs. E.B. Smith, Jr.; James W. Alsdorf Memorial Fund; Goodman Endowment, 1992.89

 


Viktor Schreckengost

American, 1906-2008

Made for Cowan Pottery Studio (1913-1931)

Rocky River, Ohio

Jazz Bowl, c. 1931

Glazed earthenware with engobe, sgraffito

23.5 cm x 42.6 x 43.2 cm (9 1/4 in. x 16 3/4 x 17 in.)

Signed on body "VIKTOR SCHRECKEGOST", impressed on underside with "COWAN" and firm's mark

The Art Institute of Chicago

Through prior acquisition of the Antiquarian Society; Thorne Rooms exhibition Fund; Bequest of Elizabeth R. Vaughn; and the Winfield Foundation, 2004.1

 

]]>Ravinia Gifts in the Spotlighthttp://backstage.ravinia.org/blog/2010/7/23/ravinia-gifts-in-the-spotlight.htmlLisa Sanders2010-07-23T16:40:22ZRavinia Gifts had an exciting moment recently when two members of the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, who provided Sting’s accompaniment for his two night stay at the park, stopped by to purchase a few pairs of rock and roll guitar sunglasses.  As if having the musicians stop by wasn’t cool enough, they informed us that they would be wearing the glasses on stage during part of their performance!  Sure enough, the guys put on the groovy glasses towards the end of Sting’s set, giving the audience and their fellow performers a good laugh.   It was certainly an exciting moment for the staff of Ravinia Gifts.

Lisa Sanders

Communications Intern

]]>Ravinia's "W" at the Cubs Gamehttp://backstage.ravinia.org/blog/2010/7/21/ravinias-w-at-the-cubs-game.htmlFarah Ansari2010-07-21T19:46:01ZThe Chicago Cubs holding their own against the Philadelphia Phillies was not the only thing that drew crowds at Wrigley Field last week.  Ravinia took a brief break from the North Shore for a Friday afternoon in the big city – and what a break it was.  Ravinia regulars and beginners alike gave the Ravinia prize wheel a spin, and lucky winners left with goodies like free t-shirts and lawn passes.  We may not have been able to turn Phillies fans into Cubs fans but they were easily turned onto the Ravinia Festival.  With the 2010 season just past its halfway point, many anticipate great performances ahead.  See full schedule details here.

  

 

So baseball fans, if you were not able to join us last week, be sure to look for us at Wrigley again on August 7th.  Just remember, here at Ravinia, it is okay to be a fair-weather fan – and, ya know, hope for temperate climates to make the most of your lawn experience!

]]>Romance at Ravinia: Meet Other Singles at the Nelly Furtado Concerthttp://backstage.ravinia.org/blog/2010/7/21/romance-at-ravinia-meet-other-singles-at-the-nelly-furtado-c.htmlKristin Ayers2010-07-21T16:48:18Z 

The month of September is known to bring change, with the beginning of a new season and the end of an old one.  For most in the Midwest, this means one thing—the wonderfully warm days of summer will be coming to an end.  We begin to prepare ourselves for what lies ahead (snow, ice, and freezing our…posterior regions off).

But don’t fret!  Here at Ravinia, we want to keep September hot with the Nelly Furtado Singles Mixer on September 3rd.  The temperature may be dropping, but at Ravinia, this will be the hottest day of the season!  We’ve teamed up with Chicago Magazine to provide you with an offer that you can’t refuse.  For just $39 you will get an open bar for 3 hours with Ketel One, Don Julio, Heineken, and Seven Daughters products, delicious appetizers, and a chance to win some awesome prizes.  Not to mention that you’ll be invited to the most exclusive tent party of the evening with the area’s most eligible singles.  Who knows!  You might meet someone pretty special.  And if you don’t, you can always fall back on that fantastic open bar that you will be getting for next to nothing! 

Plus, after the party, you’ll be invited to an exclusive area on the lawn to watch Nelly Furtado do her thing.  Avoid the hassles of bringing your own lawn chairs and let us take care of you.  The party starts at 5:00 p.m. on September 3rd.  Come and get your FLIRTado on with the area’s hottest singles!  Round up your single buddies and BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW (they are going fast!).

 

Kristin Ayers

Marketing Intern

]]>REACH Orchestra Students Meet Joshua Bellhttp://backstage.ravinia.org/blog/2010/7/20/reach-orchestra-students-meet-joshua-bell.htmlAmy Schrage2010-07-20T18:42:23ZJust a few short months ago the 8 to 12 year old students in Ravinia's REACH Orchestra had never held a violin. This week they got to perform on their instruments during a meet-and-greet with the legendary violinist Joshua Bell, who met the grade-schoolers backstage before his July 13 performance of the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E Minor. One of our REACH*TEACH*PLAY initiatives, Ravinia started the El Sistema-based orchestra--an immersion program that stresses passion above technique--in conjunction with the Women's Board of Ravinia and the People's Music School. People's had already launched a student orchestra at Hibbard, called YOURS.

Ninety-five student, parents and teachers from the REACH and YOURS orchestras attended the concert and three violinists from each orchestra met with Joshua Bell backstage before the performance, where Bell graciously shared stories about his earliest days with the violin.

When asked about the experience 10-year old REACH Orchestra violist Freddi Mercado said, "I like the sound...it's so good!"

Nick Pullia
Director of Communcations

Isaac Sinnett
Project Manager, REACH*TEACH*PLAY

]]>New Music for an Old Friendshiphttp://backstage.ravinia.org/blog/2010/7/20/new-music-for-an-old-friendship.htmlFarah Ansari2010-07-20T15:13:40ZTony Andriacchi and I have been best of friends for a couple of decades now. When we first started hanging out, I had no idea that he was a singer. Then one day he asked if I wanted to listen to his tape (yep, we used cassettes back then). It’s a question I dread. What if he was no good—there goes the friendship. I said, “Couldn’t I just help you move or drive you to the airport?” But when I mustered the courage to listen, I discovered an incredibly intelligent vocalist with unique phrasing and a serious set of pipes. Only then did I discover that he had enjoyed a career as a headliner at such Chicago hot-spots as The Pump Room. He also had some of the best reviews I’ve ever read. So I’m very pleased that my best friend will be performing in the Martin Theatre on August 25. Last night I learned that he and his music director, Carey Deadman, have worked up 10 new charts to showcase in his evening of American standards with a 16-piece big band. If there’s anyone out there who wants a new favorite singer (or a fun new friend), don’t miss this swinging show.

 

Nick Pullia

Director of Communications

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