Wednesdays get Artful at Nordy's

Flamenco dancers, Peruvian pan pipers and Brazilian jazz musicians all have something in common: They’ll soon be performing on Pitt’s campus every Wednesday.

Artful Wednesdays, a program sponsored by Pitt Arts and Student Life, will bring exotic musical and artistic performances to Nordy’s Place on the lower level of the William Pitt Union starting today. The performances take place between noon and 1 p.m., free of charge, and are accompanied by a complimentary lunch.

Flamencos en El Aire, the first show of this year’s Artful Wednesdays’ program, will be “a great kickoff ... because of their high energy,” said Annabelle Clippinger, organizer of the event. Flamenco performances are known for their colorful costumes and audible tap-dancing-like footwork. 

Elie Kihonia & Wacongo Dance Company comes to Pitt through the Artful Wednesdays program on Oct. 1 to perform ancestral songs and dances from the Democratic Republic of Congo. 

Both Elie and the flamenco dancers and musicians performed at Pitt five years ago, and they have returned at Clippinger’s request. After five years, she explained, a whole new class of students will be enrolled at Pitt — students who would benefit from exposure to exotic musical presentations such as these.

Artful Wednesdays officially started in 2003 with the intention “to have performances of high quality right where students live,” said Clippinger.

Unofficially, the program started in 2002 when Clippinger had a trio perform in the lobby of Litchfield Towers. For five years performances were held there, but they have since been moved to Nordy’s Place because renovations changed the space and layout of the building.

“It was so great in the residence halls,” Clippinger said of the music, “because students would bump into it.”

In her first experimentations with the Towers setup, however, Clippinger noted that students “clomping up and down the stairs” interrupted quiet bands. Acoustics were less than ideal, and there was no seating available for student passersby. 

“I’m only bringing loud things to that loud place,” said Clippinger upon noticing the disruptive noise level of the lobby. There were louder presentations, including  music by chamber musicians, thereafter.

Clippinger is optimistic about the new setup at Nordy’s Place.

She also noted that students still “bump into” performances as they did in Towers after wandering in from Schenley Cafe in the Union. “I ended up being happy because it’s comfy,” she said.

The acts that students will bump into this fall are an unusual assortment of art and music, the combination forming the basis of the program.

“Diversity is very important to me,” said Clippinger.

That emphasis on diversity clearly shapes the lineup, drawing musicians and dancers from four continents, as well as from Pittsburgh. 

Namoli Brennet, singer and songwriter, will perform at Nordy’s Place on Oct. 8. She is an advocate for GLBT causes and has produced six CDs on her own label. Rooted in folk but skilled in many instruments, Brennet’s music is difficult to categorize definitively.

Kenia & Company performs on Oct. 15. Kenia, whose fusion of Brazilian jazz and pop brought her success in the ’80s and ’90s, has had a vibrant music career spanning three decades and including the release of six albums.

The Pillow Project, a thematic artistic endeavor featuring dance, video and graphic art, hails from Pittsburgh and is slated to perform at Nordy’s Place on Oct. 22. 

Oct. 29’s performance is the Mata String Quartet, featuring violins, viola and cello. The quartet plays a diverse selection of classical and modern South American music.

Musuhalpa, a music group featuring instruments from three countries in the Andean Mountain regions, plays on Nov. 5. Musicians will play songs featuring Peruvian pan pipes, as well as unique percussion and string instruments from Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru.

Pittsburgh’s own Dance Alloy Theater provides the entertainment on Nov. 12, combining ballet and modern dance for theatrical impact.

Duende Camaron plays on Nov. 19 and features spirited dance and song in the flamenco tradition.

Nordy’s Place offers seating and tables for Artful Wednesdays’ free lunch and good acoustic conditions, as well as a stage for performers.

Artful Wednesdays operates with a $16,000 budget according to Clippinger, which is used to pay for lunch, technical staff and equipment rental.

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