Today and tomorrow (Oct. 18-19) marks the third annual CalArts Weekend—a celebration of the CalArts experience in which parents, relatives and friends immerse themselves in the Institute’s culture through specially designed workshops and classes, cutting-edge art exhibitions and performances, and through meetings with administration and faculty.
The events culminate with a CalArts Dance Party on Saturday night, an outdoor performance that’s part of The Wild Beast Concert Series. On the program are three bands that all have CalArts connections.
- Headliner Orkestar MÉZÉ, a Balkan brass band, was founded by CalArts alumnus Milen Kirov (Music BFA 02). The band’s sound fuses electo-acoustic brass, American funk, soul and jazz with traditional Bulgarian and Balkan music. (Video above).
- The Sogo Takeover is an Afrobeat band led by CalArts alumnus Greg Zilboorg (Music MFA 11):
- John Macy & the Heavy Hand, a collaboration between John Macy Mullen (Music MFA 09) and Mischa Mandel (Music 10) updates the classic styles of Motown and soul and mixes them with dance grooves:
While there is a fee for CalArts Weekend, the concert at the Wild Beast is free and open to the public.