Columns for the Iron County Today

 I have been helping write the Cedar City Arts Council columns for the Iron County Today newspaper.

Here are a few: 

So Many Pianos Per Capita in Cedar City

by Sara Penny

Growing up in Cedar City most of my friends played an instrument or sang in the choir. There were pianos in many homes and an emphasis on the value of musical training.

There were many notable teachers. I was fortunate to have violin lessons with Mr. Halversen and piano lessons from Loa Johnson. They both had excellent training and set a high standard of performance. I do remember a piano recital as a child that seemed to last forever, but that may have been my short attention span. Currently I do a few recitals for my students so the families can enjoy the music for a shorter session.

Dedication and practice can result in unusual accomplishments. The Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson was recognized as the Instrumentalist of the Year for 2025 by Musical America Worldwide. One of his projects was playing an entire year of concerts playing only the Bach "Goldberg Variations".

As a child he played the piano before speaking. His mother was a piano teacher and his father was an architect who also composed music. The family used an inheritance to buy a Steinway piano for a small Berlin apartment. This family priority of music set a standard for him as a child.

The year of Bach gave him a chance to really explore the music. He found endless opportunities for interpretation in the music. He said he was "never bored with the material", even with 94 concerts. "I challenged myself to not repeat myself," he said as he explored the infinite possibilities of the music. Changing phrasing, tempo, articulation, and feeling made the experience interesting. He had to learn to pace himself to get through the 80 minutes of music and keep up the energy and focus.

The Bach Cello Suites are another marathon opportunity. The first time I heard all six suites in concert was at an American String Teachers Conference in Bolzano, Italy in 1985. I was amazed at the stamina and musicality required for this concert. Pablo Casals and his father rediscovered this amazing music in a music shop in Spain and he popularized them so now every serious cellist and violist learns at least some of the suites.

This past year one of my adult students and I tackled the transcriptions of the cello suites for viola. It took us several months to work through the music, but it was fascinating. We are going to study the Bach violin partitas next. I can't personally memorize that well, so I am super impressed with the performers who are able to pull off these amazing concerts.

Looking back at my classmates and students who studied music I now see farmers, doctors, engineers, teachers, lawyers, military officers, and builders. Music may not become a source of income, but it is a source of enrichment. It certainly helps someone appreciate what it takes to play well to have had some music training as a child.

We are lucky that there are also opportunities for music for adults in our community with the choirs, community band, and the Orchestra of Southern Utah.

January rehearsals have started for performances that will be coming your way soon. Follow our Cedar City Arts Council Facebook page for updates on local performances. Let us know about your performances so we can help promote them. We do not believe in "secret concerts". The Arts Council works to encourage and share all performances.

Laughing at the Critics

by Sara Penny, CCAC Vice President 

Sometimes laughing at the critics is the only healthy response. Any artist dreads that moment when they share their work and wait for the response.  It can be helpful by coming from a place of caring or it can be hurtful by coming from a place of scorn.

The trick is to separate the valuable comments from the chaff.  If the criticism is helpful and moves your work to a stronger place then it is worth considering. If it is negative with no redeeming value then it is to be discarded quickly and completely in the hyperfast "Let it Go" mode.

Trevor Rozenberg suggests looking at one star reviews to get some perspective on criticism. This is a classic on the magnificent Grand Canyon, “Too big. Just a hole in the ground. Not enough benches.” My son thinks this may have been an English person who is used to green landscapes and lots of benches along the trail. It makes me laugh about an entirely different perspective of a place that I love.

Another hilarious one star review is about Yosemite, "Trees block views and too many grey rocks."  This is in the "what did you expect" category.

When I judge for the local String Festival I try to give two positive comments to every suggestion. Children who perform from a young age and receive written comments develop resiliency, which is especially valuable in the middle and high school ages.  Teachers and parents can help the students implement the useful suggestions and discard the comments that are not useful.  

You might think that there is not a lot to say about a one minute violin piece, but there are many facets to any performance.  Even a four year old knows that posture and the bow hand matter.  Straight bows, clear tone, accurate intonation, and so much more are involved in the performance.  

The students also know that if they keep performing for many years they can accumulate several Gold Cup trophies to celebrate their achievements. Registration is now open for the Southern Utah String Festival at https://www.southernutahstringfestival.org. The Festival is held March 1 with students coming from throughout Southern Utah and some participating from around the country with the online option.

I am thankful to Marin Colby and her team for continuing to offer this opportunity for our local students to receive valuable feedback and performance opportunities.

Whether it is sharing a new book, a painting, or a dance the artist has to be vulnerable and willing to be open to criticism. The idea has been translated into an artform and the feedback is part of the artistic process.  This is one of the benefits of participating in the arts.  Learning how to communicate through art and being brave enough to share your art are valuable. Risking the criticism, embracing what is helpful, and discarding the rest is part of the process. This is a path of artistic growth.

So when you get those inevitable "one star reviews" remember to laugh because seriously, that is the best response. 

Arts Help Us Cope

by Sara Penny

Termites. Cancer. Words that can make you stop breathing in a panic.  Music. Art. Dance. Books. Words that give hope and can take away our breath in a good way. 

There was a soft place by my front door and I thought the floorboard was broken. What Gerry Breinholt found was much worse. Termites had come in from a hole beneath the door. I knew that termites were in Cedar City, but reality is not fun sometimes. Fortunately, the damage was limited to the one board, now replaced, damage cleaned up, and the termite treatment is done. I will be getting yearly inspections from now on.  Just like we need physical exams to keep tabs on our bodies, our houses need checkups.

I know many people who got their physical exams and had to deal with chemo or other treatments, but they forged ahead. They are raising families, taking care of neighbors, and giving service. Some find solace and healing through participating in a choir or being in the community theater. Many find our plethora of arts events a welcome reconnection with friends. 

The cellist Stephen Sharp Nelson of the Piano Guys hopes that the audience “brings their heaviness and leaves lighter.” He feels music can “transport you to a place of peace.”  

There are still a few more December performances in Cedar City.  These include In Jubilo on Dec. 19, Master Singers on Dec. 22, and the second Nutcracker performances on Dec. 20 and 21. All of these performances are at the Heritage Theater. Check our CedarCityArts Facebook and Instagram for event updates.  If we ever miss something please post and we will share. Remember to send us posters and events for the monthly arts calendar by the 15th of the month.  Ann Oberhelman does a masterful job of creating the email newsletter sent to Cedar City Arts Council members and available on our social media.  To join the Arts Council go to www.cedarcityartscouncil.org under the Support tab.

Holocaust survivor Saul Dreier formed a band to comfort others. Moments of music in Polish concentration camps were made more bearable with Jewish songs which he accompanied with spoons for percussion.  "In those moments of music, I found escape," he said.  "I will play for as long as I can, because music is hope."

Teaching violin and viola for over 50 years has given me a chance to see how music heals.  There have been times when a student arrives in tears because of an upset at school, but as we play they become more calm and centered.  Music can be healing, as are the other arts. 

I remember an adult student who was a nurse telling me she would go out to Ladybug nursery for "color therapy" when she was overwhelmed with her work. Visiting art galleries and the Southern Utah Museum of Art also brings me solace.

I have a stack of Christmas CDs that I work through during December. They bring back memories and are very comforting, especially the Julie Andrews one because my mother had a record of those songs. Music is more easily accessible now through numerous online services. Finding music that brings you joy and comfort adds to your enjoyment of life and helps you cope with the difficulties we all face.

Wishing you a joyous season filled with laughter, friends, family, and the healing arts.

What do Branson and Santa Fe Share?

by Sara Penny

 

When people go for concerts in Branson they have the choice of 26 theaters. When they visit Santa Fe there is a choice of over 200 art galleries. By having a focus these cities attract more of the same kinds of visitors who will go to more than one theater and more than one gallery.

 

Having both the Utah Shakespeare Festival and SimonFest has made Cedar an enjoyable destination for my out of town family visitors, as well as locals. It was a joy to take my 11 year old grandson to 39 Steps at USF.  He loved every silly second. After seeing Fiddler on the Roof he told Richard Bugg that he had only cried in two plays, this one and Big Fish. He told Lindsay Szczesny what a great job she did as the fiddler. This is a boy who has been in school plays and seen numerous productions since his father has been characters from Daddy Warbucks in Annie to Bob in White Christmas in northern Utah. Our Austin family enjoyed going to four of the USF productions. If they could have stayed longer they would have made it to all of the shows. 

 

This Thursday through August 28 the Cedar City Children's Musical Theatre is presenting SpongeBob, the Musical with a very large cast of enthusiastic young actors. These shows are excellent and an evening of high energy happiness.  We also look forward to the Freaky Friday Musical this season with the Cedar Valley Community Theater. Auditions will be in October. This group uses a live orchestra for their shows.

 

On the concert front there are Orchestra of Southern Utah concerts ahead, as well as Cedar City Music Arts, Master Singers, In Jubilo, and Red Rock Singers. The Johnson Center has added outdoor Friday concerts and when Southern Utah University is back in action there will be many more offerings.

 

What about visual art? We are thrilled to have Artisans Gallery celebrating their 12th anniversary. There is so much packed in the Center Street Gallery it is hard to carry on a conversation because my eyes are too distracted by all of the wonderful local art. Visit them during the August 30 Final Friday Art Walk, coordinated by the Cedar City Arts Council.

 

Sean Arnold at The Art Center has a Kolob Gallery Co-Op opening soon at 111 South Main. "We currently have art from Brad Holt, Arlene Braithwaite, Tiffany Marchant, Mona Woolsey, Mary Jabens, Megumi Dold, and Jared Barnes. We have space for a couple more artists to fill," said Sean. Next door Travis Humphreys is opening a gallery called Gold River Gallery. Both will be opened for the Aug. 30 Final Friday Art Walk.

 

Steve Decker has expanded art exhibits at the library and the city offices. Frontier Homestead State Park has been hosting more art exhibits. Our local State Bank of Southern Utah and Zions Bank both have wonderful art collections on exhibit. Upstairs at the Heritage Center in the conference area called Festival Hall there are many of the Cedar City Art Committee artworks. I remember as a child when this committee had the annual art show at South Elementary and one painting per year was purchased for this collection. 

 

Of course, we also have the Southern Utah Museum of Art at the corner of 300 West University Blvd. (Center Street to us old-timers). Not only do they have exhibits, but they also sponsor educational art programs for toddlers to adults, such as the recent Teen Take SUMA event.

 

We are so fortunate to live in a community that celebrates the arts and builds our arts community.

Building Art Teams

By Sara Penny

 

Letting the smallest performer shine builds their confidence and ability, like when the Mariachi Fuego performed in the SUU Auditorium at the recent "Day of the Dead Festival" presented by the Southern Utah Museum of Art. They brought the youngest musician forward to perform a solo with the adults playing in the background. This is how the next generation of musicians and artists find their confidence.

When I was in sixth grade Mr. Roy L. Halversen needed more violins for Handel's Messiah so he put me at the back of the second violins and said to just play the notes I could for that year and the next year I would be able to play more notes.  Mr. Halversen would prepare the orchestra and Dr. Blaine Johnson prepared the choir. During the performance, Mr. Halversen would lead the second violins.

Since my first Messiah I have played this magnificent music in Cork, Ireland; Beaumont, Texas; Carlisle, Pennsylvania; and Cedar City, mostly as a first violin. The last few years I have played viola and this year I will relearn the second violin part because we now have ten viola players in the Orchestra of Southern Utah. 

This week we resume our rehearsals on the Messiah for the 84th Cedar City performance, under the direction of Jackie Riddle Jackson. The community Chorale has a wide range of ages, as does the orchestra. The Dec. 8 and 9 performances are a gift to you from the musicians and sponsorship from State Bank of Southern Utah Utah and the Leavitt Group. The free tickets are now available at myosu.org.

At the most recent "Suzuki Strings Cedar City" workshop and concert, the performers ranged from age four to adult. It was great seeing parents joining in the music. The clinicians were Dr. Xun Sun and his wife Dr. Ling Yu, and their daughter Sarah Sun Kanell. This musical family has done much to elevate music in our area. Those leadership skills have paid off for Sarah as Miss Utah and now the Student Body President for BYU. 

Building teams takes leadership and finesse. The late Quincey Jones was a master of collaboration. His work ranged from movies to hit songs with such a wide array of musicians that it is impossible to list them all, including Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Michael Jackson, Louis Armstrong, and Barbara Streisand. He started in the entertainment business at age 12 on trumpet. Filmmaker Stephen Spielberg said he had a "generous heart". That is what it takes to elevate the younger performers: giving them the confidence they need to grow into leaders.

Jones said, "I am grateful for every person who lent me a shoulder to stand on...From Count Basie to Nadia Boulanger to Joseph Powe to all of the individuals who told me I was worth another day. To all-a-y'all out there, never underestimate the positive impact that you can have on a kid's life because it may just be the difference between them making it to 19 or 91."

Life is about "love, laugh, live and give" according to Jones. The Cedar City Arts Council strives to support opportunities for all kinds of artists and for all ages.

 

Mariachi Fuego at SUU Auditorium 

Workshop photo from Suzuki Strings Cedar City

Authors Enliven Cedar City

by Sara Penny

Congratulations to the inaugural Southern Utah Book Festival on several stellar events. Over 30 authors participated in panels, presentations, and book signings throughout the week.  I appreciated the detailed guide to events so I could plan my day. I managed to get to two of the evening events and four of the Saturday presentations. 

What is the "spark of joy" that inspires your work? Melinda Pfundstein asked two playwrights this question at a panel in the Frehner Hall. This is a question artists of all mediums ask themselves.  Where do you get your ideas from? Which projects are you passionate about? How do you take an idea into a completed project? 

How do you find the motivation to finish an art project? Those who make quilts have a joke that the person with the most fabric wins because there are always unfinished quilts or other projects vying for attention. My husband's family had a joke about the "St. Patrick's cupboards" in his Irish home.  His father started a project that stopped one St. Patrick's Day and took years to finally complete.

One of the participants at the book festival is nearing completion of a children's book.  He got valuable advice on printing options and connections to help with the process.  

The writer/illustrators for picture books talked about how the text inspires the artwork and how details like the difference between the dust cover and the hard book cover can add to the message of the book. It was a bit disconcerting to hear that reduced attention spans have made 500 words as the standard in a picture book today. Every word is chosen carefully because that isn't a lot for a story. The limit is based on how much time an adult has to read to a child.  My husband and I read every night to our children. We loved a good picture book when they were small and I still love to check out new books.

Several of the authors detailed many years of work to finish a book and then more years of rejection and revision.  The common theme was tenacity and the willingness to pursue different paths to completion.  The successful authors do not give up even if they have to make a detour in the process. Lee Modesitt, for example, has had a fascinating career in economics, politics, and writing. When we were in England our children made a game of finding his books in libraries. His books were in every library.  He said his work is comparatively more popular in Canada, England, and Australia although he sells books in America. As a New York Times best selling author, he has written 85 books including science fiction and fantasy.  A functioning economy is essential to his created worlds so the protagonists have gainful employment like using chaos fire to clean sewers. More info at https://www.lemodesittjr.com 

Authors often have other jobs like the lawyer who is writing poetry and the chemistry professor who is writing young adult and children's books. They all have a passion to create and to share their work. It was inspiring to hear about the many artistic journeys.  Special thanks to Brent and Jen Potter for spearheading the Book Festival and to all the volunteers who helped make it happen. Feedback welcome for next year at https://www.southernutahbookfestival.org.