For the first ten days of March the spotlight is on Savannah as the 13th annual Savannah Onstage International Arts Festival draws attention to its world-class repertoire of the arts.

Through the Jepson Classical Series and Anderson Weekend Jazz, Savannah Onstage presents musical artists who have just won the major international music competitions, artists who are in that rare moment as they first step foot on the world stage. Many are destined for concert careers in the world's cultural capitals and their appearances in Savannah offer unique opportunities to see and experience them in intimate settings. Nowhere else in the world are these very special collections of artists gathered and presented.

Performances take place in Savannah's finest historic churches, synagogues, and theaters, all boasting excellent acoustics and an intimacy cherished by audience members and artists alike, all within walking distance of each other.

Another highlight of the festival is the American Traditions Competition, the prestigious vocal competition focused exclusively on the American musical heritage...jazz, blues, folk, country, gospel, Broadway and art music. Contestants come from all over the country and compete for $32,500 in cash prizes before a star-studded panel of judges. The 2002 panel includes Marilyn Horne, Shirley Jones, Marni Nixon, Odetta and George Shirley.

Add an exciting array of musical specials and a community-wide celebration of the arts called "Offstage Events," and Savannah Onstage truly offers once-in-a-lifetime experiences, every year.


2002 Festival Highlights

Musical Specials

Academy-award winning star of stage and screen Shirley Jones and her comedian husband Marty Ingels perform together in the Savannah College of Art and Design's Trustees Theater, past American Traditions Competition winners perform a cabaret show called "The Boys Are Back In Town," and Savannah Morning News Free Organ Concerts are performed in local churches almost daily throughout the Festival.

Anderson Weekend Jazz

A free outdoor concert featuring award-winning Afro-Latin hand drummer Pedro Martinez, free Saturday concerts in the Old City Market and on world-famous River Street and a Sunday jazz brunch with the Matt King Trio.

Jepson Classical Series

2001 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition Silver Medalist Maxim Philippov; 2001 violin winner of the Belgian Federal Government Prize at the Queen Elisabeth of Belgium International Competition Ning Kam; the only piano duo in history to win all the prestigious duo-piano competitions, Aglika Genova and Liuben Dimitrov; award-winning cellist Clancy Newman; the Imani Winds; and Trio Johannes.

Georgia Public Broadcasting Specials

Quartetto Gelato, the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet and live broadcasts of Cover to Cover, an interactive monthly book club and Georgia Gazette, an award-winning weekly news and arts program.

American Traditions Competition

Nationally recognized competition for vocalists, judged by stars from the world of music, stage, screen and television.


Offstage Events Calendar

Savannah Onstage International Arts Festival Offstage Events
For information, call (912) 236-5745 or 1-800-868-FEST. Online: www.savannahonstage.com/

March 1

"A Collaborative Study of Space and Form through Paint and Clay,"
by Elizabeth & Alexis Terry

The Terrys take a new approach this year as the external world, with its shapes and forms, becomes their focus. For this collection, the mother and daughter artists rely more on the concrete forms of the outside world than the internal world of emotions. Opening reception, sponsored by Elizabeth on Thirty-Seventh, 5-7 p.m. at Friedman's Fine Art Gallery. Continues through March 13. 28 W. State St. (912) 234-1322.

"An Artist's Vision,"
by Arthur Secunda

Secunda is an internationally recognized artist known for his abstract paintings, mixed media, graphic works, and most recently, his collages. This exhibit is an exploration and reflection of Secunda's work, and he is donating the exhibition to the Savannah College of Art & Design.
Secunda will lecture on color-theory at NASA March 1, 4 p.m., at Ex Libris. Opening reception 5-7 p.m. at Ex Libris Bookstore, third Floor Gallery, 228 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. (912) 525-4950.

"Arrangements,"
by Chroma Gallery

The Chroma Gallery, Savannah's newest venue for modern works of art, exhibits a diverse collection of contemporary pieces celebrating the 2002 Savannah Onstage International Arts Festival.
Opening reception 5-7 p.m. at Chroma Gallery, 31 Barnard St. (912) 232-2787.

"1, 2, 3 Music,"
by Abraham Michael Dayan

"Musical themes have always found their way into my work, but this is the first time that I have presented a show devoted solely to music," says French painter Abraham Michael Dayan about his exhibit. The use of rich, abstract textures captures Dayan's perspective of the underlying heritage of music in Savannah. Opening reception, hosted by Belford's Savannah, 5-8 p.m. 313 W. St. Julian St.

More Exhibits

"Visual Embrace,"
by Craig Stevens

The Cafe Metropole presents these uniquely made, large format photographs taken by Craig Stevens, a dedicated traveler, educator and professor at the Savannah College of Art & Design.
Opening reception March 7, 5-7 p.m. 109 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. (912) 236-0110.

"It's Never too Late,"
by Elizabeth Eichelbaum

Having received her doctorate in education at age 90, Savannah resident Elizabeth Eichelbaum is the oldest person in the world ever to have been awarded a doctorate in any field. The exhibit is a retrospective of Eichelbaum's works since she started painting. In addition, Dr. Eichelbaum will lecture on "Art & Self-Esteem" March 6, 10:30 a.m. at SPACE. The exhibit, reception and lecture are sponsored by the City of Savannah Department of Cultural Affairs/Leisure Services Bureau.
Reception March 8, 5-7 p.m. at the SPACE Gallery; exhibit through March 22. 9 W. Henry St. Free of charge. (912) 651-4248.

"Inspiration To Creation - The Miracle That Is Art"

RAF Gallery welcomes spring with beautiful, new glass floral arrangements by David VanNoppen and Eric Lieberman; wonderful, whimsical "stems" by Berkshire Center for Glass and Sam Stark; and David Grojean's two-dimensional works "Music That Soothes The Soul."
Opening reception March 8, 5:30-7:30 p.m., 5 West York St. (912) 447-8807.

Meet the Artists Open House

Meet and talk with artists of the Savannah Art Association as they demonstrate their art/craft throughout the day. Demonstrations include photography, drawing, painting techniques and styles, woodcarving and paper mache.
March, noon-5 p.m. at Savannah Art Association Gallery, 309 W. St. Julian St., Upper Studio #12. (912) 927-4657.

Hand-Made at Gallery 209

The 30 artists who comprise River Street's oldest art venue, Gallery 209, turn their collective talents to a group showing of new works. Two and three-dimensional pieces will be showcased throughout the month of March, and demonstrations will be given in painting, weaving, pottery, and other hand-made disciplines.
March 1-30, Monday-Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., and Sunday, noon-5:30 p.m., 209 E. River St. Demonstrations provided Wednesdays and Fridays, call for hours. (912) 236-4583.

First Congressional District Art Show

Talented young artists from high schools across the United States First Congressional District display their artwork in a highly selective and competitive juried show at the Armstrong Atlantic State University (AASU) Fine Arts Gallery.
Reception March 31, 4-6 p.m. at the AASU Fine Arts Gallery, 11935 Abercorn St. (912) 927-5325.