Brio Artist sIGHTINGS

2009 BRIO winner Maxim Pakhomov will play Rachmaninoff’s 2nd Piano Concerto with The Orchestra of The Bronx on Sunday, June 6, 2010 at 3:00 pm in the Lovinger Theatre of Lehman College.  Michael Spierman will be conducting.  Also included in the program is Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No.6, “The Pathetique”.  Admission is free, no tickets are required. For more info visit www.bronxorchestra.org

BRIO winner & BxIndie musician Muhamadou Salieu Suso and his ensemble Jaliya Kafo mesmerized an audience of over 400 people throughout the evening on February 28th at Lincoln Center’s David Rubenstein Atrium as part of Target Free Thursdays. For CDs and information, contact Muhamadou at msuso2000@yahoo.com.

Cara Judea Alhadeff (2009 BRIO winner for photography) has been busy and plans to stay that way. Her current exhibition, Birds in her throat, she was dreaming: Cara Judea Alhadeff and Micaela Amato--Sephardic Mother and Daughter is on view through September 16th at Krasdale Food’s Bronx Gallery at 400 Food Center Drive, Bronx NY 10474 (click here for directions) before traveling to Krasdale’s White Plains Gallery at 65 West Red Oak Lane, White Plains NY 10604 (click here for directions) for an October 1st opening. Her photographs were recently accepted by the following: Antennae: The Journal of Nature in Visual Culture, The Meat Issue through The Open University and Tate Galleries; Anamesa: an interdisciplinary journal, The Perception Issue through NYU; Fifth Global Conference: The Erotic - Exploring Critical Issue in Salzburg, Austria; and The Vermont Studio Center Residency. Learn more about Cara Judea Alhadeff and her photography by visiting her website.

Tim Blum (three-time BRIO winner for sculpture) opened a show in Beijing in July and received a new commission at Virginia Commonwealth University. 

Anna Tonna Brown (2008 BRIO winner for vocal performance) is gearing up to sing the role of the Sorceress in Dido and Aneas at the Yard Opera Company in Martha's Vineyard this August. On September 26th, she will sing at Brooklyn’s Bargemusic in a concert entitled "Spanish and Latin American Masters of Song" with the pianist Daniel Daroca as well as at The Freeport Library music series in Long Island. She has recitals of music by Spanish and Latin American composers scheduled in Spain, Guatemala and Venezuela in 2010.  Learn more about Anna Tonna Brown and her music by visiting her website.

Jessica Danser (2007 BRIO winner for Choreography) is the founder of Jessica Danser/dansfolk, a Bronx-based non-profit modern dance company committed to reaching underserved populations. The group currently seeks dancers for Sept 2009-June 2010. Rehearsals take place primarily on Sunday afternoons, 3-6 hours of rehearsal a week, with shows March-June. JD/df presents an annual full evening at the Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance as well as excerpts at a variety of NYC festivals and events. Performance pay only. Since its inception in 2005 JD/dansfolk has received numerous awards from the Bronx Council on the Arts and performed at venues such as the Riverside Theater and the Ailey Citigroup Theater. The company presents socially conscious dance-theatre works which incorporate Graham-based modern as well as contemporary techniques, stage combat, and some hiphop infusion. Auditions will be held in August. Please send resume, photo, and cover letter to dansfolk@hotmail.com. Visit myspace.com/dansfolk and facebook.com/dansfolk for more info about the company.

Nicky Enright (2009 BRIO winner for experimental film/video) is teaching Digital Art at MoMA this summer. Learn more about Nicky Enright and his art by visiting his website.

Rosemarie Fiore (2009 BRIO winner for printmaking/drawing) received a 2009 NYFA fellowship in printmaking/drawing/book arts. She was also named the 2009 BUITONI fellow. Learn more about Rosemarie Fiore and her art by visiting her website.

Michelle Frick (2008 BRIO winner for installation art) currently has an exhibition, Anian ICU, on view at the Three Rivers Gallery in Norwich, CT (Aug 26 – Oct 2) with another exhibition, Salvage: Reclaiming and Recycling, opening Sept 3 at the Phillips Museum of Art in Lancaster, PA. It will be on view through Oct 29. Learn more about Michelle Frick and her art by visiting her website.

Nancy Haiduck (2008 BRIO winner for poetry) won the 2009 Jerome DeJur Award for Creative Writing presented by The City College of New York, for my poetry manuscript, "Moon Over the Cross Bronx Expressway" The award consists of a $2,000 prize.

Mindy Matijasevic (two-time BRIO winner for poetry and nonfiction) is a writer, actress and performer. She performed her stand-up comedy act on Aug 11 at NYC’s PINCH in the Village. In June she did a bit on Manhattan's channel 56's public access TV show "I'll Make You A Star". Click here to view a clip of her performance.

Brandon McReynolds (2009 BRIO winner for vocal performance) is singing the role of Il Duca di Mantova in Rigoletto with the Montana Lyric Opera in Missoula, Montana, on July 30 and Aug 1. On Sept 26 he will be debuting at the Volkstheater Rostock in Germany with the role of Alfredo in La traviata with 12 performances throughout the season. Learn more about Brandon McReynolds and his music by visiting his website.

Silvia Morales is the editor for the summer issue of BCA’s online publication CrossBRONX and working on a screenplay.

Desi Moreno-Penson (three-time BRIO winner, once for acting and twice for playwriting) Is currently working on the first draft of her Roberto Clemente project for Enrichment Works in Los Angeles, as well as finishing the third draft of her new full-length play, Ghost Light. which will be produced by Elysabeth Kleinhans and The Immediate Theatre Company for a three-week run in Theatre C at 59e59 from Oct 14 through Oct 31. This past year she was commissioned to write a comedic monologue entitled “Don’t Knock It ‘Til You Try It” for a showcase called Pandora’s that was produced by Sister Outsider Entertainment at the Kirk Theatre on Theatre Row. Her play, Devil Land, which premiered at the 2007 Summer Play Festival, will be published by Broadway Play Publishing. Her new short play, Spirit Sex, has been selected for the upcoming 2009 Going to the River Festival at Ensemble Studio Theatre. It will run from Sept 10 through Sept 27 with all performances taking place on the main stage. 

Melissa Primavera (2009 BRIO winner for vocal performance) is off to Bolzano, Italy to participate in the 2009 Silver Bay Summer Music Festival. As part of the program, she will be singing in concerts in Bolzano and Venice. She will also be receiving individualized training in German and Italian, attending master classes and singing for European agents. Learn more about Melissa Primavera and her music by visiting her website.

Teana "Alkebulan" Rodriguez (2009 BRIO winner for vocal performance) perform with her band on the first Friday of every month over at NYC’s Camaradas in el barrio (2241 1st Ave / 212-348-2703). The first set starts at 10:00pm. There's a cover charge of $7. On Aug 21st she'll be performing with her band in Far Rockaway (Brooklyn) for a festival being sponsored by Assemblywoman Michelle Titus and the local police precinct. Info to this performance is forthcoming. On Aug 23 at 3:00pm she will be performing with several other female artists and the Black Rock Coalition Orchestra in tribute to the late Miriam Makeba, Eartha Kitt, Odetta and Abbey Lincoln, at Lincoln Center.

Miguelangel (Miky) Ruiz (2003 BRIO winner for painting) has a new website. Click here to learn about him and his art.

Julio Antonio Toro (2007 BRIO winner for screenwriting) is a writer, director and editor. He is currently in negotiations with a promotion company who is looking to seek distribution for his short film "Repentance". The DVD will be available sometime in the fall for sale through Amazon.com. In addition he is finalizing a draft of his company's (HollyHood Productions) first feature script to submit into screenwriting competitions while raising the funds to get it made. The promotion company for "Repentance" is also looking to produce the project and continue a working relationship with HollyHood Productions. Any filmmakers looking to collaborate can feel free to contact Julio  by clicking here. 

Rhina Valentin (2007 BRIO winner for acting) took on her greatest role ever – Mom – when she gave birth on July 17th to a beautiful baby girl. Congratulations, Rhina!