An Early History
OF THE GOLD CANYON ARTS COUNCIL
Many people do not remember the first season of the Gold Canyon Arts Council. It is often overlooked by those who were not around at that time. During that first season (1997-1998) the fledgling arts council presented four concerts. The first concert was a part of a much larger international choir festival Jack and Sara were presenting throughout Arizona. The first GCAC concert presented children’s choirs from Hungary, Argentina, Canada and the United States. The final two songs on the concert featured festival choir singers from Ireland, Finland, Mexico, China, Hong Kong and the Rolnička Praha Youth Choir from Prague, Czech Republic. Festival choir singers who attended the festival were 4-8 of the best singers of choirs that could not bring their entire group.
At the end of the first season, a meeting was called on March 16, 1998, to officially seek 501 (c) 3 STATUS for the council. During that meeting, Jack Kukuk discussed the process for establishing a Gold Canyon Arts Council to elect officers to serve as the Founding Directors of the Gold Canyon Arts Council. This board would adopt Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws and approve a budget for the year and seek non-profit status. Following that, the Board would oversee the business of the corporation and promote and support the series.
GOLD CANYON CONCERT SERIES
1997 – 1998
(Initial Short Season)
August 5, 1997
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INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S CHOIR FESTIVAL, Choirs from Hungary, Argentina and Canada; with festival singers form Ireland, Finland, Mexico, China, Hong Kong and the Czech Republic
January through March 1998
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THE PHOENIX BACH CHOIR, Vocal Jazz Octet,
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ZHAO RONGCHUN, Erhu Virtuoso
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JAMES RUSSELL HUNLEY, Classical Guitar
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4 School Residency Activities, 2 Audience Talks & 3 Public Performances
The first official concert of the Gold Canyon Arts Council was presented on August 5, 1997. It was presented in what is now the education building of the Gold Canyon United Methodist Church. This concert was before GCAC received its 591 (c), 3 status. Nevertheless, this was the first official concert of GCAC. The church served as our fiscal agent so we could accept tax exempt donations. All artist fees and production costs for the season were paid for by Sara and Jack Kukuk. Sara and Jack are the Founders of the Arts Council. Jim Mosier was elected GCAC’s President at the next meeting making him the first president of GCAC after it received its corporate status.
Immediately following this season, on March 16, 1998, we held what we erroneously called the “Founding Meeting” at Sara and Jack Kukuk’s home on Whitetail Road to begin the process for the council to receive its status as a tax exempt, non-profit organization. The minutes of that organizational meeting are shown below.
The First President of GCAC, Ed Weiand, was a member of the church choir. He passed away two years later. The founding members are listed in the above minutes with the exception of Sara Russell who was a Founder of the council. Many of the founding members have been long forgotten. We owe them a debt.
There have been many artists in our season.
Here is a list of all who have performed in past seasons.
DATE | PROGRAM |
|---|---|
GOLD CANYON CONCERT SERIES-1997–1998
(Initial Short Season) | |
July 24, 1997 | INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S CHOIR FESTIVAL, Toth Aladar Children’s Choirs from Budapest, Hungary, Children’s Choir of the “Teatro Argentino de La Plata Argentina and the St. Mary’s Children’s Choir from Ontario, Canada. |
January through March 1998 | THE PHOENIX BACH CHOIR, Vocal Jazz Octet,
ZHAO RONGCHUN, Erhu Virtuoso
JAMES RUSSELL HUNLEY, Classical Guitar
4 School Residency Activities, 2 Audience Talks & 3 Public Performances |
CANYON SOUNDS- 1998-1999 Artist Season | |
November 3, 1998 | FESTIVAL OF THE AMERICAS (Choir Festival) |
November 13, 1998 | WASHINGTON SAXOPHONE QUARTET |
December11, 1998 | PALO VERDE BRASS, Brass Quintet |
Januaryl4-15, 1999 | ANGELA CHENG, Concert Pianist |
February 14, 1999 | MERWIN AND BRYAN, CONCERT DUO (vocal) |
February 19, 1999 | PHOENIX VOCAL JAZZ, Vocal Jazz Ensemble |
March 19, 1999 | QUINTESSENCE WOODWIND QUINTET
2 School Residency Activities, Audience Talk & Public Performance |
April 23, 1999 | SAVANE TRIO, Chamber Music America
2 School Residency Activities, Audience Talk & Public Performance |
CANYON SOUNDS - 1999-2000 Artist Season | |
October 15, 1999 | THE AMABILE STRING QUARTET |
November 19, 1999 | BRIAN LEWIS, Classical Violinist
2 School Residency Activities, Suzuki Workshop, Audience Talk & Public Performance |
December 19, 1999 | PHOENIX BACH CHOIR, Professional Concert Choir |
January 21, 2000 | EINSTEIN: The Practical Bohemian. Ed Metzger
Master Class at Central Arizona College, Audience Talk & Public Performance |
February 18, 2000 | NOSOTROS: Folklore Musical de Latinoamerican
2 School Residency Activities, Audience Talk & Public Performance |
March 17, 2000 | PAUL GALBRAITH, Classical Guitarist (8-string)
Master Class and Public Performance |
CANYON SOUNDS – 2000 – 2001 Artist Series | |
October16 & 19, 2000 | SAVANE TRIO, Piano Trio
2 School Residency Activities, Audience Talk & Public Performance |
November 17, 2000 | SILVER & SPRUCE, Guitar Flute duo.
2 School Residency Activities, Audience Talk & Public Performance |
December 3, 2000 | PHOENIX BACH CHOIR
Public Performance |
January 17& 19, 2001 | SPIRIT OF THE BLUES: ERIC BIBB
2 School Residency Activities, Audience Talk & Public Performance |
January 27, 2001 | ARIZONA/SOUTHWEST FOLK CULTURE FESTIVAL One-day folk culture festival featuring, Mexican, Native American and cowboy cultures.
5 Public Performances. Presented free to residents. Featured: Nosotros - Music of Mexico and Latin America, Yellow Bird Indian Dancers - Variety of Native American Dances and songs, Desert Sons -. Cowboy Music in the style of the Sons of the Pioneers. |
February 16, 2001 | FAUSTWORK MASK THEATER
3 School Residency Activities, Audience Talk & Public Performance |
March 18, 2001 | INTERNATIONAL SEJONG SOLOISTS
Public Performance and Informal Audience Discussion |
CANYON SOUNDS – 2001 – 2002 Artist Series | |
November 15 & 16, 2001 | BRAD RICHTER and SINEAD PRATSCHKE, Classical Guitar and Soprano
6 School Residency Activities, Audience Talk & Public Performance |
December 9, 2001 | PHOENIX BACH CHOIR, Public Performance |
January 24 & 25, 2002 | PAUL TAYLOR, Australian Storyteller
5 School Residency Activities, 1 Teacher Workshop, Audience Talk & Public Performance |
January 27, 2002 | ARIZONA/SOUTHWEST FOLK CULTURE FESTIVAL One-day folk culture festival featuring, Mexican, Native American and cowboy cultures.
6 Public Performances. Presented free to residents. Featured: Nosotros - Music of Mexico and Latin America, Yellow Bird Indian Dancers - Variety of Native American Dances and songs, Roughstrings, Cowboy Music. 15 artists displayed fine art ranging from sculpture and painting to jewelry and basketry. The San Carlos Apache Cultural Center demonstrated frybread making and basketweaving. |
February 15 to 18, 2002 | THE WASHINGTON SAXOPHONE QUARTET
1 School Residency Activity, Audience Talk, Public Performance. |
March 15, 2002 | MOSCOW STRING QUARTET, Public Performance |
CANYON SOUNDS – 2002 – 2003 Artist Series | |
November 15, 2002 | ALFREDO ORTIZ, South American Harp
5 School Residency Activities, Audience Talk and Public Performance |
December 8, 2002 | CELESTE RAY MUSIC’S “A CELTIC CHRISTMAS”
Public Performance |
January 17, 2003 | CYPRESS STRING QUARTET,
4 School Residence Activities, Artist Talk, and Public Performance |
January 25, 2003 | ARIZONA/SOUTHWEST FOLK CULTURE FESTIVAL One-day folk culture festival featuring, Mexican, Native American and cowboy cultures.
Performances, workshops, crafts demonstrations, and 35 artist displays. Presented free to residents. 4 School Residence Activities. Featured Houser Family Band, Yellowbird Dancers, Mariachi Corazon de Phoenix, and the Pro Arts Trio. |
February 21, 2003 | PHOENIX BACH CHOIR, “SONGS OF SHAKESPEARE”
Public Performance |
March 21, 2003 | FREDERIC MOYER, Piano
3 School Residence Activities, Master Class, and Public Performance |
CANYON SOUNDS – 2003 – 2004 Artist Series | |
November 21, 2003 | ED METZGER IS HEMINGWAY: “ON THE EDGE”
1 School Residency Activities, Audience Talk and Public Performance |
December 14, 2003 | THE PHOENIX VOCAL JAZZ
Public Performance |
January 16, 2004 | THE FOUR FRESHMEN
Public Performance (Apache Junction High School Performing Arts Center) |
January 24, 2004 | CANYON ART FESTIVAL (New name) One-day folk culture festival featuring, Mexican, Native American and cowboy cultures coupled with a showcase of local artists. 7 performances, 60 fine art displays, 6 cultural displays, food service by 5 other local nonprofits. Presented free to attendees. Featured Arizona Ragtime and Dixieland Band, Native Spirit, Pioneer Pepper & The Sunset Pioneers, and Folkmotion Dance ensemble. |
February 27, 2004 | MIRO STRING QUARTET
2 School Residence Activities and Public Performance |
March 26, 2004 | ZHAO RONGCHUN, Master of the Erhu
4 School Residence Activities, PM Discussion Group and Public Performance |
CANYON SOUNDS – 2004 – 2005 Artist Series | |
November 19, 2004 | GENE McFALL in THE WITTY WORLD OF WILL ROGERS
5 School Residence Activities, PM Discussion Group and Public Performance |
December 3, 2004 | PHOENIX VOCAL JAZZ
Public Performance |
January 21, 2005 | CAVANI STRING QUARTET
2 School Residence Activities, Audience Talk and Public Performance |
January 29, 2005 | CANYON ART FESTIVAL One-day folk culture festival featuring, Mexican, Native American and cowboy cultures coupled with a showcase of local artists. 7 performances, 100+ fine art displays, 4 cultural displays, food service by 5 other local nonprofits. Featured Arizona Ragtime and Dixieland Band, Yellow Bird Dancers, Pioneer Pepper & The Sunset Pioneers, and Caribbean Zone dance ensemble. Presented free to attendees. |
February 25, 2005 | MAXIM PHILIPPOV, Concert Pianist
Master Class (3 graduate level university students) and Public Performance |
March 18, 2005 | BROADWAY ROMANCE starring KIM HUBER AND ROGER BEFELER
2 School Residence Activities, Artist Talk, and Public Performance |
CANYON SOUNDS – 2005 – 2006 Artist Series | |
November 17-18, 2005 | MAC FRAMPTON, Concert Pianist
1 School Residency Activity and Public Performance |
January 6, 2006 | NOVO MUNDO. Brazilian Music and Latin Jazz
School Concert and Public Performance |
January 20, 2006 | HARP FUSION, A Unique Harp Ensemble
4 School Residence Activitiesand Public Performance |
January 28, 2006 | CANYON ART FESTIVAL One-day folk culture festival featuring, Mexican, Native American and cowboy cultures coupled with a showcase of local artists. 7 performances, 100+ fine art displays, 4 cultural displays, food service by 5 other local nonprofits. Performers feature Western, Dixieland, South American, and Native American music and dance. Presented free to attendees. |
February 17, 2006 | FESTIVAL OF FOUR, Multi-cultural Stringed Ensemble
4 School Residency Activities and Public Performance |
March 11, 2006 | STATE PHILHARMONIC OF ARAD, ROMANIA
Public Performance |
March 21, 2006 | WOLTER TRIO
Jazz trio of retired big band musicians (voluntary)
2 School Residency Activities |
CANYON SOUNDS – 2006 – 2007 Artist Series | |
November 9-10, 2006 | BRIAN LEWIS, Concert Violinist
2 School Residency Activities, Suzuki Association workshop and Public Performance |
December 15, 2006 | PHOENIX BACH CHOIR
Public Performance |
January 18-19, 2007 | FAUSTWORK MASK THEATER, Mask Messenger |
January 27, 2007 | CANYON ART FESTIVAL One-day folk culture festival featuring, Mexican, Native American and cowboy cultures coupled with a showcase of local artists. 7 performances, 80+ fine art displays, 4 cultural displays, and food. |
February 23, 2007 | ANTONIO POMPI BALDI, Concert Pianist Substituted for John O’Conor |
March 30 – April 2, 2007 | QUARTETTO GELATO, Travels the Orient Express |
CANYON SOUNDS - 2007 – 2008 Artist Series | |
November 9, 2007 | SIDE STREET STRUTTERS JAZZ BAND This official band of Disneyland in Anaheim, California |
January 18, 2008 | The RIRIE WOODBURY DANCE COMPANY The troupe has created and performed original and innovative works of modern dance for almost forty years. |
January __ 2008 | CANYON ARTS FESTIVAL Pioneer Pepper & the Sunset Pioneers Houser Family Band, Native Spirit, Brian Hammill, The Mountain Chordsman |
February 22, 2008 | CHAMBER ORCHESTRA KREMLIN has earned national and international recognition as one of Russia's leading ensembles. |
March 7, 2008 | NOVO MUNDO returns to Gold Canyon by popular request. Drawing upon Brazilian and Latin American music they move from swinging sambas and sizzling salsa to soothing bossa-novas and romantic boleros. |
March 28, 2008 | ARIZONA OPERA presents four featured singers and aria selections from several operas.. |
CANYON SOUNDS - 2008 – 2009 Artist Series | |
November 19 2008 | ERIC BIBB – Born in 1951, Bibb is a native New Yorker with deep roots in the American blues and folk tradition. . |
January 15-16, 2009 | FOOTWORKS PERCUSSIVE DANCE ENSEMBLE, which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, has been delighting audiences the world over. |
January __ 2009 | CANYON ARTS FESTIVAL Flamenco del Sol, Spanish Dance, Yellow Bird Indian Dancers, Arizona Ragtime Dixieland Jazz Band, Pioneer Pepper & the Sunset Pioneers |
February 5-6 , 2009 | THE PETERSBURG STRING QUARTET – One of the world’s leading string quartets, the St. Petersburg was founded as the Leningrad Quartet. |
March 5-6, 2009 | ED METZGER as EINSTEIN: THE PRACTICAL BOHEMIAN - Ed Metzger has been seen in many major films, on television, and the Broadway stage |
March 26-27, 2009 | QUINTET OF THE AMERICAS - The Quintet of the Americas is one of the Western Hemisphere’s finest chamber ensembles. |
CANYON SOUNDS - 2009 – 2010 Artist Series | |
November 13, 2009 | BRAD RICHTER, Classical Guitar player is recognized as one of the leading guitarists and guitar composers of the 21st century. |
January 8, 2010 | JOHN O'CONOR, Irish pianist, has earned a worldwide reputation as a masterful interpreter of the Classic and early-Romantic repertoires |
January __, 2010 | CANYON ARTS FESTIVAL Primavera Mexican Ballet Folklorico, Mariachi los Rebeldes, Sonoran Desert Brass Quintet, Pioneer Pepper & the Sunset Pioneers |
February 5, 2010 | The University of Arizona's HARPFUSION is one of the most creative and exciting ensembles on the international concert scene. |
February, 26, 2010 | TOMASEEN FOLEY - IRISH TIMES rekindles the flame in the hearth with stories, music, song, and dance from the rich treasury of Ireland's cultural heritage. |
March 26, 2010 | The WASHINGTON SAXOPHONE QUARTET is the most widely heard saxophone quartet in the United States. |
A LOOK BACK AT THE PAST TWELVE YEARS OF THE CANYON ARTS FESTIVAL
By Jack Kukuk, Artistic Director, Gold Canyon Arts Council
Ruth Johnson and Jack Kukuk first presented the idea of the Canyon Festival to the Gold Canyon Arts Council Board at one of the regular meetings held at the home of Abe and Ingrid Dye. We encountered some initial concerns that we would not be able to find enough volunteers to present the festival. The festival was a free gift to the community for their support of the arts council and its Canyon Sounds Artist Season.
The first festival was originally scheduled at Apacheland and was to include gunfighters Apache Basket Weavers and food provided by the San Carlos Apache Cultural Center, and hay wagon rides. Festival coordinators were Ruth Johnson and Jack Kukuk. Unfortunately, on Friday, the day before the festival was scheduled, it began to rain and Apacheland became a sea of mud. We quickly arranged to use the Gold Canyon Elementary School gymnasium for the performances. The only event that was held at Apacheland that year was a seminar on cowboy poets with Warren Miller, Director of the Prescott Cowboy Poet Roundup. All other performances were moved to the school. As a result of the change in venue, we decided to use the school courtyard for the second year and have the gymnasium for a rain date venue. In 2011, we moved the festival to the parking area of the Gold Canyon United Methodist Church.
Following the first festival a wonderful thing happened. Kay Olsson suggested that she would be willing to arrange for visual artists to present their art works in the school courtyard as a part of the festival. With the coming of Kay Olsson the festival, as we see it today, was off and running.
The original concern about having enough volunteers has long since passed. We are very grateful for the dozens of volunteers that show up each year, rain or shine. Following Kay’s chairmanship, we have had several visual arts chairs including Becky and Larry Roth, Skip Cary, Marilyn Barton, and Bob Homann. Each has put their own stamp on the festival and each deserves great credit for the work they have done.
As the chairman of the music and dance performances for the festival, it has been my pleasure to present many fine performers on our stages. Always, the aim is to present top quality performers and to maintain as great a variety as possible. As I prepared to write this article, I decided to look back at the history of the festival and see who the performers have been. I believe we have had some wonderful groups in the past ten years. Since we are looking back I thought you would be interested in seeing which groups have performed. I am quite pleased with these artists. I hope you have been as well.
Past Canyon Arts Festival performers
2001
Desert Sons Western Music
Yellowbird Indian Dancers
Nosotros, Latin American musicians
2002
Roughstrings Western Music
Yellowbird Indian Dancers
Nosotros, Latin American musicians
2003
Houser Family Band
Pro Arts Trio
Mariachi Corazon de Phoenix
Yellowbird Indian Dancers
2004
Arizona Ragtime Dixieland Jazz Band
Native Spirit, Brian Hammill
Pioneer Pepper & the Sunset Pioneers
InFolkMotion Dance Ensemble
2005
Pioneer Pepper & the Sunset Pioneers
Yellow Bird Indian Dancers
Arizona Ragtime Dixieland Jazz Band
Caribbean Zone
2006
First Arizona Banjo Band
Pioneer Pepper & the Sunset Pioneers
Yellow Bird Indian Dancers
Vista del Camino Ballet Folklorico
In FolkMotion Dance Ensemble
2007
Pioneer Pepper & the Sunset Pioneers
Mariachi Los Rebeldes
Yellowbird Indian Dancers
2008
Pioneer Pepper & the Sunset Pioneers
Houser Family Band
Native Spirit, Brian Hammill
The Mountain Chordsman
2009
Flamenco del Sol, Spanish Dance
Yellow Bird Indian Dancers
Arizona Ragtime Dixieland Jazz Band
Pioneer Pepper & the Sunset Pioneers
2010
Primavera Mexican Ballet Folklorico
Mariachi los Rebeldes
Sonoran Desert Brass Quintet
Pioneer Pepper & the Sunset Pioneers
2011
Mariachi Pasion
Desert Sons
Yellow Bird Indian Dancers
AJUSD High School Jazz Lab and Color Guard
2012
The 52nd Street Dixieland Jazz Band
Leisure World Chordsmen Nick Manson/Mike Crotty Quartet
Un Corazón Flamenco
Mariachi los Rebeldes
Native Spirit - Brian Hammill
2013
Rained out