“This is a reflective, restorative and important program that draws expansive connections around ideas of shelter, belonging, and freedom, all offered through Lukas’ riveting performance ”
— The Islands’ Sounder
February 8, 2023; Portland, OR: Powell Flutes Artist and directorial powerhouse Amelia Lukas steps into the spotlight withNatural Homeland: Honoring Ukraine, a multimedia, tour de force program of music that deepens emotional awareness around the meaning of home in light of current events. Presented by the historic Alberta Rose Theatre in partnership with Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO)'s Slavic and Eastern European Center, and Ukrainian Care, this cohesive and moving modern concert experience weaves together stories of displacement and disaster with themes of hope and inner sanctuary. A timely, one-night-only show, Natural Homeland: Honoring Ukraine is a Top Winter Concert Pick in The Oregonian.
About Amelia Lukas, Flutist & Producer:
Lukas brings her highly acclaimed, multifaceted aesthetic to Portland, integrating “a diverse and gorgeous array of music” (Cascadia Daily News) for solo flute, piccolo, alto flute, bass flute, and electronics with beautiful, program-specific dance, visual art, lighting, videography, and poetry. Projections of “gorgeous” (Oregon ArtsWatch) artwork by local Ukrainian painter and muralist Tatyana Ostapenko will precede the concert. Ostapenko will also create a unique painting during the show, alongside Lukas’ performance of Gemma (by Ukrainian composer Ludmila Yurina), and the new artwork will be available for sale with proceeds benefiting partner organizations. Orcas Island-based choreographer and dancer Tiffany Loney joins Lukas for a gripping physical interpretation of Eve Beglarian’s I Will Not Be Sad In This World.
Known for her “fine balance of virtuosity and poetry” (The New York Times) Lukas is the rare musician who not only performs at the highest caliber, but pushes the classical music industry forward with visionary ideas and implementation. As the Founder and Principal of Aligned Artistry, “the gold standard for arts consulting in Oregon,” (Kenji Bunch, composer) Lukas expands the impact of artistic work through sophisticated creative strategy and public relations services. She also founded and for seven years directed New York City’s “scintillating; impeccably curated; truly original” (Time Out New York) Ear Heart Music series, which “arrived as a major cultural resource in the City, and... provided a solid base for satisfaction.” (New York Arts)
WHAT: Natural Homeland: Honoring Ukraine - a multimedia concert exploring the meaning of home, displacement, and inner sanctuary in light of current events
WHEN: Thursday, April 6 at 7:30pm
Show length: 90 minutes including intermission
A talk between the artists and partners follows the performance
WHERE: Alberta Rose Theatre
3000 NE Alberta St, Portland, OR 97211
TICKETS: $25 - 40; a portion of proceeds benefit program partners albertarosetheatre.com
PROGRAM:
Plyve Kacha - traditional Ukrainian; a haunting lament on the horrors of war; with bass clarinetist
Lisa Lipton
Albatross by Oregon-based composer Lisa Marsh - through Slavic-inspired melodies, this work depicts the world’s largest seabird - a living compass
Come perduto nel mare un bambino (A child lost at sea) by Nadir Vassena - a showcase of extended techniques and tribute to the wave of African refugees crossing the Mediterranean
Within by Ian Clarke - “marvelous and dramatic... sweeping soundscapes [that] evoke the beauty of East Africa... Brilliant, brave, moving.” (Musician)
Gemma by Ukrainian composer Ludmila Yurina - a tribute to the people we consider home; with original art by Tatyana Ostapenko
Four Blossoms Single Stem by Oregon-based composer David Bernstein - inspired by Black Elk Speaks; lighting design emblematic of traditional hoop dances
I will not be sad in this world by Eve Beglarian - a “humane, idealistic rebel and a musical sensualist” (Los Angeles Times); with original dance by Tiffany Loney
Move It by Carlos Simon - recipient of the 2021 Sphinx Medal of Excellence, recognizing extraordinary classical Black and Latinx musicians
“Known for her especially pure tone, flexible technique, and passionate performances,” (Artslandia) flutist Amelia Lukas performs with “a fine balance of virtuosity and poetry.” (The New York Times) A Powell Flutes Artist and Portland resident, she “excels at bringing drama and fire to hyper-modernist works with challenging extended techniques.” (Oregon ArtsWatch) Her recent and upcoming engagements include solo appearances for Chamber Music Northwest, United for Ukraine, Hawaii Flute Society, Fear No Music, Orcas Center, Makrokosmos Project, Kenny Endo, March Music Moderne, Portland Taiko, the Astoria Music Festival, Music in the Woods, Cascadia Composers, and for All Classical Portland’s live radio broadcasts, with additional performances for the Willamette Valley Chamber Music Festival, Oregon Bach Festival, Portland Piano International, TedX Portland, Friends of Chamber Music, 45th Parallel, and Oregon Music Festival. While in New York, Lukas’ career included founding and directing the “truly original... impeccably curated” (Time Out New York) multimedia series Ear Heart Music at Roulette, membership in the American Modern Ensemble, and performances at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, The Stone, Bargemusic, (Le) Poisson Rouge, Roulette, and New Music New York Festival. She holds degrees from the Royal Academy of Music (London), where she received three prizes for musical excellence, and from the Manhattan School of Music, where she joined twelve other students in the inaugural class of the Master's Degree in Contemporary Performance. Amelia is a Board Member for Chamber Music Northwest and is the Principal and Founder of Aligned Artistry. Learn more at amelialukas.com.
About Lisa Lipton, Bass Clarinetist:
Clarinetist and arts leader Lisa Lipton is the Executive Director of both the
Newport Symphony Orchestra and Opera Theater Oregon, and is a Co-founder/Co-owner of Mendelssohn’s, Portland's first classical music-themed bar. A versatile instrumentalist, her appearances include performances with the Decibel festival, TBA festival, PDX Pop Now!,
MusicfestNW, Astoria Music Festival, Salem Orchestra, Oregon Ballet Theater, Portland Opera, and in jazz trio Fredson the Jeffry alongside pianist and composer George Colligan and drummer Micah Hummel. A prominently featured soloist on the soundtrack for Golden Globe nominated Sony Pictures Film French Exit featuring Michelle Pfeiffer, her discography also includes albums by Luz Elena (Y La Bamba). More at lisaclarinet.com.
About Tiffany Loney, Dancer:
Tiffany Loney thrives in collaborative projects with artists who excel in their mediums, inspired and challenged on how best to respectfully, responsively, and authentically reflect the other artist’s intelligence. Loney’s passion for dance developed during her childhood in Victoria, Canada. Having trained alongside dancers and creators that continue to be world-class artists today, including Crystal Pite, Lynda Raino, Constantine Darling and Homer Bryant, Loney became aware at an early age the heights a dancer could climb to. Her high standards and classical ballet training gave her the foundation to explore contemporary forms of dance. She received a BFA in performance art in 1995 and worked with the Wylliams/Henry Dance Co. where she choreographed and continued to collaborate with varying artists over the decades. Tiffany has lived on Orcas Island for the past seven years and is a member of the Orcas Dance Collective where she continues to create, teach, and run a youth dance troupe.
About Tatyana Ostapenko, Painter:
Contemporary painter and muralist Tatyana Ostapenko creates art that is “gorgeous... [a] bold reflection of joy and resiliency.” (OregonArtsWatch) With a practice that’s deeply influenced by her experience as an immigrant, as well as by her formative years in post-Soviet Ukraine, she focuses on trans-generational trauma and the gender inequalities that persist in her country of origin as well as in the US.
Ostapenko has a “talent for capturing human moments” (OreognArtsWatch) and uses images from her native Ukraine to speak about universal human experiences with an emphasis on empathy and strength in the face of adversity. “Ostapenko exudes strength and pride... [her] work normally has an edge. She uses the language of Socialist Realism... to critique power and misogyny, society and culture.” (The Oregonian)
Her paintings have been exhibited in regional, national and international museums, galleries, and art fairs, and purchased by public, corporate, and private collections, including the City of Seattle, City of Portland, and Stumptown Coffee HQ. She holds a BFA in Studio Practice from Portland State University, and has received Professional Development Grants from the Regional Arts and Culture Council and the Oregon Arts Commission.
PARTNERS:
Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO)'s Slavic and Eastern European Center (SEEC) celebrates, unites and engages Oregon's diverse Slavic and Eastern European community to achieve its highest potential. A true reflection of the people it serves, SEEC is led by an advisory council of community leaders and staffed by a multicultural multilingual IRCO team. More at irco.org.
Ukrainian Care Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing Ukrainians a direct supply of free bread by partnering with locally based Ukrainian bakeries in multiple cities. More at ukrainiancare.org.
For interview inquiries, additional information, and media materials please contact: Amelia Lukas, Aligned Artistry; 415-516-4851; amelia@alignedartistry.com
Press coverage of the event:
KGW8 Hello Rose City interview with Amelia Lukas, Tatyana Ostapenko and Yevghenia Sincariuc of Ukrainian Care.
Oregon Public Broadcasting article about Natural Homeland.
KGW News Rose Theater interview with Amelia Lukas, Tatyana Ostapenko and Irina Cheredayko of IRCO’s Slavic and Eastern European Center.