From jazz to pottery, the Valley Festival of Arts was truly a celebration

By Steve Kadel-Frontiersman reporter

Hundreds of Mat-Su residents celebrated everything from jazz to pottery-making during the second annual Valley Festival of Arts at Colony Middle School.

The building throbbed with creativity Feb. 27 as musicians and dancers performed downstairs while origami, stained glass, quilting, photography and pencil sketches were displayed upstairs.

David Meyers, a 1998 Colony High School graduate who now performs professionally, attracted an audience as he played jazz piano in a hallway. Meyers, who lists Thelonious Monk among his influences, regularly plays in a quartet at the Hilton Hotel in Anchorage and may begin scheduling appearances at Sullivan's Steakhouse.

Meanwhile, the "Just Playin' Jazz" band entertained folks in the building's lower level. The band consists of 13- to 18-year-old musicians from various local schools. Nearby, Stephanie Pederson worked at a pottery wheel, seemingly oblivious to everything and everyone around her.

The evening's activities also included performances by the Alaska Children's Choir and Cantora Arctica; the Mat-Su Strings; the jazz trio of Dale Tumey, Meyers and Joel Stamoolis; the Colony Middle School solo ensemble; the Burchell Dancers; and Borealis Dancers.

With dozens of artists on hand, co-organizer Genie Siedler of the Colony Middle School Music Boosters parent group said it was five times bigger than last year's event.

"It's a celebration," she said. "We lack a space in the Valley for some of the artists who do wonderful stuff."

She said potential funding cuts to schools, and especially the arts, provided extra motivation to make the festival a big one. A table near the school's entrance was staffed all evening by volunteers seeking to send a message to legislators in Juneau.

Bill Johansen, one of the volunteers, said lots of folks quickly signed the petition urging that music, band and choir programs receive proper funding.

"It's an easy sell," he said.

Contact Steve Kadel at steve.kadel@frontiersman.com.