If you've spent much time at Camp Rockmont during its quieter moments, you know the place has a certain energy, a certain pull. And you likely know that the Swannanoa Valley site was the spot where Black Mountain College put down its roots, creating an experiential feast of learning, blurring disciplinary lines, fostering collaboration and yielding some of the 20th century's most important American artists.
On Saturday, March 20, that former grounds will be the site of a new feast of sorts, one incorporating some of WNC's most dynamic multimedia artists — dancers, musicians, sculptors and performers of all sorts. For one night, it's BMC brought to life again.
"They'll be pulling deep from the wells out there," says Gene Felice, co-organizer of the event, a fundraiser for the Media Arts Project and Black Mountain College + Arts Center.
Imagine music created in the same Roundhouse where John Cage once taught, with projected visuals and performers moving inside geodesic dome spaces. Picture visual images projected onto weather balloons floating in the center of the lake. Think of the culinary masterpieces born from local legend Mark Rosenstein's artistry.
Many of the performers are working together to create novel multidisciplinary installations.
"The greatest thing about this will be the collaboration," Felice says. "So many different artists — some who've worked together before, some who'll be new to each other — making art on the historical grounds."
There are two tiers of admission. The early evening portion of the program is $40 and features a dinner, with food from Chai Pani, Vinnie's Italian, Ultimate Ice Cream, Early Girl Eatery, Nona Mia, Filo Bakery, French Broad Chocolate Lounge, Short Street Cakes and more. 7 p.m. at the Dining Hall.
Then, from 8:30 to 11 p.m., the action gets going with myriad performances, installations, creations and more. It's what they used to call a happening, and it likely will be. It may even evolve into a later-night dance party. Tickets for that part of the program are $15.
The LaZoom bus will run a $5 shuttle from Asheville to Black Mountain, although with the potential for scores of people at the event, it might not be wise to wait for the last shuttle back. Find out more about {Re} Happening at blackmountaincollege.org.
Another set of happenings that promise a sonic feast: Echo Early Music Festival, a showcase of music from before the European classical period (around 1750). All the performances will be mind-blowing, according to director Eric Schneider, but a few may be utterly transcendent: Trefoil's performance of medieval music for harps and voice (In the Chamber of the Harpers), and Purcell's opera Dido and Aeneas.
The festival runs weekends March 12 to 20. The first weeknd will feature chamber music; the March 19-20 weekend will be larger works. Performances will be at Jubilee! Community on Wall Street and St. Matthias Episcopal Church on Max Street.
"In our performances, the music is as alive as the day it was written," Schneider writes. Well put. Check out the full schedule, including music with master percussionist River Guerguerian, historical harpist Paula Fagerberg and Belgian soprano Francisca Venherle, at www.eemf.net.
Rebecca Sulock can be reached at rsulock@mountainx.com.
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