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May 1, 2001
Contact: John Newman (831) 459-2496; jtnewman@cats.ucsc.edu
MUSIC OF THE SPHERES AT LICK
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SANTA CRUZ, CA--The silence is almost suffocating--not a leaf-rattle or even
the hiss of wind in the scorched mountain grass. Below, on the valley floor, feeble
lights strangle in the low creeping haze of now faraway everyday. Beyond, the black
buffalo ridgeline humps up in the clear air against the last smoldering banner of
daylight. On their tiny island in the darkening wider than the whole secret landscape,
the ghostly domes stand among the glittering machinery that wheels in steady, staggering,
supernatural glitter. Then, the voice of a single violin swimming through the dark,
and then, a guitarÖ.
Once you've been to one of the summer benefit concerts at Lick Observatory, on the
airy shoulders of Mt. Hamilton, you may be tempted to try a few florid paragraphs
of your own, but the experience isn't an easy thing to render into words. If you've
never been, be ready to snag your tickets when they go on sale at the UCSC Ticket
Office on May 22 (May 15, if you're willing to spring for preferred or VIP Tickets).
Your ticket entitles you to more than a concert among the galaxies and globular clusters--you
also get to peek through the historic 36-inch refractor telescope, enjoy a mind-warping
talk on things astronomical by a noted UC astronomer, and go home with a commemorative
wine glass or coffee mug.
The series begins on Friday, June 15, at 8 p.m. with a concert by violinist/composer
Kim Angelis, and flamenco-inspired guitarist Josef. If the weather is good, the concert
will be held outside. The talk, "The Birth and Evolution of Galaxies: Time Machines,
Cannibalism, and Chemical Abuse," by Raja GubaThakurta, UCSC astronomy and astrophysics
professor, will fill you in on stellar scandals that make the antics of human celebrities
seem pedestrian by comparison.
If you're not up for gypsy flair and cannibal galaxies, Yiannis Chronopoulos and
the Spartans bring a lively mix of contemporary and traditional Greek music to the
mountaintop on Saturday, June 16, at 8 p.m. Also on hand will be UCSC professor
of astronomy and astrophysics, Jerry Nelson to reveal the grand designs of "CELT:
The Ultimate Giant Telescope." Weather permitting, this concert will also be
held outside.
In July, multi-instrumentalists Edmund Badoux and Francy Vidal will bring Andean
flavors to the Hamiltonian altitudes as they perform on an extraordinary collection
of Andean wind, string, and percussion instruments. Alex Filippenko, astronomy professor
at UC Berkeley, completes the evening by contemplating "Einstein's Biggest Blunder?
The Case for Cosmic Anti-Gravity." That program is on Friday, the 27th, at 8
p.m. On Saturday, the 28th, the South American theme continues with Ramón
Romero, master of the Paraguayan harp. Sandra Faber, professor of astronomy and astrophysics
at UCSC, weighs the case of "Lick vs. Hubble: Adaptive Optics to the Rescue."
In August the dog days of summer lay panting in the shade, but 8 p.m. Friday evening,
the 24th, chills to the cool Celtic sounds of Golden Bough--jigs, reels, and sing-alongs
from the British Isles. UCSC's Burton Jones, assistant director of Lick, will ponder
"Cosmic Threats to Life on Earth: Will We Survive?" Well, if we make it
as far as Saturday, the 25th, you'll be able to catch some nylon-string magic from
renowned classical guitarist Daniel Roest and Concord Jazz recording artist Jeff
Linsky, beginning at 8 p.m. Michael Bolte, UCSC astronomy and astrophysics professor,
will evaluate "The Impact of the Hubble Space Telescope on our Understanding
of the Universe."
Standard tickets, at $40, entitle you to the concert, the talk, a peek through the
36-inch refractor telescope, and your own commemorative wine glass or coffee mug.
Preferred tickets, at $100, include the same benefits as the standard tickets, plus
a 20 percent discount in the gift shop and reserved seating. VIP tickets are $150
and include all the preferred ticket benefits plus a private tour of the 120-inch
reflecting telescope and a light buffet. The tour begins two hours before the scheduled
concert time and is limited to only 20 VIP ticket holders per concert date.
Seating will begin 30 minutes before the concert. All proceeds go to benefit the
Lick Observatory visitor program. Attendance by children under the age of 10 is not
advised. Only 160 tickets will be available each night. Reservations, taken on a
first-come, first-served basis, tend to sell out quickly.
Contact the UCSC Ticket Office after May 15 for VIP and preferred tickets and after
May 22 for standard tickets. Contact the Ticket Office at: (831) 459-2159; FAX: (831)
459-3552; e-mail: tickets@cats.ucsc.edu
Ticket Office hours are: Tuesday-Friday, 12 noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m. Any e-mail or fax request received before noon the first day will be disregarded.
For more information about Lick Observatory, call: (408) 274-5061, between 12:30
and 5 p.m., e-mail giftshop@ucolick.org
or visit the web site at www.ucolick.org.
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