Apply to Be a Student Commissioner
Applications for Student Commissioner are now open! Ex Officio Student Commissioners are active, non-voting members of the Arts and Culture Commission. Duties include promoting art activities and education, serving as an advisory group on the arts to the Council and City boards and commissions, and more. Applicants must be students under the age of 25 who live in Glendale and must be able to attend meetings on the third Thursday of the month from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM. The application deadline is Monday, July 15 at 5:00 PM PST.
New Exhibit on View at the Adams Square Mini Park Gas Station
All the People We Encounter Each Day by Amy Oates is currently on view at the Adams Square Mini Park Gas Station until Friday, July 12. The piece depicts a crowd of people swirling like a school of fish created from layers of painted, cut paper suspended from the ceiling.
Save the date for an artist reception at the park hosted by the Adams Hill Neighborhood Association on Saturday, June 29 from 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM.
Summer Concerts Series Begins in July
Join us for live performances from a variety of talented bands in a family-friendly setting. Wednesday concerts will take place at Verdugo Park, beginning July 10, 2024. Friday concerts will take place on the lawn behind Brand Library & Art Center, beginning July 12, 2024. Thursday concerts will take place at Perkins Plaza, beginning August 1, 2024.
Brand 52 Now on View
The Associates of Brand Library & Art Center announces its 52nd Annual National Juried Exhibition of Works on Paper. This year’s annual exhibition features more than 100 artworks from around the country chosen by juror Shana Nys Dambrot, a renowned art critic, author and curator. The exhibit is on view through Friday, August 9, 2024.
Brand Associates Dance Series Application Now Open
The Associates of Brand Library & Art Center are accepting applications for the Brand Associates Dance Series 2025 season. The Associates are looking for Dance Companies with at least 5 years of experience to present an educational, site-specific dance program appropriate for all ages onsite at Brand Library & Art Center. Applications are open through September 30, 2024.
Artist Spotlight: The Pepper Moons
The Brand Summer Music Series is a free outdoor concert series located at the Brand Library and Art Center. Performances take place Friday nights at 7:00PM. The first group to perform will be The Pepper Moons on Friday, July 12. Staff interviewed lead singer Eva Mikhailovna and drummer Mark San Filippo to learn more about them as musicians.
How did you begin your musical journey?
Eva: My mom taught me music from a really young age, and then I played a little in middle school. When I went to college, I met a lot of musicians and we played together. I played a lot on the streets, and then I started having local shows in Riverside where I live.
Mark: I’ve been playing music my whole life, ever since I was a kid. Then I started my own punk/rock band when I got to be 12 or 13 years old. In high school, I was playing on the Sunset Strip. When I got a little bit older, I fell in love with jazz. For college, I went to UCLA and studied Ethnomusicology which is the study of music through the lens of anthropology and sociology.
From where do you draw your creative inspiration?
Eva: For The Pepper Moons, we have a couple of original songs that I’ve written. I draw inspiration from telling stories and from feelings that come that I can’t use words to describe, so I try to express my feelings through song.
Mark: We started The Pepper Moons to play mostly for dancers in the swing dance and vintage communities. It’s all under the umbrella of “jazz” which is so broad at this point. The rhythms that we are playing draw inspiration from the earlier styles of jazz in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. It’s all geared to be able to dance to.
What do you like most about playing music?
Eva: My favorite thing about playing music live is the connection between the song and the audience. If it’s a slow song, I really like to connect the words and the feel of the song, and I like to look at people’s faces and see if they are also feeling what I’m feeling. If it’s a fast song I want people to feel happy and moved. I like to see people dancing. Playing music alone at home without an audience is also really therapeutic. Music is a very personal thing but is also the thing that can connect a lot of people together.
Mark: There’s this whole sense of community when we play at local venues. Now I’ve gotten to know a lot of the people that I otherwise wouldn’t have necessarily met, and we’ve all become friends. A lot of times we will see the same people that come out to see the band every time.
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians?
Eva: I would say to always be honest with yourself and honest with the music you’re trying to make. When you’re writing a song, let it go in the direction that it needs to go instead of trying to sound like something else. It’s a gift to be able to play music, and it has to come from the most honest part of you.
Mark: I would say practice as much as you can. Keep practicing. Try to meet other musicians to collaborate with. Try to take control of your own path and make goals. It only takes a few steps to start your own band.
The Pepper Moons began heating up the Southern California vintage music scene in 2022. Focusing on the elegant, pre-bop styles from the glamorous days of the Swing Era, Eva and Mark are supported by LA’s finest jazz musicians. They have quickly become a favorite among the swing dance and vintage community, filling historic jazz venues such as the Cicada Club in Downtown LA.
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