Life Is What You Make It: A Concert and Conversation with Peter Buffett

The performance is the live companion to Buffet’s New York Times Best-Selling book, Life is What You Make It: Find Your Own Path to Fulfillment, which delves into following one’s passions over conventions, transcending one’s circumstances or status, taking up the reins of one’s destiny, and living life to its fullest. Most people probably think having billionaire investor Warren Buffett as a father would make life far from average. But, as Peter explains in his book, the only real inheritance handed down from his parents was a philosophy: forge your own path in life. It is a creed that has allowed him to follow his own passions, establish his own identity, and reap his own successes.

A book signing will follow the concert.
Tickets: Free

Special WCLK membership ticket packages are available, now, at www.wclk.com. General tickets available at all Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com.

Chaka Khan has won 10 Grammy Awards for her work with the band Rufus and as a solo artist. Her hits include “I’m Every Woman,” “Ain’t Nobody,” “Through The Fire,” “I Feel For You” and her duet with Ray Charles on “I’ll Be Good To You” among many others.

Over 200 student and faculty musicians will perform as part of this university-wide celebration of the season, including members of the University Symphony Orchestra, Choruses and Jazz Band and faculty and student soloists. Conductors Michael Palmer, Gordon Vernick and Deanna Joseph will lead the musicians in a potpourri of works by Duke Ellington, Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Schubert and others, including selections from Gian-Carlo Menotti’s opera Amahl and the Night Visitors, Handel’s Messiah and Randol Bass’ A Feast of Carols. Other selections will highlight the musical traditions of China and Greece—including Nick Demos and the Greek Islanders performing a traditional Greek holiday medley. W. Dwight Coleman serves as artistic director.

Back by popular demand, the concerts will again feature a special presentation of African dance and percussion by students from the Charles Drew R. Charter School. The School of Music has had a partnership with the Drew Charter School, located in the East Lake neighborhood of Atlanta, since 2006, thanks to a generous, multi-year grant from the Cousins Foundation, Inc. This year, the School of Music/ Drew Charter School partnership was awarded funding through the Race to the Top program to help create one of Georgia’s first STEAM (science, technology, engineering,arts and mathematics) models of education.

Tickets range from $22-$48 (Georgia State students, faculty and staff may receive 1/2 price tickets with ID) and are available in person at the Rialto Center Box Office, by calling 404-413-9TIX or online at www.rialtocenter.org. Free parking is provided for this event at the Equitable Building deck on Fairlie Street.

By Manning Harris

It takes a lot to get me OTP (outside the perimeter, for newcomers) these days.  And the Gwinnett Arena is much too far for this confirmed Intowner to schlep—ordinarily.

But there was nothing ordinary about Lady Gaga or her sold-out “Monster Ball” that held forth at the Arena Monday evening.

In the Southeast’s only appearance on her epic tour (if you don’t count Nashville), the world’s most talked about pop star—33 million Facebook fans—more than anyone else on the planet—showed us what all the fuss is about.  She was astounding.

I’ve been blessed in my life to see some truly great performers:  Beverly Sills, Barbra Streisand, Madonna, The Rolling Stones—to name a few—and all of these performers at their peaks.

With this one performance, the former Stefani Germanotta, reborn as the electrifying Gaga, has not only joined the pantheon of the greats, she has set a new standard as a total performance artist.

She sings, she plays the piano (classically trained since age four), she composes, she writes lyrics,  she dances, and she does NOT, she booms to the crowd, lip sync!  She does all these things very, very well; she has just turned 25 and has become a one-woman performing juggernaut, backed up by extraordinary musicians and sexy, charismatic dancers.  She is far more than her outrageous costumes.

When she hit the stage at 9:40 pm, after a short opening act (Semi-Precious Weapons) and an interminable wait, it was as though (this will sound corny; can’t help it)  a huge jolt of electricity and joy shot through the arena and no one was immune.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen such an audience response for anyone, and it was unrelenting for the almost two hours that followed.

I assume you know some of her songs:  “Bad Romance,” “Alejandro,” “Telephone,” “Paparazzi,” “Poker Face,” and the new monster hit “Born This Way,” the title of her eagerly awaited CD.  The songs have filled the airwaves for some time now.

I once read a magazine piece about Lady Gaga’s rejection by an old boyfriend (before she was Lady Gaga).  He scoffed at her and told her she had no chance for success, fame, or fortune.  She looked at him and said, “The time is coming, and quite soon, when you won’t be able to walk into a coffee shop and not hear my voice.”

That resolution, that fierce belief in herself, is a gift she tries to give her fans.  At one point Monday night she shouted into the microphone, startling the crowd:  “You might not sing in front of thousands.  You might not win Grammy Awards.  But you’ve got to know you’re a superstar just the same.  Leave tonight loving yourself more than when you came in.”  You may not be impressed, but her fans, the “Little Monsters,” love her for it.  Mother Monster has spoken!

Earlier I said she’s already joined the pantheon of great performers:  It’s impossible to describe her focus, her concentration, her playful, bawdy wit , her complete professionalism.  Elton John, an admirer, recently said she’s at a stage in her career when she can do no wrong; she’s young, strong, full of energy and burning up with creativity.

All of this was very much in evidence at the Arena Monday night.  It was a totally thrilling evening.

This concert’s family-oriented musical selection was chosen by AWS conductor, Dr. Patrick K. Carney, and the members of the symphony.  “This concert is dedicated to children of all ages,” says Dr. Carney.  “Our entire master season has been devoted to supporting our community during these difficult times, and there is no better way to unite people than through music.”

The concert begins at 3 p.m.  Admission is free, but the donation of a new, unwrapped toy is requested.  Following the concert, there will be a reception, including a possible appearance by Santa Claus.  For more information, visit www.atlantawindsymphony.org or call (678) 615-7619.

The AWS’s 2010-2011 Master Concert series kicks of its 32nd season Oct. 10 with a “Tribute to the Greatest Generation.” On Dec. 12 AWS performs a selection of holiday favorites, combined with a drive to benefit Toys for Tots. The spring concert theme for March 20 will be “Remembering Stravinsky.” The season closes May 8 with “City Music.”

The Master Season offerings will be held at 3 p.m. at the Roswell Cultural Arts Center, but there will be a special sneak preview Oct. 3 at the Alpharetta First United Methodist Church. The AWS will perform their traditional closing programs of “Roswell Remembers – Memorial Day,” at Roswell City Hall, and the Roswell United Methodist Church Celebration, June 24 at 7:30 and June 26 at 3 and 5:30 p.m.

For more information, including directions and ticket prices, visit the Atlanta Wind Symphony website at atlantawindsymphony.org.

Jerry Butler and John Wade & The Blue-J’s are headlining this year’s festival Having spent the last few years touring with Pine Mountain Railroad, and most recently with Lorraine Jordan and Carolina Road, Jerry has now formed his own band. Jerry and John both are award-winning and seasoned musicians, while their three new band members, Bobby Clark, Tim Goins, and Daniel Oxendine round out the group with beautifully tight harmonies and outstanding playing. Their sound is fresh, as they blend bluegrass classics, gospel, and some country favorites done in their own style.

Our local and regional bands include DejaBlue Grass Band, Cedar Hill, Counterpoint, Johnny Roquemore & The Apostles of Bluegrass, Steel String Session, Highway 41, The Nashvillain Family Band, The East Dixie Boys, Whoa Nelly, Hicks with Picks, and The Mars Hill Porch Pickers.

The 34th Annual WRFG Peachblossom Bluegrass Festival is an indoor festival – no need to worry about the weather, and there is plenty of parking. Bring your instruments for the always fun and popular parkin’ lot pickin’. All proceeds go to help cover operating expenses for Atlanta’s only volunteer, non-profit community radio station, WRFG 89.3FM. For additional information or tickets, call ( 404) 523-3471, or visit  www.wrfg.org.

The series had its genesis in last year’s Decatur Book Festival, when co-founder Daren Wang was assisted by Eddie’s Attic owner Eddie Owen in booking a musical tribute to writer Eudora Welty featuring Mary Chapin Carpenter , Kate Campbell, Caroline Herring and Claire Holley. Rather than using Eddie’s intimate space on the Decatur Square, they booked the show in Presser Hall, which seats 800 people. That show sold out.

The George Winston show will be the first in an ongoing series of concerts, Wang said, utilizing Owen’s knack for booking great musicians who might have by-passed Eddie’s Attic due to its size. Winston’s eclectic taste in music – from reinterpreting The Doors and Vince Guaraldi’s music for the animated Peanuts specials on TV to his impressionistic takes on the seasons from his Windham Hill albums – should make for a mesmerizing evening of music.