Much in the way a composition is created, plans are taking shape for the upcoming Scott Joplin Regional Music Celebration at the end of March.
Presented by passionate music lover David Mallette and his Regional Music Heritage Center, the celebration is a follow-up to the successful Scott Joplin International Centennial Celebration last year.
Performances are planned for various venues over the course of two days to honor Joplin, a native of the Texarkana and Northeast Texas area who went on to become one of the pre-eminent ragtime composers.
To start, a gala preview will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, March 30, at Silvermoon On Broad's Great Hall with a performance by Richard Dowling, the featured keyboardist for the main night, Saturday. Retired art professor Tom Morrissey will perform with his "Texarkanian" guitar. Carol Miles will perform with the trio Three of a Kind. There's also a silent auction, hors d'oeuvres and beverages at this opening night party.
On Saturday night, March 31, the winner of the Four States Student Jazz Showcase held earlier in the day at Texarkana College will perform at the Scott Joplin Regional Music Celebration main event at the Perot Theatre starting at 7:30 p.m., along with the winner of the First Annual Joplin Piano Competition.
Pianist Dowling, respected for his work performing Joplin numbers, will perform for the night's first half.
Dowling's virtues as a pianist have been praised by the likes of the New York Times, and he's also performed compositions by greats like Debussy, Chopin, Ravel and Gershwin. Last year, the pianist gave two Carnegie Hall recitals of Joplin's work for the centennial of the ragtime king's death. A three-disc release of Joplin's complete music performed by Dowling received a Grammy Award nomination.
Also on tap during the night's first half is a new group, the Texarkana Ragtime Orchestra directed by Dick Eckstein.
"We are very proud to announce the TRO and hope at some future point to form a 'Treemonisha' repertory group locally to do an annual performance of that opera here," Mallette said. He'd like to have it completely homegrown. The opera was written by Joplin.
For this event, TRO will perform both ragtime and jazz dating from the early 20th century. For the main event's second half, the first annual Young Musician Award and the second annual Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented. As well, the Texarkana Jazz Orchestra will perform.
"We think we're going to have one magnificent show," Mallette said, describing Dowling as a phenomenal performer. "This guy is really in a class by himself."
Mallette expressed enthusiasm about the formation of a local ragtime act. "I think that the formation of the Texarkana Ragtime Orchestra is a big deal," said Mallette, noting the hard work to get where they are with the festival. He believes this year will put them over the hump.
"We're here to stay," Mallette said.
This year, the Joplin festival doesn't have a rockabilly band from Europe to make it an international event, hence the "regional" tag to the event name. But Mallette hopes to have that international presence again.
"Right now we are certainly somewhat Texarkana-centric in our approach," he said, noting that not only is Joplin celebrated, but also regional musicians and music.