Live from your public media studios presents keys Keystone addition Arts a public affairs program that goes beyond the headlines to address issues in north eastern and Central Pennsylvania This is Keystone a addition Arts and now Erika Funke Welcome to Keystone addition Arts as we mark national hispanic heritage month with a filmmaker originally from mexico a classical conductor from argentina and a visual artist from nicaragua you're invited to join the conversation by calling 1 800 3269 three to six nine eight for two sending an email to Keystone at wdia dot org and on social media at hashtag Keystone Arts paula czar tsar sets the stage each year from september 15th through october 15th we celebrate national hispanic heritage month what started under president george johnson in 1968 is a week long observance to recognize hispanic cultures and their contributions expanded to a month under president reagan in 1988 according to the library of congress this month encompasses the anniversary of independence for latin american countries of costa rica el salvador guatemala honduras and nicaragua as well as mexico and she lay some use the terms latino and latin x when they talk about this month or themselves these words reflect the latin american countries associated with their family history and latino x offers gender inclusively according to the 2020 census Pennsylvania residents identified as having a hispanic origin almost 46 percent higher than in 2010 and now make up eight percent of the commonwealth's total population for Keystone addition Arts I'm paula zahn Ah thanks Paul There's a state historical marker on public square and wilkes-barre that describes the annual fine Arts fiesta as the oldest full scale Arts festival festival in Pennsylvania the fine Arts fiestas roots go back to the united nationalities pageants in the 50s at thenwilkes collegs dedicated roundly two dispelling prejudice they actually referred to prejudice as a fungus clinging to e mind and they believe the Arts had the power to break through by providing encounters with the many area ethnic groups and their Arts and culture from 1956 on the pageant founders embraced the spanish word fiesta to describe this joyful celebration of creativity in the region and now fifty thousand people pass through each may perhaps we should remember the roots of the fine Arts fiesta and that passion for respect as more and more groups settle throughout the region bringing more Arts more music and more choice foods bringing their very cells to enrich this place helping us wrestle with the darkness celebrate the joys of the human condition Our guest tonight are loose covering this a filmmaker from scranton anco-founder of scranton films erato edelstein music director and conductor of the williamsport symphony orchestra and eddie lopez visual artist and assistant professor at bucknell university in lewisburg we invite you to join the conversation by calling 1 800 3269 eight for two sending an email to Keystone at wdia dawg or on social media that hashtag Keystone Arts welcome loose Wre so glad to have you with us and we know loosed your name light It's wonderful for a filmmaker What do you remember about your early days in mexico yove said in in article that in fact you think children see vivid colors and as we get older Our eyes doll What What were those colors and durango Well I was born in mexico in immigrated to the united states in 1995 so for a ort period of time until I was in eleven and a half I was living in mexico and I mean I really do remember the rich colors in just the beauty of being a you know a kid a you are going you know life is a journey and I think that being creative really helps you with the growing up pains of life especially when you're you know a young kid and you know unfortunately would he have a lot of means in mexico creavity you know being you know using your imagination really help the lad with with the aspects of life as I was growing up It was not direct from mexico to downtown scranton so how did you get to this place right So we emigrated to northern california we settled san frcisco oakland richmond area and it wasn't younow one of the best best neighborhoods in the richmond area so it was still very difficult It was a time to learn the language learn to assimilate as well into learn the cuure and it was very difcu in that sense but it was also very enriching because you were trying to learn different cultures that maybe in mexico I didn't even know they existed So it was very very nice Then I went to college in the san francisco area Iot my bachelor's of science and media Arts and animation whicwas something that I wanted to do as well in the crtive aspect And then I came to the scranton area to get my master of Arts and mary would university ia sort of stayed here You know what was it though about film you could have been If you had visual talents maybe you could have been a photographerWhat was it about film and filmmaking that At what poindid you start taking on that interest I had a little bit of the creative since I didn't know that I had it then because I was tryi to again grow up Learn different a dierent culture but when I took a media Arts class in high hool as a sophomore and I started editing and when ok I like this like crafting a story like someone from the art institute me to richman richman high school whichs where I nt and they talked abouthe animation program I was ve lucky to have in the area makers of st wars in a lot of the speci school and talk to us about animation in the auty about that is thate we were in the heart of the creative Arts in the san francisco area in I went tschool to to do that That's where I got very interested in filmking when I took us cinematraphy class combining thediting rtn the cinematography I leaed that may my my craft was not animatioanit was more ofilmmaking and that's where I started deloping tha we he a chance to see some of ur work eok now your recent films a have a clifo and we're ing to sedone more Cr it and as we see somofw those imesOne the things'd love if a have a clifo tellin And oh whatre youropes were you me when I me to thiscountry fitk n different lture then ates in thunited ates I waable to learabout dierent diffencommunie anthis is when got hereI started ranton fis were a gro of fimakers I wand to films but t first thinthat I wted to do was tconcentraton communy and I goto len about jue Julie part is ithe re cemetertour andorganizer ofhe for me it was somethg differt You knoi've alwa had that iny herita that you ow we celebrath cemeteryou put food there anyou celebrat at and thewe have this group opeople that are st of doingthe same th' a completely different culture and they're bringing in the hiory fromrom this sll area to to their personas so I took an interest in I contacted julian as a hey julie You know i'm a filmmaker I'm trying to get my foot in the door I'm trying to you know this girl myself as an art is what can I do for you What can I do How can I help you with the skills that I have And we sort of you know I followed her what she was doing and I A recorded what her process I didn't even know that there was going to be a documentary yet you know because as any story you progresses right and then the pandemic hit Right And I said you know I have all this footage You know we we did a lot for you How about listless make a story about it And now we have done more cemetery toward documentary and children you love children and you want to work with them and help fuel their creativity is yours was tell us briefly about palette yes so it every every new project opens a door and a new opportunity for more creative projects Again this one I always want to concentrate on children and creativity because again like you said it You know they see the world different from from us as we grow up with started focusing more on the issues of life or just you know learning how to cope with life but children really see the world as they as it should Beautiful Right and I want to work with children to be able to show some someone maybe they're struggling and say how do I get to be creative and now I have pallid which is exploring the colors of Pennsylvania a show about art and community within the mind of a lot of kids and that's where your heart is will refer people to your web site so they can see some clips and see the done more cemetery tour it's wonderful to have you here Thank you so much Thank you for having me We have chance now to spend some time with her rado edelstein who graduated with high honors from the national conservatory of music in his native argentina he continued his education in israel at the jerusalem rubin academy of music where he won the leonard bernstein conducting scholarship in the united states he received a master's degree in orchestral conducting from the shepherd school of music at rice university in texas and he currently serves as music director and conductor of the williamsport symphony and director of orchestral studies at penn state university while conducting around the world and because of his rehearsal schedule hiroto isn't able to join us for the live show but we did have a chance to talk with him by zoom a few days ago welcome rado it's so wonderful to have you We think it's fascinating for our conversation that you were born born and raised in argentina and argentina is a country as we know that had significant wave of immigration in the late 19th early 20th centuries Is that something you were aware of growing up in argentina was music around you to remind you of the different cultures I will course I was not aware as you know just being in argentina if he raised in a country in south america that seemed so far away from everything else but you know as a kid I started listening A few stories for my grandparents They were in immigrants from europe from poland from austria and my pants were already boarding in argentina but you know I started hearing stories about you know they're plays their childhood and being jewish was also something very important very interesting to me but I was raised with people from all over the world They have to say because argentina's a country with lots of immigrants interestingly enough I would say approximately 33 percent coming from italy 33 percent from spain and that are 33 per cent from all over the world You also had experience with israel another country where there It has been a tremendous history of immigration and then you settled in the states which is a country that has tremendous history of immigration we landed first in texas and in that was the easiest way I thought because in texas There is a very large latino community so we could a game speak our spanish taxes and we also felt acquired at home but then moved to richmond virginia just totally different place and we ended up in Pennsylvania at this point I can say that I feel like a citizen of the world because I met so many people you know from around the world and I always was open to that I always loved to work with people No wonder if chosen profession that you know mostly is working with people And that brings me back to my decision when I decided to become a conductor my first instrument was piano and I was taking lessons you know four years until one day my teacher told me if you want to be a pianist defaming is a pianist You have to spend at least six seven hours a day practicing Do I really want to spend the rest of my life in a practice run by myself or do I want to be with people working with people singing playing conducting performing with lots of people and and that you know that was you know that the defining moment they said no I don't want to spend by myself hours I can still play my piano I can still play my cello but I love people I laughed to work with people So that's what actually led me to star dino conducting seriously and and travel around the world and meeting people from all different cultures and share our views and share our love for music and the you know all the details different options that each culture You know give sue and in a food clothing all what you can think about it outside music It's just it's just such a wonderful thing I remember so well that you brought to william support that great bandoneon player or they'll korto and you had a tango program for your orchestra and for the community What is it like for you to hear the music to conduct the music in this place where you are now you know it's a great question Erika because a music it's a universal language and until we can identify sometimes music from certain countries because of the influence of folk music certain rhythms certain tunes that are more from one area than than another But you know even the tango that it was you know it was born in argentina has african influence Believe it or not You know the the african condone day There is also a dance and certain rhythms that you know arrived with the slaves in south america and it is part of the tango something we can say about the spanish or cuban have an era that was already existed and And he made a huge influence in the in the tango music Music although it's a language It's not the same same as is spoken language you if you don't know russian You will not understand Someone speaking russian if you don't know french you will not understand people speaking in french But but you can't hear you can listen and understand russian music and and french music and spanish music no matter where you are in the world you know the fact that I brought the tango two two two williamsport I thought it was so well-received because people didn't didn't care that they need to know the ban donna that they'd never heard of and on before but when they saw on stage such a fabulous performer and playing music that that really touched the hearts and and and and it was so tuneful it's so exciting and so moving They they didn't have to ask questions about the instrument or or the tango even though I explained that they just need to sit down relax and enjoy Enjoy the ride that that's what what it is all about We should have more music more Arts in general and promote that wherever we go wherever we can because I think it's the key to unite people Well we can't thank you enough for your time and for all you're doing and sharing with all of us and we look forward forward to getting the word out about the concerts for the rest of the season and we're so grateful that you're there and williams port Thank you very much Eric Thank you Her ordeal heraldo edelstein a ludicrous alluded to the political roots of tango in the early days read andrews tells us dances of the offer argentines were acts of resistance a way to keep part of their lives free from the oppressive control of the slave owning society and now we meet a creative artist who is political in his work at he lopez was born in the midst of the sandinistas revolution in nicaragua and he's an artist who in his work tries to find meaning in a chaotic world he received an mfa and printmaking from the university of miami his works have been shown as far away as beijing and he was recently selected as an andrew melon foundation fellow andrew melon foundation fellow Welcome to Keystone addition Arts eddie You have a compelling personal personal story Please tell us how you came to the states as much as Erika and thank you for having me So I you know I was worried he could iowa during the southeast revolution and grew up through the civil war there was ravaging my country and in 1987 my parents decided to separate or family and so I came to this country undocumented as a war refugee with my sister who was older in her 20s and my nephew and knees We came along We crossed with one and into san diego and then after that settled in miami florida where I was at before I came up here to us Central p a well you tell us that in nicaragua There is a tradition of both surviving and protesting in and through the Arts poetry and and so photography and and ah visual Arts How did you come to embrace that tradition because that's what you come to to do the short Great question You know I think that's what I grew up in So I mean i'm growing up under a civil war and recently finished revolution and as I was a kid walking to school What I would be seeing are murals that blur fight the revolution that worldwide martyrs there will be be revolutionary songs playing on the radio and you know I started I also sort of learning about art and I had my family's somehow had this wonderful collection of art history books that I just they just that as a kid and they started making that connection between the fact that I could make you know beautiful work that I could create things but that could have a political and social message behind them so early on as a kid I just That was embedded in need the fact that I could be someone who who could create work that that that would interrogate political system social systems etc well May we look now at a fairly recent series manyara in montana in montana tomorrow tomorrow on tomorrow shakespeare beth What is it that you're doing in a series like that How do you do it and And what does it say saying to us today Sure So you know that series One of the pieces that I I did on there It began with capturing newspaper covers from leopard inside That's the image you have on the screen right now Dad potenza is the main newspaper and he could I and I went 2018 had these really violent uprising against the dictatorship of the new york data and in the covers of deference other were a lot of bloody images of people that have been shot students protesters and you know Day after day after day after day of all that violence I just comp all of those images and created this print that kind of captures just what happens on a daily basis you know tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow this violence is still going on So the series is about unfortunate the nature of conflict The nature of war and it's also at the same time I hope for it to end it making out of all of that conflict These visuals that are hard to read obfuscated but also beautiful colors and pattern's at the same time and I was going to ask you about your use of color because it is vibrant and we just heard loose uses color for the divisions of children is your color serving in what way as an irony or that's a good question I mean absolutely it definitely is ironic right guys and you have this beautiful object You know color has the power to attract those you have a brave and read it'll it'll just call attention to our eyes but i'm using a kind of like the wolf in sheep's clothing right That's nice beautiful thing but when you're when you come up to the peace and you start figuring out that there is a powerful message behind it So I yeah ironic Sure At the same it just it's kind of asking people to think about the work in front of them And you know the the week things can be transformed from one specific meeting to another It goes without saying of course that you are not just centering your work in nicaragua that doesn't speak then to us today right here in the states are around the world absolutely yeah so I think I make the work so that it's accessible not just to people that i've gone through my experience but really to to to anyone You know the work is visually engaging that that's really one of the things that the vehicle color in line shape and form can do You know the guest before we're talking about music being a universal language visual language tourism is universal so as long as someone has the gift of being able to see then encountering my pieces No matter what context You come with you you'll get something out of it and you are an assistant professor at parkdale and you have wonderful students who are hungry to learn what you have to teach them What does that mean to you to be able to give skills like you have to them to make their own art You know it's such a privilege I feel so wonderful to be here at bucknell and Central p a it it it's great to see my students doing and trained that techniques that I do with printmaking it's also great to engage them in my lad an x and not an american background as the nicaraguan we do trips with them well under normal non pandemic times to my home country it's just I feel very very privileged to be able to share my artistic gifts and my background with them You mentioned to our producer mindy kronk that you are there in Central Pennsylvania and one of the frustrating things is that you don't have access in restaurants to some of your nicaraguan favorite foods so you provided her with a recipe or two For her and loose you did too What is it why did you choose Rice and beans eddie Rice and beans is likely the staple food or that the average person and you cannot wait We call it a day you'll be the red rooster and it's it's just such a simple dish but delicious You two have when we go with our students and with with the faculty and staff to its and you could iowa I mean they love it The first time they have something so simple as just you should be a red kidney being which you can find it weiss and giant and it's simple to make you can't go wrong with it Oh that's wonderful well lucille provided tomalis right and Right right Ok so when we send you all off and say thank you so much for joining us We will give everyone the web site where we can find rice and beans allah eddie or say goon eddie right this second eddie and tomalis said goon loose I want to thank our guests loose coveralls corrado edelstein eddie lopez and you for watching For information on this topic including links to our guests and resources please visit w va i a dot org slash Keystone and click on Keystone addition Arts and remember you can watch this episode or any previous episode on demand anytime online or on the wdia app for Keystone Edition I'm Erika Funke thank you again for watching and thanks to our guests