Friday, October 26, 2018

Liz Vandal: Costume Designer



#WomenYouShouldKnow

Liz Vandal is a French-Canadian costume designer. 

Her career began as a fashion designer, and she later took her designs to ballets, circuses, and movies around the world.

Clients include dance companies, The Backstreet Boys, Cirque de Soleil, AVATAR costumes for 20th Century Fox, and many more.

One of her greatest career achievements was creating 3,000 costumes for the closing ceremony of the Baku 2015 European Games in Azerbaijan. 

Photograph © 2018 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

Sunday, October 14, 2018

Stanislav Ioudenitch: Pianist

Pianist Stanislav Ioudenitch has played around the world with a multitude of orchestras including National Philharmonic of Russia, Munich Philharmonic, National Symphony, Mariinsky Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic, Fort Worth Symphony, and Kansas City Symphony.

Mr. Ioudenitch was the youngest pianist ever invited to give master classes at The International Piano Academy at Lake Como. He was honored with a gold medal at the Eleventh Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2001.

Photograph © 2018 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.


Saturday, October 13, 2018

LaQuanda Faye Jacobs: Wrongfully Convicted

At the age of 16, LaQuanda Faye Jacobs was found guilty of capital murder in Arkansas, and sentenced to life in prison without parole. It was a crime she did not commit.

After 26 years, Faye has been released. 

Midwest Innocence Project

Photograph © 2018 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Alvin Sykes: Human Rights Advocate. Plus, Update

Alvin Sykes engineered the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crimes Act, which creates a cold-case component within the United States Justice Department. Crimes committed in the pre-civil rights era are able to be reopened.

Mr. Sykes dropped out of high school in the tenth grade. He used the public library system to educate himself, and he began sitting in on courtroom trials to learn the law. He has been active for decades helping solve racially-motivated murders.

Emmett Till was a 14-year-old African American in 1955, when he was murdered for whistling at a white woman in Mississippi. His death is credited for initiating the civil rights movement.

Photograph © 2018 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

UPDATE: Alvin Sykes passed away today, March 19, 2021. Alvin was a remarkable gentleman, and it was an honor to know him. L.F.L.


Friday, October 12, 2018

Shmuel Ashkenasi: Violinist, Chamber Music (Strings)

Violinist Shmuel Ashkenasi hails from Tel Aviv, Israel.

He won the Merriweather Post Competition, placed as a finalist in Belgium's Queen Elizabeth competition, and received second prize in the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow.

Mr. Ashkenasi formed the esteemed Vermeer Quartet, becoming one of the world's most significant chamber musicians.

As a violin soloist, he has performed with preeminent orchestras in New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, Berlin, London, Moscow, and Tokyo.

Photograph © 2018 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, October 10, 2018

Septime Webre: Choreographer

 


















Choreographer Septime Webre's newest project will be performed by Kansas City Ballet at the world premiere of, "The Wizard of Oz".

Mr. Webre is Artistic Director at Hong Kong Ballet, and former Artistic Director at The Washington Ballet.

Photograph © 2018 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.


Tuesday, October 9, 2018

Rodney Lincoln #48563: Wrongfully Convicted

After 36 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, Rodney Lincoln is free. 

The sole eyewitness recanted her testimony, and new DNA testing revealed a hair used as evidence was not Rodney's.

Midwest Innocence Project helped make this possible for Rodney, and others wrongfully convicted.

#48563 in the title of this post was Rodney's prisoner identification number.

Photograph © 2018 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Monday, October 8, 2018

Alex Bordyukov: The Bachelorette



Alex Bordyukov was a popular candidate on The Bachelorette (ABC, season 13), with Rachel Lindsay.

Photograph © 2018 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

Brian Kennedy: Song Writer, Composer, Producer, Musician, Pianist



















Brian Kennedy has been honored with four Grammy® awards for work with Jennifer Hudson, Rihanna, Chris Brown, and Kelly Clarkson. 

He was nominated for a fifth Grammy® award for an additional project with Rihanna. 

Brian also has five ASCAP Awards.

Photograph © 2018 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.