The Douglas Society is the support group for the Denver Art Museum covering American Indian art, African art, and Oceanic art.
Frederic Huntington Douglas was one of the first scholars to recognize the artistic achievements of American Indians as well as the arts of Africa and Oceania. From 1929 to 1956, as the Denver Art Museum's Curator of Native Arts, he began acquiring the objects that form the core of what is now recognized throughout the world as one of the most important collections of native arts. In 1974 the Douglas Society was founded to honor and ensure the continuance of the work of Frederic Douglas.
R. Carlos Nakai Concert /
Douglas Society Annual Dinner - Friday, Jan. 20, 2012
Of Navajo-Ute heritage, R. Carlos Nakai is the world's premier performer of the Native American flute. Originally trained in classical trumpet and music theory, Nakai was given a traditional cedar wood flute as a gift and challenged to see what he could do with it.
Photo credit: John Running courtesy of Canyon RecordsSince 1983, he has released over 35 albums on the Canyon label. In addition to his solo appearances throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan, R. Carlos Nakai has worked with guitarist William Eaton, flutist Paul Horn, composers James DeMars and Phillip Glass and various symphony orchestras.
While well-grounded in the traditional uses of the flute, R. Carlos Nakai has explored new musical settings including new age, world-beat jazz and classical. His cross-cultural collaborations have included an album with the Wind Travelin' Band, a Japanese folk ensemble and Tibetan flutist and singer Nawang Khechog on several productions including “In A Distant Place.” R. Carlos Nakai has earned two gold records for “Canyon Trilogy” and “Earth Spirit” and has received eight Grammy® nominations. Nakai’s career has been shaped by a desire to communicate a sense of Native American culture and society that transcends the common stereotypes presented in mass media.
EVENT DETAILS:
- Friday, January 20, 6:00 pm
- North Building, Level 1
- R. Carlos Nakai will play and speak following dinner
- Catered by Kevin Taylor/Palettes Restaurant.
- 6 pm cocktail hour, followed by dinner and the concert
- $75 general public, $65 Douglas Society members
Pre-paid reservations required.
Mail check made out to 'Denver Art Museum' to The Douglas Society, Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway, Denver, CO 80204. Reservations accepted through Jan. 14 or until the event sells out.
photo courtesy www.rcarlosnakai.com
Douglas Society members will receive printed invitations and a discount of $10/member. If you are a member of the Denver Art Museum but not a Douglas Society member, you may wish to join the Douglas Society to take advantage of this discount. Douglas Society Individual memberships are $30 (one discounted Nakai dinner) and Douglas Society Family memberships are $50 (two discounted Nakai dinners). The memberships are good for one year and would entitle you to a $5/member discount on normally six programs/year. You would receive advanced information by mail and email for all programs and special member-only events including visits to collectors' homes. Memberships can be mailed to the same address as Nakai dinner reservations. If you have questions, leave a message at 720-913-0165.