Those Old Tunes

This week, the Sherwin Miller Museum of Art presents the U.S. debut of Israeli sculptor Moshe Frumin's replicated ancient instruments.

Frumin is an artist and amateur archeologist who has fervently researched ancient instruments from the Second Temple period for the past 20 years. To Christians, that would be, according to the Bible, from the time of David to the time of Jesus.

Sourcing ancient wall paintings and coins, Frumin constructed 21 instruments in replication to their ancient counterparts. The instruments were built to scale, with some being very small and others standing almost five feet high, and most are playable.

Frumin has shown his work in Austria and Australia, but his show at Sherwin Miller will mark the exhibition's U.S. premiere.

The exhibit opens on Thursday, Oct. 15. On Saturday, Oct. 17, the museum will host the San Antonio Vocal Arts Ensemble for a concert of ancient hymns.

SAVAE specializes in ancient world music from the Middle East, Europe and North and South America. In addition to vocal performances, the musicians play ancient instruments similar to Frumin's creations.

Along with the flute, harp, shofar and lyre, the group will pull a couple of Frumin's instruments and tune and play them.

The concert at Oral Roberts University's Howard Auditorium, 7777 S. Lewis Ave., begins at 8pm. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students or groups of 10 or more.

Arthur Feldman, the museum's executive director, said the exhibit should appeal to Christians as well as Jews because of the many Biblical references to music and song in worship.

"There are dozens of Biblical quotes that allude to the playing of music in worship, and that music was primarily voice," Feldman said. "'Sing unto the Lord' (for example)."

He said ancient peoples began to use the materials available to them -- wood, animal carcasses, horns -- to create instruments to accompany their voices.

Frumin's instruments are made from similar materials. During his stay in Tulsa, he'll work with three elementary schools, teaching their students to make instruments from recycled materials.

"Moshe Frumin: Ancient Instruments" will remain on display at Sherwin Miller, 2021 E. 71st St., through Jan. 25. Museum hours are Monday through Friday, 10am to 5pm, and Sunday from 1pm to 5pm. Admission is $5.50 for adults, $4.50 for seniors and $3 for students. Admission is free to museum members, teachers with school ID and uniformed services.

For more information, go to www.jewishmuseum.net.

It's Electrifying

On Friday and Saturday, Living Arts presents its annual OK Electric festival, featuring Axis, Glass Magnet and Tim Kaiser and The Constructs, musicians who use only non-traditional instruments -- such as a rotary phone -- to create their sound.

The fest kicks off Friday, Oct. 16 at 8pm with performances by Axis and Glass Magnet. Tickets to the concert are $10, $8 for members, and doors open at 7:30pm.

On Saturday, Oct. 17, from 1 to 4pm, musician Tim Kaiser presents a workshop on how to make electronic music from non-traditional instruments. The cost of the workshop is $10.

That evening, Kaiser and The Constructs present a concert at 8pm, with doors opening at 7:30pm and tickets $10 for nonmembers and $8 for Living Arts members. Living Arts is at 307 E. Brady.

Later this week, on Tuesday, Oct. 20, the gallery hosts a workshop on making Day of the Dead altars. The workshop will instruct the community on how to make altars for lost loved ones in preparation for Living Arts' annual Day of the Dead Festival on Sunday, Nov. 1.

Steve Liggett, artistic director for Living Arts, will give the 7pm lecture and show a video from a Day of the Dead festival in Oaxaca. The talk is free and open to the public. More information at www.livingarts.org.

Native Play

The American Indian Theatre Company presents a scary comedy titled "The Fearless Honkah Hunters" this weekend at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center's Liddy Doenges Theatre, 110 E. Second St.

The play takes place during the "season of the big chestnut, Otowosko Thlocko" (October) and follows the adventures of an unlikely team of Native American ghost hunters led by brother and sister duo John and Rachel Elkhair, played by Wilburn K. Hill and Jehnean Washington.

Hill wrote the play, which will be performed by Mahenwahdose Productions Friday, Oct. 16 at 8pm and Saturday, Oct. 17 at 2pm and 8pm.

Tickets are $8 and are available at www.tulsapac.com.