Governor's Arts Awards - Nevada Arts Council

THE ARTISTS
THE MUHAMMED SHAKIR QUINTET
The Muhammed Shakir Quintet is comprised of a group of close-knit friends from
the Las Vegas Academy for International Studies Performing and Visual Arts.
Influenced by jazz greats ranging from Max Roach and Jaco Pastorius to Jack
DeJohnette and Wayne Shorter, these five young musicians jam together, take the
same classes, exchanges musical ideas and challenge one another to excel.
This evening Muhammed Shakir, flute; Kyle Henry, tenor saxophone; Darren
Denman, piano; Eric Andrews, bass and Austin Pooley, drums, team up with Avree
Walker and Adelaide Robbins. Performing on the Djembe Drum, Walker is a
student at Legacy High School and a youth worker at the West Las Vegas Arts
Center with extensive studies in dance, acting and music. Robbins' career began
while a student at the renowned High School of Music and Art in Harlem, then at
the Eastman School of Music and the Manhattan School of Music. Robbins was
invited to join the Buddy Rich Band at its peak of success and traveled throughout
the county, eventually making Las Vegas her home. Considered one the city's most
versatile and accomplished musicians, Robbins is also a cherished mentor to her
many students.
GWEN CLANCY
An independent filmmaker for 27 years, Gwendolyn Clancy tells the stories of
those who live and work in the Great Basin through her videos and films including
A Cowhand's Song: Crisis on the Range and The Man They Call Will James, narrated by
actor Richard Farnsworth. Her talent at tapping into people's lives has resulted in
grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Nevada Arts Council, Nevada
Humanities and the Gund Foundation,and numerous awards - from the American
Film Festival and the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, to name a few. For the past
nine years, first as the public information officer for the Nevada Department of
Cultural Affairs, and now as an independent contractor, Clancy has hosted and
produced a monthly documentary series, Exploring Nevada, which is broadcast
throughout Nevada and parts of California. Clancy has a BA in French from
Wellesley College, Massachusetts and a MA in Communications from University
of Nevada, Reno.