Roger Duvall

Almost the entire life of Andy Narell has been devoted to mastering the steel drum.  The steel drum, also known as the steel pan, was invented in Trinidad, where it was first made from the lids placed atop oil drums. The Grammy-Award winning percussionist describes his instrument as an engineering feat that defies the odds. Narell spoke with WEKU’s Roger Duvall.

Yo-Yo Ma performed for two American presidents before the age of ten and is perhaps one of the best-known living classical musicians. 

The term "folk music" can refer to a lot of different styles. Folk tunes are the basis for much of the classical music of Bela Bartok and Aaron Copeland. Ethnic music of Africa inspired the writing of Paul Simon for his multi-Grammy-award-winning album Graceland.

The Lexington Art League takes its art out of the gallery and onto the streets September 21st, 2012 for its second "pARTy for Everyone."

Legendary saxophonist, John Coltrane, had an illustrious career that spanned from the bebop era of the 1940s to the free-jazz movement of the late 1960s. One lesser-known aspect of his career was his spiritual side. Sunday evening, October 28th, The Church of the Good Shepard in Lexington will feature the sacred music of John Coltrane with jazz artist Dick Sisto. Brian Cole is the Director of Good Shepard Church and spoke with WEKU's Roger Duvall about the performance.

Communities large and small benefit from having a thriving arts climate. But in any given town, while the symphony or art museum may be a leader in terms of patronage, many organizations struggle to get by as athey live in the shadows of better organized groups. 

November 9th and 10th, the EKU Center for the Arts hosts Blue Man Group. The act started in the late 80s and has been going strong worldwide ever since. While the 3-man acrobatic drumming troupe doesn't utter a word on stage, one of the performers, Chris Smith, talks here with Roger Duvall.

The Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning presents an arts celebration of works inspired by the book, To Kill a Mockingbird. Jessica Faye Mohler is the group's marketing director and helped coordinate the celebration.

While Halloween is the popular holiday most celebrated around this country this week, it's not the only commemoration of the souls of the departed. The Mexican holiday The Day of the Dead is celebrated November 1st and 2nd and can be seen as having similarities with our festival of ghouls and goblins. This weekend, the Bluegrass Youth Ballet Performs their Day of the Dead dance concert, Dia de los Muertos: Day of the Dead
A Mexican Celebration of Life and Death.

In 2005, one of C.S. Lewis' most beloved books, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, was made into the top-grossing and critically-acclaimed film, The Chronicles of Narnia.

In 2005, one of C.S. Lewis' most beloved books, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, was made into the top-grossing and critically-acclaimed film, The Chronicles of Narnia.

The Lexington Art League started the new year as they have for the past 26 years, with a juried art show celebrating the human form. Arts Weekly's Roger Duvall talked to the Arts League's Amber Scott about what makes this year's nude exhibit unique.

Lexington hosts over 200 visual and crafts artists this weekend as the Kentucky Arts Council presents Kentucky Crafted: The Market at the Lexington Convention Center. This is the 31st annual festival and marks its second year in-a-row in Lexington. Arts Council Executive Director, Lori Meadows, spoke with Arts Weekly's Roger Duvall.

Once a year, the non-profit Lexington Area Music Alliance presents a day-long series of workshops and live performances for musicians. Tom Martin is a member of the group and says the goal of LAMA-RAMA is to nurture the local music scene. 

Some of the best young vocalists in the country have called Lexington home, albeit temporarily. The University of Kentucky Opera Theatre Program has earned respect across the country.

While the University of Kentucky is probably best known nationally for its basketball program, an argument can be made that its opera program isn't that far behind Wildcat basketball in terms of national recognition and recruitment of students. 

Balagula Theatre, based at Natasha's Cafe in downtown Lexington, is no stranger to what might be called "cutting edge theater." Its latest production is a Tony Award-winning play dealing with a controversial subject not often tackled on stage: a romantic relationship involving a successful business- and family-man and a goat.

For sixteen years, Beth Kirchner was the Artistic Director for the Woodford Theatre before resigning to pursue other interests. Recently, another area theater regular and friend of Beth's, Trish Clark, was appointed as interim director of the Community Theatre in Versailles. One of Clark's first tasks upon assuming the position was to find a director for the currect production of Driving Miss Daisy, which, Beth Kirchner admits, is one of her favorite plays.

What started out a couple of decades ago as Richmond Community Theatre has grown into Rose Barn Theatre. While the group no longer performs in the tobacco barn that gave them their current name, community is still a very big part of the mission. Art's Weekly's Roger Duvall talked with Alice Jones, one of the actors in the current production of Steel Magnolias.

A Lexington house of worship presents the sacred and spiritual music of legendary tenor saxophonist John Coltrane. The Dick Sisto Quartet will perform at the Church of the Good Shepherd Sunday October 28th.  

The Lexington Art League's current exhibit of their Kentucky 7 Biennial is winding down with an artist talk this weekend.

The Sixth Annual Chamber Music Festival of Lexington going on this weekend at Fasig Tipton Pavilion once again features the debut of a new work of music composed for this festival.

Next Saturday is the 100th anniversary of the birth of folk singer Woody Guthrie. Among other songs he wrote and made famous is "This Land Is Your Land". Folk singer Michael Jonathon who you probably know as the host of the nationally syndicated radio program,  "WoodSongs Old Time Radio Hour", is the creator of a new work of opera based on Woody Guthrie's life and music. 

Don't be surprised over the next couple of weeks if you're out and about in Lexington and all of a sudden classical chamber music breaks out. The music will be courtesy of the Chamber Music Festival of Lexington. 

The third installment in a nationally-acclaimed series of musicals inspired by Appalachia is performed tonight at Eastern Kentucky University.  

For a work of drama, a play opening tonight at Berea College was practically ripped from today’s headlines.  Titled “This is My Heart for You,” it was written within just a few months by Kentucky author Silas House.   Moved by real acts of violence and bigotry, House explores equality and morality in a small, fictional Appalachian town.  The author explained his motives to WEKU’s Roger Duvall.

A composer who’s created two unique pieces for Lexington audiences returns tomorrow to the Singletary Center.   Last summer, Daniel Kellogg’s “Look up at the Sky” was performed for the first time during theChamber Music Festival of Lexington.  Friday evening, Kellogg’s composition, How Radiant the Dawn, is performed by the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra.

The Taffetas is a show that highlights music from the 1950s and all the problems inherent in that time.