Arts & Culture

The annual Bosniak Convention in the U-S will be held in Warren County, Kentucky this Memorial Day Weekend. Organizers of the event estimate  about 15,000 visitors will come to Bowling Green for the weekend's activities. WKU will be coordinating some educational activities in conjunction with the Bosniak Convention.

This Friday, a new exhibition will open at the Kentucky Museum on WKU’s Bowling Green campus:  An American Educator in Liberia: The Collection of Dr. Daniel Hays.

It will put on public display for the first time an important collection of Liberian artifacts which was recently donated to WKU’s Department of Folk Studies and Anthropology. 

One of the top bluegrass guitarists in the world will be playing May 4th at the Roxy Theater in Franklin, along with mandolin specialist Mike Compton. Its part of a new series of Bluegrass Friday programs at the venue in Simpson County. 

Leaders for the Louisville Orchestra Musicians Association say they've ratified an agreement for a new contract with orchestra management. The announcement is likely to end a months-long impasse. The Courier-Journal reports the deal calls for a one-year contract covering 57 musicians for 30 weeks a year with a base salary level of $925 a week, including medical and pension benefits.

Six bigger-than-life sculpted heads are on display at the SKYPAC Gallery in Bowling Green through April 28th. Lee Stott talks with sculptor Alan LeQuire...............

WKU Public Radio is celebrating National Poetry Month with a poetry contest, co-sponsored by the Law Firm of Harned, Bachert & McGehee, PSC.

Area high school students are invited to enter by writing a poem inspired by one of two pieces of classical music we'll feature this month.  You can hear the excerpts on the air (Sundays at 8pm C.T./9pm E.T. in April) and here.

Winning poems will be published in our program guide Choice, and posted here. Winners will be announced in May.

The Music
Ravel:  Daphnis & Chloe
Vivalid:  Mandolin Concerto

Louisiana Blues Musician Clarence "Frogman" Henry talks with WKU Folk Studies graduate student Rachel Hopkin about the origins of his nickname, his life in Bowling Green post-Katrina, and his varied career (including opening for The Beatles in the early 1960s).

The town of Horse Cave is one of five Kentucky communities receiving the Kentucky Cultural District Certification. Berea, Covington, Danville and Paducah round out the list.

Rachel Hopkin explores the distinctive barbecue style associated with Monroe County, Kentucky. She visits a number of establishments to learn more about secret sauce recipies, the dangers of hot grills, and to enjoy plenty of barbecue.

Orchestra Kentucky, The Rewinders and Retro Singers will present "Motown Madness" February 3rd and 4th at Van Meter Auditorium.  Lee Stott has this feature report.

Bennie Beach, WKU Music Department Professor Emeritus, remembers his early days at the University, his association with famed composer Roy Harris, and he shares some his poetry. Lee Stott reports.

Join Lee Stott at 8pm C.T. on the first Sunday night of each month for a series of special programs highlighting upcoming performances by the many fine orchestras in our region. Included are the Owensboro Symphony, The Symphony at WKU, the Evansville Philaharmonic, and Orchestra Kentucky.

Coming Up:
On March 4th, Lee highlights upcoming performances by The Nashville Symphony. 

Bowling Green, KY – A conversation with Erika Brady, long-time co-host of Barren River Breakdown on WKU Public Radio. Her work on this show earned her the Governor's Media Award in the Arts this year. She's also a faculty member in the Department of Folk Studies and Anthropology at WKU. She spoke with Station Manager Peter Bryant.

Bowling Green, Ky – In 1966, Jerry Martin was a 30 year old family doctor in Bowling Green. By that summer, he had been drafted into the Army has a combat medic. "Soldiers Saving Soldiers" is Dr. Martin's new book about the history and accomplishments of the 18th Surgical Hospital, the unit in which he served. The book contains over 500 photographs Martin took of the Vietnamese people, the countryside, and the US soldiers he operated on. He spoke to Kevin Willis ahead of Veteran's Day.