A! Magazine for the Arts Archive

Celtic music is "happening" at ETSU

The East Tennessee State University Bluegrass Old-Time and Country Music program is exploring the Celtic roots of the music of Southern Appalachia.

In This Issue

• Study abroad opportunities abound at ETSU East Tennessee State University students have the opportunity to participate in travel to Scotland and Ireland, where they study at universities and engage in cultural events and field experiences.
• Mother & son lead Celtic music program The musical component of the Celtic Studies program at East Tennessee State University is taught by the mother-son team of Will MacMorran and Jane MacMorran.
• Three composers speak at Bristol library The Arts Alliance Mountain Empire, in cooperation with the Bristol Public Library, continues its Speakers Series.
• Arts for Youth Spotlight: Slim Pickins Twenty years ago, a train, an idea and a high school teacher merged, and Slim Pickins (bluegrass group) emerged.
• Slim Pickens alumni find success Bandy Brownlee has seen many talented musicians come through Slim Pickins.

A! Extra

• Curtis Owens literature prize winners announced Tusculum College students Jennie Frost, Emily Wyrick and Sarah Holly are the winners of the 2016 Curtis and Billie Owens Literary Awards.
• Community service award nominees being accepted The Council of the Town of Abingdon, Virginia is accepting nominations for the annual Arthur Campbell Community Service Award.
• 'Round the Mountain announces new juried artisans 'Round the Mountain: Southwest Virginia's Artisan Network announced the results from its March 8, jury session.
• "Sleeping Beauty... The Spell": A taste of classical ballet travels the area Dancers pirouetted on toes and in the air on Wednesday evening within the headquarters of Highlands Ballet Company.
• Tennessee high school students to compete in statewide poetry contest Twenty-two Tennessee high school students from across the state participate in the 2016 Tennessee Poetry Out Loud State Contest March 19 in Nashville.
• THS band prepares for St. Patrick's Day parade in the Windy City BRISTOL, Tenn. — The last time the Tennessee High School Mighty Viking marching band performed in a St. Patrick's Day parade, it was 2002 in Dublin, Ireland.
• Madison Little as the Lilac Fairy in "Sleeping Beauty ... The Spell" "Sleeping Beauty ... The Spell" is an original Highlands Ballet production with a spin, or twist, on a familiar fairy tale.
• Kindred: M.F.A Exhibition by Katelyn Osborne The East Tennessee State University Department of Art and Design and Slocumb Galleries with Urban Redevelopment Alliance present "Kindred."
• Awardees for "American / Woman': 31st Positive/Negative National Juried Art Exhibition announced The winners were announced for "American / Woman," during the 31st Annual Positive/Negative National Juried Art Exhibition.
• Abingdon's Kelsey Rae to perform at Bluebird Café in Nashville "A whole lot of nerves and some songs from the heart" is how Kelsey Rae Copeland of Abingdon describes her upcoming appearance at the Bluebird Café in Nashville March 5.
• Bristol Ballet presents "Unbroken Circle, Bristol's Music In Motion' Back by popular demand, "Unbroken Circle – Bristol's Music in Motion" challenges the imagination through the poetry of our region's music and the beauty of classical dance.
• Theatre Bristol Opens The Adventures of Robin Hood March 11 at the ARTspace Theatre Bristol presents a madcap band of merry men and the people of Nottingham in "The Adventures of Robin Hood" at the ARTspace theatre, opening March 11 and running through March 20.
• Color them Country: The Black Women of Country Music "I teach it. I write it. I've had a 30-year career in country music," said Alice Randall, writer-in-residence at Vanderbilt University and country music songwriter in Nashville."
• Johnson City Arts Joins Americans for the Arts' National Study A national study measuring the economic impact of nonprofit arts and culture organizations and their audiences includes Johnson City Arts.
• 2016 Virginia Highlands Festival celebrates its 68th anniversary The Virginia Highlands Festival announces this years' theme and Signature Artist. The theme for the 2016 Festival is "Paint the Town."
• Morristown's Mountain Makins Festival wins top honor Mountain Makins, the annual Rose Center festival honoring Appalachian arts, crafts, and music, celebrated its 40th anniversary this past fall, and it just received a belated birthday honor.