The New Harmonies Planning Team
(many more volunteers not pictured)
FINAL REPORT:
Hello all,
The New Harmonies:Celebrating American Roots Music was a smashing success!
Over 1211 hours were spent in planning , executing and filling volunteer positions as docents, performance support, Lunch and Learn, and workshop support as well as many general capacities to promote the exhibit.
4800 individuals either viewed the exhibit, attended performances, workshops or Lunch and learns. 1100 of the viewers were school age children.
The Kirksville Community and surrounding areas were very receptive and supportive of the exhibit and it brought many viewers from out side our state as well.
This project was a very rewarding experience for Kirksville Arts and the community.
Thank you to Patricia Zahn and Carol Harsch for their support.
Performance Schedule
March 20: Opening Reception, 5p-7p, Kirksville Arts Center
March 27: Kirksville Community Chorus, 7p, First Presbyterian Grace Notes/Folk; FourCast/Gospel and Stephen Foster; Chorus/Folk
March 29: Gospel Sing-A-Long, 2p, First Baptist Church, special guest soloist, Vee Suits
April 2: Kirksville High School Pre Music Contest Concert, 7 p, Kirksville Arts Center
April 3: Pat Humphries, "Emma's Revolution" , 7 p, Du Kum Upp
April 4: Deadwood, 7p, Du Kum Upp
April 5: HoeDown with Caller Steve Young, 2 p, Jackson Stables*
April 10: Blue VooDoo, 9 p, (Note the time), Il Spazio Restaurant
April 17: Truckstop Souvenir, 7 p, Kirksville Arts Center
April 19: Keota- Acoustic with Attitude, 2p, Il Spazio Restaurant
April 24: Kirksville High School Jazz Band, 7p, Kirksville Arts Center
April 26: Greater NEMO Area Community Jam, 2p, former Pungo Jungo Building
May 2: Jeni & Billy, 7 p, Kirksville Arts Center
May 3: Rhonda Vincent and the Rage, 2p, Rotary Park /Rain Site: Baldwin Hall
*DIRECTIONS TO JACKSON STABLES: Go South on Highway 63 to State Hwy 11 West. Turn right on Rt. 11. Proceed to Troy Mills (Boundry Street) and turn right (North) and go approximately 2 miles to Rainbow Basin Trail (on your left). Turn left (West) and travel approximately 2 miles until you come to a sign and white fencing at Jackson Stables entrance (on right).
Supporting Exhibits
Kirksville Exhibits with Images, Artifacts and Recording
Children's Book , Illustrations About Music ,
for the Smithsonian Institution
Historic Phonograph
and Locally Produced Records
Display
Novinger Coal Miner Music for Accordion
Public School Music -
Porter Rural School and Kirksville High School
Fiddle/Violin display -
The 100 Year History of an instrument
Local Gospel Music
Opera Houses
and Performers
from the Past and Present
Local Blue Grass Music
- The Vincents
Thank you to the following individuals for items loaned for the New Harmonies exhibit.
Nancy and Steve Pennington - phonograph and records
Karl Hildebrand - records and photos of the music store
Johnny and Carolyn Vincent - GRAMMY Blue Grass Award and ablum covers and photos of Rhonda Vincent
and family
Elsie Eddy - photos and recordings of Ernest Eddy playing the fiddle
ASO, ATSU & Still National Osteopathic Museum - Ernest Eddy violin
Gene and Ginny Schneider - Regit yearbook signed by Rusty Draper
Darrell Draper - Rusty Draper's guitar and album
Jason and Lori Haxton - Melodeon
Clara Straight - Jew Harps and photos of Paul Straight
Adair County Historial Sociaty - Porter School Bass Drum
Elaine Doak, Pickler Memorial Library, Truman State University - Phradie Wells image
Suzanne Beaky - accordian and Smithsonian Illustrations and books
Debi Boughton also did a display at the Kirksville Regional Airport for visitors to the city.
Lunch and Learns
The Smithsonian exhibit, New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music, coming to the Kirksville Arts Center onMarch 20th, showcases the roots music culture of North America. During the month of April, there will be an opportunity to participate in a "Lunch and Learn" series. Local historians and musicians will give presentations and performances focusing on the musical culture and heritage of Kirksville and surrounding communities. The
"Lunch and Learn " series will be held every Wednesday in April from
12 - 1 p.m. at the Kirksville Arts Center.
April 1:
Dr. Marc Rice, Truman State University, "Researching Musical Roots"
April 8:
Paul Niehaus IV, Truman State University Graduate Student, " Farming Communities and Their Music"
April 15:
Dan Comstock and Friends, "Blues on the Harmonica"
April 22:
Carolyn Vincent, mother of Rhonda Vincent, History and Music of the Vincent Family"
April 29:
Larry Stephens, "Music and Battles of the Civil War in Kirksville"
Tickets : $10 each or 5/$45
available at the Kirksville Arts Center and Edna Campbell's
*The luncheon series has been a monumental success. Over 150 participants have attended the first three presentations. Two of the luncheons included actual performances by 5 individuals, with the harmonica and /or guitar. Performers engaged the audience as well and participation was great!
Workshops in conjunction with performers
TruckStop Souvenir - Kirksville Primary School 2 p.m. Friday, April 17
The children have been reading the book This Land is Your Land
and are learning a Woody Guthrie song in preparation for this performance. Over 600 students and teachers enjoyed the music and performance of TruckStop Souvenir.
Over 600 students and teachers enjoyed the performance of TruckStop Souvenir.
Mural Contest
In the Fall of 2008, a benfactor of the Arts approached the Kirksville Arts Association about a Public Art Project. The Mural contest includes schools in Kirksville and the surrounding area schools. Eight schools chose to participate. Several of the murals were executed around the New Harmonies : Celebrating American Roots Music Exhibit. All murals will be exhibited at the Kirksville Arts Center until March 12. A panel of five will select the winners and those selected will become an impermanent addition to the outside of the Arts Center. Funding for this project came from the benefactor.
Twelve
murals from five schools were selected to be photographed and enlarged by Baker Sign of Kirksville to be installed on the south side of the Arts Center. Winning schools were Brashear High School, Kirksville High School, Knox County R-I High School, LaPlata High School and Mary Immaculate Middle School
. Each school received a $200 award
from the benefactor. Honorable Mention went to Milan C-2 Middle School, Macon Middle School and the Kirksville Middle School. Each school received a $50 award.
Take a look at some of the **murals**.
Classes
Ray Miller Elementary and Mary Immaculate Schools, as part of the ongoing Invitation to the Arts program sustained by KAA, will each have a
class designed around the New Harmonies exhibit.
- Becky Kruger will be presenting a class at Ray Miller Elementary entitled " Our Musical Roots" as part of the New Harmonies Exhibit. 10 students have signed up for the class.
Exhibit Viewing Hours
Monday-Thursday: 9a-5p
Friday: 5p-7p
Saturday: 1p-5p
NOTE: All exhibits and performances supported by Truman State University, A.T. Still University, Monday Club, Adair County Historical Society, Century 21 (Mark Whitney), Originals Paper Art, Western's Smokehouse, Evergreen, Il Spazio Restaurant and Pub, First Presbyterian Church, First Baptist Church, Community Opportunities, Inc. , Kirksville Chamber of Commerce, Kirksville Chamber Tourism Division , Du Kum Inn, Jackson Stables, Washington Street Java and Edna Campbell's.
Arrival of Exhibit:
TO SCHEDULE YOUR SCHOOL OR GROUP TO VIEW THE EXHIBIT CALL 660-665-0500 or email
kvarts@sbcglobal.net
Updates and Activities
New Harmonies Committee Meetings:
15 committee members met at noon every month for six months to prepare for the New Harmonies exhibit. The picture above is the initial planning committee with other individuals added during the course of the six months.
Visits to Schools
:
Linda Colton, Pam Sylvara and Kathy Nelson, committee members and retired teachers, visited all Kirksville and surrounding area community schools including Kirksville Middle School, Kirksville High School, Kirksville Primary School , Ray Miller Elementary
School, Brashear R-II, Novinger R-I, LaPlata Public Schools, Schuyler County Public Schools and Macon County, private and public and Bevier Schools. Judy sent all schools emails reminding them of the New Harmonies exhibit and scheduling information for students to attend and view the exhibit.
Invitations to State, County and City dignitaries:
Over 75 invitations were sent to State, County and City dignitaries for the opening reception on March 20. Kirksville Arts and Adair County Historical Society membership were sent an eblast inviting them to the opening as well.
Letters to Churches and Organizations:
Two letters to 70 churches in the community and surrounding areas were sent about the New Harmonies exhibit (information to be shared with the congregation) and the special Gospel Sing-A-Long performance. Letters were sent to over 50 area organizations and also surrounding area Senior Circles inviting them to visit the exhibit.
Debi Boughton, member of the New Harmonies committee, and the Tourism Director of the local chamber, scheduled a bus tour from Burlington, Iowa to visit the exhibit. She also took information to all speaking engagements to promote tourism in the community.
Installation of new sound system:
Todd Caraway, of Todd Caraway Sound Systems and Board member, Wayne Yanda, spent one entire day at the Arts Center installing a state of the art sound system for the opening of the New Harmonies exhibit. This system will enhance the enjoyment of visiting the exhibit, can be used by docents and will be used for various performances for the exhibit. Todd also trained four individuals on the use of the sound system.
Update of Kirksville Arts Website:
Check the updated KAA website. Britta Burrus, of Britta Burrus Designs, designed the new website and Todd Kuhns, member of the New Harmonies committee, worked with programming.
Radio Interviews , Visits to Service Clubs and Television Publicity
:
Judy Neuweg, Director, did a radio interview with KMEM in Memphis, MO , on February 11, while on February 10 participated in Area Scene with Dusty Page, KIRX Radio. Several interviews with Truman students for their classes and/or general information were done as well. Linda Colton spoke at various community organizations including the Kirksville Noon Rotary, Knox County Rotary, Sojourners Club and the Retired Teacher's Association on March 4,12,5, and 18 respectively. Linda was also on Area Scene with Dusty Page, KIRX Radio, on March 12. Sharon Pritchard spoke at the Retired Federal Employees luncheon about New Harmonies on March 10 while Kathy Nelson, retired teacher from Macon, MO, committee member, spoke at the Macon Lions Club and the Macon Noon Rotary on February 11. Sharon will also speak with the local PEO chapter on April 3 and the local Kiwanis Club on April 9.
Information about all performances, Lunch and Learns, and Supporting Exhibits was placed on the local KTVO Community Calendar, the Kirksville City Information site and in the Chamber of Commerce Newsletter. Closer to the exhibit business marquees will be utilized to publicize the events. New Harmonies posters and materials from the Smithsonian have been placed in the community and the surrounding areas as well as a KAA poster of all performances, Lunch and Learns and supporting exhibits to be hosted by KAA. Tickets to Lunch and Learns are available at the Kirksville Arts Center and also Edna Campbell's local bookstore.
KAA Docent Training will commence on Monday, March 16 , 10 a.m. for 18 docents and regular gallery volunteers.**
