Jeffrey Brown from PBS NewsHour and cellist and humanitarian Yo-Yo Ma sit on stage in chairs having a discussion, microphones in hand. Large panels display scenic images of Purdue University, highlighting Purdue Convocations. The stage is simply decorated, with cords and a small table between them.

Convos Stories

The most inspiring arts and culture stories from Purdue Convocations.

Four men sit at an outdoor table with coffee cups, laughing and talking. Dressed in dark blazers, they’re surrounded by green plants and a colorful mural—an image reminiscent of the camaraderie found in the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet.

September 10, 2019

This Is How The Los Angeles Guitar Quartet Channels Its Inner Romero

Joaquin Rodrigo wrote Concierto Andaluz in 1967 for the Romero Quartet, an ensemble that's known as the "The Royal Family of the Guitar." WRTI's Susan Lewis spoke with the Grammy-winning Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, whose members were mentored by the Romeros. The...
A person of unknown gender ties a red string around a stack of papers labeled Act Two on a table, preparing or organizing documents, suggesting that race and language are irrelevant to the task at hand.

September 10, 2019

Nassim: Explore Themes of Language, Race and Gender through Total Improvisation

Imagine entering a theatre and the only set items on stage are a microphone and a sealed envelope with the actor’s name on it. You come to find out that you might know more about the program than the actor...
Yi-Nuo Wang, a woman with straight black hair and bangs, looks to the left, smiling softly against a plain, neutral background.

September 10, 2019

Get to Know Yi-Nuo Wang

Meet Concert Artist Guild's classical pianist Yi-Nuo Wang. From schools in different continents, apprenticeships with cellist Andres Diaz and the Escher String Quartet, and performing in chamber concerts, Wang is no normal pianist. At only 22 years old, she has...
Four men sit at an outdoor café table in Los Angeles, smiling and talking while holding white cups. Surrounded by green plants and mural art, they chat about songs and the productive week ahead for the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet.

September 10, 2019

5 Songs by Los Angeles Guitar Quartet for a Productive Week

We’ve all been there... It’s Wednesday at noon and your week is dragging on. You start scrolling through Spotify for something new and can’t find the right thing to get you going again. Sounds like you are in need of...
A person wearing sunglasses and a dark jacket sits indoors at night, with blurred city lights and the illuminated words ONE WILSHIRE behind them—a scene reminiscent of a Planetary Prince review or a Cameron Graves album cover.

September 10, 2019

Review: Cameron Graves’ Planetary Prince

By Michael J. Agovino, Pitchfork The collective known as the West Coast Get Down may have made its emphatic mark on the jazz world in 2015, but the bandmates have been honing their sound and approach for nearly two decades together...
A group of eight people, including one woman, stand smiling together indoors against a rustic brick wall, wearing casual clothing and posing for the camera—capturing the spirit of Novalima and Peru’s blend of old and new sounds.

September 10, 2019

Novalima Mixes Old and New Sounds From Peru

Few would have thought that the ancestral, gritty sounds of Afro-Peruvian music, made from a cajón (wooden box) and the rattle of a donkey jawbone, would become a modern sensation. But it has, thanks to the creative sounds of Novalima,...
A performer in a light-colored outfit with a bow tie and a bucket on their head enacts a playful small space race on stage with cardboard props, blowing a whistle amid star-like lights scattered across the dark background.

September 9, 2019

9 Not-So-Small Space Race Facts

By Kristen Day We've all heard Neil Armstrong's famous quote, "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." But how well do you know the story surrounding that famous spacewalk? Before you take off, launch into...
Two people on stage dressed as astronauts, wearing white buckets as helmets, hold an American flag in this lively space-themed set from One Small Step. Filing cabinets and a wooden structure complete the scene. Perfect for any Theatre Review.

September 6, 2019

Theatre Review: One Small Step

It's easy to forget just how epic the Apollo 11 moon landing was: a human achievement probably never to be matched again for generations. Oxford Playhouse's two-hander, One Small Step, is a heart-warming reminder of the awe the story can...
A woman with long hair in pigtails, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and patterned poncho, stands in a grassy field with trees behind her, looking confidently at the camera—reminiscent of country singer Margo Price’s iconic style.

September 5, 2019

Country singer Margo Price’s debut has even got Jack White excited

Randy Lewis, Los Angeles Times Don’t get Margo Price wrong. It’s not that the Illinois-reared, Nashville-based singer-songwriter isn’t flattered by comparisons to such respected country forbears as Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris. It’s just that such compliments only...
A young woman with long brown hair and brown eyes looks at the camera with a slight smile. She is outdoors, the softly blurred urban background offering subtle reasons to see her passion for classical music shine through.

September 5, 2019

7 Reasons to See Camille Thomas

By Kristen Day If you hear classical music and don't get excited, we're here to expand your horizons. There are a million reasons to see cellist, Camille Thomas at Purdue in October, but we'll just give you seven. Her program...
Renowned artist Camille Thomas passionately plays the cello on stage in an ornate concert hall, with warm lighting highlighting her focused expression and the details of the instrument.

September 4, 2019

Meet the Artist: Camille Thomas

Inspiration & Motivation Q. Who or what inspired you to take up the cello and pursue a career in music? A. When I was four, I told my mum I’d like to play an instrument. She played records for me...
A person with short hair and a beard is illuminated by dramatic red and blue lighting, creating a striking contrast reminiscent of Cameron Graves’ musical influences. The dark background makes the colorful lights stand out even more.

August 28, 2019

Meet 4 of Cameron Graves’ Musical Influences

By Kristen Day Cameron Graves is hardly ordinary. You could easily say the same about his music! The "Planetary Prince" finds his roots within a blend of genres, composers, and artists. So if you want to give Graves a closer...