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.

Ran Dank and Soyeon Kate Lee stand side by side in front of a beige wall, both looking at the camera with neutral expressions—perfectly reflecting the poised elegance of Close Encounters With Music.

March 7, 2020

REVIEW: Acclaim for pianists Soyeon Kate Lee and Ran Dank at Close Encounters With Music

When Lee and Dank perform at the keyboard together, they produce an entirely unified sound. Every expressive nuance — every ritardando, accelerando, crescendo, decrescendo — is executed in perfect unison. Their collaboration is seamless and, hence, deceptive; They fool our ears into believing all the notes are coming from a single musician.


A man with dark, wavy hair and a serious expression stands next to a woman with long, straight hair—impressive as Dank and Lee—her hand on his shoulder; both look directly at the camera against a light, textured background.

March 7, 2020

7 Reasons Why Dank and Lee are Incredibly Impressive

By Kristen Day - Marketing Intern Ran Dank and Soyeon Kate Lee are two virtuosic pianists who've made their mark on the classical piano scene. Whether it's the challenges of marriage, parenthood, or mastering a new concerto, the duo exhibits...
Three men from Third Coast Percussion stand before a colorful geometric background, two looking up as one holds a triangle instrument. On the right, creativity shines as a fourth, partially visible person holds a triangle and beater.

March 1, 2020

13 Third Coast Percussion Songs to Fuel Your Creativity [Playlist]

By Kristen Day - Marketing Intern Third Coast Percussion is a Grammy award-winning ensemble that has traveled the globe, released a wide variety of records, and has been performing together since 2005. The supergroup group is currently made up of...
Two young men with beards, known as The Brother Brothers, stand side by side in front of a brick wall, looking directly at the camera. The black-and-white image has a candid feel, as if captured during an interview or while answering questions.

February 26, 2020

10 Questions with The Brother Brothers

By Kristen Day - Marketing Intern Making up the two halves of The Brother Brothers are fiddle player Adam Moss and cellist David Moss. Their harmonious folk sound has traveled across the world on street corners, music festival stages, and...
Three actors in vintage costumes perform energetically on stage, smiling and singing about civil rights, while a band with guitar and keyboard players sits behind them. Bright yellow signs create a lively, retro backdrop.

February 24, 2020

5 Fascinating Facts About Rosa Parks

By Jordan Howard - Marketing Intern You could feel tremors rumbling across America as rock ‘n’ roll excited kids and outraged parents. But an even more important transformation awaited in Montgomery, Alabama as Rosa Parks, an African-American woman, refused to...
Five performers strike dramatic dance poses on stage, with a vivid red backdrop depicting buildings and fire escapes, evoking the energetic atmosphere of a musical inspired by A Bronx Tale.

February 21, 2020

5 Reasons Why A Bronx Tale is the Musical You Need Right Now

By Kristen Day - Marketing Intern There are a million reasons to see a Broadway show. From the choreography to spectacular songs, and heartwarming stories, Purdue Convos' upcoming musical A Bronx Tale has it all. The show is based on...
Piano Giving Circle match

February 18, 2020

Announcing a new $10,000 matching gift for the Piano Giving Circle Fund

The Convos Piano Giving Circle brings together the Friends of Convocations who believe in the importance of making live piano music performances regularly available in our community. A generous donor has offered a 1:1 match for any NEW donation given...
TEDX

February 17, 2020

7 Speakers for TedxPurdueU

TEDxPurdueU, an independently organized TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) event, uses storytelling to nurture a culture of innovation by sharing ideas developed by Purdue students, faculty, alumni and community members with the global TED community. At TEDxPurdueU, several live speakers from...
A man in a white t-shirt sits at a table with a bowl of tomatoes, while a woman in a pink patterned dress stands beside him, speaking, evoking a scene from A Bronx Tale. Yellow curtains hang in the background.

February 13, 2020

American Idol Winner Nick Fradiani Will Star in A Bronx Tale North American Tour

Via Playbill.com Nick Fradiani, the 2015 American Idol winner, will play Lorenzo in the the 2019–2020 North American tour of the Broadway musical A Bronx Tale. The forthcoming tour will hold technical rehearsals in Elmira, New York, at the Clemens Center, before officially...
Several people stand with arms raised as various classical instruments—violins, flutes, a lute, and more—are tossed into the air against a cloudy sky, evoking the drama and energy of baroque music and its legendary composers.

February 12, 2020

Little Known Facts About the Composers of Secrets of the Baroque

By Jordan E. Howard - Marketing Intern Baroque music is a deep, vast treasure chest of astonishing virtuosity. On its sixth tour of the United States, the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin—or Akamus—is letting stateside audiences in on Secrets of the...
A dancer from the Guangdong Modern Dance Company strikes a dramatic pose, wearing a flowing outfit, extends one arm and bends low with legs wide apart against a bright, white background. The image is in black and white.

February 4, 2020

Interview with a Dancer – Guangdong Modern Dance Company’s Li Siyu

By Jordan Howard - Marketing Intern Guangdong Province is a bridge to inland China, a gateway through which the world saw China “open up” during economic reforms and one of the nation’s fastest-growing regions. It’s also a thriving hub of...
A shirtless person, perhaps a Guangdong Modern Dance Company choreographer, performs a dynamic dance move—balancing on one arm and one leg with limbs extended—against a white background.

February 4, 2020

Interview with a Choreographer – Liu Qi from Guangdong Modern Dance Company

By Jordan Howard - Marketing Intern Guangdong Province is a bridge to inland China, a gateway through which the world saw China “open up” during economic reforms and one of the nation’s fastest-growing regions. It’s also a thriving hub of...