Darwin in Popular Culture
Betty Smocovitis is a scientific historian who has examined the influence of Darwinism on popular culture. She’ll be lecturing tonight at Colorado College on Darwin’s presence in the music of the last 150 years. Gleaned from libretto scores, wax-cylinder recordings and other media, she’s collected a large body of musical data. KRCC’s Aaron Retka spoke with Smocovitis, who explained the use of music in discussing scientific history.
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Filed under: Aaron Retka, Arts & Culture, Interview, Visiting CC — Andrea Chalfin, News Dir. @ 6:35 pm
Located on the northern border of Pakistan, K2 is the second-highest mountain on Earth as well as the second deadliest; for every four people who reach the summit, one dies trying. Veteran climber Don Bowie is one of those lucky four, having summited K2 on a 2007 expedition that he’s documented in his multimedia presentation The Savage Mountain, which he’ll show at Colorado College this evening. KRCC’s Aaron Retka spoke with Bowie, who explained what makes the mountain so much more dangerous than other peaks.
Becky Smith is an Emmy-nominated producer and director who has worked on such reality TV shows as Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Boy Meets Boy and How to Look Good Naked. She’s visiting CC to talk about the ins and outs of reality TV, its function and its practice. Smith is also premiering her documentary, The Daring Project, at CC this weekend. KRCC’s Aaron Retka spoke with Smith and asked her, what makes reality TV reality TV?
Award-winning Colorado writer Kent Nelson has published nine books and has taught at Colorado College for a decade. He read October 9th, as part of the College’s Visiting Writers Series. KRCC’s Michelle Mercer sat down with him to talk about odd jobs, birdwatching, and what it takes to make it as a writer.
Can the love between two people ever be an abomination? Is the chasm separating gays and lesbians and Christianity too wide to cross? Is the Bible an excuse to hate?
Kathryn Eastburn was the editor of the Colorado Springs Inedpendent when she began working on the story of the Dutcher murders in Guffey, Colorado on December 31st, 2000.
In a musical tradition dominated by male groups, Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles are true revolutionaries. Despite the pink charros and model-perfect looks, the women who form this group are outstanding musicians who have taken the mariachi genre by surprise with their creativity and skill. “La Reyna” came into existence through the auspices of the Mariachi Heritage Society, a non-profit organization established by Jose Hernandez, musical director of Los Angeles’ renowned Mariachi Sol de Mexico. Ranging in ages from 13 to 34, the mujeres of Mariachi Reyna reflect a wide variety of mariachi and other musical influences, but all share a love of the uniquely Mexican music and its traditions. Sponsored by the Pike’s Peak Library District 2007 World Music Series, the Summer Festival of the Arts, Kennedy Center Imagination Celebration and KRCC.
In 2008, Colorado voters may be faced with a ballot initiative that would amend affirmative action out of the state constitution in 2008. The initiative aims to remove employment, education, and contracting from current affirmative action policy. Colorado Unity, a non-profit and non-partisan organization that defends affirmative action, hosted an open forum at Colorado College May 3rd to talk about affirmative action, panelists included CSU-Pueblo President Joe Garcia, who spoke with KRCC’s Eric Whitney.
Are you a member of the church alumni association? Writer, theologian, and Episcopalian Bishop John Spong is concerned about people dropping out of church and becoming what he calls, church alumni. His most recent book is titled Jesus for the Non-Religious. It argues that literal readings of the Bible are turning people off from religion. Spong speaks tomorrow night, May 4th, at Colorado College. CC student Tay Wiles talks with him about his new book.
Legendary American author Peter Mathiessen spoke May 2nd at Colorado College. Matthiessen has written more than 30 books, and his fiction and non-fiction have appeared in leading magazines like the Atlantic Monthly and the New Yorker. He won the National Book Award in 1979 for his novel The Snow Leopard. Matthiesson recently spoke with Colorado College student Jaimie Stevenson.
One of Americas leading underground comics artists is speaking tonight at Colorado College. John Porcellino has been self-publishing comics and zines since 1982. Now, he has a new book out published by Canadian publisher Drawn and Quarterly, its called King-Cat Clasix. Porcellino lives in Denver and earlier this week spoke with Noel Black.
The war in Iraq and the changing political landscape in the American west are two topics very much in the headlines lately. Tonight (Tue., 4/24) an expert on both topics speaks at Colorado College. Alan Simpson served 18 years as a U.S. senator from Wyoming, and remains a respected voice in the Republican party. He also was a member of the Iraq Study Group, which in December issued its report, which became a best seller and is influencing the debate in Washington about the war.
For the past 30 years, Stephen Scott, a professor at Colorado College, has been composing and performing some of the most innovative contemporary classical music in the world. Tomorrow night in Packard Hall on the CC campus, Scott and his Bowed Piano Ensemble will perform a variety of pieces in celebration of the anniversary. Noel Black has more.