Student’s compositions inspired by Hughes’

The poetry of Langston Hughes will be musically interpreted at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Watkins Community Museum of History, 1047 Mass.

Three songs written by Daniel Gilliam, a graduate student teaching music theory at Kansas University, will be performed by vocalist Lacey Hunter and accompanist Zechariah Goh. The songs are “Sea Calm,” “Frosting” and “Love.”

Gilliam will play recordings of Hughes’ poetry and writings that have been set to music.

“I will also talk about Hughes’ influence on music and society in America during his life and after his death,” Gilliam said. “Hughes never wrote music, but composers chose to use his poetry as a basis for compositions.”

Examples are Kurt Weill’s “Street Scene” and works by such African-American composers as Howard Swanson and William Grant-Still.

“The songs are influenced by the lyricism of the poetry,” he said. “The music itself tries to evoke the message of the words.”

Steve Jansen, historian at the museum, will talk about Hughes biographies and provide a discography of works related to his poetry and writings.

Satirist Ishmael Reed to read from his works

Writer Ishmael Reed, one of the principal voices of the Black Arts movement of the 1950s and 1960s, will read his works at 4:30 p.m. Feb. 11 in Alderson Auditorium in the Kansas Union.

Reed is a novelist, poet, playwright, essayist, television producer, publisher, magazine editor and radio and television commentator. Since the 1960s, he has satirized American political, religious and literary repression in poetry, fiction, drama and essays. He received a Pulitzer Prize nomination and was twice a finalist for a National Book Award. He has taught at Harvard, Yale and Dartmouth universities and now teaches at the University of California-Berkeley.

Reed’s free presentation is in conjunction with KU’s “Let America Be America Again” symposium to honor Langston Hughes.

Concert features work about Sally Hemmings

Two veterans of the operatic stage will perform a concert of duets and solo song cycles Tuesday at the Lied Center.

Harolyn Blackwell and Florence Quivar will present “America Sings: A Celebration of American Composers” at 7:30 p.m. The world-class sopranos, who are appearing together for the first time on a national tour, will be accompanied by pianist J.J. Penna.

Blackwell will sing Andre Previn’s “Honey and Rue” to text by Toni Morrison, while Quivar will offer a premiere of a song cycle based on the life of Sally Hemmings, a woman who is thought to be the mistress of Thomas Jefferson. This piece was composed by William Bolcolm with text by Sandra Seaton.

Blackwell and Quivar made regular appearances at the Metropolitan Opera, as well as a number of other leading opera houses and concert halls in North America and Europe.

Tickets range from $16 to $38 and can be purchased at the Lied Center Box Office, 864-ARTS; Murphy Hall Box Office, 864-3982; Student Union Activities Box Office, 864-3477; Ticketmaster, (816) 931-3330 or (785) 234-4545; and online at www.tickets.com.

Stories, cake on tap at birthday party

The Lawrence Public Library is throwing a birthday party for Langston Hughes and everyone’s invited. “Sharing Aunt Sue’s Stories” will be from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in the library auditorium, 707 Vt.

“We want a packed house,” said Linda Clay, library assistant, adding the auditorium can seat 200 with more room for children to sit on the floor.

African-American storyteller Tracy Milsap, of Kansas City, Kan., will spin stories “that might have been told by Langston Hughes’ Aunt Sue,” Clay said.

A birthday cake will be served. The all-ages event is free.