Faculty recital marks professor’s KU farewell

A faculty recital planned for 7:30 p.m. Monday in Swarthout Recital Hall will combine the talents of Kansas University professors Edward Laut, cello, and Alice Downs, piano, and Laut’s student, Robin Reynolds.

The recital will be the final performance for Downs, who is retiring at the end of the semester after a long career that took her around the world, including a stay as a Fulbright scholar in France and tours and performances in Italy and Costa Rica.

The event, which is free and open to the public, will also feature “A Suite of Encores for Solo Cello,” an original composition by Laut.

Other anticipated pieces include “Sonata in G Minor, op. 5, No 2 for Violoncello and Piano,” by Ludwig van Beethoven; “Andaluza,” by Enrique Granados; and “Sonata for Violoncello and Piano,” by Frank Bridge.

For more information on the event, call 864-3436.

Preservation Alliance among grant recipients

The Lawrence Preservation Alliance was among the recipients of $75,593 in program grants recently awarded by the Kansas Humanities Council

The Alliance received $8,886 in support of “First Blood: Kansas Prelude to Civil War,” a traveling museum exhibit examining politicians, abolitionists and other key players during the Kansas Territorial period. Lawrence historian Barbara Brackman is the project director.

Public television station KTWU, Topeka, received $16,925 in support of “Sunflower Journeys 2004.” The 13-part television series will explore the theme of territorial heritage, including the Sesquicentennial Commission, Bleeding Kansas and Native cultures.

The Barton County Arts Council, Great Bend, received $11,024 for the Micheaux Independent Film Festival, “Celebrating Artistic Independence.” The two-day June event celebrates the life and work of Oscar Micheaux, America’s first black filmmaker, as well as other independent filmmakers.