Author Robert Day visiting Spencer

Author and professor Robert Day, a Kansas native and KU alumnus who gained national acclaim for his 1977 novel “The Last Cattle Drive” and, more recently, for his 2010 collection of nonfiction essays, “The Committee to Save the World,” will talk at the Spencer Museum of Art at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday for “Bar Art: John Sloan’s McSorley’s Ale House Paintings, a Vargas Girl Behind the Bar at Ruby Red’s in New Orleans, ‘The Luncheon of the Boating Party’ on the Kansas Prairie, and Manet’s Folies-Bergere in the Old Gaslight Tavern — plus e.e. cummings, Bob Dylan and Joseph Mitchell: A Travel Memoir with Pictures.”

Day, who began the literary magazine Cottonwood during his time at KU, will sign books after his talk; copies of “The Last Cattle Drive” and “The Committee to Save the World” will be for sale.

Baker announces faculty clarinet recital

Baker University professor J.D. Parr will perform a faculty clarinet recital at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in McKibbin Recital Hall in the Owens Musical Arts Building on the Baldwin City campus.

Assisting Parr on the program will be pianist Nanette Kraus and drummer Steve Riley, both members of the Baker music faculty.

Frank Sidorfsky, retired clarinet professor from Kansas State University, will also perform at the recital. Music for the recital will be drawn from the literature of composers Poulenc, Reade, Templeton, Niblock and Sierra.

The recital is free and open to the public.

Renowned quilter offering workshops

The Kaw Valley Quilters’ Guild welcomes Sally Collins, an award-winning quilter, teacher and author, for a series of workshops next week.

Small-Scale Quilting will run from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 18 and 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Oct. 19. There is a guest fee of $5.

Achieving Quality Workmanship will be 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 19 at Plymouth, and the cost is $20 for guild members and $25 for nonmembers.

Learning to Love Templates is 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 20, with a fee of $40 for guild members and $45 for guests.

All workshops are at Plymouth Congregational Church, 925 Vt.

For more information or to sign up, contact Brenda Offutt at 550-3957 or Sara Chappell at 856-1101, or visit www.kawvalleyquiltersguild.org.

KU announces oboe recital

Margaret Marco, Kansas University associate professor of oboe, will perform a faculty recital at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Swarthout Recital Hall on KU’s campus.

During this performance Marco will present the world premiere of “Shimmer,” by KU grad Joe Eidson. She will be joined by KU graduate Annie Gnojek on flute and KU faculty member Ellen Bottorff on piano. The program will also feature Bach’s enchanting Concerto in A Major for oboe d’amore. Joining Marco on this piece will be Elisa Bickers on harpsichord and Professor Ed Laut on cello. Other works on the program include Ballade by Hendrick Andriessen and Duo Concertante for flute, oboe and piano by Pierre Agricol Genin.

Marco’s performances have been heard in Europe, South and Central America, Canada and the United States. Her musical appointments have included principal oboe of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Maracaibo in Venezuela, the Spoleto Festival in Spoleto, Italy, the Rome Festival Orchestra, Banff Center for the Arts in Alberta, Canada and many others. Marco has played with the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra since 1998. She performs frequently with the Kansas City Symphony, the Kansas City Lyric Opera, the Kansas City Ballet Orchestra and is a founding member of the Chamber Music Society of Kansas City.

This recital is free and open to the public.

KU Jazz Ensembles plan fall concert

The KU Jazz Ensembles I, II and III will perform at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 N.H.

The evening will begin with the sounds of the Jazz Ensemble III, under the direction of Gregory Battista. The program will be selected from “Cheesehead,” by Dave Glenn; “Afro Blue,” by Mongo Santamaria and “Oleo” by Sonny Rollins.

Following this performance, the Jazz Ensemble II, directed by Robert McCurdy, will take the stage. The program will include “Atlantis” by McCoy Tyner, “Blues for Stephanie” by John Clayton and “They Can’t Take That Away from Me” by George Gershwin.

Led by KU Jazz Director Dan Gailey, the KU Jazz Ensemble I will finish up the concert with selections chosen from “Beautiful Love” by Paul McKee and “Downtown” by Russ Ferrante, among others.

The concert is free and open to the public.