Culture
Bob Boilen, Valerie June, Julie Byrne, River Whyless to Visit OU April 13
< < Back toThe Ohio University Scripps College of Communication, in partnership with the Ohio University Performing Arts & Concert Series, the School of Media Arts & Studies, the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, WOUB Public Media, and Arts for OHIO, will welcome NPR Music’s Bob Boilen to the main campus of Ohio University in Athens on Friday, April 13, during the college’s 2018 Communication Week.
Boilen, host of NPR’s “All Songs Considered” and the creator and host of NPR’s “Tiny Desk Concerts,” will take part in a live on-campus interview event in the morning, moderate an afternoon industry panel, and then will host a music showcase in the evening at Stuart’s Opera House. Boilen will be joined by a collection of acclaimed artists, including Valerie June, Julie Byrne, and River Whyless.
“Bob is a master curator and a devoted fan of music discovery,” said Josh Antonuccio, a lecturer in the School of Media Arts & Studies. “From his role in creating and hosting ‘Tiny Desk Concerts’ at NPR to his work with of ‘All Songs Considered’ at NPR Music, Bob remains a national treasure in the music industry. We are excited to welcome him back for a second year.”
Antonuccio will interview Boilen at Glidden Music Hall on Friday, April 13, from 10:30 a.m. to noon. The event will be livestreamed at mediaschool.ohio.edu. The two will be joined by Memphis soul/folk artist Valerie June and singer/songwriter Julie Byrne. Both released albums in 2017 that graced many music critics’ top albums lists for the year.
The interview event is part of the Scripps Visiting Artist Series and is free and open to the public. Online viewers will be able to ask questions of guests via Twitter with the hashtag #askoumdia.
In the afternoon, Boilen will be moderating a panel of Scripps alumni in the field of music journalism titled: “Breaking Out, Breaking In.” The panel includes such industry leaders as Jill Mapes, of Pitchfork Media; Chris Deville, of Stereogum; Marah Aiken, of The A.V. Club/The Onion; and Rob Harvilla, of The Ringer. The panel is at 2 p.m. in Schoonover Center 145 and is open to the public.
That evening, Boilen will present a music showcase at the historic Stuart’s Opera House in Nelsonville, Ohio, at 8 p.m. The concert will feature sets by Valerie June, Julie Byrne, and Asheville, N.C. band River Whyless. Boilen will curate the evening, which will feature short interview segments with each performer.
General admission tickets are $15 and will be made available through stuartsoperahouse.org starting Feb. 27th, at 1 p.m. Admission for Ohio University students is free with a valid student ID, contingent on availability. Student tickets can be obtained in advance by e-mailing mediaschool@ohio.edu. Bus service from the Ohio University campus to Stuart’s Opera House will be made available for Ohio University students on the night of the show. Bus pickup will be in front of Schoonover Center at 7 p.m. and will return to Schoonover Center for drop off after the performance.