City of Asylum
Giving Voice.
Mark Ruffin, known as the afternoon drivetime DJ for SiriusXM's Real Jazz channel, joins us virtually live to read from his collection of “jazz short stories,” "Bebop Fairy Tales." A scintillating blend of historical fiction with jazz and, yes, baseball—the collection weaves connections between the two great and uniquely American pastimes, and explores how both are an expression and arbiter of race in America.
*This concert has been postponed to winter 2022. New date coming soon. An evening of original music composed by Dr. Aaron J. Johnson. Dr. AJ's music reflects a wide spectrum of the black experience. Ranging from the Carnival to field hollers and from fellowship to desperate longing, this music is drenched with blues and funk, but also expresses the hopes and strength of the struggle for social justice and human rights.
August Wilson House celebrates America’s greatest playwright with substantial insider interviews, with leading August Wilson actors, directors and artists, national and regional. Hosted and moderated by Chris Rawson, veteran Pittsburgh Post-Gazette theater critic who chronicled Wilson’s career and became a friend. The goal is to capture the memories, anecdotes and insights of those who know Wilson’s epic American Century Cycle from the inside.
Hanne Ørstavik is best known to the English-speaking audience for her novel "Love", a 2019 finalist for the National Book Award in Translated Literature and winner of the PEN Translation Prize. Hanne joins us live from her home in Norway (at 11pm at night) to discuss her most recent English translated novel "The Pastor," also joining the conversation is translator Martin Aitken, whose translation of this extraordinary novel rings with the brilliance and rigor of a master.
The #notwhite collective in-Dialogue series features conversations with BIPOC, AALANA, indigenous and immigrant artists and arts administrators.
Novelist Porochista Khakpour joins City of Asylum live for a reading and conversation centering her collection of essays "Brown Album." From the much-acclaimed novelist and essayist, this beautifully rendered, poignant collection of personal essays chronicles immigrant and Iranian-American life in our contemporary moment.
With flexible instrumentation, guest musicians and eclectic programming, the Bell’Art Ensemble commits to breaking down preconceived ideas about classical music in order to connect chamber music with a new audience. They produce the Living Room Chamber Music Project, a decade-long series of concerts designed to bring classical music out of the concert hall and into intimate spaces.
This event is virtual only.
The first Off-Minor Jazz series of the 2022 season is a celebration of Kenny Clarkes’ birthday and his contributions to jazz history, led by another great drummer Kenny Washington who travels from New York to join the Off Minor musicians on stage.
The #notwhite collective in-Dialogue series features conversations with BIPOC, AALANA, indigenous and immigrant artists and arts administrators.
August Wilson House celebrates America’s greatest playwright with substantial insider interviews, with leading August Wilson actors, directors and artists, national and regional. Hosted and moderated by Chris Rawson, veteran Pittsburgh Post-Gazette theater critic who chronicled Wilson’s career and became a friend. The goal is to capture the memories, anecdotes and insights of those who know Wilson’s epic American Century Cycle from the inside.
An in-person reading and conversation with author and Wall Street Journal reporter Kris Maher.
Mostly Other People Do the Killing is a group founded on the idea that jazz should be enormous fun. They de-construct jazz standards and weave the remnants into new compositions that the quartet rips into with zest.
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