Artist Talks & Panels at Big Ears
In addition to Rhiannon Giddens delivering Big Ears’ first keynote address, we are excited to share a series of artist talks throughout the weekend with special hosts and guests. There’s much to share… but here are a few highlights:
• John Schaefer, radio host and curator of New Sounds and WNYC Soundcheck, will lead a discussion about spiritual music and its use in the secular world with artists from SONUS, Innov Gnawa and French documentarian Vincent Moon.
• Ben Ratliff — celebrated music writer for the New York Times, Rolling Stone, Spin and author of Every Song Ever — will join musician and writer Damon Krukowski (Galaxie 500, author of The New Analog) in a conversation titled “Listening in the Age of Abundance.” Ratliff will also sit down with Laurel Halo & Eli Keszler to discuss their work and projects.
• Zen Buddhist John Tarrant will engage in a conversation with Michelle Coltrane (daughter of the legendary John and Alice Coltrane) and filmmaker Vincent Moon (La Blogothèque’s Take Away Shows and Collection Petites Planètes).
• Anna Roberts-Gevalt (Anna & Elizabeth) will lead a conversation with field recordings specialist John Harrod and Big Ears artists.
• Nief-norf founder Andy Bliss will dig deep with Julia Wolfe, David Lang and Michael Gordon to celebrate the 30 year history of Bang on a Can.
• And… there will be two Symposium of Sound opportunities over the course of the weekend, where we’ll open the floor for attendees to join artists in a discussion about the experience of listening, with the focus on Sound & Healing, and Sound & Spirituality.
Artist talks will take place at the Jig & Reel and WDVX Studios located at the Visit Knoxville Visitors Center. We will announce the detailed schedule of these discussions very soon!
