FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Cindy Deppe, media relations, 641-269-4834

February 5, 2008

POETRY AND MUSIC COMBINE IN ORATORIO AT GRINNELL COLLEGE

The Writers@Grinnell program will host two events next week where poetry and music join forces. On Thurs., Feb. 14, poet F.D. Reeve will read from two new books of poetry, "The Blue Cat Walks the Earth" and "The Toy Soldier," at 8 p.m. in Room 101 of the Joe Rosenfield ’25 Center on the Grinnell College campus. Reeve, professor emeritus of English from Wesleyan University, is the author of 10 volumes of poetry, seven books of fiction, three books of literary criticism, and 12 books of translation. He received an award in literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

On Sat., Feb. 16, Reeve will combine talents with composer Eric Chasalow to present "The Puzzle Master, Oratorio," at 7:30 p.m. in Sebring-Lewis Hall of the Bucksbaum Center for the Arts. "The Puzzle Master" is the retelling of the Greek mythological poem "Icarus" set to music. The hour-long performance offers "a sassy, penetrating look at our world’s political performances and cultural values."

Chasalow, professor of composition and director of Brandeis University’s Electro-Acoustic Music Studio, is widely recognized as one of the few composers of both electro-acoustic and traditional ensemble music. His music is regularly performed throughout the world and has been recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts and the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

For more information about the Writers@Grinnell program, go to http://www.grinnell.edu/academic/english/creative/conference/.

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