State of Art

Aurora Hardy's new novel is a tribute to Alaska Native servicemen and a father she barely knew | State of Art

On this episode, we hear about a new book from Chitina-raised and Soldotna-based author Aurora Hardy. She wrote a fictional biography of her father, Sonny, who joined the Alaska Territorial Guard at 12 during World War 2. Sonny left the family when Hardy was 4-years-old, leaving Hardy with nothing but stories from people who knew him. She says her book “Honor at Last” was a way to grow closer to a father she barely knew and show the lasting impacts on Alaska Natives whose military service went largely unappreciated.

Teacher Tales returns for third annual event | State of Art

Educators can make a huge difference in peoples' lives, but we don't always get to hear their perspective. Teacher Tales is a storytelling event in the vein of the Moth and Arctic Entries celebrating educators of all stripes. Eight diverse teachers will share their stories to a live audience. The event will be in the Bear Tooth theater on Wednesday, April 9 at 6 .m. We're joined by Teacher Tales founder Sarah Cronick, co-host Matt Sugita and Cheryl Cox Williams, president of the Anchorage chapter of the NAACP, who are this year’s Teacher Tales non-profit partner.

UAA Opera Ensemble respawns 'Magic Flute' as a videogame | State of Art

Mozart's "Magic Flute" has been a staple of opera since it first premiered in 1791. The story of Prince Tamino, Pamina and Papageno is well-loved, but a fresh take on a classic can be a welcome surprise. UAA Opera Ensemble's "Magic Flute" will be receiving a makeover for modern audiences. The story will take place in a virtual reality videogame with the classic music sung in English. The family-friendly production will feature a woodwind trio with piano and a cast of secondary school students, college voice majors and community guest artists. Performances will be in the UAA Recital Hall on Saturday and Sunday, April 18th and 19th at 4 and 7:30 p.m. We’re joined by director Mari Hahn and performers Griffin Lindsay and Marylin Camry.

Dawson Gentleman's new album is an exercise in nostalgia | State of Art

Anchorage musician Dawson Gentleman got his start playing music with his parents' band in bars and clubs around Fairbanks. His new album "Self Control" is an attempt to return to the feeling he got performing classic, sing-along country tunes for an eager audience. He typically performs solo these days, but he assembled a backing band to support his album release show at Refuge Coffee on Saturday, April 11. The backing band was initially going to be temporary, but now they're hoping to take the show on the road this summer and tour outside of Anchorage. We're joined by Gentleman with drummer Shane Craig and bassist John Larson. We hear from the band, preview a song and get an acoustic, in-studio performance.

New field guide is a celebration of art, ecology and connecting to nature | State of Art

Alaska’s landscape is known for its massive physical features and abundance of wild creatures. While most field guides might focus on dry facts, the new Alaska Literary Field Guide takes a different approach. The collection features over 90 entries from the Aurora Borealis to Western Skunk Cabbage. Each entry includes detailed information, but also features an artist’s visual interpretation and a poem reflecting on the subject. The guide includes well-known contemporary Alaska poets and artists who contributed existing or original work to the collection. It was edited by Marybeth Holleman, Nancy Lord and Shaelene Grace Moler. There will be a book release event at the Anchorage Museum on Friday, April 3. [https://www.anchoragemuseum.org/visit/calendar/event-details/?id=vlr3ga90ttqv1l3d7t2oe48mgg] We’re joined by Holleman and poets Shehla Anjum and Susanna J. Mishler to discuss the field guide and hear some of their work.