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Darel Snodgrass
Classical Music HostI began piano lessons at age 6, trumpet at age 9, and began teaching myself the guitar at 10. My electronics knowledge comes from my father, who had the RCA television and stereo shop in my hometown of Pocahontas, Arkansas for nearly 20 years. My dad is still fixing televisions at age 79.
I attended the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville as a music major, and worked weekend shifts at the U of A radio station (my first experience playing classical music on the radio). I spent a summer playing piano, guitar and bass at the defunct “L'il Abner”- based theme park Dogpatch USA, near Harrison, Arkansas. After a few years playing music professionally, I finished a BS degree in Radio/TV production at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro.
After another few years playing music in the Ozarks, I moved to Memphis with my wife. I’ve served as Operations Manager of WKNO-FM since 1988, and morning Classical Music host since 1994 – conducting more than 4,500 Checking on the Arts interviews along the way.
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Dixon Gallery & Gardens will host several interactive events and workshops this summer. One of the events, On Paper!, will open on Sunday, July 14, in the Interactive Gallery at Dixon Gallery & Gardens and run until Sunday, September 29.
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Opening Sunday, July 14, in the Main Galleries at Dixon Gallery & Gardens is Southern/Modern: 1913-1955, which offers a significant look at the underappreciated modern art created in the South during the first half of the 20th century.
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Faulkner's Trees, an exhibition of block prints by Memphis artist Martha Kelly, is now on view at Rowan Oak, William Faulkner's house in Oxford, Mississippi, through January.
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Oxford, Mississippi-based novelist Ace Atkins will discuss and sign his new book Don't Let the Devil Ride on Tuesday, June 25, at 5:30 p.m. at Square Books in Oxford and Wednesday, June 26, at 6:00 p.m. at Novel in Memphis.
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The Jazz Foundation of West Tennessee presents Black Music: A Celebration of African American Music Appreciation Month at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 22, at The Ned McWherter Cultural Arts Center.
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Orpheum Theatre Memphis held the 15th annual High School Musical Theatre Awards on May 23. The award ceremony recognized some of the best works from over 50 schools representing a three-state area.
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Located at 1426 South Parkway East in Memphis, Zion Christian Cemetery is featured in Last Rites: Tennessee's Black Cemeteries, which airs at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 31, on WKNO TV Channel 10.
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Memphis Symphony Orchestra's Masterworks season concludes with Dvořák's New World Symphony and Maurice Ravel's Piano Concerto in G major.
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Tingey Painting with Parkinson's Program at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens is an ongoing free art therapy program.
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Opera Memphis concludes its 2023-24 season with Giacomo Puccini's iconic La bohème on Friday, May 17, and Saturday, May 18, at 7:30 p.m. at the Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center on The University of Memphis campus.