Students in the Allen County School District will have a special guest with them this week. World-renowned writer and musician Ken Waldman will spend the week teaching and inspiring students at the Allen County Primary Center, the James E. Bazzell Middle School, and the Allen County Intermediate Center.
According to biographical information on his website, Waldman draws on his 30 years in Alaska to produce poems, stories, and fiddle tunes that combine into a performance uniquely his. A former college professor, Waldman has had published six full-length poetry collections, a memoir, plus a children's book. He has also released nine CDs that mix old-time Appalachian-style string-band music with original poetry. Since 1995, Waldman’s toured full-time, performing at some of the nation’s leading universities, festivals, arts centers, and clubs.
His most recent books are the memoir, Are You Famous?, which chronicles Waldman’s adventures on tour throughout the United States, and D is for Dog Team, a sequence of Alaska-set acrostic poems for young readers. Among Waldman’s CDs are two for children, Fiddling Poets on Parade and D is for Dog Team, which goes with the children’s book of the same title.
Though he still performs solo on occasion, Waldman teams with other musicians when he headlines such venues as Freight and Salvage Coffeehouse in Berkeley, California, The Ark in Ann Arbor Michigan, and The Millennium Stage at The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.
Waldman is also a popular visiting artist in classrooms. Using both his fiddle and a repertoire of proven writing exercises, he has led workshops in over 200 schools in 31 states nationwide, and has been a
guest writer at over 80 colleges and universities, including the University of Tennessee, the University of Alabama Birmingham, Knox College, SUNY Brockport, and San Diego State University.
The week, Waldman’s attention will be on the students of the Allen County School District.
“I’ll be inspiring kids to write and enjoy music,” Waldman said. “I will be telling students about some of the books I’ve written and shared from some of the CD’s. We will also write some things ourselves. We will have fun and lots of fun.”
Waldman’s visit to the Allen County School District has been made possible through the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center (SKyPAC) Artist-in-Residence program. The visit to the Allen County School District is possible through an ongoing arts grant to SKyPAC from the Laura Goad Turner Charitable Foundation---a grant specially designed to enhance arts education for Allen County students.
“We want to strive to integrate Allen County Schools with arts education,” explained Zac Bush, education director for SKyPAC. “That’s what we do when we provide artists residency programs in the schools. When we have the opportunity to get someone like Mr. Waldman who is world-renowned and travels the country. Every week he’s in different school systems and different venues. When we have an opportunity like this, we jump on it. The principals and teachers here are so receptive. They are so excited about the arts. Ken’s has already gotten an amazing reception.”
Waldman will spent two days at the Primary Center, a day at the Bazzell Middle School, and conclude the week at the intermediate Center. He will work with students in assembly sections as well in small-groups.