On the first half of today's show, our Associate Producer Bethany Chafin talks it up with author Ken Ilgunas about his new book Walden on Wheels: On the Open Road from Debt to Freedom. Then we head to the open road on two wheels and a sneak peak at The Bicycle: Art Meets Form. It's the perfect blending of world-renowned custom frame builders, bike derived art, and it's the first time ever that a USA Cycling National Championship has ever come to North Carolina. Peter Kairoff is back at the keyboard with dynamics in classical music, and organist Ray Ebert is here to share the Sounds of the Summer. Scroll down to hear individual segments.

Ken Ilgunas

As interest rates for student loans are debated in the House and Senate, a new book from Ken Ilgunas, Walden on Wheels: On the Open Road from Debt to Freedom sheds light on the issue of student debt.  His travel memoir documents a journey from $32,000 of undergraduate debt through a series of menial labor jobs, adventures hitch-hiking across the country, and even a period as a voyageur, retracing and authentically recreating an 18th Century 1,500 kilometer canoe trip along the rivers and lakes of Canada.  Ilgunas later enrolled in a Master's program in Liberal Studies at Duke, but he promised himself that a graduate degree would not take him back into the world of student debt.  In order to fulfill his promise, he modified and lived in his 1994 Econoline van in a Duke parking lot unbeknownst to the University and his peers.  He broke his silence on this method for staying debt-free when he published his story with Salon.com in 2009.  His new memoir Walden on Wheels tells of all these adventures with honesty and sincerity.  Bethany spoke with Ken at WFDD.
****
High Point Cycling Classic
This weekend in High Point will be the first time a USA Cycling National Championship has ever come to North Carolina. That's great news for cycling fans andart enthusiasts. In addition to hosting both the Women's and Men's Pro National Criterium Championships, the area surrounding the downtown transportation terminal will come alive with bicycling-inspired art. Theatre Arts Galleries in the High Point Theatre presents "The Bicycle: Art Meets Form", an Invitational Exhibition juried by Green Hill Center's Edie Carpenter. 

Opening reception is this Friday, July 26th at 5:30pm in the Main and Hallway galleries. There's Five Leading Lights of custom bicycle frame building with some of the world's finest and their amazing frames on site including Italy's renowned builder Dario Pegoretti. Vintage bikes from the 1930s onward will be on display too, plus there'll be live music, fun for kids, and much more. Mock Orange Bikes owner ChipDuckett is also a cycler, partner in a professional cycling team, and vintage bike collector himself. The North Carolina native has brought all of these interests together in helping to lure professional cycling to High Point. He chatted with David Ford and was joined by Theatre Art Galleries Executive Director and High Point native Jeff Horney. 

****

Understanding Classical Music with Kairoff at the Keyboard and Sounds of Summer: Exploring the Tones and Colors of Organs

Mr.Peter Kairoff is back at the keyboard with Understanding Classical Music. Today he's talking pianissimo, fortissisimo and everything in between.

****

Sounds of the Summer: Exploring the Tones and Colors of Organs in Winston-Salem began June 9th, with a recital by Co-founder, award-winning organist Timothy Olsen. He performed on the 1971 Charles W. McManis Organ at the Gemeinhaus in Historic Bethabara Park. Sounds of the Summer continues through August 19th and along the way organ lovers sample from the Grooms and Payne instrument at First Baptist Church, the Skinner and Fisk organs at St. Paul's Episcopal, and many others, performed on by some of the Piedmont's finest keyboardists.

On Sunday night, August 4th, at 7PM it'll be the 1978 Noack Organ at Ardmore United Methodist Church in Winston-Salem. Sounds of Summer Co-founder Dreamma Lovitt will present that program. Dreamma and Tim teamed up with Winston-Salem native, Centenary United Methodist Church Organist Emeritus Ray Ebert to create this remarkable performance series.Ray spoke with David Ford about the mighty pipe organ and his colleagues.

Keyboardist Ray Ebert. For 30 years he was organist at Reynolda House Musuem of American Art. He's now Organist Emeritus at Centenary United Methodist Church after a 40-year tenure there. Ray, along with organists Tim Olsen and Dreamma Lovitt is the co-organizer of Sounds of the Summer: Exploring the Tones and Colors of Organs in Winston-Salem. Sounds of the Summer continues next week, on Sunday night, August 4th, at 7PM at Ardmore United Methodist Church. Dreamma Lovitt will perform on that church's 1978 Noack Organ.

 

300x250 Ad

Support quality journalism, like the story above, with your gift right now.

Donate