performances

WHO: Classical guitarist and narrator, Jhon C. Akers, PhD

WHAT: Haywood County Arts Council’s Sunday Concert Series

WHEN: Sunday, November 16, 2007

WHERE: Haywood County Public Library, Waynesville.

Arts Council’s Sunday Series to Feature Musical Tribute to Carl
Sandburg.

Classical guitarist, Jhon Akers will perform a special narrative and
musical tribute to Carl Sandburg at the Haywood County Public Library
auditorium at 3 p.m. Sunday, November 16, 2007 as part of the
Haywood County Arts Council’s Sunday Concert Series. The Sunday
Concert Series is co-sponsored by the Friends of the Library.
Admission is free and the public is cordially invited to attend.
Jhon C. Akers, PhD is an associate professor of foreign languages at
Wofford College where he teaches Spanish and assists students in
career planning. He is also an avid classical guitarist inspired by the
guitar music of Spain, Latin America, Europe and the United States.
Included in his memorized repertoire of over 50 pieces are the guitar-
inspired writings of Carl Sandburg.

Akers will introduce concertgoers to the important, yet little-known
story of Carl Sandburg’s love of the Spanish, classical guitar—through
historical anecdotes; performance of the music Sandburg loved,
listened to and had written for him; and recitations of his best guitar-
inspired writing.

A strong admiration for Sandburg has been the focus of many of Dr.
Akers’ projects and works. He has been the featured performer of the
annual Poetry Celebration held at the home of Carl Sandburg. The
Columbia Music Company of Chapel Hill published Dr. Akers’
transcription of an original composition of Andres Segovia composed
for Carl Sandburg, with the permission of Segovia’s widow. He was
also invited to present the opening event at Sandburg’s birth home for
the annual Carl Sandburg Days festival in Galesburg, Illinois.
Dr. Akers study of the classical guitar began in 1970 at Middlebury
College in Vermont. In 1982 he completed his PhD in Hispanic
Languages and Literatures at UCLA and then taught at Saint Mary’s,
Notre Dame, and North Carolina State University. He regularly
presents his work on Carl Sandburg at schools, colleges, festivals,
churches and for senior groups. He has lectured for the Guitar
Foundation of America and students of the North Carolina School of
the Arts. At Wofford College he organizes the Troubadour Series in
honor of Carl Sandburg, who was nicknamed “the old troubadour” by
Frank Lloyd Wright.

For more information about the Sunday Concert Series and other arts
programming, please call the Haywood County Arts Council at 452-
0593 or visit the website at www.haywoodarts.org.