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Delta State offers events before GRAMMY Museum Mississippi opens

In anticipation of GRAMMY Museum® Mississippi’s grand opening March 5-6, Delta State University is offering a series of events gearing up for the unveiling of only the second GRAMMY museum in the world — located right next to Delta State’s campus.

The Bologna Performing Arts Center kicks off the schedule Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. by bringing some of the GRAMMY’s Los Angeles roots to the Delta with the performance of “BODYTRAFFIC.”

Internationally recognized for performing commissioned work by many of today’s top choreographers, “BODYTRAFFIC” is one of the most talked about young dance companies. Tickets range from $25-39. For more information, call the ticket office at 662-846-4626.

The BPAC will also be providing full tours of its facilities, including the stage and backstage areas. A BPAC staff member will reveal what the stars and VIPs see. To schedule a free private tour, call 662-846-4625.

Delta State art professor Ron Koehler, will be leading free scheduled tours of the Hazel and Jimmy Sanders Sculpture Garden, located in front of the BPAC and GRAMMY Museum Mississippi. Some of the sculptures have also been established across campus to provide a unique artistic influence. Tours will take place Tuesday at 10 a.m. and Thursday at 1:30 p.m., beginning in front of the museum. For more information, contact Koehler at 662-846-4720.

The Delta Music Institute has planned a series of events leading up to the grand opening. DMI student bands present free live performances Tuesday and Thursday from noon to 3 p.m. in DMI Studio A. Featured bands include Ol’ Skool Revue, DeltaRoX and B4Y2K. For more information, contact the DMI office at 662-846-4579 or dmi@deltastate.edu.

Also on Tuesday and Thursday, from 3-5 p.m., the DMI will provide open house tours and live performances in studios A, B, C and the “Sandbox.” Live session demonstrations will take place in each studio and students will record music through the state-of-the-art technology and equipment. For more information, contact the DMI 662-846-4579 or dmi@deltastate.edu.

The Delta Center for Culture and Learning on campus will be providing two scheduled presentations.

In partnership with the College of Education & Human Sciences, the DCCL presents “Down Home” Delta Cooking Session on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., free of charge, in the first floor lobby of Ewing Hall. Food is a big deal in the Mississippi Delta, and this session features a faculty member and students cooking and conversing about authentic Delta delicacies like okra and tomatoes, pimento cheese and barbecue. The demonstration features Dr. Virginia Webb and the Student Dietetic Association. For more information, contact the DCCL at 662-846-4311.

On Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the DCCL presents the gallery talk “A Cast of Blues,” featuring Sharon McConnell-Dickerson, the artist behind the historic “A Cast of Blues” collection. The 55 original “life casts” are three-dimensional sculptures created with damp gauze and plaster, which capture the facial structure of legendary blues musicians. The event is free and also takes place in the first floor lobby of Ewing Hall. For more information, contact the DCCL at 662-846-4311.

The public is also welcome to explore the University Archives located at the Charles W. Capps, Jr. Archives and Museum Building on campus. Free of charge, Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Archives presents a variety of topics related to the history, people, places and events of the Mississippi Delta.

Exhibits and museums currently available for viewing include:
* Delta State University’s 90th Anniversary Exhibit
* Mississippi Delta Chinese Heritage Museum:
An exhibit that begins with the stories of the first Chinese sojourners who ventured to the Mississippi Delta.
* Shop History: The Delta Cream Donut Legacy:
This special exhibit pays tribute to a local icon of the Delta landscape.
* Lucy Somerville Howorth Seminar Room:
Explore some of the women who have dedicated their lives and efforts to encouraging success in the Delta, as well as promoting the Delta to the world.
* “Inning by Inning: A Life in Baseball,” the Dave “Boo” Ferriss Baseball Museum:
This museum captures the life and experiences of legendary DSU baseball coach Ferriss and his relationship with baseball throughout his lifetime. Contact University Archivist Emily Jones for viewing times at the Ferriss museum.

For more information on the Archives exhibits, contact Jones at 662-846-4781, or ejones@deltastate.edu.

GRAMMY Museum Mississippi will officially open its doors to the public on Saturday morning. The grand opening will be celebrated with a slate of activities from March 3–6. For more information, visit http://www.grammymuseumms.org.