88 Keys, 300 Years

The piano celebrates its 300th birthday this year, and in celebration KET presents the Kentucky Muse special “Eighty-Eight Keys, Three Hundred Years,” airing Wednesday, Nov. 4 at 10:30/9:30 p.m. CT on KET and Sunday, Nov. 8 at 10:30/9:30 p.m. CT on KET2.

Dr. Diane Earle, professor of music and chair of the department of communication and fine arts at Kentucky Wesleyan College, created a special concert program tracing the history of this popular instrument. Kentucky Muse introduces this Kentucky performer with a passion for the piano as she performs a grand array of piano pieces, including accompaniment by the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra led by conductor Nicholas Palmer.

Beginning with the harpsichord, Earle delves into the history of the instrument, illustrating its place in the musical pantheon with a variety of pieces including works by Galuppi, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Debussy, Rachmaninoff, Henry Cowell and George Gershwin. Along the way Earle relates the importance the instrument has played in her life, and, in vignettes recorded outside the concert hall, depicts her interaction with her students.

Earle has performed in seven countries and in 27 states, including performances on two China tours, at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center and the Kaufman Center in New York. She has also been featured on several CDs and DVDs, and as education consultant for the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra, she presents many programs for Owensboro-area schools.

Kentucky Muse is a KET production, produced by Teresa Day. “Eighty-Eight Keys, Three Hundred Years” is produced by Tom Bickel. More information about Kentucky Muse is available at www.ket.org/muse.

UPDATE: The Lexington Herald-Leader’s Rich Copely featured the program in his “Copious Notes” column on the front page of the Nov. 1 Arts section. Here’s the online version.

• KETKY Sunday, November 1, 11 am Central Time
• KETKY Monday, November 2, 11 pm CT
• KETKY Monday, November 2 at 6 am CT
• KETKY Monday, November 2 at 7 pm CT
• KET1 Wednesday, November 4 at 9:30 pm CT
• KET1 Friday, November 6 at 2:30 am CT
• KETKY Friday, November 6 at 4 am CT
• KETKY Saturday, November 7 at 2 pm CT
• KET2 Sunday, November 8 at 9:30 pm CT
• KET2 Sunday, November 15 at 4:30 pm CT
• KET1 Friday, November 27 at 11 pm CT
• KET1 Sunday, November 29 at 3:30 am CT
• KETKY: Sunday, December 20 at 11:00 am CST
• KETKY: Sunday, December 20 at 11:00 pm CST
• KETKY: Monday, December 21 at 6:00 am CST
• KETKY: Monday, December 21 at 7:00 pm CST
• KETKY: Friday, December 25 at 4:00 am CST
• KETKY: Saturday, December 26 at 2:00 pm CST

Time Warner channels in Owensboro:
KET1 in High Definition is on Channel 712.
KETKY is on Standard Digital Channel 303.
KET2 is on Standard Digital Channel 302.

KET1 is on Owensboro cable channel 12.
Sometimes cable channel 9 (PBS) has KET programming.

Cable box options:
KET 1 on 31-1
KET 2 on 31-2.

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