Educational

Torrey House Press series: Witty and absorbing, Dallin Kohler’s PYRO: The Quest for a Beautifully Elusive Snake brings readers wonderfully into the world of herpetology

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EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the fourth in an ongoing series of features highlighting authors and new books published by Torrey House Press in Utah.  “Publish or perish” is still the operating mantra for any budding scientist. From Meridian, Idaho, Dallin Kohler understood the assignment as a herpetologist seeking to establish his credibility in his chosen … Read more

Three-day piano festival this week at Gina Bachauer International Piano Foundation featuring internationally known artists, nine students, master classes, four concerts

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To glimpse some of the rising stars, still in their teens, in the next generation of world-class pianists, this week’s piano festival by the Gina Bachauer International Piano Foundation will be the perfect venue. The three-day event (June 26-28) will feature outstanding pianists as well as students who will be performing, along with master classes … Read more

Early summer shows at the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art: Out Loud 2025, 2025 Gala Art Exhibition: The Factory

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Early summer is always special at the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art (UMOCA). The Utah Review looks at two of the latest exhibitions, including Out Loud: 2025 and the works by 57 Utah artists that are available in the 2025 Gala Art Auction: The Factory. OUT LOUD: GROWING PAINS A wonderful lead-in to the Utah … Read more

Continuing through July 27, Utah Museum of Fine Arts’ Gateway to Himalayan Art, traveling exhibition by Rubin Museum, is extraordinary for its holistic multimedia impacts

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The traveling exhibition Gateway to Himalayan Art, which continues at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts (UMFA)  through July 27, is extraordinary on several levels. The exceptional amounts of detail in traditional scroll paintings (thangka), sculptures, medical instruments and ritual objects are mesmerizing. Just as extraordinary are the equally meticulous installations outlining step-by-step lost-wax metal … Read more

Two City Academy students take the reins to review Ballet West’s sparkling magical Aladdin production

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Stories such as Aladdin are timeless and great for all ages but the best opportunities to judge how interpretations of these classic tales in the performing arts resonate with young audiences is to ask them to take the reviewer’s seat. Recently, The Utah Review, with the assistance of Christal Jackson, an English teacher and ELL … Read more

In gorgeous jewel box production, Plan-B Theatre’s world premiere of Janine Sobeck Knighton’s The Beatrix Potter Defense Society becomes creative testament of courage

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Collectively, the words ‘fear’ and ‘afraid’ or some variant appear at least 30 times in the script for Janine Sobeck Knighton’s new play The Beatrix Potter Defense Society, in a gorgeous jewel box of a production by Plan-B Theatre. Set in 1882 on the grounds of England’s Wray Castle, Ambleside (Cumbria), in the Lake District, … Read more

Form (in)Formation: Material Gallery hosts exhibition sponsored by National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA)

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EDITOR’S NOTE: Numerous local art events are associated this week with the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA)’s 59th conference which is being held in Salt Lake City. For a feature about the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art (UMOCA) and NCECA’s three cornerstone exhibitions, see this feature link. No better opportunity for … Read more

Utah Museum of Contemporary Art hosts three cornerstone exhibitions for National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA)

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EDITOR’S NOTE: Numeorus local art events are associated this week with the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA)’s 59th conference which is being held in Salt Lake City. The Utah Museum of Contemporary Art (UMOCA) is home to NCECA’s three cornerstone exhibitions. Also, Material Gallery is hosting an exhibition Form (in)Formation: see … Read more

Ballet West’s Family Classic Series revives Aladdin this weekend in three performances

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For this weekend’s Ballet West revival of Aladdin as part of the company’s Family Classics Series, audiences will have an excellent opportunity to see some of the rising stars of ballet’s newest generation. For example, in 2018, when Aladdin was last presented, it featured many current Ballet West artists in early roles, including Principal Artist … Read more

Plan-B Theatre set for world premiere of Janine Sobeck Knighton’s The Beatrix Potter Defense Society

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In her posthumously published The Sense of Wonder, Rachel Carson, the marine biologist whose writings on environmentalism and conservation are as relevant as ever, wrote, “If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children, I should ask that her gift to each child in the … Read more