Bookmarks Book Festival celebrates good writing with the best of the best. This year they’re bringing NY Times bestselling authors, Pulitzer prize-winning reporters, Grammy award winning musicians and storytellers to the Triad for one glorious day dedicated to art of the written word. On Saturday, September 8, From 10:15am to 5:00pm you’re invited to enjoy the entire day from cover to cover with more than 40 authors and events spread out across nine different venues in Winston-Salem’s historic Arts District. There’ll be Food for Thought with Andrea Chesman (author of Recipes form the Root Cellar). Confederates in the Attic author Tony Horwitz will speak on the Main Stage. Author Esmeralda Santiago will lead a program in Spanish and English, there’ll be outdoor author explorations, much, much more, and it’s FREE.

Bookmarks Executive Director Ginger Hendricks joins TAUC host David Ford today. As a recent first-time mom, one area of particular interest for Ginger is reading and writing education for children, and BOOKMARKS 2012 will touch the lives of thousands of students throughout the Triad.

In full disclosure, 88.5 WFDD is one of the proud sponsors of this Festival of Books.

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Triad Arts Up Close as broadcast at 1 p.m.

The mighty pipe organ has been around in its current form since the 14thcentury and in simpler forms since Antiquity. Mozart himself called the organ the King of instruments, and that sentiment is alive and well here in the Triad at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Winston-Salem. The city has a history of fine instruments going back centuries and St. Tim’s, with the help of the community is keeping that tradition alive by saving an historic Hook & Hastings instrument. Soprano Elizabeth Pacheco Rose, her husband bassoonist Saxton Rose & Friends are spearheading the Historic Organ Benefit Concert to raise funds for this remarkable restoration project. The church performance is Friday, September 7th at 7:30pm at St. Timothy’s. On the program, in addition to music for voice, bassoon, piano, violin and oboe, will be award-winning organist and UNCSA and Salem College professor Timothy Olsen. David samples from Tim's NAXOS Laureate Series CD throughout the program. Tim will conclude the fundraising concert on September 7th. Pipe organ builder John Farmer who is in the process of bringing St. Tim’s Hook and Hastings back to life, sits down with TAUC host David Ford. He's joined by Elizabeth and Tim.

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The Triad Performing Arts Fund will soon be providing scholarships to students who can’t otherwise afford to attend enrichment programs or technical classes in the performing arts. The fund’s first fundraising event is in an Autograph Auction and live performance on Thursday, August 30, at 6:00pm in the William Ellis Middle School in David County. Proceeds support the Triad Performing Arts Fund which Ryan hopes will one day give dancers, singers, and actors of all ages the chance to make the most of their talents through full scholarships to a host of enrichment programs. The online autograph auction continues through the end of August at www. swicegoodautions.com.

There are currently eight acts on the bill and the entire event was planned and organized by Triad Performing Arts Fund director, 16-year old aspiring actor and Davie County Early College High School student Ryan Ball. He’s already acquired autographs from more than 30 celebrities from Stephen Sondheim to John Travolta. Ryan dropped by with DCEC student actor Sky Tranqille, and actor, businessman and Autograph Auction host, Brandon Lloyd Hicks.

Want to donate, but can't attend?

Contact Ryan Ball: (336) 414-9323 or triadperformingartsfund@gmail.com

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Jacob Felder has been practicing relaxation techniques for nearly 40-years. In 2003 he developed the Awareness Approach to meditation, the title of his new book: A Natural and Scientific Method for Learning Relaxation and Meditation.

Jacob’s fall class schedule begins September 17, at The Yoga Gallery in Winston-Salem. During the 7-week session which meets Monday nights from 7:45pm to 9:00pm students will learn both light meditation and the deeper states with Jacob’s straightforward approach.

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Steinway artist and Wake Forest University Professor Peter Kairoff salutes one of the greatest American composers from the turn of the last century: Edward MacDowell.

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If you've got questions about early childhood music education, chances are that City Arts Music Education Programs Director Susan Gallimore has the answers for you.

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