Two recent Lyceum presentations in The Mayflower Community were fun and engaging. Lyceum is the Thursday evening program sponsored by the Mayflower Residents Association that features entertainment for residents. The fare is usually music of some sort.
On April 13th, Kent Mick, a Grinnell High School history teacher, and Kevin Boehnke, an Iowa City songwriter and performer, presented a program of song and guitar. The repertoire consisted of familiar songs, original songs, poems, storytelling, and, according to Kevin, “poorly executed jokes.” The two established a great rapport with the audience whom they encouraged to join in the fun.
Kent Mick comes from a musical family. He began performing music at a young age and then paused his performing until later in his life. Mick began a band with Kevin Boehnke 12 years ago and the two have been writing and playing music together ever since.
Kevin Boehnke (pronounced benk-y) is originally from Ventura, Iowa. He has been performing across the Midwest for over eight years and has collaborated with musicians worldwide. His music is influenced by folk, pop, rock, and blues. Kevin Boehnke primarily played guitar but mixed in some trumpet solos.
On April 20th, nine members of the Grinnell College Zimbabwean Mbira Ensemble presented a bit of African culture as they played their mbira inside the gourd sound boxes and accompanied it with singing. This type of instrument, sometimes called a “thumb piano,” is thousands of years old.
Ensemble director, Tony Perman, PhD, Grinnell College Associate Professor and Music Department Chair, presented the history and background about the music they played. It is ceremonial in nature, which Tony described as one part church, one part family reunion, and one part party. The music is “circular” and rhythmic and can go on for however long they want to play.
The residents who attended were so intrigued with the instruments and the sounds that Tony invited them to come to the dais to more closely observe the playing and to ask questions. Talk about fun.
— Leslie Jaworski, Community Life and Wellness Director