Critic, Novelist Michael Walsh to Appear

As part of his campus visit, Walsh will be available to UK students, faculty and staff on various levels. He will be talking to students in classes focusing on professional writing; Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque music; Jazz and Popular Music; and imaginative writing.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 8, 2005) -- The University of Kentucky welcomes renowned critic, screenwriter and novelist Michael Walsh to its campus Wednesday, March 9, as part of its Ann Scott and Ralph E. Mason Vocal Arts Series.

From 1981 to 1997, Walsh served as the classical music critic for TIME Magazine. During Walsh’s 16 years with the magazine, he contributed more than 280 articles.

As an author, Walsh’s numerous literary credits include “As Time Goes By,” “Exchange Alley,” “Who’s Afraid of Classical Music,” “Who’s Afraid of Opera,” and “Andrew Lloyd Webber: His Life and Works.” He also co-authored a book titled “Carnegie Hall: The First One Hundred Years” with TIME Magazine contributor Richard Schickel. Walsh earned the 2004 American Book Award for “And All the Saints.”

Walsh also contributed as a co-writer with Gail Parent in the screenplay “Cadet Kelly,” a March 2002 Disney Channel original movie that starred Hilary Duff. The movie remains Disney Channel’s highest-rated movie and its highest-rated program in any format. Walsh is currently adapting his novel “And All the Saints” to a screenplay for MGM.

Walsh will also give two lectures that are free and open to the public during his visit. He will present the first lecture, titled “The Arts in the Real World,” at 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 9, in the John Jacob Niles Gallery, housed in the UK Lucille Caudill Little Fine Arts Library. A question and answer session will follow the lecture for the audience. Walsh’s second appearance, titled “Open Session with Michael Walsh,” also takes place in the Niles Gallery later that day at 6 p.m.