Janis Ian
"Breaking Silence"
A weekend celebration and event from October 17-20, 2024
Most schools build million-dollar stadiums. Berea builds million-dollar students.
In honor of The Janis Ian Archives opening, Berea College is offering a jampacked weekend-long event (October 17-20, 2024). The celebration mirrors the archive tour experience, bringing in musical artists and famous friends to create a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Join multiple GRAMMY Award-winner, Janis Ian, for unforgettable activities including: guided tours of the Janis Ian Archives; a Carillon on the Lawn concert debut adaptation of Janis Ian's music, a theatrical production of Mama’s Boy one of Ian’s mother’s early plays; masterclasses with celebrated photographer, Peter Cunningham and acclaimed poet, Jane Hirshfield; and a screening of the new, yet-to-be-released documentary about Janis Ian’s life followed by a conversation with Janis and the film’s director, Varda Bar-Kar. The weekend culminates with the Janis Ian Tribute Concert in historic Phelps Stokes Chapel featuring GRAMMY-nominated singer/songwriter and East Tennessean, Amythyst Kiah; award-winning Irish folk singer and songwriter, Aoife Scott; genre-shifting vintage sounding songcrafter, Melissa Carper; traditional sounds blended with grit from Kentuckians S.G. Goodman and Berea College alumna Senora May '13; and the Berea College Department of Music. Silas House, Poet Laureate of Kentucky and Berea College professor, will be the evening’s emcee. This weekend experience is not to be missed!
The Janis Ian Archives
The Janis Ian Archives is a unique resource for music history research, offering unfettered access to Ian’s life, publishing, and recording. Beginning with her grandparents’ immigration papers, circa 1916, the Archives will follow the journey of Ian’s 1937 Martin D-18 guitar, chronicle the HUAC years with insights into her parents’ FBI files (and what FBI surveillance cost Ian’s family over the decades), and then travel through the civil rights, women’s, and LGBTQ movements. Visitors to the Archives can view Ian’s correspondence with other musical artists, famous friends, and collaborators.
…Knowledge is the greatest gift you can offer.
Musical Talent
Amythyst Kiah is a Tennessee-born, Black singer-songwriter who performs songs with daring originality and uncompromising depth. The Grammy nominee’s rootsy alt-rock music features broody guitar riffs and soul-stirring vocals.
Aoife Scott is an award-winning folk singer and songwriter from Dublin, Ireland. Her unique sound, dynamic vocals, and deep lyrics have this vibrant artist steadily rising to the top of the traditional and folk music scene.
Melissa Carper is a singer-bassist from Nebraska with a talent for storytelling. Her music blends jazzy vocals with a rock roots country soul feel.
SG Goodman is a native Kentucky singer-songwriter with a rootsy indie rock sound. Her gritty, haunting vocals narrate dual perspectives of her upbringing as the daughter of a crop farmer and a queer woman coming out in a rural town.
Senora May is an eclectic guitar-playing flutist born and raised in Eastern Kentucky. Her folk-flavored country vocals drive compelling songs honoring the cultural music traditions of rural Appalachia.
Paul Stelben is a music teacher and freelance carillonneur in Philadelphia, PA. Joining the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America in 2019, he has published numerous arrangements and performed carillon concerts in New England, the Mid-Atlantic, and the Midwest.
Spotify Playlist
Get ready for the once in a lifetime tribute concert by listening to the official Spotify playlist featuring acclaimed singer/songwriters, Janis Ian, Amythyst Kiah, Aoife Scott, Melissa Carper, S.G. Goodman, and Senora May
Guests of Honor
Silas House is the New York Times bestselling author of seven novels, 2023-2025 Poet Laureate of Kentucky, and Grammy finalist as the producer and creative director of the Tyler Childers video “In Your Love,” earning nominations from the Grammys, the Academy of Country Music, and the Country Music Television Awards, as well as becoming a #1 video on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.
Award-winning director Varda Bar-Kar is of Jewish descent born in England to a South African mother and a Romanian father. She is an “artivist” filmmaker focusing her creative lens on meaningful stories exploring the breadth and diversity of the human condition.
Peter has been a professional photographer for over 30 years. His teachers include Baptist fisherman Lester Tate, dancer Martha Myers, French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson, Zen Master Bernie Glassman and singer-songwriter Janis Ian.
Award-winning poet, essayist, and translator Jane Hirshfield is the author of 10 collections of poetry, including The Asking: New and Selected Poems (2023); Ledger (2020); The Beauty (2015), longlisted for the National Book Award; Come, Thief (2011), a finalist for the PEN USA Poetry Award; and Given Sugar, Given Salt (2001), and a finalist for the National Book Critics Award.
Event Schedule
(subject to revision)
Thursday, October 17
| 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. | Check-in // Boone Tavern, Coyle Room |
| 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. | Merch Center // Boone Tavern, Robinson Room |
| 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. | VIP Welcome Reception // Alumni Building, Baird Lounge |
Friday, October 18
| 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. | VIP Breakfast // Boone Tavern, Event Center General Admission Breakfast // Berea College Mountaineer Dining |
| 9:00 a.m. | Janis Ian Archives Dedication and Ribbon Cutting // Hutchins Library Entry Steps |
| 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. | Janis Ian Archives Experiences // Hutchins Library Atrium Experience A self-guided introduction to the world of Janis Ian – you may never want to leave it. Archival Footage Showcase Drop by throughout the day to watch recordings from Janis Ian’s public addresses and concerts. Guided Archives Tours (VIP Exclusive) Be among the very first to experience the Janis Ian Archives. This is an opportunity to view additional items from the Janis Ian Archives up close. |
| 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. | bell hooks Center Open House // Draper Building Refreshments served. |
| 12:00 p.m. | Carillon Concert // Draper Lawn |
| 12:00 p.m. | Lunch on your own Area dining options include The Historic Boone Tavern (Please make a reservation) and other local favorites HERE. |
| 12:00 – 6:00 p.m. | Merch Center // Boone Tavern, Robinson Room |
| 1:30 p.m. | Masterclass with Peter Cunningham, celebrated photographer // Woods-Penniman Commons |
| 3:30 p.m. | Masterclass with Jane Hirshfield, acclaimed poet // Woods-Penniman Commons |
| 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. | Reception // Boone Tavern, Event Center General Admission Dinner // Berea College Mountaineer Dining |
| 7:00 p.m. | Mama’s Boy: or, a Praxis in Construction // The McGaw Theater, Jelkyl Drama Center VIP preferred seating. Red Carpet. Post-Performance Reception with cast. |
Saturday, October 19
| 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. | VIP Breakfast // Alumni Building, Baird Lounge General Admission Breakfast // Berea College Mountaineer Dining |
| 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. | Merch Center // Boone Tavern, Robinson Room |
| 9:30 a.m. | Carillon Concert with refreshments // Draper Building Lawn |
| 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. | Janis Ian Archives Experiences // Hutchins Library Archives Open House Atrium Experience Archival Footage Showcase |
| 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | VIP Private screening of a work in progress documentary about Janis Ian // Planetarium Exclusive Preview – NO RECORDING OR PHOTOGRAPHY PERMITTED |
| 12:30 – 1:00 p.m. | VIP Documentary Discussion with Janis Ian and documentarian Varda Bar-Kar, hosted by Amy Burkhardt ’99 // Planetarium |
| 1:00 p.m. | Lunch on your own |
| 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. | Private screening of a work in progress documentary about Janis Ian // Planetarium Exclusive Preview – NO RECORDING OR PHOTOGRAPHY PERMITTED |
| 5:00 p.m. | General Admission Dinner // Berea College Mountaineer Dining |
| 7:00 p.m. | Janis Ian Tribute Concert // Phelps Stokes Featuring performances by Amythyst Kiah, Aoife Scott, Melissa Carper, S.G. Goodman, Senora May, and the Berea College Music Department. Special Guest Emcee, Silas House. |
Sunday, October 20
| 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. | VIP Farewell Reception with Coffee & Conversation // Boone Tavern, Event Center |
Location
Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Berea is a place where art, craft, music and the imagination thrive.
Hotels and Accommodations
Berea, KY offers a variety of hotels, lodging, and unique accommodations.
On-campus Accommodations (first-come, first-served)
SOLD OUT, NO BOONE TAVERN ROOMS AVAILABLE.
Food
VIP breakfast and VIP receptions included in the VIP Package.
Hours for Mountaineer Dining:
Breakfast 7-10:30 a.m.
Lunch 11-2:30 p.m.
Grill/Salad/Pizza Lunch 2:30-5:00 p.m.
Dinner 5-9:00 p.m.
Berea is one of the fastest-growing towns in Kentucky, so dining options are aplenty. On campus, there is restaurant in Boone Tavern (reservation suggested/limited seating-book with OpenTable), Mountaineer Dining Hall, Sandella's Flatbread Cafe, The Farm Store, The Pinnacles Cafe, as well as a suite of local eateries on College Square. Local foodie fare includes Native Bagel/Nightjar, Apollo Pizza, Papaleno’s, Doña Maria's Tamales, and Honeysuckle Dining and Bourbon House among others.
Travel
- Ground transport: https://www.airport.guide/klex/shuttle
- Rental cars: https://www.bluegrassairport.com/rental-cars/
- Nearest airport/Bluegrass (LEX): https://www.airport.guide/klex/airlines
- Berea’s distance to major cities: https://visitberea.com/faq/
More Details
VIP breakfast and VIP receptions included in VIP Package.
Upon purchase of a package, you will receive your ticket. One month prior to the event, you will receive additional details via email. Please see info above for transportation, lodging, and additional dining.
Contact breakingsilence@berea.edu with any questions.
Reserve your spot
Reserve your place for a weekend of fun, food, and festivities.
Weekend Experience Includes ticket to Tribute Concert