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FORIMMEDIATERELEASE
Contact:
JoshHolland
DirectorofMarketingandDesign
1-251-208-6852
1-251-605-7067
[email protected]
TWONATIONALLYTOURINGEXHIBITIONSTOROCKMOBILEANDTHEGULFCOASTWITH
GRANDOPENINGSATURDAY,SEPTEMBER24THINANALLDAYCELEBRATION.
Guitar–TheInstrumentthatRockedtheWorldandIt’sAlwaysRockandRoll:TheWorkof
PhotojournalistJanetMacoska,combinescience,musicandart.
Mobile,Alabama–Continuingitstraditionofbringingexcitingexhibitionstotheregion,theGulf
CoastExploreumScienceCenterinMobile,Alabamawillpresenttwonewexcitingexhibitionsstarting
September24thandrunningthroughJanuary1,2017.
Guitar–TheInstrumentthatRockedtheWorldandIt’sAlwaysRockandRoll-TheWorkof
PhotojournalistJanetMacoskaopenswithafunfamilyevent,Rockin’intheCourtyard,tobeheld
openingday,Saturday,September24,from11a.m.–7:00p.m.Thepublicfestivitiesfeaturelocal
bands,foodtrucks,children’sactivities,andIMAXfilms.Throughouttherunoftheexhibitionthe
Exploreumwillpresentclassicalconcerts,livemusicpresentations,guestlectures,itsownAirGuitar
Contestandspecialdiscoveryexperiencesforchildrenonschoolfieldtrips.Thisexhibitwassupported
byfundsfromtheMobileCountyCommission.Additionalareasponsorsthatpartneredwiththe
ExploreumtobringtheexhibitiontotheGulfCoastareAlabamaDepartmentofTourism,SybilSmith
Foundation,AlabamaStateCouncilontheArts,JakePeavyFoundation,LagniappeWeekly,Mobile
CountyMarketingFund,MobileGasServiceFoundation,RegionsBank,WKRG,BBVACompass,Sound
Associates,Inc.,ThompsonEngineering,RobertS.Frost,DelaneyDevelopment,Inc.,TheAlabama
HumanitiesFoundation,andShowbizTheatricalServices.
Guitar–TheInstrumentthatRockedtheWorld
AnationallytouringexhibitionfromthecollectionoftheNationalGuitarMuseum,theexhibition
exploresthesound,science,history,andculturalimpactoftheworld’smostrecognizedmusical
instrument.Throughdiversegenresofmusicthatcrossedculturalboundaries,theguitarhasmadea
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significantimpactonawidevarietyofgroupsfromgypsiestocowboystoteenagerebels.Theexhibition
featuresmorethan70guitarsandnearly100artifactsthatimmersevisitorsintotheheartofmusic,
fromclassicaltoheavymetaltocountryandrangefromtherareandantiquetothewildlypopularand
innovative—alongwithhands-oninteractiveeducationaldisplays,models,touchscreens,performance
video,audio,stunningimagesandphotographs.ItalsoshowcasesaGuinnessRecord-breaking43.5foot
long“FlyingV”guitar.Significantaspectsoftheexhibitioncovernumerousscienceprinciplescovering
theentirespanofSTE(A)Mconcepts(Science,Technology,Engineering,Arts,andMathematics.
“Youmightsaythisisnewstringtheory,”jokedJanMcKay,theExploreum’sExecutiveDirector.
“Scienceisaheavycomponentoftheexhibitionandvisitorswilllearnthephysicsandpropertiesof
sound,aswellasthematerialsandengineeringoftheinstrument.WearegratefultoMobileCounty,
theSybilSmithFoundation,WKRG,AlabamaDepartmentofTourism,andallofoursponsorswho
partneredwithustobringthisexhibitionheretoMobile.”
Someofthelessonsandinteractivesincludelearningabouttheconnectionbetweensoundfroma
treeandguitarconstruction;stringtypesandfrequenciesandmaterials;pressureandtheinside
workingsofacousticandelectricguitars;bowfrequencies;motionandgears;electroniccomponents,
magnets,metalsandplastics;electromagneticenergy;propertiesofmaterialsandhowthisaffects
sound;amplification,tubes,speakersandamplification;decibelsandhowtheserelatetonature,
industryandmusic.Touchscreensallowvisitorstotryariff,designtheirownguitar,pluckthestringof
thelargestguitareverbuilt(thisisondisplayandintheGuinnessBookofWorldRecords)andmusic
instrument-makingareawheresimplematerialsareusedtocreateothertypesofinstruments.Play
areasincludea“rockandrollscene”wherechildrencanpretendtheyaremusiciansonstage.
TheguitarevolvedfromEuropeanandAsianinstrumentsduringtheMiddleAges(sitar,oud,tanbur,
andlute).Intheexhibitionguitarsaredisplayedsidebysidenexttotheguitarasweknowittoday,with
itssignaturehourglassshape.Visitorswillseehow,insteadofusingalargehollowsoundbox,the
electricguitarusesmagneticcoilstocapturethevibrationofthestringsandturnitintoamplifiedsound,
makingtheguitaroneoftheloudestdevicesevercreated.Onecomponentoftheexhibitionsexplores
howwide-scaleproductionoftheelectricguitarstartedinthe1950sandhascontinuedunceasinglyto
thepresent.InventorsanddesignerslikeGeorgeBeauchamp,LeoFender,LesPaul,TedMcCarty,and
PaulBigsbycameupwithradicalbodyshapesthatalsochangedtheshapeofmusic.Visitorswillsee
theseguitars–Rickenbackers,Fenders,Gibsons,andmore–andhearhowtheelectricguitarwas
responsibleforthecreationofentirelynewstylesofmusic.Havingviewedtheevolutionofguitars,
visitorswillexplorewhatrolememoryandsenseshaveinplayingtheguitar.Theycantesttheirmemory
byplayingriffsonavirtualfretboardthatteststheabilitytoremembercomplexpatterns.
Woodandstringsamples–frommapletocatgut–letvisitorshandleandhearthematerials
thatgiveeachguitaradistinctivesound.Anacousticguitarissplicedopentorevealthe
intricatewoodworkthatgoesintobuildingasturdy“boxwithnonails.”Frombowlstoflatsurfacesto
slightlycurvedlines,guitarmakershaveexperimentedwithhundredsofdifferentshapeslookingforthe
perfectblendofbeauty,physics,andsound.EuropeanluthierswhoemigratedtotheUnited
Stateschangedtheguitar’sstructuretomakeitlouderandsturdier.Turnofthecenturyguitarsare
shownandplacedinhistoricalcontext,alongwithinteractivesthatshowhowstringsresonateonwood
aswellasthestressthatthewoodisunder.
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DuringtherunoftheexhibitionsteacherscanbookafieldtripthatwouldincludeaDiscovery
Demo.Thesedemosfocusonawiderangeoftopics,fromSTEM,tomusic,tohealthandnutrition.We
haveaDiscoveryDemothathasbeendevelopedfortheGuitarexhibitthatcovershowsoundis
transmittedviapressurewaveswithindifferentmaterials.Inthisexcitingnewfieldtripactivity,
studentswillridethewavesofrockaswetakeadeeperlookintothephysicsofvibrationand
wavelengths.Pre-KeducationexperiencesintheWharfofWonderGallerywillincludemusic-making
andtheExploreumhascreatedamusical-instrumentmakingworkshopforvisitors.Allofour
educationalandschoolofferingscorrespondto2016-2017AlabamaCoreStandards.Schoolfieldtrip
informationisatwww.exploreum.com.Teacherscanalsocall251-208-6880andbooknow.
It’sAlwaysRockandRoll:TheWorkofPhotojournalistJanetMacoska
AsecondexhibitionfromtheRockandRollHallofFameandMuseumfeatures50photographsfrom
veteranRockandRollConcertphotographerJanetMacoska.It’sAlwaysRockandRoll-TheWorkof
PhotojournalistJanetMacoskaisasampleofCleveland,Ohio-basedphotojournalistJanetMacoskawho
hasbeencapturingsomeofrock’smostlegendaryperformersthroughthelensofhercamerafor42
years.Herfirstpublishedimage,printedinTeenScreenmagazinein1967,wasofSonnyandCher.
Largelyself-taught,Macoskadecidedtomakephotographyherfull-timeprofession.Shehastraveled
aroundtheglobe,photographingentertainmentpersonalities,andherimageshaveappearedinCream,
RollingStone,People,16,EntertainmentWeekly,theNewYorkTimesandtheLondonTimes.
Theexhibitionfeaturesphotographsfromtheworld’sgreatestrockandrollmusiciansandbands
includingKISS,AngusYoung,BruceSpringsteen,PaulMcCartney,LedZeppelin,DavidBowie,Aretha
Franklin,Queen,Madonna,RogerDaltry,TheRamones,MichaelJackson,LesPaul,B.B.King,Willie
Nelson,andmany,manymore!
Macoskacallsthe1970s“thegoldenagefortherockandrollphotographer.”Duringthattimeshe
wasshootingconcertsnearlyeverynight,sometimestwo.“Ifyouhavetheluxuryofrunningoffreams
andreamsoffilm,you’llgetoneshot,”shetoldNorthernOhioLivein1995.“Butsometimesmagical
thingshappen,andyou’rejustlucky.I’mnotabovesayingthatI’mlucky.”
ReflectingonhercareerinarecentinterviewwithBlack&WhiteMagazine,Macoskasaid,“Iknowa
lotofmyphotographsaregoingtobetheimagesthatwilldefinewhatwasgoingonatthisimportant
timeinmusicalhistory.Hopefully,peoplewillseemyphotographsandfeelsomeoftheemotionand
energythattheaudiencewashearingandseeingwithmeinthosememorablemoments.”
TheexhibitwasorganizedbytheRockandRollHallofFameandMuseum,Cleveland,Ohio.
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AdmissiontothesetwoexhibitionsisincludedintheregularExploreumgeneraladmission(IMAXnot
included):Adults$12.00;Youth,$10.50;Child,$10.00;PreK,$5.00.Membersareadmittedfreeto
exhibits.AdmissiontothesetwoexhibitionspairedwithanIMAXfilm:Adults$16.00;Youth,$15.00;
Child,$13.50.TherewillbedifferentchargesfortheopeningdayonSeptember24(seebelow)which
featuresthefollowingbands:StereoDogs,TheMarlowBoys,TheReelHooks,LeeYankieandtheHellz
Yeah,andtheMulliganBrothers.TheExploreumislocatedat65GovernmentStreetinMobile,
Alabama.www.exploreum.com
EventsandActivitiesAssociatedwiththeexhibitions:
September17,6p.m.ClassicalGuitaristRicardoCobo.FreeConcert.TheWashingtonPostsays“The
ColombianguitaristRicardoCobomaybeoneofthefinestguitaristsofourtime.”Thisisacollaboration
withMobileChamberMusicandisapreludetothepublicopeningoftheexhibitionsonSeptember24th.
Ticketscanbefoundonlineatwww.exploreum.comorontheExploreumFacebookpage,underevents.
Friday,September23,5–8p.m.SneakPreviewforExploreumMembers,VIPguests,andSponsors.
Saturday,September24,11a.m.–7p.m.Rockin’intheCourtyardPublicOpening.Family-friendly
activities,hands-onfun,DinosaursAlive!ontheJ.L.BedsoleIMAXDometheater,theexhibitsand
entertainmentallincludedinoneprice:$20.00foradults(18andup);$10:00forkids(17andunder);
memberspay$10.00foradultsand$5.00forkids.Pricingisforthiseventonly.
Thelineupincludeslocalandregionalacts(allfamilyfriendly):
11:00a.m.-StereoDogs
1:00p.m.–TheMarlowBoys
2:30–TheReelHooks
4:00–LeeYankieandtheHellzYeah
6:00–TheMulliganBrothers
Thursday,October6,6p.m.–PresentationbyphotographerJanetMacoskaasshetakesparticipants
throughhercareerasaphotographerofrockandrollicons.FreeandsponsoredbytheAlabama
HumanitiesCouncil.Limitedticketsavailableandonlineatwww.exploreum.comChecktoseeifitis
soldout,asafewmaybeavailableatthedoor.
September28–AirGuitarContestRulesannounced.PrizesforIndividualandGroupvideos.Goto
ExploreumFacebookandwww.exploreum.com
Saturday,November5,11a.m.–DerekJones,localmusician,willperformliveattheExploreum.
Thursday,November10,6p.m.–ClassicalguitarperformancebyMarkHabibprofessorandclassical
guitaristfromtheUniversityofSouthAlabama.
November19–AirGuitarFinalswilltakeplaceattheExploreumwithcelebrityjudges,performances,
prizes,andmore!
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