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Composer Maury Yeston on the Collaborative Process

Composer Maury Yeston with the score for "Tom Sawyer-A Ballet in Three Acts"
photo: Laura Spencer/KCUR
Composer Maury Yeston with the score for "Tom Sawyer-A Ballet in Three Acts"

Maury Yeston, the Tony-award winning composer for Broadway hits like "Nine" and "Titanic," is writing the music for the first production the Kansas City Ballet is staging at the new Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. It's a ballet called "Tom Sawyer" and was inspired, as you might guess, by Mark Twain's coming-of age story.

By Laura Spencer

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/national/local-national-948942.mp3

Kansas City, Mo. – Maury Yeston, the Tony-award winning composer for Broadway hits like "Nine" and "Titanic," is writing the music for the first production the Kansas City Ballet is staging at the new Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. It's a ballet called "Tom Sawyer" and was inspired, as you might guess, by Mark Twain's coming-of age story.

KCUR's Laura Spencer met up with Yeston in a ballet studio on Thursday to talk about the collaborative process.

"Tom Sawyer - A Ballet in Three Acts"
October 14-23, 2011 | Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts | Music performed by Kansas City Symphony
Choreography: William Whitener
Music: Maury Yeston

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Kansas City is known for its style of jazz, influenced by the blues, as the home of Walt Disney’s first animation studio and the headquarters of Hallmark Cards. As one of KCUR’s arts reporters, I want people here to know a wide range of arts and culture stories from across the metropolitan area. I take listeners behind the scenes and introduce them to emerging artists and organizations, as well as keep up with established institutions. Send me an email at lauras@kcur.org or follow me on Twitter @lauraspencer.
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