“The Journey West” performance in the UNK Fine Arts Building Nebraska Recital Hall will bring to life American folklore surrounding post-Civil War westward expansion. Folk songs and Civil-war ear songs will be interspersed with commentary by cowboy poet R.P. Smith.

There will be a talk-back session following the performance in the UNK Choir room led by Dr. David Bauer, Platte River Singers artistic director, with a panel including the featured cowboy poet, selected musicians, and the conductors of the choir. The panel will explore the selection of the folksongs and how they help tell the American story, the preparation of all materials, and the selection of poetry and stories.

R.P. Smith is a published poet and a member of the Nebraska Sandhills Poetry Hall of Fame. He is an expert in the performance of rural cowboy life through storytelling, humor, and poetry. He is the host of a podcast/radio broadcast called “Homegrown” with more than 1,000 episodes and has performed his unique brand of western yarns across the United States and Canada.

Dr. David Bauer carefully curated a program of American folk music that will showcase the time period from the Civil War through the westward expansion. Each piece holds historical significance in that story of the country evolving into the vast, coast-to-coast nation we know today. For 55 years Dr. Bauer has studied (and practiced) the art researching and vetting choral repertoire to create performance programs that give audiences a comprehensive look at the selected theme while also entertaining, engaging and emotionally communicating. His knowledge of choral literature is second to none and he is recognized regionally for his honed skills in music selection.