Wellspring Literary Series continues Monday with Detroit poets, CMU pianist

Two Detroit poets and a world-renowned pianist will perform their work at Art Reach Monday.

The Wellspring Literary series will return at 7 p.m. at 111 E. Broadway St. in Mount Pleasant with featured poet Jamie Thomas of Detroit, author of “Etch and Blur.” Thomas teaches in the language and literature department at Ferris State University.

Founder and assistant professor of English language and literature Robert Fanning said the event will also feature M.A. candidate and Detroit native Sonya Pouncy. Music between readings will be provided by music professor Alexandra Mascolo-David, who, Fanning said, is a world-renowned pianist.

“This is the penultimate reading in the series,” Fanning said.

For Mascolo-David, the Wellspring series is a familiar and enjoyable experience. She has performed twice since the series began four years ago.

Mascolo-David said she puts a lot of effort into her musical selections for the Wellspring events, helping to make the music and spoken word at the event blend together more easily.

“I will be performing six short pieces by a French composer Erik Satie,” Mascolo-David said. “They’re short, improvisation-like pieces, very reflective in nature.”

Moreover, Mascolo-David selected pieces of music reflecting some of the same elements of poetry itself, so as to make the blend of two different art forms even more cohesive.

“I think that they are short musical poems, and that is the reason why I chose them to accompany a poetry reading,” she said.

Mascolo-David said she enjoys performing at the series because it is both positive and insightful.

“I spent my educational years in a conservatory setting,” she said.

This kind of environment fosters cooperation and collaboration between multiple forms of art, a feature Mascolo-David said is essential to becoming a well-rounded artist or musician.

To her, the Wellspring Literary Series is a program that successfully brings together skilled people from multiple art forms, therefore achieving that same atmosphere of collaboration from her earlier education.

As always, the Wellspring Literary Series is free and open to the public.

“Max and Emily’s restaurant is again donating a full spread of sandwiches, cookies and chips for the event,” Fanning said.

This year will conclude on April 8 with readings by CMU alum Bryan McAttee and Perry senior Courtney Kalmbach.

Music for this event will be provided by Daryl and the Beans, of which Fanning is a member.