The Salina Journal from Salina, Kansas • Page 25

FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 2006 SAUNAJOURNAL What's going on Momix in Lunar Sea on the inside Forgiven in Laramie the reel deal Bradshaw bares all O'Brien NEW YORK Conan O'Brien may be a talk-show host in America, but he's a god in Finland. Tonight, O'Brien will devote the whole of "Late Night" to recapping his recent trip to the Nordic country, where he is surprisingly so popular Thousands met him at the airport; he was mobbed wherever he went. "The whole experience was surreal. It was a i fevered dream," O'Brien Said. O'Brien's Finnish popularity escalatea in the past year as he increasingly made humorous references to his resemblance to Finland's equally carrot-topped 1 president, Tarja Halonen.

His show even ran a series of mock- campaign ads with him supporting her When she won re-election, her rival candidates wondered if O'Brien influenced the race. So while "Late Night" was on hiatus for NBC's Olympic coverage, O'Brien and a camera crew hopped a plane to Helsinki, not knowing quite what to expect. "We had no idea," he said. "We were thinking we were going to arrive at the airport and that no one's really going BB Halonen Not only did crowds follow O'Brien, but the country's paparazzi trailed him while tabroids splashed stories about his visit on their covers. He also met with President Halonen at the palace, complete with honor guard and majestic ceremony.

The talk-show host rationalizes his Finnish popularity, suggesting the show's comedy strikes a chord with European sensibilities. I The Associated Press Photos by TOM DORSEY Salina Journal I.MMJ Maggy Ward is a barrista at tlie Salina Public Library's coffee shop. Drink up and settle in for a good read Q-j- cf'Q 'l 'o'c £iC Sculptureby Kurt Wolf: A Bird's Eye View (left), Egg Timer and Egg Beater are CXL LdUC' Ui Ci lyJ-J iiUi CXLIXZO on exhibit in the Salina library's coffee shop. By AMY BICKEL The Hutchinson News ULYSSES A cappuccino machine sputtering next to the bookshelves carries a clear message for patrons here: Libraries aren't just for reading anymore. Instead, folks can climb the stairs to the Grant County Library's second floor to line up for refreshments at the coffee shop before heading off.

snacks in hand, to wander through the stacks. The small cafe is called and a neon sign in can be seen from the street. Perhaps ahead of the trend, the new library was built complete with coffee shop three years ago. Since it has been open, director Frances Roberts has seen an increase in foot traffic. Organizations use the coffee shop for informal social get-togethers or just a place to read the paper.

"It's the Barnes and Noble effect," Roberts said. Roberts and other public librarians watched as people swarmed to stores such as Barnes and Noble or Borders for coffee and reading material. Following the cue of industry, libraries are working to make their space a more cultural experience that may include everything from coffee to wireless Internet. Last year, the Salina Public Library added a coffee shop after the library expanded, said Joe McKenzie, library director. A local coffeehouse owner also rents the space.

On the walls is a rotating gallery of works by regional artists. "Artiqui- ties," sculptures assembled by Kurt Wolf from found objects will be featured until April 6. See COFFEE, Page D5 Salinan driven to excellence By GARY DEMUTH Salina Journal If Kenya Gillespie had to choose between playing the violin or the piano, he'd probably choose the piano. "The piano may be my primary instrument," said GUle- spie, 17, a senior at Salina South High School. "But I like playing the violin, too.

It's really hard to be good at two instruments." That's something Gillespie doesn't have to worry about. Gillespie, son of Mineko and Gerald Gillespie, is concertmaster and first violinist of the Salina Youth Symphony and plays in the Salina South High School orchestra. He also has placed three times for violin performance in state orchestral competitions sponsored by the Kansas Music Educators Association. Gillespie has been playing piano since age 5 and recently became the first winner of Salina Youth Symphony Concerto Competition for his rendition of Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1.

The competition was created this year exclusively for youth symphony members to showcase their talents and provi(Je the winner the opportunity to play their win- nitig piece with the Salina Hear a winner EVENT: Sdlina Symphony Classical Concert, "Stories in Music," featuring pianist Kenya Gillespie. WHEN: 4 p.m. Sunday WHERE: Stiefel Theatre iof the Performinq Arts, Santo Fe and Walnut. TICKETS: $17 for adults, for students. INFORAAATION: 827-1998, or online at www.starficketsplus.net.

Symphony, said Donna Antrim, Salina Symphony executive director. "Four youth symphony members entered the competition, and a panel of three independent judges selected Kenya as the winner," Antrim said. Gillespie will repeat his award-winning piano performance with the Salina Symphony during its classiccd concert "Stories in Music" Sunday at the Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts, 151 S. Santa Fe. He said that thinking about playing a complicated Chopin piece with the sym- A star tennis player, as well Gillespie wlli attend Yale University thisfall.

phony.in front of hundreds of classical music fans is nerve-racking. "The Chopin has a lot of technical fingering and changes in tempo and dynamics," he said. "But it will be exhilarating to play with the symphony It's a once-in- a-lifetime opportunity" Salina Symphony musical director and conductor Ken Hakoda, who also conducts the Salina Youth Symphony, has faith in Kenya's proficiency on the piano. "He's great at the violin, but he really sparkles on the piano," Hakoda said. "He has a maturity beyond his years, and I'm sure he'U give a great performance." Top tennis player Not only does Kenya have to constantly practice to improve his skills as a musician, he also has to spend hours working on his technique on the tennis court.

He has been ranked one of the top high school tennis players in Kansas. "I'm gearing up to start again, practicing every day after school and on weekends," he said. "Then there will be meets throughout April and May I have to work hard to get my body in shape." Mter practicing an hour or more daily oh the piano and violin, that is. "I wish I had more than 24 hours in a day," Gillespie said. I'm interested in so many things, and I want to try to do them all." In the fall, Gillespie will attend Yale University, where he plans to major in music and film studies.

At that time, he said, he'll probably focus exclusively on the piano. Ptiotos by JEFF COOPER Salina Journal Kenya Gillespie rehearses with the Salina Symphony. He will perform his award-winning rendition of Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1 at Sunday's symphony performance. "While I don't want to quit the violin, I don't know how much time I'll have with everything that goes on in college," he said.

Hakoda is confident that Gillespie will be good at anything he attempts to do. "Yale has a great music program, and Kenya is a special talent," he said. "I'm going to miss him a lot, but I'm sure he'll do very well there." Other sources Sunday's Salina Symphony program also includes the "William Tell Overtiu-e" and "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," the latter immortalized by Mickey Mouse in the Disney animated classic "Fantasia." See SYMPHONY. Pago D5 SUGGESTIONS? CALL JEAN KOZUBOWSKI, ENCOHEI EDITOR, AT $22-1423 OR OR E-MAIL AT encoreesaljournaLcocn.