By: Olivia Stewart
Developed in 2006 by the former Texas Tech University President Jon Whitmore, the Presidential Lecture and Performance Series (PLPS) provides engaging entertainment and learning opportunities for students, faculty, and the community at large. PLPS promotes art, culture, and education by providing concerts, speakers, dance and theatrical performances, and an annual music festival featuring artists native to the South Plains. Held primarily in the Allen Theatre in the Student Union Building, the central location makes events accessible to both the Texas Tech community and residents throughout the region. All are welcome and will surely leave with an unforgettable experience.
Dóri Bosnyák, the Lead Administrator for the series, met with me for an interview to discuss its history and her involvement over the last six years. I was interested in learning more about the selection process and her unique curation of events. Bosnyák explained that she gets creative freedom to choose and plan events each year, though President Schovanec offers guidance from time to time. The stated goal of the series is to educate and entertain, which Bosnyák keeps in mind when looking for potential performers. She takes several factors into account, such as their reputation and name recognition, with the hopes of filling the auditorium while also bringing current and cutting-edge performances to Lubbock. The planning typically starts a year in advance and the series begins at the beginning of the fall semester.
PLPS regulars can look forward to a sneak peek announcement of the following year’s programming at the annual Lubbock Lights festival, which is always the last event of the year. Started in 2015 by Andy Wilkinson and Dr. Curtis Peoples, the Lubbock Lights festival features a performance by an artist who grew up in the region and typically, moved onward to find significant commercial success elsewhere. This tradition has evolved into a homecoming of sorts for Lubbock artists and a special reunion with the community. Angelah Strehli, for example, a blues performer who headlined the 10th annual Lubbock Lights festival, said she had not been back to Lubbock in over thirty years. When I asked Bosnyák to comment on some highlights of her tenure with PLPS, she mentioned Flatland Cavalry, who headlined Lubbock Lights in 2021, as her personal favorite Lubbock Lights concert. That year, the performance was pre-recorded and livestreamed due to COVID-19 regulations. She recalled how watching them develop from being a small, local house band who met on the Texas Tech campus to a golden-record recipient, well-recognized group illustrates how Lubbock Lights can be a stage for newer artists and a helpful launching pad for greater commercial success.
I asked Bosnyák what sets the series apart from other university-sponsored cultural events. First off, she said there’s nothing else like this series on campus. She explained how the information and experiences contain valuable knowledge and easy accessibility, as students get in free, and the general admission ticket prices are kept in the range of $20-$23. Whether learning from an expert or enjoying a show or performance, the ease and accessibility allows patrons a chance to share a unique experience which they might not otherwise find in Lubbock. A good illustration of this value is when Lyle Lovett spoke in the 2017-2018 series. Bosnyák said she had so many people relay to her how impressed they were and how connected they felt with him. She added that dance shows have a special impact on the audience and receive some of the most positive feedback.
I concluded my interview by asking Bosnyák who she would love to book for the series, and her answer drew upon her own culture and history as a Hungarian citizen living in the United States. She said she would book the retro indie band Ivan & The Parazol because it would help expose Lubbock to Hungarian music and culture while reflecting on what beat music means, and how it shaped much of today’s music industry. She parted with the suggestion that for those debating to come to a PLPS event, it’s a great chance to take advantage of opportunities to learn or experience something new.
From speakers like Fran Lebowitz and Jeanette Walls, to performers like The Maines Brothers Band or the dance group MOMIX, PLPS always brings valuable experiences to those attending. For more information on the series, please visit the website here.
(Photo of Ms. Bosnyák by Macy Tapp)