The violinist for the celebrated contemporary music sextet, eighth blackbird — which is in residency at SMU — talks about minimalism, the high ideals (and self-preservation) of commissioning new music and just what the group does to make ‘difficult’ music (believe it or not) so golly-gee entertaining.

“Dance for dance’s sake is fine, but for me, I always want to tell stories,” William Soleau says about his approach to the art form. The freelance choreographer brought his take on classical and contemporary ballet to Southern Methodist University this fall, creating a new work for a number of undergraduate dance students that will debut tonight.

Dallas native Regina Taylor has directed one of her plays at the Dallas Theater Center before this, but ‘The Trinity River Plays’ will be her first premiere there as a playwright — in a co-production with Chicago’s Goodman Theatre. We talk to Taylor about attending SMU, the growth of her play, its title and its food content.

Today in the roundup: A spooky treat in Oak Lawn, local music notes and a new concert hall at UNT.

Today in the roundup: Raves at the Undermain Theatre, polka for the flute and Vernon Fisher on going abstract.

Today in the roundup: Special musical guests at SMU, music bits and how to build an effective farce.

Applause filled the Dallas Museum of Art last week when Amanda Blake, manager of Family Experiences and Access Programs, announced the official beginning of “Meaningful Moments,” a series of art experiences designed for individuals with dementia. The program is the first of its kind in Dallas.

Today in the roundup: Ruta Lee speaks, the One O’Clock Lab Band plays and Ira Glass sings.

A handful of healthy sprouts to start the week: Theater Jones upgrades, the NYTimes catches up to some spindly sculptures, four celebrated UT-Austin grads get their undergrad work dug up and the News gives us a bumper crop of tasty items.

Karen Blessen, co-founder of Today Marks the Beginning, is Jerome Weeks’ guest on the Art&Seek segment of Think.