The International Bluegrass Music Museum recently sent out a press release about the implementation of multilingual signs at the Museum. The displays at the museum now feature information in seven major languages including English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Czech and Japanese. The self-guided tour of the museum has now been translated in Japanese and Czech in its entirety, and other translations will be following in the future.

This project, long in the planning stages, was given a major boost when Leslie Hast, a summer intern at the museum, volunteered to spearhead its implementation. Ms. Hast, a junior English major at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, has studied both Spanish and French. Two Centre professors, David Slade and Karin Ciholas, advised Hast on the Spanish, French, German and Italian translations. Toru and Ikuko Okuno of Yokohama-Shi, Kanagawa-Prii provided the Japanese translations, and Olomouc resident Vendula Jaburkova, translator for the Czech Republic?¢Ç«®Ç—¢s bluegrass band Hermanek, supplied the Czech translations.

At the museum?¢Ç«®Ç—¢s recent bluegrass celebration, ROMP, five international bands were featured among the 42 acts present. The museum also opened a new exhibit during the festival, entitled The History of Bluegrass in Europe and Japan.

Part I showcases bluegrass publications, posters, and other paper memorabilia from all over the world in many languages; visitors follow a narrative that describes how bluegrass music reached all corners of the globe. In this cumulative three-year exhibit, Part #II will focus on international bluegrass festivals, and Part #III will feature bluegrass instruments from around the world. Each new addition to the exhibit will open at ROMP.

The museum also plans to offer translations of it?¢Ç«®Ç—¢s website in the near future.

I spoke with Mike Lawing at the museum and he related this story to me.

Today we had a guy in from Paris who was really pleased and surprised to see French translations in the Bluegrass Museum! He bought Stanley Brothers and Delmore Brothers CDs in the gift shop which is now offering some items on bluegrass-museum.org.

While you are checking out their site remember that you can join the International Bluegrass Music Museum and receive an exclusive DVD of the Legends Concert featuring performances by Curly Seckler, Kenny Baker, Josh Graves, Jesse McReynolds and Wade & Julia Mainer.

Mike also asked me to remind those of you traveling to and from this year’s IBMA World of Bluegrass event in Nashville, that you can stop by the IBMM on your way through Owensboro. The museum will have a booth at the WOB trade show as well, so be sure to stop by and say hello while you’re in Nashville.