MONDAY, APRIL 11
BOOK TALK: NPR’s Bob Boilen has listened to a lot of music during his life, from his 16 years hosting All Songs Considered to the 500 Tiny Desk Concerts he’s helped curate. Now, Boilen has written a book about the impact of specific songs on the lives of various musicians—titled From Jimmy Page to St. Vincent, Smokey Robinson to Hozier, Thirty-Five Beloved Artists on Their Journey and the Music That Inspired It—that he’ll discuss on Monday with All Things Considered host Ari Shapiro at NPR’s Studio One. $35, 7 PM.
SYMPOSIUM: Georgetown’s Lannan Center will host “A Dream Deferred: Black in the USA” on Monday and Tuesday, a symposium bringing together activists, writers, and speakers for an engrossing dialogue on the Black experience. Guests include Baltimore mayoral candidate DeRay McKesson and poet Claudia Rankine. Various times, free.
TUESDAY, APRIL 12
PERFORMANCE: It turns out that toy piano collecting dust in your grandmother’s living room has an artistic purpose after all. On Tuesday, at The Clarice at University of Maryland, avant-garde artist Margaret Leng Tan will give a John Cage-esque performance featuring toy instruments like bicycle horns, hand-cranked music boxes, and, yes, toy pianos. $10-$25, 8 PM.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13
PARTY: If you’re upset about DC’s lack of spring weather, then head to Heirloom’s Spring Social on Wednesday night at Fathom Gallery. The local catering company promises seasonal-inspired food and drinks, which is just what we need right now. $38, 6 PM.
WINE TASTING: Manischewitz may be great, but there are other kosher wines that you should consider drinking at Passover. If you’re looking to learn more about some alternate options for filling Elijah’s cup this year, then you should check out Ardeo + Bardeo’s Kosher Wine Tasting on Wednesday. The Cleveland Park restaurant and bar will pair wines with kosher hors d’oeuvres, and also feature a lesson on what makes a delicious kosher wine by representatives from Pearson’s Wine & Spirits and food and drink writer Summer Whitford. Reservations required, 6:45 PM.
