Musician David Byrne to Give Commencement at Local Graduation

Talking Heads frontman, David Byrne, is headed to Dutchess County.

The first high profile commencement speaker of the season was announced yesterday. Byrne will be speaking at Bard College's one hundred sixtieth commencement on Saturday, May 23. The musician will also be accepting an honorary degree from the college.

Byrne recently appeared on Saturday Night Live as the musical guest. His performance included cast members from his stage show titled David Byrne’s American Utopia. The musical will be returning to Broadway in September for just 17 weeks at the Hudson Theater.

In addition to addressing students, Byrne will receive an honorary doctorate of fine arts. Honorary degrees will also be awarded to artist Laurie Anderson, physicist Steven Chu, composer Gao Xiaosong, curator Thelma Golden, Brooklyn Public Library President Linda E. Johnson, educational historian Ellen Condliffe Lagemann, and former Bard student and biophysicist George D. Rose.

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