Roundup: Sky Blue Window folding, ISO launching new music fest, more

Emptying the notebook:

—Sky Blue Window, the local arts website given a three-years-to-make-it funding by the Central Indiana Community Foundation, will be folding. The force behind it, Mike Knight, explains what happened here. Sorry to see it go. 

—The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra is teaming up with Earth Charter Indiana, the Hoosier Environmental Council, the Indianapolis Zoo, and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful for the first INfusion Music Festival. The April 28-30 event focuses on the connection between music and the environment and will include performances by Time for Three, San Fermin, Kishi Bashi, and Ben Folds. Tickets go on sale to the general public Feb. 25. ISO subscribers have a shot on Feb. 22. 

—Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music—and the dance world beyond—mourn the loss of Distinguished Professor Violette Verdy, 82. A principal dancer with the New York City Ballet for 20 years, she also served as artistic director for the Paris Opera Ballet and Boston Ballet.

—One of Indianapolis' highest profile novelists, Ben H. Winters, will be moving to California just as his latest book, "Underground Airlines" is about to hit. Likely to generate a fair amount of media attention, the book is set in a world where the Civil War never happened and slavery remains in place in parts of the United States. Release date is July 5. Winters also contributed to "Mythic Indy," a new anthology featuring fantastical fiction set locally. 

—Speaking of authors, Colts mascot Blue has his own book on the way. Titled "Blue's Road Trip Through Indiana," it's an alphabet book (K is for Koscuisko County, etc..). Official release is March 22 but guest readers including Mayor Joe Hogsett and Colts Tight End Dwayne Allen will be preview-reading it in elementary schools.