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Stephen F. Austin State University’s A Cappella Choir will present “Music of Our Time” when the choral ensemble performs its first concert of the fall semester at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

The program features choral music of the 20th and 21st centuries, according to Dr. Michael Murphy, director of choral activities in the SFA School of Music and conductor of the A Cappella Choir. The performance will showcase works by Norman Dello Joio, Samuel Barber, Alfred Schnittke, Michael Ostrzyga, Zdeněk Lukáš, Jake Runestad, Jocelyn Hagen, Carol Barnett, Joan Szymko and others.

“This concert focuses on distinctive and important choral music of the 20th and 21st centuries from the United States, Germany, Russia and the Czech Republic,” Murphy said. “Another important focus in this concert will be on American women composers.”

“Agnus Dei” is Barber’s own 1967 arrangement of his popular Adagio for Strings that was composed in 1936. In this setting of the text “Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us,” Barber captures a sense of universal and timeless spirituality, Murphy explained.

The choir will perform Dello Joio’s 1946 “A Jubilant Song,” which exhibits frequent meter changes and syncopations, Murphy said.

“The work is best described as pantonal, or not in just one particular key, but shifts freely in many keys,” he said. “Dello Joio sets Walt Whitman’s cheerful poem ‘A Song of Joys,’ which describes the many wonderful things that life has to offer.”

Schnittke’s “Three Sacred Hymns” is also on the program.

“In the 1970s, Alfred Schnittke moved away from his radical and avant-garde compositional style and began to write with more traditional harmonies,” Murphy said. “His 1984 ‘Three Sacred Hymns’ is on this program and features a double choir, rich harmonies and frequent meter changes.”

The concert is a joint presentation of the College of Fine Arts and School of Music. Cole Concert Hall is located in the Tom and Peggy Wright Music Building, 2210 Alumni Drive.

Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for students and youth. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.finearts.sfasu.edu.

Reservations are still being accepted to attend the “Oklahoma!” preview and fundraiser presented by the Stephen F. Austin State University School of Theatre and SFA Culinary Café from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 1, at the café on the SFA campus.

“What a great way to support the cast and crew of ‘Oklahoma!’ while enjoying a delicious lunch at the Culinary Café,” said Angela Bacarisse, professor of theatre and director of “Oklahoma!”

The School of Theatre will present Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical “Oklahoma!” at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, Nov. 6 through 10, in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the SFA campus. Another performance is at 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 8.

Based on Lynn Riggs’ 1931 play, “Green Grow the Lilacs,” “Oklahoma!” is the first musical written by the team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. The musical, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, features choreography by Agnes de Mille.

Patrons attending the fundraiser will have the opportunity to meet the student stars of the show and hear a preview of the familiar songs from “Oklahoma!” Guest host will be Brad Maule.

Only 50 seats are available for the event, which costs $25 per person. Reservations: https://payment.sfasu.edu/C20200_ustores/web/classic/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=722

The Culinary Café is located in the College of Education Annex (former Early Childhood Lab), 1620 Raguet St. For additional information, contact Bacarisse at (936) 468-1126.

For the first time in the chapter’s decades-long history, the Stephen F. Austin State University student chapter of the Society of American Foresters clinched the national title of Society of American Foresters Quiz Bowl Champions, defeating 32 collegiate teams from across the U.S. during this year’s national convention held in Portland, Oregon.

“It’s very rewarding to see the early morning practices, as well as the hard work and persistence finally pay off,” said Dr. Rebecca Kidd, assistant professor of forestry at SFA and SAF faculty advisor.

The competition, held annually at the SAF National Convention, is a quiz-based competition challenging student chapters to answer a broad range of technical and academic questions that span the discipline of forest resource management. Kidd said student chapters must sign up months in advance to be organized into a tournament bracket.

“The range of topics includes forest resources, which encompasses wildlife, habitat management, hydrology, soil science, silviculture, ecology, spatial science, agro-forestry, recreation management, policy and economics,” Kidd said.

Christopher Longman, forest management senior and president of the SFA student chapter, said when forming a quiz bowl team, the chapter makes sure to include students from a range of forestry majors offered through the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture.

“One of the questions we answered correctly was something we just learned in forest hydrology two weeks ago,” Longman said.

Although the team displayed a strong showing throughout the competition, besting universities such as Pennsylvania State University and the University of California at Berkley, Longman admits there were a few nerve-wracking moments.

“In our quarterfinal match, we went into overtime in sudden-death format,” Longman said. “That was probably the most nervous moment we experienced.”

Longman added that the team’s victory is a definite reflection on the quality academics offered at SFA.

To learn more about the majors offered through SFA’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, visit atcofa.sfasu.edu.

The East Texas Restaurant Association is donating $12,000 in scholarship funds to Stephen F. Austin State University students enrolled in the hospitality administration program.

These funds will supplement two scholarships, which are annually awarded to SFA hospitality administration students.

“We value the support of the East Texas Restaurant Association. The impact these scholarships have on our students is huge,” said Dr. Chay Runnels, professor and hospitality administration coordinator. “When students receive an academic scholarship from key leaders in the restaurant industry, it validates their career pathway and sends a messages that hospitality is important.”

ETRA representatives will present the scholarship funds during a mixer from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11, at the Fredonia Brewery. This event is open to the public, especially restaurateurs and hospitality industry professionals.

Red Tulip Food Truck will provide food for the event, and guests will have the opportunity to meet ETRA members and learn more about the organization. SFA hospitality administration students and faculty members also will be in attendance.

“Through educational funding, extensive networking and local advocacy, ETRA seeks to fuel the community to make a better food and beverage industry and a better tomorrow,” according to the ETRA website. The ETRA is a partnering organization with SFA’s hospitality administration program.

For more information, contact Runnels at (936) 468-2060 or runnelsc@sfasu.edu.

By Kasi Dickerson, senior marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.