Everything Nac

Fun and exciting works for saxophone and piano will be featured in a recital presented by Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music faculty member Dr. Nathan Nabb at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

Nabb, professor of saxophone, will be joined by Hyun Ji Oh, collaborative pianist, for a program of established works for saxophone and piano that Nabb describes as “excellent chamber pieces in which the technical and musical characteristics of the saxophone and piano are both featured.”

“I am very pleased to be performing with one of our new pianists, Hyun Ji Oh,” Nabb said. “She is a fantastic pianist and a really compelling musician. We have had a great time putting this program together, and I know it will be a fun and engaging performance!”

Opening the program is Ida Gotkovsky’s “Variations Pathetiques.”

“We chose the first piece because it is a thrilling work and is a standard in our repertoire,” Nabb said. “It is a highly rhythmic and technical work, but is at the same time very audience-friendly and a powerful piece.”

Paul Creston’s Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano is often studied by advanced high-school players and college students, so it is often considered a student work, Nabb said.

“But this is an amazing piece of music, and one that deserves to be heard,” he said. “In particular, I find the second movement to be so rewarding to study and perform, as it has such lush harmonies and beautiful, lyrical lines.”

The final piece on the program is actually originally for flute, but has found its place in the saxophone repertoire, Nabb explained. François Borne’s “Carmen Fantasy” features all of the familiar tunes from George Bizet’s famous opera, “and then explores them in a virtuosic contest for the soloist and pianist.”

The recital is part of the School of Music’s Calliope Concert Series. 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.

Students in Stephen F. Austin State University’s American Marketing Association student chapter and the University of Houston Downtown are co-hosting the Regional Fall Student AMA Conference from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 29, in the McGee Business Building on the SFA campus.

The conference offers students an opportunity to compete in marketing and sales competitions as well as listen to guest speakers. All students, regardless of their major, are welcome to attend this free conference.

“This conference will give students an advantage as they pursue their careers. It will expose them to professional speakers from the industry as well as provide them an opportunity to compete and sharpen their skills,” said Dr. Marlene Kahla, SFA professor in the Rusche College of Business’ Department of Management and Marketing.

During the conference, participants will be able to compete in either the marketing strategy competition, where teams will form a marketing plan and analyze the client’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, or the salesmanship competition, where teams will create a sales pitch to sell their client to judges.

Registration for conference competitions will be from 8:30 a.m. to noon in the McGee Business Building, Room 133.

Additionally, participants will hear from various guest speakers, including Nacogdoches Mayor Shelley Brophy.

Jim Iyoob, chief customer officer of Etech Global Services, will discuss the vision for the industry for the next five years from 9:25 to 9:50 a.m., and Garret Altier, marketing coordinator for SFA’s Department of Athletics, will present “Selecting the Right First Job” and discuss how to evaluate job offers from 10 to 10:20 a.m.

Also, Maci Dover, director of marketing for Whataburger, will speak about preparing for a career from 10 to 10:20 a.m. Stephanie Schubert, Texas region recruiter for Hajoca, will talk with students about how to build a résumé and prepare for interviews from 11 to 11:20 a.m.

Excel ER and SFA’s Center for Career and Professional Development will have information tables set up in the McGee Business Building.

For more information, contact Kahla at (936) 468-4103 or mkahla@sfasu.edu.

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