Everything Nac

Dr. Brad Meyer, director of the percussion studio at Stephen F. Austin State University, will continue his “In the Trees” contemporary/new-music concert series with a performance of his original composition “For Whom …” featuring the carillon atop the Griffith Fine Arts Building on the SFA campus.

The performance will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 6, with audience outdoor seating in the green space between Griffith Fine Arts Building and the entrance to Cole Concert Hall in Wright Music Building.

Specifically written by Meyer for the restored carillon, “For Whom …” is a chronological representation of a tsunami striking a coastal city/town, Meyer explained.

“The tsunami in this composition is a metaphor for the big changes that happen in each of our lives,” he said. “The composition represents the calm before the storm, followed by the feeling of impending doom, the mass exodus of animals that can sense the impending disaster better than humans, the actual strike of the tsunami, the physical and emotional aftermath, and finally the feelings of total uncertainty and loss,” Meyer said.

The performers will include the SFA Percussion Studio, as well as students from the other instrumental areas in the SFA School of Music, with Meyer playing the carillon.

The recent restoration and expansion of the bell tower of Griffith Fine Arts Building was completed through a campus-community partnership with funding provided by the Charles and Lois Marie Bright Foundation. The project added 10 new bells to the original 15 installed when the Griffith Building was constructed in 1959. The addition created a full two-octave chromatic carillon.

After a short introduction by Meyer, the performance should last 45 minutes. Audience members are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, picnic items and umbrellas to keep out of the sun. If there is inclement weather, the performance will be canceled due to the necessity of the carillon.

Admission is free. For more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or (888) 240-ARTS or visit www.finearts.sfasu.edu.

Members of Stephen F. Austin State University’s professional business student organization Phi Beta Lambda won 12 awards during the 2017 State Leadership Conference in Houston.

During the conference, students compete in events that test their business knowledge and skills. These competitive events include objective tests and/or performance-based activities. SFA students brought home wins in various categories from cost accounting to impromptu speaking.

“Overall, it was a very meaningful experience for all of SFA’s Phi Beta Lambda students who attended the state conference,” said Dr. Ann Wilson, associate dean in the Rusche College of Business. “Many members competed for the first time, and some members faced and overcame their fears of competing. Most of all, the members had the opportunity to be surrounded by other students who share a drive to succeed.”

Eight of the students who placed first, second or third at the conference qualified for the annual National Leadership Conference, which will be held June 22-27 in Anaheim, California.

“Expectations are high for another positive experience for SFA’s PBL students. This event will assess and promote business leadership principles and practices on the global scale,” Wilson said.

John Cohen, SFA’s chapter treasurer, was appointed state vice president for the second time and was recognized for outstanding leadership during the conference. Additionally, Kristi Clifford, the current chapter vice president at SFA, also was recognized for outstanding leadership. Fil Escobedo, the current SFA chapter president, was elected state president.

“These students exemplify leadership and professionalism, as proven by these impressive leadership appointments at the state level,” Wilson said.

Students were required to present during the state conference. Cohen presented “Wanna be Social,” and Clifford gave a public-speaking presentation titled “7 Principles of Public Speaking.”

Stephen F. Austin State University theatre students, from left, Daniel Hicks, Richmond sophomore; Kara Bruntz, Southlake senior; Avery Tindol, Tenaha senior; and Sarah Lovelady, Leander sophomore, perform in a scene from Thornton Wilder’s “The Skin of Our Teeth” being presented at 7:30 nightly through Saturday, April 29, in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the SFA campus. The play is about the Antrobus family, which narrowly escapes one disaster after another, from ancient times to the present, Single tickets are $15 for adult, $10 for senior and $7.50 for student/youth. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.theatre.sfasu.edu. Photo credit: Lane Davidson