Everything Nac

Among the featured Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music faculty members who will perform in the annual Pi Kappa Lambda Music Faculty Showcase at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus are, front, from left, Mario Ajero and Nita Hudson; middle, from left, Lee Goodhew, Emily Mitchell, Emily Milius, Kayla Roth, Deb Scott, Scott LaGraff, Charlotte Davis, Gary Wurtz and Stephen Campbell; and back, from left, Andrew Parr, Richard Leonberger, Ron Petti and Christina Guenther. Tickets are $12 for adults, $8 for seniors and $5 for students. For tickets or more information, visit www.finearts.sfasu.edu or call (936) 468-6407 or (888) 240-ARTS. Proceeds benefit music scholarships.

The McGee Business Building, Room 133, was almost at full capacity as dozens of Stephen F. Austin State University Rusche College of Business students listened to Citizens National Bank President and CEO Brad Tidwell and his executive team discuss the current and future state of the banking industry during a recent Evening with Executives event.

The executive team included David Alford, chairman of the board of Citizens National Bank; Michael Moores, executive vice president and chief lending officer; Woodie Tipps, executive vice president and chief retail officer; Jon Moore, senior vice president and regional manager; and Rep. Trent Ashby, senior vice president market chairman.

Citizens National Bank began in Henderson, Texas, in 1930 and now has 29 branches and $1.7 billion in assets across East and Central Texas. During the evening, Tidwell discussed the history of the banking industry, consolidation trends, the effects of technology and more.

He told the crowd that the industry is changing and stressed the need for young talent and those who can think differently about the industry.

“During the past five years the banking industry has seen more change than in the 50-year period between 1930 and 1980,” Tidwell said.

Dr. Tim Bisping, dean of the Rusche College of Business, said the event was an opportunity for students to gain insight into the industry from an elite team of leaders.

“Having the opportunity to hear about the banking industry firsthand from such an accomplished team of executives was a truly special experience for our students,” Bisping said.

Kerry Bennett, SFA adjunct professor in the Department of Economics and Finance, helped coordinate this event.

“The executive team made it clear that the banking industry faces a talent gap and needs a new generation of bankers able to adapt to an ever-evolving landscape,” Bennett said.

The college’s Student Success Passport Program sponsored this event.

The Hachidori Duo at Stephen F. Austin State University will present “Songs and Dances” when the ensemble performs at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, in Cole Concert Hall in the Wright Music Building on the SFA campus.

The Hachidori Duo includes husband-and-wife musicians Dr. Jennifer Dalmas, associate professor of violin and viola in the SFA School of Music, and Dr. Evgeni Raychev, cello instructor. Their recital is a feature of the School of Music’s Cole Performing Arts Series.

The program features works by J.S. Bach, Rebecca Clarke, Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály.

“We chose the title ‘Songs and Dances’ because we are including wonderful examples of each in our program,” Dalmas said. “Our recital will open with some lovely transcriptions of arias from Bach’s ‘Magnificat’ for violin and cello, arranged by Norman Nelson, father of SFA School of Music faculty member Kirsten Nelson. A number of Bartók’s Rumanian dances will also be included.”

The largest scale and final piece on the program will be Kodály’s Duo, Op. 7 for Violin and Cello.

“Composed in 1914, this work completely explores the full range of both the sonorities and the technical possibilities on the violin and cello,” Dalmas said. “Much like Bartók, Kodály skillfully blends the Hungarian folk music of his native land with the formal musical structures of Western tradition.”

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.