Everything Nac

Stephen F. Austin State University will host guest speaker Brian O’Nuanain at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19, in the Vera Dugas Liberal Arts North Building, Room 142, during Geography Awareness Week and International Education Week.

O’Nuanain, a geographer by education and teacher by profession, will give a public presentation titled “Ireland: Land of Saints, Scholars and Sinners.” Additionally, he plans to visit cultural geography and world regional geography classes while on campus.

“This event allows emphasis on SFA’s interest in globalizing students’ experiences through curriculum and activities to help better prepare graduates for a world of careers,” said Dr. Darrel McDonald, professor of geography in the Department of Anthropology, Geography and Sociology at SFA.

O’Nuanain was born and raised in Ireland and has lived in England, France, United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe. He currently resides in Bossier City, Louisiana, where he hosts a Thursday morning broadcast on the local NPR affiliate Red River Radio and writes a weekly column for the local newspaper.

“This will be a fascinating adventure into literature and a world of experiences,” said McDonald.

The presentation is sponsored by SFA’s College of Liberal and Applied Arts, the Department of Anthropology, Geography and Sociology, the Office of International Programs, and the Office of the Provost. The event is free and open to the public.

For more information, please contact McDonald at (936) 468-2330 or Heather Catton, director of international programs, at (936) 468-6631.

A jazz combo comprised of Stephen F. Austin State University music faculty will perform with the SFA Wind Ensemble in a concert titled “New Directions” at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 24, in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the university campus.

The faculty combo includes Deb Scott, trombone; Larry Greer, guitar; J.D. Salas, bass; Brad Meyer, percussion; and James Pitts, piano. Tamey Anglley, assistant director of bands, will guest conduct the piece they will perform with the Wind Ensemble – “Electric Vortex” by Jennifer Bellor.

“Jennifer Bellor composed the piece to simulate the idea of an electric vortex where the jazz combo is the center of the vortex from where all electricity emerges,” Anglley said.

SFA is among eight schools across the country that commissioned this piece last spring, Anglley explained.

“We will be performing the Texas premiere,” she said. “We would like to thank our student organizations Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma for their financial contribution towards this endeavor.”

Bellor recently completed her doctorate at the Eastman School of Music and primarily composes for jazz big bands.

“She is a new, young composer who has an interesting musical voice,” Anglley said.

This concert, which is a joint presentation of the SFA College of Fine Arts and School of Music, is called “New Directions” because most of the compositions were written in the last 10 years, according to Fred J. Allen, director of bands at SFA and of the Wind Ensemble. The lone exception is “Ouverture” by French composer Germaine Tailleferre, performed in a transcription by John Paynter. Other pieces include “Crossing Parallels” by Kathryn Salfelder and “Tiger Tail March” by Louisiana composer Julie Giroux.

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.