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NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS – The music of Leonard Bernstein and Bela Bartók will be spotlighted in “West Side Story to Bartók,” a concert presented by the Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

Guest percussionist Marcus Reddick will join pianists John and Jean Roberts and percussionist Brad Meyers, SFA College of Music faculty members, in the performance, which is a feature of the Cole Performing Arts Series.

Reddick is director of percussion studies in the Townsend School of Music at Mercer University in Macon, Ga., where he teaches applied percussion, percussion ensemble, percussion techniques and courses in music theory, orchestration, musicianship and jazz appreciation as well as assisting with the Mercer Wind and Jazz Ensembles. He has toured extensively and performed around the world as a solo artist, a chamber musician and as a member of numerous ensembles.

Compositions featured on the program include Bartók’s “Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion” and Bernstein’s “Symphonic Dances” from “West Side Story.”

“The Hungarian composer Bela Bartók wrote this significant composition in 1938,” said John Roberts, professor of piano at SFA. “Bartok’s music infuses the infectious rhythms, melodic types, phrase patterns and instrumental colors of Hungarian folk music.

“The Bartok sonata is a major work for two pianists and two percussionists,” he added. “We are pleased to be able to present this performance with our special guest percussionist, Marcus Reddick.”

The arrangement of Bernstein’s ever-popular “West Side Story” is a medley of some of the top selections from the Broadway musical, such as “Somewhere,” “Cha-Cha,” “Cool,” “Maria” and “Mambo.”

Reddick will perform both the Bartok and the Bernstein pieces with John and Jean Roberts, while Meyer will provide a second percussion part for the Bartok sonata.

Tickets are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $2 for students. For tickets or more information, call (936) 468-6407.

The festivities for the annual Homecoming at Stephen F. Austin State University will be off to an exciting start Oct. 19 with the 2012 Legacy Dinner.

The Legacy Dinner will honor three former SFA Alumni Association staff members and their dedication and service to the SFA alumni family. This year’s honorees are Bob Sitton, Betty Ford and Mitzi Blackburn. In addition, the Legacy Dinner will also specially recognize the Class of 1962.

The Legacy reception will begin at 6:30 p.m. with cocktails at The Vault Wine Bar in the Hotel Fredonia. The Legacy Dinner will begin at 7 p.m. in the Banita Ballroom of the Fredonia. The dinner will feature a live auction, beginning at 8 p.m. and the Benefit Drawing, where the winning ticket will be drawn. The Benefit Drawing tickets are $100 each and if drawn as the winning ticket, $10,000 will be added to the scholarship of the winner’s choice or to the SFA Alumni Association Endowment Fund.

Tickets for the Legacy dinner are $50 per person, $90 per couple and $350 for a table of eight. Seating is limited; please make your reservation by October 12.

Unique to this year’s Homecoming events is an online auction. The online auction will feature highly rated items and activities. The online auction will run from October 6th until October 21st. Please visit www.biddingforgood.com/SFAHomecoming to view the online auction items.

The SFA Alumni Association encourages you to participate in an effort to increase the scholarship endowment that serves as a valuable resource for future generation of Lumberjacks. All proceeds from the live auction, online auction and Benefit Drawing go toward the SFA Alumni Association Scholarship Fund.

To purchase tickets and make a reservation or for more information about Homecoming events, please contact the SFA Alumni Association at (936) 468-3407 or visit www.sfaalumni.com.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin State University Lumberjack Marching Band is selling tickets for its “Band Aid” fundraiser benefiting the group’s upcoming trip abroad.

Tickets for Cajun-themed to-go dinners will be sold for $10 each through Thursday, Nov 1, and will be available for drive-through pick up from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9, on Vista Drive west of the student center. The meals will be prepared by ARAMARK, SFA’s food-service partner, and will consist of Cajun chicken and sausage jambalaya, green beans, cornbread, hot sauce and a chocolate chip cookie.

Proceeds from the fundraiser will be used to support the band’s upcoming trip to the United Kingdom, where the group will lead the 2013 London New Year’s Day Parade. Approximately 150 SFA band members are expected to participate in the 27th annual parade, which is watched by more than 600,000 spectators and televised to 280 million people around the world. More than 20 different countries will be represented in the parade and associated concert performances.

To purchase tickets for the fundraising dinner, please contact the band office at (936) 468-4702.