Everything Nac

The Stone Fort Wind Quintet at Stephen F. Austin State University will present its fall recital at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 8, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

The quintet is comprised of SFA School of Music faculty members Christina Guenther, flute; Graham Mackenzie, oboe; Christopher Ayer, clarinet; Andrea Denis, horn; and Margaret Fay, bassoon.

This concert of the Stone Fort Wind Quintet is the premiere performance for three new faculty members – Mackenzie, Denis and Fay.

“Dr. Ayer and I are happy to welcome them to this long-standing faculty ensemble, and the entire quintet hopes the audience enjoys our fall concert,” Guenther said.

The program features Charles Delaney’s Suite for Woodwind Quintet, “Petite Offrande Musicale” (Petite Musical Offering) by Nino Rota, Karl Jenkins’ “Chums!,” and The Suite for Wind Quintet by Amanda Harberg.

Guenther describes Delaney’s Suite for Woodwind Quintet as “a charming piece in six movements.” After the introduction, each movement features a different instrument in the quintet: March features horn; Waltz features flute; Gavotte features bassoon; Sarabande features oboe; and Gigue features clarinet. “Delaney intended this work for children’s concerts, as it displays characteristics of the various instruments,” she said. Delaney was the longtime flute professor at the Florida State University and a teacher of Dr. Guenther.

“Petite Offrande Musicale” (Petite Musical Offering) by Nino Rota is a short work alternating a contemplative slower theme and a cheerful, energetic second theme. Rota was an Italian composer, conductor and pianist.

Jenkins is a Welch multi-instrumentalist and composer. His work, “Chums!,” is a high-energy showpiece with quirky twists and turns throughout presented through meter changes, sudden key changes, and unexpected interjections of new themes, according to Guenther. “Listen for the surprise added effect performed by all quintet members at the end of this fun piece,” she said.

The Suite for Wind Quintet by Amanda Harberg is “an exquisitely-written work that requires ultimate focus from the performers,” Guenther said. Composed in four movements – Cantus, Furlana, Fantasia and Cabaletta – it features “beautiful melodies, virtuosic technical passages, and an incredible amount of mixed meter.”

“This piece requires excellent ensemble communication, presents individual and ensemble challenges, and has become a favorite of the Stone Fort Wind Quintet,” Guenther said. Harberg is an actively-performing pianist/composer and teaches at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey.

Admission is free. For additional information, contact the SFA School of Music at (936) 468-4602.

Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host the wreath-making seminar “Deck the Halls: Using Evergreens to Decorate for the Holidays” from 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 11 at the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, located at 2900 Raguet St.

Evergreen branches and garlands once served as symbols of enduring life and a fruitful year to come. Dawn Stover, SFA Gardens research associate, will teach participants how to create elegant wreaths and garlands using these and other materials from the garden.

The principles of wreath, garland and centerpiece construction will be discussed, and seminar-goers will make a wreath to take home for the holidays.

In addition to traditional wreaths and garlands, Stover will introduce new crafts using natural items from the garden and forest. All materials will be provided.

The cost is $30 for SFA Garden members and $40 for nonmembers. Class size is limited. To register in advance, call (936) 468-4129, or email romigad@sfasu.edu.

Installation students in the Stephen F. Austin State University School of Art will exhibit their installation artworks starting Nov. 5 at Fire House Nac in downtown Nacogdoches. “SFA Exhibition: Installation Art” will show through Nov. 20.

An opening reception is planned for 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 5, at Fire House Nac, located at 708 Swift St. The exhibition opening will feature the performance “Cocktails on the Veranda” by Catherine Pears with her character Virginia Lee Sutherlin at 6:30 p.m.

The exhibition features work by undergraduate students Jenna Alley of Kingwood; Samantha Altamirano of Nacogdoches; Amber Barrett of Conroe; Cameron Blankinship of Rusk; Megan Bynum of Brownwood; Armando Chavez-Garcia of Corpus Christi; Nicolas Gagne of Nacogdoches; Sarah Gharst of Cypress; Koi Johnson of Waco; Andrea Leaman of Crockett; Cherry Reyes of Leander; and Abbey Stogner of White Oak; and graduate students Catherine Pears of Alexandria. Louisiana; and Homero Gutiérrez of Cuidad de Chihuahua, Mexico. The students are in the Advanced Sculpture: Installation class in the School of Art.

“I am thrilled at the opportunity to forge a relationship between the student artists at SFA and artists living and working within the community,” Assistant Professor of Sculpture Eden Collins said. “Fire House Nac opened their doors as an art studio and artist collective in September, and we are honored to share their space with them.”

Fire House Nac is comprised of artists Brigette Kozash, Britt Mitchell, Holden and Dillon Graham, and their work spans stained glass, painting, ceramics, rug making and more.

Admission to the exhibition and reception is free. Exhibition hours at Fire House Nac are 1 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday or by appointment. For more information, contact Collins at eden.collins@sfasu.edu or Fire House Nac on their Facebook page.

The Cello Club will present “Abiding Melodies – Harry Potter Listening to Elgar” when the collaborative group of cellists from throughout East Texas performs at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, in Cole Concert Hall on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University.

An endeavor begun in 2014 by Dr. Evgeni Raychev, cello instructor in the SFA School of Music, Cello Club has brought together up to 40 cellists at a time to collaborate on various themed concerts.

“After a long interval of pandemic reflection, Cello Club will meet again on the beautiful campus of Stephen F. Austin State University for yet another memorable performance,” Raychev said. “Cellists from near and far will collaborate together to create meaningful music with the abiding melodies of Sir Edward Elgar’s cello concerto.”

In addition to Elgar’s Cello Concerto in E minor, the English-themed program will feature musical highlights from Vaughn Williams’ Concerto Grosso, John Williams’ “Harry Potter” music, Max Richter’s “On the Nature of Daylight” and Thomas Tallis’ “Lamentation of Jeremiah.”

Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for students and youth. To purchase tickets, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit finearts.sfasu.edu. For additional information, contact the SFA School of Music at (936) 468-4602.

Robin Kesselman, principal bass with the Houston Symphony Orchestra, and colleague Boson Mo, violin, Houston Symphony Orchestra, will collaborate to present a recital at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 2, in the Music Recital Hall, Room 160, in Wright Music Building on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University.

Admission is free. For information about the SFA School of Music, call (936) 468-4602.