Everything Nac

Qui Qarre, an author and award-winning poet from Nairobi, Kenya, will serve as guest poet and judge during “Esperanza’s Night Out,” beginning at 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 22, at the Stone Fort Museum on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University.

Qarre, who is among the leading spoken word women poets in Kenya, is the author of two anthologies, “Tears of the Pen” and “Broken Vase.” She won the Slam Africa Women’s Poetry Competition in 2016. In 2017, she represented Kenya at the Women of the World Poetry Slam in Dallas, where she ranked No. 29 among 96. She later competed in the Women of the Bayou City Poetry Slam in Houston, where she scored 27.5 out of 30 for her overall performance.

“I first heard Qui perform in Houston,” said Dr. Flora Farago, SFA associate professor in the School of Human Sciences. “She has performed across the U.S. and Africa. Having her visit Nacogdoches and participate in this event is a real treasure. It will help the audience get a taste of ‘poetical activism,’ which is the merging of poetry, art and a call to action for social justice and reflection.”

“Esperanza’s Night Out” is a collaboration between the Stone Fort Museum and the Nacogdoches Public Library’s Big Read grant. The event offers an exploration of Sandra Cisernos’ novel, “A House on Mango Street,” and the novel’s heroine and narrator, Esperanza Codero.

Following popular themes from the book, participants will engage in various activities, such as calligraphy and writing their own vignette on a vintage typewriter. The poetry slam, which Qarre will judge, is part of the festivities.

“This is a great opportunity for SFA students and the community to experience the work of an internationally recognized poet,” said Carolyn Spears, Stone Fort Museum curator. “The event is free, and refreshments will be served. I hope everyone will join us for this wonderful October event.”

Qarre’s anthologies will be for sale during the event, and she will be happy to autograph them.

Contestants can register at the museum on the day of the event for the poetry slam. More information about cash prizes and guidelines is available by contacting the museum at (936) 468-2408 or by visiting https://bit.ly/PoetrySlamSFM.

The Percussion Ensemble from Northwestern State University will present a preview performance of their 2021 Percussive Arts Society International Convention New Literature Showcase Concert when the ensemble performs at 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 24, on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University.

This year’s Percussive Arts Society International Convention New Literature Showcase Concert will take place on Nov. 12 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Four pieces were commissioned by the ensemble to be premiered this year, including “Trinetik” by Andrea Venet; “Arcus Nubes” by Joe Moore; “Fuerza Negra” by Francisco Perez; and “Tang Meng” by Tao Li.

The Oct. 24 concert will be in Cole Concert Hall in Wright Music Building, 2210 Alumni Drive.

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.

The School of Music at Stephen F. Austin State University will present “A Mid-Century Chamber Music Faculty Recital” as its fall Coleidoscope concert at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 24, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

The Coleidoscope concert is part of a faculty chamber music series dedicated to performing music with various, often less standard, combinations of instruments and that explores a variety of genres and repertoire, according to Dr. Jennifer Dalmas, professor of violin at SFA.

“This October, we are happy to present an exciting and eclectic group of pieces, all written between the post WWII years of 1947 and 1950,” Dalmas said. “‘Coleidoscope”‘is a play on words, referencing the different colors of the musical kaleidoscope and as a tribute to our dear patrons, the late Ed and Gwen Cole.”

“Concerto a Tre” by Ingolf Dahl was composed in 1947 (shortly after Dahl emigrated to the U.S.) and is a concertante trio for clarinet, violin and cello. “Written in one continuous movement with three sections, this work alternates between playful and lyrical characters, and ends with a fast, exciting coda,” Dalmas explained.

The Quartet for Bassoon and String Trio by American bassoonist and composer Bernard Garfield, written in 1950, is “a charming work” that has three contrasting movements, she said.

The final piece on the program, Quartet for Oboe, Violin, Cello and Piano, was written by Bohuslav Martinu, a Czech composer that also emigrated to the U.S. after WWII. “Also composed in 1947, this two-movement work is an attractive piece that utilizes neoclassical style and is considered one of his finest chamber works,” Dalmas said.

In addition to Dalmas, other faculty performers include Christopher Ayer, clarinet; Margaret Fay, bassoon; Graham Mackenzie, oboe; Melissa Nabb, viola; Evgeni Raychev, cello; and Minhae Lee, piano.

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.