Everything Nac

Stephen F. Austin State University’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture will host a public ceremony on the SFA campus to officially crown the latest addition to the Texas Big Tree Registry.

The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. Friday, March 1, at the SFA Arboretum gazebo, located at 2031 Wilson Drive.

The tree, a chalk maple, was submitted to the Texas A&M Forest Service for consideration by Greg Grant, Smith County extension agent and former horticulturalist for SFA Gardens. The agency manages the statewide Texas Big Tree Registry and is responsible for confirming trees worthy of inclusion.

“Being home to a state-champion tree is a unique honor, yet it seems fitting for a university with trees in its DNA,” said Dr. Steve Westbrook, interim university president. “I think all Lumberjacks would agree that SFA wouldn’t be the same in any setting other than our beautiful, wooded campus.”

The Texas Big Tree Registry recognizes the largest known tree of each species growing in the state. Currently, there are 274 state champion trees — 75 of which hold the title of national champion for their species.

According to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Plant Database, chalk maples, although rare, are native to Texas and are a southern variation of the sugar maple.

“The tree itself is not very big, but for the species, it’s impressive,” said John Boyette, district forester with the Texas A&M Forest Service.

SFA’s champion chalk maple measures 28 feet tall with a circumference of 34 inches and a crown spread of 30 feet.

For more information regarding this event, contact Sarah Fuller, outreach coordinator for SFA’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, at (936) 468-1185 or fullersa@sfasu.edu.

The Orchestra of the Pines at Stephen F. Austin State University will perform the music of Samuel Barber and Felix Mendelssohn in a concert at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

Dr. Pierre-Alain Chevalier, visiting director of orchestral activities in the School of Music, will conduct the orchestra performing “Sorrow and Joy” featuring Barber’s “Knoxville: Summer of 1915” and Mendelssohn’s “Italian.”

Soprano Amanda Sheriff is soloist for “Knoxville: Summer of 1915,” op. 24. The orchestra’s program will also include Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4 in A major, op. 90, his Italian symphony.

Sheriff graduated from SFA with a master’s degree in vocal performance and a bachelor’s degree in music education. While earning her master’s, she received many accolades, including receiving one of the two voice assistantships allowing her to teach voice to collegiate level music minors and non-music majors. She was president of the 2017 A Cappella Choir and directed a scene for the SFA Opera Scenes performance in 2018.

While at SFA, Sheriff was awarded with the Opera Conductor’s Award, Baumgartner- Outstanding Senior Voice Award and Recitalist of the Year, and she earned her membership into Pi Kappa Lambda music honor society. She was selected to perform in SFA’s exclusive Madrigal Singers. Sheriff studied voice with SFA alumnus Debbie Berry.

Sheriff performed principal operatic roles with SFA opera, including Lauretta in “Gianni Schicchi” (Puccini), Rosabella in “The Most Happy Fella” (Loesser), Marenka in “The Bartered Bride” (Smetna), Anne in “The Merry Wives of Windsor” (Nicola), and Pamina in “The Magic Flute” (Mozart). Sheriff has also competed at the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), placing in the finals from 2013-2018.

Outside of SFA, Sheriff has performed as soloist at the Texas Music Educators Association Conference (TMEA) in 2015, sang the title-role in Carlisle Floyd’s “Susannah” with Red River Lyric Opera Festival in 2016. She performed with the renowned Ron Raines and the Longview Symphony in 2017, performed the chamber opera “Face on the Barroom Floor” (Mollicone), and was the soprano-soloist in Faure’s Requiem with the St. Cyprian Episcopal Church. Sheriff was a chancel choir member at First United Methodist Church in Nacogdoches under direction of Dr. Tod Fish, associate director of choral activities at SFA, since 2013.

Sheriff recently moved to the Washington, D.C., area with her fiancé and is currently pursuing a career in performance on the East Coast. This summer, Sheriff will perform the role of Susanna in “Le Nozze di Figaro” (Mozart) at Seagle Music Colony in Schroon Lake, New York.

The concert is a joint presentation of the College of Fine Arts and School of Music.

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.

Three Stephen F. Austin State University Department of Government professors published the sixth edition of the textbook “Lone Star Politics: Tradition and Transformation in Texas.”

Drs. Steven Galatas and Julie Harrelson-Stephens, associate professors, and Dr. Ken Collier, professor, published the first edition in 2008, and now more than 10 years later the newest edition is on its way to universities across the state.

“We’re especially proud of our textbook because it helps get SFA’s name on campuses throughout the state; particularly two-year colleges where many of our transfer students come from,” Collier said. “We’re happy that students at competing universities are reading our textbook.”

The sixth edition expands its coverage on civil rights and examines the relationship between state and federal and local governments. The textbook is available for purchase through sagepublishing.com or on Amazon.

Story by Emily Brown, marketing communications specialist for Stephen F. Austin State University.

The Friends of Music at Stephen F. Austin State University will host a fundraiser for the School of Music that will give the community and contributors an entertaining “behind-the-scenes” look at the school and its talented faculty and students.

“Up Close and Personal” will be presented from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, March 3, in the Tom and Peggy Wright Music Building on the SFA campus. Beginning with an opening reception in the lobby of Cole Concert Hall, participants will enjoy hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar and bid on silent auction items.

The Friends of Music have adopted the slogan “Let’s Keep the Music Playing” in an effort to broaden the donor base for the School of Music, to acquaint more people in the community with the outstanding music program and to “demonstrate why we all need to support it,” said Susie Lower, Friends of Music co-chair for fundraising.

“So much of our community is unaware of the excellent reputation our School of Music has throughout the state or how much business it brings to the Nacogdoches area through its many programs, workshops, summer camps and competitions,” said Carolyn Andrews, Friends of Music board present and fundraising co-chair.

Dr. Gary Wurtz, director of the School of Music, and music professors Deborah Dalton, Stephen Lias, Jen Dalmas and Kayla Roth will give interactive presentations that will prove both fun and informative. The SFA Faculty Brass, as well as Dr. Brad Meyer and the Percussion Ensemble, will perform and engage audience members as well.

There is no charge for admission, but donations to “keep the music playing” will be accepted. Reservations and/or credit card donations are accepted by calling (936) 468-6407. Checks should be made payable to SFASU with “Up Close and Personal” in the memo line.