Everything Nac

The Hachidori Duo at Stephen F. Austin State University will present “Songs and Dances” when the ensemble performs at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, in Cole Concert Hall in the Wright Music Building on the SFA campus.

The Hachidori Duo includes husband-and-wife musicians Dr. Jennifer Dalmas, associate professor of violin and viola in the SFA School of Music, and Dr. Evgeni Raychev, cello instructor. Their recital is a feature of the School of Music’s Cole Performing Arts Series.

The program features works by J.S. Bach, Rebecca Clarke, Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály.

“We chose the title ‘Songs and Dances’ because we are including wonderful examples of each in our program,” Dalmas said. “Our recital will open with some lovely transcriptions of arias from Bach’s ‘Magnificat’ for violin and cello, arranged by Norman Nelson, father of SFA School of Music faculty member Kirsten Nelson. A number of Bartók’s Rumanian dances will also be included.”

The largest scale and final piece on the program will be Kodály’s Duo, Op. 7 for Violin and Cello.

“Composed in 1914, this work completely explores the full range of both the sonorities and the technical possibilities on the violin and cello,” Dalmas said. “Much like Bartók, Kodály skillfully blends the Hungarian folk music of his native land with the formal musical structures of Western tradition.”

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.

The Stephen F. Austin State University College of Fine Arts and School of Music will present a guest flute and guitar recital featuring Julee Kim Walker and Alejandro Montiel at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

Walker, who is assistant professor of flute at Texas A&M University-Commerce, and Montiel, who leads two full-time guitar studios at both Sam Houston State University and Lone Star College-Montgomery, will present their 2016 fall recital tour program, “Dance, Dance, Revolution.”

“I am very excited to be hosting Julee Kim Walker and Alejandro Montiel,” said Dr. Christina Guenther, professor of flute at SFA. “They are presenting a really exciting program of works for flute and guitar by masters ranging from Bach to Piazzolla, which I think will appeal to all audience members.”

Among the program pieces are Partita in A Minor by J.S. Bach, Saudade No. 3 by Roland Dyens, Serenade, Op. 127 by Mauro Giuliani and other works by Astor Piazzolla and Jacques Ibert.

Walker is an active performer and pedagogue in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex where she is director of the annual Texas Summer Flute Symposium held in Commerce. She performs regularly with the Sherman Symphony, South Arkansas Symphony, Abilene Philharmonic, Lyric Stage (Irving), and has also performed with the Dallas Opera, the Dallas Symphony and Shreveport Symphony orchestras. She has appeared as soloist with the American Wind Symphony, Texas A&M University-Commerce Wind Ensemble and Banda Sinfônica de Cubatão
in Brazil. She is also a member of Metroplex Flutes and FlutAria! trio.

Described by Soundboard Magazine as a “flawless musician, filled to the brim with polished technique,” guitarist Montiel enjoys a performing career that has taken him throughout the United States, Central America and Europe. He is also a sought-after chamber musician throughout Texas and has been featured on multiple recordings, including the Texas Guitar Quartet’s critically acclaimed debut album “RED.”

Walker will also present a flute master class earlier in the day from 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. in the Music Recital Hall. Guenther will be involved in a guest artist exchange and will be traveling to Texas A&M-Commerce in October to present a concert and master class.

The concert is part of the Cole Performing Arts Series. 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. Cole Concert Hall is located in the Tom and Peggy Wright Music Building, 2210 Alumni Drive.

Playwright Michael Roderick’s “Props” will open the fall semester of Stephen F. Austin State University School of Theatre’s student-directed plays.

Directed by San Antonio senior Jade Bishoppetty, “Props” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23, and at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, in the Downstage Theatre on the SFA campus.

The play is about a prop artist who immerses himself in his work after a difficult breakup. The project involves a prop woman, and the women in his life become concerned with his obsession, Bishoppetty said.

“His creation comes to life, and he has to deal with making decisions about love and relationships,” she said.

The cast includes Austin sophomore Gabriel Penaloza-Hernandez as Andrew; Lake Dallas senior Andrea Nelson as Susan; Houston junior Anais Saenz as Kerri; Maypearl junior Chelsea Rodrigue as Denise; and Tyler senior Katt Akin as Melissa.

The production staff includes Matthew Weaver, Lake Dallas sophomore, stage manager; Andy Bauerle, Conroe senior, scenic designer; Victoria Medrano, Edinburg junior, costume designer; Reagan Moore, Richmond junior, lighting designer; Danika Pettyjohn, Fort Worth senior, sound designer; and Kindle Bonner, Hudson senior, properties manager.

The play is recommended for mature audiences. Faculty production advisor is Dr. Rick Jones.

Bishoppetty has previously directed “The Red Coat,” “The Brothers Grimm Spectacular” and Act 3, Scene 2 of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

The Downstage Theatre is located in the Griffith Fine Arts Building, 2222 Alumni Drive.

Tickets are $4. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit theatre.sfasu.edu.

Stephen F. Austin State University’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture is pairing with Nacogdoches Parks and Recreation to host NacogdoTREES, a free, community-wide contest celebrating the natural beauty of Nacogdoches, from Sept. 19 through Nov. 18.

“The goal of NacogdoTREES is to highlight the importance of urban and community trees, raise awareness of their ecological benefits, introduce the community to the field of forestry and encourage citizens to spend time outdoors,” said Sarah Fuller, outreach coordinator for SFA’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture.

The contest includes categories for largest-tree circumference, largest crown, tallest tree and best shade tree, as well as best overall tree. College faculty members developed videos available on the contest’s web page to help teach and guide participants on how to complete basic forestry measurements, such as tree height and crown spread.

“Keep in mind that it’s not just all about numbers and measurements,” said Dr. Shelby Laird, assistant professor of forestry. “The best overall tree may be the tree with the best story, the most fans or simply just the most beautiful. We really hope NacogdoTREES will encourage people to get out to some of our amazing city parks and recreation areas on SFA’s campus.”

The contest also will serve as a learning opportunity for beginning forestry students at SFA. Students enrolled in Laird’s careers and competencies in forestry course will execute technical measurements needed to determine the category winners. Laird said she also hopes the contest will provide insight into what specifically endears individuals to certain trees and provide baseline data for future research.

Trees eligible for submission must be located on the SFA campus or on property managed by Nacogdoches Parks and Recreation. For contest guidelines, entry forms, prize list, area maps and resources, visit forestry.sfasu.edu/nacogdotrees/.