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The Contemporary Music Ensemble at Stephen F. Austin State University will present a concert, which will include using music technology as instruments, at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13, in the Music Recital Hall of the Wright Music Building on the SFA campus.

Directed by Nick Lambson, a Sound Recording Technology faculty member in the SFA School of Music, the Contemporary Ensemble will perform the music of Frank Zappa, Daft Punk, Snarky Puppy, Moondog and more.

Lambson described Zappa, Daft Punk and Snarky Puppy as “artists that exist in more than one world.”

“Their music incorporates elements from multiple styles, and they manage to be both accessible and complex, familiar but interesting,” he said.

Students will perform music that utilizes laptops, iPads and synthesizers. Much of that music will be improvised, using technology as instruments, Lambson said.

“The musical genre minimalism will also be explored with a piece by Moondog, who was homeless in New York City at one time but ended up influencing major composers that followed, like Philip Glass and Steve Reich,” Lambson said.

Student interest in the first two SRT ensembles – Contemporary Ensemble and the Rockin’ Axes – has been so overwhelming that the School of Music expanded its offering, adding a third group this year –­ the Commercial Music Ensemble.

“The Contemporary Music Ensemble will focus on more complex works, including electronic music and progressive musical styles,” Lambson said. “The students have been very excited about the new direction of this group and have been part of its development.”

Admission to the concert is free. For more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.finearts.sfasu.edu.

The Stone Fort Wind Quintet at Stephen F. Austin State University will present a concert of music by North American composers at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

The quintet is comprised of SFA School of Music faculty, including Christina Guenther, flute; Abby Held, oboe; Chris Ayer, clarinet; Charles Gavin, horn; and Lee Goodhew, bassoon. The performance is a feature of the Friends of Music Concert Series.

Among the pieces on the program is the unique “Beer Music” by American composer Brian DuFord. The composer writes, “Beer Music is a musical tasting celebration of our civilization’s fondness for this ancient fermented beverage.” The inspiration for the work was the craft brewery scene in Madison, Wisconsin, as the composer sampled more than 50 beers. Descriptive movement titles include “Black Earth Porter,” “Groundskeeper Willie” and “Hopalicious.”

Two other works also come from American composers who, generally, compose for their own wind quintet, the Imani Winds. “The Afro-Cuban Concerto” for Wind Quintet by Valerie Coleman is inspired by influences of African and Cuban music in American music. “Startin’ Sumthin’ by another member of the Imani Winds, Jeff Scott, is somewhat of a “fusion” composition with influences from both jazz and rock, Gavin explained. “It features virtuosic passages for all the woodwind players,” he added.

“This program promises to have something for everybody,” Gavin said. “We feel every piece on the program will engage the audience. The music is vibrant and colorful. It is sure to be a fun and entertaining concert.”

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.

Elaborate special effects on the big screen can really enhance a movie-going experience. Today’s audiences expect bigger and better every time. That’s exactly what theatre-goers who attend the Stephen F. Austin State University School of Theatre’s presentation of William Shakespeare’s “Titus Andronicus” will receive – an elaborate special effects experience.

Directed by Cleo House Jr., director of the School of Theatre, “Titus Andronicus” chronicles Rome’s honored general as he returns home from war and begins a cycle of revenge filled with bloody deaths as punishment for a series of committed wrongs. The show runs Nov. 12 through 16 in W.M. Turner Auditorium.

This adaptation of “Titus Andronicus” takes place in 2100 in Washington, D.C., in a post American-Russian (Roman-Goth) fallout. The play’s action on stage includes intricate fight choreography, film-like special effects, beheadings and missing limbs. Dr. Slade Billew, assistant professor of acting and movement in the School of Theatre who specializes in fight choreography, has incorporated a variety of fighting styles into the show.

“Since the play was updated to the near future, the fights reflect the wide range of fighting styles available in contemporary society,” Billew said. “The audience will see elements of Kung Fu, Filipino martial arts and various other styles. We intentionally chose a very broad range of weapons, so that we could showcase variety.”

“Titus Andronicus” has been described as one of Shakespeare’s most violent plays. As such, perfecting massive amounts of fight choreography can take a lot of time. “We began choreographing towards the beginning of this semester and have continued to layer in new elements and details throughout the process,” Billew said.

Safety is always a key concern when choreographing fight scenes, according to Billew. Repetition, clarity and control of distance are key to maintaining actor safety. One of the big challenges of this piece has been that many of the fights happen in small spaces, he added.

“This show contains some large group battle scenes that involve a lot of intense activity, and the level of physical demand varies,” he said. “Actors need to maintain a base level of physical fitness, and then receive training through our program to help them move with more efficiency and control.”

Kingwood sophomore Jenna Alley is properties master for the show. She and fellow students have been busy creating the multitude of props needed for “Titus Andronicus,” including severed heads and hands.

“This is one of the biggest shows I’ve ever been a part of, and it’s definitely the biggest and most demanding show I’ve been in here at SFA, so one of the biggest challenges is the sheer quantity of props needed for this production,” she said. “The process of creating props is amazing, from coming up with some kind of concept or sketch and then figuring out how to make it work and then finally being able to see and hold it in your hands.”

The students have learned such techniques as how to create molds of and cast hands and faces and how to make human entrails – projects that seemed “really daunting at first,” Alley said.

“We’ve learned that sometimes there’s a lot of trial and error before you get something absolutely perfect,” she said, “but it’s worth it once you end up with something you’re really proud of.

“I think we are all super excited to see the whole thing come together and also to have other people finally see it,” she said. “Everyone in this production, and all the students whose names aren’t in the playbill but came in to help, worked so incredibly hard, and I think it absolutely paid off.”

Billew said he is looking forward to seeing how the audience reacts to the show, which opens with a mass battle on stage.

“Figuring out something that is dynamic, but clear enough for audiences to follow while so much action is happening on stage, has been fun,” he said.

“Titus Andronicus” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, Nov. 12 through 16, in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the SFA campus. A matinee for high school students is at 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 14.

Single tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and non-SFA students and $7.50 for youth. Tickets for SFA students are $5. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.theatre.sfasu.edu. The play is recommended for mature audiences.

Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host the monthly Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series at 7 p.m. Nov. 14 in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, located at 2900 Raguet St.

Dr. Jeb Fields, assistant professor and extension specialist for commercial ornamental horticulture with the Louisiana State University AgCenter, will present “Gardening in the Deep South the Cajun Way: Observations from Plant Trials.”

Fields is located at the Hammond Research Station in Louisiana where he works closely with nursery, greenhouse and landscape industries. His research and extension program focuses on environmental nursery production and sustainable landscaping systems.

Additionally, Fields serves as Louisiana Super Plants Program chair, which identifies and highlights superior plant material for Louisiana landscapes. He also is director of the LSU AgCenter’s Ornamental Trial Gardens, where a variety of plant material is trialed annually, including seasonal bedding plants, hardy perennials, woody shrubs and landscape trees sourced from around the world.

Fields’ is motivated professionally by a passion for natural source stewardship in horticulture and incorporating sound practices to build a more profitable and sustainable green industry.

The Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series is held the second Thursday of each month and includes a rare plant raffle after the program. The lecture is free and open to the public, but donations to the Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series fund are always appreciated.

Parking is available at the PNPC and Raguet Elementary School, located at 2428 Raguet St.

For more information, call (936) 468-4129, or email sfagardens@sfasu.edu.

A new sculpture outside the McGee Business Building on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus is a reflection of the work being conducted within the walls of the Nelson Rusche College of Business – offering educational opportunities that will “launch” students into successful business careers.

Made possible by a donation from Norman Schippers, a 1990 graduate of the college and current Executive Advisory Board member, the sculpture is eight-feet tall and stands directly outside the front entrance of the building with a purple arrow pointing up and away from the building. The structure is a representation of the mission statement of the college.

“Implementing our Learn, Launch, Lead mission has been transformational for the college, and this sculpture serves both as a testament to its success and its visual representation to all who pass by our building,” said Dr. Timothy Bisping, dean of the college. “We are so grateful to Mr. Schippers for donating this beautiful piece to the college.”

As an SFA student, Schippers was a member of the Lumberjack Basketball team. After a successful consulting career, he founded Alodia Sports Academy in 2008 with a goal of developing a new generation of leaders through sports. According to its website, the organization offers a safe environment where children can experience the joy of competition and learn the true meaning of sportsmanship.

The sculpture was crafted by local artist Jeffie Brewer, a former SFA faculty member in the school of art. With a five-month construction timeline, the artwork will help reinforce the college’s mission both locally and outside of East Texas.

“I am honored to give back to Stephen F. Austin State University and the Rusche College of Business,” Schippers said. “The education I received at SFA was instrumental in allowing me to launch into my professional career and various leadership roles. I’m pleased to support Dr. Bisping’s vision for this project, in which the sculpture serves as a daily reminder of the powerful mission statement and an opportunity for students to capture photos and create lasting memories.”

To learn more about the College of Business, visit sfasu.edu/business.

By Kevin Meyer, senior marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.

A herpetologist who has called snakes the “coolest animals ever” will deliver a seminar about cottonmouths at 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7, in Stephen F. Austin State University’s Miller Science Building, Room 137.

Dr. William Lutterschmidt, professor of biology at Sam Houston State University, will present “The Ecology of Evaporative Water Loss in the Northern Cottonmouth” and will speak about how this process affects snakes.

“Snakes are wonderful models for studying the physiological ecology of cutaneous water loss because they shed their entire skin,” Lutterschmidt said.

The one-hour seminar is presented by SFA’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, along with the Department of Biology, and is free and open to the public.

For more information about the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, visit atcofa.sfasu.edu. To learn more about the Department of Biology, visit sfasu.edu/biology.

By Joanna Armstrong, marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.