Lecture-Concert Series for 2008-09 brings variety of events to ASU

Sept. 23, 2008 -- The Lecture-Concert Series presents diverse programs to enrich the cultural life of the campus, community, and region. For more details, contact Dr. Gil Fowler, associate dean for the Honors College, at (870) 972-2308, or via e-mail at gfowler@astate.edu. View or print the 2008-09 Lecture-Concert Series flyer.

2008-09 ASU Lecture-Concert Series Events

"Moments in Time: Photos and Stories from One of America's Top Photojournalists"
DIRCK HALSTEAD  –  TIME Photographer
Monday,  Sept. 22,  7 pm  –  ASU Student Union Auditorium

With 54 TIME magazine covers to his credit, Dirck Halstead is one of the most gifted photojournalists of our time.  He has enjoyed a front row seat to the great events of the last half of the twentieth century and beyond. “Moments in Time” is an evocative and memorable reminder of the triumphs and turmoil, tragedies, and joy of the closing decades of the twentieth century and the beginning of a new era. The performance is a retrospective of his work with lots of inside stories about presidents and movies. There are lessons to be shared by all generations. His iconic photograph of Clinton embracing a then-unknown intern, Monica Lewinsky, became the “smoking gun” image that was published all over the world. Halstead is editor and publisher of The Digital Journalist, (www.digitaljournalist.org), a monthly online magazine for visual journalists.

Co-sponsored by the ASU Department of Journalism, the President’s Partnership Fund and Canon USA's Explorers of Light program.

“Politics and Real Life …”         
PAUL SHANKLIN  –  Political Satirist, Impressionist
Thursday,  Oct. 2,  7 pm  –  ASU Student Union Auditorium

A Memphis native, Paul Shanklin is an American conservative political satirist, impressionist and comedian. Shanklin first came to media attention after doing his vocal impersonation of Bill Clinton for Memphis radio show host “The Big Kahuna,” Bill Young.  Paul writes most of, and voices the characters for the songs/satirical bits used by conservative radio hosts Rush Limbaugh and Mike Fleming. Shanklin has released 10 albums containing both parody songs and political skits utilizing his skill and voice impressions. He has performed over 1,300 parody songs and skits incorporating over 80 voice impressions including Bill Clinton, Ross Perot, Al Gore, George W. Bush, Joe Lieberman and many others. His skits are heard worldwide on more than 650 radio stations with an audience of more than 20 million.

“An Evening with The Graffe Strings”
GRAFFE STRING QUARTET and MICHIKO OTAKI, pianist
Monday,  Oct. 20,  7:30 pm  –  Riceland Hall, ASU Fowler Center

The Graffe String Quartet ranks among the best and most promising ensembles of its generation. Founded in 1997 at the Brno Conservatory (Czech Republic), the ensemble has been quite successful both on the concert stage and in international competitions. Abroad, the Graffe Quartet has been heard throughout Slovakia, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and in the UK. Critics have often praised the youthful freshness, temperament, expression, and interpretative ripeness of the Quartet. The Czech Chamber Music Society in Prague, under the auspices of the Czech Philharmonic, has named the Graffe String Quartet winner of its 2008 Prize for most promising young ensemble. Pianist Michiko Otaki, who has performed with them at international festivals, is touring with the group.

"An Evening with Patrick Sheridan"
PATRICK SHERIDAN  –  World Class Tubist
Tuesday,  Oct. 21,  7:30 pm  –  Riceland Hall, ASU Fowler Center

As a former member of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, Patrick Sheridan has thrilled audiences across the United States with his amazing virtuosity and musicianship as one of the band’s primary soloists.  He is equally at home with standard classical repertoire and as an entertainer in the realm of pop music. Recently featured on NBC’s Today Show, he is a regular on BBC Radio and PBS and NPR broadcasts including the program, “All Things Considered.” This year's touring schedule will take him to 20 countries around the globe and 35 states across America. He has also co-authored the popular pedagogy book, "The Breathing Gym," with Sam Pilafian.    

Co-sponsored by ASU Bands and Jupiter Instruments.

“Women, Religion, Race & Civil Rights”   
BETTYE COLLIER-THOMAS  –  Scholar, Civil Rights Authority
Tuesday,  Nov. 11,  7 pm  –  ASU Student Union Auditorium

Dr. Bettye Collier-Thomas is a professor of History and director of the Temple University Center for African American History and Culture. As the founding executive director of the Bethune Museum-Archives Inc., National Historic Site, she developed the nation's first museum and archives for black women's history. As special consultant to the National Endowment for the Humanities, she developed the agency's first program of technical assistance to black museums and historical organizations. Dr. Collier-Thomas is directing research and will write the first comprehensive history of “African American Women and the Church, 1780-1970.” She has served on the faculties of Howard University, Washington Technical Institute (UDC,) and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

The presentation is funded by Drs. Rosalee and Raymond Weiss of Teaneck, New Jersey, in memory of Dr. Rosalee Weiss's mother, Corinne Sternheimer Greenfield, through an endowment supporting an annual lecture in the ASU College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

"The Beauty of Nature  –  The Art of Technology" 
STORY MUSGRAVE  –  NASA Hall of Fame Astronaut                           
Tuesday,  Nov. 18,  7 pm  –  ASU Student Union Auditorium

Dr. Story Musgrave was selected by NASA as a scientist-astronaut in 1967 and participated in six space shuttle missions. Musgrave holds seven advanced degrees and has been awarded over 15 honorary degrees. He is not only a medical doctor, but also a chemist, mathematician, biophysicist, physiologist and computer scientist. A member of the U.S. Astronauts Hall of Fame, he is a consultant to both Disney’s Imagineering group and Applied Minds in California. He was the lead team member who helped design the space arm, the first NASA astronaut to perform a space walk from the shuttle, and he led the team who successfully fixed the Hubble telescope.  His PowerPoint presentation can be downloaded following his presentation.

Co-sponsored by The ASU Department of Chemistry and Physics.

"Dylla Plays Virtuosic Masterpieces from the Romantic Era to the 21st Century"
MARCIN DYLLA  –  Classical Guitarist
Tuesday,  Jan. 27,  7:30 pm  –  ASU Fine Arts Recital Hall

After having won 17 first prizes in competitions around the world between 1996-2004, Polish guitarist Marcin Dylla received his most recent win in 2007 at the Guitar Foundation of America International Competition, earning him a 50-concert tour of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. His list of accolades also includes concerto competition victories, audience prizes, and critics' awards. Born in 1976, Dylla was granted a Gold Guitar musical critics’ award for the best upcoming young guitar player at the 7^th International Guitar Convent in Alexandria in 2002. Dylla studied guitar at the Ruda Slaska Music Conservatory, at the Music Academy of Katowice with Adi Wanda Palacz, at the Music Academy of Basel with Oscar Ghiglia, at the Music Academy of Freiburg with Sonja Prunnbauer and at the Music Academy of Maastricht with Carlo Marchione.

Co-sponsored by The ASU Guitar Guild and the Guitar Foundation of America. 

Honors Lecture of the Year:  “The Dumbest Generation”
MARK BAUERLEIN  –  Author, Journalist, Professor
Tuesday,  Feb. 10,  7 pm  –  ASU Student Union Auditorium

Dr. Mark Bauerlein is professor of English at Emory University, and he has recently served as director of research and analysis at the National Endowment for the Arts. His most recent book is "The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future." Drawing upon exhaustive research, detailed portraits, and historical and social analysis, "The Dumbest Generation" argues that “the digital age stupefies young Americans” and lays out a compelling vision for how society can address our future. Other books include "Negrophobia: A Race Riot in Atlanta, 1906 (2001)," "Literary Criticism: An Autopsy (1997)," and "Civil Rights Chronicle: The African American Struggle for Freedom." His articles and reviews have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Weekly Standard, Reason Magazine, Yale Review, Partisan Review, and The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Co-sponsored by The Honors College, the Graduate School, the College of Agriculture, the College of Business, the College of Communications, the College of Engineering, the College of Nursing and Health Professions, and the College of Sciences and Mathematics at Arkansas State University.

“World Keys:  Music from the Americas”
JOEL FAN  –  Yo-Yo Ma’s Pianist                                                
Monday,  Feb. 16,  7:30 pm  –  Riceland Hall, ASU Fowler Center

Fan was born in the United States to parents from Taiwan. He began studying piano seriously at the Juilliard School and has received both a BA degree from Harvard and a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance from the Peabody Institute. Acclaimed as a “superb” (The Boston Globe), “extraordinary” (The Village Voice), and “versatile and sensitive pianist” (The Washington Post), Joel Fan combines virtuosity with a gift for lyricism. Mr. Fan began his performing career with the New York Philharmonic at age 11, as a winner of the Philharmonic’s Young People’s Concert Audition, and has since appeared in recital and with orchestras throughout the world. Fan is a member of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble and has appeared in numerous group performances at venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, as well as on Good Morning America and David Letterman.

Co-sponsored by The ASU Department of Music.

“A Journey Through an American Quilt of Songs: ‘Sole’ Music Featuring Charles Holt”
CHARLES HOLT  –  Musician, Storyteller
Thursday,  Feb. 19,  7:30 pm  –  Riceland Hall, ASU Fowler Center

Music and storytelling have always been integral parts of Holt’s life. However, despite growing up in the shadows of the Grand Ole Opry and country music in Nashville, with a grandmother who taught him church hymns, and surrounded by a narrative environment, he never aspired to be a performing artist. Yet performing and entertaining opportunities have opened up for him. For the past eight seasons, Charles Holt has received national acclaim for his 20-character portrayal and performance of his one-man stage play, "Black Boy," based on the life of noted author Richard Wright. His autobiographical landmark work, "The Voice That Matters," is about his journey in finding his own unique voice and will be published in 2009. Holt worked out for several NFL scouts as defensive back and kick return specialists before turning to music and entertainment.

Sponsored by The Office of Diversity at ASU.

“Champion of Contemporary Percussion Music”
STEVEN SCHICK  –  Percussionist, Author                                
Thursday,  Apr. 9,  7:30 pm  –  Riceland Hall, ASU Fowler Center

Steven Schick, distinguished professor of music at the University of California-San Diego, and a consulting artist in percussion at the Manhattan School of Music, has championed contemporary percussion music as a performer and teacher by commissioning and premiering more than one hundred new works for percussion.  Founder and artistic director of the percussion group, “red fish blue fish,” Schick assumed the post of music director and conductor of the La Jolla Symphony and Chorus in 2007. He has authored a number of publications including "The Percussionist's Art: Same Bed, Different Dreams" and "The Mathematics of Resonant Bodies" on solo percussion music, and a comprehensive essay accompanying a 3 CD set of the complete percussion music of Iannis Xenakis. Schick will perform solo and with the Arkansas State University Percussion Ensemble.

Co-sponsored by ASU Bands, the ASU Department of Music, and the Society of Composers, Inc. Student Chapter.
           

###