August 24, 2006 - Arkansas State University in Jonesboro announces the 2006-2007 Lecture~Concert Series season with 11 events, beginning in September and continuing through April.

University of California in Los Angeles Professor Judith Carney will launch the season with a presentation on how rice came to America Tuesday, Sept.12, at 7 p.m. in the Student Union Auditorium. Her presentation, “Black Rice: The African Origins of Rice Cultivation in the Americas,” will explore the agricultural production and diet, but also the knowledge, impact, and resistance of enslaved men and women from Africa. This event is funded by Dr. Rosalee and Raymond Weiss of Teaneck in memory of her mother, Corinne Sternheimer Greenfield who was born in Jonesboro.

Gary Telgenhoff, a CSI Forensics Consultant, will present “Speak for You: The Real Vegas CSI” Thursday, Sept. 28, at 7 p.m. in the Student Union Auditorium. Telgenhoff is currently a forensic pathologist and deputy medical examiner at the Clark County Coroner’s Office in Las Vegas, NV.

On Thursday, Oct. 5, at 7 p.m. Civil Rights Activist Diane Nash will present “The Nonviolent Movement of the 1960s: A Legacy for Today” in the Student Union Auditorium. Nash is the recipient of “Distinguished American Award” in 2003. She was appointed by President Kennedy to a national committee that promoted passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Comic Fred Burns will perform a comedy routine on Tuesday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. in the Student Union Auditorium. Born with spinal bifida, Burns brings an “off-the-wall” look at disabilities and today’s world in general to stage and has kept audiences laughing for almost 15 years. He has won the $10,000 prize on the new Extreme Gong Show and was awarded the 1999 Norman Lear Comedy Award for “Best Comedian with a Disability.”

Richard Cox, a performance anxiety specialist, will be presenting “Managing Your Head and Body so you can Become a Good Musician” on Tuesday, Oct. 24, at 7:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center Auditorium. His seminar will tackle one of the fundamental dimensions of successful music.

Pianist Anne Koscielny will perform on Thursday, Nov. 2, at 7:30 p.m. in the Riceland Hall of the Fowler Center. Koscielny has performed worldwide and is the recipient of the first prize in Kosciusko Chopin competition in New York City, first prize in National Guild of Piano Teachers Recording Competition, and a Fulbright award for study in Vienna. She has taught at Harrtt School of Music, the University of Maryland, and Eastman School of Music.

On Friday, Nov. 10, at 7 p.m. in the Riceland Hall of the Fowler Center, Henry Louis Gates will present “W.E.B. DuBois and the Encyclopedia of Africana.” Gates has published numerous works in periodicals such as Time, The New Yorker, and Transitions magazine and has authored numerous books. His work deals with everything from the history of slave trade to today’s popular hip-hop music. In 1997, he was named of one of Time magazine’s “25 most influential Americans.”

Spring 2007

Classical Guitarist David Burgess will perform “Guitar Music of Brazil” on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. in the Student Union Auditorium. He has performed solo programs throughout North and South America, Europe, and the Far East. He has won top prizes in several international music competitions and has recorded for CCBS Masterworks, Musical Heritage Society Tritone and Cameratoa Records.

David Starobin will perform classical guitar music on Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. in the Student Union Auditorium. More than 300 pieces were written specially for him by a wide variety of composers including Gunther Schuller and Milton Babbitt. He is the founder of Bridge label and has taught at the Manhattan School of Music.

Guitarist David Starobin and Conductor George Crum will perform on Thursday, March 1, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. in the Riceland Hall of the Fowler Center. Crumb is an American modern composer and Pulitzer Prize winner. He is known for his innovative means of composition, including his use of numerology and new playing techniques to generate keyboard and orchestral pieces like Ancient Voices of Children (1970).

Comedian/Communicator Carl Grant will complete the 2006-07 Lecture~Concert Series at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 3, 2007 in the Student Union Auditorium. He will present “Humor: The Shortest Distance between People.” A long time educator-athletic coach, businessman and now professional comedian, Grant combines his understanding of education, the business environment and the use of humor to help people effectively incorporate a bit of lightness and creativity into an everyday routine.

The Lecture~Concert Series presents diverse programs to enrich the cultural life of the campus, community, and region. All programs are free and open to the public.

Co-sponsors for these events include: College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the Office of Diversity, the Office of Disability Services, Department of Music, ASU Piano Club, ASU Guitar Guild, Society of Composers, and the College of Education.

For more information, please contact Dr. Gil Fowler, associate dean for The Honors College at 870-972-2308 or via e-mail at gfowler@astate.edu.