The Arts @ NIU

Professor of Art History Featured at DePaul University Art Museum

2012-01-30T11:18:00.003-06:00

The History of Art and Architecture Department at DePaul University presents a lecture by Dr. Sinclair Bell, professor of art history at Northern Illinois University. How did ancient Romans understand other peoples, especially Africans? This talk surveys the evidence of Roman literature, inscriptions and especially works of art, including unpublished material from current excavations. Dr. Bell investigates the creative forms of artistic expression that Africans inspired across the empire, and suggests some possible motives for their creation.

Dr. Bell's lecture will take place on Tuesday, February 7, at 5:30 p.m.

Dance Alum On This Year's Top 25 List

2012-01-26T14:30:00.003-06:00

Micah Moch, graduate of the dance program in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance, has been working professionally since his graduation as, among other appearances, a member of the Lulu Washington Dance Theatre.

His talent and work are now recognized internationally, as Micah's been cited as one of 2012's "25 to Watch" by Dance Magazine.

Of Micah, Dance Magazine says "His kung-fu leaps froze in midair; his duck walks scrambled impossibly low to the ground...But what elevates Moch from good to great is his way of assembling steps while rendering transitions invisible."

Micah was also one of the dancers for Avatar the movie, creating motion capture in order to animate the tribesmen.

Congratulations, Micah!

Painting Professor's Works in State of Illinois Exhibition

2012-01-26T09:38:00.003-06:00

Frank Trankina, professor of painting in the NIU School of Art, will have his work represented in the upcoming exhibition entitled "Figurism: Narrative and Fantastic Figurative Art from the State of Illinois Museum Permanent Collection." "Figurism" will be on display at the State of Illinois Museum Chicago Gallery from January 30 through May 25, 2012.

The gallery is located on the second floor of the James R. Thompson Center, 100 W. Randolph, in Chicago, and they will be open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. You can find a map here.

The opening reception is Friday, February 3, 2012, from 5:00-7:00 pm.

Congratulations, Frank!

Art Education Professor Earns National Award

2012-01-19T08:52:00.003-06:00

Dr. Kerry Freedman, Head of the Division of Art and Design Education in the NIU School of Art, was just notified that she is the 2012 recipient of the Manuel Barkan Memorial Award from the National Art Education Association. The Barkan Award selection is determined by a vote by NAEA peers, and based upon the candidates' scholarly contributions to the field. Kerry's article about leadership, which appeared during 2011 in the NAEA Journal Art Education, was her work that brought her the nomination.

Deborah B. Reeve, Executive Director of the NAEA, had this to say: "There is no greater testament of your exemplary contributions to the field of visual arts education than being chosen for this prestigious award. Your colleagues throughout the United States and abroad join the NAEA Board of Directors in applauding your leadership, commitment and service to the profession."

Congratulations, Kerry!

Music Professor Earns High Praise on New Recording

2012-01-18T10:19:00.002-06:00

NIU School of Music Professor Rodrigo Villanueva plays drums on the recent jazz release "Analea." "Analea" is the latest recording by jazz luminaries Eddie Gomez (bass) and Frank Caruso (piano). The recording has earned high praise from many noted jazz critics.

Reviewer Ignacio Will stated "One of the most influential, inspiring albums I have heard for years. "Analea" is an awesome waterfall of virtuosic sounds that leave the listener wanting to hear it all over again."

The album is receiving steady airplay in major markets throughout the United States - Congratulations, Rodrigo!

Music Alum's Composing Career Flying High

2012-01-18T10:05:00.003-06:00

NIU School of Music alum Brent Michael Davids shared some exciting news with us. Brent has been commissioned to compose two new works for band, recently finished a new film score to an animated film, and completed work on his mini opera. We are particularly happy to hear that Brent recently accepted his invitation to join the Mankato Symphony Orchestra as their Composer In Residence.

The Minnesota Band Directors Association (MBDA) has asked for two new works to be composed for junior high school and high school bands, respectively. An educational curriculum will accompany the works, and the works are intended to help school bands fulfill the MN state educational guidelines for learning more about American Indian history and culture.

Fresh from winning a Silver Medal at the Park City Film Music Festival for his orchestra score to "Valor's Kids," Brent was asked to compose the orchestral score to a new animated film. Contracts are still in negotiation, but once completed more details will follow. Stay Tuned!

With the assistance of the School for Advanced Research (SAR), the Indian Arts Research Center (IARC), and the 2011 Ronald and Susan Dubin Native Artist Fellowship, Brent was able to complete the 40-minute score for a mini opera (oratorio), 'The Purchase of Manhattan." It's about the fabled "purchase" of New York from an American Indian perspective.

Self Employment in the Arts Club - Upcoming Meetings

2012-01-18T09:43:00.002-06:00

The NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts' Self Employment in the Arts club will have its next meeting this Thursday, January 19, at 6:00 p.m. in the O'Connell Theater in the Stevens Building. The club's trip to the SEA conference in Lisle will be organized - those in attendance may get to go to the conference for free!

ALSO - of interest to many of our students, is Coleman Foundation guest speaker Kimo Williams. Kimo is the guitarist and a vocalist with Gary Sinise's Lt. Dan Band, a faculty member at Columbia College in Chicago, and an independent music success story. Kimo will speak at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, February 6, in the Music Building (room TBD). All are welcome!

CVPA to Host New Art Examiner Symposium

2012-01-12T13:25:00.003-06:00

"Re-Examining the New Art Examiner" is a symposium exploring the controversial history and unsettled significance of the most widely-read art magazine ever published in Chicago. Born out of seismic cultural shifts in the early 1970s, coming of age in the hyper-inflated art world of the 1980s, and embracing its role as part of the global re-theorization of art practices in the 1990s, the New Art Examiner was an independent magazine of art and cultural criticism that focused relentlessly on enlarging the debate and raising the stakes for art and artists in the Midwest.

The NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts is proud to present this symposium on Saturday, January 28, featuring several of the New Art Examiner's leading editors and writers, and in particular featuring its founder, Derek Guthrie.

Program:

10:00 – 10:15 a.m. Welcome: “Redefining Regionalism,” Barbara Jaffee
10:15 – 10:45 a.m. The Essential New Art Examiner, Kathryn Born
10:45 – 12:00 noon Derek Guthrie and Joshua Kind, in conversation with Buzz Spector

12 noon-1:30 p.m. Lunch

1:30 – 2:45 p.m. Panel Discussion: Janet Koplos, Paul Krainak, Alice Thorson; Richard Siegesmund, moderator

3:00 – 4:15 p.m. Panel Discussion: Michael Bulka, Jennie Klein, Susan Snodgrass, Lynne Warren; Richard Siegesmund, moderator

4:30 – 5:00 p.m. Visit NIU Art Museum Exhibition, The New Art Examiner: Chicago’s “Independent Voice of the Visual Arts,” 1973-2002

The program will take place in NIU's Boutell Memorial Concert Hall, located inside the Music Building on the eastern edge of the DeKalb Campus.

For directions and maps, click here. On the "printable campus maps" the Music Building is number 53. The pdf version, in particular, provides an excellent view. Free parking is available on both the south and north sides of the Music Building as well as on Gilbert Drive just to the west.

We look forward to seeing many of you on January 28!

Music Alum Scores for Major Film

2012-01-12T10:07:00.002-06:00

Jermaine Stegall, a 2000 graduate of the NIU School of Music, has scored the music for the film "Breathless" by Voltage Pictures/Anchor Bay Films. The film is a dark comedy and stars Gina Gershon, Kelli Giddish, Val Kilmer and Ray Liotta. "Breathless" is scheduled for a 2012 release.

Congratulations, Jermaine!

Painting Alum Gains National Exposure

2012-01-03T09:14:00.003-06:00

Tom Thayer's Nature Scene

Tom Thayer, who earned both his BFA and MFA degrees from the NIU School of Art, has been recognized in an article in the Huffington Post entitled "12 Painters to Watch in 2012." In addition to painting, Tom is a mixed-media and multi-media artist, and this recognition follows his strong recognition earlier this year in The L Magazine (see here for that article).

Congratulations, Tom!

Internet2 Recognizes Efforts of NIU School of Music

2011-12-20T14:45:00.002-06:00

During the fall member meeting of Internet2, the NIU School of Music was a vital partner in demonstrating a new technology known as LOLA. This LOw LAtency software product allowed for two musicians, 1000 miles apart, to perform together live and in high definition.

Paul Bauer, Director of the NIU School of Music, Dan Nichols, School of Music technology expert, and Cheng-Hou Lee, professor of 'cello and member of NIU's Avalon String Quartet, were all instrumental in making this work. Cheng-Hou performed in DeKalb in the School of Music's recital hall, while violinist Marjorie Bagley performed at the conference in Raleigh, North Carolina.

An excellent article on the Internet2 website may be found here.

Art Professor's and Students' Work on Exhibition at Norris Center

2011-12-20T08:45:00.005-06:00

NIU School of Art professor Charlotte Rollman and several of her graduate students will have their works on display at the Norris Cultural Arts Center in St. Charles. The exhibition is entitled Turn It On Its Side and opens Saturday, January 14, 2012.

Charlotte tells us, "Turn It On Its Side is a comment on my art critiquing style. When one looks so intensely at one's own art you can't see where the problems are.

"So, by looking at the art on it's side or even upside down, it becomes very clear and easily finished. The continuing advanced students are so used to me moving their art, it was an obvious choice for the title for our group exhibit. The quilt design is a great impression of our critiques by the quality and variety, something I take pride in as well."

The graduate students represented in the show are from the fall Hoffman Estates classes that Charlotte teaches under the auspices of NIU's College of Visual and Performing Arts external programs office. Michelle Price, art teacher at Wheeling and Buffalo Grove High Schools, designed the card that is, according to Charlotte, "so much fun to look at and to turn on it's side."

The exhibition runs through February 25, 2012, with a reception being held Sunday, February 12, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Two Music Professors Earn Kudos in Chicago Tribune

2011-12-13T15:45:00.003-06:00

Art Davis

Tom Garling

Chicago Tribune arts critic and noted jazz aficionado Howard Reich wrote a nice review of the recent performance of the Chicago Jazz Orchestra. In the review, Reich singles out a few of the members of the CJO, including two who are on the NIU School of Music faculty - Art Davis and Tom Garling.

Of Art Davis, Reich says "Two veteran soloists stood out...Art Davis...kept his lines lean and sleek, a sharply conceived counterpoint to Schneider's arabesques. Here were fire and ice playing off of one another to striking effect."

Reich points out Tom Garling by writing "The first set's tour de force came in trombonist Tom Garling's "Metamorphosis," ...(which) unfolded as a miniature jazz concerto, Garling's trombone lines riffing head-to-head against the band in some passages, riding its rhythmic thrust in others."

The entire review may be found here.

Congratulations Art and Tom!

Ambassador from Trinidad and Tobago Visits CVPA

2011-11-23T15:25:00.003-06:00

CVPA Dean Rich Holly with Ambassador Dr. Neil Parsan

On November 19 and 20, the NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts hosted the Ambassador to the United States from Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Neil Parsan. In addition to attending the NIU Steel Band concert and providing words of encouragement and support to the NIU community, Ambassador Parsan met with CVPA Dean Rich Holly, steel band co-directors Clifford Alexis and Liam Teague, significant steel band donor Lester Trilla and several NIU dignitaries during his time on the NIU campus.

Dr. Parsan is extremely passionate about finding ways in which NIU can partner with entities in Trinidad and Tobago to further the exposure and reach of the steel pan, the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago. As a result of several hours of meetings and conversations, we’ll be looking to create internships for NIU steel pan students to perform with the major steel bands in Trinidad and Tobago, work toward scholarship opportunities for more Trinidad and Tobago students to attend NIU in order to earn their degree in steel pan, and create a student exchange program with the University of Trinidad and Tobago. Additionally, NIU will help create a stronger music literacy program throughout Trinidad and Tobago and assist the University of Trinidad and Tobago with their efforts to construct a development program.

The first steel band in a U.S. university was founded at Northern Illinois University by G. Allan O’Connor in 1973. Since that time the group has performed at major universities, music festivals and performing halls throughout the United States and the world. NIU is one of very few institutions world-wide at which a student may major in music with steel pan as their major instrument. Graduates of the NIU steel pan program now teach and perform all over the globe, including several who hold professorships at universities in Trinidad and Tobago.

For many years, and for many people still, the steel pan has been considered a novelty instrument. Through the efforts of NIU professor and steel pan virtuoso Liam Teague and select others, the steel pan is becoming recognized as one of the most versatile musical instruments anywhere. In addition to the traditional calypso settings, concerto performances with symphony orchestras, jazz and afro-cuban music settings are becoming more frequent for the leading performers. With the collaborations between NIU and Ambassador Parsan, we believe the steel pan will continue to make great strides in becoming a favorite instrument of composers, performers and audiences world-wide.

Art History Division Announces Guest Lecturer

2011-11-15T16:22:00.003-06:00

Stephen Eskilson of Eastern Illinois University will join the NIU Art History Division to provide his lecture entitled "Détournement—Subversive Visual Communication." The lecture takes place on Wednesday, November 16, at 6:15 p.m. in Gabel Hall room 126.

Professor Eskilson’s lecture springs from an exhibition he curated this autumn at Eastern Illinois University. The exhibition takes as its starting point the visual and conceptual strategies of the Situationist Internationale (SI), the French avant-garde group that “officially” existed between 1957 and 1972. Led by Guy Debord after 1962, members of the SI produced theoretical tracts along with ironic examples of what they termed détournement, the subversion of elements of the mass media. Détournement literally means “to deflect or redirect” and suggests a strategy of turning known ideas or images into something new and different with the intent to communicate subversive ideas in a familiar guise. Debord and Gil J. Wolman observed, “Ultimately, any sign or word is susceptible to being converted into something else, even into its opposite.” Today, détournement as a visual strategy continues to be employed in graphic communication, but it is no longer exclusively a means for communicating a political ideology that resists mainstream culture. In his lecture, Professor Eskilson will explain the history of détournement and seek to problematize the standard narrative whereby radical politics are co-opted by corporate capitalist interests.

This lecture is sponsored by the Elizabeth Allen Visiting Lectures in Art History, School of Art, Northern Illinois University. Please contact the NIU Art History Division for details at 815-753-1474.

Art + Design Educators Create City at STEMFest

2011-11-15T16:08:00.003-06:00

The NIU Art + Design Education Division student chapter of the National Art Education Association (NAEA) hosted "Build a Lego City" at Northern Illinois University’s STEMfest 2011. Visitors to "Build a Lego City" explored the integration of engineering and art through the creation of skyscrapers and other urban architectural structures with Lego building blocks. They also explored architectural design and engineering concepts in the digital realm using Lego Digital Designer software.

Please visit the STEM-City.com website to see documentation of the event, including video, photos, and a slideshow.

Here is one video from the event:

CVPA Earns International Awards

2011-11-15T15:08:00.003-06:00

The NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts is very proud to announce that we have won two significant campus-wide awards. At a reception honoring international education at NIU on Monday, November 14, the NIU School of Music was honored to receive the sole award for “Outstanding Department Contribution to International Education at NIU" for 2011.

The School of Music has nearly one-third of its faculty hailing from countries other than the United States, and enrolls students from throughout the world. The School's commitment to world music and ethnomusicology studies, along with it's ground-breaking use of Internet2 technology to extend the reach of our faculty and to bring the world to NIU through state-of-the-art technology, were noted during the presenter's remarks at the award ceremony.

We're just as proud that NIU School of Art Professor Jon Ashmann won the International Educator of the Year Award at the same ceremony. Jon has led study abroad programs to numerous countries 21 times, and in all Jon has visited 93 countries!

Congratulations to all!

Chamber Choir Performs at National Convention

2011-11-07T14:48:00.003-06:00

Dr. Johnson and members of the Chamber Choir with Alice Parker

Dr. Johnson and Dr. Arania

NIU Chamber Choir in rehearsal at Colorado State University

On Friday, November 4, the Northern Illinois University Chamber Choir once again took the stage to perform at a National Collegiate Choral Organization National Convention. The group traveled to Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado, to share their talents with the nation's finest collegiate choral conductors and programs. The Chamber Choir, under the direction of Dr. Eric A. Johnson, performed selections of Israeli choral music and NIU voice faculty member Orna Arania lectured on important historical and compositional trends of Israel. The lecture and concert were extremely well-received, noting the high musicianship of the choir, refined conducting, and compelling delivery of information.

While attending the convention, our students also had the opportunity to attend many concerts and interest sessions. Highlights included lectures and open rehearsals on the Bach Motets presented by Helmuth Rilling, a Morten Lauridsen retrospective (with Lauridsen), and arranger/composer legend Alice Parker who spoke of her years of collaboration with Robert Shaw.

Percussion Alum Performs Philip Glass Concerto

2011-11-01T07:59:00.002-06:00

Conductor Julian Kuerti, Dick Jensen, Philip Glass and Patrick Schleker

Patrick Schleker, a 2004 alumnus of the NIU School of Music and now the Principal Timpanist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, performed as soloist on Philip Glass' "Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists and Orchestra" with the CSO and with Mr. Glass present.

Performing the 2nd timpanist part was CSO Assistant Principal Timpanist Dick Jensen. The work features the two soloists performing on 14 timpani!

There is an excellent review of the concert here.

Congratulations, Patrick!

Time Arts Graduate Student Featured Nationally

2011-10-31T08:34:00.002-06:00

Jason Judd, and second year MFA student studying Time Arts in the NIU School of Art, has recently been featured in two national publications.

His writing, entitled "Survival Tips," appears in the latest issue of Methods of Being. Methods of Being is an ongoing collection of artists writings that develop a sense of the nature of making things. The writings are not artist statements, but rather statements of being an artist.

Jason is also featured in an interview in the current issue of Bite magazine. Bite magazine taps into youth culture with focus on art, fashion, media and design.

Jason approaches his art work through a variety of media - video, photography, and installation. His work becomes an attempt to answer questions of being through romantic notions and distorted common sense.

Congratulations, Jason!

Percussion Professor's Duo Releases Second Album

2011-10-29T12:04:00.003-06:00

New Amsterdam Records, whose name has become synonymous with the sweeping array of quality music across classical’s burgeoning independent scene, issues two deeply expressive releases on Tuesday, November 15: composer Gregory Spears’ timeless Requiem, which premiered victoriously in 2010, and flute/percussion duo Due East’s sophomore release, drawn only once, featuring a stalwart pair of multimedia works from composer John Supko, presented in both CD and 5.1 surround sound DVD formats.

Both albums will be launched in a concert at Galapagos Art Space on Monday, November 21 (7:00 PM doors, 8:00 PM show). Gregory Spears’ Requiem will be performed in full, followed by John Supko’s Littoral, an epic 35-minute multi-media work involving surround sound audio and live music for Due East, coupled with gorgeous videography by Kristine Marx.

In drawn only once, Due East (Erin Lesser, flute; Greg Beyer, percussion, NIU professor) features two of John Supko’s multimedia projects, Littoral and This window makes me feel, presented in both CD and 5.1 surround sound DVD formats. Littoral melds the lustrous timbres of flute, electronics, and an impressive array of percussion with texts by contemporary Dutch writer Cees Nooteboom and 16th Century English writer Richard Hakluyt. Supko calls Littoral “music of shifting terrains, each with its distinct sense of time and color and space... more alluring than any destination plotted on a timetable.” The piece is accompanied by an entrancing video by Kristine Marx, with rapidly changing geometric forms superimposed over transient oceanic landscapes. The second of Supko’s pieces, This window makes me feel, is based on Robert Fitterman’s brilliant poem of the same title, which makes use of completions of the poem’s title based on hundreds of Google searches, chronicling a vast range of humane poetic sensibilities. The work is scored for Due East plus mezzosoprano (Hai-Ting Chinn), keyboards (David Broome), and other electronics, and is accompanied on DVD by a video by Don Sheehy, which captures the hysteria of the congested cityscape that visually amplifies the pre-recorded poetic whispers (Trish McKenna) of Fitterman’s poem.

Due East won first prize in the 2008 National Flute Association Chamber Music Competition and has performed in Brazil, Europe, Canada and the USA at venues such as the Warsaw Crossdrumming Festival, the Banff Centre for the Arts, the SEAMUS conference, Bargemusic, the National Flute Association Conventions and the Percussive Arts Society International Convention. The duo’s first recording, Simultaneous Worlds, was released on Albany Records in October 2010. They can also be heard on the Brazilian label, Gravina Música.

The duo has given recitals at performing arts series, such as Ke’nek’t (SUNY-Oswego) and Arts and Ideas (Lewis University), new music festivals (Greensboro, NC and Moline, IL), and universities across the United States. They have appeared at Bargemusic as concerto soloists with The Knights and at Northern Illinois University with the NIU New Music Ensemble. In 2005, Due East was an invited ensemble-in-residence at the Yellow Barn Chamber Music Festival. They have given American premieres of works by David Lang and Alejandro Viñao, and world premieres of numerous works through organizations such as Wet Ink Musics (NYC), Composer’s Concordance (NYC), Columbia University Composers Ensemble, Princeton University Composer’s Ensemble and New York University’s First Performance. Their programs vary from extensive multi-media and technology-driven works to pieces that call for a wide range of world music instruments in combination with folk song-like vocals and narratives.

Galapagos Art Space is located at 16 Main St, Dumbo, Brooklyn. Call 718/222-8500.

The 2nd NIU New Music Festival Announced

2011-10-29T11:47:00.002-06:00

New York City-based Ensemble to visit NIU School of Music for 2nd NIU New Music Festival

THE 2nd NIU NEW MUSIC FESTIVAL

On Tuesday and Wednesday, November 1-2, 2011, the NIU School of Music’s New Music Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Gregory Beyer, will be joined by New York City-based ensemble Yarn/Wire to present two fantastic programs of music by major composers of the 20th Century. This multi-day event will be the second festival in the ensemble’s history, the first taking place in the Spring of 2010 when another New York City-based collective, Wet Ink came to the School of Music. Yarn/Wire features an ensemble of two pianos and two percussionists, an “unlikely” ensemble that nevertheless boasts a repertoire of amazing depth and history.

The programs were designed around Yarn/Wire and feature music by Luciano Berio (1925-2003), Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) and George Crumb (b. 1929). Both Berio and Crumb have written masterworks for the two piano/two percussion combination. The inclusion of Stravinsky’s masterwork from his early period, Les Noces (1914-1917) is a special “not-so-new” musical treat that rounds out the two spectacular programs, as it involves four pianos, six percussionists, a concert choir and four vocal soloists.

The mounting of this ambitious set of programs has proved to be a fantastic opportunity for the students of the ensemble and a rare occasion for the NIU School of Music faculty to work so closely on such a large undertaking. No less than six members of the School of Music Faculty, including the entire vocal faculty, will present their musical talents on these programs. Additional guest musicians include Cor Cantiamo, a professional choir directed by NIU Choral Studies Professor, Eric Johnson, and consisting of several outstanding NIU alumni; as well as three vocal instructors from Carthage College in Wisconsin: Corinne Ness (NIU alumna), Sarah Gorke and Klaus Georg.

Preceding each 8PM concert is a pre-concert lecture offered by NIU Associate Professor of Music History, Brian Hart. Hart has additionally written fantastic program notes that will accompany each concert. These lectures begin at 7PM and will allow members of the audience to listen to a detailed and lively historical account of the major works on the program and the composers who wrote them.

In an ongoing collaboration inside the College of Visual and Performing Arts, School of Art Associate Professor Aleksandra Giza has created another incredible poster for this pair of concerts. Copies of this poster will be signed by the artists and available for purchase at the concert.

Both pairs of 7PM lectures and 8PM concerts are being held in the School of Music’s Boutell Memorial Concert Hall and all events are free and open to the public. Don’t miss out on these exciting programs that bring to life amazing musical masterworks and New York City-based musical excellence to the NIU community!

Any questions or comments should be directed to the New Music Ensemble Director, Dr. Gregory Beyer: 815.753.7981 or gbeyer@niu.edu.

NIU NME BIO
Created in 2008 by its director, Dr. Gregory Beyer, the Northern Illinois University New Music Ensemble is a performance group dedicated to historically groundbreaking music of the 20th Century and the emerging musical voices of the 21st Century. It officially meets each spring semester to mount a concert of works by a single composer (or collection of related/connected composers) to expose students to the wide range of musical expression that is avant-garde music making. With its flexible instrumentation allowing it to present diverse repertoire, the NIU NME has to date presented concerts of music by Steve Reich, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Olivier Messiaen, composers of the Wet Ink Ensemble (NYC), Shulamit Ran and David M. Gordon (Chicago), and music by Luciano Berio, George Crumb and Igor Stravinsky alongside guest artists, Yarn/Wire (NYC).

Art Cafe a Hit at NIU's STEMFest

2011-10-28T12:27:00.002-06:00

October 22 saw the 2nd Annual STEMFest at NIU's Convocation Center. As part of the dozens of exhibits for the thousands of attendees to see and interact with, the NIU Division of Art and Design Education presented Art Cafe, their learning emporium on the popular Second Life website.

Professor Lilly Lu and several graduate students staffed the exhibit and were very busy all day with interested and excited children.

In addition to the photos here, feel free to view all of our photos from the event here.

Dance Professor Choreographs Show in Chicago

2011-10-28T12:14:00.003-06:00

Paula Frasz, professor of dance in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance, brings her original choreography to an upcoming show in Chicago.

"The Escape," three Tennessee Williams plays and three corresponding modern dances, opens at the American Theater Company in Chicago for a six-performance run starting Thursday, November 3. Paula choreographed the dances which act as prequel, sequel and finale to the three plays. Each dance and play deals with the act of escape in a different way.

In the first, three members of a Mississippi chain gang listen while their compatriot tries to escape. The dance looks at five African-American dancers and their attempt to escape the larger bonds of racism and bigotry. Actors sing authentic chain gang songs as accompaniment.

"Summer At The Lake" deals with a sensitive boy and his overbearing mother who spend their last summer at a lake house before it is sold. He escapes reality by walking into the lake forever. The dance shows the inappropriate sexual tension between mother and son in a lyrical duet set to the music of Franz Schubert.

Finally, "Auto de Fe" shows an older man and his equally overbearing mother, his sexual but repressed urges as he longs to escape into the streets of New Orleans and sample the delights there. His escape is self-immolation after, in dance form, he imagines all the orgiastic experiences of New Orleans night life. The actors and live drummers provide music , singing "Ecstacy" by Rusted Root. The project was originally conceived and performed at the Provincetown Tennessee Williams Festival in Provincetown, Massachusetts.

There is a nice article about the show at BroadwayWorld.com - you can read the article here.

Avalon String Quartet Earns Great Reviews

2011-10-25T14:15:00.003-06:00

This past Sunday, October 23, NIU's Avalon String Quartet begin their 9-part series at the Art Institute of Chicago in which they will perform, over the coming months, the entire Beethoven String Quartet cycle, 17 works in all. Sunday's concert programming was designed to "book end" the series, and thus featured Beethoven's first and last quartets.

The Quartet earned a fabulous review from reviewer Dennis Polkow of Chicago Classical Review. Of the performance, Mr. Polkow writes "There are other quartets that have achieved more beautiful tone for this final quartet, but few that can traverse such a cornucopia of musical ideas so fully realized as a unit." You can read the entire review here.

Also in attendance for the first part of Sunday's concert was Chicago Tribune critic John von Rhein. Apparently Mr. von Rhein attended several performances this weekend and has written a review encapsulating several of them. He remarked "...the cycle is off to a good start. The Avalon ensemble, which is based at Northern Illinois University, combined youthful spirit and mature musical insights." The full review is here.

Museum Studies Program Earns Several Awards

2011-10-25T14:05:00.003-06:00

NIU's Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies program has, for the fourth consecutive year, earned multiple awards from the Illinois Association of Museums.

In the photos above, you can see Jo Burke, Director of the NIU Art Museum, and Peter van Ael, Coordinator of the Museum Studies Program, accepting awards from the president of the IAM Board of Directors, David Becker.

Our friends at NIU Today have penned a very nice article about the awards - please check it out here!

Upcoming Events in the CVPA!

2011-10-21T07:45:00.003-06:00

COLLEGE OF VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS – October Events

October 20, 2011

Visit us on our website, follow The Arts @ NIU Blog or stop by our Facebook page for more information.

We have several wonderful events - please check out our events page to discover our offerings!

Painting Professor has Show in New York

2011-10-21T07:18:00.003-06:00

Frank Trankina, professor of painting in the NIU School of Art, will have his works shown at the Regina Rex Gallery as part of the show entitled "Deja Vu."

As the Regina Rex website explains: "This exhibition features works that reveal the process of their own making while sharing an interest in form and illusion. Often made in one medium and then again in another, each artist in the exhibition appropriates images and materials from their own studio practice. Most use painting as either the origin or the destination for a given work. Not unlike experiencing the uncanny sensation that a present event may have occurred in the past, all the works featured have been made once, and then again."

In Frank's case, he places items in a still-life arrangement, and then creates a painting of the still-life.

The show runs from October 22 to November 20. Congratulations, Frank!

Trumpet Concerto Makes NIU Premiere Performance

2011-10-18T12:12:00.004-06:00

Mark Ponzo

Tom Bough

One of the most noted concertos for trumpet is the Concerto in E-flat for Trumpet and Strings, by J. B. G. Neruda, a Bohemian contemporary of noted classical music composers Handel and Haydn.

Professor Tom Bough of the NIU School of Music arranged the Concerto for concert band, and the piece is now published by Cimarron Music Press. The piece will have its NIU premiere performance on Wednesday, November 9, in a concert featuring the NIU Wind Symphony (under Dr. Bough's direction) with NIU professor of trumpet Dr. Mark Ponzo appearing as soloist. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. and will be held in the Boutell Memorial Concert Hall in the Music Building.

The concert will feature several additional noted works for concert band as well as a massed trumpet ensemble. For more information, please send an email to band@niu.edu.

Percussion Professor in Finals of Prestigious Competition

2011-10-17T08:36:00.003-06:00

Greg Beyer, professor of percussion in the NIU School of Music, along with his wife, flautist Erin Lesser (a member of the faculty at the Lawrence Conservatory of Music), comprise the music duo Due East. We've just learned that Due East has made the finals of the Concert Artists Guild competition. The CAG competition is noteworthy in that it is the only international competition that, as part of the prize, includes several years of professional management and booking of performances. CAG is arguably the most prestigious competition for young performers.

Concert Artists Guild says their mission "is to discover, nurture and promote young musicians...to build sustainable careers." Each year their competition begins with approximately 350 musicians and chamber music groups, which, through competition, are reduced to 12 finalists. Ultimately three or four finalists will be chosen as winners each year.

The finals are this coming Wednesday, October 19, and the awards ceremony is Thursday, October 20. Good Luck, Greg and Erin!

Olson Gallery Publishes Catalog

2011-10-11T12:46:00.002-06:00

The Jack Olson Gallery in the NIU School of Art has published a catalog to accompany and document the exhibition Inked: Tattoo Imagery in Contemporary Art, an exhibition co-curated by Olson Gallery and NIU Museum Studies Program Coordinator Peter Van Ael and NIU Museum Studies alumna and MA in Metals/Jewelry candidate Agnes Ma. The catalog contains interviews the curators conducted with the artists, and is lavishly illustrated, reproducing all works included in the exhibition and documenting the actual exhibition with photographs by Museum Studies and MFA in Photography candidate Sarah Rivers. The catalog may be previewed here.

School of Art Professor's Film to be Screened

2011-10-10T12:36:00.002-06:00

Bart Woodstrup, professor in the Time Arts area of the NIU School of Art and new media artist, has two upcoming showings of the film Song Cycle for Haruki Murakami, which is a collaborative effort between Bart and NIU School of Music alum Matthew Dotson (MM 2005).

On October 15 Song Cycle for Haruki Murakami (2007) will be screened in "DL: short cuts to Japan" at the Black Box Kino im Filmmuseum, Duesseldorf, Germany. This is a film fest "dedicated to Japan in experimental cinema and video art - celebrating the 150 anniversary of Japanese-German diplomatic relations."

Song Cycle for Haruki Murakami will also be screened on November 5th at SCREAM Festival 2011: Sounding Images - located at the Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater in the Walt Disney Concert Hall complex, Los Angeles.

The impetus of this work was four quotes out of Haruki Murakami’s novel “The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles.” The intention was to create a kind of pseudo-narrative out of just these four quotes; creating a new story out of fragments of the original story. The foundation of the sonic material was derived from several ambient recordings that took place both inside and outside of an apartment in Chicago. These recordings were used to symbolize the “inner” and “outer” worlds; the interactions and tensions between which served to be the conceptual focus of my piece as it likewise was with Murakami. The animation is a visual interpretation of the themes from each movement: "insect wings", "earth", "dust", and "lock." A synaesthetic experience is created through animating the texts with properties of the sonic spectrum (brightness, noisiness, amplitude, and pitch).

The video is available online here.

In addition to the screenings of the film, Bart and Matt will be premiering new material on Friday, December 9th at the House Cafe in DeKalb. They will be opening for internationally recognized contemporary percussionist and improvisor Tatsuya Nakatani.

Upcoming Guest Speaker Highlighted

2011-10-06T10:59:00.002-06:00

Art Historian Ann Gunter of Northwestern University will provide a lecture entitled "Gifts, Exchange, and Acquisition: Greece and its Near Eastern Neighbors" on Monday, October 10, at 5:00 p.m. in room 100 of the Visual Arts Building (Arends Hall). This lecture is part of the Elizabeth Allen Visiting Lectures in Art History series.

Our friends at NIU Today have provided an excellent article about Ann and her upcoming lecture - please read the article here!

Upcoming Events at the CVPA

2011-10-06T10:47:00.002-06:00

Visit us on our website, follow this blog, or stop by our Facebook page for more information.

NIU ART MUSEUM

Early Fall exhibitions will celebrate wit, social commentary, process and technique in variously scaled contemporary sculpture.

Through October 29, 2011
In the House: Sculpture for the Home
While focus has often been on large-scale outdoor public displays of sculpture, In the House surveys smaller work appropriate for the interiors of the home. Group exhibition of contemporary tabletop and wall sculpture in various media and techniques explore a variety of concerns, issues, processes and techniques. Includes Jerry Bleem, Juan Angel Chavez, Michael Ferris, Michael Gross, John Himmelfarb, Gary Justis, Michael Ransdell and Margaret Wharton. Guest curated by sculptor/educator/collector Michael Bennett.

In the Studio and In the Garden: John Balsley Sculpture and Collage
Solo show of figurative metal sculpture and colorful collage prints by Northern Illinois University alum, John Balsley. Having had a long career as a noted sculptor, Balsley’s latest ventures have been into what he terms “extreme collage” – multi-layered, detailed pieces balancing between the advances of technology and the primacy of the hand-wrought. Curated by Lee Sido, Associate Professor of Art.

On the Body and In the Hand
Small scale contemporary metalwork and jewelry. Invitational group show organized by guest curator Jamie Obermeier, Associate Professor, Metals Coordinator, and Board of Directors, SNAG (Society of North American Goldsmiths).

Saturday, October 22, 1-3:30 p.m.
Adventures in Assemblage! Teen 3D workshop (ages 13-17) with artist Christina Gregor. Pre-registration required and limited to 10 students.

SCHOOL OF ART

Lecture & Q&A with Richard Luong
Thursday, October 6, 2:00 PM, Visual Arts Building room 307
Game Developer, Concept Artist

Guest Speaker: Ann Gunter
Monday, October 10 2011, 5:00 PM , Visual Arts Building 10
GREEK ART AND THE ORIENT

Guest Artist: Zak Smith
Thursday, October 13 2011, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM , Visual Arts Building 100

Through October 13 – Jack Olson Gallery
Inked: Tattoo Imagery in Contemporary Art
Featured artists Jeff Crisman, Glen C. Davies, Gary Dobry, Ellen Greene, Maren Erwin, Michael Ferris Jr. & Mitch O' Connell utilize the universality of tattoo imagery as a means for expression.
Curated by Agnes Ma and Peter Van Ael
Reception & gallery talks Thursday, September 22, 4:30-6:00

NIU COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

Choir Day is October 13. Guest artist is Steven Zielke of Oregon State University.

SCHOOL OF MUSIC

NIU Opera Theater-LIVE WEBCAST!!
Date: 10/6/2011 | Time: 8:00 pm
Location: Music Building | Room: Recital Hall
Lucia Matos, director
Anthony Perrella, director

Quasari String Quartet-LIVE WEBCAST!! Date: 10/11/2011 | Time: 6:30 pm
Location: Music Building | Room: Recital Hall
String Quartet (2008) by Zack Browning
String Quartet No. 3 in D Major, Op. 18, No. 3 by Ludwig van Beethoven
String Quartet No. 2 in A Major, Op. 68 by Dmitri Shostakovich

Kansas and the NIU Philharmonic Date: 10/15/2011 | Time: 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Location: Convocation Center
Mark your calendars - The band KANSAS will be joined by the NIU Philharmonic Orchestra for one spectacular Homecoming 2011 concert. This unforgettable homecoming concert will be at the NIU Convocation Center on Saturday, October 15th after the NIU Football game.

Tickets for the Homecoming concert go on sale Tuesday, August 23rd at 10:00am. Tickets range from $37.50 to $22.50 and can be purchased at the NIU Convocation Center box office, all Ticketmaster Outlets, Ticketmaster.com or by phone at 800-745-3000. NIU Student tickets go on sale Friday, August 19th at 10:00am. NIU Students can get a $5.00 discount with a valid NIU OneCard at the NIU Convocation Center box office. For more information, see http://niuconvo.com/convo/events/convo_events/2011/10/kansas.shtml.

SCHOOL OF THEATRE and DANCE

Studio Series (Tickets available only at the Stevens Bldg Box Office one hour before curtain)

The Actor's Fantasy - October 13 - 16, 2011

Upcoming Production - October 20-23, 27-30, 2011
O’Connell Theatre
The Winter’s Tale
BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Shakespeare with a musical twist!
This updated presentation of The Winter’s Tale will be set in late 1950's Las Vegas, featuring Jazz standards and Pop tunes from the era of Bobby Darin, Lena Horne and the Rat Pack in Act I, and move through an early 1970's Appalachian North Carolina in Act II, adding songs reminiscent of the cosmic bluegrass and country of the likes of Country Joe, The Band, The Grateful Dead, and Graham Parsons.

Considered a tragicomedy, The Winter’s Tale is one of Shakespeare’s most problematic yet strikingly beautiful plays. Its colorful cast of characters deal with jealousy, wounded love, broken friendships, mistaken identities, young lovers, a man-eating bear, and a talking statue. The Winter’s Tale is ultimately a romance that will warm the heart with young love and reconciliation, and perhaps even have you singing along.

Dance Program Provides High School Workshops

2011-10-03T13:46:00.003-06:00

King Prep dance students in one of the NIU dance studios

On Thursday, September 29, the dance program of the NIU School of Theatre and Dance hosted a series of workshops for twenty dance students from King College Prep High School in Chicago, Illinois. The students' dance teacher is Nia Calmese, a graduate of NIU with emphases in art education and dance performance.

Throughout the day, workshops were provided by NIU dance professors Judy Chitwood, Paula Frasz, and Brian Carey Chung. In addition, current NIU dance majors performed for the students from King.

Noted Operatic Tenor to Present Master Class

2011-10-03T07:30:00.002-06:00

American tenor Roy Cornelius Smith will present a vocal master class at the NIU School of Music on Friday, October 7. The master class will be held in the Boutell Memorial Concert Hall from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and is free of charge and open to the public.

Six NIU vocal students will participate in the master class, which is hosted by NIU School of Music faculty member Myron Myers. Mr. Smith and the students will be accompanied by NIU piano professor William Koehler.

Roy Cornelius Smith is fast becoming known for his voice of great natural beauty, his compelling dramatic interpretations, and his outstanding musicianship. He has been heard on some of the world's great operatic stages including the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala Milan, Salzburger Festspiele, Volksoper Wien, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and the New Israeli Opera. He has also appeared with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Orchestra del Teatro Carlo Felice, Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal and with the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Roy Cornelius Smith's recent appearances includes his return to Deutsche Oper Berlin to reprise the role of Calaf in Turandot, his debut with New York City Opera as Haman in Esther, Radames in Aida with Opera Birmingham, Erik in Der Fliegende Holländer with New Orleans Opera, and an appearance as the featured soloist in a holiday concert with Signature Symphony. He appeared as soloist in Verdi's Requiem with the Eugene Symphony; as De Grieux in Manon Lescaut with New Orleans Opera, in a program titled "Viva Verdi" for Toledo Opera, and as soloist in Beethoven's Missa Solemnis with the Minnesota Symphony Orchestra as well as Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra.

Upcoming Events at the CVPA!

2011-09-29T13:16:00.002-06:00

Visit us on our website, follow this blog, or stop by our Facebook page for more information.

NIU ART MUSEUM

Early fall exhibitions will celebrate wit, social commentary, process and technique in variously scaled contemporary sculpture.

August 23 – October 29, 2011

In the House: Sculpture for the Home
While focus has often been on large-scale outdoor public displays of sculpture, In the House surveys smaller work appropriate for the interiors of the home. Group exhibition of contemporary tabletop and wall sculpture in various media and techniques explore a variety of concerns, issues, processes and techniques. Includes Jerry Bleem, Juan Angel Chavez, Michael Ferris, Michael Gross, John Himmelfarb, Gary Justis, Michael Ransdell and Margaret Wharton. Guest curated by sculptor/educator/collector Michael Bennett.

In the Studio and In the Garden: John Balsley Sculpture and Collage
Solo show of figurative metal sculpture and colorful collage prints by Northern Illinois University alum, John Balsley. Having had a long career as a noted sculptor, Balsley’s latest ventures have been into what he terms “extreme collage” – multi-layered, detailed pieces balancing between the advances of technology and the primacy of the hand-wrought. Curated by Lee Sido, Associate Professor of Art.

On the Body and In the Hand
Small scale contemporary metalwork and jewelry. Invitational group show organized by guest curator Jamie Obermeier, Associate Professor, Metals Coordinator, and Board of Directors, SNAG (Society of North American Goldsmiths).

SCHOOL OF ART

August 29 - October 13 – Jack Olson Gallery

Inked: Tattoo Imagery in Contemporary Art
Featured artists Jeff Crisman, Glen C. Davies, Gary Dobry, Ellen Greene, Maren Erwin, Michael Ferris Jr. & Mitch O' Connell utilize the universality of tattoo imagery as a means for expression.
Curated by Agnes Ma and Peter Van Ael.

SCHOOL OF MUSIC

Cheng-Hou Lee, faculty cello-LIVE WEBCAST!!
Date: 9/29/2011 | Time: 8:00 pm
Location: Music Building | Room: Recital Hall

Fareed Haque, faculty guitar recital-LIVE WEBCAST!!
Date: 9/30/2011 | Time: 8:00 pm
Location: Music Building | Room: Boutell Memorial Concert Hall

Eduardo Minozzi Costa, guest classical guitar-LIVE WEBCAST!!
Date: 10/3/2011 | Time: 8:00 pm
Location: Music Building | Room: Recital Hall
Minozzi Costa is a classical guitarist and the winner of many competitions. He was recently awarded first place at the 2010 Indiana University Guitar Festival and Competition.
http://www.niu.edu/Music/media/webcasts.shtml

NIU Opera Theater--Live Webcast!!
Date: 10/5/2011 | Time: 6:30 pm
Location: Music Building | Room: Recital Hall
Lucia Matos, conductor
Anthony Perrella, director

Wind Symphony & University Band-LIVE WEBCAST!
Date: 10/5/2011 | Time: 8:00 pm
Location: Music Building | Room: Boutell Memorial Concert Hall
Thomas Bough, director
Jeremy and Ashley Followell, graduate conductor

NIU Opera Theater-LIVE WEBCAST!!
Date: 10/6/2011 | Time: 8:00 pm
Location: Music Building | Room: Recital Hall
Lucia Matos, director
Anthony Perrella, director

SCHOOL OF THEATRE and DANCE

Upcoming Production - Sept 28-Oct 2, 2011
O’Connell Theatre

Theophilus North
BY MATTHEW BURNETT

In the spring of 1926, Theophilus North, a 30-year-old New Jersey school teacher, quits his job and sets out for some fun and to find his place in the world. However, he makes it only so far as Newport, Rhode Island, a mere 200 miles from home, when his car breaks down.

Stranded in a community of substantial wealth, Theophilus supports himself with odd jobs in the elegant mansions along Ocean Drive. Soon the young man finds himself playing the roles of tutor, spy, confidant, lover, friend, and enemy as he becomes entangled in the intrigues of both upstairs and downstairs in a glittering society dominated by leisure.

Based on the novel by Thornton Wilder, the last of his works published during his lifetime, Theophilus North is a fascinating coming-of-age story from the vantage point of age, and deftly displays Wilder’s trademark wit juxtaposed with his lively and timeless ruminations on what really matters about life, love, and work at the end of the day.

"Hope pulses so strongly through Theophilus North.... Burnett injects his script with cosmic scope.... Imaginative, forceful theater.... Charming and breathtaking all at once.... In the spirit of Wilder and with a dramatic vigor all its own, the play turns large-hearted living into art." --Mark Blankenship, Variety

Music Professor Appointed to National Board

2011-09-20T12:13:00.002-06:00

Professor Ron Carter of the NIU School of Music has recently been appointed to the Organizing Board of the Minority Band Directors National Association.

The MBDNA will hold their inaugural meeting this coming December in Chicago as part of the world's largest music education convention, the Midwest Clinic.

Congratulations, Ron!

Community School of the Arts Receives NEA Grant

2011-09-20T11:56:00.003-06:00

The NIU Community School of the Arts has been awarded a $10,000 grant by the National Endowment for the Arts. The money will bring guest artists to DeKalb throughout spring 2012 to work with the CSA Children’s Choir, the CSA Sinfonia, Clarinet Cornucopia, string programs in area public schools and in the community school, and the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra.

· World-renowned musician Burt Hara, principal clarinetist with the Minnesota Orchestra, brings his skills as a clinician and performer to Clarinet Cornucopia on February 4.

· Leading children’s choir conductor Emily Ellsworth will work with the CSA Children’s Choir and will conduct a workshop for area teachers in April.

· Composer Tim Blickhan, professor emeritus of the NIU School of Music, composes a piece for the CSA Children’s Chorus that will be premiered on May 9.

· Cellist Amy Sue Barston and violinist Elisa Barston join forces for a three-day residency in DeKalb April 26 – 28 for a series of recitals, master classes, and presentations. These include presentations at area public schools, workshops for the NIU Community School of the Arts’ string students, and a performance of Brahms’ Double Concerto for Violin and Cello with the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra. The Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra is a co-sponsor of the Barston sisters’ residency.

· Members of the Avalon String Quartet, resident quartet at NIU, will work with CSA Sinfonia during rehearsals throughout the spring semester.

The community school was invited to apply for the grant which was awarded through the NEA’s Arts Education in American Communities program. The aim is to extend and expand arts education throughout the United States.

The NIU Community School of the Arts offers lessons, classes, and ensembles to people of all ages in the northern Illinois area. Teachers are area artists and NIU students and faculty. More information about the community school can be found at www.csa.niu.edu or call (815) 753-1450.

Upcoming Events in the CVPA!

2011-09-15T10:02:00.002-06:00

College of Visual & Performing Arts – September Events
September 15, 2011
Visit us on our website at http://www.vpa.niu.edu/cvpa/, follow this blog, or stop by our Facebook page for more information.

NIU ART MUSEUM
Early Fall exhibitions will celebrate wit, social commentary, process and technique in variously scaled contemporary sculpture.

August 23 – October 29, 2011

In the House: Sculpture for the Home

While focus has often been on large-scale outdoor public displays of sculpture, In the House surveys smaller work appropriate for the interiors of the home. Group exhibition of contemporary tabletop and wall sculpture in various media and techniques explore a variety of concerns, issues, processes and techniques. Includes Jerry Bleem, Juan Angel Chavez, Michael Ferris, Michael Gross, John Himmelfarb, Gary Justis, Michael Ransdell and Margaret Wharton. Guest curated by sculptor/educator/collector Michael Bennett.

In the Studio and In the Garden: John Balsley Sculpture and Collage

Solo show of figurative metal sculpture and colorful collage prints by Northern Illinois University alum John Balsley. Having had a long career as a noted sculptor, Balsley’s latest ventures have been into what he terms “extreme collage” – multi-layered, detailed pieces balancing between the advances of technology and the primacy of the hand-wrought. Curated by Lee Sido, Associate Professor of Art.

On the Body and In the Hand

Small scale contemporary metalwork and jewelry. Invitational group show organized by guest curator Jamie Obermeier, Associate Professor, Metals Coordinator, and Board of Directors, SNAG (Society of North American Goldsmiths).

SCHOOL OF ART

August 29 - October 13 – Jack Olson Gallery

Inked: Tattoo Imagery in Contemporary Art

Featured artists Jeff Crisman, Glen C. Davies, Gary Dobry, Ellen Greene, Maren Erwin, Michael Ferris Jr. & Mitch O' Connell utilize the universality of tattoo imagery as a means for expression.
Curated by Agnes Ma and Peter Van Ael
Reception & gallery talks Thursday, September 22, 4:30-6:00

Guest Speaker: Jeff Crisman

The Jack Olson Gallery will host guest lecturer Jeff Crisman - an artist whose work is currently on display in the show Inked - on Thursday, September 15, at 5:00pm. The lecture will be held in VAB 102.

Guest Artist Performance: Ryder Cooley

Guest artist Ryder Cooley will conduct a performance on Sunday, September 25th, at 7:00pm. The performance will take place outdoors in the NIU School of Music's west courtyard.
Cooley is an interdisciplinary artist, performer and musician. Her work weaves together chimeric visions and the residue of daily life to reveal a terrain of lost dreams and phantom memories. Ryder Cooley works with found materials and personal mythologies to create cinematic performances and installation spaces.

Guest Speaker: Gary Dobry

The Jack Olson Gallery will host guest speaker Gary Dobry this month. Dobry will speak on Monday, September 26, at 5:00pm, in VAB 102.

COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

BRING A FRIEND Days
Participate in a rehearsal of one of our ensembles, for FREE!
CSA Symphonette - September 20, 5- 5:55 p.m., Room 161, Music Building

SCHOOL OF MUSIC

John Fairfield
faculty horn recital
Date: 9/15/2011 | Time: 8:00 pm
Location: Music Building | Room: Recital Hall

NIU Wind Ensemble -LIVE WEBCAST!!
Date: 9/22/2011 | Time: 8:00 pm
Location: Music Building | Room: Boutell Memorial Concert Hall
Ronnie Wooten, director

Stefon Harris, guest jazz vibraphonist -LIVE WEBCAST!!
Date: 9/27/2011 | Time: 6:30 pm
Location: Music Building | Room: Recital Hall

NIU Philharmonic -LIVE WEBCAST!
Date: 9/28/2011 | Time: 8:00 pm
Location: Music Building | Room: Boutell Memorial Concert Hall
Lucia Matos, director

Cheng-Hou Lee, faculty cello -LIVE WEBCAST!!
Date: 9/29/2011 | Time: 8:00 pm
Location: Music Building | Room: Recital Hall

Fareed Haque, faculty guitar recital -LIVE WEBCAST!!
Date: 9/30/2011 | Time: 8:00 pm
Location: Music Building | Room: Boutell Memorial Concert Hall

SCHOOL OF THEATRE and DANCE

Upcoming Production - Sep 22-25, 28-Oct 2, 2011
O’Connell Theatre
Theophilus North
BY MATTHEW BURNETT

In the spring of 1926, Theophilus North, a 30-year-old New Jersey school teacher, quits his job and sets out for some fun and to find his place in the world. However, he makes it only so far as Newport, Rhode Island, a mere 200 miles from home, when his car breaks down.

Stranded in a community of substantial wealth, Theophilus supports himself with odd jobs in the elegant mansions along Ocean Drive. Soon the young man finds himself playing the roles of tutor, spy, confidant, lover, friend, and enemy as he becomes entangled in the intrigues of both upstairs and downstairs in a glittering society dominated by leisure.

Based on the novel by Thornton Wilder, the last of his works published during his lifetime, Theophilus North is a fascinating coming-of-age story from the vantage point of age, and deftly displays Wilder’s trademark wit juxtaposed with his lively and timeless ruminations on what really matters about life, love, and work at the end of the day.

"Hope pulses so strongly through Theophilus North.... Burnett injects his script with cosmic scope.... Imaginative, forceful theater.... Charming and breathtaking all at once.... In the spirit of Wilder and with a dramatic vigor all its own, the play turns large-hearted living into art." --Mark Blankenship, Variety

Arts Entrepreneurship Committee Forming

2011-09-14T12:39:00.004-06:00

The College of Visual and Performing Arts at NIU is pleased to announce the formation of the Self Employment in the Arts Club -"SEA" CLUB. The club is to encourage entrepreneurship in the Visual and Performing Arts.

The club's first ever meeting will be Monday, September 19 at 5:30pm in room 119 of Gabel Hall. The club will feature speakers that are successful entrepreneurs in the arts, field trips to learn more self-employment techniques, and much much more!!!

If anyone has any questions, please contact the faculty advisor to the club, Professor Paula Frasz, at pfrasz@niu.edu.

Theatre Professor Designs for High Profile Convention

2011-09-14T12:24:00.003-06:00

NIU School of Theatre and Dance professor Terry McClellan kicked off his summer by designing scenery for The Cable Show 2011, the annual industry showcase held by The National Cable & Telecommunications Association. Held at McCormick Place in Chicago, the event hosted 13,000 attendees, nearly 300 exhibitors on the convention floor and focused on emerging technologies and how consumers are using video content. Professor McClellan was responsible for the design of two event spaces and stage sets including the stage for an eclectic lineup of speakers and celebrity appearances.

The main space presented the design challenge to create a theatre with seating for 4000 within the vast convention hall. The stage needed to functionally present video content as well as dedicated stage areas to host speeches, panel discussions and entertainment. Backstage areas were designed for dressing rooms and a video broadcast area. As part of the 3-day presentation, Oprah Winfrey spoke about her new cable television network, Comcast CEO and Chairman Brian Roberts demonstrated a groundbreaking 1 gigabit-per-second broadband connection and U.S. Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden delivered an address about supporting America’s military families. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and political advisor David Axelrod added political heavyweights to the panel discussion lineup. All sessions were broadcast live on the internet.

The stage area included two large video projection screens flanking the dynamic contemporary asymmetrical scenery on stage which included multiple layered panels incorporating industry graphics which could be easily changed in mood and appearance through lighting effects. Four large flat screen monitors placed behind the dedicated panel discussion areas emphasized content. A contemporary custom lectern with teleprompters put the speakers at center stage.

The secondary stage space incorporated a stage design that featured brushed chrome grid walls with translucent panels that were lit for dramatic effect. A large video screen was embedded in one side of the grid wall and a large entry portal on the other. The speaker lectern was fronted with a flat video monitor for changing graphics. Custom signage and onscreen content effectively changed the branding of the set for the various uses from a women’s business luncheon to the Cable industry Vanguard Awards ceremony.

Professor McClellan feels it is important for his design students at NIU to understand the many career possibilities in which they can use their theatrical design skills in the future. The business of live events is one growing non-traditional outlet for the design talent the School of Theatre and Dance nurtures. The collaborative process with the show producers, client and many other dedicated artistic professionals mirrors the process taught during the production process within the School of Theatre and Dance. Whether designing for a theatre or dance production or a live event, the set designer is responsible for creating the space and providing an environment that enhances the communication with an audience.

Olson Gallery Features "Inked"

2011-09-14T12:15:00.002-06:00

The Jack Olson Gallery in the NIU School of Art is pleased to currently be hosting "Inked": the universality of tattoo imagery as a means for expression. Curated by Peter Van Ael, Director of the Olson Gallery, and graduate student Agnes Ma, the exhibition features work by artists Jeff Crisman, Glen C. Davies, Gary Dobry, Ellen Greene, Maren Erwin, Michael Ferris, Jr., and Mitch O'Connell.

The exhibition runs through October 13, with a reception and gallery talks on Thursday, September 22, from 4:30 to 6:00.

Faculty Violist Performing Solo Recital

2011-09-08T15:00:00.003-06:00

Anthony Devroye, faculty violist in the NIU School of Music and member of the Avalon String Quartet, will present a solo recital on campus on Friday, September 9, at 8:00 p.m. in the Music Building's Recital Hall. Tony will be joined by guest pianist George Lepauw.

NIU Today has a terrific article about the recital - access it here!

Upcoming Events at the CVPA

2011-09-08T14:37:00.004-06:00

Visit us on our website, follow this blog, or stop by our Facebook page for more information.

NIU ART MUSEUM
Early Fall exhibitions will celebrate wit, social commentary, process and technique in variously scaled contemporary sculpture.

August 23 – October 29, 2011
In the House: Sculpture for the Home
While focus has often been on large-scale outdoor public displays of sculpture, In the House surveys smaller work appropriate for the interiors of the home. Group exhibition of contemporary tabletop and wall sculpture in various media and techniques explore a variety of concerns, issues, processes and techniques. Includes Jerry Bleem, Juan Angel Chavez, Michael Ferris, Michael Gross, John Himmelfarb, Gary Justis, Michael Ransdell and Margaret Wharton. Guest curated by sculptor/educator/collector Michael Bennett.
In the Studio and In the Garden: John Balsley Sculpture and Collage
Solo show of figurative metal sculpture and colorful collage prints by Northern Illinois University alum John Balsley. Having had a long career as a noted sculptor, Balsley’s latest ventures have been into what he terms “extreme collage” – multi-layered, detailed pieces balancing between the advances of technology and the primacy of the hand-wrought. Curated by Lee Sido, Associate Professor of Art.

On the Body and In the Hand
Small scale contemporary metalwork and jewelry. Invitational group show organized by guest curator Jamie Obermeier, Associate Professor, Metals Coordinator, and Board of Directors, SNAG (Society of North American Goldsmiths).

SCHOOL OF ART
http://art.niu.edu/

August 29 - October 13 – Jack Olson Gallery
Inked: Tattoo Imagery in Contemporary Art
Featured artists Jeff Crisman, Glen C. Davies, Gary Dobry, Ellen Greene, Maren Erwin, Michael Ferris Jr. & Mitch O' Connell utilize the universality of tattoo imagery as a means for expression.
Curated by Agnes Ma and Peter Van Ael
Reception & gallery talks Thursday, September 22, 4:30-6:00

SCHOOL OF MUSIC
http://www.niu.edu/music/

Anthony Devroye & George Lepauw
faculty viola & guest piano recital
Date: 9/9/2011 Time: 8:00 pm
Location: Music Building Room: Recital Hall

John Fairfield
faculty horn recital
Date: 9/15/2011 | Time: 8:00 pm
Location: Music Building | Room: Recital Hall

SCHOOL OF THEATRE and DANCE
http://www.niu.edu/theatre/

Upcoming Production - Sep 22-25, 28-Oct 2, 2011
O’Connell Theatre
Theophilus North
BY MATTHEW BURNETT
In the spring of 1926, Theophilus North, a 30-year-old New Jersey school teacher, quits his job and sets out for some fun and to find his place in the world. However, he makes it only so far as Newport, Rhode Island, a mere 200 miles from home, when his car breaks down.

Stranded in a community of substantial wealth, Theophilus supports himself with odd jobs in the elegant mansions along Ocean Drive. Soon the young man finds himself playing the roles of tutor, spy, confidant, lover, friend, and enemy as he becomes entangled in the intrigues of both upstairs and downstairs in a glittering society dominated by leisure.

Based on the novel by Thornton Wilder, the last of his works published during his lifetime, Theophilus North is a fascinating coming-of-age story from the vantage point of age, and deftly displays Wilder’s trademark wit juxtaposed with his lively and timeless ruminations on what really matters about life, love, and work at the end of the day.

"Hope pulses so strongly through Theophilus North.... Burnett injects his script with cosmic scope.... Imaginative, forceful theater.... Charming and breathtaking all at once.... In the spirit of Wilder and with a dramatic vigor all its own, the play turns large-hearted living into art." --Mark Blankenship, Variety

Steel Pan Professor to Perform with Taiwanese Orchestra

2011-09-07T12:15:00.002-06:00

Liam Teague, associate professor of steel pan in the NIU School of Music, will perform as soloist with the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra. The concerts will take place September 24 and 25 in Taichung, Hsinchu, Taiwan.

Conducting the orchestra will be Fusao Kajima, and Liam will perform as soloist on "Concerto for Steelpan and Orchestra" by NIU Professor Emeritus Jan Bach.

Art History Division Announces Visiting Lecture Series

2011-09-07T12:03:00.002-06:00

The Elizabeth Allen Lectures in Art History series at the NIU School of Art is funded through the generosity of NIU School of Art alumna Mrs. Elizabeth Plotnick. Additional programming sponsored by the School of Art brings a variety of visiting artists and scholars to campus throughout the year, and helps to support many special events, exhibitions, and symposia.

Thursday September 8
Sandra Cate, San Jose State University
MAKING MERIT, MAKING ART

Monday October 10
Ann Gunter, Northwestern University
GREEK ART AND THE ORIENT

Wednesday November 16
Stephen J. Eskilson, Eastern Illinois University
DETOURNEMENT—SUBVERSIVE VISUAL COMMUNICATION

Saturday, February 18
Dale Kinney, Bryn Mawr College
REMAKING THE CLASSICAL: APPROPRIATION AND TRANSFORMATION
co-sponsored with 29th Annual Illinois Medieval Association Conference, Northern Illinois University, February 17-18—time and room TBA

Monday, April 2
Kristina Wilson, Clark University
LIVABLE MODERNISM

All lectures are free and open to the public. Most are held at 5:00 p.m. in the NIU Art Building (Arends Hall), room 100. For the most current information and more details please visit the NIU Art History departmental website.

All-Styles Guitar Day Announced

2011-08-26T14:11:00.003-06:00

Larry Coryell

Rex Carroll

Muriel Anderson

Eduardo Minozzi Costa

Fareed Haque

Grab your guitar and head for Northern Illinois University’s Music Building on October 1 for the first NIU All-Styles Guitar Day! Five professional guitarists with expertise in different types of guitar playing will perform and conduct lectures, demonstrations, and master classes. Guitar vendors and builders have been invited to show new and vintage instruments. All players are invited to rehearse and perform in the GuitOrchestra.

Virtuoso Fareed Haque, guitar professor at the NIU School of Music, has designed the event to appeal to all guitarists, including high school players, teachers, performers, and enthusiasts. Featured guests are Larry Coryell (jazz), Muriel Anderson (folk), Rex Carroll (rock), and Eduardo Minozzi Costa (classical).

Fareed Haque’s sessions on classical and jazz band guitar basics are geared especially for the high school players. A graduate of North Texas State University and Northwestern University, Haque is an active performer whose career spans the spectrum of musical styles, moving easily between jazz and classical guitar,

Larry Coryell will conduct a Q&A session. A Texas native, Coryell has been a professional musician since the 1960’s. Known as a jazz guitarist, he has played acoustic and electric and in the genres of rock, eastern music, flamenco, and jazz fusion. NPR radio host Billy Taylor has said of Coryell: “Versatile virtuoso guitarist Larry Coryell proves to be more than an outstanding musician; he’s also a particularly enlightening and affable conversationalist.”

Eduardo Minozzi Costa will present a classical master class open to all and featuring NIU guitar students. A native of Brazil, Costa is a graduate student at the University of Arizona. The winner of many competitions, he was recently awarded first place at the 2010 Indiana University Guitar Festival and Competition.

Rex Carroll will teach a rock guitar class. Carroll is a graduate of Northern Illinois University. He plays lead guitar and is primary songwriter for the award-winning Christian metal band Whitecross. His playing has been heard on commercials for the Milwaukee Bucks and he also performed the national anthem at the Harley-Davidson 100th anniversary celebration.

Muriel Anderson will teach a fingerstyle guitar class. One of the world’s most respected fingerstyle guitarists and harp-guitarists, Anderson is the first woman to have won the National Fingerpicking Guitar Championship. Her facility across the genres of folk, classical, jazz, bluegrass and international music is revered by guitarists worldwide.

To conclude the day, Haque, Anderson, Coryell, Carroll, and Costa perform in an all-styles guitar concert in the evening. They are joined by the GuitOrchesta. All attendees are invited to play in the GuitOrchesta, which will rehearse during the day.

There is an early bird deadline discount for those who register before September 12, and there is also a discount for groups of five or more who register at the same time.

The NIU All-Styles Guitar Day has received financial support from Alhambra Guitars, Truefire, the Dean’s Office, College of Visual and Performing Arts, and the NIU School of Music.

For more information, visit us online here or call Renee Page, College of Visual and Performing Arts, Office of External Programs, Northern Illinois University, at (815) 753-1450.

Legendary Jazz Bassist to Perform at NIU

2011-08-25T13:58:00.004-06:00

Stefan Karlsson, Eddie Gomez, Rodrigo Villanueva

The Eddie Gomez Trio will perform at the NIU School of Music Boutell Memorial Concert Hall on September 7, 2011 at 8:00 pm.

Legendary bassist Eddie Gomez has been on the cutting edge of music for over four decades. The GRAMMY® winner’s impressive resumé includes performances with jazz giants such as Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Bill Evans (11 years), Gerry Mulligan and Benny Goodman. Eddie’s distinctive sound and style resonate on hundreds of recordings spanning the worlds of jazz,
classical, Latin jazz, rhythm & blues, popular and contemporary music.

Gomez’s diverse musical contexts include working with Freddie Hubbard, George Benson, McCoy Tyner, Hank Jones, Nancy Wilson, Tania Maria, Ray Barreto, the All Star groups “Steps Ahead” and “New Directions” as well as on GRAMMY®-winning recordings with Chick Corea.

Today, Eddie tours and records with his own group which he formed in 1992 with pianist Stefan Karlsson and legendary drummer Jimmy Cobb. His recent recording “Duets,” co-led with Carlos Franzetti on piano, won Best Instrumental Album at the 10th Annual Latin GRAMMY® Awards. Eddie is both composer and teacher; he is artistic director at the Conservatory of Music in Puerto Rico, he teaches double bass at the Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio, and he collaborates with some of the most prestigious conservatories and music schools in Europe, South America, the United States, Asia and Japan where he gives master classes.

During this one-week tour the Eddie Gomez Trio featuring Stefan Karlsson and NIU's own jazz studies professor Rodrigo Villanueva, will perform and offer master classes at many universities and jazz-related venues in the Midwest, covering 5 states in only 8 days, including performances, clinics and master classes at Indiana University on September 2nd. The trio also will perform two shows in WIsconsin, on September 3rd at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and on September 4th at the Riverfront Jazz Festival in Stevens Point. In Illinois the group will perform at Elmhurst College on September 6th and at Northern Illinois University on September 7th, where the Eddie Gomez will offer a jazz bass Clinic (11 am TBA), a Jazz Trio Master Class at 4:00 pm in the School of Music Recital Hall and a concert at the Boutell Memorial Concert Hall at 8:00 pm. In addition the group will perform at the Artists' Quarter in Saint Paul, Minnesota on September 8th and at the Studio 222 in Fargo, North Dakota on September 9th.

The Eddie Gomez Trio performances at NIU are possible thanks to the valuable support and collaboration of the NIU School of Music 220 Concert Series, the NIU Jazz Studies Program, the Center for Latino and Latin American Studies, Jazzling Records, Sabian Cymbals, Yamaha Drums, Vic Firth Drum Sticks and Evans Drum heads. The concert is free and for all ages.

Jazz Piano Professor Earns Lifetime Achievement Award

2011-08-25T13:40:00.003-06:00

Willie Pickens, internationally renowned jazz pianist and member of the faculty of the NIU School of Music, has just received the Walter Dyett Lifetime Achievement Award from the Jazz Institute of Chicago.

Congratulations, Willie!

Perhaps most noted for his work with the Elvin Jones Jazz Machine, Willie has also been the pianist for Sammy Davis, Jr., Quincy Jones, Roberta Flack, Wynton Marsalis, Clark Terry and a large number of other jazz luminaries.

Upcoming Events at the CVPA!

2011-08-25T13:36:00.002-06:00

College of Visual & Performing Arts

August 25, 2011

Visit our webpage, http://www.niu.edu/cvpa/events.shtml for more information

NIU ART MUSEUM

Early Fall exhibitions will celebrate wit, social commentary, process and technique in variously scaled contemporary sculpture.
August 23 – October 29, 2011

In the House: Sculpture for the Home
While focus has often been on large-scale outdoor public displays of sculpture, In the House surveys smaller work appropriate for the interiors of the home. Group exhibition of contemporary tabletop and wall sculpture in various media and techniques explore a variety of concerns, issues, processes and techniques. Includes Jerry Bleem, Juan Angel Chavez, Michael Ferris, Michael Gross, John Himmelfarb, Gary Justis, Michael Ransdell and Margaret Wharton. Guest curated by sculptor/educator/collector Michael Bennett.

In the Studio and In the Garden: John Balsley Sculpture and Collage
Solo show of figurative metal sculpture and colorful collage prints by Northern Illinois University alum, John Balsley. Having had a long career as a noted sculptor, Balsley’s latest ventures have been into what he terms “extreme collage” – multi-layered, detailed pieces balancing between the advances of technology and the primacy of the hand-wrought. Curated by Lee Sido, Associate Professor of Art.

On the Body and In the Hand
Small scale contemporary metalwork and jewelry. Invitational group show organized by guest curator Jamie Obermeier, Associate Professor, Metals Coordinator, and Board of Directors, SNAG (Society of North American Goldsmiths).

SCHOOL OF ART

http://art.niu.edu/

August 29 - October 13 – Jack Olson Gallery
Inked: Tattoo Imagery in Contemporary Art
Featured artists Jeff Crisman, Glen C. Davies, Gary Dobry, Ellen Greene, Maren Erwin, Michael Ferris Jr. & Mitch O' Connell utilize the universality of tattoo imagery as a means for expression.
Curated by Agnes Ma and Peter Van Ael
Reception & gallery talks Thursday, September 22, 4:30-6:00

COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

CSA O'Rama

August 27, 10 a.m. - Noon
Concert Hall Lobby, NIU Music Building

Learn more about the classes, lessons, and ensembles offered for children and adults by the NIU Community School of the Arts. Take a 15-minute mini-music lesson or try a short sampler class – for free! Teachers and staff are on hand in the Concert Hall lobby to answer your questions about starting or continuing your own or your child’s instruction in the arts. This is a good time to learn more about our wonderful teaching faculty, our scholarship programs, and about the many ensembles and classes we offer.

Call by August 25 to reserve a space in any of the classes listed or to make an appointment for a lesson (you will need your own instrument). Call (815) 753-1450. Limit: One lesson per person, but reserve as many spaces in the sampler classes as you would like. Children must be accompanied by an adult for lessons and classes.

10 - 10:20 a.m.
Starter Piano (ages 6 – 9)
Musical Tales (ages 3 – 5)

10:30 – 10:50 a.m.
Suzuki Parent Chat

11 – 11:20
Suzuki Sampler (ages 3 - 10)

11:30 – 11:50 a.m.
Prelude and Development Classes combined (ages 1 – 5)

SCHOOL OF MUSIC

http://www.niu.edu/music/

SCHOOL OF THEATRE and DANCE

http://www.niu.edu/theatre/

Upcoming Production - Sep 22-25, 28-Oct 2, 2011

O’Connell Theatre

Theophilus North

BY MATTHEW BURNETT

In the spring of 1926, Theophilus North, a 30-year-old New Jersey school teacher, quits his job and sets out for some fun and to find his place in the world. However, he makes it only so far as Newport, Rhode Island, a mere 200 miles from home, when his car breaks down.

Stranded in a community of substantial wealth, Theophilus supports himself with odd jobs in the elegant mansions along Ocean Drive. Soon the young man finds himself playing the roles of tutor, spy, confidant, lover, friend, and enemy as he becomes entangled in the intrigues of both upstairs and downstairs in a glittering society dominated by leisure.

Based on the novel by Thornton Wilder, the last of his works published during his lifetime, Theophilus North is a fascinating coming-of-age story from the vantage point of age, and deftly displays Wilder’s trademark wit juxtaposed with his lively and timeless ruminations on what really matters about life, love, and work at the end of the day.

"Hope pulses so strongly through Theophilus North.... Burnett injects his script with cosmic scope.... Imaginative, forceful theater.... Charming and breathtaking all at once.... In the spirit of Wilder and with a dramatic vigor all its own, the play turns large-hearted living into art." --Mark Blankenship, Variety

The Arts @ NIU

Professor of Art History Featured at DePaul University Art Museum

Dance Alum On This Year's Top 25 List

Painting Professor's Works in State of Illinois Exhibition

Art Education Professor Earns National Award

Music Professor Earns High Praise on New Recording

Music Alum's Composing Career Flying High

Self Employment in the Arts Club - Upcoming Meetings

CVPA to Host New Art Examiner Symposium

Music Alum Scores for Major Film

Painting Alum Gains National Exposure

Internet2 Recognizes Efforts of NIU School of Music

Art Professor's and Students' Work on Exhibition at Norris Center

Two Music Professors Earn Kudos in Chicago Tribune

Ambassador from Trinidad and Tobago Visits CVPA

Art History Division Announces Guest Lecturer

Art + Design Educators Create City at STEMFest

CVPA Earns International Awards

Chamber Choir Performs at National Convention

Percussion Alum Performs Philip Glass Concerto

Time Arts Graduate Student Featured Nationally

Percussion Professor's Duo Releases Second Album

The 2nd NIU New Music Festival Announced

Art Cafe a Hit at NIU's STEMFest

Dance Professor Choreographs Show in Chicago

Avalon String Quartet Earns Great Reviews

Museum Studies Program Earns Several Awards

Upcoming Events in the CVPA!

Painting Professor has Show in New York

Trumpet Concerto Makes NIU Premiere Performance

Percussion Professor in Finals of Prestigious Competition

Olson Gallery Publishes Catalog

School of Art Professor's Film to be Screened

Upcoming Guest Speaker Highlighted

Upcoming Events at the CVPA

Dance Program Provides High School Workshops

Noted Operatic Tenor to Present Master Class

Upcoming Events at the CVPA!

Music Professor Appointed to National Board

Community School of the Arts Receives NEA Grant

Upcoming Events in the CVPA!

Arts Entrepreneurship Committee Forming

Theatre Professor Designs for High Profile Convention

Olson Gallery Features "Inked"

Faculty Violist Performing Solo Recital

Upcoming Events at the CVPA

Steel Pan Professor to Perform with Taiwanese Orchestra

Art History Division Announces Visiting Lecture Series

All-Styles Guitar Day Announced

Legendary Jazz Bassist to Perform at NIU

Jazz Piano Professor Earns Lifetime Achievement Award

Upcoming Events at the CVPA!

Early Fall exhibitions will celebrate wit, social commentary, process and technique in variously scaled contemporary sculpture. August 23 – October 29, 2011

CSA O'Rama

August 27, 10 a.m. - Noon Concert Hall Lobby, NIU Music Building

Early Fall exhibitions will celebrate wit, social commentary, process and technique in variously scaled contemporary sculpture.
August 23 – October 29, 2011

August 27, 10 a.m. - Noon
Concert Hall Lobby, NIU Music Building