Season tickets on sale June 5 The Brigham Young University College of Fine Arts and Communications announces its 2012-2013 Performing Arts Series season, featuring professional musicians, dancers and theatre-makers from as far as India and the United Kingdom and as close as Salt Lake City.

The Brigham Young University School of Music presents the classic Gilbert and Sullivan opera 'The Mikado' Wednesday through Saturday, June 6-9, at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall on the BYU campus.

Susan B. Walton, formerly an associate chair in the Department of Communications, has been appointed Vice President of Public Affairs at the University of North Dakota, effective on July 2, 2012. She will be the first person to occupy that newly-created position in the history of the university. Walton has taught public relations classes and other communications courses at the university for six years.

With a final performance 30,000 feet over South Africa, the Young Ambassadors concluded their tour of southern Africa. Over the course of 27 days, they traveled through three countries, giving performances, workshops, and firesides; visiting schools, orphanages, and nursing homes; and even finding time to see the local sights.

While in Durban, the Young Ambassadors hosted a 'For the Strength of Youth' workshop where the group taught the principles from the pamphlet to 170 of the top honor students from seven high schools. The 2 ½ hour workshop was a wonderful experience and at the end of the workshop the group performed a few more numbers and also sang spiritual songs to the students. Directly after the workshop, the Young Ambassadors were also a part of the Church Public Affairs wheelchair exchange that was tied to the 8-million audience of Nkozi FM. It was a touching experience for all involved.

According to the Princeton Review, “A good professor can shape your success in a particular class–but a truly amazing professor can change your life forever.” They partnered with RateMyProfessors.com (the #1 professor rating site) and students across the country to find the professors who have made a lasting impact in the lives of their students. Rosalind Hall, associate professor from the School of Music, was rated as one of the top 300 professors in the nation! Many know Rosalind Hall as the conductor of Men’s Chorus and Concert Choir from their dynamic performances, from the playful to the ethereal. While it’s clear she draws out a high level of musicality, from where comes that extra notch that makes her stand out. Reviewers on RateMyProfessors.com give some clues. Writes one former student, “She knows her stuff, and knows everyone she teaches by name – all 300+ students.” Another writes, “Rehearsals are so productive and spiritual. She will never settle for anything but your best. You must work hard and give your all but the work is SO rewarding.” For an inside look at rehearsals, check out the YouTube video created by members of Concert Choir. The BYU Men’s Chorus also has a gallery of rehearsal photos that let everyone in on the national-level experience. For her dedication and excellence, it becomes clear why Rosalyn Hall is one of America’s top professors. Read about the Princeton Review’s list here and be sure to click on the link to the pdf that lists the 300 top professors. Learn more about Sister Hall on the Men's Chorus website.

By Blair Howell

'People in a Hard Land: Iconic Images of Life in the Southwest,' the second installment of an American West exhibition at the BYU Museum of Art, is now on display thrugh Jan. 19, 2013.

The tango, fox trot, waltz, rumba, and cha-cha are all elements of the BYU Ballroom Dance Company. More than just another dance team, they have been able to breach the barrier between the stage and the audience by forming an atmosphere that captivates and immerses their audiences into the world they’ve created. During their recent Northern California tour in October, they performed their show Capture the Magic to crowded auditoriums in the cities of Folsom, Oakland, Paradise, Modesto, Santa Clara, Napa, and Fresno. Presenting in venues such as the Great America’s Showtime Theater in Santa Clara and the historic Warnors Center for the Performing Arts in Fresno, the show become an instant success with audience members. Captivating audiences across the world, BYU’s Ballroom Dance Company continues to showcase dances that are versatile, entertaining, and moving. The team’s artistic directors, Lee and Linda Wakefield, combine athletic and aesthetic qualities for each of the dances they choreograph, knowing that ballroom is an ever-changing art form. “Ballroom is very competitive, athletic, artistic, and, like any other sport, has its challenges,” said Linda Wakefield. “While the categories of dances have remained the same, the ways these dances are performaed constantly change. The innovations and creativity behind the technique, style, and costuming of each dance is what makes ballroom so addicting. It never stays the same.” This fast-paced world of ballroom is reflected on the stage as the Wakefields continuously enhance their numbers to reflect current trends and world events. Every number has a story, and every story has an element of energy, surprise, and intrigue that makes audience members want to stand up and dance along. For two weeks in June the Ballroom Dance Company will hold nightly performances in Nauvoo, Illinois. In preparation the Wakefields are using a mixture of visualization, theme, and emotion to create unforgettable numbers for their new show, Imagine. “It always starts with an idea,” said Linda. “The music will define the movement and what the dance should look like while the costuming creates a specific feeling for the piece. When these elements are combined, the storyline or idea becomes very clear to the audience, and artistically you just know it works.” Several examples from their current show display this successful process, including a rumba titled “Come Home Soon,” which is patterned as a tribute to those serving in the armed forces. This American number is contrasted by “Sands of Time,” an epic piece that was inspired from a movie score and resulted in an ethnic Persian-styled dance. The special gaming number “MicTendo” brings video game characters to the center of the ballroom floor. The variety of dances goes on to include a West Coast swing, a samba, a theatre arts piece, and the most contemporary waltz the company has ever performed. The order of the dances is essential to the show’s success. The Wakefields contrast the style of dances so the mood is constantly shifting. A show mixed with slower ballads and fast beats allows the audience enough time to absorb and fully appreciate what they’ve just experienced. “We put together a show for all ages,” said Linda. “There is something for everyone in this show, which is unusual for the performing arts. The music, movements, pace, emotion, look, and spirit of the show create a very full experience. We don’t dance to impress; we dance to captivate the audience and their imaginations.” Source: Performing Arts Management

As the Wind Symphony said goodbye to Germany, their first concert in Holland was a wonderful success. The group shared the stage with another wind band named Orkest Orventus that is from Holland and consists of professional musicians. The joint performance called 'Hands Across The Sea,' was an event held as part of the Liberation Celebration in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands. It was an honor to be a part of this highly revered celebration in Holland.

The Brigham Young University Singers recently completed their Spring tour of England and Wales. Their final concert, performed at St John’s, Smith Square in London received rave reviews. Writing for The Arts Desk, Alexandra Coghlan said of the group, “There’s a warmth and a joy here that starts with the smiles that embrace you from the stage and only grows through the singing.” The BYU Singers were founded in 1984 by their current director, Ronald Staheli. In the 28 years of their existence, the group has become renowned as one of the foremost collegiate choirs in the world, a fact noted by Coghlan. Coghlan went on to praise the group’s blend, as well as their “rhythmic, contrapuntal skills.” Discussing the specific repertoire, Coghlan wrote, “while sopranos set the tone for the sensitively-phrased unisons of Mack Wilberg’s My Shepherd Will Supply My Need, . . . it was the mezzos who came close to stealing the show with a strikingly mature, rounded sound so much in the contrast to the straight (too often gripped tone) of many English groups.” Read the full review here.

Literally performing their final concert in the heart of London, the BYU Singers brought their United Kingdom tour to a conclusion with an impressive performance in St. John's Smith Square concert hall to an audience of approximately 500. The final of 15 concerts given in the past three weeks was received with an audience's call for three encores and an audible buzz in the hall following the conclusion.