The hours of the reserved faculty lot by the Museum of Art have recently changed. The lot will now open weekdays at 6 p.m. instead of 7 p.m. to the general public. This will allow patrons to park closer to the Harris Fine Arts Center on the nights of performances. Additionally, the MOA Cafe is now offering a 10% discount to patrons with tickets to performances on Friday nights in the HFAC. The Cafe is open on Fridays until 9 p.m. so guests are encouraged to eat at the cafe before their show. On Thursday, December 31, the MOA will close at 4 PM. On New Year's Day, the MOA will be closed. Happy New Year! The MOA Cafe will be closed for Christmas Break but will reopen on January 4th.

The security guard’s name was Jeff, and he was moving fast. He was at one end of the Museum of Art on the Brigham Young University campus when he noticed out of the corner of his eye a man in blue jeans, shirt tail out, sunglasses perched atop his head, scruffy beard, getting a little too up close and personal with a painting. And not just any painting, but the celebrated “Nativity,” painted by Brian Kershisnik when he was a visiting professor at BYU in 2006. READ MORE in the Deseret News.>>>>

The period between Christmas and New Year's typically has one of the highest rates of impaired driving fatalities, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). 

Christmas Eve

As a continuation of its Set Apart project, the Brigham Young University Men’s Chorus will share its newest release, “Savior, Redeemer of My Soul,” as a free download starting December 4, 2015. The original Set Apart: Beloved Missionary Hymns album, originally released in April 2013, is still available as a free download. Both can be downloaded at. Hymns for the free Set Apart album were thoughtfully selected to especially honor prospective and current missionaries, and was originally created as a gift to all who share in the love of missionary work. Since the initial album release, songs from the album have been downloaded more than half a million times in 177 countries. Giving away a new song for free as a Christmas gift has become a BYU Men’s Chorus tradition. “We believe that music has the ability to teach indefinable truths, comfort in times of inconsolable pain and inspire even the hardest of hearts,” said Benjamin Jacob, president of the BYU Men’s Chorus. “Every time we sing, we bear our testimony of the reality of Jesus Christ. Men's Chorus is a place of refuge and strength for all as we seek to serve our brothers and sisters through song.” The BYU Men’s Chorus is the largest collegiate men’s choir in the nation. Conducted by Rosalind Hall, they serve as one of the pillars of the BYU College of Fine Arts and Communication’s performing groups, with 180 members and decades of rich, musical history. The choir hopes to spread joyful messages to everyone with the download of this original arrangement of crowd-favorite, “Savior, Redeemer of My Soul.” Rosalind Hall, the director of the BYU Men’s Chorus, considers this particular song an ideal gift to missionaries and to the world this Christmas. Hall feels this song took on new significance when many in Men’s Chorus choose to sing it as their audition piece. Hall soon asked retired faculty member Ronald Staheli to personally arrange and conduct this hymn for her choir members because she knew that no one else would write a more beautiful arrangement. “The first time that I started teaching it to the Men's Chorus, I knew that it would be a special piece. There was such a connection to it. They connected to it from the word go,” Hall said. “I know that missionaries out in the field will feel the same way–it will speak to their souls and it will be especially meaningful to them as they meet all the challenges that come to them as they devote two years of their lives to the Savior of the World.' While Hall and Jacob hope those preparing for missions will download the hymn, they hope that everyone will happily receive the chorus’ Christmas gift. Notable arrangers for the hymns, including Daniel McDavitt, Matthew D. Nielsen, David Zabriskie, Lane Johnson, Rob Gardner and Ron Staheli generously forfeited licensing rights so the BYU Men’s Chorus could offer the hymns on the album for free.

This year’s “Christmas Around the World” celebration at Brigham Young University–featuring the International Folk Dance Ensemble and sponsored by the BYU Department of Dance–will take place in the Marriott Center Friday and Saturday, Dec. 4 and 5, at 7:30 p.m., with a 2 p.m. Saturday matinee. Tickets are $10-20, with discounts available for alumni, students, employees, senior citizens and groups. Tickets can be purchased in person at the BYU Ticket Office in the Harris Fine Arts Center or Marriott Center, by phone at 801-422-2981 or online at byuarts.com. This year’s theme, “The Gift,” will be demonstrated in a performance of more than 150 student dancers, singers and musicians in colorful costumes who bring their talents to share the world’s Christmas traditions. The program will feature dances and music from dozens of countries across the globe including China, Croatia, Haiti, Mexico and Palestine. In her fifth year as artistic director, Jeanette Geslison cites the students as the heart and soul of this annual tradition. “In this production we journey, as the Wise Men of old, through different areas of the world as we eventually end in the Holy Land,” said Geslison. “We celebrate and honor cultural diversity through principles of love and goodwill. These cultural presentations are truly gifts at this time of year.” This performance will feature International Folk Dance Ensemble and guest musical performers will include Mountain Strings, BYU Men’s Chorus and the Intermountain Symphony Orchestra.

Moonbot Studios has drawn praise for an anti-bully short for The Ad Council’s latest campaign, “I Am a Witness” with three graduates from BYU’s College of Fine Arts and Communications including creative director Jake Wyatt, artist Renee Bates and animator David Wilson. “When The New York Times calls your work 'relevant' and 'adaptive,' you know you're making some savvy career choices,” said Wilson. Already nominated for Best Animated Special Production for the upcoming Annie Awards, the highest award in the animation industry, “I Am a Witness” continues to draw praise. The video, an interactive 2D animated short and the first fully hand-drawn short from the studio, is part of the Ad Council’s new integrated web campaign directed to empower teens. In an article, The New York Times discusses how staying relevant in an overcrowded advertising market is no easy feat for the Ad Council, the first creator of public services announcements in the United States over 70 years ago. The “I Am a Witness” campaign marks a new emphasis to motivate action of significant public issues through digital communication in a social media age. See more at The New York Times

This winter, the BYU Museum of Art presents American Chronicles, a traveling exhibition showcasing the iconic works of beloved American artist Norman Rockwell. The exhibition runs from Nov. 20, 1015 to Feb. 13, 2016. One of the most popular American artists of the past century, Rockwell (1894-1978) was a keen observer of human nature and a gifted storyteller. For nearly seven decades, while history was in the making all around him, Rockwell chronicled our changing society in the small details and nuanced scenes of ordinary people in everyday life, providing a personalized interpretation–albeit often an idealized one–of American identity. His depictions offered a reassuring visual haven during a time of momentous transformation as our country evolved into a complex, modern society. Rockwell’s contributions to our visual legacy, many of them now icons of American culture, have found a permanent place in our national psyche. RESERVE YOUR TICKETS ONLINE Admission to American Chronicles is free, but due to the anticipated popularity of the exhibition, tickets are required. Patrons can reserve tickets in advance online, and a limited number of standby tickets will also be available on-site on the day of admittance.

Tickets to this winter’s BYU arts performances make the best Christmas gifts. And with 25 different events to choose from, you can sing, act or dance your way while you jingle all the way. Tickets for these performances are available for purchase through byuarts.com or by calling 801-422-2981.

The BYU Department of Theatre and Media Arts and interdisciplinary Music Dance Theatre program will present the BYU premiere of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast in the Pardoe Theater of the Harris Fine Arts Center, at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 19-21, 27-28, Dec. 1-5 and 8-10, with matinees on Nov. 21, 28 and Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. An ASL performance will be presented on Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25, with discounts available for alumni, senior citizens, students, employees and groups. Tickets can be purchased in person at the BYU Ticket Office in the Harris Fine Arts Center or Marriott Center, by phone at 801-422-2981 or online at byuarts.com. This beloved musical tells the classic story of Belle, a provincial girl who falls in love with the cursed, monstrous prince who imprisons her father. Based on the Oscar award-winning Disney movie, this musical is a parable about looking upon a person’s heart rather than the outward appearance. Director George Nelson is excited to present this enchanting “tale as old as time” to the community because he believes this fairytale is an allegory for the redemption of the fallen nature in the heart of every human being. “This tale is universal because of the truths it reveals,” said Nelson. “Our retelling hopefully combines the magic of this amazing musical with the reality of the powerful influence for good real, selfless love can have on the human heart.” Based on Linda Woolverton’s book, the music is by Alan Menken, with lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice. Other production members include Mark Johnson as musical director, Becky Phillips as choreographer, Lindsi Neilson as production stage manager, Benjamin Sanders as scenic and lighting designer, Shannon McCurdy as costume designer, Valeri Day as makeup hair designer, Taylor Glad as sound designer, Lizzie Mickelson as properties designer, Travis Coyne as technical director, Kasey Kopp as dramaturge and Theron Christensen as illusionist. Cast members include Johnny Wilson as the Beast, Twyla Wilson as Belle, Kooper Campbell as Gaston, Alana Jeffery as Mrs. Potts, Woody White as Lumiere, Scott Whipple as Cogsworth, Joseph Swain as Maurice, Tricia Zuskind as Chip, Cherie Kaufman as Madame De La Grande Bouche, Devin Neilson as Le Fou, Tierney Bent as Babette, Elsa Hodder as enchantress and Alex Hasse as Rug.

Brigham Young University’s Vocal Point released a new song this week. “Drag Me Down+As Long As You Love Me MASHUP” was released first on their YouTube channel at https://goo.gl/R0Z53i.

The Brigham Young University BRAVO! series presents the Utah Symphony in concert at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 19, in the de Jong Concert Hall of the Harris Fine Arts Center.