Encompassed by the cold of winter’s night, soldiers on both sides of the line gradually peered beyond their own trenches, captivated by a violinist’s tune of “Silent Night.” One hundred years ago, a series of widespread but unofficial ceasefires along the Western Front of World War I led to what is now known as the Christmas Truce of 1914. In commemoration of this historic centennial, the work of Brigham Young University Illustration professor Robert T. Barrett has been chosen to bring to life what happened that Christmas as part of a worldwide peace initiative called the Christmas Truce and Flanders Peace Field Project. As part of the initiative, eleven of Barrett’s illustrations have been presented to the mayor and people of Messines, Belgium. “Most people think that the Christmas truce was a small, incidental event,” Barrett said. “But it actually went about two thirds up the militant line, all the way into Germany, France and Belgium. It was a massive showing of Christmas spirit, with Messines as the epicenter.” Having found motivation and meaning from his own family’s relationship with the events surrounding World War I, Barrett encapsulates the sober background of war-torn Europe with the powerful and poignant story of soldiers who laid down their weapons to exchange gifts and special holiday traditions. “If you can make the project personal to you, you will see it reach more people and it will be much more meaningful. My family’s ties to World War I did that for me on these illustrations,” Barrett said. “The thought of a German soldier standing up to play the violin when he could have been shot touched me. That kind of message reaches people.” Barrett first developed the illustrations for a children’s book, “Silent Night, Holy Night,” which includes choral additions from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and narration from Walter Cronkite. “It’s not often that your illustrations have a second life,” he said. The illustrations have since been used for additional harmonious celebrations such as Peace Quest, an organization that seeks to mark the anniversaries of World War I with commemorations that emphasize peace. Soon the eleven original pieces will be permanently installed in the crypt of St. Nicolas Cathedral in Messines, Belgium. It was in the crypt of St. Nicolas that Adolf Hitler recovered from wounds he received at the “Bethlehem Farm,” a farmhouse that continues to stand erect in Messines. Although he was based in Messines at the time, Hitler refused to take part in the spontaneous Christmas truce because he considered it dishonorable. Don Mullan, the force behind the Christmas Truce and Flanders Peace Field Project, said about the history and hope of Messines, “We intend to make Messines the antithesis of all that Hitler represented. And, as we remember World War I, commemorate peace.” Barrett hopes this project will illustrate the truce for what it really was, an epoch of peace in a time of war, inspired by a sense of common humanity and the Christmas spirit.

This Christmas eve marks 100 years since a Christmas truce took place on Flanders Fields in Belgium during World War I. BYU students collaborated to write, produce, photograph, edit and compose for a video to commemorate the event. The video is hosted by the nondenomenational, interfaith group Faith Counts. 'The story of The Christmas Truce of 1914 has been told and retold over the past century, and deservedly so,' said Faith Counts spokesperson Kerry Troup. 'It is a true story of how faith has the power to bring hope, even in the darkest times. The video that the students of BYU, one of our many faith partners, have produced showcases this story in a beautiful, creative way that we know others will enjoy and hopefully share.' Graphic design and animation students used original photography from that day in 1914, enhancing and adding motion in the video. Film students spent time in Belgium shooting the video from current-day Flanders Fields earlier this month. The BYU Men's Chorus composed and sang a special arrangement of Silent Night, a song that was sung during the Christmas truce. “FaithCounts works with a variety of content creating partners from many faiths,' Troup said. 'We’ve been very impressed with the BYU students’ creativity, professionalism and ability to give voice to stories of faith in profound and innovative ways.” The project was coordinated and organized at BYU through the Laycock Center for Creative Collaboration, with the cooperation of Don Mullan, creator of the Christmas Truce and Flanders Peace Field Project. Download the BYU Men's Chorus Silent Night soundtrack Play the BYU Men's Chorus Silent Night soundtrack See more at BYU News>>>>

Largest U.S. Collegiate Men's Choir Supports LDS Missionaries Through Song

A BYU illustration student’s work is helping to showcase the program as one that challenges, strengthens, and provides students with a context that allows them to develop a personal voice. Miranda Meeks credits her soon-to-be alma mater as the springboard for her recent success. Since coming to BYU, she has worked with clients like Popshot Magazine, Spirituality & Heath Magazine, Diesel Apparel and Issimo Productions. “The art program here at BYU is so inspiring! It gives us more to work with than what traditional art schools offer because of the interactions with other majors and programs,” Meeks said. “The spiritual aspect of the school has also helped me view my art differently.” Meeks’ art has been featured and honored in a number of different exhibitions over the past two years. In fall 2014 she participated in Light Grey Art Lab’s Skate or Die exhibition in Minneapolis, MN. At the same time, two of her works were included in Gauntlet Gallery's Digital Renaissance exhibit, and another piece featured in a front-page linked article on ConceptArtWorld.com in April 2014. In 2013 her piece, The Gardener was selected by a panel to be printed in American Illustration 32, a national competition selecting only 369 of 8,742 entries to be included in the hardcover annual published worldwide, with winning works also appearing on The Archive at ai-ap.com. When asked how she balances school, work and being a mom, Meeks encouraged persistence. “It gets hard trying to balance work and life, but if you just keep working at it things will pick up,” Meeks said. “For me, it helps not trying to be all things at the same time. When I’m working, that’s what I’m doing. When my girl’s awake, then I’m being a mom.” Meeks’ work contains soft and detailed drawings, beautiful images, and subjects of mystery, growth, and transformation. Owing much of her inspiration to the likes of Alfred Hitchcock and Chris Van Allsburg’s The Mysteries of Harris Burdick, she hopes that others will be able to recognize the beauty behind mystery. After graduation Meeks plans to continue her career as an illustrator, in addition to being a wife and mother.

Big band jazz takes center stage with special guest BYU Contemporary Dance Theatre on November 21. Note: the Essential Ellington Jazz Festival will no longer take place this weekend. Synthesis will still perform as scheduled on Friday, Nov. 21; the performance on Nov. 22 has been cancelled.

In a recent letter to faculty, staff and administrators, Academic Vice-President Brent Webb announced the end of Dr. Stephen M. Jones' tenure and launched the search for a new dean:

Utah’s professional orchestra, conducted by Thierry Fischer, presents a program of European classics by celebrated Czech composer AntonÁn DvoŠ™Á¡k and French composer Camille Saint-SaÁ«ns, the latter featuring rising star Japanese musician Fumiaki Miura on the violin. Tonight's performance begins tonight November 20, at 7:30 in the de Jong Concert Hall of the Harris Fine Arts Center.

November 19, 2014 4:00 PM

The BYU Philharmonic Orchestra received overwhelmingly positive reviews in Fanfare magazine for their recording of Mahler’s Symphony No. 3. Fanfare is a national, bimonthly publication that reviews contemporary recordings of classical music. The quality of music from the BYU Philharmonic was not only compared to the work of other collegiate level orchestras, but also to professional orchestras in the United States and in Europe. As the university’s flagship orchestra, the School of Music faculty and students are appreciative of and excited for these kinds of reviews. Robert Markow, a writer for Fanfare, praised the orchestra on several levels. “After learning it was the flagship orchestra at Brigham Young University’s School of Music in Provo, Utah, I was prepared to dismiss it as no more than a vanity exercise,” wrote Markow, who reviewed the BYU Philharmonic’s recording of Mahler Symphony No. 3. “That would have been a grave mistake... What a revelation!” Kory Katseanes, Director of the School of Music, conducts the BYU Philharmonic orchestra. He said he is grateful for the praise, but he feels that credit needs to be given to the members of the orchestra. “These gratifying reviews are a reflection of their hard work and their capacity,” Katseanes said. “When we get praise as glowing as this, I think of these students and how grateful I am that they rose to this level.” Reviewers also shined the spotlight on a few individual students. Spencer Park, one of the orchestra’s principal horn players, and Ali Atkinson, a trumpet player, were both singled out by reviewers. One reviewer said that Park has “a glorious sound, perfect intonation, clean articulation,” and that “he could easily step into a first-horn position in any major orchestra tomorrow.” “I’m really happy that the BYU School of Music is being recognized nationally as a top-notch music school,” Park said. “With the help of these reviews, hopefully we can get more national attention, which I think we deserve.” Atkinson said that this recording of the Mahler symphony is a testimony to the talent and hard work the members of the orchestra put into their musical efforts. “We all expect so much of each other,” Atkinson said. “We keep each other accountable to high expectations, because where we’re headed is incredible.” The orchestra’s next concert is November 19 in the de Jong Concert Hall in the Harris Fine Arts Center. Tickets are available at arts.byu.edu. To purchase the BYU Philharmonic’s recording of Mahler’s Symphony No. 3, click here. See the BYU Philharmonic at the Salt Flats, produced by the Laycock Center for Creative Collaboration:

The Board of Trustees approved a change in the Visual Arts Department that includes the art history faculty moving to the College of Humanities and the remaining faculty and staff in the department being split into the Art Department and the Design Department.

BYU animation students learned firsthand from the director of the highest grossing animated movie of all time in a lecture on campus.

To prepare for her role as Mercedes in the production, BYU student Shae Robins spent time with Frank Wildhorn and the show’s musical director Gayle Lockwood this August prior to the start of rehearsals. This summer in New York, Tony Award-winning composer Frank Wildhorn sat in his apartment with Shae Robins, a BYU Music Dance Theatre