Four years seems like a long time to a newly minted freshman, yet most college graduates will tell you that this time will be over in a blink of an eye. For Chelsea Hurst, this chapter of her life has sadly come to an end but a new and exciting one is just about to begin.In her senior year at BYU, Hurst has been first chair in both the Philharmonic and Chamber Orchestras. She has also had the privilege of touring Europe twice which she feels has greatly enhanced her experience at BYU.

Hundreds of students will be graduating from the BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications (CFAC) on August 15, but most are in their 20s, during the “decade of decisions.” A few, like Rebecca Klundt, are graduating at a different period of their lives. Klundt is 46 years old and a mother of five children.

DOWNLOAD/PRINT PRESS RELEASE Retired Mormon Tabernacle organist and former BYU music faculty member (1957-1965), Robert Cundick has dedicated his entire career of more than 50 years to changing lives and serving others through the power of music.

The second week on tour was filled with some exciting opportunities for the Folk Dancers at two different festivals.

Photo by Todd Wakefield.

The Laycock Center for Creative Collaboration’s project, Readers to the Rescue, was featured in the Summer 2014 edition of BYU Magazine. The project, which was commissioned by the Library of Congress, aims to get kids back into reading by utilizing current technologies.

The BYU Museum of Art will host the Family Arts Festival on Friday, July 18, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event is in celebration of the current exhibition, CUT! Costume and the Cinema, and is free to the public. Attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy interactive gallery tours, costume design, instruction on combat performance and other activities.

Photo by Jocelyn Bowman. The Young Ambassador Singing Entertainer Workshop (YASE) is underway at BYU for two one-week sessions this month. YASE prepares ambitious high school students improve their skills and understanding of music, dance and theatre. YASE is a camp where the teachers are the BYU Young Ambassadors, who take time to help teenagers put together a show after a week of high-energy musical dance training that includes group classes, auditions, rehearsals and performance-enhancement workshops. YASE attendees also enjoy an outdoor barbecue, a fireside given by Young Ambassadors and a final concert on Friday. “I loved being able to step into a high level of professionalism as we embarked on the challenge of putting a show together in less than one week,” said Tanner DeWaal, the current president of Young Ambassadors. DeWaal attended YASE when he was in high school, and attributes much of his happiness in his Music Dance Theatre (MDT) major to the time he spent there. “I am still great friends with a number of people who I originally met at YASE camp,” DeWaal said. “As a person with a passion for performing, there isn’t anything else I would more strongly recommend to a young performing artist than to be a part of this summer camp.” For more information about YASE camp, click here.

John Hughes, a professor in the Department of Communications, recently published his autobiography, Paper Boy to Pulitzer, chronicling his adventures as a professional, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. Hughes is the former editor of The Christian Science Monitor and Deseret News.

Thirty students and nine professors from BYU and England’s Wirral Metropolitan College (WMC) gathered in Yellowstone National Park in June to collaborate across disciplines for the purpose of making art inspired by the scenery.

The BYU Museum of Art (MOA) will host a Hollywood Red Carpet Night to celebrate the opening of its newest exhibition, CUT! Costume and the Cinema on Friday, July 11, from 7 to 9 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to dress in their red-carpet best as photography will be provided and posted on social media.

Contemporary Dance Theatre and Synthesis had a fantastic second week in Nauvoo. The students kicked the week off with a spirited fireside that they performed not only for missionaries serving in Nauvoo, but also several community members. Then they set off on another whirlwind week, this time traveling to Ft. Madison, Springfield, Fairfield, Carthage and Memphis for a series of fantastic performances.This week gave the student time to explore the historic sites of Nauvoo, and connect the historic legacy of the early saints. One highlight was a trip to Carthage, where the groups were able to fortify their testimonies of Joseph Smith. This held particular significance since this week commemorated the 170th anniversary of the Martyrdom.