Brigham Young University will host Croatia’s world-renowned ensemble, the Zagreb Saxophone Quartet with special guest Eugene Rousseau, presenting music ranging from Baroque to 20th century Wednesday, Oct. 30, at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall.

Brigham Young University’s School of Music welcomes guest artist Hans Halt, string bassist, who will perform a recital Wednesday, Oct. 23, at 5:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall.

With sadness, the BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications notes the passing of Dr. Douglas E. “Doug” Bush, Professor of Organ in the School of Music. He joined the faculty at BYU in 1978 and was a renown concert organist and musical scholar as well as a beloved teacher and friend. Bush leaves a profound legacy as a mentor and colleague at BYU. Over the years, many have been touched by his kindness and inspired by his knowledge and wisdom. When Lance Montgomery (BM ’09) took a second semester civilization class from Bush, Montgomery was impressed by more than just the fact that Bush lectured without notes. “I cried so many times in his class,” Montgomery recalled. “Whether it was a piece of art, music, or literature, he talked about it in such a passionate way where you felt intimate with the work itself.” Claudine Bigelow, Associate Director of the School of Music, also noted the way in which Bush’s kindness spread across the entire School of Music. “He was welcoming as a teacher, so sensitive to the lost sheep, and very inclusive of every music student, even those outside his area,” she said. In addition to touching the lives of many students, Bush was also loved as a colleague, not the least of which for his generosity in sharing fine German chocolate, which he regularly brought back from his European concert trips. “I will miss his quiet good humor and gentle kindness,” said April Clayton, Associate Professor of Flute. Bush was born in March of 1947 in western Montana. He completed bachelors and master’s degrees from BYU in 1972 and 1974, followed by a doctoral degree from The University of Texas at Austin in 1982. Bush concertized extensively in the United States, Mexico, and Europe and was a featured soloist in several concert series. In summer of 2013, Bush was honored as the Convocation Speaker at BYU’s College of Fine Arts and Communications graduation. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, October 15, 2013 at the Provo Central Stake Center, 450 North 1220 West, Provo, Utah. Friends may call at the Berg Mortuary of Provo, 185 East Center Street, Monday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and at the church Tuesday from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. prior to services. Interment, Provo City Cemetery. Read his full obituary. View or sign the tribute wall. Douglas Bush spoke at the August 2013 convocation speech. Listen to the speech here (MP3).

Brigham Young University’s School of Music presents its annual OcTUBAfest Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 17-19, in the Madsen Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m. with unique nightly performances. All concerts are free.

Costumes encouraged, and ticket price includes free CD The Brigham Young University School of Music will present a special Halloween concert, “The Fall of the House of Usher,” based on Edgar Alan Poe’s masterpiece composed by faculty artist Christian Asplund Thursday, Oct. 24, at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. Halloween costumes are encouraged. Admission is $6 and includes a free CD. To purchase tickets, call the Fine Arts Ticket Office at (801) 422-2981 or visit byuarts.com/tickets. The concert will also feature the narration of guest artist Michael Lee, an Oklahoma-based speech artist. An introduction will be given by BYU English professor and world-renowned Poe expert Dennis Perry. Asplund is a composer-performer who has studied and earned degrees from BYU, City University of New York, Mills College and the University of Washington. His teachers include Thea Musgrave, Alvin Curran, Michael Hicks, Tom Durham, John Rahn, Joel Durand and Stuart Dempster. For more information, contact Ken Crossley at (801) 422-9348 or ken_crossley@byu.edu. Source: BYU News

Brigham Young University’s Department of Theatre and Media Arts will present its Microburst Theatre Festival Wednesday through Saturday, Oct. 23-26, at 7:30 p.m., with an additional 2 p.m. matinee Oct. 26, in the Nelke Theatre of the Harris Fine Arts Center.

With preview performances Oct. 19 and 22

Brigham Young University’s School of Music welcomes Argentine-American pianist Mirian Conti who will perform a guest recital Tuesday, Oct. 8, at 5:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. Admission is free and the public is welcome to attend. Music selections include “Villageoises — Petite Pieces Enfantines” and “Mouvements Perpetuels” by Francis Poulenc, “Three Mazurkas” by Frederic Chopin and “Nocturna” by Julian Plaza. Conti earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree at The Juilliard School and was selected as one of the “100 Outstanding Alumni” to celebrate the school’s centennial in 2005. In recognition of Conti’s talent and achievements, the school created a scholarship in her name. Conti has performed worldwide as a soloist and with a number of orchestras. For more information, contact Ken Crossley, (801) 422-9348, ken_crossley@byu.edu. Source: BYU News

Art Rascon, an alumnus of the Communications program and award-winning journalist, has been chosen to receive the 2013 Alumni Achievement Award from the College of Fine Arts and Communications. As part of this honor, Rascon will give a lecture during BYU's Homecoming week.

FEATURING RISING STAR NATHAN PACHECO, YOUNG AMBASSADORS, LIVING LEGENDS

“Asking Important Questions That Are Framed by Faith” — A College Conversation Wednesday, October 2 5:00 PM Madsen Recital Hall Harris Fine Arts Center Memorandum Date: 26 September 2013 To: Students, Faculty and Staff of the College of Fine Arts and Communications From: Rodger Sorensen, Associate Dean Re: College Conversations Education is a process of asking and seeking answers to important questions. In many of the disciplines in our college we often encounter tough questions that challenge our faith. The Aims of a BYU Education encourage students, faculty and staff not to ignore difficult and important questions. 'Rather they should frame their questions in prayerful, faithful ways, leading them to answers that equip them to give 'a reason for the hope that is in' them (1 Peter 3:15) and to articulate honestly and thoughtfully their commitments to Christ and to His Church.' Having recently invited each of you to make a commitment as to what you might do to improve learning and teaching in the college this year, we now invite you to join us in a conversation about how to ask and address important and even difficult questions, in our classrooms and with each other. Specifically we will explore questions you may face that lie at the intersection between our disciplines and our faith. Led by faculty and administrators of the college, the conversation invites us, as Elder Jeffrey R. Holland recently said, to “be as candid about your questions as you need to be,” but to not “let those questions stand in the way of faith working its miracle.” -----------------------------------------

Brigham Young University’s School of Music welcomes guest artist and Grammy Award-winner Thomas Glenn, tenor, who will give a vocal master class on Thursday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m. and present a vocal recital on Friday, Oct. 4, at 7:30 p.m. Both events are free and will be held in the Madsen Recital Hall. The public is welcome to attend. Glenn will be accompanied by his wife, Amy M. Glenn, at the piano. Thomas Glenn is a graduate of the prestigious Adler Fellowship at the San Francisco Opera, where he performed the Steersman in “Der Fliegende Hollander,” Vitek in Janacek's “The Makropulos Case,” Gherardo in Puccini's “Gianni Schicchi” and the Physicist in the world premiere of John Adams’ “Doctor Atomic,” in which he won a Grammy Award for participating in the 2011 recording with the Metropolitan Opera. Thomas Glenn has three degrees in music performance: a bachelor’s from BYU, a master’s from the University of Michigan and a doctorate from Florida State University. Amy M. Glenn has worked for the San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Conservatory, Calgary Opera and American Conservatory Theatre. She holds a bachelor’s degree in piano performance from BYU and a master’s degree in collaborative piano from Florida State University. For more information, contact Ken Crossley, (801) 422-9348, ken_crossley@byu.edu. Source: BYU News