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

October 2013 Arts Calendar For tickets, visit the Fine Arts Ticket Office, (801) 422-2981, byuarts.com/tickets. 1 — The BYU Philharmonic, Wind Symphony, Symphony Orchestra and Symphonic Band will perform at the Instrumental Showcase at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. 2 — The Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Dixieland Band, Jazz Voices and Synthesis will perform in the Jazz Showcase at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. 2 — School of Music Faculty member Alexander Woods will present a free violin recital at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. 2-12 — The Nightingale, a play based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen and adapted for the stage by Timothy Mason, will invite the audience to ponder the worth of the things we value most. “Do not be deceived by glitter and show. A true voice and a gentle heart are all you will ever need.” The play is at 7 p.m. or 2 p.m. in the Margetts Theatre in the Harris Fine Arts Center. 3 — Frank Wildhorn, pop music songwriter and Broadway composer (“The Scarlet Pimpernel,” “Jekyll & Hyde,” “The Civil War,” “Wonderland” and “Bonnie & Clyde”), will take the audience on a concert journey through his celebrated catalog of music at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. A trio of Broadway and recording artists with Wildhorn at the piano, “Frank Wildhorn and Friends” will celebrate the man’s greatest songs in a personal and thrilling way. This multi-Grammy and Tony Award-nominated composer and producer's work spans popular, theatrical and classical music. Artists who have recorded and performed Wildhorn’s music include Whitney Houston (the international hit 'Where Do Broken Hearts Go?'), Natalie Cole, Kenny Rogers, Sammy Davis Jr., Liza Minnelli, Julie Andrews and more. 9 — “Group for New Music” will perform at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. Admission is free and is open to the public. 10-11 — SPECTACULAR! will present rising-star vocalist (and BYU alumnus) Nathan Pacheco as host and guest performer during the university's annual Homecoming Week concert at 7:30 p.m. in the Marriott Center. 11 — A Jazz Trio with guest artist Jack Reilly will be on stage at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. 17-19 — BYU’s OcTUBAfest 2013 will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. Admission is free and is open to the public. 19-26 — Directed by Lawrence Vincent and accompanied by BYU Philharmonic, “Die Fledermaus” will be on stage at 7 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. There will also be a matinee performance Saturday, Oct. 19, at 11 a.m. Mistaken identity, revenge and practical jokes form the basis of this popular 19th-century operetta, a comical romp through the (mis)fortunes of Baron von Eisenstein and a cast of colorful characters – including one who is eventually dressed as a bat, or “Fledermaus.” This delightful production, featuring top vocal talent from the BYU School of Music, illuminates the indulgence of 1890s Viennese society with sophisticated wit, impressive melodies and, of course, those famous lovely waltzes. 23-26 — The Microburst Theatre Festival, featuring six short plays penned by six BYU students, will be held in the Nelke Theatre. From a fateful bicycle collision to dueling lemonade stands on a street corner to kidnapping Russell Crowe, these plays tackle the topic of love – laborious, unpredictable and sometimes quite the opposite of romantic – in a funny and fresh way. 25 — The Saint Michael Trio will perform at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. Established in 2007, the Saint Michael Trio is hailed as Silicon Valley’s update to the staid world of classical music. Rising quickly to prominence, the artists (Daniel Cher, Russell Hancock and Michel Flexer) receive consistent praise for making their concerts interesting, accessible and oftentimes funny. In addition to the classical masterworks, they perform jazz and even rock tunes, and their hallmark is mixing all of it in the same concert. Admission is free and is open to the public. 29 — The BYU Symphonic Band will perform at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. 30 — The Zagreb Saxophone Quartet from Croatia will perform at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. With a repertoire ranging from Bach to Gershwin and Mozart to Bernstein, Croatia’s esteemed classical woodwind ensemble has become a premier interpreter of new and established works for saxophone. The Zagreb Saxophone Quartet is renowned for their exceptional musicality, interpretative focus and technical supremacy and has performed in more than 20 countries since the quartet’s formation in 1989. After a five-year absence, the group returns to BYU with special guest and master saxophonist Eugene Rousseau. 30 — The BYU Symphony Orchestra will perform at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. For more information, contact Kenneth Crossley at (801) 422-9348 or visit arts.byu.edu. All month at the Museum of Art: “Simpler, Brighter, Stronger: Southwestern Art and Early Modernism, 1910-1960” Oct. 11, 2013 through May 2014. “Edward Burtynsky: The Industrial Sublime” through Nov. 16, 2013 “e.g. Monika Bravo: Landscape of Belief” through Mar. 15, 2014 “Shaping America: Selected Works from the Permanent Collection of American Art” through March 2018 “People in a Hard Land: Iconic Images of Life in the Southwest” through Dec. 28, 2013 “michael whiting: 8-bit modern” through Apr. 26, 2013 Admission to all exhibits is free. Hours are Monday through Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed Sunday. For more information, visit moa.byu.edu. Source: BYU News

Every year, students who are a part of select performing arts groups from BYU’s School of Music and Department of Dance have the incredible opportunity to travel abroad and share their talents with the world as well as spread values that represent BYU.

Think of the climax in your favorite movie. As the tide turned in an epic battle or when the romance was finally mutual, powerful music undoubtedly swelled behind the triumph. Such synergy between music and other media is not found only in films. You can enjoy plenty of it this September 24 to 26 during events that surround WRENCH, a concert by Amsterdam-based ensemble Hexnut. The concert features seven new compositions inspired by and choreographed with the images of photographer Edward Burtynsky. Steve Ricks, an associate professor of composition at BYU, helped coordinate the multimedia event, that fuses the photography of Burtynsky, the musical talents of the Amsterdam-based group Hexnut, and music specially written for them by composers from around the world, including Ricks himself. The artwork of Burtynsky and the music of Hexnut are both striking when experienced separately, but combined they create a uniquely moving experience. Two lectures by guest composers, a pre-concert reception in the BYU Museum of Art where Burtynsky's work is on display, and a screening of the documentary film Manufactured Landscapes at BYU International Cinema are ALL free events as part of a showcase around the concert. The Artwork of Edward Burtynsky The Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky focuses his work on imagery that “explores the intricate link between industry and nature” and that features “highly expressive visions that find beauty and humanity in the most unlikely of places.” Such unlikely places include scenes from Chinese poultry manufacturing plants, mining sites and rock quarries, all shot from expansive perspectives. “I think Burtynsky’s art is just so striking and interesting at a gut level,” Ricks said. “It’s so pertinent to life as we know it right now and the issues that our planet is dealing with.” The exhibition Edward Burtynsky: The Industrial Sublime, currently on display in the BYU MOA, provides an excellent opportunity for patrons to examine the extent human footprint across the world. Burtynsky’s photography prompts the thoughtful observer to consider the effects of global industrialization and the role of each member of the human race on these developments. The Music of Hexnut Hexnut, a contemporary band formed by Ned McGowan in 2004, features an eclectic lineup, including flute, contrabass flute, trumpet, piano, several recorders and a mezzo-soprano vocalist. Playing pieces specially written for them by contemporary composers, the band performs with a theatrical flair that is anything but predictable. “Hexnut is kind of a unique, quirky ensemble,” Ricks said. “ is a characteristic of a lot of chamber groups in Amsterdam just because they have a really thriving arts community and music community.” Hexnut spearheaded the collaborative project WRENCH, for which eight composers were commissioned to write music inspired by one or several of Burtynsky’s photographic works. Hexnut couples these compositions in concert with projected images of Burtynsky to create a unique multimedia experience. “It wouldn’t be like the music was background to the images or that the images were just wallpaper to the music,” Ricks said of the concert’s balance. “There would be a dynamic relationship between the two presented in a concert setting.” One of The Aims of a BYU Education is to have an “intellectually enlarging” experience. The unusual sounds employed by Hexnut allow listeners to not only have a taste of innovative European music, but also experience its convergence with the stunning photographic art of Burtynsky. Collaboration Events The three-day Burtynsky Collaboration event, taking place September 24-26, will feature many other opportunities for participants to gain exposure to unique international music and art. Tuesday’s events include a lecture by WRENCH composer Seung-Ah Oh about her work and a screening of a documentary about Edward Burtynsky, entitled Manufacturing Landscapes. The screening will be presented by the BYU International Cinema and will be preceded by a discussion led by BYU Humanities Professor Chip Oscarson. The Seung-Ah Oh lecture will be held from 3 to 4 p.m. in E-400 HFAC, and the documentary screening will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. in 250 SWKT. Wednesday features the WRENCH multimedia concert experience by Hexnut with projected images of Edward Burtynsky, which will start at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. Concertgoers are also invited to a pre-concert reception in the Lower Level of the Museum of Art, which will include in-gallery discussions about works by Burtynsky. The events will conclude on Thursday with a Barlow Lecture by guest composer and flutist Ned McGowan. The lecture will be from 3 to 5 p.m. in E-400 HFAC. For more information, contact Steve Ricks at stevericksmusic@gmail.com or 801-422-6115.

The Brigham Young University Philharmonic, Wind Symphony, Symphony Orchestra and Symphonic Band will perform together in the Instrumental Showcase Tuesday, Oct. 1, at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall.

Multi-Grammy and Tony Award-nominated composer and producer Frank Wildhorn will present “Frank Wildhorn and Friends” at Brigham Young University Thursday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. Tickets start at $20 ($10 off with a student ID, $3 off for senior citizens and BYU alumni) and can be purchased at the Fine Arts Ticket Office, (801) 422-2981, or at byuarts.com/tickets. “Frank Wildhorn and Friends” will take the audience on a concert journey through Wildhorn’s celebrated catalog of music paying homage to his greatest songs in a personal and thrilling way. The group features Wildhorn, piano, a three-piece band and the vocal talents of Broadway’s Jackie Burns (“Wicked”), Darren Ritchie (“Wonderland” and “Little Shop of Horrors”) and Adrienne Warren (“Bring It On” and “Dreamgirls”). In 1999, Wildhorn became the first American composer in 22 years to have three shows running simultaneously on Broadway, including “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” “Jekyll & Hyde” and “The Civil War.” His other Broadway work includes “Wonderland” and “Bonnie & Clyde.” Outside of Broadway, other artists to record and perform his work include Whitney Houston, Natalie Cole, Kenny Rogers, Sammy Davis Jr. and Hootie & the Blowfish. Wildhorn wrote Whitney Houston’s No. 1 international hit “Where Do Broken Hearts Go?” and “Gold,” for the opening ceremony of the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games. This concert is a part of BYU’s new performing arts series, “BRAVO!” — a new season that features a dynamic roster of celebrated guest artists. For more information, visit www.frankwildhorn.com, contact Jeff Martin, (801) 422-6340 or visit byuarts.com. Source: BYU News

Based on Hans Christian Anderson story Brigham Young University’s Department of Theatre and Media Arts will present “The Nightingale” Friday, Sept. 27 through Saturday, Oct. 12, at 7 p.m. with 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday matinees in the Margetts Theatre. Wednesday and Thursday tickets are available at $6 for adults, $4 for children and weekend tickets available at $7 for adults, $5 for children. For tickets, visit the Fine Arts Ticket Office, (801) 422-2981 or byuarts.com/tickets. There will be no performances Sundays or Mondays. “The Nightingale” is a play based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen and adapted for the stage by Timothy Mason. Directed by Julia Ashworth and Kori Wakamatsu, this tale of an emperor who neglects the lyrical song of a humble nightingale for the artificial splendor of a mechanical bird vividly depicts the majesty, grace and poetic ritual of ancient China. Performed in English and Mandarin and influenced by the traditions of Peking Opera, “The Nightingale” invites audience members to ponder the worth of the things we value most. To research the production, the cast and crew were able to travel to China to study with Peking Opera and establish sister-school relationships between schools in the United States and China. Ashworth explained why the directors decided on “The Nightingale.” “As we began to study the script together, several themes emerged, primarily the idea of true friendship,” she said. “A secular view of the story shows that the Emperor discovers the value of true friendship through the kind acts of the Nightingale. And yet, as we became more familiar with the script, we began to see the story as a Christian allegory. “Our production concept focuses on the idea of being in the world, but not of the world. The emperor is very much of the world – his palace is full of many dazzling, beautiful and delicate things. Although nothing is inherently wrong with the emperor's palace, these things lead him to forget what is truly important – his friends, family and loved ones. And through a selfless act, the Nightingale helps him remember what is truly important and provides him with a second chance,” said Ashworth. The play challenges audience members to remember what is most important in life. “As you watch 'The Nightingale,' we hope that you observe the details and enjoy the visual spectacle. Beyond the set, costumes, acting and dancing, we hope you are as struck as we have been with the simplicity of the message – that love and kindness transcend the ‘glitter’ of this world,” said Ashworth. The cast includes Cosette Hatch as the Narrator and Nicole Dugdale as the Nightingale/Young Man’s Wife, with Jennifer Bozeman as I-Ming/Witch, Clayton Cranford as Young Man/Glorious General, Scott Savage as High Lord Chamberlain, Jordan Nicholes as Emperor, Noah Kershisnik as Death/Emperor of Japan, Esmeralda Vera as Woo ling/Chinese Narrator and Allie Limas as Principal Dancer/Lady of the Court. The design and technical crew includes Alecia Holmes, production stage manager; Brent Robison, scenic designer; Donnette Perkins, costume designer; Seth Mergist, lighting designer; Michelle Ohumukini, sound designer; Jennifer Reed, production manager; and Lola Danielson, dramaturg. For more information, contact Julia Ashworth at (801) 422-4539 or julia_ashworth@byu.edu. Source: BYU News

eviDANCE brings changes to the stage this year with Pat Debenham, a former faculty of BYU dance department, escorting the audience through the discovery of five BYU dance groups on Sept. 18- 21.