Robin Hancock, a member of the piano faculty at the Brigham Young University School of Music, will present a recital titled “Classics for Piano and Ballet” with his daughter, dancer Holly Hancock Christensen, Wednesday, July 17, at 5:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. The family will be assisted in the performance by guest artist Samuel Fulk, a professional dancer at the Utah Regional Ballet Company. Admission is free and the public is welcome. The program will begin with the Chaconne in D minor by Johann Sebastian Bach, which was transcribed for piano left hand alone by Johannes Brahms. Christensen will perform choreography by using her right foot alone. The performance will continue with “Die ErlkÁ¶nig” by Franz Schubert, “Three Etudes” by Frederic Chopin, “Clair de lune' from Suite Bergamasque No. 3 by Claude Debussy and the pas de deux from “Sleeping Beauty” by Peter Tchaikovsky featuring Christensen and Fulk. The program will conclude with another pas de deux, choreographed by Kenneth MacMillan, used for the balcony and final scene from 'Romeo and Juliet' by Sergei Prokofiev. For more information, contact Robin Hancock, (801) 422-3180, robin_hancock@byu.edu. Source: BYU News

Read KSL's story here.Find out more about the exhibition at moa.byu.edu/sacredgifts.

What do the owners of a highly successful publishing company, Managing Editor of two of their largest publications and the seasoned reporter writing about her have in common? Besides their mutual affinity for the written word, these four share another commonality: their BYU Communications degrees. In this article written by a communications alumna, about a communications alumna who just happens to work for two of our alumni, get to know Briana Stewart, Managing Editor for two of Bennett Communications‘ largest publications: With an adventurous toddler at your ankles, a laptop balancing on your knees and Sesame Street playing in the background you try, unsuccessfully, to reply to a single email— even a simple sentence. And yet mother of two small girls, Briana Stewart isn’t just making it work, she’s making magic as the Managing Editor for Utah Valley BusinessQ and Utah Valley Bride Magazines. Click HERE to read the full article by Jennifer Stagg. Photo: Veronica Reeve

Vocal Point's second week in Nauvoo saw the group even busier than the first. Outreaches in Keokuk, IA; Memphis, MO; and Quincy and Springfield, IL, were all successes as the group performed for enthusiastic crowds. Vocal Point performed at the Keokuk Dam Centennial Anniversary for an especially excited audience. There, the stormy weather stopped just long enough for the group to perform its set. Indeed, not a single show the entire trip was cancelled or relocated due to weather (though a few came close). For the Springfield outreach at the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, the museum curator greeted the group and gave his parameters for the performance: 'You can sing whatever you want, for as long as you want. I trust you guys completely.'

As an Emmy-winning meteorologist, mother of four, and avid marathon runner, Amy Freeze knows a thing or two about making it all work. On the night of the awards ceremony where Freeze would receive her fourth Emmy — this time for Best Weather Anchor — she had a decision to make: an evening spent with distinguished journalism colleagues, or an evening wearing jeans and a t-shirt and cheering from the sidelines at a child’s soccer game. On this night, the choice was an easy one for Freeze. “There is never real balance in life, but having the ability to recognize the priority of the moment is the only secret I know to making it all work,” said Freeze. “Every aspect of life surfaces as the priority at different times — family, work, church, personal time. Being able to recognize the priority at the time is a challenge, but if you can see it and do it, you will win every time.” Freeze is a self-described “BYU baby.” Both of her parents are BYU graduates, so she grew up cheering for the “Blue and White.” It was only natural, then, that while working toward her Communications degree at BYU, she would become a cheerleader and eventually marry Cosmo the Cougar. Her first real-world journalism experience came as part of a study abroad in South Africa. “It was during Nelson Mandela’s election. We spent time at the country’s newspaper agencies and I did an internship in Africa with Worldwide TV News,” Freeze said. “Then, during my first job as a writer at a TV station, I realized I could enterprise, write, and present stories. My last name caught the attention of my coworkers who encouraged me to try out weather storytelling. They said, ‘Freeze, you were born to do the weather!’” Her first job in broadcasting was with KBYU Report and KBYU radio. It was during this time that she learned to shoot, write, edit, and package stories. After completing her Communications degree, she went on to earn a BS in Geosciences with an emphasis in Severe Weather from Mississippi State University, followed by a MS in Environmental Science degree from University of Pennsylvania. To those who knew her as a budding journalism student, Freeze’s professional success was only a matter of time. “If I had ever seen a natural for television, it was Amy Freeze,” said Dale Cressman, who was her BYU instructor and KBYU news director. ”Color me unsurprised that she’s succeeded in the largest TV markets in the country.” Freeze has worked in various markets across the country, including Portland, Oregon, Denver, Philadelphia, Chicago, and currently as Weekend Meteorologist with the number one affiliate in the country, WABC-TV in New York City. She says that there has been no shortage of excitement during her first year in New York. “I was thrilled to receive an Emmy for my first year of work in New York City,” said Freeze. “We have had intense weather since I arrived, including Hurricane Irene, Hurricane Sandy, record flooding, extreme heat, historical blizzards, and everything in between.” Besides the thrill of winning awards and tracking severe weather, there is something more driving Freeze’s passion for her work. “This job is special. It allows for unique experiences and unusual opportunities. The best part is that doing a special job allows me to serve others in a way that motivates me to do my best. When I do my job well, it opens doors and invites experiences that allow me to help those around me.” Freeze’s off-camera successes include completion of multiple New York City Marathon races, SCUBA diving with sharks, and broadening children’s understanding of weather by speaking at schools. She enjoys supporting charitable causes and once competed in and won Chicago’s “Dancing With the Stars” event to benefit the March of Dimes. She and her husband, Gary have four children: three boys ages 14, 11, and 4, and a daughter who is 8 years old. Source: Department of Communications News

Actress Mireille Enos, who will star alongside Brad Pitt in this summer’s anticipated blockbuster “World War Z,” traces some of her acting roots back to Brigham Young University. Enos grew up a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her father met her French mother while serving his LDS mission in France, according to IMDb.com. Enos grew up in Houston and attended a high school for performing and visual arts. While enrolled in BYU’s acting program, Enos won the Irene Ryan award in 1996, a distinction only three other BYU alumni claim. She went on to act in New York and Los Angeles, where she began appearing in TV and theater productions, namely HBO’s “Big Love” and AMC’s detective series “The Killing.” “World War Z” is Enos’ first lead appearance in a major film. “Just a few months before I got this movie I was saying to my husband, ‘You know, I’ve done theater, and I’m working in TV and that’s going great and I just can’t seem to crack the movie thing,’” Enos said in an interview on 'The View.' “And then I got this and he was like, “I don’t want to hear anything from you for a really long time.’” While on a panel with other actresses, Enos joked about how horrible it was to kiss co-star Brad Pitt for this film. “We’d be asked what was the scariest experience of our whole career, and these girls were telling really serious stories about directors, and opening on Broadway and I was like, ‘I’ve got to lighten it up,’ so I tried to make a joke,” Enos said on 'The View.' “So I said, ‘Would it be wrong to say kissing Brad Pitt on the second day of shooting? Ha, ha, ha.’ Except nobody laughed. ... I wanted to just stab myself in the head with a fork. It was awful.” Enos is scheduled to continue working in film, starring in upcoming movies with actors such as Brooke Shields, Reese Witherspoon, Colin Firth and Arnold Schwarzenegger. She also appeared in 'Gangster Squad' (released in earlier this year) with Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, Josh Brolin and Emma Stone. In 2008 she married Alan Ruck, who is most known for his role as Cameron Frye in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” Together, they have one daughter, Vesper Vivianne Ruck. “I think being a mom teaches you everything you need to know about yourself,” Enos said in an interview with theHollywood Foreign Press Association. “She’s brilliant. She’s an amazing, amazing girl.” Source: Deseret News

The Universe claimed eight first-place awards and 14 other awards, more than all other Utah collegiate publications combined, in an annual competition sponsored by the Utah Headliners chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

The Department of Visual Arts at Brigham Young University is hosting a Summer Arts Workshop, a seven-day workshop for high school-age artists from noon to 3 p.m. July 29-Aug. 1 and Aug. 5-7. Online registration is available by clicking on the calendar item at ce.byu.edu. The cost for the workshop is $180. The Summer Arts Workshop is an intensive studio workshop for 9th- to 12th-grade students interested in developing their skills as artists and finding new ways to express their points of view. Students will work with professional artists and teachers from the Department of Visual Arts, as well as talented BYU art students through hands-on instruction in master classes. Students throughout beginning, intermediate and ready-to-graduate levels will draw, paint, work with mixed media and explore ceramic processes. They will receive one-on-one feedback and instruction tailored to their skill levels and ideas. This workshop is for seasoned high school artists who want to develop their skills. Students will also visit selected exhibits at the Museum of Art, tour the Department of Visual Arts and spend time outside doing “plein air” painting. At the end of the week an art show will be held to display the students’ work and celebrate with parents and friends. For more information, contact Tara Carpenter at taracarpenter@byu.edu, or visit visualarts.byu.edu. Source: BYU News Photo Credit: ohdearbarb via Compfight cc

For many people, summer means vacations and relaxation but for musicians, summer often means studying and performing in festivals. And for BYU’s flute professor, April Clayton, summer means directing a festival of her own. Clayton’s Salt Lake Flute Forum will run June 26-29 at The Waterford School in Sandy. The event features classes, recitals, flute-related exhibitors, a mock orchestral audition with members of the Utah Symphony, and masterclasses taught by Clayton, along with flute professors Amy Porter, from the University of Michigan, and Bonita Boyd, from the Eastman School of Music. “For musicians, it's really important to be exposed to the ideas and performances of master teachers,” Clayton explained. “I'm really excited to be bringing a group of advanced flutists together not only to learn from high-level professional players but also from listening to each other.” The program has already drawn college-age and advanced high school flutists from across the country, including masterclass participants from BYU, Peabody Conservatory, University of California-Santa Barbara, Arizona State University, Eastman, University of Texas at Austin, Florida State University, University of Utah, BYU-Idaho, and Snow College. While the masterclass participants have already been selected, an unlimited number of participants may still enroll. Attendance at all the events is open for those enrolled, and all participants have a chance to compete for a $500 performance prize in the mock audition. The forum promises to be both educational and entertaining. Participants may attend recitals from three of the country’s top flute players. Amy Porter will give a solo recital on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. with pianist Lawrence Gee. Bonita Boyd will give her solo recital at the same time on Friday. On Saturday at 5:00 p.m., April Clayton will present a recital of chamber music by Debussy, Durufle, Martin and Persichetti, assisted by local musicians Nicole Brady, Leslie Harlow, and Jed Moss. Meanwhile, class sessions include discussions on competition preparation, French flute music, forging career paths in flute, and Q&A sessions. On Saturday, participants can meet with exhibitors from flute and music stores and browse the latest flute merchandise. Those who haven’t registered to attend may still do so and pay at the door. Concerts are $10 per person or $5 for students/seniors. Single-day passes are available for $100, as well as four-day passes for $300. Financial help available for all levels of participation. For more information about the forum, visit the event’s Facebook page or contact April Clayton at April_Clayton@byu.edu.

Ed Carter, an associate professor in the Department of Communications, was recently appointed associate dean of the BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications by Stephen Jones, dean of the college.

The BYU Centennial Carillon Tower has now stood for thirty years as a symbol of freedom and spirit. The annual Freedom Festival Carillon Concert awakens emotions of patriotism and liberty through performances that appeal to children and adults alike. BYU University Carillonneur Don Cook will perform patriotic pieces, as well as folk, Broadway, classical, and original compositions for an eager audience Wednesday, June 19th at 7 p.m. Hundreds will bring lawn chairs, blankets, and picnics to the shady lawns surrounding the tower to enjoy an evening concert. This is one of the more simple and leisurely events of the Festival. The tower stands 97 feet tall and contains 52 cast bronze bells. The smallest bell weights 21 pounds with the largest at 4,730 pounds. The keyboard consists of broomstick-like manual keys and short pedal keys that are played with the side of the closed hands and with the feet. Each bell plays until the tone fades away naturally, allowing new tones and fading tones to resonate with one another. Don Cook studied carillon at the University of Kansas until he returned to BYU in 1991 where he has participated in the concert yearly. Source: America's Freedom Festival at Provo

The highlight of this past week for the Ballroom Dance Company was their experience in Hamm, Germany, just northeast of the city of Dortmund. There the group's sponsor - a combined effort by a local business, two noteworthy charities, and the Dortmund LDS Stake - provided an unforgettable evening. Over 1,800 people came to the Maxipark Arena to enjoy the presentation of Capture the Magic. Filled to near-capacity, with professional staging, lighting, and sound, the performance had the added benefit of a major donation to the charities (Christliches Hospiz Hamm & Deutschen Kinderhospizverein) of 75,000 Euros! These funds were raised through ticket sales for the performance and significant business and community donations. Two costumed dancers participated in the presentation of the checks, and the mayor of Hamm City also presented a 'thank you' expression and gift to the sponsorin! g groups and BYU. It was a huge success in every way.Other performances this week on tour were given in NÁ¼rnberg (FÁ¼rth City), Germany and in two cities of Switzerland - Basel and ZÁ¼rich. The final presentation, given in the Schinzenhof Kongress Salle in Horgen (in the ZÁ¼rich area) had an excited, enthusiastic crowd who gave a standing ovation as well as gifts to Directors Lee and Linda Wakefield and to members of the team.