byu homecoming

In His 2024 Homecoming Alumni Lecture, School of Communications Alum Brent Anderson Shared Insights About Creativity from his Career Experience Working with Apple

BRAVO! Professional Performing Arts Series Presents Dominik Wagner with the BYU Philharmonic Orchestra in Concert to Celebrate Composer Serge Koussevitzky’s 150th Birthday

Kristen Applebee (BFA ‘95) Will Return to BYU to Speak to Students this October for the Annual Alumni Achievement Award Lecture.

A member of BYU’s Men's Chorus shares his experiences preparing for a dynamic performance This year’s BYU Spectacular! lived up to its name with energetic performances by campus ensembles and guest artists Ben Rector and Hilary Weeks — the product of hard work behind the scenes during an expedited rehearsal process. Brian Merrill — a member of BYU’s Men's Chorus — shared his experiences preparing for the event. “Something a lot of people don’t know about Spectacular! is how last-minute a lot of the preparations are,” Merrill said. “We started learning our songs a week before the performance and sang with Ben Rector a day or so before we performed together. It’s amazing that all of the coordination for Spectacular! can come together so fast.” Due to the collaborative efforts and diligence from each BYU performing group — Men’s Chorus, Young Ambassadors, Ballroom Dance Company, International Folk Dance Ensemble, Vocal Point, BYU Cougarettes and the Dunk Team — BYU Spectacular! showcased a refined performance that could have easily been rehearsed for months. “I love all of the collaboration between the performing groups,” said Merrill. “It’s really cool that we have this community of performers and we can come together at events like this. It makes it better than just one or the other performing.” This year’s Spectacular! performance was also an emotional time for BYU’s Men Chorus as conductor Rosalind Hall announced her final year as director of the choir. “I wasn’t going to do Men’s Chorus until I found out that it was going to be her last year, so I rearranged my whole class schedule,” Merrill said. “It was really special that we sang a Welsh folk song medley because she’s from Wales. The fact that we got to do something native to her is pretty meaningful for most of us.”

The BYU graphic design alum and Punchcut cofounder shared advice for an innovative career with students in the College of Fine Arts and Communications

Jared Benson is an alum of the graphic design program at BYU

Vai Sikahema discusses his journey from rejection to the Alumni Achievement Award in the School of Communications.

The College of Fine Arts and Communications will feature NBC morning news anchor Vai Sikahema on October 11 at 11 a.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall in the Harris Fine Arts Center. His lecture is titled “Denied Admission to Alum of the Year: My BYU Journey”. Vai Sikahema played football at BYU and graduated in Broadcast Journalism before becoming the first Tongan drafted into the NFL. Sikahema, former running back and kick returner, ranks first among the NFL’s all-time career leaders in number of punt returns and second in return yardage after his time with the Cardinals, Packers and Eagles. Sikahema has since worked as a morning news anchor at NBC. He has earned three Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards for his work in local television and is featured in the Philadelphia Broadcast Pioneers’ Hall of Fame. Sikahema’s influence in the Philadelphia area was instrumental in helping The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints get the Philadelphia Temple approved. Date: Thursday, October 11, 2018 Time: 11 a.m. Location: Madsen Recital Hall HFAC Admission: Free, open to the public

In their recent 'Build it Like Beckham' article, BYU Magazine featured former communications professor and associate dean of The College of Fine Arts and Communications, Raymond E. Beckham. Beckham, who worked at BYU for 42 years and passed away last October, will be recognized at the 2018 BYU Homecoming as the honored founder. To read more click here.

Legendary soul and R&B star Gladys Knight will perform as the featured guest during BYU’s Homecoming Spectacular! on Saturday, October 15. The live concert will be held in the Marriott Center, at 2 and 7:30 p.m., as part of BYU’s Homecoming Week celebrations. Knight will be joined by singers Peter Hollens and Lexi Mae Walker in two special 90-minute shows presented by the BYU Alumni Association and sponsored by Deseret First Credit Union and Liberty Mutual Insurance. READ MORE >>>>>>>>

Celebrated Utah fantasy artist James C. Christensen will take center stage at the Marriott Center during BYU Spectacular on October 16-17, at 7:30 p.m., and one of the fanciful creations that first made him famous more than 30 years ago will join him. Tickets are on sale now for the event (BYUTickets.com), which will also feature eight BYU performing groups and is part of the university’s annual Homecoming week activities.