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Group for New Music Performs New Music from Asia

October 24, 2016 12:00 AM
BYU’s Group for New Music looks towards the Orient as they prepare to showcase contemporary music by composers from China, Taiwan, Japan and Korea on Tuesday, November 1, in the Madsen Recital Hall. The concert titled “New Music From Asia” involves more than 20 BYU students and faculty who are part of BYU's Group for New Music, and includes a world premiere score for erhu (a Chinese instrument) and piano. Dai Fujikura, who composed the featured piece of the evening, Flute Concerto, is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after composers in the world. 'You've never heard a flute do anything like what's in Fujikura’s piece. Its unique character and the presence of the composer will make this a very special concert,' said Professor Stephen Jones, director of the Group for New Music. Born in Japan and now residing in London, Fujikura has worked with conductors such as Pierre Boulez, Peter Eötvös, Gustavo Dudamel, and Kazuki Yamada. “What’s even more remarkable,” said Jones, “is that this difficult concerto, written for internationally acclaimed flutist and MacArthur Fellow Claire Chase, will be performed by undergraduate student Catherine Winters.” Winters remarked that the experience of learning Fujikura’s Flute Concerto has been challenging, but also very rewarding. “I’ve been collaborating with Chase and Fujikura through email and Skype, and they’ve been very supportive and encouraging,” said Winters. “I’m incredibly excited to bring this new work to BYU audiences.” Fujikura’s Concerto pushes the performer to her limits requiring her to use what are known as extended techniques. Commenting on the piece, Jones said, “Its virtuosity is simply stunning. Watching Catherine play it will keep you on the edge of your seat!” Fujikura has also received two BBC Proms commissions, and is a recipient of a commission from BYU’s Barlow Endowment for Music Composition. “The evening has something for everyone,” said Jones. “Adventurous listeners are going to love the diversity and engagement this music will bring them.” The Group for New Music concert is free to the public. PHOTO: Jin Ohashi (© Jin Ohashi) 写真:大橋 仁 Read more about the event >>>
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Ed Carter Appointed as New School of Communications Director

April 30, 2015 12:00 AM
The School of Communications welcomes Dr. Ed Carter as its new director. Carter replaces Dr. Ed Adams, who served as director for the last three years. Carter’s three-year term begins on June 1, 2015. Before accepting this position, Carter worked as an associate professor and an associate dean for the College of Fine Arts and Communications. He received his bachelor’s degree in journalism from BYU and earned a master’s degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. Carter attended the J. Reuben Clark Law School at BYU, and served as a law clerk for Judge Ruggero J. Aldisert. Later, he became a full-time faculty member of BYU’s Communication Department. During Adams' time as director, the Department of Communication became the School of Communications. In 2005, the Adlab was created and in 2008, the Bradley Lab went from a student run agency to a fully integrated public relations firm. Carter comes highly recommended by both his colleagues and the faculty. “Many names were submitted and considered for this position,” said Dean Stephen Jones. “The name that was most often mentioned was Dr. Ed Carter’s and over time it became clear that he was the right choice for this position. We appreciate Dr. Carter’s willingness to accept the position as Director of the School of Communications and wish him and his colleagues every success moving forward.” For Carter, this is a thrilling opportunity to serve both the students and the faculty of the School of Communications and he feels that there are many amazing possibilities on the horizon. “I look forward to the future and I know that there are challenges ahead but I choose to focus on the opportunities and the great things we can and will do together,” said Carter.
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ART AND DESIGN CONVOCATION ENCOURAGES GRADUATES TO CHERISH THE WALK

April 29, 2015 12:00 AM
The College of Fine Arts and Communications’ Department of Art and Department of Design held a joint convocation on Friday, April 26 in recognition of the 196 graduates who have recently completed their undergraduate or graduate programs. The ceremony, which began at 8:00 a.m., was held in the de Jong Concert Hall and keynoted by Mark Graham, Professor of Art and Area Head, Art Education. Two graduates, alumnus Scott Eckern, Academic Vice President Brent Webb and Dean Stephen Jones, all made additional remarks. “Was the climb worth the walk?” Graham asked the graduates present at the ceremony. “The walk was worth the walk. A person who does not have anything to believe in is without energy. When you have the energy of faith in you, your steps become firmer and your look becomes brighter. You are ready to love, to understand, to help and to work. “ Graham encouraged the graduates to cherish the efforts they have made and will continue to make, as they continue to make their dreams become a reality. Likewise, Samuel Carpenter, a BFA Studio Arts graduate, acknowledged the role that his BYU education has played in making his dreams a reality. “I have a gift stirring inside of me. I felt that those stirrings towards art meant that there was something inside transforming my life. I wanted more than just stirrings though, and I knew that I needed help in releasing my gift. My journey here in the Department of Art has been the vehicle for releasing this gift.” Scott Eckern, the college alumni representative, reminded the graduates of the values they have gained through their studies. “This is the beginning of the next chapter of your story,” he said. “How will the spirit of the Y stay with you?” In offering at least a partial answer to his own questions, Eckern suggested that it is a BYU graduates’ responsibility to find a way to stay connected and give back. To conclude the ceremony, Dean Jones expressed his appreciation and gratitude for the teachers, parents, mentors, and students for making the College of Fine Arts and Communications what it is–an institution of learning in preparation for professional contributions and a lifetime of service to humankind.
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BYU Contemporary Dance Theatre to perform in Beijing

November 06, 2013 12:00 AM
This month, the National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Beijing will host BYU’s Contemporary Dance Theatre (CDT) in a performance of their latest show, “Encounters.” The performance is part of the larger “Chun Hua Oiu Shi” festival, a week of selected performances from arts universities in China. Stephen Jones, Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communications, expressed his appreciation for the opportunity of BYU students and faculty to take part in the event November 13. “Our Department of Dance is honored to be invited to participate with you in this prestigious festival, honoring the growth, the strength, and the superb skills of our students,” Jones said. The invitation to perform at this festival emerges from the relationships that BYU has been building with the Chinese audiences and arts administrators for more than thirty years. “Despite our differences in language and the differences that separate us in geography, the value of the arts, including those human expressions of love, goodness, truth, beauty and excellence that unite us,” Jones said. For Jones, the invitation is a natural outgrowth of not just of the mutual admiration between BYU and its Chinese counterparts but also from the hard work and creativity espoused by BYU’s dance program. “These students and their faculty strive for excellence and regularly receive national and international recognition for the quality of their performance,” Jones said. The NCPA has been host to hundreds of outstanding dancers, musicians and actors since its inaugural concert in 2007. BYU’s contemporary dance team joins this long list of world-class talent with their performance. “The meaning of the title of our concert, Encounters, include the ideas, images and possibilities of all the ways that we might connect, and the notion that every encounter might change us,” said Marylin Berrett, chair of the Department of Dance. The CDT will dance to the music of composers George Gershwin, Ishan Rustem, and others as they portray captivating encounters with people, places and ideas. After exploring all of these encounters, the show will reach its fitting culmination in a collaboration between BYU and the Beijing Dance Academy. “We are so thrilled that the students from the Beijing Dance Academy are joining with the students from Brigham Young University in an East meets West encounter. This is a most remarkable opportunity for us,” Berrett said. Visit dance.byu.edu for more information on BYU’s dance programs.
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