Orchestrating the semester: USU’s fine arts department prepares for a new semester
Come one, come all. Many departments in the Chase Fine Arts Center are gearing up for another semester of fun and entertainment.
Students and faculty in the music, art and theater departments and the Eccles Harrison Art Museum are doing their parts to continue the tradition of fine arts at Utah State University.
The music department will be kicking off the semester with the String Festival Jan. 13 through 17. The week-long festival will contain workshops, concerts and recitals by students, according to information from the department.
The Fry Street Quartet, USU’s faculty quartet-in-residence, will perform during the festival, as well as at Carnegie Hall in New York City on Monday. The quartet has played in cities around the world, including Jerusalem, New York, Chicago and others.
Russell Fallstad has been a part of the group since its organization in 1997. He said his favorite part of being a violist for the quartet is the performing and teaching combination.
“It’s an exciting way to live — to be able to perform and be a part of the faculty at USU,” he said.
The quartet got its name from a street they used to rehearse on in Chicago. It moved to Utah because the previous quartet at USU broke up.
The Fry Street Quartet has two other concerts later in the semester.
Jeremy Gordon, public relations specialist for the theater department, said he believes spring semester will continue the fine work from the first half of the year.
“This semester will complement the first because of the quality of shows that are scheduled,” he said.
He indicated that “Taming of the Shrew,” one of Shakespeare’s great works, will be one of the highlights of the spring semester.
“All of the faculty and students are preparing for that,” Gordon said.
“The Miss Firecracker Contest” will also be a lot of fun, he said. This comedy deals with a delusional beauty queen.
The museum in the FAC will be displaying some world-renowned exhibitions spring semester. One of the biggest is the “Medium as Muse: The museum in progress” exhibit that originates in Austria. The show will feature billboard-sized photos and paintings from around the world.
Dozens of performances from the visual and performing arts departments will will be available for students to enjoy this semester.
–jacobomoon@cc.usu.edu
The following is a list of events taking place in conjunction with the fine arts department and the Eccles Harrison Art Museum. Contact the departments for more information.
Utah State Theater”An Evening of One Acts”Jan. 22-25 — Studio Theater
“The Family Show”Original adaptation of a Japanese folk taleFeb. 6, 7 — Morgan Theatre
“The Taming of the Shrew”March 3-8 — Caine Lyric Theatre
“The Miss Firecracker Contest”April 17-19, 23-26 — Morgan Theatre
Eccles Harrison Museum of Art”Medium as Muse: The museum in progress”Feb. 7 – March 29 — Upper Gallery
“Museums & Fiction”Readings about museumsMarch 18 — Upper Gallery
“Old Master”A John Bernhardt novel performed by Kevin DoyleMarch 26 — Upper Gallery
“Milestones: Adrian van Suchtelen Marion Hyde”Exhibition featuring artists’ worksApril 9 – July 31
Music Department”String Festival”Jan. 13-17
Chamber Music Society of Logan – St. Petersburg String QuartetFeb. 3 — Eccles Conference Center
Fry Street QuartetFeb. 18 — Eccles Conference Center
Solo Flute RecitalFeb. 25 — Eccles Conference Center
West Point Regional Brass QuintetFeb. 26 — Eccles Conference Center
Wind Orchestra/Symphonic Band ConcertFeb. 28 — Morgan Theatre
Symphony Orchestra Concerto ConcertMarch 2 — Kent Concert Hall
Jazz ConcertMarch 4 — Morgan Theatre
Percussion ConcertApril 7 — Kent Concert Hall
Cache Children’s ChoirApril 11 — Morgan Theatre
Piano FestivalApril 12 — Kent Concert Hall
Jazz ConcertApril 16 — Kent Concert Hall
“Brass Happenings”April 21 — Eccles Conference Center
Choir ConcertApril 22 — Kent Concert Hall
Graduation ConcertMay 2 — Kent Concert Hall
–compiled by Jacob Moon