Saint Mary’s Gifts for Winona grateful for Winona’s generosity

You’ll never see the little girl tightly clutching what she knows — even through the wrapping paper — is her new Barbie.

And you’ll never feel the quick, heartfelt hug from the woman who is so thankful for a package from a stranger.

Yet, without even knowing those you are helping, you graciously shared your blessings this holiday season. We are overwhelmed and gratefully humbled by your anonymous generosity.

The Saint Mary’s University Gifts for Winona program, in its ninth year, was once again able to provide gifts for our less fortunate neighbors because of you.

More than 1,400 packages were caringly wrapped this year.

Though you never heard the thank-yous, I hope you know how much your new boots, grocery cards, and toys mean to these families.

Because of you, these families have been given presents for their trees and hope in their hearts. For the ninth year in a row, our community has made sure that no one goes home empty handed.

As we count our blessings for the past and upcoming years, we should also remember those less fortunate whose material blessings are just a little harder to come by this year. We hope and pray that 2011 will have many wonderful things in store for these families.

The Saint Mary’s University Gifts for Winona volunteers will say an extra special thanks to all of you, including:

• the program’s additional partners, Winona Radio, Winona Post and Winona Volunteer Services;
• the many shoppers, wrappers, data-entry volunteers, sorters and organizers, who put in long hours without complaint;
• the many sponsoring businesses, schools, churches and organizations who helped groups of 10 or more;

• every individual who took a tag off of a tree or donated money;
• Walmart for its generous donation; and our friends at Cars & Credit who always make sure there are no tags left.
• the Winona Public Library, Walmart, Scrapper’s Haven, the three Severson-Sinclair stations, the Winona Post and Security State Bank for sponsoring giving trees;
• referral agencies who provided support;
• the staff and patrons of the Valéncia Arts Center for allowing us to take over the building for one of the gift distributions, and Frances at the Resource Center in St. Charles for helping to distribute gifts;
• and the area media for helping spread the word about this program and how to help.

We continue to be very blessed to be part of such a caring community.

Deb Nahrgang, on behalf of the Saint Mary’s University Gifts for Winona program

SMU students make blankets for Gifts for Winona program

WINONA, Minn. — Students in a First-Year Seminar class at Saint Mary’s University, taught by Dr. Janet Heukeshoven, made more than 20 children’s tie blankets as their Lasallian community service project. The class, the Saint Teresa Leadership and Service Institute for Women section, donated the blankets to families with young children who asked for help through the Saint Mary’s University Gifts for Winona program. These blankets will help make many children’s holidays warmer and happier.

Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts announces registration open house January 6

WINONA, Minn. — The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts will host its semester II registration open house Thursday, Jan. 6, from 4 to 7 p.m., at the Valéncia Arts Center, 1164 West 10th.

Registration for the Winona Area Youth Singers (WAYS) choir, private music lessons, and semester II dance classes will be accepted at the open house. Tours of the facility will be available, refreshments will be served, and students will have the opportunity to meet new and returning faculty and staff.

Additionally, students can be fitted for all their dance attire needs at the open house. MCA’s dance attire boutique offers quality basics including leotards, tights, ballet slippers, jazz shoes and tap shoes.

Dance class offerings, beginning Jan. 10, are available for children ages 3 to adults and include beginning through advanced levels in classical ballet, tap, jazz, creative movement and modern, hip hop, and a special tuition-free boys and men program. This year’s tuition-free dance program for boys and young men offers workshops with guest artist Tony Smith April 4-8. This activity is made possible in part by a grant from the Sewell Family Foundation.

Semester II also provides programming specifically for beginning teens and adults by offering classes in partnership with Winona County Community Education including: Clogging I, Clogging II, Dance Fitness, Power Piyo, and Teen and Adult Ballet. Academic credit is available through Cotter High School and Saint Mary’s University for a variety of MCA dance classes. Intermediate and advanced dancers ages 13 to 25 are encouraged to audition for MCA’s Dance Repertory Company contemporary spring concert. Auditions are 6 p.m. Jan. 16 at the Valéncia Arts Center.

The official youth choir of the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts, WAYS, offers students in grades 4 through 8 additional educational and choral performance opportunities. Semester II of WAYS begins Jan. 24. Members will participate in weekly rehearsal sessions, community outreach events, and a spring concert.

Placement auditions for new choral students interested in becoming WAYS members will take place Thursday, Jan.13. Call WAYS director Lindsy O’Shea at (507) 453-5503 to arrange a specific audition time. WAYS is being offered tuition free for the 2010-2011 academic year. This tuition waiver is made possible in part by grant funding from the Young Singer’s Foundation.

MCA’s semester II offers private music lessons in: flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, French horn, trombone, tuba, euphonium, violin/fiddle, mandolin, piano and voice. Private music lessons are $75 for five 30-minute lessons or $140 for 10 lessons.

MCA Semester II music and dance programming provides 5-12 weeks of instruction, depending on the specific course/activity. Dance classes conclude with a demonstration week March 28-April 2. Dancers in the Dance Repertory Company will perform in the company’s annual spring concert April 28-30. WAYS will conclude the semester with the presentation of a spring concert on April 18. Tuition for MCA classes varies depending on course length and level. Discounts and scholarships are available.

For more information about MCA’s open house, dance classes, WAYS, private music lessons or future performances, visit www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org, e-mail mca@smumn.edu or call (507) 453-5500.

Saint Mary’s jazz combos to perform Dec. 19 at Acoustic Cafe

One Saint Mary’s University jazz combo performing Dec. 19 includes, from left, Marie Stier, Jessica Bouska, Jessica Giers and Kara White.

WINONA, Minn. — Two jazz workshop combos, directed by John Paulson and Eric Heukeshoven of the Saint Mary’s University Music Department, will present a free concert Sunday, Dec. 19, from 2-4 p.m. at the Acoustic Café, 77 Lafayette St.

This event will feature student musicians who have been playing together all semester, and it will serve as their “final exam.” They will be playing well-know jazz standards by composers like Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and Miles Davis, as well as some unique hybrid arrangements of popular jazz tunes blended with familiar Christmas tunes by Heukeshoven. An added plus will be the “Smashing the Windows” folk trio, featuring SMU students Kara White, Marie Stier and Hugh Stier.

Saint Mary’s Gifts for Winona due Wednesday, Dec. 8

WINONA, Minn. — The deadline is fast approaching to return gifts to the Saint Mary’s University Gifts for Winona giving trees. Because the community distribution is early, gifts MUST be returned to giving trees by Wednesday, Dec. 8!

To ensure that the large number of gifts may be properly sorted and recorded, meeting the deadline is a priority.

Because of the overwhelming generosity of the Winona community, tags may no longer be available.

Those individuals who have already taken tags should return their wrapped packages (with tags securely fastened) to the tree where they got the tag. Trees are located at the Winona Public Library, Scrapper’s Haven, the three Severson-Sinclair locations, the Winona Post, Walmart and Security State Bank in Lewiston. Donors are asked to spend about $30 per person.

Tax-deductible contributions can also be made out to Saint Mary’s University Gifts for Winona and sent to 700 Terrace Heights #8, Winona, Minn., 55987. The Winona Post, Winona Radio and Winona Volunteer Services join Saint Mary’s University in helping to make this program a success.

Book signing with Kowles offered Wednesday at SMU

WINONA, Minn. — Dr. Richard Kowles, author of “The Wonder of Genetics: the Creepy, the Curious and the Commonplace,” will do a book signing 4 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 8, at Saint Mary’s University’s Fitzgerald Library.

A Distinguished University Professor Emeritus in Biology at Saint Mary’s, Dr. Kowles drew upon his lifelong career in teaching (38 years at Saint Mary’s and 14 at the high school level) to make the complexities of genetics both humorous and understandable this new book.

Dr. Kowles, known internationally for his research in genetics, points out in his book that genetic twists can truly be found everywhere.

Dr. Kowles will make a few brief comments and answer questions, followed by a book signing. Refreshments will be served.

“The Wonder of Genetics” — Dr. Kowles’ fourth book— was published on Oct. 29. It is available by contacting Prometheus Books, 800-421-0351; on Amazon.com; at Barnes & Noble or Borders bookstores; and at other local bookstores and online retailers.

Saint Mary’s jazz, percussion groups to perform Dec. 10

WINONA, Minn. — The 18-piece Saint Mary’s University Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Combo I and World Drum Ensemble will combine for an evening of hot jazz to melt away the chill of the season 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10, in SMU’s Page Theatre.

Both jazz groups are directed by professor of music Dr. John Paulson, and the World Drum Ensemble is directed by SMU alumnus and adjunct music instructor Denny McGuire. The featured guest soloist for the concert will be guitarist Chris White from Appleton, Wis. The big band will play a swing-oriented set and a Latin set, along with players from the World Drum Ensemble.

The first set will include the great standard “Old Devil Moon,” arranged by Dave Wolpe; Jerome Richardson’s “Groove Merchant,” featuring the sax section; “Passion Flower” by Billy Strayhorn, with Tommy Quinn of Cannon Falls featured on alto sax; and “Blues ’n More” by Mike Steinel, which includes a small combo within the big band playing some super fast bebop blues. Also planned for the first set is a world premiere of a new arrangement by Paulson, which is a medley of three previous compositions “Cloud Theory,” “Sum Blues,” and “Cafe Renoir.”

Highlights from the Latin set will include John Coltrane’s “Naima,” arranged by Craig Skeffington, done in a Latin style; Dizzy Gillespie’s hit “Manteca;” a new chart by Mike Carubia called “Hablemos;” “Maputo,” a smooth jazz-groove tune by Marcus Miller; and the well-know hit from Woodstock by Carlos Santana “Soul Sacrifice,” arranged by Michael Phillip Mossman which will showcase the skills of White on guitar and combine the jazz ensemble with support from the World Drum Ensemble.

The jazz ensemble will also be selling their first CD release “Staycation” at the performance.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors and are available by calling the SMU Box Office, (507) 457-1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.pagetheatre.org. For more information, contact Dr. John Paulson at (507) 457-1596 or jpaulson@smumn.edu.

High School Challenge participants compete for consolation championship

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University High School Challenge preliminary season finished Saturday, Nov. 20, with Round 1C. High School Challenge is the longest-running, locally produced television program showcasing Eastern Minnesota, Western Wisconsin, and Northeast Iowa high school students in an educational forum.

The following schools competed in October and November and are moving onto the Consolation Championship on Dec. 4: Cotter Blue, Cotter White, West Salem III, Bangor Black, Logan White, Regis White, Onalaska and Regis White. Moving onto the Super Challenge in spring are: Logan Red, LaCrescent, Lewiston-Altura, Osseo-Fairchild, Regis Green, Winona Senior High, Holmen I and Holmen III.

During the first rounds of competition, teams that win their afternoon game return for the Consolation Championship games. Teams that win their morning and afternoon games return for the Super Challenge Championship in spring. The final eight games of the tournament are taped at SMU and televised on Fox 25 La Crosse and Fox 48 Eau Claire.

The participating high schools receive $2,000 scholarships to Saint Mary’s for participating in High School Challenge. These scholarships are for any member of the senior class with a B or above average.

For more information, contact Nicole Witt Gerdes, High School Challenge coordinator, at (507) 457-1761 or ngerdes@smumn.edu.

Saint Mary’s University choirs to present ‘Lessons & Carols’

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary’s University Concert Choir, Chamber Singers and Women’s Choir will present their annual holiday tribute, “Lessons and Carols,” at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 11. The concert will also feature the Saint Mary's Chamber Orchestra.

The performance — a celebration of Advent and the Nativity through song and spoken word — will be held at Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels, located at Wabasha and Vila streets.

Music will include familiar carols, as well as selections by a variety of composers from Renaissance to the present.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors and are available by calling the SMU Box Office, (507) 457-1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

Saint Mary’s University Collects Donations for Toys for Tots

Toy donations welcome at Minneapolis, Apple Valley,

Minnetonka, Oakdale, and Rochester locations

MINNEAPOLIS – Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities campus and Apple Valley, Minnetonka and Rochester centers will be drop-off sites for the Toys for Tots program this December.

Headed by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve for 63 years, Toys for Tots has provided more than 419 million toys to more than 195 million underprivileged children. In 2009 alone, the Marines distributed gifts to 7.4 million children in nearly 700 communities nationwide, including 350,000 gifts to children in the local community.

Donations of new, unwrapped toys will be accepted between December 1 and 22. Please place your donations in the designated boxes inside the entrances to the following Saint Mary’s buildings during listed hours:

• Twin Cities Campus (2500 Park Avenue, Minneapolis)

o Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

• Apple Valley Center (14200 Cedar Avenue)

o Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m.-9 p.m.

o Fridays from 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

o Donations will be accepted until December 17

• Minnetonka Center (12450 Wayzata Boulevard)

o Monday through Thursday from 12-9 p.m. (December 1-17)

o Monday through Wednesday from 12-5 p.m. (December 20-22)

• Oakdale Center (7200 Hudson Boulevard N, Suite 200)

o Wednesdays, December 1, 8, and 15 from 3-9 p.m.

o Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-4 p.m.

o Tuesday, December 14 from 2-8 p.m.

o Saturdays from 8 a.m.-1 p.m.

• Rochester Center (1926 Collegeview Drive SE)

o Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Saint Mary’s is placing a particular focus on the age categories that in years past have received the fewest toys: ages 0 to 2 and 15 to 17. The university is also encouraging donors to contribute toys that spur creativity and thought, including:

• Ages 0-2: Blocks, rhythm instruments, wooden puzzles, picture books, push-pull toys, nesting toys

• Ages 15-17: Legos, complex models, hobby kits (such as jewelry-making), board games, small electronic games, puzzles, magnetic poetry, journals

“Saint Mary’s strives to build strong communities through education, and we are excited to expand this mission by collecting donations of educational toys for the Toys for the Tots program,” said Don St. Dennis, executive director of external affairs for the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs.

For more information about Saint Mary’s participation in Toys for Tots, contact Julia Jenson at (612) 728-5119 or follow Saint Mary’s on Twitter at @SMUGradPrograms.

Dance Repertory Company presents The Nutcracker

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary’s University Department of Theatre and Dance and the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts will present the Dance Repertory Company in The Nutcracker, Thursday through Sunday, Dec. 2-5.

The production will take place in Page Theatre, located in the SMU Performance Center.

This year marks the company’s sixth biennial production of the piece and features a special choral performance by MCA’s Winona Area Youth Singers at the conclusion of Act I in the Land of Snow.

The cast includes 80 members, comprised of students from Saint Mary’s University, Winona State University, and children and community members from Winona and the surrounding areas.

Through this ballet, the beauty of the pure, young heart shines bright in a world of dancing dolls, angels, and of course, the wonderful magical Nutcracker Prince. In the dreams of a child named Clara, a battle wages between a band of mice and a company of toy soldiers. With Clara’s assistance, the toy soldiers are victorious and grateful. A Nutcracker Prince welcomes her to the Land of Snow, where they dance with the angels, and to the Kingdom of the Sweets hosted by the Sugar Plum Fairy, where she sees a beautiful array of ethnic dances such as Spanish Coffee, Chinese Tea and Russian Baba.

The Nutcracker will be presented at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 2, through Saturday, Dec. 4, and at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5. Page Theatre admits children ages 3 and older to this family event.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. To order tickets, call the Saint Mary’s University Box Office from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday at (507) 457-1715 or visit www.pagetheatre.org.

Giving trees go up Nov. 19 for Saint Mary’s University Gifts for Winona

WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary’s University Gifts for Winona giving trees will be going up Friday, Nov. 19. This communitywide program — in its ninth year — is providing gifts to area children and seniors in need this holiday season.

Tags, each labeled with a different person’s holiday gift wishes, will be placed on area giving trees Friday. Gifts for Winona’s main priority is to provide gifts to children 18 years of age and younger and individuals 60 years of age and older.

Trees will be located at: Scrapper’s Haven, the three Severson-Sinclair locations, Walmart, the Winona Public Library, the Winona Post, as well as Security State Bank of Lewiston. Additionally, grocery cards can be purchased for families at HyVee and Midtown Foods.

Individuals who want to help make someone’s season a littler merrier should visit one of these locations, take as many tags off the trees as they wish, and return the wrapped gift/s by Dec. 8 to the tree where they obtained the tag/s. The recommended amount for holiday gifts is approximately $30 per person. Tags should be securely taped to the outside of the presents.

As the gift distribution is early this year — mid December — the community is asked to begin their season of giving early as well. The success of this program depends on the generosity of the Winona-area community.

For more information, call the Gifts for Winona line at (507) 457-8719. Other community partners that join SMU to help make this program possible are the Winona Post, Winona Radio and Winona Volunteer Services.

Deported Palestinian student to speak at Saint Mary’s Dec. 1

WINONA, Minn. — A Palestinian woman, who made world headlines in 2009 after she was arrested at an Israeli military checkpoint and forbidden to continue her studies at Bethlehem University, will share her story with Winona audiences Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.

In October 2009, on her way back to Bethlehem from a job interview, Berlanty Azzam was arrested at a checkpoint and forcibly deported. A Palestinian student from Gaza, Azzam was blindfolded, handcuffed and forbidden by the Israeli military to return to Bethlehem University — just two months shy of completing her bachelor’s degree. The Israeli state never told her why she was denied permission to complete her studies, only that her presence in Bethlehem was illegal. In December 2009, the Israeli High Court upheld the government’s position.

In January 2010, despite not being able to return to school, Azzam completed her degree long-distance from Bethlehem University.

Her story drew international attention from human rights groups and CNN, MSNBC, BBC and the Washington Post.

Since July, Azzam has been sharing her story across the United States. Her presentation in Winona is being hosted through a collaboration between Saint Mary’s University and Bethlehem University, both run by the Brothers of the Christian Schools. The group sponsoring her trip to the U.S. is Project Engage of the Telos Group, a non-profit educational initiative that seeks to educate America’s mainstream faith leaders and their communities about the causes of — and solutions to — the modern conflict that currently ravages the Holy Land.

Winona State University students are being invited to hear Azzam’s story Tuesday, Nov. 30. On Wednesday, Dec. 1, she will speak to Saint Mary’s students.

The public is invited to hear her story at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 1, at Saint Mary’s University’s Figliulo Recital Hall, located in the Performance Center.

For more information, contact Dorothy Diehl, chair of the Modern/Classical Languages Department at Saint Mary’s University, at (507) 457-1531.

To learn more, visit www.bethlehem.edu/archives/2010/2010_003.shtml.

High School Challenge season continues Saturday

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota High School Challenge continues with Round 1C 9 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 20, in the World Room, located in the SMU Hendrickson Center. The 2010-11 season marks the 40th year of the longest running, locally produced television program showcasing Eastern Minnesota, Western Wisconsin, and Northeast Iowa high school students in an educational forum.

High School Challenge is a contest in which high schools compete to correctly answer questions dealing with high school subjects, general information and current events. Thirty-two teams compete in winner and consolation bracket tournaments at Saint Mary’s. The final eight games of the tournament are taped at SMU and are televised on Fox 25 La Crosse and Fox 48 Eau Claire.

High school students receive scholarships to Saint Mary’s for participating in High School Challenge. Schools that win their first game receive $2,000 scholarships to SMU. Schools that lose their first game receive $1,000 scholarships to SMU. These scholarships are for any member of the senior class with a B or above average.

The following schools will participate: West Salem, Winona Senior High, Onalaska, Holmen, DeSoto, Blair-Taylor, Cotter (White team) and Riceville.

Teams that win their afternoon game will return Dec. 4 for the Consolation Championship games with Logan (White team), Cotter, Bangor, Weston and Eau Claire Regis (White team). Teams that win their morning and afternoon games will return Feb. 19 for the Super Challenge Championship with Logan (Red team), LaCrescent, Lewiston-Altura, Osseo-Fairchild and Eau Claire Regis (Green team).

For more information, contact Nicole Witt Gerdes, High School Challenge coordinator, at ngerdes@smumn.edu or (507) 457-1761.

Winona Area Youth Singers winter concert is Nov. 22

WINONA, Minn. — The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts will present the Winona Area Youth Singers’ (WAYS) winter concert, “Art,” at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 22, at the Valéncia Arts Center Recital Hall, 1164 West 10th St.

The concert will feature texts of famous writers, including Robert Louis Stevenson and Emily Dickinson, as well as the melodies of Handel, Tchaikovsky, and other famous composers.

Reserved tickets are not necessary. Admission is $10 at the door for adults (cash and checks only please). Admission is free for children and students ages 2-21.

The choir will also perform in a special collaboration with the Conservatory’s dance division in the Dance Repertory Company’s production of The Nutcracker, Dec. 2-5, at Saint Mary’s University’s Page Theatre.

WAYS members are students in grades four through eight from Winona and the surrounding areas. WAYS is dedicated to providing quality, artistic and educational vocal music experiences for all young people, regardless of their financial circumstances. WAYS is tuition-free to all students for the 2010-11 academic year.

This activity is made possible in part by a grant provided by the Minnesota State Arts Board, through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature from the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on Nov. 4, 2008. This activity is also made possible in part by a grant from the Young Singer’s Foundation.

For more information about WAYS or MCA’s other performing arts programming, visit www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org, e-mail mca@smumn.edu or call (507) 453-5500. The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts is an affiliate program of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.

High School Challenge season continues Saturday

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota High School Challenge continues with Round 1B 9 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 13, in the World Room, located in the SMU Hendrickson Center. The 2010-11 season marks the 40th year of the longest running, locally produced television program showcasing Eastern Minnesota, Western Wisconsin, and Northeast Iowa high school students in an educational forum.

High School Challenge is a contest in which high schools compete to correctly answer questions dealing with high school subjects, general information and current events. Thirty-two teams compete in winner and consolation bracket tournaments at Saint Mary’s. The final eight games of the tournament are taped at SMU and are televised on Fox 25 La Crosse and Fox 48 Eau Claire.

High school students receive scholarships to Saint Mary’s for participating in High School Challenge. Schools that win their first game receive $2,000 scholarships to SMU. Schools that lose their first game receive $1,000 scholarships to SMU. These scholarships are for any member of the senior class with a B or above average.

The following schools will participate: Lewiston-Altura, Bangor, Decorah, Weston, Aquinas, Osseo-Fairchild, Seneca, and Eau Claire Regis. Round 1C will be Nov. 20.

Teams that win their afternoon game will return Dec. 4 for the Consolation Championship games with Logan (White team) and Cotter high schools. Teams that win their morning and afternoon games will return Feb. 19 for the Super Challenge Championship with Logan (Red team) and LaCrescent high schools.

For more information, contact Nicole Witt Gerdes, High School Challenge coordinator, at ngerdes@smumn.edu or Ext. 1761.

SMU Oldie Moldies to perform at Signatures Nov. 20

WINONA, Minn. — Catch dinner and a show with the Oldie Moldie All-Stars from Saint Mary’s University Saturday, Nov. 20, at Visions Event Center.

Rock along to your favorite ’50s, ’60s and ’70s tunes while you enjoy a menu of house salad, pan-seared Canadian walleye fillet, wild rice pilaf, mixed vegetables, caper tarter sauce, rolls and butter, and a root beer float. A chicken or pasta option is available by reservation.

The Oldies are members of the national music fraternity Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia at Saint Mary’s. The group consists of 10 talented and engaging singers and band members.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and dinner will be served at 7 p.m.; the Oldies will perform two sets, one at 6:30 p.m., and a second at 7:45 p.m.

The price for the dinner and show is $32 per person; reservations can be made now through Nov. 19 by calling Signatures at (507) 454-3767. Payment is accepted at time of reservation.

Visions Event Center is located at Signatures Restaurant, 22852 County Road 17 in Pleasant Valley.

Gifts for Winona application deadline is Friday, Nov. 12

WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary’s University Gifts for Winona — in its ninth year — is providing gifts to area children and seniors in need this holiday season.

Families looking for help obtaining gifts this year must apply by Friday, Nov. 12.

Families may pick up an application form through one of the human service agencies that they work with (Habitat for Humanity, Project FINE, Winona County Department of Human Services, Winona Senior Advocacy Program, Winona Volunteer Services, Winona Red Cross or Women’s Resource Center). Gifts for Winona’s main priority is to provide gifts to children 18 years of age and younger and individuals 60 years of age and older.

Other community partners that join SMU to help make this program possible are the Winona Post, Winona Radio and Winona Volunteer Services.

MCA to host Sugar Plum Fairy Tea Party Nov. 21

WINONA, Minn. — The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts (MCA) will hold its sixth biennial Sugar Plum Fairy Tea Party, Sunday, Nov. 21, at Valéncia Arts Center, 1164 West 10th St.

This year’s Sugar Plum Fairy Tea Party features two tea sittings at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., providing specialty teas and exquisite finger foods. The Land of the Sweets Gift Boutique, featuring holiday gifts and crafts, as well as products from At Home America, Forever Engraved, Mon Petit Cupcake and USBorne Books, will be available for purchase from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Tickets are $15 per person. All children attending the tea party will receive a complimentary professional photo with their favorite live character from the Nutcracker Ballet. Tea attendees will enjoy the sounds of MCA’s Winona Area Youth Singers, as well as flute, clarinet and piano accompaniment by MCA’s music division instructors.

To reserve seats, or a full table of six, call (507) 453-5500. The Valéncia Arts Center is handicapped accessible.

The Sugar Plum Fairy Tea party is MCA’s first big event of its Nutcracker production season. The company will present the full-length ballet Dec. 2-5, at Saint Mary’s University Page Theatre. This year’s 80 cast members include students from Saint Mary’s University, Winona State University and children and community members from Winona and the surrounding areas.

Tickets for the Nutcracker performance are $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors and are available by calling the SMU Box Office, (507) 457-1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, or visit www.pagetheatre.org.

Proceeds from The Sugar Plum Fairy Tea Party will benefit the MCA student scholarship fund and Nutcracker production costs.

Kowles publishes book about wonder of genetics

WINONA, Minn. — Dr. Richard Kowles makes the complexities of genetics both humorous and understandable in his new book, “The Wonder of Genetics: the Creepy, the Curious and the Commonplace.”

Dr. Kowles, a Distinguished University Professor Emeritus in Biology at Saint Mary’s University, drew upon his lifelong career in teaching (38 years at Saint Mary’s and 14 at the high school level) to answer such questions as, “Why do some people look like their relatives, while others don’t?” and “Why are some of us male and others female?”

“I wrote the book as a challenge because most people (and publishers) refuse to believe that genetic concepts can be explained to the average public; hence, I took on the challenge,” he said. “Consequently, it is a trade book geared to the general public and also to non-biology majors in college. Prometheus (the name of the publisher), in Greek mythology, means ‘inventive’ and ‘daring.’ How fitting for such a book.”

Kowles, known internationally for his research in genetics, explains that genetic concepts tend to be almost everywhere. The book deals with topics like: the genetic differences between males and females, the potential effects of radiation on the human genome, eating irradiated or genetically modified foods, cloning, genetic therapy, stem-cell research, nature vs. nurture, and how genes are related to many diseases, psychological disturbances and possibly other behaviors. Dr. Kowles concludes by addressing common misconceptions about genetics and emphasizing the discipline’s potential for curing some diseases, extending the human lifespan, enhancing medicine and agriculture, and generally improving society.”

And he accomplishes all of this with some tongue-in-cheek humor.

"Good teaching is to transplant what is in your head into the head of others with understanding — whether they are college students or the general public. And humor never hurts,” Dr. Kowles said. “Some ‘zingers’ are indeed embedded in the book.”

“The Wonder of Genetics” — Dr. Kowles’ fourth book— was published on Oct. 29. It is available by contacting Prometheus Books, 800-421-0351; on Amazon.com; at Barnes & Noble or Borders bookstores; and at other local bookstores and online retailers.

MCA offers free dance workshops for boys and men Nov. 9-12

WINONA, Minn. — The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts (MCA) will hold free Dance Technique for Boys classes and Men’s Dance workshops Nov. 9-12.

With instruction by visiting guest artist Allen Fields, the dance classes are a great opportunity for male students to build athletic endurance, balance and coordination. MCA offers nurturing classes with both male and female instructors, allowing male students to feel comfortable while building technique, creativity and confidence.

The classes will run from Tuesday, Nov. 9, through Friday, Nov. 12, at MCA’s Valencia Arts Center, 1164 West 10th St., and will focus on developing physical technique used in Classical and contemporary dance disciplines, such as ballet, modern and jazz. The Dance Technique for Boys classes are for male students ages 8-12 and will be held from 5 to 5:45 p.m. The Men’s Dance workshops are for male students ages 13-21 and will be held from 6 to 7 p.m.

Pas de deux workshops

Fields will also instruct Pas de deux workshops from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 10, and from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13. Male students ages 13-21 and intermediate and advanced female ballet students on pointe are invited to attend these free workshops as well. Students will learn the basics of classical partnering work.

The tuition waiver for these activities is made possible in part by a grant from the Sewell Family Foundation.

Advance registration for the Dance Technique for Boys classes, Men’s Dance and the Pas de deux workshops is required. Register online at www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org or in person at MCA’s Valencia Arts Center. For more information, call (507) 453-5500.

MCA receives grant from Minnesota State Arts Board

WINONA, Minn. — The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts (MCA) was selected to receive grant funding from the Minnesota State Arts Board.

MCA was awarded the funding through the State Arts Board’s Community Arts Schools and Conservatories grant division, which funds organizations that provide open access and arts learning opportunities for people of all ages and abilities. The formulary and merit-based funding acknowledges MCA as a leader in Minnesota community arts education.

The Minnesota State Arts Board funding will help support and expand MCA’s dance, music and theatre programming for children and adults. Furthermore, the grant will allow MCA to venture into new community outreach projects, move into the implementation stages of a visual arts division and remain fiscally responsible with balanced budgets. “Writing the Community Arts Schools and Conservatories grant was an intense and time consuming process, but it was well worth it,” said managing director Christine Martin. “This grant helps solidify the future of MCA.” As a non-profit organization, grant support allows MCA to offer quality arts programming to the Winona and surrounding area communities.

The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts exists to provide quality arts education and performance by nurturing and encouraging artistic expression in children and adults. MCA’s service to the community ranges from recreational to pre-professional dance and performing arts curriculum and programming designed to provide physical and aesthetic benefits, heightened self-respect, discipline and confidence. MCA is an affiliate program of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.

For more information about the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts, visit www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org.

SMU Concert Band debuts sixth Kaplan Commissioning Project

By Connie Budin
Cardinal staff

WINONA, Minn. — It is not every day that a band gets to perform a piece of music written specifically for them. On Nov. 14, the Saint Mary’s University Concert Band will be performing the world premiere of “If You Could Only See the Frog,” composed by Paul Richards, at 2 p.m. in the Page Theater.

The event is sponsored by the Helen and Sam Kaplan Foundation Commission Project. The foundation allows the SMU Concert Band a certain portion of its budget every two years to commission a composer of Jewish heritage to create a masterpiece to be premiered at the annual concert.

Director of Bands, Dr. Janet Heukeshoven, is also the Kaplan Commission Project Chair and heads the event from start to finish.

The created composition, as listed on the Kaplan Commissioning Project application, states that the work must be a “grade 4” level of difficulty, meaning appropriate yet difficult enough for high school bands and collegiate ensembles.

The piece must be five to eight minutes long, and based on a Jewish melody from a folk or religious source. The composer also interacts with the SMU band students about the composition, provides the necessary music for rehearsal and will be present at the premiere performance of the piece, with the option of conducting or having a solo.

Since starting in 2000, the Kaplan Commissioning Project has had great success. After being a finalist the last two auditions, Paul Richards was finally selected as a winner. His piece is taken directly from the playful feel of “Si Veriash a la Rana,” the title of a children’s song from Bulgaria sung by exiled Jews in the Spanish-Jewish dialect of Ladino.

Richards “knows what he has to do to create a great piece [and is an] artist who is knowledge-based for writing concert music,” said Heukeshoven. During the long process of bringing this composition to life, Heukeshoven has had a lot of contact with Richards in commenting, learning and changing things about the piece.

“Working with the composer is a blessing,” Heukeshoven said.

Richards also enjoys working with the band, especially on this particular piece.

“The thing that intrigues me most about Jewish musical tradition is that it is the tradition of a displaced people,” said Richards. “It is at once joyous and sad – a simultaneity that is best expressed, I believe, through music.”

Tickets are $10, $5 for students and seniors and are available at the SMU Box Office, (507) 457-1715 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday or online at www.pagetheatre.org.
For more information, contact Dr. Heukeshoven at jheukesh@smumn.edu or (507) 457-1675.

High School Challenge season begins Saturday

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota High School Challenge returns for another season of fun competition at 9 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 30, in Saint Mary’s World Room, located in the Hendrickson Center. The 2010-11 season marks the 39th year of the longest running, locally produced television program showcasing Eastern Minnesota, Western Wisconsin, and Northeast Iowa high school students in an educational forum.

High School Challenge is a contest in which high schools compete to correctly answer questions dealing with high school subjects, general information and current events. Thirty-two teams compete in winner and consolation bracket tournaments at Saint Mary’s. The final eight games of the tournament are taped at SMU and are televised on Fox 25 La Crosse and Fox 48 Eau Claire.

High school students receive scholarships to Saint Mary’s for participating in High School Challenge. Schools that win their first game receive $2,000 scholarships to SMU. Schools that lose their first game receive $1,000 scholarships to SMU. These scholarships are for any member of the senior class with a B or above average.

The competition begins Saturday, Oct. 30, with Round 1A. The following schools will participate: La Crosse Central, La Crosse Logan, Caledonia, Cotter, Youth Initiative, LaCrescent, and North Crawford. Round 1B will be Nov. 13 and Round 1C will be Nov. 20.

Teams that win their afternoon game will return Dec. 4 for the Consolation Championship games. Teams that win their morning and afternoon games will return Feb. 19 for the Super Challenge Championship.

For more information, contact Nicole Witt Gerdes, High School Challenge coordinator, at ngerdes@smumn.edu or Ext. 1761.

Nearly 300 Saint Mary’s students volunteer for Make a Difference Day

WINONA, Minn. — In recognition of national “Make a Difference Day,” approximately 285 Saint Mary’s University students volunteered their time Saturday, Oct. 23, throughout Winona and the surrounding area.

Volunteers assisted the Habitat Restore, Habitat for Humanity, the Winona Area Humane Society, Winona Health, the Minnesota Marine Art Museum, Grace Place, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Winona ORC, and at Madison, Jefferson and Washington-Kosciusko Elementary Schools.

“Make a Difference Day” is the most encompassing national day of helping others, a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors. Created by USA WEEKEND magazine, this annual event takes place on the fourth Saturday of every October. SMU is proud to join the millions of people throughout the nation who participated.

Saint Mary’s Alumni also came together through the spirit of Saint Mary’s Lasallian mission of service to others and volunteered their time Saturday, Oct. 23, as part of the annual “Lasallian Day of Service.” Alumni helped out in the Twin Cities, Chicago and Winona, working with projects such as Feed My Starving Children, Project for Pride in Living and the San Miguel Schools in Chicago.

Saint Mary's speaker to address healthy eating

WINONA, Minn. — Dr. Heidi Michels Blanck, a commander of the U.S. Public Health Service and chief of the Obesity Prevention and Control Branch of Centers for Disease Control (CDC), will speak at Saint Mary’s University Monday, Nov. 1.

Dr. Michels Blanck, a 1992 SMU alumna, will speak about “Healthy Eating and Active Living: the CDC’s Public Health Approach to Preventing and Reducing Obesity” beginning at 4:30 p.m. A reception will immediately follow.

The event, free and open to the public, will be held in the Common Room, located on the third floor of Saint Mary’s Hall. Dr. Michels Blanck’s presentation is sponsored by the SMU School of Humanities and Sciences and is being held in connection with the 40th anniversary celebration of women at Saint Mary’s.

SMU Department of Theatre & Dance to stage new version of Greek myth ‘Eurydice’

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary’s University Department of Theatre and Dance will present a fresh reflection on the timeless Greek love story “Eurydice” Nov. 11-14.

“Eurydice” — by the recently Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award nominated playwright Sarah Ruhl — is a modern reinterpretation of the Greek myth of Eurydice and Orpheus from a woman's point of view. The original story focuses on Orpheus and his journey into the underworld to save his wife, Eurydice, who he lost just moments after their wedding. Ruhl instead focuses on Eurydice’s descent into the underworld and imagines what her journey might have entailed. “I am interested in any woman who dies twice,” Ruhl has commented.

Director Steven Bouler describes “Eurydice” as a 90-minute play of rare beauty about memory and loss, faithfulness and undying love. “It promises to be a disconcerting drama that will bring a tear to the eye, a lump to the throat and a smile to the face,” he said.

Performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. Nov. 11-13, 9:30 p.m. Nov. 12-13 and 4 and 6:30 p.m. Nov. 14 in the Studio Theatre, located upstairs in the SMU Performance Center.

Although the performance is free, tickets are required as seating is limited. Tickets can be obtained through the SMU Box Office, (507) 457-1715. A donation of a canned item for a local food shelf is encouraged.

Students celebrate National Chemistry Week during Saint Mary’s Chemistry Nights

WINONA, Minn. — Many area high school juniors and seniors will perform hands-on chemistry projects during upcoming Chemistry Nights at Saint Mary’s University, which will run 5 to 9 p.m. Thursdays, Oct. 28 and Nov. 4.

Chemistry Night, sponsored by the SMU Department of Chemistry and the La Crosse-Winona local section of the American Chemical Society, is an annual event designed to help students explore the discipline of chemistry and appreciate the positive role that chemistry plays in our everyday world.

Each year students solve a challenging but fun chemical problem, based on the National Chemistry Week (Oct. 17-23) theme; this year’s theme is “Behind the Scenes with Chemistry” — the special effects chemistry of movies and television.

Students will work in small teams, using wet chemistry and working with chemical instrumentation in the SMU Department of Chemistry, under the guidance of SMU chemistry majors.

Prizes will be awarded to the teams that have the greatest success in solving the chemical problems. Prizes will include SMU scholarships of $2,000 and $1,000.

Eight area schools and approximately 45 students are participating this year.

For more information, contact Dr. Brett Bodsgard at (507) 457-6972.

Saint Mary’s to host nationally known economist Chris Farrell Nov. 11

WINONA, Minn. — Chris Farrell, economics editor for “Marketplace Money,” American Public Media’s nationally syndicated public radio personal finance program, will speak to audiences about “The New Frugality” at Saint Mary’s University Thursday, Nov. 11.

An award-winning journalist, Farrell is a regular contributor to American Public Media’s “Marketplace Morning Report.” He writes for “Bloomberg BusinessWeek” and contributes to “Yahoo News.” Farrell also has a weekly column in the Minneapolis “Star Tribune.” A graduate of Stanford University and the London School of Economics, Farrell lives in St. Paul.

Farrell has a unique ability to translate major trends in the economy and finance to a broad audience. He draws from his experience as a journalist, a large collection of everyday anecdotes, and a deep appreciation of history to make complex events simple and engaging.

Farrell’s presentation, scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. in Page Theatre, on SMU’s Winona campus, is free and open to the public. Farrell will discuss highlights of his latest book, “The New Frugality: How to Consume Less, Save More and Live Better,” followed by a question-and-answer period and a book signing in the lobby of the Performance Center.

Books will be available for purchase in the SMU Barnes & Noble Book Store and at the book signing.

The event is sponsored by the SMU Business Office.

SMU math colloquium presents ‘The Spiraling Art of Mollusks’

Dr. Judy Holdener of Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio, will discuss “The Spiraling Art of Mollusks,” Thursday, Nov. 4, at Saint Mary’s University as part of an ongoing Women in Math Colloquium.

This colloquium, hosted by the Saint Mary’s University Department of Mathematics and Statistics, is supported by a National Science Foundation grant to encourage women to study mathematics.

Organizers hope that through these events, high school and college-aged students will become engaged and inspired by the opportunities and challenges presented to women in the ever-progressing field of mathematics.

Dr. Holdener asks, “Are mollusks artists?” Anyone observing the spiraling seashells mollusks sometimes produce might believe they are. In this talk, Dr. Holdener will reproduce the art of mollusks using a fairly elementary mathematical model of seashell form. The model is based on the observation that most shells grow isometrically, meaning they retain the same shape as they enlarge. With the help of the computer algebra system MAPLE, she will then employ iterative models to render the surface patterns commonly found on seashells. In doing so, she will not only apply mathematics to obtain the beauty found in nature, she will illustrate the beautiful nature of applied mathematics.

The event — free and open to the public — will take place from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in Salvi Lecture Hall, located on the third floor of Saint Mary’s Hall. A reception for Dr. Holdener will begin at 4 p.m.

For more information, contact Dr. Kevin Dennis at kdennis@smumn.edu or (507) 457-6650.

SMU’s Page Series presents Houston Ballet II Nov. 4

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary’s University Page Series will present The Houston Ballet II, one of America’s most sought after young ballet companies, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 4, in Page Theatre, located in SMU’s Performance Center.

Featuring a stellar array of young artists, The Houston Ballet II is young American ballet at its finest. The company is part of The Houston Ballet, America’s fourth largest company, and performs a wide array of dance works that range from excerpts from great classics to contemporary works by Stanton Welch, the company’s artistic director. The evening’s repertoire will include “Raymonda Act III,” as well as the unexpected “Long and Winding Road,” based upon music by the Beatles.

Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for students and seniors. They can be purchased by calling the SMU Box Office at (507) 457-1715 Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. or online at www.pagetheatre.org. 
Children younger than 5 will not be able to attend this production.

Saint Mary’s University is a fiscal year 2010 recipient of an Institutional Presenter Support grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is funded, in part, by the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on Nov. 4, 2008.

Saint Mary’s University’s Page Series to host ‘The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe’

WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary’s University’s Page Series will host a Theatreworks USA performance of the timeless children’s story “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe” at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26.

The event will be held in Page Theatre, located in the Performance Center.

This enchanting musical is based on C.S. Lewis’ adventure story about four children living in war-torn England, who accidentally enter the land of Narnia by climbing through a magic wardrobe. Narnia is a strange and wondrous place ruled by the cold-hearted White Witch, who makes winter last year round. Although they seem unlikely saviors, the four children fulfill an ancient prophecy by defeating the witch, thus restoring sunshine and peace to spellbound Narnia and returning the great Lion King Aslan to his throne.

Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for seniors and students. They can be purchased from the SMU Box Office, (507) 457-1715, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

Saint Mary’s University is a fiscal year 2010 recipient of an Institutional Presenter Support grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is funded, in part, by the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on Nov. 4, 2008.

‘Gathering for Narnia’ planned for
Oct. 23 at Winona Public Library

The public is invited to attend a gathering at the Winona Public Library Saturday, Oct. 23, in celebration of Theatreworks USA’s production of “The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe” at the SMU Page Theatre.

The free event will begin at 12:30 p.m. Teacher education students from Saint Mary’s will lead children in kindergarten through grade six in creating masks or simple costumes, based upon the characters from C.S. Lewis’ novels.

Light refreshments will be served, and participants will have opportunities to win gift cards from Barnes & Noble and the Book Shelf, as well as tickets to see the “The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe” at SMU.

Halloween Fun Night is Oct. 25 at Saint Mary’s

WINONA, Minn. — Elementary and preschool children from the Winona area are invited to attend the tenth annual Saint Mary’s University Halloween Fun Night from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 25.

Participants should stop at the guard booth at the main entrance of the Winona campus for directions on where to park.

Young trick-or-treaters should start out the evening at the Hall of Fame Room, located in the Toner Student Center, where tattoos and stickers, a coloring station, and other fun games will be offered, and the Cardinal mascot will greet pint-sized ghosts and goblins.

From there, SMU students will lead groups of trick-or-treaters through the residence halls of the university, where they can go door to door for candy.

Last year more than 700 youth participated in this free, safe and fun event, sponsored by the Office of Residence Life of Saint Mary’s.

Saint Mary’s University Gifts for Winona announces application dates

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary’s University Gifts for Winona program is once again setting age requirements for applicants this year.

Because of the economy, a record number of individuals are expected to apply this year. The Winona Food Shelf is reporting a 17% percent increase in families using its services compared to last year. (Over 930 families are using the food shelf per month.) With more families asking for help and a smaller number of people who are in a position to donate, the program is once again being adapted. The program’s main priority is to provide gifts to children 18 years of age and younger and individuals 60 years of age and older. Families will only be able to report gift requests for family members in these age ranges.

The annual gift-giving program — in its ninth year — helps more than 1,400 people have a much happier holiday season. The program has grown significantly each year.
Families may pick up an application form through one of the human service agencies that they work with (Habitat for Humanity, Project FINE, Winona County Department of Human Services, Winona Senior Advocacy Program, Winona Volunteer Services, Winona Red Cross or Women’s Resource Center).

Completed application forms must be returned to Winona Volunteer Services (402 E. 2nd St.) from 1 to 6 p.m. Thursdays, Oct. 21 and 28; 1 to 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 22; or 2 to 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29. SMU volunteers will be available for assistance on these dates.

This program exists through the generosity of the Winona community, as well as the work of other community partners including: Winona Volunteer Services, Winona Radio and the Winona Post.

Saint Mary’s theatre students to perform in London, Ireland

WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary’s University theatre majors will stage the highly theatrical disturbing docu-drama “God’s Country” from Oct. 19-23 at TARA Studio in London and Nov. 29-30 at Smock Alley Studio Theatre in Ireland.

Written by Steven Dietz, the emotionally gripping plot takes a close look at the shocking history of the white supremacist movement in the USA. “God’s Country” revolves around various right-wing organizations that, collectively, comprise the so-called “Identity Movement.” The play covers all bases of the right-wing lunatic fringe, but essentially it focuses on three narrative spines: the trial in Seattle of a paramilitary group which calls itself “The Order”; the career and murder of Denver talk-radio personality Alan Berg (outspoken, controversial and Jewish) “assassinated” by The Order; and, finally, the hate-filled career and death of The Order’s founder, Robert Matthews. These narratives are not presented in a linear fashion, but are interwoven, sometimes non-chronologically, amongst a barrage of statistics and facts into a kaleidoscopic and highly theatrical vision. It’s presentation couldn’t be more timely — and, sad to say, timeless.

Qualified theatre majors at Saint Mary's are studying theatre in London, England, this semester through the Stefannié Valéncia Kierlin Theatre in London Program. Under the guidance of Saint Mary’s faculty, the program will include a variety of classes in theatre, as well as courses focusing on broader enrichment. Students will have the unique opportunity to attend numerous performances at London’s West End, Off-West End, and Fringe theatres.

Produced by special arrangement with Samuel French Inc., “God’s Country” is directed by Dr. Gary Diomandes. Also participating are: Michael Dold, stage manager; Josh Lentner, lighting designer; Greg Freeman, sound designer; and performers Darrell Fair, Maggie Allexsaht, Annie Ivansek, Regina Harris, Joanna Mills, Jarod Boltjes, Tom Conry, Rick Baustian, Jacob Rivet, David Dean, Matthew Gorgone, Laurence Alliston-Greiner and Shane Nippard.

Get set to scream at annual Saint Mary's Walk of Horror

WINONA, Minn. — This year’s Saint Mary’s University Walk of Horror is again guaranteed to give you goosebumps. New scares are planned around every corner.

The 14th annual hair-raising fundraiser for the SMU Cardinal fastpitch softball team will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. Oct. 22-23 and 29-31 in the SMU bluffs. Walkers are asked to meet on the lighted path between the SMU baseball and softball fields, where the haunted walk will begin.

Groups are then escorted through the dark bluffs surrounding the SMU campus for approximately 20 minutes.

The cost is $5 for adults, $4 for students with ID, and $4 for children 12 and younger. Tickets are available at the gate.

SMU head fastpitch softball coach Jen Miller said the event is fun for all ages. The scare level is toned down for younger children and turned up for groups bold enough to face their fears. Last year more than 1,100 brave souls took SMU’s Walk of Horror.

Proceeds from this event will be used for the softball team’s travel expenses.

For more information, contact Miller at (507) 457-6923.

SMU Page Series presents Native Dance Ensemble Oct. 12

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary’s University Page Series will present the Kevin Locke Native Dance Ensemble with “The Drum is the Thunder, The Flute is the Wind,” Tuesday, Oct. 12. The performance will begin at 6:30 p.m. in Page Theatre, located in the SMU Performance Center.

Representing the Plains nations of Lakota, Anishinabe, Comanche, the Southeastern tribe Choctaw, and the Woodlands Nations of Ojibwe and Oneida, this one-of-a-kind ensemble of American Indian champions and award-winning dancers offers a rich variety of American Indian traditions and aesthetics in dance, instrumentals, song, storytelling, sign language and audience interaction.

The ensemble is led by Kevin Locke, who is known throughout the world as a visionary hoop dancer; the preeminent player of the indigenous Northern Plains flute; a traditional storyteller; cultural ambassador; recording artist; and educator.

In 1990, Locke was awarded a National Heritage Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), which recognized him as a “Master Traditional Artist who has contributed to the shaping of our artistic traditions and to preserving the cultural diversity of the United States.”

At this time, there are no tickets available for this performance. However, a limited number may be available at the SMU Box Office one hour prior to the performance. Tickets are $12 for adults, $5 for students and seniors.

A school matinee performance of “The Drum is the Thunder, the Flute is the Wind” is supported in part by the Winona Foundation and Arts Midwest and by the Elizabeth Callender King Foundation.

Saint Mary’s University is a fiscal year 2010 recipient of an Institutional Presenter Support grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is funded, in part, by the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on Nov. 4, 2008.

Free presentation at the library

Additionally, Park Ranger Ed Lagace of the Trempealeau Wildlife Refuge will present “Gathering at the Waters,” at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9, at the Winona Public Library, where he will speak about how early Native American settlers used the natural world. Refreshments and ticket give-away opportunities will be offered. The event — free and open to the public — is supported by a SELCO’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Grant.

SMU Jazz Ensemble releases first CD ‘Staycation’ Friday

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary’s University Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. John Paulson, will release its first CD, “Staycation” at the Family Weekend Jazz Concert Friday, Oct. 1. The performance is set for 6 p.m. in Figliulo Recital Hall, located in the SMU Performance Center.

The project has been a joint effort by SMU students and faculty. Participants included members of the SMU Jazz Ensemble and students majoring in music technology, under the supervision of Dr. Paulson and adjunct music faculty member and Grammy-winning engineer Brett Huus. Music tech students working on the project included Tim High, Andrew Jambura, Kalinn Bangasser and Andrew Bauer. High and Jambura — overseen by Huus — also did the mastering, in connection with their recording class.

The CD, featuring seven selections, was recorded this past February on campus — during what would have been the student musicians’ winter break. The students chose to stay on campus and record their music rather than go on tour this year — which brought about the CD’s name, “Staycation.”

The entire project was done using the recording facilities in St. Yon’s Hall, which supports the music technology program. Eric Heukeshoven, also from the SMU music faculty, did the graphic design and layout for the CD templates.

The CD, a collection of various styles, includes the vocal talents of professional jazz musician Miles Johnston who also solos on cornet. Johnston performed with the jazz ensemble in the December 2009 concert and can be heard on the recording performing Cole Porter’s “Night and Day” and the great jazz standard by Klemmer and Lewis, “Just Friends,” both arranged by Dave Wolpe for big band and vocals. Other features include “Quintessence” by Quincy Jones, highlighting the talents of alto saxophonist Vanessa Grams ’10, and “Midnight Voyage” by Joey Calerazzo, featuring Winona Senior High tenor saxophonist Ross Nixon. Also included is an arrangement of the “OO7” James Bond theme by Jeremy Johnston ’09, “I Love You” by Cole Porter and a funky new chart, “Out of the Doghouse” by Eric Morales.

The CD will also be available at the campus bookstore in the Toner Student Center. A YouTube segment, which can be found at www.smumn.edu/staycationvid, captures some of the recording session. For more information, go to www.smumn.edu/staycation or contact Dr. Paulson at (507) 457-1596 or jpaulson@smumn.edu.

Israeli clarinetist, saxophonist kicks off Saint Mary’s 2010-2011 Page Series

WINONA, Minn. — Israeli-born jazz clarinetist and saxophonist Anat Cohen will kick off Saint Mary’s University’s Page Series Friday, Oct. 8. The performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Page Theatre, located in the SMU Performance Center.

“One of the brightest, most original young instrumentalists in jazz” (according to The Washington Post), Cohen will present a rousing tribute to Benny Goodman, “the King of Swing,” as well as selections from her four highly praised CDs.

The winner of four consecutive Jazz Journalists Association “Clarinet Player of the Year” awards and multiple “Rising Star Clarinet” DownBeat critic’s polls, Cohen and her quartet are performing around the world, reestablishing the clarinet to its rightful role at the forefront of jazz.

Cohen will lead a masterclass on jazz improvisation with area jazz students from 4 to 5 p.m. Oct. 8. She will then offer a free pre-show conversation at 6:30 p.m. Both events will be in Figliulo Recital Hall.

Tickets for the performance are $25 for adults or $20 for seniors and students and are available at the SMU Box Office, (507) 457-1715, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

Next Saint Mary’s exhibit features pottery, drawings Oct. 8-Nov. 14

WINONA, Minn. — Two Midwestern artists will display work at Saint Mary’s University Oct. 8 through Nov. 14.

Pottery by Schwarz features work by Dean Schwarz, a ceramic artist, painter, writer and teacher who co-founded South Bear School, an innovative summer arts school in Highlandville, Iowa. Schwarz was born and raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The son of a welder, his initial interests were in athletics, but as an undergraduate student, he developed an interest in ceramics, painting and other visual arts, and abruptly changed his major. While serving in the U.S. Navy in the early 1960s, he used his shore leaves to visit the studios of world famous potters, notably Shoji Hamada in Japan, and Bauhaus-trained Master Potter Marguerite Wildenhain at Pond Farm near Guerneville, Calif. His work is represented in numerous private collections and in the holdings of museums and universities throughout the world.

Drawings by Whelan features work by John Whelan, an adjunct instructor in the SMU Department of Art and Design, who currently lives in La Crosse, Wis. Whelan was born and raised in the Old West End of Toledo, Ohio, less than a mile from the Toledo Museum of Art, which he visited often during his youth. He has taught studio art and art history throughout the Midwest, including 23 years at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. In 1998, he took a leave from teaching to attend the University of Iowa College of Medicine and was awarded the M.D. in 2002. Whelan’s exhibit centers around studies of flowers and the human figure.

The show, free and open to the public, will be on display at the Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries, located in the Toner Student Center. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

For more information, call (507) 457-1652.

Saint Mary’s invites nonprofits to submit ‘to-do’ lists for ‘Make a Difference Day’

WINONA, Minn. — In recognition of national “Make a Difference Day,” Saint Mary’s University’s Volunteer Mentors group is inviting Winona nonprofit agencies to submit requests for service.

Do you need someone to help with your fall cleaning, to rake leaves, to do some painting, or to help with construction? Approximately 150 Saint Mary’s University students will be teamed up from 9:30 a.m. to noon to help groups and organizations on Saturday, Oct. 23, in recognition of “Make a Difference Day.”

Saint Mary’s will supply the workers, if you supply the materials needed (paint, brushes, rakes, tools, etc.).

“Make a Difference Day” is the most encompassing national day of helping others, a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors. Created by USA WEEKEND magazine, this annual event takes place on the fourth Saturday of every October. SMU is proud to join the millions of people throughout the nation who are participating.

To register your request, please call Chris McClead at (507) 457-7268 or e-mail volunteermentors@smumn.edu by Monday, Oct. 11.

Saint Mary’s speaker to give first-hand account of Brother James Miller’s life, death

WINONA, Minn. — Guest speaker Brother Paul Joslin, FSC — a colleague and friend of Brother James Miller — will present “Witnessing to Nonviolence” Thursday, Oct. 7, at Saint Mary’s University.

This year marked the 28th anniversary of the death of Brother James, a member of the De La Salle Christian Brothers and a 1966 graduate of Saint Mary’s. Brother James was doing “God’s work” of bringing education, faith and hope to marginalized Guatemalans when he was shot and killed on Feb. 13, 1982 by four masked gunmen while mending a wall outside the De La Salle Casa Indigena where he worked.

The La Crosse, Wis., Diocese has presented cause for his canonization and the Church is currently investigating cause for his sainthood. He has been named a Servant of God.

Brother Paul, also a De La Salle Christian Brother, teaches at St. Raymond High School in Bronx, N.Y. Between 1976-1988, Brother Paul ministered in Guatemala, and in 1982, Brother James and Brother Paul formed the staff of the De La Salle Casa Indigena in Huehuetenango. Consequently, Brother Paul’s presentation will include first-hand information about the happenings of Feb. 13, 1982 — the day of Brother James’ martyrdom.

“Brother James took young people from the hills that had no chance and gave them a combination of hope and life. Are we, too, willing to rise up like Brother James to take the young by the hand and lead them to freedom?” asked St. Paul-Minneapolis Archbishop John R. Roach in 1982.

The event, part of SMU’s Lasallian Week of Peace, will run from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. in Salvi Lecture Hall, located on the third floor of Saint Mary’s Hall.

For more information, contact Dennis M. Gallagher, SMU’s dean of Campus Ministry, at (507) 457-6936 or e-mail dgallagh@smumn.edu.

Saint Mary’s hosts free violin recital Sept. 29

Saint Mary’s University will host a free recital featuring violinst Tien-Hsin “Cindy” Wu and pianist Jiayi Shi at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 29, in Figliulo Recital Hall located in the SMU Performance Center.

Violinist Tien-Hsin “Cindy” Wu enjoys a versatile career as a soloist and a chamber musician, having performed with renowned musicians and ensembles in Europe, the United States and Asia. She has appeared as soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra of Taiwan and Taipei Symphony Orchestra in her native country, as well as with the Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra (Ukraine) and the Russian State Symphony Orchestra.

Wu’s 2010-2011 season highlights include performances on the Linton Chamber Music Series, Marlboro on Tour, Caramoor Rising Stars, as well as an invitation to Music Sharing International Community Engagement Program 2010 LAOS. In addition to performances across the globe, Wu also began teaching violin/viola this fall as an adjunct professor at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California.

As a solo recitalist and chamber musician, Wu has performed extensively in Taiwan, Europe and North America, at such prominent venues as New York City's Alice Tully Hall, Boston's Jordan Hall, Washington D.C.’s Kennedy Center and Library of Congress, as well as in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Vancouver.

Pianist Jiayi Shi began playing the piano at age 4. A few years later, she was accepted to the prestigious Shanghai Conservatory of Music in China and studied there until 1996, when she was granted a full scholarship to the University of Texas at Austin. Shi continued her education at the Eastman School of Music and graduated from Eastman in 2002 with both a master’s degree and a Performance Certificate in Piano. Besides completing her Doctoral of Musical Arts at Manhattan School of Music, she is currently on the piano faculty of Biola University in California. She maintains an active schedule as a chamber musician and collaborative pianist, working extensively with the internationally renowned violinist Midori.

Saint Mary’s jazz groups kick off the year with Family Weekend concert Oct. 1

The 18-piece Saint Mary's University Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combo I will perform a concert at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 1, in Figliulo Recital Hall, located in the SMU Performance Center.

This concert, part of SMU’s Family Weekend festivities, marks the release of the first big band CD “Staycation,” recorded by the jazz ensemble last February. It was produced and recorded by SMU music technology majors under the direction of Dr. John Paulson, professor of music, and Brett Huus, adjunct music faculty member and CEO of Soundstrations Studios in La Crosse, Wis. The CD will be available at the concert, in the campus bookstore and online at www.smumn.edu/music.

The jazz combo will lead off the concert with Herbie Hancock's famous “Cantaloupe Island,” arranged by the group, and freshman alto saxophonist Katie Kosiek will be featured on the ballad “Come Rain or Come Shine.” The closing set will be “Nutville” by Horace Silver. The big band will feature sophomore drummer Allen Mekash on Mark Talor’s “Power Play” and the trombone section on Dave Barduhn’s “Safety Net Blues.”

Also included in the set will be “Maputo” by Marcus Miller featuring Tommy Quinn on alto sax and freshman Webster Camden on guitar, “Big Cat” blues by Dave Hanson and the funky “Poultry in Motion” with solos by the always enthusiastic Benjamin Scott on tenor sax.

Jazz musician Anat Cohon and her jazz quartet will start off the Page Series season Friday, Oct. 8. Cohon, one of the top jazz clarinetists in the world, will be doing a free Masterclass on jazz improvisation with SMU's Jazz Combo I from 4 to 5 p.m. in Figliulo Recital Hall. She will join Paulson for a pre-show interview in the recital hall.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors and are available at the SMU Box Office, (507) 457-1715 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

Saint Mary's invites public to Fall Frolic Oct. 2

The public is invited to participate in the 23rd Fall Frolic 5K fun run/walk at Saint Mary’s University Saturday, Oct. 2.

Registration will run from 8 to 9:30 a.m. in SMU’s Toner Student Center with the race beginning at 10 a.m. The $8 cost includes a t-shirt.

The annual event is free to SMU students, faculty and staff, but is open to the community as well. Typically close to 500 people participate; competitors of all levels (including walkers) are welcome.

Participants will enjoy the beautiful bluff trails of SMU’s Winona campus. Registration forms — as well as a complete weekend schedule — are available online at www.smumn.edu/familyweekend.

Family Weekend runs Oct. 1-3 and includes a full slate of activities for families of students and the SMU community. In previous years, as many as 1,000 visitors have come onto campus for Family Weekend music and theatre events, sporting events, the Fall Frolic, and other games and activities.

SMU Concert Band, choirs to combine Oct. 2 for Family Weekend concert

Saint Mary’s University’s Concert Band and choirs will combine for a 2 p.m. concert Saturday, Oct. 2, at Page Theatre, located in the SMU Performance Center.

The Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, under the direction of Dr. Patrick O'Shea, and the Women’s Choir, directed by Lindsy O'Shea, will present works in English and Latin, including compositions by Palestrina, Randall Thompson, and Moses Hogan.

The SMU Band, under the direction of Dr. Janet Heukeshoven, will start the year with a fanfare for concert band by Jack Stamp, “Cenotaph.” This will be followed by Malcolm Arnold's “Scottish Dance No. 1” (from “Four Scottish Dances,” arranged for band by John Paynter) and another work based on the Scottish tradition, “Perthshire Majesty,” by Samuel Hazo. The band will conclude its part of the concert with the “Florentiner March” by Czech composer Julius Fucik.

To conclude the performance, the choir and band will combine for Randall Thompson's “The Last Words of David.”

This is the inaugural concert for SMU’s new acoustic shell.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors and are available at the SMU Box Office, (507) 457-1715 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

Saint Mary’s hosts Sing It Loud, The Fast Track Sept. 25

WINONA, Minn. — On Saturday, Sept. 25, Saint Mary’s University will host a concert featuring the bands Sing It Loud and The Fast Track.

The concert will be held in SMU’s gymnasium and doors will open at 7:30 p.m. The Fast Track will play at 8 p.m. with Sing It Loud taking the stage at 9 p.m. The concert is free to SMU students and $5 for all other admission. Tickets will be available at the door.

Sing it Loud is an American pop rock band from Minneapolis. Their new album, titled “Everything Collide,” contains 11 tracks and was released in May. The album reached #28 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart.

More information about the bands can be found online at www.myspace.com/thefasttrack
and www.myspace.com/singitloud.

For more information, contact SMU’s assistant activities director Lance Thompson at (507) 457-1686 or e-mail ljthom01@smumn.edu.