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.

Stage Combat Workshops near at Valéncia Arts Center

WINONA, Minn. — The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts will offer Stage Combat Workshops, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 18-19, and Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 9- 10. Classes will be offered from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Valéncia Arts Center, 1164 West 10th St.

In both workshops, students will learn the basics of faking unarmed fights onstage without sacrificing either safety or dramatic effectiveness.

The September workshops include “Acting (with Fights) — An Introduction to Unarmed Stage Combat” and “On the Edge of a Noodle — Safety in Stage Combat.” These workshops will focus on the acting and safety challenges that arise when theatrical violence is required during a scene. Using pool noodles, students will explore safety, action and reaction, and the appearance of danger in the context of a “West Side Story” rumble/knife fight. The workshops will end with a showing of choreographed stage combat routines.

The October workshops feature “Acting (with Fights) — An Introduction to Unarmed Stage Combat” and “Don't Hold the Pointy End — An Introduction to Stage Swordplay.” These workshops will introduce students to the basics of stage rapier through a choreographed routine, including footwork, cuts, thrusts and parries.

Instructed by Mike Speck, the workshops are open to students and community members ages 15 to adults (and by invitation only for younger students). Tuition for the workshops is $20 per weekend. A reduced price of $30 is offered for those who register for both the September and October workshops. College or university students may register for half price through MCA’s university student discount.

Registration is currently open and will be accepted at the door. To register, or for more information about the MCA Stage Combat Workshops and other MCA dance, music, and theatre programming, visit www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org, email mca@smumn.edu or call (507) 453-5500.

Senior vice president named to lead university advancement at Saint Mary’s

WINONA, Minn. – Dr. Steven Titus has been named senior vice president for university advancement at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Titus is the former vice president for university advancement at Pacific Lutheran University and former president of Midland Lutheran College. He most recently was a member of The Reid Group, a national Catholic consulting practice headquartered in Seattle, Wash.

“Dr. Titus is a seasoned higher education leader with close ties to Winona and Minneapolis,” said Brother William Mann, president of Saint Mary’s University. “I am absolutely delighted to have him join our executive team. His leadership and experience will help Saint Mary’s University achieve its bold vision for the future.”

Titus said he is pleased to be “joining a university of Saint Mary’s reputation and impact. Saint Mary’s has grown into a global, doctoral-granting university, distinguishing itself as innovative and responsive in both undergraduate and graduate education. Saint Mary’s is one of the most well-positioned universities in the region and I am honored to help lead its strategic future, and to build on its considerable strength through its advancement programs.”

Titus is a native of Denver, Colo. He is a graduate of Southwest Minnesota State University and holds a law degree from Marquette University and a Ph.D. from The University of Virginia.

SMU Department of Theatre & Dance to stage ‘The Lightning Bug’ Sept. 30-Oct. 3

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary’s University Department of Theatre and Dance will begin its season with the giggle-inducing comedy, “The Lightning Bug” Sept. 30 through Oct. 3.

This world-premiere performance capitalizes on superhero silliness and involves fast-paced dialogue and non-stop action. The family-friendly show, written by award-winning playwright Rand Higbee, takes place in 1939 at the Magnopolis Daily News as the evil genius Dr. Kasady emerges from hiding. The plot combines the elements of a 1930s screwball comedy with those of an old-time comic book adventure.

Rand, who received a 2009 Wisconsin Wrights award for “The Lightning Bug,” has written several popular plays including “Next!” which is currently one of the most often performed high school one-acts in the country. A question-and-answer period with Rand — who currently lives near Red Wing — will be held following Friday evening’s performance.

The show’s director Judy Myers discovered “Lightning Bug” when she attended the Last Frontier Theatre Conference in Valdez, Alaska in June of 2009. “Rand’s piece was read on the last day and I was so impressed that I asked him immediately following the reading if he would allow us to produce it at SMU,” Myers said. “I believed it would be a great piece for our students, as well as the Saint Mary’s and Winona communities.”

“Lightning Bug” — just one of SMU’s Family Weekend arts offerings — will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Sept. 30 through Oct. 2, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 3.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $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.

Saint Mary’s alum John McDonough, president of Blackhawks, receives award

WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary’s alum John McDonough ’75, president of the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks, shared his triumphant and inspiring story with his alma mater Thursday, Sept. 2.

McDonough served as the guest speaker during SMU’s annual convocation ceremony, where Brother William Mann presented him with a Presidential Award for Outstanding Merit.

The award was presented to McDonough for his exemplary leadership in the world of professional sports and his “heartfelt dedication” and devotion to Saint Mary’s.

During his visit, McDonough also spoke to business students and faculty about “The Chicago Blackhawks ‘One Goal’ Business Plan.” Additionally, he participated in a Q&A session for SMU administration, faculty, student leaders and Winona business leaders.

McDonough was named president of the Chicago Blackhawks in November of 2007. Under his guidance, in what Forbes Magazine has called the “The Greatest Sports-Business Turnaround Ever,” the Blackhawks moved quickly to revitalize the team’s profile and re-energize its fan base. Just over two and a half years after his arrival, the organization achieved its “One Goal” of a Stanley Cup title in 2010, the team’s first since 1961.

Under McDonough’s leadership, the Blackhawks became one of professional sports’ biggest success stories. As of June 6, 2010, the Blackhawks have entertained 102 consecutive capacity crowds at the United Center and have grown a season ticketholder base from 3,400 to over 14,000 in under a year.

Prior to joining the Blackhawks, McDonough served as president of the Chicago Cubs. During his tenure, the Cubs won the 2007 National League Central Division while setting an all-time franchise attendance record. As the Cubs chief, and in his previous role as senior vice president of marketing and broadcasting, he was widely viewed as a sports marketing and management innovator who played a major role in growing the Cubs’ fan base and attracting sponsorships for one of the most successful pro sports franchises in America.



View photos from this event.

Saint Mary’s reports 1,370 Winona campus undergraduates

WINONA, Minn. — Official 10th-day-of-class statistics for the Saint Mary's University undergraduate College show a total enrollment of 1,370. That number includes 1,311 full-time Winona campus undergraduates and 59 part-time students.

A total of 347 freshmen are enrolled this fall, up 5 percent over last year.

Even though the freshman count is up, the overall undergraduate enrollment shows a slight decrease from the 1,404 recorded in fall 2009.

“The larger freshman class is evidence that students and families recognize the value of a Saint Mary's education,” according to Bob Conover, vice president for communication and marketing. “You can feel the energy and excitement these new students have brought to campus.”

Enrollment will be counted in October for the SMU Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs.

Guest pianist Svetlana Belsky to perform Sept. 18 at SMU

WINONA, Minn. — Guest pianist Svetlana Belsky will present a public recital Saturday, Sept. 18, at Saint Mary’s University. The free performance — to be held in Figliulo Recital Hall, located in the SMU Performance Center — will include works of Busoni.

Born in the Soviet Union, Belsky began piano lessons at the age of 7, and was soon performing in the major concert halls of her native Kiev. Her playing has been critically acclaimed as “passionate,” “impressive,” “hypnotic” and “... (possessing) a high degree of musical maturity and sensitivity.”

After immigrating to the United States, Belsky studied with Chicago’s beloved Emilio Del Rosario. She received her Bachelor of Music and Master degrees from the Peabody Conservatory of Music and her Doctorate in Performance at the Manhattan School of Music.

Although she trained mainly in the United States, Belsky has an unmistakably Russian temperament and tonal gift, with which she combines her stylistic versatility and love for a wide variety of music. Belsky has won prizes in numerous national and international piano competitions and has been active as a recitalist and chamber performer throughout the United States, in concert and on the radio. Plans for the upcoming seasons include concerts of Ferruccio Busoni's compositions in the United States, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

She is the coordinator of Piano Studies at the University of Chicago. Her busy teaching schedule includes students from four continents, many of whom are competition winners, professional musicians and performers themselves. She is great demand as a lecturer on the subjects of piano pedagogy, masterclass guest teacher, and competition adjudicator. Additionally, Belsky has written widely on music history, appreciation and piano literature.

Public invited to hear guest theology speaker Sept. 19 at SMU

WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary’s University’s “Vineyard Colloquia” inaugural lecture will feature guest speaker Sister Kate Dooley, OP, on Sunday, Sept. 19. Dr. Dooley will present, “Opportunities and Challenges in Lay Ministry” beginning at 7 p.m. in the President’s Room, located in the SMU Toner Student Center.

Dr. Dooley is a Sinsinawa (Wis.) Dominican Sister who teaches at Dominican University in River Forest, Ill. For the past 25 years, she taught in the School of Theology and Religious Studies at the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.

She holds an M.A. from the Catholic University of America, a M.Th. from Harvard Divinity School, and an M.A. and Ph.D. from the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium. Dr. Dooley has published widely in catechetical and liturgical journals and written a number of texts and resource materials for religious education. She is one of the general editors for the Benziger series, “Christ Jesus the Way” and has won numerous national awards.

The “Vineyard Colloquia” is a series of national and local scholars and practitioners of Catholic ministry, speaking and sparking conversation on the practice and spirituality of lay ecclesial ministry.

The event, hosted by the SMU Department of Theology, is free and open to the public.

Conservatory announces registration open house Sept. 9

WINONA, Minn. — The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts will conduct a semester I registration open house from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 9, at the Valéncia Arts Center, 1164 West 10th St.

Registration for semester I dance, music and theatre programming 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 dance attire at the open house; MCA’s dance attire boutique offers quality basics including leotards, tights, ballet slippers, jazz shoes and tap shoes.

Classes begin Sept. 13. Dance class offerings — available for children age 3 to adults —include beginning through advanced levels in classical ballet, tap, jazz, creative movement, modern, hip hop, Pilates, and a special tuition-free dance program for boys and young men. This program is made possible in part through a grant from the Sewell Family Foundation. Semester I also provides classes in partnership with Winona County Community Education for teens and adults including: Teen and Adult Ballet, Clogging I, Clogging II, Dance Fitness, and Piyo.

Academic credit is available through Cotter High School and Saint Mary’s dance minor program for a variety of MCA dance classes.

MCA’s music division offers a tuition-free youth choir, the Winona Area Youth Singers, for students in grades four through eight. WAYS seeks to take young people who have been introduced to choir/music in their elementary, middle schools, or junior highs and further encourage and nurture their talent. WAYS members will participate in weekly sessions, a winter and spring concert, a special mentorship program with SMU choirs, and in community outreach events.

Additionally, WAYS will perform in a special collaboration with MCA’s dance division in the Dance Repertory Company’s production of “The Nutcracker” Dec. 2-5 at Saint Mary’s Page Theatre. WAYS is sponsored in part by the Young Singer’s Foundation.

MCA’s music division also offers private lessons in voice, piano, flute, clarinet and saxophone. Additional string, woodwind, and brass instruments lessons may be available upon request.

MCA’s theatre division offers stage combat workshops Sept. 18-19 and Oct. 9-10 for teen and adults 15 years of age or older. Students will learn the basics of faking unarmed fights onstage without sacrificing safety or dramatic effectiveness.

Semester I classes will provide 10 weeks of instruction, concluding with a demonstration week, Nov.15-20.

Tuition for MCA classes, lessons, and workshops varies depending on course length and level. Discounts and scholarships are available.

For more information, visit www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org, e-mail mca@smumn.edu or call (507) 453-5500.

100 SMU students to volunteer in Winona community Saturday

WINONA, Minn. — About 100 students from Saint Mary’s University — 78 of whom are new to the community — will serve 10 organizations in Winona on Saturday, Sept. 4, from 1 to 4:30 p.m.

New Student Volunteer Day is dedicated to providing new students with the opportunity to serve the people of Winona, and to be inspired by the Lasallian spirit early in their college careers.

Students will be volunteering at Grace Place, Habitat Restore, Lake Winona Manor, Living Light Church, Winona Volunteer Services, Winona Area Humane Society, Winona Catholic Worker, Saint Anne of Winona, Sauer Memorial Home and Salvation Army Store. Students will be cleaning, painting, hauling, playing BINGO and tending to animals, among other activities.

Communication law, privacy to be discussed at Saint Mary’s

WINONA, Minn. — Two legal experts will discuss electronic communication’s impact on Minnesota’s open-meeting law and data-privacy standards Wednesday, Sept. 15, at Saint Mary’s University.

The event, which is planned for 7 p.m., will be held in Figliulo Recital Hall, located in the SMU Performance Center.

Presenters will be Mark Anfinson, an attorney for the Minnesota Newspaper Association, and Laurie Beyer-Kropuenske, director of the information policy analysis division of the Minnesota Administration Department.

Anfinson and Beyer-Kropuenske will review recent court rulings that relate to communication law and data privacy. Other topics to be addressed include:

• Whether existing communication laws are still relevant to new communication technologies and practices;

• Ways in which technology has changed expectations about privacy;

• Citizens’ access to government data; and

• New legislation improving citizen access to government records.

The event, free and open to the public, is being held in conjunction with Constitution Day.

For more information, contact Steve Schild, associate professor of the SMU Mass Communication Program, at (507) 457-1753.