Jan. | Feb. | March | April | May | June | July | August | Sept. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec.

---

BC Professor’s Short Story to be Published in Eureka Literary Magazine

January 30, 2009 (Brevard, N.C.) -- “Deep Space,” a short story by Brevard College Assistant Professor of English Jubal Tiner, will appear in the spring issue of Eureka Literary Magazine.

Tiner has taught creative writing as well as film, literature and composition classes at Brevard College since 2006. He is the editor of Pisgah Review, a biannual journal associated with Brevard College that features fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction works by national and international writers.

Tiner's short stories have appeared in Florida Review, Oxford Magazine, Jabberwock Review, Moonshine Review and other literary magazines. His novel-in-stories manuscript, “The Waterhouse,” was a finalist for the James Jones First Novel Fellowship.

Eureka Literary Magazine is a nationally known literary journal of innovative fiction, creative nonfiction and poetry that features both new and established authors.

Posted: 1/30/08

---

 

Brevard College Hosts Summer Job and Camp Fair

Brevard College will host a Summer Job and Camp Fair on Wednesday, February 11.

The fair, which is open to the public, will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the College’s Reserve Dining Room and Institute Room spaces of Myers Cafeteria. Representatives from more than 35 local and regional camps as well as summer employers will participate. Attendees range from Camp Tekoa near Hendersonville, N.C. to the Cradle of Forestry Interpretive Association and the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC).

For more information, please contact, Brevard College Director of Career Exploration Tommasanne Lambert at 828.884.8249 or lambertt@brevard.edu.Posted: 1/19/08

Posted: 1/28/08

---

 

BC Hosts Opening Reception and Presentation for McArthur Freeman II Art Exhibition

Brevard College will host an opening reception and presentation for artist McArthur Freeman II on Friday, January 23.

The opening reception for Freeman's exhibit, "Just My ‘Magination," will be held from 5:30 p.m. until 7 p.m. at Brevard College's Spiers Gallery in the Sims Art Center.

Following the reception, the College's Multicultural Initiatives will host a presentation by Freeman entitled "Constructed Narratives: Explorations of Race, Blackness and Myth" at 7:30 p.m. in the Porter Center for Performing Arts' Scott Commons.

The reception, presentation and exhibit visitations are free to the public.

Freeman is best known for his narrative paintings, drawings and installations exploring race, double consciousness and the construction of identity. His images are described as a synthesis of children's book illustrations, fairy tales and invented characters with historical narratives, images from popular culture and social critique that create a wonderland like world that has gone disturbingly awry, but is seductively beautiful.

Gallery hours are 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. weekdays when the College is in session. The exhibit will be on display until February 20.

For more information about this exhibition, contact Dr. Tasha C. Toy, assistant director for Student Life at 828.884.8117 or toytc@brevard.edu.

Pisgah Review Reading at Malaprops

On January 16, at 7:00 p.m., the editors of Pisgah Review are sponsoring a reading at Malaprops Bookstore (55 Haywood Street in Asheville) featuring “The Poets of Pisgah Review.” Current and recent contributors Ken Chamlee, Terri Kirby Erickson, Susan Lefler, Brent Martin, and Thomas Rain Crowe will be on hand to read from their work and sign copies of our most recent issue, which will be available for sale through Malaprops. Come over and check out a good bookstore, have a cup of java, and hear some great poetry courtesy of the Pisgah Review.

Please contact Dr. Jubal Tiner for additional information.

Asheville City Mayor to Speak at Brevard College’s March 3 Women’s History Month Program

Asheville City Mayor Terry M. Bellamy will speak on “Taking the Lead” during Brevard College’s Women’s History Month Program on Tuesday, March 3.

The program, hosted by the College’s Multicultural Initiatives, will be held at 7 p.m. in the College’s Reserve Dining Room of A.G. Myers Dining Hall.  It is free and open to the public.

Asheville citizens elected Bellamy to serve as mayor of the City of Asheville in 2005. Upon her inauguration, she became the youngest mayor in North Carolina, the youngest mayor ever elected in Asheville and the first African-American to serve as mayor in Asheville.

Since her election, Mayor Bellamy has shared her vision for a unified community that works together to address challenges and take advantage of opportunities for the future. She is dedicated to promoting and enhancing basic city services and a high quality of citizen customer service. Mayor Bellamy is a native of Asheville and a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

For more information about the presentation, contact Dr. Tasha C. Toy, Assistant Director for Student Life at 828.884.8117 or toytc@brevard.edu. 

BC Hosts Opening Reception for Sue Grier Ceramics Art Exhibition

The Brevard College Art Department will host an opening reception and presentation for ceramics artist Sue Grier on Friday, February 27.

The opening reception for Grier's exhibit, “Junctions + Surface + Meaning,” will be held from 5:30 p.m. until 7 p.m. at Brevard College's Spiers Gallery in the Sims Art Center.

The reception and exhibit visitations are free to the public.

Through what is known as embodied learning, Grier seeks to explore how the idea of function can go beyond the utilitarian or traditional definition to further embrace the intellectual and conceptual aspect of the term. She uses familiar and abstract ceramic forms to symbolically express these observations and conceptual ideas. In choosing ‘functional forms’, she adds additional layers of interest through use of scale, surface treatment, gesture or posture and re-contextualization. Grier, who has been working with clay since 1984, is currently teaching part-time at Clemson University.

Gallery hours are 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. weekdays when the College is in session. The exhibit will be on display until March 27.

For more information about this exhibition, contact Diane Pomphrey at 828-884-8188.

Banff Mountain Film Festival Tickets On Sale Now

Experience the adventure of climbing, mountain expeditions, remote cultures, and the world’s last great wild places – all brought to life on the big screen – when the Banff Mountain Film Festival returns to Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts March 20-21.

Tickets are $10 each showing or $15 for both nights.  They may be purchased from 10:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday from the Porter Center Box Office by calling (828) 884-8330 or by visiting the Box Office in person.

The film festival doors will open on Friday, March 20 at 7 p.m. to give patrons an opportunity to interact with this year’s sponsors.  The film showing will begin at 7:30 p.m.  On Saturday, March 21, the doors will open at 7 p.m. and the film showing will start at 7:30 p.m.  Each night will also feature a performance by The Mason Jar Drinkers.

Sponsoring this year’s event are Nali Outdoor Wear, Mast General Store, Diamond Brand Outdoors, WNCW 88.7, Green River Adventures, REI Asheville, Landmark Learning, and Blue Ridge Outdoors.

For more information about the Banff Mountain Film Festival at Brevard College, contact Jason A Djuren, Assistant Director of Student Life, Outdoor Recreation, at (828) 883-8292, ext. 2232 

Brevard College’s Library Highlights Black History Month

Brevard College’s J.A. Jones Library is recognizing Black History Month and the theme of “The Quest for Citizenship in the Americas” through an informational display and special lineup of books, videos and online resources. 

The library has a wide range of books on display celebrating African-American history, music, art, literature, civil rights, biography, religion and women.  Electronic resources for further research are also available.

Recent materials in the collection include: “African American Literature” (MasterPlots II series); “African American National Biography” (8 v.); “Becoming American: the African-American Journey;” “Columbia Guide to African-American History Since 1939;” “From My People: 400 Years of African-American Folklore;” “Grass roots: African Origins of an American Art;” “Raising Freedom’s Child: Black Children and Visions of the Future After Slavery” (e-book); “Africans in America: America’s Journey Through Slavery” (video); and African American Almanac (online).

Brevard College’s Library is open Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. - 11 p.m.; Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; and Sunday 3 p.m. - 10 p.m.  For more information about the library and its resources, contact Mike McCabe, director of the library, at 884-8248 or library@brevard.edu. 

Steve Martin’s Picasso at the Lapin Agile Opens February 19th at Brevard College

The Brevard College Department of Theatre Studies is pleased to announce the opening of actor/comedian/musician Steve Martin’s hilariously witty play, Picasso at the Lapin Agile. 

The play is about “being just on the verge of great discoveries in art and science,” according to director Kelly Carolyn Gordon. “The early 20th century was an exciting and hopeful period in history,” said Gordon, who is coordinator of Brevard College’s Theatre Studies. “Today, we are also living in a time of significant change.  The play makes one wonder what innovations we will see and what will inspire them.”

 
The action takes place in 1904, in the Parisian bar, Le Lapin Agile, a popular watering hole and home-away-from-home to a bevy of artists and writers, including Einstein, Picasso and a visitor from the future.  In the course of the play, a group of unforgettable characters gather to drink and discuss the possibilities of the 20th century.

The cast and crew, including many familiar faces on the Brevard College campus as well as Brevard resident Bill Schlack (Gaston), are enthusiastic about working on this production.  Brevard College senior Dwight Chiles (Freddy) says, “I wouldn’t want my last show at Brevard College to be anything else but Steve Martin’s Picasso at the Lapin Agile.” Senior Emily Wooton (Germaine) is “thrilled to be a part of the show.”

Others in the cast are senior Stanislas Foucqueteau (The Visitor); junior Alicia Elias (The Countess); sophomore Kara Ontiveros (A Young Girl); and freshmen Augustin Edmundson (Einstein), Kelli Tysinger (Suzanne), Dave Bergman (Sagot), Alex Tompkins (Picasso) and Adrian Wagner (Schmendiman).

The set was designed by junior Erin O’Rourke, who was inspired by pictures of the real Lapin Agile and the art of the 20th century.

Performances will be held February 19-21 and 26-27 at The Morrison Playhouse in The Porter Center for Performing Arts on the Brevard College campus. The performances on February 20-21 are already sold out.  Single play tickets are $10 for adults and $2 for students. Curtain time is at 8 p.m. Tickets may be purchased from 10:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Porter Center Box Office. For more information on tickets, please contact the Porter Center Box Office at 884-8330.

The photo was taken by BC student Hannah Culwell.  In the photo, from left to right are Agustin Edmundson, Emily Wooton, Alex Tompkins, Adrian Wagner, Dwight Chiles, Bill Schlack and David Bergman. 

Duke University Organist to Perform Solo Recital at Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts

Robert Parkins, university organist and professor of the practice of music at Duke University, will perform a solo recital on the Kirkpatrick-Coleman Pipe Organ at Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts on Sunday, February 22.

The 3 p.m. performance will include the works of Bach, Brahms and Mendelssohn, among others. Parkins will be playing the majestic Kirkpatrick-Coleman Organ, the visual centerpiece of the Porter Center’s Scott Concert Hall. The organ was designed and crafted by master American organ builder Daniel J. Jaeckel, thanks to a $1.1 million gift from Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. Coleman Jr. of Brevard. Installed in the summer of 2003, the tracker (mechanical key) organ features three manual divisions, 69 ranks and 3,539 pipes.

Parkins has performed throughout the United States, in Central America and in Europe. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati College–Conservatory of Music and the Yale University School of Music, he studied with Gerre Hancock, Charles Krigbaum, Michael Schneider and Ralph Kirkpatrick. As a Fulbright scholar, Parkins pursued further study with Anton Heiller in Vienna.

Parkin’s organ and harpsichord recordings have been released under the Calcante, Gothic, Musical Heritage Society and Naxos labels. His Naxos compact disc recordings include Early Iberian Organ Music and Brahms: Complete Organ Works, both recorded on the Duke Chapel’s Flentrop organ. German Romantic Organ Music (Gothic Records) features both the Flentrop and the Æolian organs. Iberian and South German Organ Music (Calcante) was the first commercial recording of the new Brombaugh meantone organ. Parkins has since released another recording of the Brombaugh, Organ Music of Frescobaldi (Calcante).

Tickets to Parkin’s performance are $25, $20 and $10 for students. Tickets may be purchased from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Porter Center Box Office. For more information on tickets, please contact the Porter Center Box Office at 884-8330. 

Brevard College Music Department Presents Sunday Concert Featuring Oboe, Violin and Piano

Joseph Robinson, principal oboist in the New York Philharmonic from 1978-2005; his wife, violinist Mary Kay Robinson, former member of the New Jersey and Atlanta symphonies; and pianist Katherine Morgan Palmer, an instructor at Brevard College, will perform at the Porter Center for Performing Arts on the Brevard College campus on Sunday, February 15.

The 3:30 p.m. concert, presented by the Brevard College Music Department, will feature works by Telemann, Robert Glenn Palmer, Bill Robinson, Martin, Gade, Poulenc and Dring.

General admission to the concert is $15.  Students will be admitted for free.

Tickets On Sale Now for Steve Martin’s Picasso at the Lapin Agile at Brevard College; Some Performances Sold Out

The Brevard College Department of Theatre Studies will start the semester off with actor/comedian Steve Martin’s clever and funny play Picasso at the Lapin Agile. The show is set in a real-life Parisian bar, Le Lapin Agile, a popular gathering place for artists, musicians and writers. On the night when the action takes place, in October 1904, a group of unforgettable characters, including Picasso, Einstein and a visitor from the future, gather to drink and discuss the 20th century. 

The play is about “being just on the verge of great discoveries in art and science,” according to director Kelly Carolyn Gordon. “The early 20th century was an exciting and hopeful period in history,” said Gordon, who is coordinator of Brevard College’s Theatre Studies. “Today, we are also living in a time of significant change.  The play makes one wonder what innovations we will see and what will inspire them.”

Performances will be held February 19-21 and 26-27 at The Morrison Playhouse in The Porter Center for Performing Arts on the Brevard College campus. The performances on February 20-21 are already sold out.  Single play tickets are $10 for adults and $2 for students. Curtain time is at 8 p.m. Tickets may be purchased from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Porter Center Box Office. For more information on tickets, please contact the Porter Center Box Office at 884-8330.

Photojournalist Presents “Eyewitness Gaza” Multi Media Presentation at Brevard College Friday

Photojournalist Skip Schiel will present, “Eyewitness Gaza,” a multi media presentation about his 2008 trip to Gaza on Friday, February 6 at Brevard College.

The presentation will be held at 6:30 p.m. in Room 125 of the McLarty-Goodson Building on Brevard College’s campus. It is free and open to the public.

Schiel, who is from Cambridge Mass., has traveled and photographed in Israel-Palestine over a five-year period, usually three months each year. Using photographs and stories, he will present his experiences from his last journey to Gaza in January, 2008.

Since 1990, Schiel has taught photography through the Cambridge Center for Adult Education and Harvard University's Landscape Institute. His photography ranges between landscape, abstract, experimental, portraiture and socially engaged. Schiel’s photos have appeared in the Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor and Progressive Magazine, and are in the collections of Harvard University. He has had exhibitions in numerous venues across the country.

Brevard College Receives Solar-thermal Seed-money Grant

Brevard College recently received a $5,000 grant from the Katherine Preyer Foundation.

The funds will be used as seed-money to attract matching grants that will allow the College to establish a solar-thermal heating system for the A.G. Myers Dining Hall. The dining hall, which feeds more than 250,000 students, faculty, staff and community members each year, is currently the largest user of hot water in Transylvania County.

“The total cost of converting the cafeteria will be about $75,000 so we view this as a first baby step toward heating all hot water on campus from renewable energy,” said Brevard College Associate Professor of Geology Jim Reynolds, who wrote the winning grant proposal. “This is entirely consistent with the College’s mission statement and the ’08-’09 campus theme: Sustainability, Awareness Into Action. I hope we will see additional support for this important initiative to blossom rapidly.”

For more information about contributing to the solar-thermal project, please contact the Office of Institutional Development at 828.884.8218.

Brevard College Unveils Highlights of 2009-2010 Artist Series at the Porter Center for Performing Arts;
Upcoming Season to Focus on “Rediscovery”

Rediscovering the musical threads of tradition and diversity that have been the hallmarks of its first decade, Brevard College’s upcoming Artist Series will include a chart-topping Celtic band, a Medieval vocal quartet and a mini series showcasing tomorrow’s rising stars, among others.

The 2009-2010 season at Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts is about “rediscovery,” explains Technical Director Rick Nelson.

“Planning our 12th year entailed doing some soul-searching,” says Nelson.  “We visited what worked for the series – and what had not – and decided that in order to continue to bring excitement to our audience, we needed to ‘rediscover’ our commitment as a Performing Arts Center.  This season, we hope our patrons will discover an amazing artist just emerging on the national scene or rediscover an old friend or a brand new favorite.”

Performers for this season’s Artist Series range from the traditional toe-tapping Celtic tunes of Gaelic Storm on October 8 to the return of award-winning virtuosic vocals of Anonymous 4 on April 10, 2010.  One of the finest boy choirs in the world, the Atlanta Boy Choir, will perform on November 21 as part of this season’s Discovery Series.  This new series is designed to promote young and upcoming artists and encourage youth to pursue careers in music.

A complete listing of the 2009-2010 Artist Series/Discovery Series performances will be unveiled this summer during the Porter Center’s annual Season Preview Party for prior and new season subscribers.

Inaugurated in 1998, the Porter Center for Performing Arts on the campus of Brevard College in Brevard, NC has earned a reputation as one of the finest performance halls in the South. Named for North Carolina businessman and Brevard College Life Trustee Paul Porter, the Porter Center hosts the Artist Series at Brevard College – which has brought in some of the world’s most talented musicians in a dizzying array of styles – all performing in a pristine acoustical setting.

The Porter Center’s Scott Concert Hall has seating for 700, terrific acoustics and unobstructed sight lines.  The large stage can house a full symphony, yet it can be intimate enough for a solo guitar recital.

The Porter Center is also a performance and academic space for Brevard College students from the Music Department and Theatre Department, a campus meeting space, and a performance venue for some of the groups that populate Transylvania County’s amazingly rich cultural scene – the Brevard Philharmonic, Brevard Community Band, Transylvania Choral Society and more.

The Porter Center's visual centerpiece is the glorious $1.2-million Kirkpatrick-Coleman Pipe Organ, a world-class instrument designed by master organ-builder Daniel Jaeckel, featuring three manual divisions, 69 ranks and 3,539 pipes.

For more information about the 2009-2010 Porter Center series or the Season Preview Party, contact the Porter Center box office at 828-884-8330.

The Porter Center can be found online at www.theportercenter.org. 

Brevard College Juried Student Art Show Opens April 3

The Brevard College Art Department will present a juried student art exhibition from April 3 to April 17 at Spiers Gallery.

An opening reception will be held Friday, April 3 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the gallery, which is located in Sims Art Center.  The presentation of awards will begin at 6 p.m. 

Paintings, photography and sculpture are just a few of the different types of artwork that will be on display.  The show, which is open to all Brevard College students, will be juried by Asheville Art Museum Adult Programs Manager Nancy Sokolove.  Awards will be given for Best of Show, President’s Choice and Students’ Choice as well as first, second and third places.  Six honorable mentions will also be awarded.  

The reception and exhibit visitations are free to the public.  Gallery hours are 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. weekdays when the College is in session. The exhibit will be on display until April 17.

Spiers Gallery is a contemporary 1,500 square foot gallery located within the Sims Art Center on the Brevard College campus.  Exhibitions in Spiers Gallery are ongoing throughout the year and include shows by Brevard College students and faculty members as well as visiting artists from Western North Carolina and around the country.

For more information about this exhibition, contact Diane Pomphrey at 828-884-8188. 

Opera Meets Broadway:  Brevard College Music Department Hosts Opera Scenes

Voice and Theatre students at Brevard College will present an evening of scenes from opera and musical theatre on Tuesday, April 7 in the Porter Center for Performing Arts. 

The 7:30 p.m. program, which is free and open to the public, will include excerpts from Hansel and Gretel, Così fan Tutte, The Gondoliers, Brigadoon, Carousel, and Guys and Dolls.  The scenes will be performed with light staging and costumes, accompanied by Janice Murray on piano.

For more information, please contact Kathryn Gresham, Brevard College assistant professor of music and director of voice studies, at 884.8110. 

Grammy-nominated Group to Perform at Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts

Norwegian vocal ensemble Trio Mediaeval will perform at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 29 at the Brevard College Porter Center for Performing Arts.

The 2009 Grammy-nominated trio – Anna Maria Friman, Linn Andrea Fuglseth and Torunn Ostrem Ossum – will present a program entitled “Lova Line,” songs and ballads from Norway and England, including three Marian songs written for the trio by Andrew Smith.

Founded in Oslo in 1997, Trio Mediaeval has developed three distinct strands of repertoire: polyphonic medieval music from England and France, contemporary works and Norwegian medieval ballads and songs. The group's initial phase was inspired by intense periods of work at the Hilliard Summer Festival in England and Germany and subsequently with Linda Hirst and John Potter. The trio has had the pleasure of performing in more than 25 states around the country.

To date, the trio has released four albums: Soir, dit-elle; Words of the Angels; Stella Maris; and Folk Songs. Folk Songs received a 2009 Grammy nomination as “best chamber music performance.”

Performance tickets are now available at the price of $20 for adults and $10 for students. Tickets may be purchased from 10:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Porter Center Box Office. For more information on tickets, please contact the Porter Center Box Office at 884-8330 or visit www.theportercenter.org. 

Brevard College Purgason Lecture Features Jim Winkler on “The Upside of the Downturn”

Jim Winkler, general secretary for the United Methodist Church’s General Board on Church and Society, will deliver this year’s Brevard College Purgason Family Life Lecture on Monday, April 6. 

Winkler’s lecture will focus on the country’s current economic crisis, providing hope for individuals and families who are anxious about their future. 

The 7:30 p.m. lecture, which is free and open to the public, will be held in the Porter Center for the Performing Arts.  Winkler will remain in the concert hall for questions following the lecture.

Winkler’s work with the General Board for Church and Society involves advocacy and education regarding peace and social justice for the country and the world as a whole.  He has led delegations to the Middle East, Germany and the Democratic Republic of Congo, seeking peaceful solutions to global conflict.  In the U.S., Winkler works closely with Congress to advance the Church’s mission of social justice; he also is on the steering committee of Health Care Now, an advocacy group and is a board member for the Faith and Politics Institute.

Winkler’s residency on campus will also include a dinner discussion with faculty and students. 

The Brevard College Purgason Family Life Lecture is intended to emphasize the importance of the family in American society and to encourage the development of Christian values in that context.

For more information, please contact Kathryn Gresham, Campus Theme Coordinator at 884-8110. 

Brevard College holds Open Campus Day March 28

Brevard College will hold an Open Campus Day for prospective students on Saturday, March 28. 

The event will begin at 9 a.m. at Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts and will conclude after lunch.  There is also an opportunity to meet with coaches and other members of the Athletic Department from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Designed to introduce potential students to college life at Brevard College, the Open Campus Day schedule features a guided campus tour; expert advice about financial aid and scholarships; information about the college’s academic programs; as well as opportunities for prospective students to meet current Brevard College students and to participate in campus-life events and activities.  A complete Open Campus Schedule is available at www.brevard.edu/visit.

Prospective students who would like to attend the Open Campus Day should contact the Office of Admissions at 828.884-8300 or toll free at 800.527.9090.  To reserve a spot online, simply register at www.brevard.edu/visit. 

Brevard College Percussion and Brass to Perform March 24

The Brevard College Percussion Ensemble and the Brevard College Brass Quintet will perform their spring concert on Tuesday, March 24 at the Porter Center for the Performing Arts on the Brevard College campus. 

The 7:30 p.m. concert is free and open to the public.

The Brevard College Brass Quintet, directed by Assistant Professor of Music Steve Wilson, will perform works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Pierre Max Dubois, Ian MacDonald and Victor Ewald.  The group features Larry Black on trumpet and Jennifer Merrill on horn, in addition to Brevard College students.  

The Brevard College Percussion Ensemble, directed by Associate Professor of Music Laura Franklin, will perform contemporary percussion ensemble works by Nathan Daughtrey, David Long, Stanley Leonard and Michael Aukofer.  A wide range of musical styles will be presented, from the hard driving rhythms of “Shock Factor,” by Nathan Daughtrey, to the beautiful melodies of David Long’s “Aria.” 

The Brevard College Percussion Ensemble has been nationally recognized for excellence in performance through invitations to the National Conference on Percussion Pedagogy and the North Carolina Day of Percussion.  The group has also performed at the invitation of the North Carolina Symphony in Raleigh. 

Box Office Hours Extended for Banff Mountain Film Festival at Brevard College

Box office hours for the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour at the Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts this weekend have been extended.

Tickets for the March 20-21 shows may now be purchased through Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Porter Center Box Office or by calling (828) 884-8330.  The box office will also be open from 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Friday and from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Tickets are $10 each showing or $15 for both nights.

The film festival doors will now open at 6 p.m. each night to give patrons an opportunity to interact with this year’s sponsors.  The film showing will begin at 7:30 p.m. both nights and will feature a performance by The Mason Jar Drinkers.

The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour is produced by Mountain Culture at The Banff Centre and features award-winning films and audience favorites from hundreds of films entered in the annual festival in Banff Alberta, Canada.

A complete listing of the festival’s lineup and brief description of each film being shown at Brevard College is available online at www.brevard.edu/banff.

Sponsoring this year’s event at Brevard College are Nali Outdoor Wear, Mast General Store, Diamond Brand Outdoors, WNCW 88.7, Green River Adventures, REI Asheville, Landmark Learning, Blue Ridge Outdoors, Mountain Xpress, Bracken Mountain Bakery, Image 420, Brevard Rock Gym and Looking Glass Outfitters.

For more information about the Banff Mountain Film Festival at Brevard College, contact Jason A Djuren, Assistant Director of Student Life, Outdoor Recreation, at (828) 883-8292, ext. 2232 

Banff Mountain Film Festival Lineup Announced; Tickets on Sale Now

The world’s best mountain film festival will deliver big screen adventure to audiences when the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour returns to Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts March 20-21.

From exploration of remote landscapes and cultures to adrenaline-fueled action sports, films in this year’s world tour are sure to captivate and amaze the explorer within us all.  The tentative movie schedule includes showings of  “Journey to the Center,” featuring three world-renowned BASE jumpers as they travel 10,000 miles to confront Tian Keng, the Heavenly Pit; “The Fine Line,” a cinematic journey that combines the cutting edge of winter action sports with education about responsible backcountry usage; “Seasons,” a mountain biking film that follows the personal challenges, victories and adventures of some of the world's best mountain bikers; and  “The Last Nomads,” a film about the struggles of the nomadic Penan people of Borneo.

A complete listing of the festival’s lineup and brief description of each film being shown at Brevard College is available online at www.brevard.edu/banff.

Tickets are $10 each showing or $15 for both nights.  They may be purchased from 10:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday from the Porter Center Box Office by calling (828) 884-8330 or by visiting the Box Office in person.

The film festival doors will open on Friday, March 20 at 7 p.m. to give patrons an opportunity to interact with this year’s sponsors.  The film showing will begin at 7:30 p.m.  On Saturday, March 21, the doors will open at 7 p.m. and the film showing will begin at 7:30 p.m.  Each night will also feature a performance by The Mason Jar Drinkers.

The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour is produced by Mountain Culture at The Banff Centre and features award-winning films and audience favorites from hundreds of films entered in the annual festival in Banff Alberta, Canada.

Sponsoring this year’s event at Brevard College are Nali Outdoor Wear, Mast General Store, Diamond Brand Outdoors, WNCW 88.7, Green River Adventures, REI Asheville, Landmark Learning, and Blue Ridge Outdoors, Mountain Xpress, Bracken Mountain Bakery, Image 420, Brevard Rock Gym and Looking Glass Outfitters.

For more information about the Banff Mountain Film Festival at Brevard College, contact Jason A Djuren, Assistant Director of Student Life, Outdoor Recreation, at (828) 883-8292, ext. 2232 

BC Alum Bobby Fish Returns to Porter Center for Performing Arts for March 22 Concert

Brevard College alumnus Bobby Fish will return to the College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts to perform his master’s thesis concert on Sunday, March 22.

Fish, a 2003 graduate of Brevard College, is now an Appalachian State University (ASU) Chancellor’s Fellow studying percussion performance for his master’s degree in music. 

His solo mallet instrument performance at the Porter Center will feature the marimba and vibraphone and include works by composers from Denmark, France, Japan, Brazil and the United States. The concert will also include Japanese drums called Taiko. Fish, who founded the Davidson River Taiko for high-risk youth at Davidson River School in Brevard, is writing his Master’s Thesis on American Taiko.

Joining Fish on stage will be pianist Melissa Lesbines, ASU graduate percussionist Tommy Smith and ASU undergraduates Tim Cockerill and Diana Loomer. 

The 3 p.m. concert is free and open to the public.  Donations will be accepted for the Blue Ridge Center for Integrative Musical Arts, a new Western North Carolina-based music education nonprofit corporation that Fish recently founded. 

Fish, who studied concert percussion at Brevard College with Associate Professor of Music Laura Franklin, recently performed as a marimba soloist with the Appalachian Symphony Orchestra after being selected as a winner of the 2008 ASU Concerto Competition.  With the help of an ASU International Student Research Grant award, he traveled to Japan last summer to study under master Taiko artist Art Lee.

Fish plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Education once he graduates from ASU in May. 

Internationally Acclaimed Amsterdam Cello Octet to Perform at Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts; Discounted Tickets Now On Sale

The internationally acclaimed Amsterdam Cello Octet (formerly Conjunto Ibérico), the only full-time cello octet in the world, will perform at Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts on Tuesday, March 17.

Amsterdam Cello Octet is a unique ensemble in the world of classical music.  According to cellist Yo-Yo Ma, “This ensemble is a treasure indeed, a fine example to the world of music…Wherever I play – Brazil, Japan, the USA – people talk to me about Cello Octet.”

The 7:30 p.m. performance is described as both eclectic and captivating, leaning on Spanish and Latin American music.  The program will feature works from Joaquin Nin, Manuel de Falla, Alberto Ginastera, David Popper, Fant de Kanter, Philip Glass and Astor Piazzolla/Jorge Luis Borges.

The octet will be joined onstage by Spanish mezzo-soprano Elena Gragera, who enchants audiences with her flair and rhythmic élan.  Gragera is considered by many to be one of the most serious and interesting talents on the Spanish musical scene today.

The Dutch chamber music ensemble was founded in 1989 by Elias Arizcuren, who was formerly their main conductor.  The special composition of the group, which now performs without a conductor, demands specially written music and the octet has inspired many great contemporary composers to write pieces for them.  Among these are Arvo Pärt, Terry Riley, Mauricio Kagel, Theo Loevendie, Franco Donatoni and Luciano Berio.  At present, Amsterdam Cello Octet has more than 70 original works in its repertoire.

Amsterdam Cello Octet has performed on stages in the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Spain, Germany, England, France, Italy, Poland and Croatia, among others.

Performance tickets are now available at the price of $25 for adults and $10 for students. Tickets may be purchased from 10:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Porter Center Box Office. For more information on tickets, please contact the Porter Center Box Office at 884-8330.

April 17 Luciana Souza Concert Cancelled at Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts

Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts sadly announces the cancellation of the scheduled performance of Luciana Souza due to unforeseen circumstances.

Patrons with tickets to the April 17 performance will receive mail notification of the cancellation with a check refund.

Brevard College sincerely regrets the disappointment and inconvenience that this may cause.  Patrons with further questions may contact the Porter Center Box Office at 884-8330.  For any additional information visit the Web site at www.theportercenter.org.

Brevard College Professor Receives Distinguished Theatre Studies Award

Brevard College Coordinator of Theatre Studies Dr. Kelly Carolyn Gordon recently received the Robert A. Schanke Research Award for excellence in theatre scholarship at the Mid-America Theatre Conference in Chicago. 

Gordon, who has taught acting, directing, and script analysis as well as directed at Brevard College since 2008, was recognized for her article, “Class Act(resses): How Depression-Era Stage Actresses Utilized Conflicting Cultural Ideals for Women to Fight Economic Crisis in Their Community,” which she presented as part of the conference's Theatre History Symposium.  The article discusses how actresses utilized elements of the conflicting “true” and “new” ideals for women to create a number of ingenious projects to aid unemployed theatre workers during this period.  In particular, the paper focuses on Selena Royle’s founding of the Actor’s Dinner Club in New York City.

Gordon earned a Ph.D in theatre history, with a certificate in women’s studies, from the University of Georgia, and a master’s degree in directing from Emerson College. She completed her undergraduate work at Ohio Wesleyan University and the City of London Polytechnic.  Gordon has also studied at Piven Theatre Workshop and La Mama's International Symposium for Directors in Umbria, Italy.  Her writing has appeared in Lighting Dimensions, The Encyclopedia of Modern Drama and The Dallas Morning News.  Last summer, Gordon was a Fellow of the Leadership Institute of the Association for Theatre in Higher Education.  She is the granddaughter of actor Eddie Bracken.

The Robert A. Schanke Research Award is given annually to an untenured faculty presenter of the Theatre History Symposium and carries a cash award of $500 as well as subsequent publication of the paper in Theatre History Studies, the journal of the Mid-America Theatre Conference.  Established in 2005, the award is named for Robert A. Schanke, a noted theatre educator and scholar for more than 40 years.

Brevard College’s Library Recognizes Women’s History Month

Brevard College’s J.A. Jones Library is recognizing Women’s History Month and its theme “Women Taking the Lead to Save Our Planet” by offering a wide range of materials that honor women who have taken the lead in the environmental or “green” movement. 

The Brevard College Library collection includes books, encyclopedias, journals and e-books representing women as scientists, adventurers, writers, politicians, teachers, naturalists, feminists, heroines, leaders and other women of achievement. Sample resources include Academic Search Premier (online); “A Companion to American Women’s History; Britannica Online”; “Flannery: A Life of Flannery O’Connor”; “The Gentle Subversive: Rachel Carson, Silent Spring, and the Rise of the Environmental Movement”; “Journal of Women's History” (online); “See Jane Lead”; “Such News of the Land: U.S. Women Nature Writers”; “Verve: Western North Carolina’s Smartest Magazine for Women”; “Women and Leadership”; “Women in World History: a biographical history; Women, Power, and Politics”; and “Women Pioneers for the Environment”.

National Women’s History Month honorees for 2009 were chosen as having shown leadership in preserving the natural environment and reversing ecological destruction. To learn more about the nominees and women’s historic accomplishments, visit the National Women’s History Project Web page at www.nwhp.org. A Women’s History Resource Catalog and other pertinent resources on women’s history are available through the Brevard College Library during regular library hours. The library is open Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. - 11 p.m.; Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; and Sunday 3 p.m. - 10 p.m.  For more information about the library and its resources, contact Mike McCabe, director of the library, at 884-8248 or library@brevard.edu.

Brevard College Professor Invited to Attend Oxford Round Table On Ethics

Brevard College Associate Professor of Business & Organizational Leadership Barbara Boerner will travel to England this month to participate in an upcoming Oxford Round Table on ethics.

Boerner, who has taught at Brevard College since 1998, is one of 30 academic, business and government leaders from around the world who received an invitation to discuss “Ethics: The Convolution of Contemporary Values.”  The Round Table will be held March 22-27 at Lincoln College in the University of Oxford.
During the Round Table, Boerner will present her paper on “Organizational Responsibility for Ethical Behavior: How a Learning Organization Instills Ethical Culture.” Papers presented at the Round Table may be subsequently submitted for publication in the Forum on Public Policy, a journal of the Oxford Round Table. The Forum is published in both hard copy and online formats. Papers considered for publication in the Forum are evaluated by peer reviewers as to technical and substantive quality and for potential to make a significant contribution to new knowledge in the field.

The Oxford Round Table celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. It was founded as a colloquium for small groups of governmental leaders and academics to engage in discussions of contemporary public policy issues that affect states and nations. Alumni of the Round Table include professors, university presidents and vice-chancellors, lawyers, physicians and ministers of education from many countries and institutions throughout the world.

Round Table participants are selected after a screening process. They can be nominated by previous participants or directors, from recognized presentations and awards from state and national organizations or be a representative of a successful university or school district.

Boerner, who has presented papers at international conferences in Rome, Italy and Athens, Greece, is a Doctor of Business Administration candidate in International Business at Argosy University; and holds a master’s degree in business administration from Loyola University; a master’s degree in education from The American University; and a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.

Brevard College Seniors Present “Braids All To One:” A Collision of Art and Theatre

Brevard College Theatre Studies (Performance) major Kelly Bone and Integrated Studies major Emily Wooton are pleased to present “Braids All to One,” an arts event presenting visual and performance art on the theme of women and family.

The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place at 6 p.m. on Wednesday May 6 in the Francis Pavilion of the Porter Center for Performing Arts on the campus of Brevard College.

The majority of the artwork in the show, including Wooton’s oil paintings that depict her family’s past and Bone’s self-scripted performance piece about growing up with a mother fighting breast cancer, represents the culmination of Bone and Wooten’s arts training at Brevard College.  In addition to the artwork by Bone and Wooton, there will be artwork displayed and live music performed by other Brevard College women.

“These people are like our families we build that are away from home,” said Wooten.  “They are an inspiration as well.”

“It has truly been an honor being able to combine these projects and to discover new art forms,” added Bone.  “I am excited to show what the both of us have to give to art dwellers, no matter what their taste.”

For more information, contact Brevard College Assistant Professor of Theatre Studies Kelly Gordon at 550-9966 or gordonkc@brevard.edu.

Brevard College Volunteers Teach Environmental Education as Part of Earth Day Celebration

In celebration of Earth Day, Brevard College students, faculty and staff recently taught environmental education programs for more than 280 area school children. 

This was the seventh year the college’s Environmental Education Endeavor (EEE) provided resources to teach area students about everything from soil composition to recycling and endangered species.   This year, Brevard College volunteers taught Kindergarten through seventh grade classes from Brevard Academy and Brevard Elementary school.

The program is designed to help students develop a positive environmental ethic, according to Beth Suttles, a biology lab manager/instructor at Brevard College.  Suttles is the founder and organizer for the College’s EEE.

Brevard Academy sixth graders use a kicknet to collect benthic Macroinvertebrates under the guidance of Brevard College staff member Beth Suttles.  Pictured from left to right are: Karvin Morgan, Noah Phillips, Thomas Cox, Noah Shular, Annie Winston, Jessica Krauter and Sierra Lance.

Brevard Academy sixth graders (left to right) Thomas Cox, Noah Phillips and Annie Winston help identify Macroinvertebrates to determine the water quality of a creek on the charter school’s campus.

Brevard College Bestows Honors and Awards

Ray Fisher, Chair Emeritus of Brevard College’s Division of Social Sciences, is pictured with Brevard College Senior Sarah Willix of Pisgah Forest. Willix was presented the Ray Fisher Merit Scholarship during Brevard College’s Second Annual Business and Organizational Leadership Dinner at the Porter Center for Performing Arts.  Student, faculty and staff achievement in academics and leadership were recently recognized during special events hosted by each of the College’s academic divisions as well as a campus-wide honors and awards ceremony.  A complete list of all awardees can be found online at www.brevard.edu/honorsawards.

Brevard College Names Cox Vice President for Admissions and Financial Aid

Brevard College President Dr. Drew Van Horn announced today that Mathew Cox will become vice president for admissions and financial aid, effective June 1.

“I am very excited to have Mathew join Brevard College’s leadership team and bring his experience and many skills to our admissions and financial aid areas,” said President Van Horn. “He is a seasoned admissions professional with more than 15 years of experience in public and private higher education. We are confident that he will provide the vision and leadership we need to increase our enrollment numbers.”

Cox comes to Brevard College from Millsaps College, a private liberal arts college in Jackson, Miss. that is supported by the United Methodist Church.  While at Millsaps, Cox served as dean of enrollment management and was responsible for all strategic recruitment and enrollment activities.  During his tenure, Millsaps experienced significant increases in freshman applications as well as an almost record freshman class.

“I am honored and excited about the opportunity to assume the vice president for admissions and financial aid position at Brevard College,” said Cox.  “Having transitioned almost four years ago from a public university to a small private Methodist affiliated liberal arts college gave me great respect for the educational process to which colleges like Brevard dedicate themselves.  The mission and goals of the College and the opportunities, which I believe exist to meet those goals, are what attracted me.”

“My visit to Brevard’s campus and the community as well as the conversations I had with members of the staff, faculty and administration really felt good,” Cox added.  “Over the years, so much surrounding the college enrollment process and strategy has become a science – it’s data driven.  But in the end, families still rely quite heavily on ‘gut instinct’ to make their college decisions.  I guess you could say I employed a similar technique and Brevard just felt right.  I’m looking forward to working alongside others to do whatever I can to help the College meet its strategic enrollment goals.”

At Brevard College, Cox will be responsible for implementation and management of enrollment, recruitment and financial aid strategies.  At the same time, he will work closely with faculty, staff, students, alumni and members of the College’s board of trustees to enhance Brevard College’s enrollment efforts.

Prior to his work at Millsaps, Cox served as director of admissions and recruitment at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) in Hattiesburg, Miss., where he was responsible for a 15 percent increase in new freshmen. While at USM, Cox also served as director of recruitment operations and alumni liaison as well as a senior admission counselor and coordinator of orientation and campus events.

Cox earned a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree in political science from The University of Southern Mississippi.  He is currently at the dissertation level for his Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration. 

He and his wife, Terra, will be moving to Brevard shortly along with their two children.

Brevard College Chamber Chorale Presents Spring Concert

The Brevard College Chamber Chorale will present their final concert of the year on Saturday, May 2, at 7:30 p.m. in the Porter Center for Performing Arts on the campus of Brevard College. 

This event will feature a wide variety of music, including folk songs from around the world and other staples of the choral repertoire.  In addition, the Brevard College Chamber Chorale will perform Pergolesi’s haunting setting of the Stabat Mater, a stirring prayer offered to the Virgin Mary and will feature each singer as a soloist.

Brevard College Senior Art Exhibition Opens April 24

The Brevard College Art Department will present its senior art exhibition from April 24 to May 16 at Spiers Gallery.

An opening reception will be held Friday, April 24 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the gallery, which is located in Sims Art Center.

The exhibit will feature the works of four Brevard College senior art majors.  They include Shawn James, graphic design; Amelia Norris, painting; Zachary Porch, sculpture; and Jonathan Shannon, photography. Each student will give a brief gallery talk about their work at 6 p.m. during the opening reception.

The reception and exhibit visitations are free to the public.  Gallery hours are 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. weekdays when the College is in session. The exhibit will be on display until May 16.

Spiers Gallery is a contemporary 1,500 square foot gallery located within the Sims Art Center on the Brevard College campus.  Exhibitions in Spiers Gallery are ongoing throughout the year and include shows by Brevard College students and faculty members as well as visiting artists from Western North Carolina and around the country.

For more information about this exhibition, contact Diane Pomphrey at 828-884-8188.

Brevard College Hosts Earth Day Activities 

Brevard College will celebrate Earth Day with a series of earth-friendly events, including a film presentation, lectures and the College’s annual EarthFest.

All events are open to the public and free of charge.

Brevard College’s Earth Day celebration will kick off on Tuesday, April 21 with a showing of “Kilowatt Ours,” an inspirational and enlivening film that demonstrates how easy it is to conserve energy.  The free movie will be shown at 7 p.m. in the College’s Dunham Auditorium. 

A presentation by Brevard College Associate Professor of Geology Jim Reynolds on “Climate Change and the Return of the Ice Age” will be held at 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 23 in Room 125 of the McLarty-Goodson Building.

The College’s EarthFest celebration will be held from noon until 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 25 at the amphitheatre next to the Porter Center for Performing Arts.  The schedule of fun family-friendly events includes local music; arts and crafts activities for all ages; a handmade art sale; an electronic car demonstration; a swap meet (similar to a yard sale but participants may bring and take items for free); environmental education activities; and much more. 

Information booths from groups – including the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education, the Dogwood Alliance, the Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy, Our Farm at Richland Creek, the Brevard College Peer Health Advocacy Team and Muddy Sneakers – will be on display from noon until 4 p.m.

A free rain barrel raffle will also be offered. 

Local bands the Mason Jar Drinkers, Barnacle, Ras Alan, Kev Rowe and Wilsin will perform throughout the day.

The day’s festivities will close with a series of evening presentations at Dunham Auditorium.  At 7 p.m., Brevard College junior Ryan Fiffick will give a presentation about the benefits and exciting future of solar power.  Muddy Sneakers, a nonprofit organization that builds life-long bonds between children and nature, will talk about “The Joy of Learning Outside” at 7:30 p.m.  At 8:15 p.m., Brittney Whitmire from Busy Bee Farms will speak about the importance, positive impact and economic and environmental benefits of supporting local farms.

Brevard College’s EarthFest is sponsored by the Brevard College Greens Club and EarthFest Planning Committee; the College Activities Board and Student Government Association; Ina Warren; and Hi-Lo Mountain Nursery.  A schedule of events is online at http://www2.brevard.edu/reynoljh/downloads/Earthday09.pdf.  For more information, contact Beth Suttles at suttleb@brevard.edu.

Brevard College Volunteers to Teach Environmental Education as Part of Earth Day Celebration

In celebration of Earth Day, Brevard College students, faculty and staff will lead environmental education programs for more than 280 area school children.

This is the seventh year the college’s Environmental Education Endeavor (EEE) has provided resources to teach area students about everything from soil composition to recycling and endangered species.   This year, Brevard College volunteers will teach Kindergarten through seventh grade classes from Brevard Academy and Brevard Elementary school.

The program is designed to help students develop a positive environmental ethic, according to Beth Suttles, a biology lab manager/instructor at Brevard College.  Suttles is the founder and organizer for the College’s EEE.

For more information, contact Beth Suttles at suttleb@brevard.edu. 

Brevard College’s commencement activities for its 2009 graduating class will get underway May 15-16.

Special events for Brevard College families and friends will begin at 3 p.m. on Friday, May 15 with an outdoor reception beside the Porter Center for Performing Arts.  A Baccalaureate and Hooding Ceremony is set for 4:30 p.m. inside the Porter Center’s Concert Hall.  A special picnic for graduates and their families will follow the service at 6 p.m. along the creek and lawn outside of the Porter Center.

Commencement day activities will begin Saturday morning with a class photo of graduates on the steps of the J.A. Jones Library at 8:30 a.m.  The 2009 Commencement Exercises will begin at 10 a.m. in the College’s Betty Neale Academic Quadrangle.  A reception will follow on the lawn of Taylor and Green halls.

Details on commencement activities are available here (PDF) or by calling the Office of Academic Affairs at 828-884-8312.

Breaking the Silence

Brevard College Department of Theatre Studies and IWIL Present Forget Me Not

The Brevard College Department of Theatre Studies and Institute for Women in Leadership (IWIL) will present Forget Me Not, a moving play about survivors of domestic violence.

The one-act play, which tells the story of five women who have survived domestic abuse, will be performed at 8 p.m. from April 23-25 in The Morrison Playhouse of the Porter Center for Performing Arts on the Brevard College campus. 

Forget Me Not is collaboration between the College’s IWIL and the Department of Theatre Studies, and is based on oral interviews conducted by IWIL students.  In fall 2008, 12 members of IWIL, under the guidance of history professor and IWIL leader Margaret Brown, conducted interviews with survivors of domestic violence.  “It was not easy,” said Carrie Ann Bowen, a junior from New Jersey. “These women we interviewed let us into their lives – and what they told us was hard to hear…”

Other interviewers included Margaret Ann Medley, Emily Barrick, Jessica Crocker, Mavis Figueroa, Jennifer King, Katherine Parnell, Megan Murph, Rebecca Schoonover, Brook Sturgill and Nina Willis.   Nine of these students, with the help of Coordinator of Theatre Studies Kelly Carolyn Gordon, went on to turn the transcripts of the interviews into a play.  “This was a yearlong project for IWIL, I am very proud of how these women challenged themselves to bring these stories to our community,” said Brown.

In early March 2009, the play was handed over to the College’s Introduction to Directing class; junior Erin O’Rourke, sophomore Kara Ontiveros and sophomore Katherine Parnell, who is also a member of IWIL.   After conducting a close analysis of the play, the directors cast Christina Nelson (Violet), Kait McConomy (Azalea), Hunter McCreary (Amaryllis), Kelli Tysinger (Iris) and Kaitlyn Wood (Zinnia). Wood is also a member of the IWIL program.  The entire production team, including playwrights, directors, actors, designers and technicians, is female.

The IWIL women were able to create a moving script, detailing the heart-wrenching deceptions of love as experienced by the five women. These survivors come together to heal a piece of lives once torn apart. “It’s inspiring,” said Nina Willis, sophomore from Charlotte.  “I most want people who don’t know anything about domestic violence to have the same experience I did – to understand the world differently after they meet these women.” said Nina Willis.

Play tickets are $10 for adults and $2 for students.  50 percent of ticket sales will benefit SAFE, a Brevard nonprofit that provides programs and services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.  Tickets may be purchased from 10:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Porter Center Box Office. For more information on tickets, please contact the Porter Center Box Office at 884-8330.

Following the April 23 performance (approximately 9 p.m.), the Brevard College Peer Health Advocate Team and SAFE will host a Take Back the Night march to raise awareness and support victims of domestic and sexual abuse.  The march will begin at the Porter Center Amphitheatre.

Posted 4/08/09

---

Posted 4/08/09

---

Brevard College Free Weight Room Expansion Underway

Construction is now underway to triple the size of the Brevard College’s current free weight room facility, thanks to the Tornado Club. The expanded free weight room will offer 5,500 square feet of work out space and feature all of the latest weight training and conditioning equipment in an open, glass-wall setting.

The current free weight room, which is located in Boshamer Gymnasium, is being expanded to meet the needs of the college’s growing athletics program.  Over the past three years, Brevard College has added four varsity sports – football, cheerleading, cycling and women’s golf – and doubled its athletic participation.  Currently, more than 350 student-athletes participate in 18 varsity sports at the College.

The Brevard College Tornado Club, the fund-raising arm of the college’s athletics department, is providing all of the support for the expansion, according to College Athletic Director Kim Pate.

“This project is possible because of the overwhelming community support of Tornado Club members who have coordinated donations and discounted construction rates,” said Pate. “This expansion will be a tremendous benefit for our athletic program to meet the needs of our student-athletes.  It will also provide a recruiting advantage by offering a state-of-the-art facility comparable to those found not only within the South Atlantic Conference but also at Division I institutions.”

Pate added that the project will benefit the entire College as well.  Approximately 70 percent of all Brevard College students, and many faculty and staff, use the College’s current fitness and weight training facilities.

Phase one of the construction is now underway, which includes structural and general repairs. In phase two, the interior of the facility will be completed and the new flooring placed down. The final phase of the project will consist of moving and setting up the equipment from the old weight room as well as placing new equipment in the area.

“The Tornado Club has made the weight training facility a top priority for 2009,” said Jack Schneider, a member of the Tornado Club.  “The goal is to have the facility in operation this year. That goal is dependent on gifts, donations and membership dues from the Tornado Club. We encourage community members and businesses to help by joining the Tornado Club!”

Schneider added that several local companies and businessmen have been instrumental in helping with the project, including Denny Whitmire of Jerry T. Whitmire Grading; Tom Shipman of Big Empty Farm Excavating; Jason Fields of Sealing Agents; and Tom Cathey of Vulcan Materials.

This is the third capital project initiative that the Tornado Club has raised funds for since it was formed in 2006.  The Club also helped fund the new Brevard College electronic sign and renovation of the College’s main gym, including its new bleachers.

For more information on how to help or become a member of the Brevard Tornado Club, visit www.bctornados.com or call 828.884.8276.

Rendering:  Construction is now underway to triple the size of the Brevard College’s current free weight room facility, thanks to the Tornado Club. The expanded free weight room will offer 5,500 square feet of work out space and feature all of the latest weight training and conditioning equipment in an open, glass-wall setting. 

Brevard College Assistant Professor Receives Research Fellowship from Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion Summer

Brevard College Assistant Professor of Religious Studies Benjamin Zeller was recently awarded a Summer Research Fellowship by the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion for his proposal “Foodway Conversion: The Application of the Study of Religious Conversion to Foodway Choices.”

Zeller’s project will explore the ways people make life changes about their eating patterns – such as switching from being meat-eaters to being vegetarians – to see how the process may resemble religious conversion.

An avid “foodie,” Zeller chairs the Religion, Food and Eating Seminar of the American Academy of Religion, and is involved in research projects about the intersection of religion and food.  At Brevard College, he teaches topics ranging from Hinduism to new religious movements to religion and science fiction.

Zeller holds degrees from the University of North Carolina, Harvard University and the University of Rochester.  He recently participated in the Wabash Center Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion Workshop for pre-tenured theological school faculty members.

The Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion, which is based in Crawfordsville, Ind., supports teachers of religion and theology in higher education through meetings and workshops, grants, a journal and other resources.  All Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion programs are funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. 

Brevard College Honors Faculty and Staff at Annual Awards Banquet

Brevard College held its annual Faculty and Staff Awards Banquet at the Porter Center for Performing Arts on May 18.

Spartanburg Methodist College President Charles Teague was the keynote speaker during the banquet. Teague, who is a 1966 Brevard College alumnus, returned to the college in 1984 to serve as chaplain and professor of religion.  While at Brevard College, he also held the position of vice president for academic affairs and dean of faculty.

A total of 17 faculty and staff members were recognized for their years of dedicated service to Brevard College. 

Honorees included:

30 Years
Kenneth Chamlee, Iva Buch Seese Distinguished Professor of English and Johnie H. Jones Distinguished Professor in Teaching

25 Years
Lisanne Masterson, Director of Financial Aid
 
20 Years
Anita Bryant, Associate Professor of Chemistry
Cynthia McCall, Application Coordinator
George Stahlberg, Library Technical Assistant
 
15 Years
Scott Sheffield, Associate Professor of History
 
10 Years
Cathy Dorner, Admissions Office Manager
Laura Franklin, Associate Professor of Music
Michael Jones, Men’s Basketball Coach, Associate Athletic Director and Instructor in Exercise Science
Carol Persek, Coordinator of Community Education and Summer Programs
Beth Suttles, Laboratory Manager

5 Years
Patricia Clow, Professor of Teacher Education and Director of the Teacher Education Program
Danny Moore, Associate Professor of Psychology and Coordinator of the Psychology Major
Kimberly Pate, Athletic Director
Denise Poole, Administrative Assistant to the Division of Sciences and Mathematics and the Appalachian Center for Environmental Education
Cheryl Tinsley, Executive Administrative Assistant to the President
Kathy Wilson, Library Resources Technician

Posted: 5/20/09 

---

Brevard College Holds Commencement Exercises for Class of 2009; Bestows Medallion of Honor on College Alumnus

Visit the BC Commencement Web page for links to speeches and photos.

Proud parents, family and friends watched as more than 100 Brevard College students received diplomas today during the institution’s 156th Commencement Exercise in the Porter Center for Performing Arts.

As is a tradition at Brevard College, the ceremony featured two speakers from the graduating class, Robin Monica Funsten of Vienna, Va. and Radosav Babic of Montenegro. 

Funsten, who received a bachelor’s degree in Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education, was president of Brevard College’s Outing Club for two years and worked with the College’s Institute for Women in Leadership – registering more than 100 voters for the 2008 presidential election.  She also served the Brevard community as a mediator at the Center for Dialogue and participated in Gesundheit Global Outreach-International Clown trips.

“Whether we like it or not:  We are agents of change,” Funsten told her classmates.  “We are all people, we are all voices, and yes, we are all very important in this time of transition.  Someone who says that they can have no influence on the world, will absolutely still change things anyway, yet not necessarily in their favor.  In fact, I can firmly say that I’ve never met someone who won’t change the world – who hasn’t changed the world already, just by their mere existence.  I’m just hoping to be able to say I know the people who changed the world for the better.” 

Funsten closed her remarks by encouraging her peers to “act on our purposes, live for our moments and help our world become a healthier and happier place… in whatever way it is we choose to improve it.“  “Thanks, in advance, for doing your part,” she said.  “I’m so excited to see how it all turns out.”

Babic, who received a bachelor’s degree in Business and Organizational Leadership, served as co-president of both the Brevard College Business Club and the Student Athlete Advisory Committee.  He was also a member of the Men’s Basketball team and the business editor of the college’s student newspaper, the Clarion. 

“Our life’s journey will not be easy,” said Babic.  “The road to a meaningful life often is not.  Our way may be difficult.  We may face many distractions.  We may encounter obstacles on our paths.  But we must follow our compass of a life worth living.

 “Many will tell us to dream, but we have learned here that dreaming is not enough.  It’s what we do once we wake from those vivid dreams that count.  Others may counter and tell us to change the world right away.  But we have learned that we should not change for the sake of change – but to bring change when need demands – yes, to anticipate needs and address them with reasoned contemplation for the impacts that change will have.  Today we demonstrate this skill by the very fact of the change we have made in our lives from the Brevard College experience.  Today, as the graduating class of 2009, we are here because we have dared to make our dreams come true.  We have changed ourselves, our own selves, for the better.”

President Drew Van Horn’s charge to the graduates is also a tradition at Brevard College.  In his final words to the 156-year-old college’s newest class of alumna, Van Horn encouraged the graduates to consider their commitment to relationships, to their faith and to the giving of themselves in service to others. 

“I, on behalf of the Board of Trustees and the Faculty, send you into a world which desperately needs Brevard College graduates – people with hearts and minds as big as the mountains, people who have learned in order to serve,” said Van Horn.  “Ralph Waldo Emerson said, ‘what lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.’  We know what lies within you and we are proud to call you graduates.”

During the ceremony, President Van Horn also bestowed the Brevard Medallion of Honor on alumnus William (Bill) Ervin for his service to education, academic scholarship and his fellow man.  The medallion is the highest award for distinguished service that Brevard College confers.

Ervin, who graduated from Brevard College in 1950, was recognized for his service to education, academic scholarship and his fellow man. 

One of the College’s most loyal supporters,  he was elected to the Brevard College Board of Trustees in 1983 and, in 1999, became the first alumnus to become chairman of the board.  In 1998, Ervin was inducted into the Brevard College Hall of Fame, one of the highest honors bestowed upon a graduate. 

In the early 1990s, Ervin led the campaign to raise funds to establish the Brevard College Alumni House.  The former private residence now houses the College’s Office of Institutional Advancement as well as reception and meeting space and a wealth of historical items representing Rutherford College, Weaver College and Brevard College.  Most recently, Ervin was instrumental in efforts to renovate the interior and exterior of the College’s Guest House and to add yet another enhancement to the Alumni House. In addition to capital gifts, he has also supported a number of scholarships and programs at Brevard College.

Both Ervin and his wife, Alice, are members of Brevard College’s Sims Society. The Sims Society is comprised of a very special group of alumni and friends who have included Brevard College in their estate plans, indicating the highest level of loyalty and dedication that one can demonstrate to the College.

Ervin now splits his time between High Point, N.C. and Boynton Beach, Fla.

A list of Brevard College’s graduates as well as the speeches of both student speakers, the president’s charge and a photo gallery can be found online at www.brevard.edu/commencement.

Posted: 5/16/09 

---

Brevard College Bestows Brevard Medallion of Honor on Alumnus William Ervin

Brevard College President Drew Van Horn bestowed the Brevard Medallion of Honor on alumnus William (Bill) Ervin during its 156th commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 16.

Ervin, who graduated from Brevard College in 1950, was recognized for his service to education, academic scholarship and his fellow man. 

"The medallion is the highest award for distinguished service that Brevard College confers," said Van Horn. "It expresses our admiration and appreciation for extraordinary public service and leadership. Those qualities are exemplified by Bill, who is one of our truly outstanding alums." 

Ervin is one of the College’s most loyal supporters.  He was elected to the Brevard College Board of Trustees in 1983 and, in 1999, became the first alumnus to become chairman of the board.  In 1998, Ervin was inducted into the Brevard College Hall of Fame, one of the highest honors bestowed upon a graduate. 

“Bill Ervin is the perfect and appropriate recipient of this award from Brevard College,” said Dyeann Jordan, immediate past chair of Brevard College’s Board of Trustees.  “Words cannot adequately describe the great and unforgettable man, but a few are: wise, loyal, courageous, kind, committed, thoughtful, intelligent and persistent.  He has been a successful and honorable businessman.  He has been a leader in his community and the academic world.  Brevard College is fortunate to have his leadership.”

In the early 1990s, Ervin led the campaign to raise funds to establish the Brevard College Alumni House.  The former private residence now houses the College’s Office of Institutional Advancement as well as reception and meeting space and a wealth of historical items representing Rutherford College, Weaver College and Brevard College.  Most recently, Ervin was instrumental in efforts to renovate the interior and exterior of the College’s Guest House and to add yet another enhancement to the Alumni House. In addition to capital gifts, he has also supported a number of scholarships and programs at Brevard College.

Both Ervin and his wife, Alice, are members of Brevard College’s Sims Society. The Sims Society is comprised of a very special group of alumni and friends who have included Brevard College in their estate plans, indicating the highest level of loyalty and dedication that one can demonstrate to the College.

Ervin, who continued his education at High Point College, is a retired principal in Ervin, Haywood, Rankin.  During his insurance career, Ervin served on numerous professional and volunteer boards and received a number of awards honoring his efforts.  He was one of only a dozen citizens in High Point selected to carry the Olympic torch on its journey to the 1996 summer games in Atlanta.

Ervin now splits his time between High Point, N.C. and Boynton Beach, Fla.

Posted: 5/16/09 

---

Brevard College Commencement Moved to Porter Center

Due to weather, Brevard College's Commencement Ceremony will be held in the Porter Center for Performing Arts.

• Schedule of Events (PDF)
• Campus Map

Posted: 8:20 PM, 5/15/09 

---

 

Paddle to the Sea:  Brevard College's Voice of the Rivers Team Readies for Kayak Journey through the Carolinas

Their bags are packed and their gear is ready for what will be an adventure of a life time for a group of Brevard College students and professors.

On Saturday, May 16, the Brevard College Voice of the Rivers (VOR) team will embark on a more than 400-mile kayak expedition that will snake from North to South Carolina and end in the Atlantic Ocean.

This year, two Brevard College faculty members and 11 students will paddle the length of the Catawba-Wateree watershed, beginning on the Catawba River near Linville Gorge, N.C and ending at the Atlantic Ocean in Charleston, S.C.  The Catawba-Wateree watershed was selected for the College’s fifth VOR expedition after being recognized by American Rivers as America’s most endangered river in 2008.

During their 18-day trip, the group will study about rivers and their importance to society, while camping along the riverbank and talking about their experiences with the people they meet. Plans are underway for VOR members to talk with school programs, media organizations and conservation groups in North and South Carolina as the group makes its way to the sea.

The VOR students – whose majors include art, environmental science, English, elementary education, business and organizational leadership, theatre, music and wilderness leadership and experiential education – are also required to post daily journal entries, photos and videos of their travels and experiences online using Facebook, blogs and the College Web site (www.brevard.edu/VOR).

Student expedition members include freshman Thomas Allison of Hickory, N.C.; junior Jenny Baxter of Carthage, Tenn.; junior Jennifer Gift of Durham, N.C.; junior Charles Jordan of Athens, Ga.; sophomore Patrick Lawrence of Grand Rapids, Mich.; sophomore Karen Love of Greenville, S.C.; freshman Jordan Martin of Waxhaw, N.C.; senior Dean Mobley of  Brevard, N.C.; freshman Kelli Tysinger of Lewisville, N.C.; sophomore Kim Williams of Melbourne Beach, Fla.; and sophomore Jay Wolfe of Spartanburg, S.C.

Team leaders are Brevard College Assistant Professor of Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education Robert Dye and Assistant Professor of English Kristina Holland.

Brevard College junior John Palmer of Great Barrington, Mass. is handling logistics for this year’s trip.

Since its inaugural 1997 expedition from Brevard, N.C. to the Gulf of Mexico, the Voice of the Rivers program at Brevard College has offered students and faculty an opportunity to paddle and study a variety of ecologically and culturally significant rivers. 

The VOR experience – which combines academics with outdoor exploration – is designed to educate the public and raise awareness of activities that threaten rivers; bring attention to organizations and groups poised to address those threats; and foster a sense of stewardship and community activity among the students who participate. 

Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, Brevard College offers a range of distinctive baccalaureate degree programs.  The VOR program embodies the College’s commitment to a liberal arts education that is interdisciplinary and experiential.  Past VOR expeditions include trips down the Tennessee, Ohio and Mississippi rivers; the Green River; the Rio Santa Cruz, Rio Limay and Rio Negro rivers in Patagonia, Argentina; and the Savannah River.

Read more about the 2009 Brevard College VOR Expedition at www.brevard.edu/VOR.

Members of Brevard College’s 2009 Voice of the Rivers (VOR) team practice on Lake Julian.  The team will embark on a more than 400-mile kayak expedition on Saturday, May 16 that will snake from North to South Carolina and end in the Atlantic Ocean in June.

 BC VOR members visit the rim of the Linville Gorge, N.C., 3,600 feet above their final destination, Charleston. S.C.

Brevard College Commencement Activities Set for May 15-16

Brevard College will hold commencement activities for more than 100 members of its Class of 2009 this weekend.

Special events for Brevard College families and friends will begin at 3 p.m. on Friday, May 15 with an outdoor reception beside the Porter Center for Performing Arts.  A Baccalaureate and Hooding Ceremony is set for 4:30 p.m. inside the Porter Center’s Concert Hall.  A special picnic for graduates and their families will follow the service at 6 p.m. along the creek and lawn outside of the Porter Center.

The College’s 156th Commencement exercises will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 16 in the College’s Betty Neale Academic Quadrangle.  This year’s speakers are seniors Radosav BabiC of Montenegro and Robin Monica Funsten of Brevard. 

During the ceremony, Brevard College President Drew Van Horn will also bestow the Brevard Medallion of Honor on alumnus William (Bill) Ervin for his service to education, academic scholarship and his fellow man.  The medallion is the highest award for distinguished service that Brevard College confers.

Following the ceremony, a reception will be held on the lawn of Taylor and Green halls.

Details on commencement activities are available here (PDF) or by calling the Office of Academic Affairs at 828-884-8312.

Brevard College Professor Earns United Methodist Church Award for Exemplary Teaching

Assistant Professor of Art Kyle Lusk is the Brevard College 2008-2009 recipient of the prestigious United Methodist Church Award for Exemplary Teaching.

Brevard College President Drew Van Horn presents Assistant Professor of Art Kyle Lusk with the prestigious 2008-2009 United Methodist Church Award for Exemplary Teaching.

Brevard College Professor to Perform at Spoleto with Wycliffe Gordon

Brevard College Assistant Professor of Music Steve Wilson will perform with the Palmetto Posaunen at the opening concert at this years’ Spoleto festival in Charleston, S.C.

The Palmetto Posaunen is a trombone ensemble of professional trombonists and college and university trombone instructors from across the southeast. Wycliffe Gordon will perform with the ensemble as guest soloist.  Gordon teaches the jazz trombone studio at Julliard and is a veteran of the Wynton Marsalis Septet and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and has received the Jazz Journalists Association 2008, 2007, 2006, 2002 and 2001 Award for Trombonist of the Year, and the Jazz Journalists Association 2000 Critics’ Choice Award for Best Trombone.

Of the 40 trombonists performing with the ensemble, Wilson has been selected to be featured alongside Wycliffe Gordon for a jazz duet.  The concert will also feature one of Wilson’s arrangements for the ensemble.

The performance will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, May 22 in the Customs House in Charleston and will include a wide variety of original trombone ensemble music and transcriptions from classical to jazz and Renaissance to rock. 

Wilson has an extensive career as professional trombonist, including appearances with Frank Sinatra, Yo-Yo Ma, John Faddis, Tony Bennett, Natalie Cole, George Benson, Rosemary Clooney and Jay Leno.  He has performed with national touring companies of A Chorus Line, Annie Get Your Gun, 42nd Street, The Producers, Chicago and others. Wilson serves as clinician and soloist at workshops and festivals around the country and performs with numerous chamber groups and orchestras in the Southeast.  He currently plays trombone for the Greenville Symphony Orchestra, The Brevard Philharmonic and is the front man for the GSO Jazz Quartet.

Porter Center Presents Free Outdoor Evening Concert with the 257th Army Band

The Brevard College Porter Center for Performing Arts will present a free outdoor concert by the 257th Army Band on Thursday, July 9.

The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Porter Center Amphitheatre. 

The 257th Army Band, known as “the Band of the Nation’s Capitol,” is lauded by the media as one of the most entertaining military bands in the nation.  Featuring patriotic, popular, concert band classics and instrumental soloists, the band manages to completely engage and captivate its audiences. 

This year is no exception.  Trombonist SFC Brian McCommon, an alumnus of both Brevard College and the Brevard Music Center (BMC) in the 1980s, will be featured in an exciting arrangement of Beatles hits.  Retired BMC faculty member Jamie Hafner will also appear as guest conductor.  The Band will include a version of its own Dancing with the Stars, a mini-drum battle and more. Even Elvis may make a special "guest" appearance some time during the evening. 

A special invitation is extended to the veterans and current military service members in the area.

The concert will move indoors in the case of inclement weather.

For more information, contact the Porter Center box office at 828-884-8330 or visit www.theportercenter.org. 

BC Professor to Participate in Master Class with Noted Bach Scholar/Performer

Brevard College Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities Michael Porter was recently selected to participate in the Oregon Bach Festival Master Class in Choral Orchestral Conducting this summer in Eugene, Oregon.

The master class provides a 20-day immersion in the craft of conducting, where participants interact with noted Bach scholar/performer Helmuth Rilling and a staff of experienced professionals and first-rate performers. Porter, who has taught at Brevard College since 2004, will receive hands-on coaching and opportunities to lead the festival orchestra and choruses in rehearsal and performance.  He will also observe rehearsals and performances of major Festival concerts, and attend rehearsals and sessions led by Festival faculty and staff, including Kathy Saltzman Romey and Anton Armstrong.

Since 1970, the Oregon Bach Festival has celebrated the music and legacy of J.S. Bach.  Performers and an international audience of more than 30,000 gather each summer to experience 17 days of full-scale performances of the great choral-orchestral works.

College Installs Environmentally-Friendly Light Shelves

Brevard College is currently installing light shelves in more than 80 windows throughout campus.  The light shelves, which were funded by a generous gift from the Student Government Association, are being installed in the Moore Science Classroom Building, McLarty-Goodson Classroom Building, Dunham Music Center, Stamey Health Center and Coltrane Commons.  Once in place, the light shelves will scatter natural light into each room, reducing the need for artificial lighting.  They will also provide shade in each window, reducing glare and keeping the rooms cool when temperatures rise.  The project, which will be completed this fall, illustrates Brevard College’s Strategic Plan (PDF) commitment to develop an environmentally sustainable campus.

BC Art Students Visit New York City

A group of Brevard College Art students and faculty members recently had the opportunity to visit New York City. The trip, which was made possible through support from the College’s Friends of Fine Arts, included visits to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Guggenheim Museum. The group also visited numerous galleries as well as sites of interest in the city, including Ground Zero. Students interested in sculpture had an opportunity to travel to Mountainville, New York to tour the Storm King Sculpture Park, a 500-acre museum featuring postwar sculptures by internationally renowned artists.

Brevard College Professor Teaches in London

Brevard College Assistant Professor of English Betsy Burrows is teaching a group of American college students on the campus of Imperial College in London, England this summer.

Burrows’ course entitled, "Young Hearts:  Shakespeare and Love," includes a study of several sonnets as well as "Romeo and Juliet" and “As You Like It."  While in London, the all-female class will attend a performance of both plays at the reconstructed Globe Theatre in London.  The class also plans to visit Stratford upon Avon, the birthplace of Shakespeare, and see a performance of Hamlet featuring English Actor Jude Law.

Burrows, who joined the Brevard College Faculty in 1992, teaches a variety of English courses at the College, including Honors English, Shakespeare and Adolescent Literature.  She also coordinates Brevard College’s English Education Licensure Program.

Brevard College Professor Traveling to Poland for International Hymn Conference

Brevard College Humanities Division Chair Mary Louise (Mel) Bringle will travel to Opole, Poland this summer to participate in a joint international conference of The International Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Hymnologie; The Hymn Society in the U.S. and Canada; and The Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

Bringle, who is president of the Hymn Society in the U.S. and Canada (HSUSC), will be the official representative of the two countries.  During the conference, she will present a paper entitled, “’Truth Is Marching On’: Nineteenth Century U.S. Women Singing for Social Change.”  The paper studies hymns written and used by women from roughly 1861 to 1900 to promote the causes of woman suffrage and temperance.  Bringle has also collaborated with three other HSUSC colleagues to present a Hymn Festival entitled, “’Free at Last!’: Spiritual Songs of Liberation from North and South America,” during the conference.

Bringle has taught philosophy and religious studies at Brevard College since 2000.  Recognized in 2002 as an “emerging hymn text writer of the U.S. and Canada,” she has won numerous international competitions for hymn texts, and is the author of two single-author collections.  Her hymns are included in hymnals and supplements of numerous denominations (Mennonite, Episcopalian, Roman Catholic, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, United Church of Canada, and the Church of Scotland), and her translations from the Spanish figure in a bilingual hymnal under production by GIA.

In addition to serving as president of HSUSC, Bringle chairs the committee to create a new denominational hymnal for the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Porter Center Presents Several Crowd-Pleasing Performances This Summer

The Brevard College Porter Center for Performing Arts will present two crowd-pleasing performances this summer, including a free outdoor concert by the 257th Army Band.

On Thursday, July 9, the 257th Army Band will perform a free outdoor concert in the Porter Center Amphitheatre.  The 257th Army Band, known as “the Band of the Nation’s Capitol,” was the first National Guard band in history to perform Presidential Honors at one of this year’s Presidential Inaugural Balls.  This free summer evening concert will begin at 7:30 p.m.

The “Sounds of the Silents” will return to the Porter Center on Sunday, August 16 with a viewing of the 1923 classic silent film, “Safety Last,” starring Harold Lloyd.  Asheville’s Vance Reese will once again entertain Porter Center audiences with his organ accompaniment to this silent movie classic, which will play on a big screen.  Tickets to the 3 p.m. performance are $10, and go on sale at the door only at 2 p.m.

The Porter Center is also the site of several Brevard Community Band performances this summer.  Concerts are scheduled on July 4 at 7:30 p.m. and August 23 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $10 and available by calling 885-5456.

For more information, contact the Porter Center box office at 828-884-8330 or visit www.theportercenter.org.

Brevard College Announces 2009-2010 Artist Series at the Porter Center for Performing Arts

Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts will present a rich subscription series this season that rediscovers the musical threads of tradition and diversity that were the hallmarks of the center’s first decade.

Performances will range from award-winning Medieval vocals to a chart-topping Celtic band and the finest boys choir in the world.  A new mini “Discovery Series” will also showcase young and upcoming artists and encourage area school children to pursue careers in music.

2009-2010 performances include:

Artist Series

Sphinx Chamber Orchestra with Harlem Quartet and Elena Urioste, violin (The Dorothy Meyer Secosan Memorial Concert)
Thursday, September 24, 2009

Gaelic Storm, celtic
Thursday, October 8, 2009

Sophie Milman, jazz
Friday, November 6, 2009

Asheville Symphony Orchestra, Daniel Meyer, conductor
Sunday, February 28, 2010

Matt Belsante, jazz, standards
Saturday, March 27, 2010

Anonymous 4, vocal
Saturday, April 10, 2010

East Coast Chamber Orchestra
Friday, April 23, 2010

Discovery Series

Carolina Youth Symphony, Dr. Les Hicken, conductor
Sunday, October 25, 2009

Atlanta Boy Choir, David R. White, conductor
Saturday, November 21, 2009

Jessica Lee, violin
Friday, February 12, 2010

Special Events

Randall Atcheson, piano, organ (Sponsored by Dr. and Mrs. Eddie Ellison and Patricia R. Webb)
Friday, September 4, 2009

Robert Gruca, guitar 
Friday, December 11, 2009

Mark C. Jones, organ
Sunday, January 24, 2010

Detailed information on the season and ticket sales may be found on the Brevard College Porter Center Web site at www.theportercenter.org.

Season tickets for the 2009-2010 subscription series will go on sale August 3 to general public.  Single tickets sales for the Randall Atcheson tickets will begin August 3.

Single tickets for the remaining Porter Center performances will be available to the public on August 17.  

Tickets may be purchased from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Porter Center Box Office.  For more information on tickets, please contact the Porter Center Box Office at 884-8330.

Inaugurated in 1998, the Porter Center for Performing Arts on the campus of Brevard College in Brevard, NC has earned a reputation as one of the finest performance halls in the South. Named for North Carolina businessman and Brevard College Life Trustee Paul Porter, the Porter Center hosts the Artist Series at Brevard College – which has brought in some of the world’s most talented musicians in a dizzying array of styles – all performing in a pristine acoustical setting.

The Porter Center’s Scott Concert Hall has seating for 700, incredible acoustics and unobstructed sight lines.  The large stage can house a full symphony, yet it can be intimate enough for a solo guitar recital.

The Porter Center is also a performance and academic space for Brevard College students from the Music Department and Theatre Department, a campus meeting space, and a performance venue for some of the groups that populate Transylvania County’s amazingly rich cultural scene – the Brevard Philharmonic, Brevard Community Band, Transylvania Choral Society and more.

The Porter Center's visual centerpiece is the glorious $1.2-million Kirkpatrick-Coleman Pipe Organ, a world-class instrument designed by master organ-builder Daniel Jaeckel, featuring three manual divisions, 69 ranks and 3,539 pipes.

BC Helps Make Brevard One of the "Top 25 Cities to Raise an Outdoor Kid"

Brevard College has helped make Brevard, N.C. one of Backpacker Magazine’s “25 Best Cities to Raise an Outdoor Kid.”

The August issue of the national outdoors publication cites “Enviro studies-focused Brevard College” as one of the reasons Brevard ranks 20th on its list.  The magazine also mentions The Pisgah Forest Institute, a non-profit consortium of Brevard College, USDA Forestry Service and Cradle of Forestry in America Interpretive Association that trains educators and hosts summer science camps.

Backpacker worked with The Outdoor Foundation to identify America's top 25 places “to beat nature deficit disorder.”  Asheville is the only other city in North Carolina to make the list that includes Boulder, Co., Seattle, Wash. and Juneau, Alaska.

Brevard College offers a range of distinctive baccalaureate degree programs on its residential campus.  The College’s mountain setting provides a nearly unlimited number of natural laboratories where students experience hands-on learning about the environment.  For more information about Brevard College, call 1.800.527.9090 or e-mail admissions@brevard.edu.

College Tennis Facility Construction Underway

Construction is now underway on the new Brevard College tennis facility, which will be located in the central area between the College's tennis courts. The 2,400 square feet facility, which will house the team room, coach’s office and men’s and women’s locker rooms, is expected to be completed by the end of August.

Brevard College Receives Scholarship Funding from The Belk Foundation

Brevard College recently received a gift from The Belk Foundation to provide scholarship opportunities for Appalachian women. 

The $50,000 donation will be used to assist qualified women from Appalachia attend and graduate from Brevard College. 

 "The Belk Foundation’s generous gift will help Brevard College continue its more than 150 year commitment to serving students from our area," said Brevard College President Drew L. Van Horn.  "For some students, this gift will mean the difference between making the decision to attend college or forgo that opportunity to better themselves, their families and their communities.  For currently enrolled students and their families, the Belk funds will aid them in staying in school rather than dropping out to work with a high risk of not returning.”

 Katie Belk Morris, president of The Belk Foundation board of advisors, said, “We’re pleased to award this grant to support an important program that reaches out to provide educational opportunities at Brevard College for women in the Appalachian region who otherwise would not have the resources to attend college.”

 Brevard College’s commitment to aid Appalachian families began in 1853 in a one-room schoolhouse where the college's first leader, The Reverend Laban Abernethy, set as a goal that, "None shall ever be turned away for want of means."  Currently, almost 25 percent of the College’s student body comes from western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, northeastern Georgia, southwestern Virginia and northwestern South Carolina.

About The Belk Foundation
The Belk Foundation is a private, family foundation founded in 1928. Over the past 10 years, it has awarded grants totaling more than $33 million to non-profit organizations and causes benefiting communities in a 16-state region stretching from Texas to Virginia.

 The mission of The Belk Foundation is to support deserving educational, community-based human services and organizations, including health, religious, and cultural causes located in the communities where Belk associates live and work. Education has been a particular interest of the Foundation over the past several years.

 As a family foundation, The Belk Foundation is committed to fulfilling the philanthropic vision of its founders to encourage and support causes aimed at the “up-building of mankind.” The grants it awards are a public expression of the Belk family’s values of stewardship, community involvement and planned giving.  For more information about The Belk Foundation, contact: Paul Wyche, 704-426-8404, paul_wyche@belk.com.

Brevard College Hosts Opening Reception for "BIOTIKOS" Exhibition

The Brevard College Art Department will host an opening reception for Charlotte-based artists Diana Arvanites and Ruth Lyons on Friday, September 4.

The opening reception for their exhibit, “BIOTIKOS,” will be held from 5:30 p.m. until 7 p.m. at Brevard College's Spiers Gallery in the Sims Art Center.  The reception and exhibit visitations are free to the public.

Arvanites' work involves a balance between striving to make sense of the world through the specific investigations of science-based images and objects, and the language between them. This exploration in the creative process brings the finer details of the environment and time into focus. Arvanites received her MFA at the University of Massachusetts and has participated in residencies at the Atlantic Center for the Arts as well as the Provincetown Center for the Arts.

Lyons' work has a biomorphic expression that presents itself through references to the transformative power of nature. Her concern for the fate of our natural world focuses on images that convey dualities of beauty and decay, and loss and redemption.  Lyons is a former Fulbright Fellowship recipient, who received a BFA degree from Kent State University and an MFA degree from Cranbrook Academy of Art.  She has taught at several colleges and institutions and her paintings are contained in many museum, corporate and residential collections. 

Gallery hours are 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. weekdays when the College is in session. The exhibit will be on display until October 2.

Spiers Gallery is a contemporary 1,500 square foot gallery located within the Sims Art Center on the Brevard College campus.  Exhibitions in Spiers Gallery are ongoing throughout the year and include shows by Brevard College students and faculty members as well as visiting artists from Western North Carolina and around the country.

For more information about this exhibition, contact Diane Pomphrey at 884.8188.

Pianist and Organist Randall Atcheson to Perform at Brevard College's Porter Center for Performing Arts

Pianist and Organist Randall Atcheson will perform at Brevard College's Porter Center for Performing Arts on Friday, September 4.

The 7:30 p.m. performance is sponsored by Dr. and Mrs. Eddie Ellison and Patricia R. Webb. In addition to performing on the piano, Atcheson will play the majestic Kirkpatrick-Coleman Organ, the visual centerpiece of the Porter Center's Scott Concert Hall. The organ was designed and crafted by master American organ builder Daniel J. Jaeckel, thanks to a $1.1 million gift from Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. Coleman Jr. of Brevard. Installed in the summer of 2003, the tracker (mechanical key) organ features three manual divisions, 69 ranks and 3,539 pipes.

Atcheson has been described as the epitome of a musical Renaissance man. His gift of communicating the beauty of music in various forms has led to a decidedly versatile career as a much sought after artist in the classics as well as in pop and the sacred repertoire. This versatility was evidenced early in life when he was recognized as a prodigy on both piano and organ. His university-level piano instruction began at age 12. He later became the only student in the history of The Juilliard School ever allowed to pursue, and receive, simultaneous degrees in piano and organ performance.

Atcheson was the winner of the first Juilliard Organ Competition and subsequently gave the premiere performance on the new pipe organ in Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center. Of that event, The New York Times wrote, "Atcheson played with remarkable brio, and through the incisiveness and unflagging energy of his performance, made the music sound almost better than it is."

Atcheson's recording career began following his New York debut on both piano and organ at Lincoln Center. He has recorded a total of 12 albums featuring classical music as well as his unique arrangements of sacred and popular music.

Atcheson has played six concerts at Carnegie Hall. He has performed for such artists as Mick Jagger, Phil Collins, James Taylor and Diana Ross. His heavy concert schedule has taken him to five continents, including performances at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and Blenheim Palace, England. Atcheson has made much-acclaimed piano debuts in Sydney, Australia; Jerusalem, Israel; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and Lyon, France. Atcheson made his piano debut at Salle Gaveau in Paris in April 2002 and has since returned to Paris, twice, to play at the American Embassy. He performed his sixth concert at Carnegie Hall in 2002.

Tickets to Atcheson's performance are $25 and $10 for students. Tickets may be purchased from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Porter Center Box Office. The Box Office will be open one hour before the performance.  For more information on tickets, please contact the Porter Center Box Office at 828.884.8330.

Brevard College’s Grace Creech West Lectureship to Feature David Shi

Furman University President and award-winning author and essayist David Shi will deliver this year’s Brevard College Grace Creech West Lectureship on Monday, September 14.

Shi will speak on the benefits and challenges of living simply in the modern world. 

The 7:30 p.m. lecture, which is free and open to the public, will be held in the College’s Porter Center for the Performing Arts. 

Shi’s books include The Simple Life: Plain Living and High Thinking in American Culture, which was a History Book Club selection.  Two other books by Shi were nominated for the Pulitzer Prize.  He is also the co-author with the late George B. Tindall of the best-selling textbook, America: a Narrative History, now in its seventh edition.  Shi’s columns and essays have been published in newspapers across the country and are heard regularly on South Carolina Educational Radio.  

In addition to his Monday evening lecture, Dr, Shi will address senior Brevard College students during their capstone course, BC and Beyond.

Brevard College’s Grace Creech West Lectureship focuses attention on the annual campus theme (“Sustainability: Awareness into Action” for 2008-2010) and enhances various Brevard Common Experience (BCE) courses.

For more information, please contact Kathryn Gresham, Campus Theme Coordinator at 577-1238.

Brevard College Library Expands Online Resources

Brevard College’s James A. Jones Library recently expanded its web-based resources.

The new resources include full-text journals and newspapers, indexes, online reference books, videos and images.

The library now offers AP Images, a comprehensive archive of photos, audio clips, graphics and text of articles from the Associated Press.  The collection includes a wealth of information dating back to the 1840s.

Three additional resources were made available through NC LIVE (North Carolina Libraries for Virtual Education).  They include Consumer Health Complete, which provides content covering all areas of health and wellness from mainstream to holistic and integrated medicine; Science Reference Center, which offers easy access to a multitude of full text science-oriented content; and current events database, TOPICsearch, which allows researchers to explore social, political, scientific and economic issues, including controversial opinions and viewpoints.

Also new to the College’s library is Research Starters in Sociology, which provides comprehensive summaries of topics in sociology, helping to better understand the scope of a subject, its applications and how to critically examine it with additional resources as suggested by the database articles. 

Another recent addition was the installation of EBSOhost’s Integrated Search, which allows users to simultaneously search EBSCO databases as well as other electronic resources.

Brevard College’s Library is open Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. - 11 p.m.; Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.; and Sunday 3 p.m. - 10 p.m.  For more information about the library and its resources, please contact Library Director Mike McCabe at 884-8248 or library@brevard.edu

BC Welcomes Students; Move A Mountain Service Day Set

Brevard College will welcome students back on campus beginning on Sunday, August 23.  Approximately 240 new students are expected.  Students this year will represent 20 different states as well as five foreign countries (Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada and Finland).  Total enrollment is estimated to be approximately 650 students.

The College's Move A Mountain Day will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, August 24. The half-day service-focused experience takes new BC students, staffers and volunteers and sends them out into the community to work on projects that directly or indirectly serve their new community.

It’s long been a part of Brevard College’s tradition of experiential learning. The college’s motto — Cognosce ut Prosis — which means “Learn in order to Serve” is demonstrated as students inaugurate their first year at the College by giving back first.  The hard work helps students create an ethic of service and community and allows them to begin building relationships in the community and with fellow students.

Approximately 250 students will be participating in Move A Mountain Day, including new and transfer students as well as upperclassmen student leaders.  There are also 20 faculty and staff members volunteering as group leaders for the day.   

Move A Mountain groups are serving at a variety of locations in the area including:

• Dupont Forest – trail maintenance
• Trout Unlimited – fence building
• Bread of Life – preparing and serving a meal
• Silvermont/Boys and Girls Club – landscaping
• Whitewater Cove – painting the house
• Brevard College – weeding/mulching
• Brevard Music Center – landscaping

Brevard College’s opening convocation will be held at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, August 25. 

Classes will begin on Wednesday, August 26.

Brevard College Announces Trip to Egypt; Community Members Invited to Participate

Three Brevard College professors will lead a group of students and other interested parties on a tour of Egypt’s geology and archaeology in December.

The 10-day trip, titled: “The Geology and Archaeology of the Nile River Basin: New Year’s on the Nile,” will be led by Associate Professor of Geology Jim Reynolds, Associate Professor of Art History and Archeology Anne Chapin and Professor of Ancient History and Classics Robert Bauslaugh.

The group will depart December 26 and return on January 4. Participants will visit the pyramids, the Sphinx and several museums in Cairo.  They will also fly to Karnak to visit the famous temple and take a four-day cruise upriver where they will tour the Temple of Luxor and the Valley of the Kings before continuing to the Aswan High Dam where they will view the relocated monuments of Abu Simbel and the ancient granite quarry.  After returning to Cairo by overnight train, the group will visit the markets of the city before flying home.

There are currently a few spaces available for interested community members to join the tour. 

For more information about the trip, visit http://www2.brevard.edu/reynoljh/fieldtrips.htm or call Professor Reynolds at 828-884-8377.

BC Professor Receives Fellowship to Attend Upcoming Salzburg Global Seminar on Free Trade

Brevard College Assistant Professor of Business and Organizational Leadership Drew Baker was recently awarded a Mellon Foundation Fellowship and selected to participate in an upcoming Salzburg Global Seminar.

The seminar, entitled “Confronting Protectionism: How Business and Governments Can Build Support for Open Markets” will be held this fall in Salzburg, Austria. 

Baker will be part of a high-level group of representatives from national governments, the business sector, economic and policy-oriented organizations, advocacy groups and scholars from the United States, Europe and major emerging economies (notably China, India, Brazil and South Africa).  The session will focus on policies needed in different countries to overcome the perceived or real losses that free trade and globalization seemingly inflict on certain sectors of their populations and to reduce public hostility to trade concessions.

Established in 1947, the Salzburg Seminar focuses on contemporary issues of worldwide significance.  Each year 1,000 professionals from more than 100 countries gather to discuss issues of far-reaching importance in a multi-disciplinary, cross-cultural environment.

Baker, who has taught at Brevard College since 2008, came to Brevard after 31 years in business management in the Chicago metropolitan area.  His career included extensive experience in such diverse areas as marketing, product management, systems design, information management, change management, customer service management, operations management, process reengineering, electronic sales channel management, sales lead management and trust administration.

Free Panel Discussion on Substance Abuse, Mental Illness and the Law Scheduled

Local health and legal professionals will take part in a panel discussion on substance abuse, mental illness and the law at Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts on Monday, Oct. 5.

The 7 p.m. program, entitled “Information Crisis:  Hope and Help for Substance Abuse, Mental Illness and the Law,” is free and open to the public.

Panel participants will include Maggie Barnett, RN, LPC with Mountain Counseling Associates; Steve Smith, director of the Transylvania County Health Department; Paul Welch, a public defender in Transylvania County; and Jane Ferguson, MA, LPC, director of Alliance Crisis Services.  Di Ucci, who is the health resources navigator at Transylvania Regional Hospital, will serve as the panel’s moderator.

The panel discussion is sponsored by NAMI-Transylvania Advocates and the Brevard College Psychology Club.

Brevard College holds Open Campus Day October 12

Brevard College will hold an Open Campus Day for prospective students on Monday, Oct. 12. 

The event will begin with check-in at 8:45 a.m. at Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts and will conclude with an optional campus tour at 1:30 p.m.  Lunch is included for all in attendance.

Designed to introduce potential students to college life at Brevard College, the Open Campus Day schedule features a guided campus tour; expert advice about financial aid and scholarships; information about the college’s academic programs; as well as opportunities for prospective students to meet current Brevard College students; participate in campus-life events and activities; and take part in a class observation.  A complete Open Campus Schedule is available at www.brevard.edu/visit.

Prospective students who would like to attend the Open Campus Day should contact the Office of Admissions at 828.884-8325 or toll free at 800.527.9090.  To reserve a spot online, simply register at www.brevard.edu/visit.

Gaelic Storm Rolls into Brevard College's Porter Center for Performing Arts Oct. 8

Gaelic Storm will bring its thundering rhythms, mesmerizing melodies and the wild wit of Ireland to Brevard College's Porter Center for Performing Arts on Thursday, Oct. 8.

Tickets to the 7:30 p.m. evening performance are $30 and $10 for students.

Featured in the blockbuster film “Titanic,” Gaelic Storm is heralded worldwide for its energetic performance and overwhelming audience reaction.  Their seventh album – “What’s the Rumpus?”  – debuted at #1 on Billboard’s World Album chart last year.  Adored for their exciting and enthusiastic live show, the Porter Center is pleased to welcome this monstrously talented group back for the first time since 2001.

Since their big-screen debut 10 years ago, the band's fan base continues to multiply with each new album, turning the one-time-pub-band into one of the premier touring acts in the Celtic/World music genre. Gaelic Storm's compelling originals and fresh arrangements steeped in Celtic traditional melody combined with their unique blend of world rhythms continue to broaden the musical horizons of the Celtic music genre creating new standards for generations to come. 

Consistently touring more than 125 dates a year, Gaelic Storm routinely breaks attendance and merchandise sales records, headlining the world's largest Celtic festivals as well as mainstream events. Remarkably, the band has headlined the world's largest Irish Festival, Milwaukee Irish Fest, for six straight years, playing to crowds of 15,000 per performance and breaking the festival's policy of not inviting artists to perform in consecutive years.  In June 2008, Gaelic Storm expanded their touring to include Australia, kicking off their tour at the National Celtic Festival outside Melbourne.

Since their eponymous first album reached #5 on Billboard's World Music Chart in 1998, Gaelic Storm continues to consistently climb to the top of the Billboard Charts.  The band's 2006 release Bring Yer Wellies (Lost Again Records) debuted at #2 on the Billboard World Chart.  Their previous five albums have all charted high on the Billboard World Music Chart, including reaching the #2 position on additional occasions. 

Tickets to the Oct. 8 performance may be purchased from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Porter Center Box Office. The Box Office will be open one hour before the performance.  For more information on tickets, please contact the Porter Center Box Office at 828.884.8330.  Additional information is available online at www.theportercenter.org.

Posted: 9/25/09

---

 

 Spirited Sphinx Chamber Orchestra to Perform at Brevard College's Porter Center for Performing Arts

The Sphinx Chamber Orchestra (SCO), featuring the Harlem Quartet and violinist Elena Urioste, will bring its history-making tour to Brevard College's Porter Center for Performing Arts on Thursday, September 24.

The 7:30 p.m. performance, the Dorothy Meyer Secosan Memorial Concert, will include masterpieces by Mozart, Tchaikovsky and Vivaldi, alongside works by composers of color including Astor Piazzolla, Michael Abels and Wynton Marsalis.

The Sphinx Chamber Orchestra is composed of alumni of the national Sphinx Competition for young Black and Latino string players. The tour is made possible in part by the Andre W. Mellon Foundation and Target Corporation.  Last year, the orchestra performed in venues such as the Krannert Center, Detroit's Orchestra Hall, Harris Theatre and Carnegie Hall, reaching concert audiences of 8,000 and more than 3,600 students during outreach sessions. The historic inaugural tour garnered critical acclaim, including a rave review in The New York Times, which described the performances as "passionate," "virtuosic," "excellent" and "elegant."

The Porter Center concert is one of only 13 venues on the SCO’s national tour.  The performance will include the Harlem Quartet, which is comprised of first place laureates from the Sphinx Competition, as well as violinist Urioste, who was a first-place laureate in both the junior and senior divisions of the competition.  Conductor Damon Gupton served as an American Conducting Fellow of the Houston Symphony and has appeared with many orchestras, including the Cleveland Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra and the Detroit Symphony. Gupton served as assistant conductor of the Kansas City Symphony from 2006-2008.

SCO members have completed and continue to pursue their studies at the nation’s top music schools, including the Juilliard, Curtis, Eastman, Peabody, Harvard and the University of Michigan.  Additionally, several members hold professional orchestral positions, including the Oregon, Grand Rapids and San Antonio symphonies. Members of the roster have been named Laureates of other prestigious international competitions, including Queen Elizabeth and Yehudi Menuhin. A number of SCO members have also appeared as soloists with major orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Cleveland, Detroit, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Seattle and Pittsburgh among others.

In addition to the evening concert, a generous donation from local arts supporter Cornell Secosan of Brevard will enable area fifth graders to attend a special “Young People’s Concert” at the Porter Center on Friday, September 25.  The Porter Center’s “Young People’s Concert” series is an interactive free educational program that annually introduces Transylvania county school children to music. The Friday morning concert will include time for students to talk with members of the SCO, learn about the instruments they play and, most importantly, learn how they might begin playing a string instrument. 

Tickets to the Thursday evening performance are $40 and $10 for students. Tickets may be purchased from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Porter Center Box Office. The Box Office will be open one hour before the performance.  For more information on tickets, please contact the Porter Center Box Office at 828.884.8330.  Additional information is available online at www.theportercenter.org.

The SCO concert is part of Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts rich subscription series that rediscovers the musical threads of tradition and diversity that were the hallmarks of the center’s first decade.  Performances this year will range from award-winning Medieval vocals to a chart-topping Celtic band and the finest boys choir in the world.  A new mini “Discovery Series” is designed to showcase young and upcoming artists and encourage area school children to pursue careers in music.

Inaugurated in 1998, the Porter Center for Performing Arts at Brevard College has earned a reputation as one of the finest performance halls in the South.  Named for North Carolina businessman and Brevard College Life Trustee Paul Porter, the Porter Center hosts the Artist Series at Brevard College - which has brought in some of the world's most talented musicians in a dizzying array of styles – from Capitol Steps to Herbie Hancock, Harry Belafonte to Turtle Island String Quartet, Hilary Hahn to Pat Metheny - from classical and jazz to world music and bluegrass – all performing in a pristine acoustical setting.

The Porter Center's Scott Concert Hall has seating for 700 (500 on the main floor, 200 in the balcony), terrific acoustics and unobstructed sight lines.  The large stage can house a full symphony, yet it can be intimate enough for a solo guitar recital.

The Porter Center is also a performance and academic space for Brevard College students from the Music Department and Theatre Department, a campus meeting space and a performance venue for some of the groups that populate Transylvania county's amazingly rich cultural scene – the Brevard Philharmonic, Brevard Community Band, Transylvania Choral Society and more.

The Porter Center's visual centerpiece is the glorious $1.2 million Kirkpatrick-Coleman Pipe Organ, a world-class instrument designed by master organ-builder Daniel Jaeckel featuring three manual divisions, 69 ranks and 3,539 pipes.

Brevard College’s Department of Theatre Studies Announces 2009-2010 Season

The Department of Theatre Studies at Brevard College will produce a season that blends comedy with deep, philosophical questions about hypocrisy, the nature of love and loss and the hidden dangers of horticulture.

The season begins with rock musical Little Shop of Horrors (book and lyrics by Howard Ashman/music by Alan Menken), a collaboration between the College’s Department of Theatre Studies and the Department of Music.  Little Shop of Horrors, a spoof on 1950s sci-fi films, tells the story of a florist’s assistant whose brilliant discovery of a strange, new (and, unfortunately, people-eating) plant, brings notoriety to the Skid Row flower shop in which he works.  The musical will be directed and choreographed by guest artist Melissa Ricketts. Brevard College Assistant Professor of Music Dr. Kathye Gresham will be the Music Director.  The design team includes Assistant Professor of Theatre Studies, Kasendra Bell (lights), guest artist, Katie Fuller (costume and make-up) and a Brevard College Senior, Theatre Major Erin O’Rourke (set). Appropriately, the musical runs over Halloween weekend.  Little Shop of Horrors opens on Thursday, October 29 and continues through November 1.  Curtain time for evening shows is 8 p.m. and the Sunday matinee will begin at 2 p.m.  Tickets go on sale on Tuesday, September 15.  As the weekend of the production is also Brevard College Homecoming Weekend, patrons are advised to purchase tickets early.

From February 25-27, Eurydice, a postmodern version of the Orpheus myth by celebrated, contemporary American playwright, Sarah Ruhl, will be staged.  Ruhl’s dreamlike and quirky version of the classic myth focuses on Orpheus’s great love, Eurydice, and explores themes of profound love (romantic and familial) and devastating loss.  Though the play is ultimately tragic, it is also surprisingly humorous in places.

Tartuffe, or The Imposter, Moliere’s comic masterpiece from the French Renaissance, will run from April 28-May 1.  Originally banned in France and, later, in Canada, Moliere’s hilarious verse play introduces seemingly devoted man of God, Tartuffe, and his plot to take over the household of his de ar friend, Orgon.  Featuring a cast of wonderful, commedia-influenced characters, the play satirizes religious hypocrisy and blind devotion.

The plays will be performed at The Morrison Playhouse in Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts.  Curtain time for all evening performances is at 8 p.m.

Single play tickets are $10 for adults and $2 for students (with student ID). Tickets may be purchased at the Porter Center Box Office, which is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. or over the phone (with a credit card). The Box Office phone number is: 828-884-8330.  For more information, contact Brevard College Coordinator of Theatre Studies Kelly Carolyn Gordon at 828-966-5500 or gordonkc@brevard.edu.

Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society to Mark Anniversary of Darwin’s Birth With Presentation at Brevard College

The local chapter of the scientific research society Sigma Xi will mark the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth with a presentation on Wednesday, September 23 at Brevard College.

The presentation, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Room 125 of the College’s McLarty-Goodson Building.

The evening will begin with a PowerPoint presentation on the Galapagos Islands, followed by a talk, entitled “Charles Darwin — artist, thinker, scientist, survivor, and man of God,” by Brevard College Professor Jeff Llewellyn.  A question and answer and discussion session will follow Llewellyn’s presentation.

Llewellyn is the Mary Emma Thornton Distinguished Service Professor of Ecology as well as Professor of Biology and Coordinator of the Health Science Studies Major at Brevard College. He has taught at Brevard College for almost 20 years.  Llewellyn’s areas of research include the ecology of small mammals (competition theory) and natural history of birds (distribution and abundance). In addition to Sigma Xi Llewellyn is a member of the Iowa Academy of Science and the North Carolina Academy of Science. 

A reservation-only reception and dinner are planned prior to the presentation. Cost to attend the reception and dinner, which will be held in the Institute Room of Brevard College’s Myers Dining Hall, is $8. For more information or to make a reservation, contact Llewellyn at llewellyn@brevard.edu or 828-883-8292, ext 2277. Reservations must be received by Tuesday, September 22.        

UNC-Asheville chapter of Sigma Xi is comprised of members from Brevard College, Mars Hill College, Warren Wilson College and UNCA.

Brevard College Music Faculty Presents Annual Showcase

Music faculty at Brevard College will present a free concert at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 26 in the Porter Center for the Performing Arts. 

Performing will be pianists Katherine Morgan Palmer, Janice Murray, and Michael Mihalyo; tenor David Gresham; soprano Kathryn Gresham; percussionist Laura Franklin; flutist Rita Hayes; guitarist Lou Mowad; and trumpeter Larry Black.  Mihalyo serves as interim chair of the Brevard College’s Fine Arts Division as well as a professor of music.  Franklin is the Music Department Coordinator. 

The program will include music by Claude Debussy, Irving Fine, Ney Rosauro, Henri Dutilleux, William Walton, Lennox Berkeley and Brevard College faculty composer Robert Glenn Palmer.

For more information, call Assistant Professor of Music Kathryn Gresham at 884.8324.

Brevard College Offers LibShots Sessions

This fall, Brevard College’s James A. Jones Library will offer LibShots, a series of informational sessions on new library products and database tools.

The 30 minute sessions– which cover a variety of topics, including tips on using eBooks, e-journals and RSS feeds – are open to faculty, students and members of the public.  Each topic will be offered twice each scheduled week in the lap-top lab on first floor of the Library.  Participants are encouraged to register at least one day in advance of each session since seating is limited.

LibShots dates and topics:

• 10:30 a.m., September 14/ 3:30 p.m., September 16:  Intro to Library Catalog and Library Webpage functions
• 10:30 a.m., October 5/ 3:30 p.m., October 7:  The NC LIVE Collection (N.C. Libraries for Virtual Education)
• 10:30 a.m., October 26/ 3:30 p.m., October 28:  Beyond Wikipedia
• 10:30 a.m., November 9/ 3:30 p.m., November 11:  eBooks and e-journals: tips and tools
• 10:30 a.m., November 16/ 3:30 p.m., November 18: Using RSS feeds in databases and journals (Rich Site Summary) as a format for delivering regularly changing web content

To register or for more information, contact User Services Librarian Serène Corley at 884-8268 or corleyss@brevard.edu, or Library Director Mike McCabe at 884-8248 or mmccabe@brevard.edu.

 

 

Chamber Chorale to Perform in Asheville Holiday Celebration

The Brevard College Chamber Chorale has been invited to perform in the first ever Christmas Concert by the Asheville Lyric Opera Company on Friday, November 20.

The 7:30 p.m. celebration at the Diana Wortham Theatre in Asheville will benefit Hearts with Hands, a charity organization that seeks help disadvantaged youth in Western North Carolina.

The Mars Hill College Jazz Band, Celebrations Singers of Asheville (children's choir) and Soundings High School Ensemble will also take part in the holiday celebration.

Tickets may be purchased online at dwtheatre.com or by calling 828-257-4530.

Posted: 10/31/09

---

 

BC Presents Reading by Award-Winning Poet Terri Kirby Erickson

The Brevard College English Department will present a reading by award-winning Poet Terri Kirby Erickson on Thursday, Nov. 12. 

The reading will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the Francis Pavilion of the College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts.

Admission is free and open to the public.

Erickson is a North Carolina native and award-winning author of two full-length collections of poetry, Thread Count and Telling Tales of Dusk (www.press53.com). Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in numerous publications, including Basilica Review, Bay Leaves, Broad River Review, Christian Science Monitor and Pisgah Review, a national literary journal associated with Brevard College.  Her poem, “Oak Tree,” received a 2009 Best of the Net nomination.

Brevard College Annual Fall Choral Collage Set for Nov. 14

The Brevard College Choral Department will present its annual fall choral collage at the College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts on Saturday, November 14.

The 7:30 p.m. performance will include both the Brevard College Concert Choir and Chamber Chorale.

The performance, which is free to the public, will feature folk songs from around the world and offer a sneak preview of music for this year’s Lessons and Carols.

Little Shop of Horrors is a Sell Out

Brevard College’s upcoming production of Little Shop of Horrors at the Morrison Playhouse in the Porter Center for Performing Arts is sold out.

The collaboration between the College’s Department of Theatre Studies and the Department of Music will play to a full house from October 29 through November 1. 

Sophie Milman Performance Cancelled

Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts is sorry to announce that the scheduled performance of Sophie Milman on November 6, 2009 has been cancelled

The College apologizes for the inconvenience and would like to encourage patrons holding tickets to the performance to select another season show.

To exchange tickets or to receive a refund, please contact Beth Abrams at (828) 884-8353. All patrons will receive mail notification of the cancellation.

For more information, please contact Allison Robertson at (828) 884-8221 or visit the Porter Center Web site at www.theportercenter.org.

BC Jazz Ensemble and Combos Perform October 27

Brevard College’s Division of Fine Arts presents the Brevard Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combos in concert at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday October 27 in the College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts.

Admission is free.

This performance will feature compositions by Charlie Parker, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Benny Golson, Fats Waller, student composer Jason DeCristofaro and director Steve Wilson. Tunes and arrangements will include "Honeysuckle Rose," "Wave," "Granada Smoothie," "Afro Blue" and many more.

For more information, contact Brevard College’s Division of Fine Arts at (828) 884-8211.

Posted: 10/23/09

---

BC Invites Area Children to “Trick-or-Treat” at Jones Hall

Brevard College will welcome costume-clad superheroes and princesses as well as ghosts and goblins to campus on Thursday, Oct. 29 for a special evening of “trick-or-treating.”

The free, fun-filled family event will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Jones Residence Hall on Brevard College’s campus.

“Trick-or-treating” at Jones Hall is an annual tradition for Brevard College and the local community.  Each year, Brevard College students look forward to decorating Jones Residence Hall for Halloween so that area youngsters have the opportunity to “trick-or-treat” in a safe and supervised environment.

Tuttle takes individual title as Brevard win's first team National Championship

Truckee, Calif. - The Tornados rode their way to the National title over this weekend, building on their lead established on the first two days and Jo Tuttle's second-place finish in the downhill contest on Sunday helped lead the Brevard cyclists past Union College of Kentucky for the win.

Brevard accumulated 663 points, easily out-distancing the runner-up Bulldogs by 130 points for the National Title, while Tuttle won her second straight Omnium title in the fall season, with teammate Julia Tellman finishing right behind in second place. Tristan Cowie led the Tornados men's team with a third-place finish, behind Union College's Zach Winn and Greg Gibson.

On a downhill course consisting of a rock garden and a variety of lines, the Tornados men's team was led by Jacob Roland and Danny Cesare, who finished in the top 15.

Thomas Bagnal, Park Baker and Corey Rimmer were also in the top 30 as Coach Walker's men's squad set the stage for the women's team to close the door.

Tuttle, Tellman, Sarah Duncan and Caroline Decosimo continued their dominance in the women's races as Tuttle finished second to Colorado School of Mines' Christen Boyer, with a time of 5:14 and Tellman placed sixth in the race, just outside the podium. Duncan and Decosimo rounded out the group in 10th and 11th.

The Tornados cycling team continues to build in their third season in existence, after finishing eighth in 2007, fourth last year and now is the reigning Mountain Bike National Champion.

Visit www.bctornados.com for the latest news and info on Brevard College Athletics.

Talented Carolina Youth Symphony (CYS) Symphony Orchestra to Perform at Brevard College's Porter Center for Performing Arts

The talented Carolina Youth Symphony (CYS) Symphony Orchestra will perform at Brevard College's Porter Center for Performing Arts on Sunday, October 25.

The 3 p.m. performance will include masterpieces by Beethoven, Hummell, Copland, Chabrier and Dvorak.             

The CYS Symphony Orchestra is made up of approximately 85 outstanding students from throughout North and South Carolina whose technical level is highly advanced and who show strong musicianship.  The group performs a wide range of demanding orchestral repertoire, and is conducted by Music Director Dr. Leslie Hicken.  The CYS Symphony Orchestra has performed at world class venues, including Carnegie Hall. The symphony’s performance – a first for Brevard – is part of the College’s new mini “Discovery Series” that is designed to showcase young and upcoming artists and encourage area school children to pursue careers in music. 

Tickets to the performance are $25 for adults and $10 for students.  They may be purchased from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Porter Center Box Office. The Box Office will be open one hour before the performance.  For more information on tickets, please contact the Porter Center Box Office at 828.884.8330.  Additional information is available online at www.theportercenter.org.

This season, Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts offers a rich subscription series that rediscovers the musical threads of tradition and diversity that were the hallmarks of the center’s first decade.  Performances this year range from award-winning Medieval vocals to a chart-topping Celtic band and the finest boys choir in the world.

Inaugurated in 1998, the Porter Center for Performing Arts at Brevard College has earned a reputation as one of the finest performance halls in the South.  Named for North Carolina businessman and Brevard College Life Trustee Paul Porter, the Porter Center hosts the Artist Series at Brevard College - which has brought in some of the world's most talented musicians in a dizzying array of styles – from Capitol Steps to Herbie Hancock, Harry Belafonte to Turtle Island String Quartet, Hilary Hahn to Pat Metheny - from classical and jazz to world music and bluegrass – all performing in a pristine acoustical setting.

The Porter Center's Scott Concert Hall has seating for 700 (500 on the main floor, 200 in the balcony), terrific acoustics and unobstructed sight lines.  The large stage can house a full symphony, yet it can be intimate enough for a solo guitar recital.

The Porter Center is also a performance and academic space for Brevard College students from the Music Department and Theatre Department, a campus meeting space and a performance venue for some of the groups that populate Transylvania county's amazingly rich cultural scene – the Brevard Philharmonic, Brevard Community Band, Transylvania Choral Society and more.

The Porter Center's visual centerpiece is the glorious $1.2 million Kirkpatrick-Coleman Pipe Organ, a world-class instrument designed by master organ-builder Daniel Jaeckel featuring three manual divisions, 69 ranks and 3,539 pipes.

BC Site of Pisgah Mountain Bike Stage Race Prologue:  Oct. 15

Brevard College will welcome top national pro and international mountain bike riders to its campus on Thursday, Oct. 15 when it hosts the time trials for The Pisgah Mountain Bike Stage Race.

The Brevard College Cycling Team is sponsoring the race prologue, which will be held from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. near the College’s Ross Hall. In addition to the time trials, the Prologue will include an Industry Expo; free Kids Race; Meet the Pros autograph session; bike demonstrations by Specialized and Rocky Mountain; and live music.  Food will also be available for sale.

The Prologue is part of the three-day Pisgah Mountain Bike Stage Race, which will climb and wind for 130 miles through the Pisgah National Forest. In the Pro Men category, National Marathon Champion Jeremiah Bishop will be lining up against Christian Tanguy, Evans Plews, South African Max Knox and local favorite Sam Koerber. Former National Super D and Solo World Champion Sue Haywood will compete in the Pro Women category.

BC Fall Break: Oct. 17-20

Brevard College will observe its Fall Break from October 17-20.  Administrative offices of the College will be closed on Monday, Oct. 19.  They will reopen on Tuesday, Oct. 20.  Classes will resume on Wednesday, Oct. 21.

BC Graduate and Author Returns to Campus Oct. 9 to Discuss Storytelling

Brevard College Graduate and Author Reid Gilbert will return to campus on Friday, Oct. 9 to introduce his new book, To Tell a Tale or Two.

The 7:30 p.m. presentation will take place in the Francis Pavilion of the Porter Center for Performing Arts on the campus of Brevard College.

Gilbert, who is a 1951 graduate of Brevard College, will discuss storytelling through poetry, song and mime. He will also perform several stories through mime.

Drawing on stories from his own childhood on a dirt farm in North Carolina and his subsequent work in the Appalachian Mountains, Gilbert spins together traditional stories, songs and tall tales. Gilbert studied storytelling with Richard Chase, author of The Jack Tales, as well as mime and Asian theater.  He has won two Fulbright awards: one to research theater training in India, and one to teach storytelling in Thailand. He also has served as director of Valley Ridge Theatre in Thomas, West Virginia and is professor emeritus at Ohio State University.

Gilbert’s presentation is sponsored by Brevard College’s Sesquipedalian Literary Society.

“Tell Your Mama Somethin’s Gonna Get Her!”: Little Shop of Horrors to Open at Brevard College

Just in time for Halloween – and Brevard College’s Homecoming – weekend, Howard Ashman and Alan Menken’s musical spoof of 1950s sci-fi/horror films, Little Shop of Horrors, will be taking over The Morrison Playhouse at Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts.

A collaboration between the College’s Department of Theatre Studies and the Department of Music, Little Shop of Horrors is a touching love story, set in a neighborhood where people are beginning to mysteriously disappear.  Music Director and Assistant Professor of Music Kathryn Gresham describes the show as “deliciously campy and heart warming.”

Students eagerly began rehearsals in early September.  Junior Theatre Studies major Alicia Elias, one of the three “Doo Wop Girls,” comments that the work “has been challenging, and we have a long way to go, but there is such an immense amount of talent within the ensemble that by opening weekend the energy is going to be absolutely electric. I'm incredibly excited.” 

Part of this excitement stems from working with talented faculty like Gresham as well as Asheville guest director/ choreographer Melissa Ricketts.  Ricketts has previously worked on productions at SART, The Burning Coal Theatre Company and The Lost Colony as well as serving as executive director of the Asheville Arts Center.

The imaginative design team includes Guest Artist Katie Fuller, who designed costumes for last season’s Picasso at the Lapin Agile at Brevard College, and has also worked at NC Stage and the Immediate Theatre Project.  Fuller will be working once again with lighting designer and Assistant Professor of Theatre Studies Kasendra Bell as well as scenic designer and Theatre Studies major Erin O’Rourke.  For O’Rourke, who is graduating in December, Little Shop of Horrors will culminate her experience at Brevard College, as it is her senior project.

O’Rourke says, "I'm so excited to be designing a show that so many people are interested in. It takes a lot of work, but I know that once the show is finished, everything will have been worthwhile.”  According to O’Rourke, the transition from imagining the set to constructing it has been “hard because in my head I just had the design, but now I have to make everything a reality. I have to figure out how everything has to be built and work.  It’s a challenge to put this puzzle together."

Little Shop of Horrors will be performed at 8 p.m. from October 29 through November 1 in The Morrison Playhouse on the Brevard College campus.  There will also be a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday, November 1. 

Single play tickets are $10 for adults and $2 for students (with student ID).  Tickets may be purchased at The Porter Center Box Office, which is open from 10 a.m. to 1p.m. on Monday through Friday, or over the phone (with a credit card). The Box Office phone number is: 828-884-8330.  Patrons are advised to buy tickets early, as the show is expected to sell out.

Little Shop of Horrors is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).  All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. 

421 West 54th Street, New York, NY 10019.  Phone: 212-541-4684. Fax: 212-397-4684.  www.MTIShows.com

Photo Credit Brevard College Senior Marc Newton

Actresses (L to R) Lisa Runion, Jenny Baxter and Alicia Elias as "Ronette," "Crystal" and "Chiffon."

BC Music Professor Chosen as Fellow for Prestigious Institute

Brevard College Professor of Music Laura McDowell has been selected as a fellow for Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism’s sixth annual National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Arts Journalism Institute in Classical Music and Opera.

McDowell is one of only 24 critics, editors, reporters and producers who have been chosen to participate in the institute, which will take place from Oct. 17-27. 

The 10-day intensive workshop brings writers and editors from across the country to New York City for a total immersion in the world of classical music and opera.  The fellows attend nightly performances, participate in writing workshops, take short classes in music history and meet with leaders in the field, from administrators of New York's primary music institutions, to critics and writers at major U.S. publications.  The institute encompasses a rigorous schedule of classroom seminars, meetings with arts leaders and writing workshops to help the participants develop their critical skills and report on the world of classical music.

Institute fellows work with senior journalists and faculty members to improve their listening, analytical and writing skills.  They also attend performances that cover a variety of genres and styles as well as rehearsals and behind-the-scenes meetings with artists and administrators.  Participants will also develop a firsthand understanding of artistic creation through a physical learning component, specifically, a voice coaching session with a distinguished Julliard voice coach.

On the faculty of Brevard College’s Division of Fine Arts since 1976, McDowell teaches courses in music history and literature, secondary piano and various general courses in the college curriculum.  She also performs on period wind and string instruments with the Cullowhee Consort, and reviews area concerts for the online fine arts Web site Classical Voice of North Carolina.  McDowell, who is currently on sabbatical leave for the 2009-2010 academic year, is working on a book on musical symbols and style in 15th and 16th century commemorative motets.

Transylvania County Fifth Graders Attend “Young People’s Concert” at Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts

A generous donation from local arts supporter Cornell Secosan of Brevard enabled Transylvania county fifth graders to attend a special “Young People’s Concert” at Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts on Friday, September 25. 

The Porter Center’s “Young People’s Concert” series is an interactive free educational program that annually introduces local school children to music.

The concert included a performance by the acclaimed Sphinx Chamber Orchestra (SCO).  Students also learned about the instruments they play and, most importantly, learned how they might begin playing a string instrument. 

The Porter Center was one of only 13 venues on the national tour of the SCO, which is composed of alumni of the national Sphinx Competition for young Black and Latino string players. The tour was made possible in part by the Andre W. Mellon Foundation and Target Corporation.  Last year, the orchestra performed in venues such as the Krannert Center, Detroit's Orchestra Hall, Harris Theatre and Carnegie Hall, reaching concert audiences of 8,000 and more than 3,600 students during outreach sessions.

The SCO concert is part of Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts rich subscription series that rediscovers the musical threads of tradition and diversity that were the hallmarks of the center’s first decade.  Performances this year will range from award-winning Medieval vocals to a chart-topping Celtic band and the finest boys choir in the world.  A new mini “Discovery Series” is designed to showcase young and upcoming artists and encourage area school children to pursue careers in music.

Inaugurated in 1998, the Porter Center for Performing Arts at Brevard College has earned a reputation as one of the finest performance halls in the South.  Named for North Carolina businessman and Brevard College Life Trustee Paul Porter, the Porter Center hosts the Artist Series at Brevard College - which has brought in some of the world's most talented musicians in a dizzying array of styles – from Capitol Steps to Herbie Hancock, Harry Belafonte to Turtle Island String Quartet, Hilary Hahn to Pat Metheny - from classical and jazz to world music and bluegrass – all performing in a pristine acoustical setting.

The Porter Center's Scott Concert Hall has seating for 700 (500 on the main floor, 200 in the balcony), terrific acoustics and unobstructed sight lines.  The large stage can house a full symphony, yet it can be intimate enough for a solo guitar recital.

The Porter Center is also a performance and academic space for Brevard College students from the Music Department and Theatre Department, a campus meeting space and a performance venue for some of the groups that populate Transylvania county's amazingly rich cultural scene – the Brevard Philharmonic, Brevard Community Band, Transylvania Choral Society and more.

The Porter Center's visual centerpiece is the glorious $1.2 million Kirkpatrick-Coleman Pipe Organ, a world-class instrument designed by master organ-builder Daniel Jaeckel featuring three manual divisions, 69 ranks and 3,539 pipes.

For more information on Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts, visit www.theportercenter.org.

Transylvania county fifth graders listened to the acclaimed Sphinx Chamber Orchestra during a special “Young People’s Concert” at Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts.  The concert was made possible by a generous donation from local arts supporter Cornell Secosan of Brevard.

Photo Cutline 2:  Sphinx Chamber Orchestra Conductor Damon Gupton encouraged local children to make music a part of their lives during a special “Young People’s Concert” at Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts.  The concert was made possible by a generous donation from local arts supporter Cornell Secosan of Brevard.

Brevard College Hires Fine Arts Director of Development

Brevard College has hired Allison Robertson as Fine Arts director of development. The newly created position is part of the College’s planned restructuring of the Porter Center and its Fine Arts Department.

In her new position, Robertson will focus on fundraising efforts for the division of Fine Arts and will manage the advisory board of the College’s Friends of Fine Arts (FOFA), a community organization that seeks to increase the visibility and viability of the arts at Brevard College and in Transylvania County. She will also coordinate the College’s annual Performing Arts Series, seeking sponsorship and philanthropic support to keep its programming strong.

"We are delighted to add Allison to our team," says Susan Cothern Stromberg, Brevard College’s vice president for Institutional Advancement. "Her vast experience in and commitment to community collaboration and the Fine Arts will be an outstanding combination to help us achieve our fundraising goals and ensure the continuation of a high-quality program of arts events that serve both the campus and our area.”

Robertson comes to Brevard from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois where she served as an instructor in the Theatre Arts Department.  In addition to teaching, Robertson helped identify the focus and priorities of programming for the university’s new state-of-the-art multi-purpose fine arts facility.  As president-elect of the Coles County (Illinois) Arts Council, she also developed a multi-faceted community arts program.  Prior to moving to Illinois, Robertson held the positions of director of community development, communications and research manager and information specialist for the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce in Athens, Georgia.  She studied for her Ph.D. in Theatre at The University of Georgia and earned a Master’s degree in English and a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts from Western Carolina University.

“I’m excited to join the Brevard College family,” said Robertson.  “Growing up in Western North Carolina, I knew of Brevard as a community recognized for its artistic endeavors.  I look forward to promoting and protecting the arts at the College, and continuing to establish Brevard firmly as a center of cultural life in the region.”   

This year, Brevard College’s rich performing arts subscription series rediscovers the musical threads of tradition and diversity that were the hallmarks of the center’s first decade.  Performances this year will range from award-winning Medieval vocals to a chart-topping Celtic band and the finest boys choir in the world.  A new mini “Discovery Series” is designed to showcase young and upcoming artists and encourage area school children to pursue careers in music.

Inaugurated in 1998, the Porter Center for Performing Arts at Brevard College has earned a reputation as one of the finest performance halls in the South.  Named for North Carolina businessman and Brevard College Life Trustee Paul Porter, the Porter Center hosts the Artist Series at Brevard College - which has brought in some of the world's most talented musicians in a dizzying array of styles – from Capitol Steps to Herbie Hancock, Harry Belafonte to Turtle Island String Quartet, Hilary Hahn to Pat Metheny - from classical and jazz to world music and bluegrass – all performing in a pristine acoustical setting.

The Porter Center's Scott Concert Hall has seating for 700 (500 on the main floor, 200 in the balcony), terrific acoustics and unobstructed sight lines.  The large stage can house a full symphony, yet it can be intimate enough for a solo guitar recital.

The Porter Center is also a performance and academic space for Brevard College students from the Music Department and Theatre Department, a campus meeting space and a performance venue for some of the groups that populate Transylvania county's amazingly rich cultural scene – the Brevard Philharmonic, Brevard Community Band, Transylvania Choral Society and more.

The Porter Center's visual centerpiece is the glorious $1.2 million Kirkpatrick-Coleman Pipe Organ, a world-class instrument designed by master organ-builder Daniel Jaeckel featuring three manual divisions, 69 ranks and 3,539 pipes.

Brevard College Hosts Opening Reception for Art Faculty Group Show

The Brevard College Art Department will host an opening reception for its Art Faculty Group Show on Friday, Oct. 9.

The opening reception for the show will be held from 5:30 p.m. until 7 p.m. at Brevard College's Spiers Gallery in the Sims Art Center.  The reception and exhibit visitations are free to the public.

The exhibit will include the works of Brevard College Professor of Art Bill Byers and Assistant Professor of Art Kyle Lusk as well as adjunct faculty members Aaron Alderman, Michael Bryan, Rod Fincannon, Lori Park, Arlene Riley and David Sheldon.  Also exhibiting is Professor Emeritus Tim Murray.  Murray is Brevard College’s Edward W. Seese Distinguished Service Professor and the Johnie H. Jones Distinguished Professor in Teaching.

Gallery hours are 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. weekdays when the College is in session. The exhibit will be on display until Nov. 6.

Spiers Gallery is a contemporary 1,500 square foot gallery located within the Sims Art Center on the Brevard College campus.  Exhibitions in Spiers Gallery are ongoing throughout the year and include shows by Brevard College students and faculty members as well as visiting artists from Western North Carolina and around the country.

For more information about this exhibition, contact Diane Pomphrey at 884.8188.

Photo cutline:  Photography by Brevard College Adjunct Faculty Member Rod Fincannon will be on display during the College’s Art Faculty Group Show.  An opening reception will be held on Friday, Oct. 9.

Brevard College seniors were recently honored during the college’s annual Senior Pinning Ceremony held on Family Weekend.  During the ceremony, seniors were presented with a special pin by a significant person of their choice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

BC Adjunct Faculty Member to Have Works Published

Brevard College Adjunct English Instructor Jennifer McGaha recently received an honorable mention for creative nonfiction in the 2009 New Southerner's Literary Contest. The piece, which is titled "Leanin' Back," is about environmental stewardship and will appear in December issue. New Southerner is a Louisville, Ky.-based journal that promotes sustainability, environmental stewardship and support for local economies.

McGaha has two other writings that will soon be published. Wilderness House Literary Review, based in Littleton, Mass., will publish her work titled "Beef Stew and Beethoven" in January. Also this winter, her lyrical essay titled "Looking Glass" will be published in an anthology, Echoes Across the Blue Ridge: Stories, Essays and Poems By Writers Living in and Inspired by The Southern Appalachian Mountains. "Looking Glass," originally appeared in Smoky Mountain Living Magazine.

McGaha, who writes both creative nonfiction and nonfiction with a focus on environmental issues, has also been published in the North Carolina Literary Review, Pisgah Review, moonShine Review and Red Wheelbarrow. She also serves as the nonfiction editor for the Pisgah Review, a biannual journal associated with Brevard College that features fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction works by national and international writers.

Posted: 11/25/09

---

BC Students Recognize National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week

Brevard College students created a temporary homeless camp and spent a night sleeping outside last week to bring greater awareness to the problems of hunger and homelessness as part of National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week.

The College’s TMOVE student service organization sponsored the events, which included a "homeless simulation" on the Betty Neale Academic Quadrangle as well as an opportunity to experience a night of sleeping outside without shelter. Students also held several collection drives to benefit nonprofit organizations.

Blankets, canned food, clothes, coloring books, puzzles and crayons were among the items collected by students and donated to the Sharing House of Brevard. Students also held a community-wide scavenger hunt to collect items – including bowls, cups, silverware, cooking utensils, pots, pans, mason jars, and even a leaf blower – for the Sparrow Community House, a nonprofit that serves the homeless community in Decatur, Ga. A group of first-year Brevard College Institute for Women in Leadership (IWIL) women recently performed community service at the Sparrow Community House while on a cultural and service trip to the Atlanta area.

Brevard merchants that participated in the scavenger hunt included: Bracken Mountain Bakery; Cielito Lindo; Dock’s Restaurant; Downtown Chocolates; Jordan Street Café; Lowes; Moose Tracks; O P Taylors; The Quarry; Quotations; Rocky’s Grill and Soda Shop; and Sonic.

A residential hall food drive contest to benefit hall the Bread of Life and the Sharing House is still underway on campus. Residential students are competing to see which residence hall can collect the most canned foods by Dec. 15.

Cutline: Brevard College students spent a night sleeping outside last week to bring greater awareness to the problems of hunger and homelessness as part of National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week.

Posted: 11/25/09

 

---

 

Classical Guitarist Robert Gruca to Perform at BC's Porter Center for Performaing Arts Dec. 11

Brevard College's Porter Center for Performing Arts will feature classical guitarist Robert Gruca in performance at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 11.

Gruca's work covers a wide range of solo, chamber and orchestral music from the classical guitar repertoire. In recent seasons he has played solo concerts in numerous venues throughout the United States, including in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York as well as Ontario, Canada. He has been described as a "wonderful and engaging performer" "bringing passion and artistry to his performance."

In 2004, he toured the eastern United States and Europe with the Cleveland Orchestra performing Mahler’s Symphony No. 7 under the direction of Franz Welser–Most. Other performances with the Cleveland Orchestra include Kurt Weill’s Little Three Penny Music, Igor Stravinsky’s Le Rossignol under the baton of Pierre Boulez and Howard Shore’s The Lord of the Rings Symphony with Howard Shore conducting. Robert Gruca made his concerto debut performing Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez with the Marquette Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Nuvi Mehta.

With his expressive and nuanced musical interpretation and his complete technical command over the instrument, Robert Gruca won first prizes in the Columbus State Guitar Symposium Competition, the Appalachian State Guitar Festival Competition and the East Carolina University Guitar Festival Competition. He was a top prize winner in the Rantucci International Guitar Competition and a semifinalist in both the Guitar Foundation of America Competition and the JoAnn Falletta International Guitar Concerto Competition.

Robert Gruca studied with John Holmquist and Jason Vieaux at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he received a Master of Music degree. He is described by both Holmquist and Vieaux as "one of the most talented guitarists" of his generation. Previous teachers include Brian Morris of Grand Valley State University and Roger Humphrey of Olivet College. He has participated in master classes with such prominent guitarists as David Russell, Lily Afshar, Judicael Perroy, Stephen Robinson, Sergio & Odair Assad, Hubert Kappel, Antigoni Goni and the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet.

Tickets to the performance are $25 for adults and $10 for students. They may be purchased from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Porter Center Box Office. The Box Office will be open one hour before the performance. For more information on tickets, please contact the Porter Center Box Office at 828.884.8330. Additional information is available online at www.theportercenter.org

Posted: 11/24/09 

---

BC IWIL Group Takes Cultural and Service Trip to Atlanta

A group of first-year Brevard College Institute for Women in Leadership (IWIL) women recently traveled to Atlanta for a cultural and service trip.

The group explored The Underground Atlanta Area, the World of Coca-Cola and the Georgia Aquarium. They also visited the King Center and birth home of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and attended church service at Ebenezer Baptist Church. The groups also performed community service at the Sparrow Community House, a nonprofit that serves the homeless community in Decatur. The 13 IWIL women, three staff advisors and one student coordinator spent an afternoon preparing the Home’s front and back yards for a community garden and a chicken coop.

"The IWIL trip to Atlanta was absolutely incredible," said Jana Eilerman, a Brevard College sophomore from Cincinnati, Ohio. "I enjoyed bonding with the other IWIL ladies and I was super pumped about the service project. I have already e-mailed the Sparrow Community House and asked when I can move in."

Chelsea Preciado, a Brevard College freshman from Nashville, TN added, "It was refreshing to see such a wonderful group of people working to help others and fighting for a better world. I left the Sparrow Community Home feeling inspired and ready to do all I can to help my own community."

Brevard College’s IWIL program is a residential learning community that fosters confident, inquisitive young women with a passion for local service. Through mentoring and experiential leadership programs, IWIL women develop into Brevard College leaders ready to also serve their communities upon graduation. Information on Brevard College’s IWIL program is available online at www.brevard.edu/iwil.

Posted: 11/22/09 

---

BC Thanksgiving Break: Nov. 25-29

Students at Brevard College will observe Thanksgiving Break from Nov. 25-29. Administrative offices of the College will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 26 and Friday, Nov. 27. Classes will resume on Monday, Nov. 30.

Posted: 11/19/09

---

MLK Planning Committee Seeking New Members

Transylvania County’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Planning Committee is seeking new members to assist in the planning and coordination of the county’s upcoming 20th Annual MLK Celebration.

The committee currently consists of representatives from the Brevard/Transylvania County Human Relations Council, Brevard College, Bethel Baptist Church, Bethel A Baptist Church, Neighbors in Ministry as well as individual volunteers. Planning is now underway for the 2010 celebration, which will be held January 16-18.

In addition to new members, the committee is also seeking performers for various programs (including a ballet or modern dance soloist), a choir director to direct one song and choir members for a community choir of all ages. The committee is also looking for volunteer service project ideas for a new Brevard College student-led initiative called the MLK Challenge.

To volunteer or for more information, please contact Michelle Harvey, Assistant Dean for Community Development at Brevard College, at 884-8107 or harveyml@brevard.edu.

Posted: 11/19/09

---

Brevard College Presents Traditional Lessons and Carols Christmas Service Dec. 5

Brevard College’s Choral Department will present its 12th annual performance of The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 5 in the Porter Center for Performing Arts.

Admission to the service, which has become an honored tradition for both the college and the community, is free.

The service, modeled on the traditional Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols first held on Christmas Eve in 1918 at King's College Chapel in Cambridge, England, has been described as one that "presents the Christmas story in an ambience of mystery, splendor, hope and joy."

This year’s performance will include new and traditional carols sung by the Chamber Chorale and Concert Choir under the direction of Brevard College’s Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities Michael Porter. The evening will also include traditional Christmas readings by Brevard College students and faculty as well as a magnificent organ performance by Kyle Ritter, director of music at the Cathedral of All Souls in Asheville.

Posted: 11/19/09

---

BC Chamber and Percussion Ensembles to Perform Dec. 1

Brevard College’s Chamber and Percussion ensembles will perform in concert on Tuesday, Dec. 1 at the Porter Center for Performing Arts.

Admission to the 7:30 p.m. concert is free.

The Chamber Ensemble, coached by Brevard College Assistant Professor of Music Steve Wilson, will perform a variety of works from classical, romantic and 20th Century repertoire. Composers works’ featured on the program include Dvorak and Ravel, among others. The program will close with an arrangement of the Beatles’ Eleanor Rigby.

The Brevard College Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of Associate Professor of Music Laura Franklin, will play a program of contemporary works for percussion orchestra. Two of the works are by well-known percussion composer Lynn Glassock, who is a long-time faculty member at UNC-Chapel Hill. Glassock has won many awards for his percussion compositions, including the prestigious Percussive Arts Society Award for Percussion Ensemble Composition. The program will close with an arrangement of Scott Joplin’s Elite Syncopations.

Posted: 11/18/09

---

BC’s Porter Center for Performing Arts Welcomes World-Renowned Atlanta Boy Choir Nov. 21

Brevard College's Porter Center for Performing Arts will welcome the world-renowned Atlanta Boy Choir on Saturday, Nov. 21.

The 7:30 p.m. performance will include works by Palestrina, Bach and Britten as well as traditional holiday carols and seasonal favorites.

Based in Atlanta, Georgia, the Choir has established a reputation for being one of the world's finest boy choirs, known for its diversity of members and broad repertoire. The Atlanta Boy Choir has served as a cultural ambassador for more than 50 years, appearing before presidents, popes, foreign dignitaries, crowned heads of state, U.S. soldiers and millions of other delighted listeners throughout the world. In 1987, the Choir distinguished itself by becoming the recipient of a Grammy Award for Best Classical Recording for its collaborative performance with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem. The Choir continues to flourish under its founding director Fletcher Wolfe, a distinguished opera and concert singer.

The Porter Center performance will also include: Robert Henry, an internationally renowned pianist and winner of many of the world’s most prestigious piano competitions; Darrell McGhee, one of Atlanta’s finest African-American tenors; Lawrence Weaver, the first African-American to be presented as a lead protagonist opera star in the South; Richard Clement, a Grammy Award-winning tenor and Atlanta Boy Choir alumnus; as well as flutist Candace Keach and harpist Susan Brady, both renowned artists and teachers.

The Choir’s performance – a first for Brevard – is part of the College’s new mini "Discovery Series" that is designed to showcase young and upcoming artists. Tickets to the performance are $25 for adults and $10 for students. They may be purchased from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Porter Center Box Office. The Box Office will be open one hour before the performance. For more information on tickets, please contact the Porter Center Box Office at 828.884.8330. Additional information is available online at www.theportercenter.org.

This season, Brevard College’s Porter Center for Performing Arts offers a rich subscription series that rediscovers the musical threads of tradition and diversity that were the hallmarks of the center’s first decade. Performances this year range from award-winning Medieval vocals to a chart-topping Celtic band and the finest boys choir in the world.

Posted: 11/13/09

---

 A to Z MapsOnline.com Available at BC’s J.A. Jones Library

Brevard College library patrons may now have access to the world’s most useful online map database, A to Z MapsOnline.com.

The online resource, available through the College’s J.A. Jones Library, includes more than 146,000 static, animated, real-time, scientific and antique maps in one, easy-to access place.  Patrons may use the tens of thousands of maps in any way they wish as long as the maps are not resold. 

The database also features ready-to-use lesson plans perfect for future middle- and high-school teachers.

To find out more about A to Z MapsOnline, visit the Brevard College Library during normal hours: Monday-Thursday: 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday: 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. or call 884-8248.

 Posted: 11/9/09

---

Brevard College Senior Art Exhibition Opens Nov. 13

The Brevard College Art Department will present its senior art exhibition from Nov. 13 to Dec. 11 at Spiers Gallery.

An opening reception will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 13 at the gallery, which is located in College’s Sims Art Center.

The exhibit will feature the works of three Brevard College senior art majors.  They include sculpture majors Jocelyn Ashworth and Joshua Carter as well as graphic design major Hannah Culwell.  Each student will give a brief gallery talk about their work at 6 p.m. during the opening reception.

The reception and exhibit visitations are free to the public.  Gallery hours are 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. weekdays when the College is in session. The exhibit will be on display until Dec. 11.

Spiers Gallery is a contemporary 1,500 square foot gallery located within the Sims Art Center on the Brevard College campus.  Exhibitions in Spiers Gallery are ongoing throughout the year and include shows by Brevard College students and faculty members as well as visiting artists from Western North Carolina and around the country.

For more information about this exhibition, contact Diane Pomphrey at 828-884-8188.

Posted: 11/6/09

---

Brevard College Honors Distinguished Alumni/Faculty and Athletic Hall of Fame Recipients

Brevard College recently honored six noteworthy recipients during a special Distinguished Alumni/Faculty and Athletic Hall of Fame Dinner.

Robert Boggan Jr. of Charlotte ('55); Dr. Rachel Harris of Atlanta ('89); and Michael Collins of Brevard ('96) were inducted into Brevard College’s Gallery of Distinguished Alumni.  Ken Chamlee, Brevard College Iva Buch Seese Distinguished Professor of English and Johnnie H. Jones Distinguished Professor in Teaching, was also named this year’s Distinguished Faculty award recipient.  All four Distinguished Alumni/Faculty recipients were recognized by the College’s Alumni Advisory Board for making significant differences in their communities, professions and the world as well as bringing honor and respect to Brevard College by living out its motto, “Learn in Order to Serve.”

Two former outstanding Brevard College athletes, Danny Bost of China Grove ('62) and Alice Gaines Coddington of Blacksburg, Va. ('89), were inducted into Brevard College’s Athletic Hall of Fame.  Bost, who played baseball, and Gaines-Coddinton, who ran cross country and track, were awarded the College’s highest athletic recognition for demonstrating exceptional personal achievement and making distinctive contributions to the advancement of athletics.

2009 Distinguished Alumni/Faculty Recipients

Robert Boggan Jr. attended Brevard College from 1953-55 and participated in a variety of student activities, including the student council, the student newspaper, the baseball team and the College’s first soccer team.  He later served on Brevard College’s Board of Trustees as well as its Alumni Board.  Boggan graduated from the Divinity School at Duke University after finishing his undergraduate studies at Wofford College.  He served the ministry of United Methodist Church throughout North Carolina and the world and was instrumental in the development and construction of the Africa University, the first private, international university in Zimbabwe.

Dr. Rachel Harris '89 graduated from Brevard College in 1989 and continued her education at Appalachian State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and master’s degree in Counseling.  She returned to Brevard College and served as a resident director, associate dean for campus life and director of career services as well as a learning skills instructor. Harris graduated with her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology in 2008 from the Georgia School of Professional Psychology in Atlanta and is currently completing her postdoctoral fellowship in Psychiatry at Emory University School of Medicine.  She hopes to continue her career serving patients suffering from severe trauma as well as chronic and severe mental illness.

Michael Collins '96 returned home – after years of technical theatre work – to study business at Brevard College in the hopes of opening a coffeehouse. (Michael operated the Essence of Thyme Coffeehouse on Main Street in Brevard).  He currently operates The Bread of Life Soup Kitchen in Brevard and has logged more than 1,500 volunteer hours assisting the Transylvania Free Medical Clinic.  Collins also serves as a mediator with the Center for Dialogue in Brevard.

Ken Chamlee has taught at Brevard College since 1978.  His main interests include American and British literature and poetry and nature writing.  The Greenville, S.C. native also teaches environmental composition, literary criticism, creative writing and interdisciplinary courses like Nature and the Arts.  Chamlee was the co-leader of the 2008 Brevard College Voice of the Rivers trip down the Savannah River, teaching a course in river literature along the way.  He is the author of two books of poetry – Logic of the Lost and Absolute Faith – and currently serves as the poetry editor of the Pisgah Review, a national literary journal associated with Brevard College.

2009 Athletic Hall of Fame Recipients

Danny Bost '62 was awarded an athletic scholarship to play baseball at Brevard College, where he was All-Conference Short Stop his freshman year.  He also participated on the cross country team and was a member of Phi Theta Kappa, the Men’s Delphian Society and the Student Government Association.  Bost continued his education at Catawba College and Appalachian State University, earning a master’s degree in Student Services.  He returned to serve as Head Baseball Coach and an Admissions Counselor at Brevard College from 1964 to 1968.  Over the years, Bost continued his love of the sport as an assistant baseball coach at Appalachian State and now as a Major League Baseball Scout for the Cincinnati Reds.

Alice Gaines Coddington '89 attended Brevard College from 1987-1989.  She was a member of the women’s cross country as well as the indoor and outdoor track teams.  While at Brevard College, Gaines Coddington was a two time National Junior College Athletic Association All American in cross country, winning the national individual title. She was also a two time All American in track, earning honors in the indoor mile and 3000 meters outdoors in 1987.  Gaines Coddington served on the College’s yearbook staff and Homecoming court.  She was a member of Phi Theta Kappa academic honor society and graduated summa cum laude.  Gaines Coddington, who completed her education at Virginia Tech on a full scholarship, continues to run for health and fun.  

(left to right)  Brevard College Distinguished Alumni/Faculty and Athletic Hall of Fame Recipients: Michael Collins of Brevard ('96); Brevard College Professor Ken Chamlee; Danny Bost of China Grove ('62); Robert Boggan Jr. of Charlotte ('55); Dr. Rachel Harris of Atlanta ('89); and Alice Gaines Coddington of Blacksburg, Va. ('89).

Posted: 11/3/09

---

December 2009

Dec. 18 Women's Basketball Game Cancelled

Tonight's game between the Brevard College Tornados women's basketball team and the St. Andrews Presbyterian Knights will not be played due to weather concerns. The two teams were scheduled to play tonight at 6 p.m. in Boshamer Gymnasium, but due to concern over the safety of the teams and traveling situations, the game was called off. No makeup date has been assigned as of yet.

Posted: 12/18/09 

---

BC Christmas Break

With the end of the fall semester on December 15, 2009, classes will not resume at Brevard College until Wednesday, January, 13, 2010, the first day of classes for the spring semester. Administrative offices of the College will be closed from Wednesday, Dec. 23 through Friday, Dec. 25. They will also be closed on Friday, Jan. 1.

Posted: 12/15/09 

---

Brevard College Teacher Licensure Candidate Awarded Clariant Corporation Prospective Teacher Scholarship

Brevard College Teacher Licensure Candidate Jessica Danielle Sharp of Brevard was recently awarded a Clariant Corporation Prospective Teacher Scholarship.

Sharp, who is a candidate for Teacher Licensure in high school science, was one of only two students in the state to receive the $2,000 scholarship for the 2009-2010 academic year. She was selected for her
demonstrated superior academic record; articulate and persuasive personal essay; and practical "real world" approach to teaching.

For 26 years, Clariant has partnered with the Independent College Fund of North Carolina to provide critical scholarship support to students attending North Carolina’s independent colleges and universities. Recognizing that math and science skills are increasingly important in the workplace and knowing the state’s ongoing demand for teachers, Clariant first funded designated scholarship support to students in 2003 with the Clariant Corporation Prospective Teacher Scholarship. This marks the sixth year of this scholarship program.

The Independent College Fund of North Carolina was founded in 1953 to provide North Carolina businesses an opportunity to support the state’s private colleges and universities. Since its founding, the Independent College Fund has exemplified business and education in partnership by helping thousands of students to prepare for careers in business, the professions, and public service. The Fund has raised more than $59 million for the benefit of its 26 member colleges and universities and their students.

For more information about the Brevard College Teacher Licensure Program, visit http://www.brevard.edu/teacherlicensure  or call 800-527-9090.

Posted: 12/10/09 

---

Winning Cyclist Featured in Sports Illustrated's Faces in the Crowd

Brevard College’s Johanne Tuttle was recently featured in the December 7 issue of Sport Illustrated magazine in the Faces in the Crowd section.

Tuttle, a senior on Brevard’s women’s cycling team, recently won the individual Omnium title at the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championship in Truckee, Calif. This was the second time Tuttle had won the all-around competition. She was instrumental in leading the Tornados to their first team National Championship in Brevard College history.

Tuttle finished the three day event as the national champion in the four-cross event, second in the downhill, fifth in the cross-country event and sixth in the short track race. 

Posted: 12/07/09 

---