News

LAKELAND, Fla. (Sept. 1, 2008) — Florida Southern’s Festival of Fine Arts presents its 49th season of art, music, dance, and theater. The season runs through June 3 and includes such world-renowned performers as five-time Grammy Award winner Kathleen Battle, pianist André Watts, the Munich Symphony Orchestra, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.

The schedule of events is listed below. FSC students are admitted free of charge and non-FSC students pay half price. Concert tickets are available at the Branscomb Auditorium ticket office Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, please call 863-680-4296 or e-mail branscombboxoffice@flsouthern.edu.

Theatre tickets are available through the Buckner Theatre box office, open weekdays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, please call 863-680-3089 or e-mail bucknerboxoffice@flsouthern.edu.

The Melvin Art Gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and during intermissions of selected Festival events. Opening receptions are at 7:00 p.m. on the first night of each exhibition unless otherwise noted. The Burks Gallery exhibits student work on rotation unless otherwise noted. Admission to the gallery is free. The entire college community and the public are invited to all exhibit openings.

Festival Schedule
Season tickets: $140-$200
Single ticket prices are listed with each event. Festival events are held in Branscomb Auditorium unless otherwise noted.

Sep. 25-28; Oct. 2-5 – “The Foreigner” – FSC Theatre Department, Buckner Theatre. The Theatre Arts Department opens its 2008-2009 season with Larry Shue’s southern comedy about Charlie, a shy Englishman, who visits a fishing lodge in rural Georgia. When his friend Froggy claims that Charlie cannot talk because he does not understand English, Charlie soon discovers scandals amongst the residents of the lodge. Directed by Mary T. Albright. Tickets: $15.

Oct. 9 – FSC Music Department Opening Gala – Showcasing the varied ensembles of the FSC music department, this annual event features a variety of musical selections from Baroque to jazz; vocal to instrumental. Enjoy the talents of these outstanding students under the direction of their acclaimed faculty directors. Tickets: $15.

Oct. 30 – Music Under the Stars – The Symphony Band, Wind Ensemble, and Jazz Ensemble present the fortieth anniversary edition of their “concert in the park” at the Pipkin Bandshell. Conductor Jo Jossim celebrates her tenth year “under the stars” as the college welcomes Paul Butcher directing the Jazz Ensemble. Admission free; open seating.

Nov. 7 – Kathleen Battle, Soprano – A five-time Grammy Award winner, Miss Battle’s lyric soprano voice and unique artistry have captivated audiences around the world, making her one of the most acclaimed singers of her time. Her repertoire embraces jazz and spirituals as well as a wide range of classical music. Tickets: $35.

Nov. 13-16; Nov. 20-23- “Dancing at Lughnasa” – FSC Theatre Department, Buckner Theatre. Set in rural Ireland in 1936, Brian Friel’s Tony Award-winning play is a nostalgic look at the relationship between a young boy, his mother, and his four maiden aunts. The acquisition of their first radio unleashes unarticulated emotions in the five women who spontaneously break into song with or without the radio. Directed by Paul D. Bawek. Tickets: $15.

Dec. 5 – Christmas Gala – Each year, the season’s sacred and secular music is presented with spirit and style when the college’s music department offers this annual holiday favorite. Our patrons remind us year after year: the Christmas season begins with “the Gala.” Tickets: $15.

Jan. 29 – Florida Southern College Faculty Showcase – The Florida Southern College Department of Music prides itself as being a performance-oriented department. Our faculty consists of the finest performers in the Central Florida area, including musicians from leading symphony orchestras to small chamber ensembles. Tickets: $15

Feb. 6 – Munich Symphony with Phillipe Entremont – Acclaimed worldwide for the elegance and virtuosity of his piano playing, as well as his outstanding interpretive abilities at the podium, Phillipe Entremont leads the Munich Symphony Orchestra in an all-Beethoven concert featuring the “Eroica” Symphony and the “Emperor” Concerto. Tickets: $35

Feb. 12-15; Feb. 19-22 – “Parade” – FSC Theatre Department, Buckner Theatre. “Parade” is the true story of Leo Frank, a Jewish man who was wrongly convicted of murder. The musical covers not only the trial, but the love story between Leo and his wife Lucille. A subtle examination of class and race relations in the south, “Parade” is the winner of the 1999 Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical, and Best Original Musical Score. Directed By James F. Beck. Tickets: $15

Feb. 14 – Florida Southern College Jazz Ensemble – From swing to bebop, this group of jazz musicians will delight and entertain. Basie, Ellington, and all the greats will be presented by both big band sounds and small combo excitement. Tickets: $15

Feb. 21 – Hubbard Street Dance Chicago – An innovative force in dance for more than thirty years, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago displays a powerful and diverse repertoire that is sure to thrill, inspire, and engage any audience. The dance company is funded in part by the National Dance Project of the New England Foundation for the Arts, with lead funding from Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. Additional funding is provided by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Ford Foundation and MetLife Foundation. Tickets: $35

Feb. 26 – Florida Southern College Symphony Orchestra – Conductor Arthur Pranno leads this dedicated group of musicians. Whether it is the elegance of the string orchestra or the bombast of full symphonic forces, this concert is sure to delight any fan of orchestral music. Tickets: $15

March 21 – André Watts, pianist – André Watts burst upon the music world at the age of 16 when Leonard Bernstein chose him to make his debut with the New York Philharmonic. More than 45 years later, André Watts remains one of today’s most celebrated and beloved superstars. His performances each year with the world’s great orchestras and conductors and his sold-out recitals and appearances at the most prestigious international festivals bring him to every corner of the globe. Tickets: $35

March 26 – Florida Southern College Concert Chorale – Join Dr. Carol Krueger for an exploration of the joy of choral music as performed by the Florida Southern College Chorale. The Western European musical tradition begins with choral music, and throughout the centuries music for the voice has provided a solid foundation for stylistic development. Tickets: $15

April 2-5; April 9-12 – “Brighton Beach Memoirs” – FSC Theatre Department, Buckner Theatre. Neil Simon’s classic work, “Brighton Beach Memoirs,” is one of the most effective combinations of drama and comedy of the twentieth century. Set in pre-World War II Brooklyn, the play is semi-autobiographical in its portrayal of the coming of age of Eugene Jerome. Simon’s combination of humor and truth remind us how much truth there is in humor. Directed by Paul D. Bawek. Tickets: $15

April 3 – Florida Southern College Opera Theatre – The FSC Opera Theatre presents student and faculty soloists performing opera’s greatest arias and ensembles accompanied by the FSC Symphony Orchestra and Chorale. Among the many highlights is a tribute to the Three Tenors starring three of FSC’s exceptional student singers. Tickets: $15

April 9 – Florida Southern College Symphony Band and Wind Ensemble – Presenting classical wind literature, Dr. J. Jossim conducts these two outstanding ensembles as they explore the tonal combinations and unique timbres of winds, brass, and percussion. Tickets: $15

Melvin Art Gallery Schedule

Aug. 20-Oct. 1 – Bud Gibbons – Recent Work. The Gallery hosts a solo exhibition of the paintings of Bud Gibbons, a prolific artist and an art professor at Pennsylvania State University at New Kensington. The exhibition includes prominent works from recent years, including 100 paintings from his series “365 Days – 1999”, in which Gibbons embarked on a marathon painting project, completing one work a day for an entire year. The artist will be present at the opening reception on Sept. 5 at 7 p.m.

Sept. 19-Nov. 6 – China – Photographs from the 2008 Study Abroad Trip – On display in the Honeyman Pavilion. During the month of May, Florida Southern students and faculty embarked on a study abroad trip throughout China. Thousands of photos were taken by students in Eric Blackmore’s Advanced Digital Photography class. The photographs in this exhibition document their travels. The selected images were edited, refined, and printed by the students.

Oct. 10-Nov. 12 – Folk Art from the collection of George Lowe. Local art collector and radio personality George Lowe shares his beloved folk art collection with the Florida Southern community. Highlights of this exhibition include work from Howard Finster, Jimmy Lee Suddth, RA Miller, Charles Lucas and more. Lowe’s outstanding collection was recently featured in an exhibition at the St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts. An exhibition catalog will accompany the show and George Lowe will be present at the opening reception to discuss the work.

Oct. 10-Nov. 12 – Selected work by George Lowe – On display in Burks Gallery. Inspired in part by the work he collects, George Lowe is an impressive artist himself. Burks Gallery presents a solo exhibition of his mixed media drawings. One of Lowe’s drawings was recently added to the collections of the High Museum of Art in Atlanta.

Nov. 21-Dec. 11 – Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior Show. Join us for the exhibition of current work from Florida Southern freshman, sophomore, and junior art majors. These talented students confirm why Florida Southern’s Department of Art and Art History has gained the reputation as one of the strongest in the Southeast. The highly anticipated Florida Art Award from the Maris Ozolins Fund is awarded to a junior each year at this show.

Jan. 9-Feb. 5 – Polk County Art Teachers Exhibition. This exhibition showcases the diverse talents of grade school, middle school and high school art teachers from schools across Polk County. Several teachers exhibiting in this show are graduates of the Art Education program at Florida Southern.

Feb. 13-March 19 – Stan Gregory – Recent Work. Florida Southern College alumnus Stan Gregory has enjoyed a prominent career as a visual artist in New York City, where he currently lives and works. Gregory’s organic abstractions resonate with a sense of control implicit in his process, often based on a grid format. Gregory’s works are included in the collections of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, and the Brooklyn Museum of Art. Stan Gregory will be present at the alumni reception on March 13 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

March 27-April 10 – Senior Studio Show. Each year, several FSC senior art majors go on to top graduate programs. We believe you will be delighted both by the creative freshness and the polish of their work. The John R. Reuter award for the outstanding studio artist will be announced at the opening reception.

April 17-May 2 – Senior Graphic Design Show. Florida Southern’s senior graphic designers bring creativity and professionalism to their work in both print and digital media. The senior graphic design awards will be announced at the opening reception.

May 8-June 3 – Annual Lakeland Art Guild Exhibition. Once again, as it has for more than thirty years, The Melvin Art Gallery is pleased to host the Annual Spring Exhibition of The Lakeland Art Guild. Founded in 1952, the Guild is Lakeland’s oldest community arts organization. Awards will be announced at the opening.