FIRST FRIDAY NEWS A Letter from the Director

Dear Friends,

February brings fun activities and sweet Valentine treats! It is also one of the busiest months at the Bower School of Music & the Arts. This is a prime time for our theater productions, gallery exhibitions, special art events, music concerts and student ensemble performances. There is something for everyone over the course of the next several weeks. The full list of events can be found in our online brochure, and throughout our website.

In addition to a busy season our students are also participating in life changing study abroad programs. At the end of this month FGCU Chamber Choir will travel to Italy to perform outstanding choral repertoire in Rome and Naples. For additional events closer to home, please join us on February 12 between 10:00 and noon for Live on the Lawn where we celebrate Bower School of Music & the Arts on FGCU lawn and feature variety of musical performances, display tables, and presentations by student organizations.

There is much to experience, celebrate and enjoy. I hope you will continue to support our events and experience firsthand what Bower School of Music & the Arts as to offer.

Yours truly, Dr. Krzysztof Biernacki Director, Bower School of Music & the Arts

Student News From the Univeristy Police Department’s Information: “The University Police Department has sponsored a free little library box for our children outside of the Little Eagle’s Learning Center. The box was generously donated by The Breeze Newspapers, and artistically designed by another one of our talented student Artists Farrah Alkhadra (junior, Art). She painted it for our Little Eagles to enjoy! If you are interested in dropping off children’s books or want to bring your kids to pick up a book, feel free stop by and grab a book or two. The books were generously donated by various donors and some from the Little Eagle’s Learning Center. Thank you to the Director, Susan Driscoll for allow us to do this project.”

Lisa Hamman (junior, Music) was recently featured in an article about the hardships and medical issues she has had to overcome throughout her journey toward graduation as

Student News (continued) a Music Education major with a focus in voice. The feature can be found on the FGCU360 website.

Ioannis Georgoulis (junior, Theatre) and Maddie Anderson (junior, Theatre) served as Assistant Lighting Designers for Gulfshore Ballet and Gulfshore Symphony’s production of The Nutcracker in December. They were given this opportunity by Anne Carncross (Theatre) to gain professional experience in lighting at the Barbara B Mann Performing Arts Hall at Florida Southwestern University.

Yonni Georgoulis, Anne Carncross and Maddie Anderson backstage at the BBMPAH

Music Education students Ericka Gabrielli Velez (freshman, Music), Michael Flores-Perez (junior, Music), Anthony Claro (junior, Music), Seth Hall (junior, Music), Samantha Maddox (freshman, Music), Madison Fullarton (senior, Music), Jacob Cowley (senior, Music), Eduardo Ortega (senior, Music), Hailey Hensler (sophomore, Music) and Marissa Ruiz (freshman, Music) recently volunteered at the FGCU Literary Festival. Patricia Gingras said that they “enriched the lives of hundreds of area students with your warmth, energy, and passion for sharing music.”

(left to right) Samantha Maddox (playing guitar), Seth Hall (center) and Marissa Ruiz (playing guitar) at the FGCU Literary Festival

Faculty News As part of an Innovative Assignment Grant, Tom Cimarusti (Music) invited a Boston-based early music ensemble, Newton Baroque, to speak with students about Baroque music performance practice. The ensemble met with a class about rhetoric in music and addressed a larger audience in the U. Tobe recital hall where the answered questions about early music and performed works by two composers that were actively involved in Italian conservatories during the 18th-century: Antonio Vivaldi in Venice, and Nicola Porpora in Naples.

Alumni News (continued) food and fellowship at the recent Florida Music Educators Association (FMEA) State Conference. Their time together was an opportunity to network and reconnect and to share information, stories, network and reconnect with each other.

Jade Gibson (’19, Entrepreneurship with Music minor) is one of the featured students in the 2020 Research Roadshow. There is one more presentation to be held in Sanibel on March 18. More information can be found here.

Newton Baroque

Music Education Coordinator, Patricia Gingras (Music), was a featured clinician at the recent Florida Music Educators Association (FMEA) State Conference. Teachers from across the state of Florida had the opportunity to attend her two interactive sessions and bring new teaching techniques and skills to their own classrooms. In Dr. Gingras’ session Improvisation: It’s Not Just for Jazz Band Anymore, participants engaged in improvisation activities that prompt students’ emerging rhythmic and tonal improvisation skills. Movement is FUNdamental provided elementary music teachers with information about children’s musical movement development and linked specific classroom activities to each skill level.

Chris Clavelli (Theatre) recently directed the Pulitzer Prize winning Lost in Yonkers by Neil Simon. It will run at The Riverside Theatre in Vero Beach, Florida’s largest not-for-profit theatre through March 22.

Brandon Robertson (Music) recently returned from Texas City, TX where he performed in a Celebration of American Music: A Tribute to Black History which was part of a multi-day series of clinics, performances and group sessions. Other musicians included Grammy winner Tony Lindsay, who was the lead singer for Santana for 25 years, and Professor of Jazz Studies at the University of Central Florida Dan Miller, and some time Nisita Concert Series performer on trumpet to name a few. The local Fox affiliate covered their time with the Texas City students which can be seen here.

Alumni News FGCU music education graduates, mentor teachers, faculty and special friends met for an FGCU-sponsored time of

RSVP NOW…

PLEASE BE SURE TO RSVP TO THE 6TH ANNUAL

CHAMPAGNE SIGNATURE CONCERT. RESERVATIONS ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED ONLINE:

fgcu.edu/concerts/champagne.aspx

If you have any questions or comments concerning the First Friday News, or if you have information about the work being done by our alumni, please feel free to contact Joanna Hoch, Events Coordinator, by email at jhoch@fgcu.edu.

February Events January 16-February 13 Experiments: Digital Media Workshop; ArtLab in the west side of the Library building, FGCU; This exhibition is free and open to the public Monday-Friday from 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; Call 239-590-7199 or visit fgcu.edu/artgalleries for more information

January 31-Febraury 27 Presence: Ran Adler; Wasmer Art Gallery, Arts Complex, FGCU; This exhibition is free and open to the public Monday-Friday from 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; Call 239-590-7199 or visit fgcu.edu/artgalleries for more information

Sunday, February 9 @ 3:00 p.m. Jazz Ensemble Concert; U. Tobe Recital Hall, Music Building, FGCU; This concert is free and open to the public

Thursday, February 13 at 5:00 p.m. NEW EVENT! Why Public Art? Why Now? Why You? Gallery Talk with Tom Hall; Wasmer Art Gallery, Arts Complex, FGCU; This event is free and open to the public; More information can be found here

Thursday, February 13 at 7:30 p.m. An Evening of Opera and Musical Theatre Nisita Concert Series; U. Tobe Recital Hall, Music Building, FGCU; Tickets are $10 for the general public and $7 for students and are available at fgcu.edu/concerts

February 14-23 The Importance of Being Earnest; TheatreLab, Arts Complex, FGCU February 14, 15, 21 & 22 at 7:30 p.m. AND February 16, 22 (with discussion to follow) & 23 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $10 for the general public and $7 for students and are available at fgcu.edu/theatrelab

Sunday, February 16 at 3:00 p.m. Symphony Orchestra Concert; U. Tobe Recital Hall, Music Building, FGCU; This concert is free and open to the public

Tuesday, February 18 at 6:00 p.m. NEW EVENT! Celebrating Jazz: Miles Davis, Birth of the Cool Sneak preview of PBS American Masters: Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool with WGCU and Brandon Robertson with the FGCU Jazz Combo; U. Tobe Recital Hall, Music Building, FGCU; This event is free and open to the public, but reservations are required. To RSVP, click here to fill out the form on the WGCU website

Thursday, February 20 at 12:30 p.m. NEW EVENT! Responding to Art Objects: a Creating New Theatre Performance; Wasmer Art Gallery, Arts Complex; This event is free and open to the public

Thursday, February 20 at 7:30 p.m. Composition Concert; U. Tobe Recital Hall, Music Building, FGCU; This concert is free and open to the public

Friday, February 21 at 7:30 p.m. Baumer String Quartet Nisita Concert Series; U. Tobe Recital Hall, Music Building, FGCU; Tickets are $10 for the general public and $7 for students and are available at fgcu.edu/concerts; Please note that this concert is almost sold out

Sunday, February 23 at 4:00 p.m. Chamber & Women’s Chorus Concert; First Presbyterian Church, 250 6th St. S, Naples; This concert is free and open to public

Thursday, February 27 at 5:00 p.m. Juxtaposition: Hevelyn Villar opening reception; ArtLab in the west side of the Library building, FGCU; This event is free and open to the public; Call 239-590-7199 or visit fgcu.edu/artgalleries for more information

Thursday, February 27 at 7:30 p.m. Wind Orchestra Concert; Estero High School, 21900 River Ranch Rd, Estero; This concert is free and open to the public

February 28-March 26 Juxtaposition: Hevelyn Villar exhibition; ArtLab in the west side of the Library building, FGCU; This exhibition is free and open to the public Monday-Friday from 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. and closed during Spring Break (March 1-7); Call 239-590-7199 or visit fgcu.edu/artgalleries for more information

Student Recitals in the U. Tobe Recital Hall, Music Building; All are free and open to the public: February 11 7:30 p.m. Paula Liliana Alva Garcia Jr Vocal Recital February 15 3:00 p.m. Lucas Smith Jr Saxophone & Michael Flores-Perez Jr Bassoon Recital

For up-to-date information about events at the Bower School of Music & the Arts at FGCU, please visit www.fgcu.edu/bsma.