The Sonoma State University Symphonic Wind Ensemble performs its seasonal Holiday Pop Concert at 8 p.m. on Dec. 2 and at 4 p.m. on Dec. 3 in Ives 119.
For the first year, the ensemble performs with a special guest, Johnathan Poretz from the Las Vegas Rat Pack Revue, who joins the band with his swinging vocal stylings of Frank Sinatra favorites. Besides the music of Poretz, the holiday affair also features the sounds of Victor Herbert, Leroy Anderson and Vincent Persichetti.
Brian S. Wilson, who is in his sixth year providing guidance to the talented group, directs the ensemble.
Tickets are $10 for general admission; $8 for faculty, alumni, and staff; and $6 for students. Tickets may be purchased at the Center for Performing Arts Box Office from noon to 4 p.m.
For more information contact the Center for Performing Arts Box Office, (707) 664-2353.
The Sonoma State University Music Department hosts a series of free shows and concerts in December performed by highly acclaimed SSU students and faculty.
Will Johnson directs the Student Composers Concert at noon on Dec. 7 in Ives 119. Students present a semester's worth of work in "Ars Nova" and young composers probe uncharted realms in this concert of new pieces.
Mel Graves directs the University Jazz Ensemble Euro Explorers II at 7 p.m. on Dec. 7 in Warren Auditorium. The ensemble performs a concert of post bebop jazz standards and presents new work.
The Piano Repertory Ensemble performs under the guidance of Marilyn Thompson at 8 p.m. on Dec. 8 in Ives 119. The ensemble features "Pour le Piano," an evening of solo and duo piano work.
Studio voice students perform "La Voce Gloriosa" (The Glorious Voice) at 2 p.m. on Dec. 8 and 13 in Ives 119. The concerts feature performances of songs and arias of every style, from Baroque to contemporary. The students perform under the guidance of Lynne Morrow, Karen Clark, Susan Witt-Buttler and Christopher Fritzche.
The Chamber Music Ensemble, directed by Brian Wilson and Marilyn Thompson, performs "Chamber Eloquence" at 8 p.m. on Dec. 9 in Ives 119. Music for various combinations of piano, winds, strings, and percussion are featured.
All shows are free to the general public. For more information, contact the Center for Performing Arts, (707) 664-2791.
Nationally syndicated columnist, author and activist, Norman Solomon discusses "Media and the Politics of War" at 10 a.m. on Dec. 5 in the Evert B. Person Theater. His appearance is part of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute's Holiday Lecture Series and is free to the general public.
Solomon's latest book, "War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death," was published in 2005.
The Los Angeles Times called the book "brutally persuasive" and "a must-read for those who would like greater context with their bitter morning coffee, or to arm themselves for the debates about Iraq that are still to come."
Solomon is the founder and executive director of the Institute for Public Accuracy, a national consortium of policy researchers and analysts.
A collection of Solomon's columns won the George Orwell Award for Distinguished Contribution to Honesty and Clarity in Public Language. The award, presented by the National Council of Teachers of English, honored Solomon's book "The Habits of Highly Deceptive Media."
Solomon is a longtime associate of the media watch group FAIR (Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting). He is also senior advisor to the National Radio Project, which produces the weekly public-affairs program "Making Contact," heard on 160 noncommercial radio stations in North America.
For more information, phone Barbara Brooks, (707) 664-2691.
An agreement was recently signed by officials from California State University, Long Beach and Sonoma State University to bring CSU Long Beach's Master's in Social Work program to the SSU campus. Set to begin in Fall, 2007, the MSW program was mounted in response to the urgent needs of local and regional agencies for staff with higher degrees in social work.
Dr. Elaine Leeder, Dean of Social Sciences at SSU, herself an MSW, felt strongly that this was an important and needed service we should help provide. The signing is the culmination of a year-long effort by representatives of the two universities, including Dr. Leeder, Dr. Les Adler from the School of Extended Education, and Dr. John Oliver, Director of the Department of Social Work at CSULB.
SSU will provide the host site for the program, including providing instructional Television facilities, while CSULB will provide the academic content and all academic and advising services.
For admissions information contact Admissions Coordinator Candace Smith on the Long Beach campus at cmsmith@csulb.edu.
A team of delegates from Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education, Korea, along with the Education Director from the Consulate of the Republic of Korea in San Francisco, visited the Sonoma State University campus in early November with the intent of exploring a future partnership with SSU.
The represententives from Korea expressed their interest in sending Korean elementary school teachers for additional training to SSU and having SSU students and graduates to Gyeonggi Province to work in primary and secondary schools co-teaching in English classes with Korean teachers. Prior to being sent, the students and graduates would receive specific training in working with Korean students and teachers.
The group was welcomed by SSU President, Ruben Arminana and met with Mary Gendernalik-Cooper, Dean of the School of Education, Les Adler, Dean of the School of Extended Education, Helen Kallenbach, Sonoma State American Language Institute, Professor Hee-Won Kang and other faculty members from the School of Education.
The Korean delegates attending the meeting at SSU included:
-Mr. Ik-Jung Hwang, Head of Supervisors, International Affair Team, GPOE (Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education)
-Mr. Jong-Tae Kim, Supervisor, International Affair Team, GPOE
-Mr. Geong-Gi Park, Supervisor, International Affair Team, GPOE
-Dr. Seung-Um Choe, Professor Seoul National University, visiting Scholar, U.C. Berkeley
-Ms. Hee-Bang Noh, Education Director, Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in San Francisco
Associated Students Productions hosts "Why Everybody Loves The Simpsons" with Simpson's director David Silverman at 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 1 in the Cooperage. Just why the animated comedy has been part of America's cultural lexicon for the past 17 years will be the topic of discussion. Silverman shares his insider's look at America's favorite dysfunctional family and provide a fascinating, behind-the-scenes look at one of the most creative and technology driven areas of filmmaking. The event is free to SSU students, staff and faculty. General admission is $10.
The not-so-typical nuclear family became national icons over a decade ago, but the show's comparatively geriatric status in the sit-com world has not dulled the biting wit and timely social commentary of "The Simpsons." Now in its 18th season, the series has shaped the humor of a generation and forged new territory in the animation universe that has been embraced by animators worldwide. The phenomenon shows no signs of slowing down as it prepares for the first ever Simpsons feature film in June of 2007.
Director David Silverman has been able to call Bart, Lisa, Homer, Marge and Lisa family since 1987 when he began drawing the five for one minute shorts featured on the Tracey Ullman Show. Though he briefly left the show to direct Monsters, Inc. and The Road to El Dorado, Silverman has been an integral part of "The Simpsons" since its inception.
More information about "The Simpsons" is available on the official website at www.thesimpsons.com.
For more information about this and other ASP events, phone (707) 664-2382.
"THE DISTINCTIVE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF EASTERN EUROPEAN JEWRY" - Lecture by Myrna Goodman, Professor of Sociology. Social Science Brown Bag Lecture Series. Noon, Tuesday, Dec. 5, Stevenson 2011, (707) 664-2112.
"MAKING PEACE IN A POST-9/11 WORLD" - Lecture by Jason Mark of Sonoma State University. War and Peace lecture series. 4 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 5. Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-2146.
THE KAUFFMAN-HARARY CONJECTURE FOR TURK'S HEAD BRAIDS - Lecture by Nick Dowdall about the Kauffman-Harary Conjecture,an open conjecture in knot theory concerning "Colorability Of Alternating Knots." Math Colloquium. 4-5 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 6, Darwin 103, (707) 664-3324.
"EMERGING REMOTE SENSING TECHNOLOGY FOR ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS" - Lecture by Dr. Matthew Clark, Professor of Geology. Biology Colloquium. Noon-1 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 7. Darwin 103. (707) 664-2189.
THE EDUCATION OF SHELBY KNOX - Shelby Knox, of Lubbock, TX, is a devout Christian who makes a vow to remain celibate until marriage, but becomes an unlikely advocate for comprehensive-sex education, in a town where abstinence-only sex education is highly praised. Women and Gender Studies lecture series. 4 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 5., Darwin 29. (707) 664-2306.
THE SIMPSONS (IN GERMAN) AND DER STRUWWELPETER - Viewing of the popular television show the Simpsons and viewing of a popular children's tale in German. German Film Series. Admission free. Films shown with English subtitles. 7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 6, Erin Fisher Room second floor of Student Union. Michaela Grobbel, Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, (707) 664-2637.
ON LINE: CONTEMPORARY DRAWING - Features the work of nineteen artists from throughout the United States and beyond who have made drawing a primary means of expression. Most of the artists in On Line are just beginning to build solid reputations in the art world and may be unfamiliar to Bay Area audiences. The exhibit runs from Nov. 2-Dec. 10. Tuesday-Friday 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, Noon-4 p.m., University Art Gallery, (707) 664-2295.
KALEIDOSCOPE - International Art Students' Work from Bay Area Sights Curated by SSU Students. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday - Friday, Noon - 5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays, Library Art Gallery, (707) 664-4240.
THE COSMIC LANDSCAPE: STRING THEORY AND THE ILLUSION OF INTELLIGENT DESIGN - Dr. Leonard Susskind of Stanford University discusses the question, "Why does the world appear to be so well-designed for our own existence?" "What Physicists Do" lecture series. 4 p.m., Monday, Nov. 27, Darwin 103. (707) 664-2119.
RUTH SANTEE - A display of her quirky comix and cartoons can be seen in print, on her micro-drawn sculptures, in an alternative book mobile. Her work has been exhibited in street, museum, non-profit and gallery venues throughout the US and Canada Visiting Artists Lecture Series. Noon-1 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 28, Art 108. (707) 664-2364.
"WAR AND RELIGION" - Lecture by Rashmi Singh, professor in the American Multicultural Studies department. War and Peace lecture series. 4 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 28. Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-2146.
BUILDING MEDIA DEMOCRACY AT THE GRASSROOTS: IMPACTS OF BLOGS AND INDEPENDENT MEDIA - Lecture by Peter Phillips, Director of Project Censored. Social Science Brown Bag Lecture Series. Noon, Tuesday, Nov. 28, Stevenson 2011, (707) 664-2112.
WHAT'S CRITICAL ABOUT CRITICAL THEORY: THE PROBLEM OF ALIENATION -Lecture by Ada Jaarsma, Assistant Professor in the Philosophy department, and Ben Frymer, Assistant Professor in the Sociology department. Arts and Humanities Forum. Noon, Wednesday, Nov. 29, Schulz 3001, (707) 664-2146.
"LIFE ON THE EDGE: THREE DECADES OF DISCOVERY AT HYDROTHERMAL VENTS" - Imagine what kinds of organisms not only tolerate, but thrive living under extreme pressures, next to a vent spewing hot noxious chemicals. Lecture by Dr. Peter Girguis, assistant professor in the Organismal and Evolutionary Biology department at Harvard. 7 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 29. Evert B. Person Theater, 707-664-2692.
"WHAT'S CRITICAL ABOUT CRITICAL THEORY: THE PROBLEM OF ALIENATION" - Lecture by Ada Jaarsma, Assistant Professor in the Philosophy department and Ben Frymer, Assistant Professor in the Hutchins School of Liberal Studies. Arts and Humanities Forum. Noon, Wednesday, Nov. 29, Schulz 3001, (707) 664-2146.
MATHEMATICAL MODELS FOR MUSICAL SOUND - Rick Kavinoky of the Santa Rosa Junior College discusses how the wave equation (a differential equation) in one and two dimensions determines the modes of vibration of musical instruments. Math Colloquium. 4-5 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 29, Darwin 103, (707) 664-3324.
BIOLOGY COLLOQUIUM - Lecture by Dr. Peter Guirgus on deep sea life around hydro-thermal vents. Biology Colloquium. Noon-1 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 30. Darwin 103. (707) 664-2189.
STUDENT RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS - Student presentations on individual projects and research within the Computer Science department. Contact Dr. Stauffer (lynn.stauffer@sonoma.edu) for specific presentation information. Computer Science Colloquium. Noon, Thursday, Nov. 30, Darwin 102. (707) 664-2667.
COMME UNE IMAGE \ LIKE AN IMAGE - A French girl gifted with a great voice,has a complex about her weight and her appearance. French Film lecture series. 7 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 29, Nichols 173. (707) 664-3159.
BELLS ARE RINGING - Ella Peterson is a Brooklyn telephone answering service operator who tries to improve the lives of her clients by passing along bits of information she hears from other clients. Sonoma Film Institute. 7 p.m., Friday, Dec. 1. Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-2606.
ON LINE: CONTEMPORARY DRAWING - Features the work of nineteen artists from throughout the United States and beyond who have made drawing a primary means of expression. Most of the artists in On Line are just beginning to build solid reputations in the art world and may be unfamiliar to Bay Area audiences. The exhibit runs from Nov. 2-Dec. 10. Tuesday-Friday 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, Noon-4 p.m., University Art Gallery, (707) 664-2295.
KALEIDOSCOPE - International Art Students' Work from Bay Area Sights Curated by SSU Students. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday - Friday, Noon - 5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays, Library Art Gallery, (707) 664-4240.
The Sonoma State University Scholarship Program is currently accepting applications for the 2007-2008 academic year. Eligible candidates must have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA and be enrolled full time in Fall 2007. Due to the nature of our program, students with a 3.5 GPA and higher are most competitive. This blanket application covers over 200 different awards for current and potential SSU students ranging in amount from $250 to $3000. The due date is January 15, 2007 and students do not need to be admitted to apply. Please visit www.sonoma.edu/scholarship for application materials and more scholarship information or phone Laurie Ogg, Scholarship Coordinator, (707) 664-2261.
SSU Chemistry Professor Carmen Works is featured in a History Channel episode of "Man, Moment, and Machine" at 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 21. Works shows host Hunter Ellis how hydrogen gas is made from iron and sulfuric acid for an episode on Abraham Lincoln and a Civil War spy balloon.
On May 31, 1862, Lincoln is pressing for a swift end to the Civil War. As his army bears down on the confederate capitol of Richmond, Virginia, Lincoln has a radical new machine above the battle--a hydrogen-filled spy balloon, equipped with a telegraph that can instantly report on enemy troop movements.
As the Union army comes under intense rebel fire, commanders on the ground use the information from the reconnaissance balloon to turn the tide against the Confederates.
Each one-hour episode in the series explores stories of human drama and incredible invention - the history-making intersections of new technologies and the individuals who developed or applied them at a pivotal moment to create a milestone events.
For further information, visit Man, Moment and Machine.
ABOVE is Professor Works with Man, Moment and Machine host Hunter Ellis.
An expert panel looks at arts coverage in Sonoma County and beyond on Tuesday, Nov. 14 at the Commons on the Sonoma State campus from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Participants will have an opportunity to meet the panelists immediately following the discussion
Whether it's critical reviews of exhibitions, features about artists or arts institutions, or simply calendar listings of programs and events, the media-daily newspapers, weekly and monthly publications, radio and television-play a crucial role in the development and ongoing health of an arts community
Kenneth Baker, art critic of the San Francisco Chronicle, Gretchen Giles, editor of the North Bay Bohemian, and Pattrick Flaherty, series producer of SPARK will discuss "The Media's Role in a Healthy Arts Community" with moderator Michael Schwager, the Director of the University Art Gallery at SSU.
The Art & Conversation Discussion series is collaboration between Community Foundation Sonoma County and the University Art Gallery at SSU and is funded by The James Irvine Foundation Communities Advancing the Arts initiative. It intended to bring together various constituents with the Sonoma County visual arts community: artists, collectors, curators, and critics, creating opportunities to learn from one another and share valuable information, thereby encouraging a more visible and vibrant environment for art of this region.
For more information contact Carla Stone, (707) 664-2295.
Sonoma State University is embracing international heritages and cultures through their International Education Week in which students, faculty, staff, and the community is welcome to take part in activities and programs throughout the campus from November 13-17.
The goal of this week is to promote international education, cultural diversity, and global understanding on our campus. The events provide students, faculty, and staff with many opportunities to broaden their awareness of international students studying here and of the possibility of studying abroad for our California students.
International Food Sale
Nov. 13 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Stevenson and Darwin Quad
International Fair
Nov. 14 and 16 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Salazar Plaza
Clubs and on campus organizations will be readily available with promotional materials and will discuss their cause.
"The Value of an Academic Year Abroad"
Nov. 14 from noon to 1 p.m. in the Main Quad
Dana Roson, the Campus Liason from the CSU International Programs will give a presentation with International Music and a Live DJ.
Ethnic Performances and Activities
Nov. 15 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Stevenson/Darwin Quad.
"My Experiences Abroad"
Nov. 15 from 2 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. in the Stevenson/Darwin Quad
Dr. Elaine Leeder, Dean of the School of Social Sciences discusses her experiences teaching abroad.
International Music from noon to 1 p.m., in the Main Quad.
Afro-Hispanic creole languages
Nov. 16 from noon to 12:50 p.m. in Schulz 3001
Lecture by Professor Jorge Porras
"My Culture" Panel Discussion by Int'l Students
Nov. 16 from 5 to 7 p.m. in Salazar 2014
A presentation and discussion with international students from SSU.
International Movies
Nov. 17 from 5 to 9 p.m. in Schulz 2015B
Films surrounding global understanding will be shown.
For more information regarding International Education week, phone Jan Beaujlyn, Director of International Services, at (707) 664-2582.
Imagine what kinds of organisms not only tolerate, but thrive living under extreme pressures, next to a vent spewing hot noxious chemicals.
Find out about this strange reality as deep ocean explorer and biologist Peter Girguis presents a free public lecture about "Life on the Edge: Three Decades of Discovery at Hydrothermal Vents" at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 29 in the Evert B. Person Theater.
The density of animals at hydrothermal vents rivals every known terrestrial ecosystem, and the organisms there may be the fastest growing on Earth, all without a single ray of sunshine. No other ecosystem is comparable.
Scientists hypothesize that deep-ocean hydrothermal vents will help unlock the mysteries of life on our planet, and may help us consider where life may flourish in other parts of the universe. From mantle to microbe...exploring the links between planetary renewal and life in the deep ocean.
Girguis' research focuses on deep-sea marine microbial physiology, in particular how microbes mediate carbon and nitrogen cycling at hydrothermal vents and hydrocarbon seeps. He is also involved in developing new deep-sea sensor technologies such as underwater mass spectrometers.
"We know so very little about the deep ocean - it's one of the least explored habitats on our own planet," says marine biology professor Karina Nielsen, one of the organizers of the event. "We only discovered these unique life forms in the mid-1970's so there is alot to learn and see in this presentation."
Girguis is an assistant professor in the Organismal and Evolutionary Biology department at Harvard. He received his B.Sc. from the University of California at Los Angeles and his Ph.D. from the University of California at Santa Barbara.
He was awarded a postdoctoral research fellowship at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, where he studied microbial methane metabolism and was expedition leader on numerous dives in the DSV Alvin in the Monterey canyon and the Juan deFuca Ridge.
Photos and videos of his research can be found on the Web at www.oeb.harvard.edu/faculty/girguis/.
The lecture, sponsored by SSU's biology and geology departments, is part of the Distinguished Lecturer Series of Ridge 2000, a multidisciplinary program that integrates geosciences and biosciences, sponsored by the National Science Foundation.
For more information, phone Biology Professor Karina Nielsen, (707) 664-2962.
Immigrant rights and the Minuteman Project is the subject of a presentation by activists Karina Garcia and Davin Cardenas at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 17 in Stevenson 2001. A $5 donation at the door is recommended; admission is free to students. The event is sponsored by Project Censored and Students for Media Democracy.
Karina Garcia is the Political Chair of the Chicano Caucus at Columbia University. She was a lead student organizer for the protests against the anti-immigrant Minuteman Project at Columbia University earlier this year. She has become a youth leader in the progressive movement for immigrant rights.
At Columbia University, Garcia has organized student walkouts and teach-ins advocating for full rights for all immigrants. She will be speaking to build awareness of the Minutemen and a movement to fight its activities.
Davin Cardenas has worked for many years to organize day labor in Sonoma County and will be speaking about national day labor issues and the current immigration politics in the United States and local impacts in Sonoma County
For further information phone (707) 664-2500 or visit www.projectcensored.org.
Students of the Sonoma State University School of Business and Economics are offering small-business consultation for North Bay firms in the spring of 2007.
Applications for the program must be received by Jan. 8.
Under the guidance of SSU faculty, business students meet with small-business owners in the North Bay to develop a scope of work and confer with proprietors on a weekly basis. Students participate in intensive real-life studies of active businesses, and take dynamic roles in shaping the future of an enterprise.
The program is open to four to six small businesses. To participate, business owners are asked to donate a $500 voluntary participation fee. These funds go towards student scholarships for the Entrepreneurial Excellence Course 4.0 scheduled for January 2007.
At the conclusion of the spring semester, the student consultants present a final analysis, including findings and proposals for future operations. These include performance audits, strategic and financial planning, market research, financial forecasting, personnel policies, and customer acquisition and retention programs.
SSU's student business consultation earned the "Small Business Consulting Case of the Year" award from the Small Business Institute Director's Association in 1996, 1998 and 2004.
Businesses that have employed this service this past year included Feed This Pet Foods, Kim Manley Herbals, the SSU Costume Shop, Rohnert Park Gymnastics, Montessori Services and The Housing Company. Other companies that have also employed SSU's business consultation services include Copperfield's Books, Mrs. Grossman's Paper Products and Oliver's Markets.
For more information, contact Armand Gilinsky, (707) 664-2709, or e-mail armand.gilinsky@sonoma.edu.
EXPLORING AND MANIPULATING NANOSTRUCTURES AT THE SINGLE MOLECULE LEVEL - Dr. Michael Crommie of the University of California at Berkeley discusses recent progress in investigating the electronic, magnetic, and mechanical properties of molecular structures using scanning tunneling microscopy. "What Physicists Do" lecture series. 4 p.m., Monday, Nov. 20, Darwin 103. (707) 664-2119.
WOMEN SERVING WOMEN: DOULAS HELPING TEEN MOTHERS - Danielle Moreno, a childbirth educator. speaks on the subject of doulas and how they offer teen mothers a helping hand through pregnancy and childbirth. The documentary, "A Doula Story," will be shown. Women and Gender Studies lecture series. 4 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 21, Darwin 29. (707) 664-2306.
CAREERS IN THE AUTISM FIELD - John McCue and David Katayama discuss career opportunities at North Bay Regional Center, Becoming Independent, community agencies, and other programs. They explain the personal qualities and skills needed to work with individuals with autism. Collaborative Autism Training and Support Program. 10-11:30 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 21, Student Union Multipurpose Room, (707) 664-2402.
WAR AND PEACE -- Tim Wandling discusses "War and Peace in the Arts." War and Peace lecture series. 4 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 2. Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-2146.
THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY - The Sonoma State University campus is closed from Nov. 22-24. Classes resume on Nov. 27.
SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS - J.J. Hunsecker, the most powerful newspaper columnist in New York, is determined to prevent his sister from marrying Steve Dallas, a jazz musician. Sonoma Film Institute. 4 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 19. Warren Auditorium, (707) 664-2606.
KALEIDOSCOPE - International Art Students' Work from Bay Area Sights Curated by SSU Students. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday - Friday, Noon - 5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays, Library Art Gallery, (707) 664-4240.
ON LINE: CONTEMPORARY DRAWING - Features the work of nineteen artists from throughout the United States and beyond who have made drawing a primary means of expression. Most of the artists in On Line are just beginning to build soli reputations in the art world and may be unfamiliar to Bay Area audiences. The exhibit runs from Nov. 2-Dec. 10. Tuesday-Friday 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, Noon-4 p.m., University Art Gallery, (707) 664-2295.
"Every Man Jack," a theatrical exploration of Sonoma's most famous historical figure and literary icon, Jack London, will be performed at the Evert B. Person Theatre at Sonoma State University on November 11, 12, 15, 18 and 19.
The provocative, newly commissioned opera is inspired by London's groundbreaking biographical work, "John Barleycorn." It tells the compelling story, through a Vaudeville-like format, of the adventurer, writer, and ultimately flawed genius's lifelong struggle with alcohol.
Written by Grammy award-winning composer Libby Larsen and celebrated librettist Philip Littell, "Every Man Jack" premieres as part of the Green Music Festival at SSU in what promises to be a musical event of national significance.
"Jack London is perhaps the outstanding cultural icon of Northern California, a quintessentially American figure -- young, dashing, brave, heroic -- who remains to this day the most widely translated writer that America has produced," noted Hillary Costin, president of the Sonoma City Opera's Board of Directors. "But we rarely focus on the fact that alcohol was an ever-present factor in his relationships, his travels, and his work."
The commissioning of "Every Man Jack" is testimony to the growing status of the Sonoma City Opera. Artistic director and producer, Antoinette Kuhry, whose vision of an opera that would showcase Sonoma's most intriguing and complex literary artist, has been able to assemble a wonderful group of outstanding artists to create and perform the piece.
Composer Libby Larsen is one of America's most prolific and most performed living composers, with more than 200 works spanning nearly every musical genre to her credit.
Librettist Philip Littell has provided texts for a roll call of notable American composers, including Andre Previn (A Streetcar Named Desire) and Conrad Susa (The Dangerous Liaisons).
Internationally esteemed baritone Rod Gilfry, is cast as Jack London. He is joined by an acclaimed group of singers, working in the national and international music/opera world: Jennifer Lane, John Duykers, Susan Narucki, Ilana Davidson and Brad Bradshaw.
Mary Chun, talented conductor of San Francisco's new music ensemble, Earplay, is the musical director. Stage director Joseph Graves, currently the artistic director of the Beijing Institute of World Theatre and Film, rounds out this esteemed assemblage of exceptional talent.
Tickets to "Every Man Jack" may be purchased by visiting Sonoma City Opera online at www.sonomacityopera.org or by phone 877-778-3378.
SSU Dedicates Two Weeks to the Study of Homelessness and Hunger Starting Nov. 6 and running through Nov. 18, Sonoma State University's SOUP (Serving Our Unfed People) program will be sponsoring programs aimed at hunger and homelessness awareness.
During these two weeks, events will be held to educate the SSU community about some of the issues surrounding hunger and homelessness Students, staff and faculty will be given the opportunity to find out how they can make a difference in the lives of those without basic needs and provisions.
A series of events throughout November will educate participants about the current state of homelessness and hunger in America and what they can do to remedy the situation.
Campus Wide Canned Food Drive
Nov. 7-17 at the Bookstore, JUMP Office, Zinfandel Market, Commons, Ameci's and Charlie Brown's Cafe
Please drop any non-perishable foods at various locations throughout campus
Faces of Homelessness Panel
Nov. 7 from 7-8 p.m. in the Cooperage
Panel of people who are or have been homeless speak about their
experience with homelessness.
Homelessness in San Francisco Lecture
Nov. 8 from 7-8 p.m. in the Student Union Multi-Purpose Room
Speaker from Project Homeless will speak about the background of the program, what's being done in the city and what students can do.
*Family Support Center Special Dinner
Nov. 13 from 3 p.m. or 4:15 p.m. to 6 p.m., Meet at Flagpole
Cook and serve food for people at the FSC. Sign up by contacting the JUMP
office.
*Awareness Dinner
Nov. 15, from 6-8 p.m. in the Commons
*Participants must sign up at the JUMP office.
Students will be engaged in an educational, eye-opening simulation of global hunger to raise awareness regarding local and global hunger.
*A Night Without a Home
Nov. 17, from 6 p.m. to 10 a.m. in front of Stevenson Quad
Experience the impact of homelessness firsthand as we spend a night without a home.
* Participants must sign up by contacting the JUMP Office in the Student Union.
For more information on these programs, call the JUMP volunteer service
office at (707) 664-4277.
All events are listed online.
