SHSU Update for Week of Jan. 24, 1999

• 'Echoes of the 16th Century II'
• 'Works on Paper'
• Writing Program Events
• Sower Book Released
• Study Skills Help
• Agriculture Scholarships Offered
  

'Echoes of the 16th Century'

On Monday Feb. 1 and Tuesday Feb. 2 at 7:30 p.m., the Sam Houston State University Chorale, under the direction of Brian Miller, will again explore the exceptional acoustics of the museum in a concert of a cappella sacred music of the Renaissance era.

"The enthusiastic response to the Chorale's performance last year is largely responsible for the choir's return to the rotunda and the experimental nature of this concert," said Miller.

Despite the ideal acoustics for the performance of this music, Miller said, the floor plan of the museum does not lend itself to traditional concert performance or audience seating. None of the four rooms is large enough to accommodate the 40-voice choir and a large audience, and there is no direct sight-line between the rooms.

As a result, the audience will be seated in three of the four rooms of the museum. To accommodate each separate audience, the entire choir will move from room to room, encircling the audience while performing, before processing to the next room.

"The audiences that cannot see the choir will be rewarded with a resultant sound that could be likened to sitting in a side chapel of an ancient European church" said Miller. "The acoustic effect of the travelling choir will change each time the choir proceeds to a different room, providing a variety of aural experiences for each audience."

Admission to the concert is $5 for adults, and is free for students, Friends of Music pass-holders, and Friends of the Museum. There will be no advance ticket sales, or reserved seating.

'Works on Paper'

Included will be works in watercolor, pastels, and pen and ink and charcoal drawings. Works range from realistic images to abstracted and non-representational compositions.

"The use of color in this show is vital," said Graham. "Horizontal bands of color create simplified landscapes. Black and white charcoal drawings contrast against the color oriented pieces emphasizing form and tonality."

Graham, who is working on his bachelor's of fine art degree in studio art, will be available at the opening reception to discuss his work and answer questions.

Writing Program Events

On Wednesday (Jan. 27) Teri Lesesne, associate professor of library science, and Diane Dowdey, associate professor of English, will present a program entitled "Revisiting Revision." It is scheduled for 2-3:30 p.m. in room 312 of the Lowman Student Center.

On Feb. 25 Spencer Kagan, an internationally-respected specialist in the area of cooperative learning, will be on campus for a one-day workshop in the Lowman Student Center Ballroom, with sessions from 8 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m. His topic is "Writing Across the Curriculum Through Cooperative Learning."

Kagan is the author of "Cooperative Learning" and over 80 scientific books, chapters and journal articles. He has developed dozens of cooperative learning strategies which are used worldwide, and is known for his lively, witty presentations.

Patricia Williams, director of the SHSU Across-the-University Writing Program, asks that anyone planning to attend either program send a reservation form to her office or call 409-294-1143.

Sower Book Released

Sower is a specialist in quality control. The book is entitled "An Introduction to Quality Management and Engineering," and is designed for use by practitioners in the quality management field as well as for use as a college text.

Sower, who has been a member of the SHSU faculty since 1990, was presented the university's Excellence in Teaching Award in 1996. An earlier book, entitled "Classic Readings in Operations Management," was published in 1995.

Study Skills Help

Six sessions will be offered beginning Feb. 1, with the final sessions concluding the week of March 8. Reservations can be made by calling the Counseling Center at 409-294-1720.

Sessions will be held Mondays from 2:30 - 4 p.m., Tuesdays from 3 - 4:30 p.m., Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. to noon, and Thursdays from 9:30 to 11 a.m.

Also during this six week period on Mondays from 9-10 a.m. and Tuesdays from 10 -11 a.m., "walk-in" sessions, requiring no reservations, will be offered covering all six of the topics.

Agriculture Scholarships Offered

They are now accepting applications for scholarships to be awarded for the 1999-2000 academic year. The Department awards over $40,000 in scholarships annually, ranging in amount from $500 to $1500 per semester.

Anyone needing more information about Sam Houston State University, the Department of Agricultural Sciences, or career opportunities available in agriculture, is invited to contact the department at 409-294-1224 or 409-294-1225.

A scholarship application form may be obtained by calling those numbers; writing the Department of Agricultural Sciences, Box 2088, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX 77341-2088; faxing questions to 409-294-1232; or e-mailing them to agr_ral@shsu.edu.

The application form may also be downloaded from the department's Web page. Deadline for applications is Feb. 20.

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Media Contact: Frank Krystyniak
Jan. 24, 1999
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