Woman in Music

Music professor gives lecture on gender bias
By Ford Rasmussen

A professor at the Cain College of the Arts gave a lecture today on her career in music and the challenges she had to overcome, saying she almost dropped out of college during her postgraduate studies.

Sara Bakker, who has a doctorate in music theory, said there are multiple “barriers” for women to pass to succeed in education. The first step is applying for college, but “the biggest hurdle of them all is the Ph.D. level,” Bakker said.

After becoming a wife and a mother, Bakker found it difficult to continue her education but said she knew it was important.

“I felt like the kinds of contributions that I could make to society would be different if I completed this degree and went through with it, even if I didn’t think I wanted to at the time,” she said.

After graduation “job applications were one area where I really felt gender made a big difference in my life,” Bakker said.

Bakker and her husband, who is also a music theorist, applied for the same jobs in the same areas but he “always got more bites in the job market than I did,” she said.

“We don’t really ever know if we are experiencing gender bias,” Bakker said. “The best thing we can do is to become aware of it.”

Jenny Thompson who is the vice president of Tau Beta Sigma was the organizer of this "Woman in Music" lecture, a series, she said, is carried out all across the country. Gender discrimination is “kind of uncomfortable” so people don’t want to talk about it, but "it should be talked about,” Thompson said.

“I think this is everywhere. I think all people experience this. It’s not just a gender thing,” she said.

Alumnus Performs

Utah State University alumnus performs
By Ford Rasmussen

A Utah State University alumnus returned to Utah yesterday to perform with the college’s guitar ensembles at the Caine Performance Hall.

Pat Boyack, a guitarist who currently lives in Dallas, Texas, was invited back to his alma mater by Corey Christiansen, the director of guitar studies. Christiansen said this is the first time since he’s been at the college that they’ve brought back an alumnus.

Boyack hadn’t visited his alma mater for 20 years and said it means a lot to him to be back playing for his people.

“I feel like I’m giving back,” Boyack said. “And helping out the kids that are here, and letting them know that you can go out and do what you want to do.”

He said it’s difficult to make a living in the art business, but “it’s not something that’s impossible.”

“You don’t have to become a famous superstar to play music, be happy and make a decent living at it,” Boyack said. “You just need to want to do it, love it and work at it.”

New Art Senator

New college senator praises diversity
By Ford Rasmussen

The new Caine College of the Arts senator, Sierra Wise, said she aims to assemble an art council that represents a “wide demographic” within the college.

Wise said she is helping to assemble an art council for next year and recognizes the many students with diverse backgrounds and experiences attending the college.

“As senator, I believe diversity is one of our greatest strengths,” Wise said.

Wise is a visual arts major and is well networked in the various disciplines of the college. She said it is important for her to find representation for all the students she serves.

“I have been blown away by the incredible support I have felt both from the student body as well as the faculty and staff at USU,” Wise said.

Adrienne Larson, the Director of Stewardship & Alumni Engagement, has been in meetings with Wise and said she has had a good impression of the new senator. During the meetings “she was really on the ball,” Larson said.

Wise said she has seen many incredible individuals apply for the art council so it will be difficult to narrow down the candidates.

“I feel we are well on our way to a successful year,” she said.

Final show, big project

More than a year of creative work comes together
By Ford Rasmussen

The collective preparation of students and faculty at the Caine College of the Arts wrap up with the launch of the school’s final theater production.

The musical “Big Fish” is composed of a cast of 20, including both theater and opera students, six music students and a two-page list of behind the scene workers.

Show preparations began a year and a half ago, said director Jason Spelbring. Spelbring and the show's designers were mindful of getting the ball rolling for designs and materials in advance, he said.

This production required “probably over 60 or 70 costumes,” Spelbring said. Many of the cast members play multiple roles requiring quick costume changes during the production.

The props master, Robin Perry, said the college has a pretty big stock of costumes, but most of the main character's costumes were built from scratch.

Ally Thieme is a graduate student who has been working on the costumes.

“It’s been fun, but really hectic,” Thieme said. “One character can come off stage and they have to go back on as another character within 30 seconds.” The actors must be able to change their costumes really fast, she said and rigging the costumes so that can happen took a lot of time.

Thieme is one of the students who will be backstage helping the actors make the quick costume changes. Because of that, she won’t be able to see the final show, but she’s excited to see what response it receives.

“It’s always fun to see the reactions of people who haven’t seen the costumes being worked on, or haven’t seen the set before,” she said.

Spelbring said the time available allowed them to put more into the detail of the production, so “visually, it will be beautiful.”

“It was a big show,” he said. “And it took a lot to get it up and running, but that’s what big shows do.”

The show which opens today will run until April 22. Tickets can be purchased online or at the Caine College of the Arts Box Office. Students with a valid ID can see the show for free.

Year of the Arts target community

Plans for Utah State University’s year of the arts to engage the community
By Ford Rasmussen

The staff at the Caine College of the Arts plan to draw community support to Utah State University’s upcoming theme, the Year of the Arts.

“We want it to be a whole Cache Valley thing,” said Adrienne Larson, from the dean’s office at the college. Larson said the theme will be implemented at college extensions and local schools too.

The kickoff of USU’s Year of the Arts will start officially in June with a celebration that will coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Lyric Repertory Company.

“That will be kind of a fun thing we’ll get going,” said Whitney Schulte, the Caine College of the Arts marketing director.

Schulte said they will run contests, give away event tickets and have donor events to get the public involved in the arts.

For some students, music and arts don’t only provide personal outlets but serve as colorful palettes for job opportunities. Entities like the Corporation for Public Broadcasting are available because of government funding for the arts and humanities.

President Trump’s proposed budget to eliminate funding to CPB and other entities come as a sting for young adults who grew up with not only the physical nourishment from milk but mental nourishment from public broadcasting programs.

The school’s theme was discussed before President Trump announced his budget plan to eliminate government funding to the arts and humanities, but Schulte said it might help get people more involved and excited about the arts.

“I certainly think it couldn’t have hit at a better time,” she said.

'Beautiful' interior design

Professional designer impressed by student’s work
By Ford Rasmussen

Interior design work that was produced by students at Utah State University was praised by a visiting professional designer during a campus lecture today.

“They all had beautiful projects,” said interior designer Caleb Anderson. "Literally, every single one I found impressive."

There are about 20 juniors in the interior design program who worked with Anderson this semester. Anderson, who works in New York City, gave the juniors a project via Skype back in January and challenged each of them to design a room that he too was personally working on.

Anderson visited the Caine College of the Arts this week and saw the student’s final projects. In a presentation at 4:00 p.m. today Anderson lauded them for their work.

"They obviously worked really hard,” Anderson said. “I think they're on the right track.”

Marion Gilson is a student who is just starting the interior design program. She said the student's work is "amazing.” She said that it is a very difficult program and the students put in a lot of time.

“We pay for it because we don’t have a social life or a good sleep pattern,” Gilson said.

Nicole Lyman is one of the juniors who worked on Anderson’s project. She said that having a professional designer come in and review their work was the highlight of the project.

“It pushed us to work hard,” she said.

At the end of the lecture, Anderson encouraged the students to learn as much as they can and get real world experience.

“But whatever you’re pursuing, it’s important to have passion,” Anderson said.

Faculty Author

Art professor introduces new book
By Ford Rasmussen

The Utah State University department head of art & design introduced her new book today at 3:30 p.m. in the library.

“It’s really exciting to talk about my work,” said the department head Laura Gelfand. “I feel like I don’t get to a lot.”

Gelfand began by asking the audience “how many of you are dog people?”

As she addressed her audience they watched a slideshow of images of Medieval paintings that displayed across a screen. Each picture focused on a dog of some kind.

“Our relationship with dogs isn’t that different from the dogs in Medieval times,” Gelfand said.

Gelfand said that she published this book not only because it’s something she’s interested in, but because there isn’t anything else available like it. The book provides source material for scholars and dog lovers to gain a more complete understanding of canine/human relations of the Medieval and Early Modern periods.

As she finished her presentation, Gelfand showed a picture of her dog, or as she called it her “muse.”

Mark McLellan, the vice president for research at Utah State University, concluded the faculty author exhibition. He thanked the speakers and picked out one gem from the presentation.

“I think we all have to have our own muse,” McLellan said.

Gelfand's book "Our Dogs, Our Selves: Dogs in Medieval and Early Modern Art, Literature, and Society" is available at the campus library.

Visiting Musician

Students fascinated by visiting artist’s lecture

By Ford Rasmussen

A composer engaged his audience as the Caine College of the Arts hosted the year's final visiting music scholar this week.

Michael Buchler, an associate professor of music theory at Florida State University, began his lecture by inviting the audience to sing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” a song, he pointed out, that ends on a high note. That’s what Buchler is currently researching, “things that go up,” he said.

We usually descend to the cadence in western classical tonal music, Buchler said, but theater and Broadway music often use songs that end on a high note. Buchler showed the audience several examples of sheet music and played songs from his digital device.

“I was fascinated that he found so many songs that end on a high note,” said Elizabeth Rawls, one of the many music students in the audience.

Another music student, Hunter Bergman, said he appreciates the opportunities to hear the visiting scholars. The classes he has taken teach broad theories and topics, he said, but the lectures usually dive into a specific topic.

“It’s super micro-analyzing,” Bergman said.

Madison Archibald, who is a freshman studying acting, said the lecture provided her an opportunity to learn theory about a topic outside of her current classes. She wants to study music and acting, but as a freshman in college hasn’t had an opportunity to focus on the music part.

“When I heard about this event, I was so excited to come,” Archibald said.

Timothy Chenette, a music professor at Utah State who hosted Buchler during his visit, said Buchler is well known in his field, “so it’s pretty cool to have him here.”

Buchler was the final visiting music scholar of the year, but the college will host one more visiting artist with the theater department.

Construction Changes

Art building construction will continue to block main entrance
By Ford Rasmussen

Additional work on the Nora Emma Eccles Museum of Art that began this week will continue to block access to the courtyard and main entrance of the Caine College of the Arts building.

John Thompson, the construction manager in charge of rebuilding the college, said there have been 93 changes during the construction progress, including a recent order to improve the museum. It’s normal “to have a few change orders,” Thompson said. It's not uncommon to have that many changes.

The landscaper recently finished testing the courtyard irrigation system, Thompson said. The construction crew is on track to finish the courtyard by the beginning of May.

The museum is adjacent to the courtyard, which means students won’t be able to use that entrance until construction on the museum is finished, Thompson said. Regardless of the changes, the entire project is on track to be finished before June 2018, the contractual completion date.

“We’re way ahead of schedule,” Thompson said.

Adrienne Larson, the director of development, said Thompson has done a great job.

Although students haven’t been able to use the main entry doors because of the construction, Larson said the additions and improvements are “going to be well worth it.”

More space and updated architecture will be “a great space for students to perform in,” Larson said. “It’s going to change their whole level of education.”

Art Education

Visiting artist shares new ideas for art education
By Ford Rasmussen

A visiting art educator will be conducting professional development workshops for art teachers this week at the Cache County School District's office.

Stacey Salazar, an art education researcher and leader of the workshop, said she is here to be a resource for local teachers.

In her first workshop, Salazar will provide teachers with research based teaching strategies to incorporate "play as a learning process." Her second workshop will cover "finding and sharing meaning" in art course curriculum.

Salazar said student exploration provides greater engagement, but too often art lessons become just about the process and technique

"I want students to still have opportunity to grow as creative beings," she said.

Nadra Haffar, the Education Curator at the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art, has attended Salazar’s workshops before. Haffar said the workshops are useful for any discipline in education.

"What you learn from these can be applied always," she said.

The workshops will be held at the Cache County School District's office in the Greenville Room at 2017 N. 1200 East in North Logan today from 4 to 6 p.m. and Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m.

Immigrant Photography

Art exhibit shines light on Utah immigrants
By Ford Rasmussen

Artwork produced by Bachelor of Fine Arts undergraduates at Utah State University went on display Monday in the Cain College of the Arts galleries. One of the students hopes to promote cultural understanding with her photography series.

On the west wall of the Projects Gallery were hung six portraits taken by Martha Diaz Adam. Diaz, who works for the International Student Council at Utah State, met with Utah immigrants who inspired her to produce a photo series on the topic.

One part of her series, “The Agony of Misconception,” features portraits of three Muslim residents of Utah. She said she wants others to better understand the culture these people come from. Some immigrants get called names for wearing their headscarves, Diaz said. But for them, "to wear this, they feel proud," she said.

In her portraits, Diaz has emphasized the refugees' clothing by digitally repeating the patterns as the backdrop. She said their clothing reveals the respect these people have for their culture and religion.

Kaitlin Cooper is a senior studying music therapy at Utah State who has performed at local concerts aimed at fostering awareness on refugee issues. She said she likes that Diaz is helping to bring this cultural issue to light.

"It's a big issue in our country right now," she said. "The more people that know about it the better."

This project, which Diaz had worked on since January, is her final project before graduation. Projects don’t always take months to complete, but she said this time she “wanted to do something big.” Diaz said she hopes to go on to graduate school and continue making artwork on this topic.

The work of Diaz and four other seniors will be on display this week in the art galleries. The galleries will feature work from other BFA students over the next couple weeks. Doors are open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m to 5 p.m.

Museum and Music Series

Composer excited by Utah premiere
By Ford Rasmussen

A musical score that premiered in Utah on Sunday got enthusiastic reviews from its composer, who said it was the best performance in the history of the 12-year-old piece.

The piece “Variations Alchemisticae,” commissioned by the Chamber of Music Palisades, has been performed dozens of times, said American composer Byron Adams. He has been present at about 10 of the performances, in places such as Colorado, Los Angeles and England.

Adams, who had never been to Utah before, attended the Museum and Music concert at Utah State’s Caine Performance Hall on Sunday. He sat on the upper aisle closest to the stage during the event. The concert’s musicians consisted of members from the Utah Symphony and the Fry Street Quartet.

“There have been no better performances, and it was beautiful in every way,” Adams said. He said that these musicians “internalized” the work, saying they excelled for their attention to dynamics.

Austin Chadwick, a student in music education, was in the audience with several other music students. He said that “Variationes Alchemisticae” was his favorite piece performed at the concert. “What he was trying to portray through the music, he did very successfully,” Chadwick said about the composer.

The song tells various emotional stories throughout its 25-minute duration. For Adams, it is a spiritual piece inspired by his interest in alchemy. He said the song signifies, “submission to the power of the universe.”

Due to the renovations of the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art, only one more Museum and Music event will be held this semester. The last concert is scheduled for April 20th. It will take place in the Caine Performance Hall at 7:30 p.m.

Crafting Tutus

Utah State students learn the art of tutu making

By Ford Rasmussen

It’s not a common skill, but costume design students at the Cain College of the Arts are learning to make tutus from a visiting professional designer this week.

Travis Halsey is a professional designer who has designed and created costumes for television, film, ballet and other forms of live performance. Halsey said he is teaching the costume design students how to make tutus because it’s a craft “that’s not as accessible” these days.

“It’s something that a lot of people knew how to do,” Halsey said. “But now those people are in their 80s.”

Halsey said although the tutu “doesn’t look like much,” there’s a lot that goes into it “to make it look good on stage.”

Cortney Millecam and Daniel Carter are two of the students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in theater with an emphasis in costume design. They said the amount of fabric they need to make one tutu totals more than 100 feet.

“It’s not really hard,” Millecam said. “It’s just time-consuming.”

The students began making the tutus on Wednesday and are on schedule to finish them Saturday.

Learning to make tutus “was definitely worth the time,” Carter said. He said Halsey had passed "very valuable information, so willingly.”

Art Gallery Closed

Utah State art galleries are closed this week
By Ford Rasmussen

Utah State University art galleries remained closed due to a scheduling error when the campus reopened after the holiday weekend.

The Cain College of the Arts had on its calendars a photography exhibit to be on display Feb. 20 through 24. The gallery doors were supposed to be opened at 11 a.m. today, but they never were.

Staff assistant Becky Winstead, who coordinates the galleries, said it was “just a miscommunication.” The galleries are reserved far in advance, but Winstead never heard back from whoever made the reservation. There was no exhibit produced for this week.

Winstead said that the Projects Gallery was repainted after the previous exhibit was taken down. The galleries are usually fixed up between shows, but now there is extra time to clean up any remaining nail marks or scuffs on the walls.

Both the Projects Gallery and the Readymade Gallery will remain closed until Monday. Both galleries will reopen next week as scheduled displaying a senior exhibition by Janet Hancock entitled “All Sixes.”

Nicholas Kristof

A man speaks on women's issues at Utah State
By Ford Rasmussen

A man addressed gender equality to a packed auditorium at 7 p.m. today in the Edith Bowen Laboratory School auditorium.

Nicholas Kristof is a New York Times columnist and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner. According to his biography, Kristof has traveled to more than 140 countries and lived on four continents. Today he came to Utah State to discuss gender equality.

Kristof said to his audience that his interest in women's issues began when he was in China. In reference to gender equality, he said it "will be the central moral challenge" going into the future.

Kristof's presentation was sponsored by the Center for Women and Gender at the Cain College of the Arts. Jerra Fowers is one of the two student office aides at the center. She said that according to her knowledge this is the first time a male speaker has addressed women's rights at Utah State.

"A lot of our audience has been women," Fowers said. She said that the word feminism has "kind of a bad stigma," but the center is about more than that.

"We say women's rights, but we're really gender equality," Fowers said.

Justin Wheeler is the other office aid at the center. Wheeler said that he used to be the only guy in the school's Perspectives club, a student run organization that is part of the Center for Women and Gender. The Perspectives club seeks to foment discussion on many human rights issues including gender equality, political participation, property rights and more.

Wheeler says he's seen more men get involved with the club recently. On Jan. 24 the club presented a documentary film called "The Empathy Gap." Wheeler estimated there were about 50 people who showed up to see the film. Half of them, he said, were guys.

"There are a lot of problems that are hard to talk about," Kristoff said to his audience today. "And if we don't talk about it, we can't make progress."

Three Sisters

Chekhov fills seats at Utah State

By Ford Rasmussen

Getting there wasn't easy but Utah State's theater department performed Anton Chekhov‘s “Three Sisters” to a packed house each day of its showing last week.

Rebecca Swan was one of the lead performers in the play. She said that this is the first time the school has done a performance by Chekhov.

According to Swan, Chekhov's work is very difficult. "It's the most human play I've ever done," she said. " It pushes us. Teaches us to grow."

The play was performed in the school’s Black Box Theatre, which is the size of a classroom. Leslie Brott, the director, said the cast of 16 posed a “very large staging challenge” for being performed in “so small a space.” 

For Swan, performing in a black box "took a little adjusting." As the actors came within close proximity to those in the audience "people would move their feet," Swan said.

Brott said the play fulfilled its mission to give the theater students an opportunity to work on translated text by an early theatrical modernist. Students also developed skills for playing in a large ensemble as the focus "rapidly shifted from one group to the next."

According to Ben LeVere, the manager of the Cain College of Arts Box Office, the play sold out every day except for three tickets Thursday.

Women's March Readymade Gallery

Women’s march builds momentum at Utah State

By Ford Rasmussen

The energy of the women’s march movement is drawing visitors to the Readymade Gallery at the Cain College of the Arts.

Madeline Walker, a third-year graduate student in sculpture at Utah State, was the lead curator for the new installation. Walker said that she wanted to “continue the momentum of the protests through participant signs, postcards, photos, and clothing.”

“We wanted to give people the opportunity to engage with these topics and take action here in Logan,” Walker said.

According to one of the gallery monitors, Esther Oluwalana, about 60 or 70 people have already been in to see the gallery. Oluwalana still had more posters to put around campus to let people know about it.

Those involved with the project had two weeks to curate the show between the time of the Women’s March on the Utah State Capitol and the opening of the gallery. Putting together a show in such short amount of time is uncommon, but Walker described it as a “great collaboration and process.”

Becky Winstead, a staff assistant at the college, is one of the many people who worked to prepare the gallery. The gallery has been open for only a few days, but Winstead said it has already received a lot more engagement than she expected.

“It’s a very difficult time for a lot of people,” she said. “I think they want to express that.”

There are two portions of the gallery that are interactive: Handmade postcards for Utah residents to get in touch with their congressional representative, and a display where visitors may write down their thoughts about the recent presidential election.

“We want to share this for students to feel empowered and part of the community,” Walker said. “This is intended for people to share the experiences they have had at recent protests to reflect a more common and collective experience.”

The installation is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. until Friday, Feb. 10.

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     -Ford Rasmussen

Jazz Nights Funding

USU Jazz Nights to raise funds for Elite Hall

By Ford Rasmussen

A portion of the proceeds raised from Utah State’s Jazz Nights this year will go toward the Elite Hall restoration project.

Elite Hall was built in 1916 to serve as a dance hall for the residents of Hyrum, Utah.

Sean Anderson is a member of the Elite Hall Restoration Committee. According to him, the committee has been raising money for about a year, but “they still need a lot more money,” he said. Anderson hopes that enough funds can be raised within a year.

Anderson speculated that Jazz Nights will attract around 200 people to Elite Hall.
Elite Hall is recently gaining popularity in the public’s eye according to Anderson. “The community is using it more,” Anderson said. “In December it was booked every weekend.”

Jazz Nights runs Feb. 9 to 11. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online or in person at the Caine College of the Arts Box Office.

Snow Day Art Gallery

Snow day leads to art gallery on the Quad 

By Ford Rasmussen

Throughout Monday roughly 50 students decorated the Quad at Utah State University with a variety of snow sculptures and structures. Before Monday, Utah State hadn’t had a snow day in more than 10 years. Although classes were canceled many students still found their way to the Quad in order to play in the wide open spaces.

Josh and his two friends, who began constructing a camel out of snow early in the morning, found that the snow was great for building.

“This stuff you can just pick up and it’s already clumped,” Josh said. The snow, so easily packable, allowed Josh and his friends to balance a head on top of the camel’s neck.

By nightfall 18 snowmen, three forts, two igloos and a variety of other structures were built on the Quad. Alex and Philip, who worked with several friends on an igloo for more than eight hours, had seen most of the day’s activities. One group of students had built a snowman so tall that they had to build a ramp in order to stack the snowman.

Alex’s group hadn’t planned on playing in the snow for as long as they did. “I think we had too many engineers working on the project,” Alex said. By 7 p.m. she estimated that they would still be another hour or two before they finally capped off their giant igloo.

In addition to the various snowmen, visitors to the quad could find a plethora of snow artwork including penguins, a caterpillar, sea creature, snake, a structure resembling Stonehenge and two snow people kissing atop the Block “A.”

Opera with Full Orchestra

USU Opera Theater teams up with USU Symphony Orchestra
By Ford Rasmussen

For the first time in years, those who attend Utah State’s Opera Theater will hear the performance accompanied by a full orchestra. The USU Symphony has teamed up with the USU Opera Theater to perform Mozart’s "La Finta Giardiniera."

Benjamin Krutsch is one of the students who will be appearing in "La Finta Giardiniera." “It’s the first time in my stay that it’s happened,” he said, referring to the collaboration with the USU Symphony Orchestra. Krutsch has been at Utah State since 2013.

The USU Symphony Orchestra will be directed by Daniel Helfgot, a world-renowned professional opera director. “This is the first production I’ve done at USU with a director of his caliber,” said Dallas Heaton, musical director of the department.

Since Tuesday those involved began practicing six days a week in preparation for the show. “Mounting a show so early in the semester always means a big crunch for time to get the blocking solidified for the actors and the sets constructed in time,” Heaton said. The team has two and a half weeks to perfect the show before opening night.

Feb. 2 will be the Utah premiere of "La Finta Giardiniera." The piece is one of Mozart’s lesser-known works, but Heaton hopes Mozart’s big name will draw people out to see the work.

“We will have a beautiful piece on our hands that will have been a memorable educational experience for all involved,” Heaton said.

The production will run Feb. 2 through 4 at 7:30 pm in the Morgan Theatre. There will be a matinee performance Feb. 4 at 2 pm. Tickets can be purchased online at music.usu.edu. http://music.usu.edu/area_of_study/operatheatre#ta