Volume 30, No. 16
January 8, 1999
Scott A. Miller
Contact: Scott A. Miller 570-662-4844
NEWS
World renowned saxophonist to open Spring Lecture Series
Jean-Marie Londeix, one of the world's premier classical saxophonists, will open the Spring University Lecture Series Wednesday, Jan. 13, at 4 p.m., in Manser Hall's North Dining Room with the lecture "Musical Art in the 20th Century."
Londeix will follow the lecture with an 8 p.m. recital with saxophonist William Street in Steadman Theatre.
Throughout a performing career that includes teaching at the elite Bordeaux Conservatory of Music in France, Londeix has drawn praise from audiences and critics alike. The Washington Post called Londeix "the most revered of French saxophonists," adding that "he has made the Bordeaux Conservatory the world's leading center of saxophone studies."
He has performed more than 600 times as a concert soloist appearing in cities around the world, many times inaugurating the first saxophone concerts and recitals in many of the world's concert halls. In the early 1950's he became one of the world's first wind instrumentalists to perform full recitals. He has 13 LPs and six compact discs to his credit. Approximately 100 of the most important works for saxophone have been written for and dedicated to him.
More than 130 foreign students have traveled from around the globe to study with him at the Bordeaux Conservatory of Music, among them 47 Americans. Among these former students, now ambassadors of music and concert artists in their own right, a number teach at major universities and conservatories and perform internationally.
Londeix is honorary president of the Association of Saxophonists of France (ASAFRA) and president of the International Saxophone Committee of the World Saxophone Congress. He has also organized a number of international festivals including The World Saxophone Congress and The World Conference on the General State of the Saxophone. He is responsible for the creation of the Ensemble Internationale de Saxophones and he commissioned and premiered over 50 original works of excellent quality with this group.
Having carried on a double career as concert artist and teacher, Londeix is also the author of over 20 important pedagogical works for saxophone, many of which have been translated into five languages.
Street has performed throughout Europe, Central and North America and Asia. He has appeared as soloist with many orchestras including the Milwaukee and Edmonton symphonies, the Orchestra Filharmonica Marchigiani in Italy and the Orchestra de Camara del Nuevo Mundo of Mexico.
New year brings commencement changes
Based on recommendations of a university-wide Commencement Task Force, President John R. Halstead announced today that MU will offer two commencement ceremonies a year, May and December, beginning in 1999.
Halstead also conferred with cabinet members, department chairs and individuals before deciding to eliminate the August commencement ceremony. Students who complete their degree requirements during summer sessions will take part in the December ceremony.
"In order to maintain our academic integrity and to ensure the authenticity of the commencement exercises, it is essential for students to complete all graduation requirements in order to participate in the respective ceremonies," Halstead said. "We thought it would be advantageous and equitable for students to know well in advance that they must satisfy all academic requirements in order to march in commencement. Provisions for the arbitrary cutoff of hours ‘close' to satisfying credit-hour requirements were not seen as fair or justifiable."
Halstead also OK'd allowing commencement speakers to be chosen from the public at large. For many years, only Mansfield University graduates have delivered the commencement address. Halstead will choose commencement speakers based on recommendations submitted by the end of January (for the May 1999 ceremony) and Sept. 15 for the December ceremony.
The commencement task force also looked at the university policy for selection of honorary degree recipients and endorsed the policy approved by the Council of Trustees on Dec. 14, 1995. University Senate will submit the names of recommended candidates to the Office of the President by the end of the fall semester (for the following May ceremony) and the end of spring semester (for the following December commencement).
Members of the Commencement Task Force included 1968 Mansfield graduate Marianne Bozzo; student Matthew Fogg; Jannis Floyd, education and special education; Vice President for Development Leslie Folmer; Trustee Marijo Heffner; William Koernig, building and grounds; and Mary Lou Stroud, Office of the Provost.
MU Weather Line: 4499
Students, faculty and staff now can learn of weather-related university-wide shut-downs and work changes by calling the MU Weather Line at 570-662-4499.
The new service will make official announcements about class schedules and work schedules when inclement weather affects or has the potential to affect travel to and from the university.
University policy is to remain at all times, but when snow, ice, and other weather problems make travel dangerous, the university can choose to shut down or reduce services.
When shut-downs become necessary while students are housed on-campus, essential university services like residence life, dining services, buildings and grounds, police and safety, and other functions critical to daily operations will remain open.
Whenever possible, the decision to shut down will be made by President John Halstead or his designee approximately two hours before it takes effect and the MU Weather Line will be updated immediately following the president's announcement.
Gallery hosts folk arts exhibit
The University Gallery in North Hall will host "From Heart to Hand: Folk Arts of the Northern Tier" Jan. 11-Feb. 19.
The exhibit will showcase contemporary folk art from eight counties across the Northern Tier. Included will be long rifles and pistols by Charles Gansell of Lycoming County, carved walking sticks by Nelson Haas of Cameron County; Native American bead work by Rose Harley of Bradford County; carved carousel horses by Nancy Jones of Potter County; handmade dulcimers and mandolins by George Klinefelter and Chester Wynn of Clinton County; hand-loom weavings by Ruth Anne Miller of Tioga County; and tatting by Carol Tourtellott of Elk County.
Handwork of the Millview Missionary Society Quilters of Sullivan County, active since 1898, will also be featured.
The show is sponsored by the Northern Tier Cultural Alliance at MU's Center for Arts and Folklife. Funding is provided in part by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, MU's Student Government Association and the MU Fine Arts Committee.
Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-4:15 p.m. A gallery reception for the artists will be held Sunday, Feb. 14, from 2-4 p.m.
Facilities update: Are you ready?
The University's massive infrastructure and facilities upgrade is scheduled to begin this summer, but Vice President for Administration and Finance Bill Yost reports that behind-the-scenes activity is moving at a rapid pace.
Yost reports that:
Yost also reports that the new student union project remains on schedule for completion late in the Fall semester of 1999 and the university is at work on assigning space in Alumni Hall and South Hall so work can begin on renovating Memorial when the Student Union Project is completed.
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