Press Releases

Category: Press Releases

Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey delivers university convocation Nov. 1

A Head shot of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Natasha Trethewey.
Natasha Trethewey

Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Natasha Trethewey presents “The Muse of History: On Poetry and Social Justice” Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 11:10 a.m. in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel in the second installment of Lawrence University’s 2016-17 convocation series. Trethewey will conduct a question-and-answer session immediately following her address. The event is free and open to the public.

A native of Mississippi and the daughter of a mixed-race marriage, Trethewey combines the personal and the historical in her work. The author of four collections of poetry, her writing frequently addresses societal issues regarding class, race and war.

Following the release of her first collection, 2000’s “Domestic Work,” Trethewey received the Cave Canem Poetry Prize, which recognizes the best first book by an African American poet. “Domestic Work” also was honored with the 2001 Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters Book Prize and the 2001 Lillian Smith Award for Poetry.

Her third book of poems, “Native Guard,” was awarded the 2007 Pulitzer Prize.  “Native Guard” has been a part of Lawrence’s Freshman Studies reading list the past two years.

A photo of the cover of the book of poems "Native Guard" by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Natasha Trethewey.More recently she has released  “Beyond Katrina: A Meditation on the Mississippi Gulf Coast,” a non-fiction personal profile of some of the people whose lives were forever changed by the hurricane.  “Thrall,” her fourth book of poetry published in 2012, explores historical representations of mixed-race families. Trethewey will read from “Thrall” as part of her address.

In 2012, Trethewey was named the 19th Poet Laureate of the United States by the Library of Congress, one of numerous honors she has received for her work. She also has been awarded fellowships from the Academy of American Poets, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Guggenheim Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation.

Trethewey is a member of the faculty at Atlanta’s Emory University where she is the Robert W. Woodruff Professor of English and Creative Writing.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.”  Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

International scholar David Reynolds examines WWII’s “Big Three” in history presentation

A Head shot of Cambridge University professor David Reynolds.
David Reynolds

David Reynolds, one of the world’s most acclaimed diplomatic historians, presents “Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin: The Big Three in World War Two” Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 4:30 p.m. in Lawrence University’s Wriston Art Center auditorium.

A public reception with Reynolds will be held at 4 p.m. in the Wriston Art Center lobby prior to his presentation. Both events are free and open to the public.

A professor at England’s Cambridge University, Reynolds will discuss the complex and fascinating relationship between the three world leaders, who were allies against Hitler, but who could not agree about the post-war world.

The presentation is based on Reynolds’ current project in which he is  collaborating with colleagues in Moscow to publish a book on the wartime correspondence of the “Big Three” that is drawn from American, British and Russian archives.

Reynolds was the recipient of the Wolfson Prize for History in 2004, which is awarded annually in the United Kingdom in recognition of excellence in the writing of history for the general public. The following year he was named a Fellow of the British Academy.

He is the author of 11 books including 2007’s “From Munich to Pearl Harbor: Roosevelt’s America and the Origins of the Second World War,” “In Command of History: Churchill Fighting and Writing the Second World War” and mostly recently “The Long Shadow: The Legacies of the Great War for the Twentieth Century.”

Reynolds also has written 13 historical documentaries for the BBC, including the trilogy “‘World War Two” about each of the Big Three leaders.

A Head shot of Winston Churchill.
Winston Churchill
A Head shot of Franklin Roosevelt.
Franklin Roosevelt
A Head shot of Joseph Stalin.
Joseph Stalin

The presentation will be filmed by Wisconsin Public Television for future rebroadcast on its “University Place” program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.”  Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Lawrence Theatre Arts Dept. presents “A Man of No Importance”

One man’s struggles with temptation, friendship and disapproval are explored in the Lawrence University Theatre Arts department’s production of the musical
“A Man of No Importance.”

A photo of the production "A Man of No Importance" poster.Four performances will be staged in Stansbury Theatre Oct. 27-29 with an 8 p.m. show each night and an additional 3 p.m. matinee on Saturday, Oct. 29. Tickets, at $15 for adults, $8 for students/seniors, are available through the Lawrence Box Office, 920-832-6749.

Winner of the 2003 Outer Critics Circle Award for best musical, “A Man of No Importance” is based on the 2002 book of the same name by Terrence McNally, with music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynne Ahrens, the songwriting team behind the musicals “Ragtime,” “My Favorite Year,” and “Seussical,” among others.

Music Theatre International hailed “A Man of No Importance” as “a rare gem in the canon of musical theater, one which combines the depth and drama of a play with the lyricism and comedy of a musical. A tender and beautifully woven tale of love, friendship and coming to terms with who we are.”

Set in Dublin, Ireland in 1964, the story centers around gay bus driver Alfie Byrne, who saves his deepest secrets for his imagined confidante: playwright Oscar Wilde. Alfie’s efforts to stage an amateur production of Wilde’s “Salome” in the local church hall force him to confront forces of bigotry and shame over a love “that dare not speak its name.” His life is changed, though, by the redemptive power of the theater.

Sprinkled with gentle humor, the musical explores serious themes, including how can a gay character navigate a traditional culture, while trying to contribute to the cultural dialogue of community and can the exploration of art teach us to break free of our prejudices?

A photo of Lawrence University student Joe Dennis.
Freshman Joe Dennis plays Breton Beret, a Dublin ruffian, in “A Man of No Importance.”

“The takeaway message may be that while we can’t change everyone’s mind, perhaps by working together in common cause, especially the collaborative act of making theatre art, we can make progress toward warming our hearts to those around us,” said Timothy X. Troy, J. Thomas and Julie Esch Hurvis Professor of Theatre and Drama and professor of theatre arts, who is directing the production.

Like Flaherty’s and Ahrens’ other musicals, “A Man of No Importance” features nuanced charters and a rich musical score.

“They created new songs in the manner of traditional Irish music,” said Troy, “somehow making you feel that you already know a song, even when you listen for the first time.”

Troy, who spent 2005 as a visiting professor at Dublin’s Trinity College, is enjoying the chance to revisit Ireland’s capital.

“It’s been a real joy to explore the various accents, place names and cultural vocabulary of Dublin with our cast,” said Troy. “Having spent time there, I’m very familiar with the physical and human landscape of Dublin itself. Since the play takes place in 1964, we get to explore the similarities and differences in from our time and the time in the play.”

Senior Matt Kierzek, who portrays Alfie Byrne, describes the musical’s central character “as a man who loves poetry and theatre and is motivated by his friends and through creating art. Through his story, we learn that family and friendship help us realize that it is important to ‘love who you love.’

“The music is simple, yet beautiful with bits of comedy thrown in throughout the production,” Kierzek added. “I think the story will captivate many.”

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.”  Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Lawrence interdisciplinary project examines gun-related issues through micro-operas

A photo of Lawrence University micro-opera production "Straight from the hip" poster.Guns, one of America’s most polarizing topics, gets examined through a unique lens — improvised micro-operas — in Lawrence University’s presentation of “Straight from the Hip.”

Through a series of nine mini-vignettes, each approximately three minutes in length, the issue of gun presence and gun awareness in the community will be explored Monday, Oct. 24 at The Draw, 800 S. Lawe St., Appleton. The event is free and open to the public, but tickets are required through the Lawrence Box Office, 920-832-6749.

Designed to challenge the audience to think about issues that are complex and often highly partisan, “Straight from the Hip” is based on 135 responses to a local, month-long social media survey conducted by three Lawrence faculty members.

Featuring 30 student performers, the program is an interdisciplinary endeavor created by the collective brain trust of Copeland Woodruff, Lawrence’s director of opera studies, Margaret Paek, director of Lawrence’s dance program and Matt Turner, director of the ensemble Improvisation Group of Lawrence University (IGLU).

“Each of these arts has the power to connect, transform and uplift,” said Paek. “Combined, the three art forms have exponential power. The full use of all the capacities of the performers helps them embody the art in a deeply personal way and can help reach the audience more profoundly.”

Turner, an unabashed fan of interdisciplinary projects, says it is “crucial our students see how important collaboration is to us as faculty. This really is the future. Students will find themselves in situations in which they will have to use movement, music and improvise and compose.”

A Head shot of Lawrence University director of dance program Margaret Paek.
Margaret Paek

The survey solicited answers to questions about personal relationships with guns, whether a person had ever used a gun in self defense and if there were specific local areas or locations in which a person felt unsafe and why, among others.

Choosing a single survey answer, the performers will craft an emotional landscape for that response which may be spoken, sung, whispered, turned into a dance or a sonic play, producing a short, improvised theatrical performance. The various vignettes may feature a soloist, a trio, a quartet or a quintet performing.

John Adams, curator at The Draw, a modern art gallery near the Lawrence campus that fosters artistic creative collaborations, loved the concept behind “Straight from the Hip” and generously offered the gallery’s various spaces for the production. The audience will be divided into small groups and guided through The Draw’s three floors for each short performance.

Each of six complete “shows” will last approximately 30 minutes and start on the half hour beginning at 7 p.m. The last performance starts at 9:30 p.m.

A Head shot of Lawrence University director of opera studies Copeland Woodruff.
Copeland Woodruff

Because of its interdisciplinary structure, “the students foster a sense as ‘artists,’ not ’singer,’ ‘guitarist,’ ‘cellist,’ ‘dancer,’” said Woodruff. “The divisions blur, so that they are contributing with their full range of capabilities and testing those that may not be their primary mode of expression. Their sense of ensemble dynamics is extremely sophisticated.

“I am so in awe of our students’ ability and willingness to approach this challenging topic with curiosity, generosity and artistic rigor and examination,” he added.

By its very nature, Paek believes different parts of the production will affect different people.

“Some will be more moved by the words, some will be more impacted by the music and some will be more touched through the movements of the performers,” she said.

Turner underscored that point by citing one of the vignettes that focuses on a father and son reminiscing about fond memories of hunting together, a confluence of gun hunting and family.

“I personally do not like guns, but that said, I have learned to see other perspectives through this project,” said Turner.

A Head shot of Lawrence University director of the ensemble Improvisation Group of Lawrence University (IGLU) Matt Turner.
Matt Turner

Acknowledging the wide, and often divisive, range of opinions related to gun control and gun violence, the program’s aim is to stimulate careful thought and meaningful dialogue rather than advocate a specific viewpoint.

“It is a complicated subject tied up with personal freedom and how far that personal is freedom allowed to go when considering someone else’s personal freedom and sense of freedom,” said Woodruff, who grew up in a home in Alabama that had guns, although he personally never shot one.

Paek hopes “Straight from the Hip” provides a process for audience members and performers alike get to see this topic through someone else’s eyes, heart or personal experience.

“The conversations that we have already had have helped me think in broader terms and be more compassionate towards perspectives that are different than mine. It has reminded me how complex this issue truly is.”

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.”  Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

 

Lawrence students win three divisions at state music competition

A photo of Music Teachers National Association seal.Lawrence University students captured three first-place honors at the recent 2016 Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Wisconsin state competition conducted at UW-Stevens Point.

Senior Derrick Hahn of Milwaukee extended Lawrence’s remarkable streak in the piano division with his winning performance, becoming the 16th Lawrence piano student in the past 17 years to win the annual Wisconsin MTNA competition.

A Head shot of Lawrence University student Derrick Hahn.
Derrick Hahn

Lawrence students swept the piano division. Senior Ming Hu of Changsha, China was named first alternate while sophomore Nick Suminski of Williamsburg, Mich., sophomore Mayan Essak of Shorewood, senior Evan Newman of Plymouth, Minn., and freshman Gabrielle Claus of Lancaster, Pa., all earned honorable mention recognition.

Flutist Bianca Pratte, a sophomore from Walnut Creek, Calif., won the woodwind competition, marking the second year in a row a Lawrence flutist won the MTNA woodwind division.

Trio Arcia — junior Ethan Valentin of Chicago, piano, junior Meghan Murphy of Wauwatosa, violin, and junior Mikaela Marget of Stillwater, Minn., cello, was named winner of the chamber music division.

Each of the three winners will advance to the East Central regional competition Jan. 14-15, 2017 at Central Michigan University. Regional winners advance to the MTNA national finals in March 2017 in Baltimore, Md.

Hahn, who studies in the studio of Anthony Padilla, played Rodion Shchedrin’s “Basso Ostinato” and Brahms’ first published work, the massive “First Sonata in C major” for his winning performance.

A photo of Lawrence University student Bianca Pratte playing flute.
Bianca Pratte

Pratte, a student in Erin Lesser’s flute studio and the 2015 winner of the Wisconsin Flute Festival’s Collegiate competition and the National Flute Association Collegiate Flute Choir competition, played Frank Martin’s “Ballade for flute and piano,” Robert Muczynski’s “Three Preludes for Solo Flute” and Jules Mouquet’s “La Flute de Pan” in the finals.

Arcia Trio’s winning program consisted of the second movement of Dvorak’s “Dumky” and the first movement of Beethoven “Ghost.”

The MTNA performance competitions recognize exceptionally talented young artists and their teachers in their pursuit of musical excellence.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.”  Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

President’s National Honor Roll recognizes Lawrence for community service

For the ninth year in a row, Lawrence University has been named to the annual President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.

A photo of President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll logo.Lawrence is one of only two Wisconsin institutions to be cited every year by the Washington, D.C.-based Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) since the honor roll program was launched in 2006 in response to the relief efforts of thousands of college students who traveled to the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina.

The President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll is the highest federal recognition a college or university can receive for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning and civic engagement. It recognizes the nation’s leading higher education institutions and their students, faculty and staff for their commitment to improving their communities through service.

Among the initiatives for which Lawrence was cited:

The President’s Honor Roll program recognizes higher education institutions that reflect the values of exemplary community service and achieve meaningful outcomes in their communities on a broad range of issues. Honorees are chosen on the scope and innovation of service projects, the extent to which service-learning is embedded in the curriculum, the school’s commitment to long-term campus-community partnerships and measurable community outcomes as a result of the service.

“Lawrence’s many organizational partnerships in Appleton and the surrounding communities have long been an important ingredient in the transformative education that we provide for our students,” said Mark Jenike, Pieper Family Professor of Servant Leadership and director of the college’s Office of Community-Based Learning and Research. “We also strive to support opportunities for volunteering, internships, community-based research and coursework, and community-oriented performances that have positive impacts on our neighbors and on the city and region in which we live. We are grateful to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for recognizing our accomplishments in these areas.”

Among the initiatives for which Lawrence was cited:

• Self-Agency in Youth (SAY) Program. Created in the fall of 2012, the SAY A photo of a volunteer talking to children sitting at the table.Program partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley to run two empowerment groups for local teens:  the Beautiful You African American Girls’ group and Hmong Youth Pride and Empowerment (HYPE) group. Using the support groups and a tutoring/mentoring initiative, the SAY Program helps teens gain ownership over their post-high school futures. More than 60 volunteers — students, staff members, faculty, community members — were involved with the program that served more than 65 teenagers. By helping connect and build on the strengths of local youth from low-income backgrounds, the SAY program has helped these young people build their own communities where they find the support they need to thrive. The program now consists of Hmong Youth Pride and Empowerment (HYPE), Black Youth Empowerment (BYE) and the Organization of Latin@American Student (OLAS).

  • Music for All. Led by Lawrence conservatory faculty members Michael Mizrahi and Erin Lesser, the Music for All initiative strives to increase access to, and inclusion in, classical chamber music performances for children and populations who ordinarily do not participate. Performances have been conducted at Riverview Gardens, the Fox Valley Warming Shelter and Jefferson Elementary School. The program was founded on the belief that communities are strengthened through positive interaction and shared experiences and music has the power to connect people, transcend social barriers and provide meaningful emotional experiences.
  • Riverview Gardens Partnership: Lawrence students contributed more than 1200 hours of service at Riverview Gardens in support of its mission of combating root causes of hunger, homelessness, and unemployment. Lawrence has been closely connected to Riverview Gardens since the start of its operations in 2012. The first garden manager and other members of the garden staff have been Lawrence students or alumni; the fruit and vegetable gardens were designed and created by graduates of Lawrence’s own sustainable garden; students and faculty have applied their expertise in geology, terrestrial ecology and botany to plan and implement conservation and habitat restoration on the 72-acre property.

For the 2015 President’s Honor Roll, 785 members of the Lawrence community provided more than 12,000 hours of volunteer service to 144 local agencies. Many of Lawrence’s service initiatives are targeted towards addressing areas of need, including arts opportunities for youth, academic help for low-income kids, transitional housing and adult literacy and life/work skills identified in a report by The Fox Cities Community Foundation.

The Corporation for National and Community Service compiles the President’s Community Service Honor Roll in collaboration with the Department of Education, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Campus Compact and the American Council on Education.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.”  Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Lawrence hosts Native American pow-wow

A photo of The Menominee Nation Smokeytown drum group performing on the Lawrence Memorial Chapel stage
The Menominee Nation Smokeytown drum group will be among the performers at a pow-wow demonstration in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel.

To help raise awareness about Indigenous Peoples Day, Lawrence University, is hosting a Native American Pow-wow demonstration Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 11:10 a.m. in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel. The event is free and open to the public.

The program will feature the award-winning Menominee Nation Smokeytown singers and drum group along with local tribal dancers, sharing their unique history and musical traditions. The pow-wow is part of a national effort to reimagine the traditional Columbus Day holiday, shifting it from a celebration of colonialism into an opportunity to focus on the many positive contributions of indigenous people in America.

“My hope is for our audience to get a first-hand glimpse of the resiliency and sheer beauty of our culture that sometimes gets overlooked in school curriculum and national media,” said Brigetta Miller, associate professor of music education and ethnic studies at Lawrence, a member of the Stockbridge-Munsee (Mohican) Nation and an organizer of the event. “Pow-wows are a wonderful time for us to connect and come together as a community.”

The pow-wow is collaboratively supported by the Lawrence Diversity Center, Lawrence University Native Americans (LUNA), Goodwill NCW and the Appleton Area School District.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.”  Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

 

Chamber trio opens Lawrence University’s 2016-17 Artist Series

The combined musical genius of violinist Ani Kavafian, pianist Anna Polonsky and clarinetist David Shifrin visit the Lawrence Memorial Chapel Friday, Oct. 7 at 8 p.m. to open Lawrence University’s 2016-17 Artists Series.

A photo of violinist Ani Kavafian.
Violinist Ani Kavafian

Tickets, at $25-30 for adults, $20-25 for seniors, $18-20 for students, are available through the Lawrence Box Office, 920-832-6749.

Polonsky is a late substitute for originally scheduled pianist Andre-Michel Schub, who had to cancel his appearance due to a medical emergency.

Each performer is an individual award-winning artist while  Kavafian and Shifrin have performed with Schub as a trio since 2005. As an ensemble, they have performed with many of the world’s leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra as well as in major national and international concert halls. While works by Mozart, Stravinsky and Poulenc are staples of their repertoire, the trio also features contemporary composers such as William Bolcom.

Catherine Kautsky, chair of the piano department at Lawrence’s conservatory of music hailed Kavafian and Shifrin as “an absolute master of their instrument.”

““I remember Ani Kavafian from her days as a very young violinist in New York and have heard her since on numerous occasions,” said Kautsky. “She’s a consummately sensitive collaborative player. David Shifrin must be one of the two or three most famous clarinetists in the world these days.”

A photo of clarinetist David Shifrin.
Clarinetist David Shifrin

Lawrence violin professor Wen-Lei Gu, who studied with Kavafian’s sister in New York City, called the concert “a rare opportunity for music lovers in the Fox Valley area to experience a top notch, world-class performance.”

“When I was going to graduate school in New York City, I had the great pleasure of seeing the Kavafians perform as part of the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society concert series,” said Gu. “Each time it was an incredibly moving and inspiring experience. The upcoming concert is going to be a real musical treat.”

Each artist enjoys notable solo careers and each holds teaching positions at prestigious institutions: Kavafian and Shifrin at Yale School of Music, Polonsky at Vassar College.

A native of Istanbul, Turkey, Kavafian launched her professional career as a winner of the 1973 Young Concert Artists International Auditions. Three years later she was the recipient of an Avery Fisher Career Grant.

David Bell, who teaches clarinet in the Lawrence conservatory, called Shifrin “arguably the premiere clarinetist of his generation.”

“He has quite literally done it all — principal clarinet of a major symphony at age 23, a chamber musician of extraordinary skill throughout his career, a universally acclaimed concert soloist and recitalist and a fantastic career as one of the premiere teachers of his instrument,” said Bell. “He continues to perform at the highest level. For those of us who have gotten to know him a bit, he is an unfailingly humble, generous and warm human being. One of the really ‘good guys.’  It’s a privilege to have him coming to our campus and I hope many people will take advantage of the opportunity to attend his performance.”

A photo of pianist Anna Polonsky.
Pianist Anna Polonsky

Awarded an honorary professorship at China’s Central Conservatory in Beijing in 2007, Shifrin is one of only two wind players ever to win Avery Fisher Prize in the award’s 42-year history. Early in his career, Shifrin was a grand prize winner in both the Munich and the Geneva International Competitions and a recipient of a Solo Recitalists’ Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.

A former student of renowned pianist Peter Serkin, Polonsky made her solo debut at the age of seven in Moscow, Russia. She has toured extensively throughout the United States, Europe and Asia and is a frequent guest at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. She has collaborated with many of the world’s leading chamber music artists and ensembles, including David Shifrin, Yo-Yo Ma, Richard Goode, Guarneri and Shanghai quartets.

Other performers on this year’s Artist Series line-up include the Elias String Quartet, Feb. 3, 2017; Mnozil Brass, March 29, 2017; and Roomful of Teeth, April 7, 2017.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.”  Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Lawrence hosts weekend reunion for Black Alumni Network

A photo of Lawrence University alumna.Lawrence University welcomes members of its Black Alumni Network to campus Sept. 30-Oct. 2 for its second reunion. The weekend-long event is designed to provide opportunities to reconnect with former classmates and the college as well as interact with current students.

“This reunion provides a wonderful opportunity for Lawrence to support this engaged and successful group of graduates,” said Kimberly Barrett, vice president of diversity and inclusion and associate dean of the faculty. “It also provides a way for these individuals to give back to the institution by contributing to the success of current students, particular those who identify as African-American.

Alumni attending the reunion can relive their college days by sitting in on one of three Fall Term classes with current students: “Democracy in Comparative Perspective,” “Introduction to Gender Studies” and “Literature and the Environment.”

Other reunion activities include campus tours, a lunch with small group conversations addressing campus issues related to identity development and diversity with Pa Lee Moua, associate dean of students for diversity and students, a screening of author and journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates’ 2015 Lawrence convocation “Race in America: A Deeper Black” followed by group discussion and a Diversity Circle program offering a contemporary approach to diversity training moderated by current Lawrence students.

A photo of Lawrence University alumnus.As part of the weekend festivities, the president and other senior administrators will join the alumni for lunch on Oct. 1, members of Lawrence’s Black Student Union will host an open house at Sankofa House for the alumni Saturday evening and members of the President’s Committee on Diversity Affairs will host a question-and-answer session in conjunction with a Sunday brunch.

“Those attending the reunion will be able to share key insights with university administrators to assist in our efforts to create a more inclusive Lawrence,” said Barrett. “I feel extremely fortunate to have access to this brain trust to inform my work as I begin my tenure at Lawrence as the college’s first chief diversity officer.”

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.”  Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Wriston Art Center exhibition honors former Lawrence art professor

A photo of former Lawrence University art professor Arthur Thrall.
Arthur Thrall taught art at Lawrence from 1964 until his retirement in 1990.

 A celebration of former Lawrence University art professor Arthur Thrall’s skills and imagination as an award-winning printmaker and painter highlights the newest exhibition in Lawrence’s Wriston Art Center galleries.

“Arthur Thrall: Tribute to a Master Artist” in the Kohler Gallery opens Friday, Sept. 23 at 6 p.m. with a free public reception. The exhibition runs through Nov. 23.

During a 26-year teaching career at Lawrence — Thrall retired in 1990 but remained an active artist in retirement — he established an international reputation for works inspired by sources as diverse as calligraphy and computers, music and microchips.

Covering three broad themes — calligraphy, musical notation and lyrical lines — the exhibition features a wide array of media and print-making processes, from intaglio and relief prints to gouache and oil paintings.

A video by professional photographer Mark Heffron, “Orchestrated Lines,” that documents Thrall creating the print “Confluence” will be shown during the exhibition, while the plate for that print and some of Thrall’s printmaking tools also will be displayed.

Beth Zinsli, director and curator of the Wriston Art Center galleries, called Thrall “a legend in the Wisconsin arts community.”

A photo of former Lawrence University art professor Arthur Thrall artwork in the "Tribute to a Master Artist" exhibition.
“Etude,” acrylic on canvas, will be one of Arthur Thrall’s works in the “Tribute to a Master Artist” exhibition.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to showcase this stunning array of Arthur’s complex and multilayer works in a variety of media,” said Zinsli. “I’m confident viewers will find his work aesthetically pleasing and intellectually engaging.”

His prints and paintings appeared in more than 500 exhibitions around the world and many found homes in the permanent collections of the British Museum, London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, the Tate Gallery, the Smithsonian Institute, the Library of Congress and the Chicago Art Institute, among others.

A native of Milwaukee, Thrall was one of 21 members of the Milwaukee-Downer College faculty who came to Lawrence in 1964 as part of the consolidation with the former all-women’s college. He died at the age of 88 in March, 2015.

During his career, Thrall was recognized by the art community with more than 75 awards, including the Lifetime Award from the Society of American Graphic Artists in New York in 2013. He also received the Museum of Wisconsin Art’s Wisconsin Visual Art Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.

A photo of Shannon Sullivan's "Interractive Bubble Array" work in the exhibition "FACET."
Shannon Sullivan’s”Interactive Bubble Array” will be among the featured works in the exhibition “FACET.”

In addition to “Tribute to a Master Artist,” the Leech and Hoffmaster galleries host  “FACET: Diverse Works by Women in the West.” The show features five female artists from the American West — Renee Brown, Natalie Macellaio, Jessica McCambly, Lesli Robertson and Shannon Sullivan — who work with “heavy” sculpture materials, including metals, clay, concrete, wood and glass. Their work, reflecting deep consideration of the virtues and limitations of their chosen medium, references the natural world, including geologic, chemical and biological processes.

“FACET” includes Sullivan’s interactive piece “Interactive Bubble Array,” which visitors can manipulate (while wearing gloves).

The Wriston Art Center galleries are free and open to the public Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday noon – 4 p.m.; closed Mondays. For more information on the exhibition, 920-832-6890.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.”  Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.