Lawrence University News

Lawrence University TEDx Event Explores Future of Liberal Education

Eleven thought leaders share their insights and perspectives on the value and evolution of a liberal arts education in a rapidly changing world May 3 during a TEDx event at Lawrence University.

Featuring a line-up of intellectual leaders, pioneers and critics, TEDxLawrenceU — “Reimagining Liberal Education” — is designed to spark a national conversation on the future of liberal education, address some of the important issues that have sparked national debate and commentary and ultimately lead to constructive changes at liberal arts colleges.

Beginning at 9 a.m., the event  will be broken into four separate sessions of approximately 90 minutes each.

Among the scheduled TEDxLawrenceU presenters are Lawrence President Jill Beck, Chronicle of Higher Education editor-at-large and author of the forthcoming (May 7 release) book “College (Un)Bound” Jeff Selingo and Daphne Koller, a Stanford University professor and co-founder of Coursera, an educational technology company that offers massive open online courses (MOOCs).

Through short presentations — no presenter is allowed to talk for more than 18 minutes — speakers will address such issues as:

• is online education a threat to liberal education or should it be embraced as part of the solution?

• is the financial model of liberal arts colleges viable in the 21st century?

• can liberal arts colleges remain relevant in a changing society?

• do governance structure and the organizational model of liberal arts colleges need radical reform?

“TEDx events are about powerful and stimulating talks that spur thought and discussion, and ultimately action,” said Adam Galambos, assistant professor of economics and a member of the event’s organizing committee. “TEDxLawrenceU brings that spirit to tackling some of the most fundamental questions and challenges that liberal arts colleges are facing today. We have put together an exciting program that draws on a variety of perspectives. It will be an exciting day, but I’m confident the talks we will hear, whether live or via the webcast, will be topics of conversations for long after that.”

In addition to the live presentations, three TEDTalk videos will be shown. In one, British author and visionary cultural leader Sir Ken Robinson argues we don’t get the best of people because they are educated to become good workers, not creative thinkers. In another, Liz Coleman, president of Bennington College, proposes a truly cross-disciplinary educational model that dynamically combines all areas of study and bucks the trend toward increasingly narrow areas of study. The third will be chosen just before the event opens.

The presentations will be accessible to the public via a free live video feed in Lawrence’s Warch Campus Center and all talks will be available on the TEDx YouTube channel shortly after the event.

About TEDx, x = independently organized event

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.

About TED 

TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a conference in California 26 years ago, TED has grown to support those world-changing ideas with many initiatives.

At a TED conference, the world’s leading thinkers and doers are asked to give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes or less. TED speakers have included Roger Ebert, Sheryl Sandberg, Bill Gates, Elizabeth Gilbert, Benoit Mandelbrot, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Brian Greene, Isabel Allende and former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Three major TED events are held each year: The TED Conference takes place every spring in Vancouver, Canada, simultaneous with TEDActive, in Whistler, BC; and the TEDGlobal Conference takes place each summer in Edinburgh, Scotland.

On TED.com, talks from TED conferences are shared with the world for free as TED Talks videos. A new TED Talk is posted every weekday. Through the Open Translation Project, TED Talks are subtitled by volunteers worldwide into more than 90 languages. Through our distribution networks, TED Talks are shared on TV, radio, Netflix and many websites.

The TEDx initiative grants free licenses to people around the world to organize TED-style events in their communities with TED Talks and live speakers. More than 5,000 TEDx events have been held, and selected talks from these events are also turned into TED Talks videos.

The annual TED Prize grants $1 million to an exceptional individual with a wish to change the world. The TED Fellows program helps world-changing innovators from around the globe to become part of the TED community and, with its help, amplify the impact of their remarkable projects and activities. TED-Ed creates short video lessons by pairing master teachers with animators, for use in classroom instruction or independent learning.

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 Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

Adult Summer Mini-Seminars Offer Life-Long Learning Opportunities

Wine, woods and world music is on the menu for Lawrence University’s 2013 Summer Seminar series.

Modeled on its popular Bjorklunden seminar series in Door County, Lawrence is sponsoring a pair of adult, life-long learning opportunities this summer on its Appleton campus.  The three-day-long classes are conducted from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day, with lunch provided.

Professor of Biology Nicholas Maravolo, a botany specialist, leads the mini-seminar “Woods and Wine” July 23-25. Mornings in this class will be spent learning to read the landscapes of the area’s rich ecosystems through field walks, plant identifications and stimulating discussions.

The second half of the class features a leisurely lunch discussion of the scientific and cultural dimensions of wine, including wine-tasting sessions.  Transportation to the field trips and wine tastings is provided.

In addition to extensive fieldwork that has taken him to the American West, throughout Central and South America, Europe and the Pacific Rim, Maravalo has taught wine science and appreciation to a variety of audiences and has traveled the world to experience the ambience and tastes of various wine countries.

A quartet of scholars will lead an exploration of some of the world’s most interesting music and the cultures that created it in the mini-seminar “World Music” July 30-August 1. This highly interactive class will have participants making an Australian didjeridu, performing on a Balinese gamelan and learning the traditions of Native American music. No previous music training is needed.

The course will be team-taught by four members of the Lawrence Conservatory of Music:  I Dewa Ketut Alit Adnyana, director of the Lawrence Gamelan (Balinese music); Sonja Downing, assistant professor of ethnomusicology, (Balinese music); Brian Pertl, dean of the conservatory (Australian aboriginal music) and Brigetta Miller, associate professor of music (Native American music).

Registration deadline is June 28. More information is available here.

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 Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

Lawrence University Psychologist Awarded Fulbright Research Fellowship to Canada

Lawrence University Professor of Psychology Terry Gottfried has been awarded a $25,000 Fulbright Fellowship. Beginning in January 2014, Gottfried will spend five months as the Fulbright Visiting Research Chair in Brain, Language and Music at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Terry Gottfried

During his fellowship appointment, Gottfried will continue his ongoing research into the relation between music and speech processing. Working in collaboration with McGill researcher Linda Polka, Gottfried will examine the influence of linguistic and musical experience on listeners segmentation of the speech stream into words.

“We speak without clear pauses between words, so listeners must rely on other rhythmic information such as pitch and syllable duration to determine where one word ends and the next one begins,” explained Gottfried, who joined the Lawrence faculty in 1986. “This segmentation of the speech stream by rhythm and pitch is done differently in different languages, so we’re interested in investigating the role musical expertise has on learning how to process speech in a second language.”

“We are delighted that Professor Gottfried has received this wonderful, prestigious award,” said David Burrows, provost and dean of the faculty. “The work that he will do as part of the fellowship will be of great benefit to society. We are very proud to have one of our fine teacher-scholars honored by the Fulbright program. The award is a great testament to the high quality of Lawrence’s faculty.”

Role of Music in Language Perception

A specialist in second language acquisition, Gottfried has previously conducted research that found non-Mandarin-speaking musicians have an advantage over non-musicians in their perception of lexical tonal contrasts in Mandarin Chinese. Other studies suggest musicians acquire some of the speaking and perceiving skills necessary for second language learning more readily than non-musicians.

“My work with Dr. Polka will examine the extent to which musical training and ability may affect speech segmentation patterns,” said Gottfried. “Montreal is an ideal place to conduct this research given the ready availability of French-English monolingual and bilingual listeners, with and without musical expertise.”

He hopes to complete his study in time to present results at the fall 2014 meeting of the Acoustical Society of America.

“This Fulbright Fellowship is a wonderful opportunity to conduct research with a colleague I know as well as collaborate with other researchers interested in the brain mechanisms involved in music and language perception,” said Gottfried. “This will be important as I continue to teach courses in the psychology of music and language at Lawrence.”

This is the second time Gottfried has been recognized by the Fulbright Scholar Program. He was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship in 2001 for a teaching and research position in the English department at Aarhus University in Denmark, where he taught a seminar on the psychology of language for English language students. He also conducted research comparing Danish and American English listeners’ perception of American English vowels.

Gottfried earned both a bachelor’s degree in French and psychology and a doctoral degree in experimental psychology at the University of Minnesota.

Established in 1946 and sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the Fulbright Scholar Program is the federal government’s flagship program in international educational exchange. It provides grants in a variety of disciplines for teaching and research positions in more than 150 countries.

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 Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

Professor David McGlynn Delivers Fox Cities Book Festival Address

David McGlynn

Lawrence University Associate Professor of English David McGlynn delivers the talk “From Essay to Memoir: The Conversion of a Door in the Ocean” Wednesday, April 24 at 7 p.m. at Thomas A. Lyons Fine Books, 124 W. Wisconsin Ave., Suite 140, Neenah, as part of the 2013  Fox Cities Book Festival.  Lawrence is one of the co-sponsors of the book festival, now in its sixth year.

Last month McGlynn was named recipient of the Council for Wisconsin Writers’ Kenneth Kingery/August Derleth Nonfiction Book Award for “A Door in the Ocean,” which traces McGlynn’s journey from competitive swimming and family tragedy through radical evangelicalism and adult life.

He also is the author of the 2008 book “The End of the Straight and Narrow,” a collection of nine short stories that examines the inner lives, passions and desires of the zealous and the ways religious faith is both the compass for navigating daily life and the force that makes ordinary life impossible.  His fiction and creative nonfiction works also have appeared in numerous literary journals, including Alaska Quarterly Review, Image, and Shenandoah.

In 2009, the Council for Wisconsin Writers recognized McGlynn with its annual Kay W. Levin Short Nonfiction Award for his essay “Hydrophobia,” which appeared in the Missouri Review.

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 Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

Earth Day Presentation Features Native American Author, Environmentalist Winona LaDuke

Native American author and environmental activist Winona LaDuke explores how connections to the land can help move societies and economies forward to a better environmental future in a Lawrence University Earth Week presentation.  LaDuke’s address, Tuesday, April 23 at 7 p.m. in Youngchild Hall 121, is free and open to the public.

Winona LaDuke
Winona LaDuke

A  member of the Mississippi Band Anishinaabeg who lives and works on the White Earth Reservations in Northern Minnesota, LaDuke has written extensively on Native American and environmental issues, including 2011’s “The Militarization of Indian Country,” “Recovering the Sacred: the Power of Naming and Claiming” and “All Our Relations: Native Struggles for Land and Life.”

LaDuke is the co-founder of Honor the Earth, a Native American-led organization that seeks to break the geographic and political isolation of Native communities and increase financial resources for organizing and change.

Time Magazine named LaDuke one of America’s 50 most promising leaders under the age of 40 in 1994 and Ms. Magazine honored her as its 1998 “Woman of the Year” for her work with Honor the Earth.

A graduate of Harvard and Antioch Universities, LaDuke served as Ralph Nader’s vice presidential running mate on the Green Party ticket in the 1996 and 2000 presidential elections.

Her appearance is sponsored by the student organization Greenfire and the Office of Multicultural Affairs.

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 Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

Urban Agriculture Focus of Author Presentation

Jennifer Cockrall-King

Award-winning Canadian food journalist Jennifer Cockrall-King discusses alternative food systems in a Lawrence University presentation Monday, April 22 at 7 p.m. in Thomas Steitz Hall of Science Room 102. Cockrall-King’s appearance, sponsored by Lawrence’s Spoerl Lecture in Science and Society, is free and open to the public.

Based on her book “Food and the City: Urban Agriculture and the New Food Revolution,” the address examines  food systems in cities around the world that are shortening their food chains by utilizing community gardens, collective orchards and vertical farms within their city limits and taking “food security” into their own hands.

“Food and the City” received the 2011 Dave Greber Freelance Book Award, a Canadian national award that recognizes excellence in social justice writing. Cockrall-King’s appearance is part of the 2013 Fox Cities Book Festival.

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 Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

 

Annual International Student Cabaret Uncovers “Secrets of the World”

More than 120 students representing nearly 40 countries will showcase traditional dances and music of their homelands in Lawrence University’s 37th annual International Cabaret.

Under the theme “Uncover Secrets of the World,” the cabaret will be performed in Stansbury Theatre of Lawrence’s Music-Drama Center April 20 at 6:30 p.m. and April 21 at 3 p.m.

An international buffet featuring Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Mexican and Peruvian dishes as well as a French-Canadian dessert will be served following Sunday’s performance in the Warch Campus Center.

Tickets, at $10 for the show, $20 for show and dinner, are available at the Warch Campus Center information desk, 920-832-6837. Children under age four receive free admission.

“The international students at Lawrence always look forward to the opportunity to share part of our homeland heritage and traditions with the campus and Fox Cities communities,” said junior Vicky Jhong Chung of Peru, president of Lawrence International. “Cabaret provides an ideal venue to showcase our diversity.”

The event features more than a dozen acts providing entertainment from around the world, including:
•  a fashion show displaying traditional dress from the countries represented
•  Japanese traditional dance
•  Latin dance
•  Vietnamese Fan Dance
•  Israeli Dance
•  Brazilian song
•  Chinese long-sleeve dance
•  Balinese dance
•  Aztec dance
•  Pakistani dance
•  Bollywood dance
•  Gangnam style dance
•  Tanzanian song
•  Indian dance solo
•  Music by the Sambistas, an Afro-Cuban percussionist, West African drums

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 Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

Lawrence Welcomes Authors for Fox Cities Book Festival

Lawrence University will host visits by three authors and a documentary film screening in conjunction with the 6th annual Fox Cities Book Festival.  All events are free and open to the public. Lawrence is one of the sponsors of the book festival.

Lisa Genova

Writer and neuroscientist Lisa Genova, author of the New York Times’ bestsellers “Love Anthony,” “Still Alice” and “Left Neglected” speaks Friday, April 19 at 6:30 p.m. in Harper Hall. Genova, who writes “about people living with neurological diseases and conditions that are feared, ignored, or misunderstood,” has appeared on Dr. Oz and CNN and was featured in the Emmy Award-winning documentary film about Alzheimer’s, “To Not Fade Away.”

Humorist Michael Perry, author of the memoirs “Population 485: Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time,” “Truck: A Love Story” and “Coop: A Year of Poultry, Pigs and Parenting,” appears Saturday, April 20 at 12 noon in the Warch Campus Center.

Michael Perry

Perry, who grew up on a small dairy farm and today makes his home in rural Wisconsin, has written for The New York Times Magazine as well as Esquire, Outside and Backpacker magazines and is a contributing editor to Men’s Health.

Jennifer Cockrall-King

Award-winning Canadian food journalist Jennifer Cockrall-King discusses her book “Food and the City: Urban Agriculture and the New Food Revolution” Monday, April 22 at 7 p.m. in Thomas Steitz Hall of Science Room 102.

Cockrall-King examines alternative food systems in cities around the globe that are shortening their food chains, growing food within their city limits and taking their “food security” into their own hands Monday, April 22 at 7 p.m. in Thomas Steitz Hall of Science Room 102. Her appearance is supported by Lawrence’s Spoerl Lecture in Science and Society.

The film “Chasing Ice,” a documentary by National Geographic photographer James Balog will be shown Tuesday, April 16 at 7 p.m. in the Warch Campus Center cinema. The film follows Balog’s journey across the Arctic documenting melting glaciers over a three-year period. A discussion will be held following the screening.

David McGlynn

Lawrence Associate Professor of English David McGlynn delivers the talk “From Essay to Memoir: The Conversion of a Door in the Ocean” Wednesday, April 24 at 7 p.m. at Thomas A. Lyons Fine Books, 124 W. Wisconsin Ave., Suite 140, Neenah.

Last month McGlynn was named recipient of the Council for Wisconsin Writers’ Kenneth Kingery/August Derleth Nonfiction Book Award for “A Door in the Ocean,” which traces McGlynn’s journey from competitive swimming and family tragedy through radical evangelicalism and adult life.

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 Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

Flutist Leo Sussman Wins State Competition

Lawrence University sophomore Leo Sussman earned first-place honors in the recent Wisconsin Flute Festival Young Artist Collegiate Competition in Madison.

Leo Sussman ’15

Sussman was one of three flutists who performed a 15-minute program of his choosing in the finals held at the Pyle Center at the University of Wisconsin. Finalists were selected based on a previously submitted unedited recording of two contrasting movements from John La Montaine’s “Sonata for Flute Solo, Op. 24.” Sussman received $300 for his winning performance.

This was his second competition win as a Lawrence student. Last July, he won the San Francisco Flute Festival in his hometown.

A double degree candidate pursuing majors in flute performance and physics, Sussman is a student in the studio of assistant professor of music Erin Lesser.

The Wisconsin Flute Festival, sponsored by the Madison Flute Club, is an annual flute event featuring competitions, workshops and performances by a variety of professional flutists.

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 Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

2013-14 Lawrence University Performing Arts Series Filled with Music Legends, Rising Stars

Jazz guitar icon Pat Metheny and his Unity Group and the adventurous classical vocal ensemble Seraphic Fire are among the celebrated musicians slated to perform on Lawrence University’s 2013-14 Performing Arts Series.

Pat Metheny

Season subscriptions for both the Artist and Jazz Series or a “Favorite 4” package are now available, with discounts available to senior citizens and students. Single-concert tickets go on sale Sept. 18. For more information, contact the Lawrence Box Office, 920-832-6749. All concerts are held in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel.

“A wonderfully diverse line-up of stellar musicians makes next year’s Artist and Jazz Series concerts the place to be for lovers of great music,” said Brian Pertl, dean of the Lawrence Conservatory of Music. “I look forward to seeing lots of familiar as well as new faces there.”

The St. Louis Brass Quintet, one of America’s oldest such ensembles, kicks off the four-concert Artist Series Oct. 11. Praised by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for creating an “atmosphere that emanates from the stage,” the group has performed more than 2,500 engagements during its nearly 50-year history. The quintet includes founding member, St. Louis native and trombonist Melvyn Jernigan as well as top musicians from throughout the country.

Internationally acclaimed violinist Rachel Lee performs Feb. 8, 2014. Lee has showcased her prodigious skill worldwide since performing at the United Nations at age nine. A Harvard University graduate, Lee is noted for her compelling stage presence and commitment to a wide-ranging repertoire. She has enjoyed solo engagements with the National Symphony, the Aspen Sinfonia at the Aspen Music Festival and repeat performances with the Seoul Philharmonic. Most recently she has made orchestral debuts with the Chicago, St. Louis, Houston and Seattle Symphony orchestras.

Rachel Lee

One of the country’s most sought-after young pianists, Orion Weiss takes the stage April 11, 2014. Weiss has toured the United States, China, Israel and throughout Europe. Since graduating from Juilliard School in 2004, he has been named a “pianist to watch” by the Los Angeles Times and hailed as an “effortlessly brilliant performer” by the Arizona Republic. In 2010, the Classical Recording Foundation Named Weiss its “Young Artist of the Year.”

A week after Weiss, the vocal ensemble Seraphic Fire, along with Spektral Quartet visits April 18, 2014. Featuring some of the country’s most talented vocalists, Seraphic Fire performs a diverse repertoire of choral works, ranging from Gregorian chant to newly commissioned works. The 11-member ensemble received two Grammy nominations in 2012 for their recordings of Brahms’ “A German Requiem,” which debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard Classical charts and a Christmas album that entered the top 10 on iTunes’ Classical chart on the day of its release.

“We’re incredibly fortunate to welcome Seraphic Fire to Lawrence,” said Stephen Sieck, co-director of choral studies at Lawrence. “The fact they were nominated for Grammys for two different projects in 2012 speaks to the level of excellence they bring. They combine the clear brightness of the best Early Music groups with the warmth and precise phrasing of the best European radio choirs.”

The Chicago-based, all-male Spektral Quartet blurs the lines between old and new music, pairing Beethoven and Mozart with Phillip Glass and Elliott Carter. Their innovative programs have become favorites of both classical music enthusiasts and new music aficionados.

Seraphic Fire

Lawrence’s 33rd annual Jazz Celebration Weekend opens the four-concert Jazz Series Nov. 8-9 with concerts by the Kate McGarry Quartet and the Yellowjackets, respectively.

Named DownBeat Magazine’s “Rising Star Vocalist” five times (2007, ’08, ’09, ’11, ’12), the “astute and sensitive” McGarry also earned a 2009 Grammy Award nomination for best jazz vocalist. Drawing upon everything from her cultural Irish tunes to musical theatre to pop favorites, her discography includes five critically acclaimed albums, including “Girl Talk,” a tribute to her favorite jazz women vocalists, which was named one of the top jazz CDs of 2012 by Downbeat.

The Yellowjackets, a smooth jazz and jazz fusion group, has been a jazz world mainstay since their formation in 1977. The four-member group, among the longest tenured groups in jazz history, has effortlessly evolved with the times, earning two Grammy Awards along the way. From their first self-titled album in 1981 through 2011’s 11-track CD “Timeline,” the Yellowjackets’ discography numbers 25 releases.

On March 15, 2014, Lawrence welcomes Pat Metheny and his Unity Group. Winner of an astonishing 20 Grammy Awards in 12 different categories, Metheny’s musicianship is legendary. A nonpareil guitarist as well as accomplished composer, his impressive body of work includes compositions for solo guitar, small ensembles, electric and acoustic instruments, large orchestras and even ballet pieces. Metheny previously performed at Lawrence in 1984.

He’ll be joined on stage by his powerhouse Unity Group that features four all-star musicians in their own right: saxophonist Chris Potter, drummer Antonio Sanchez, bassist Ben Williams and pianist Giulio Carmassi.

“Pat is one of the most original guitarists and composers on the planet,” said Jose Encarnacion, an instructor in Lawrence’s Jazz Studies department. “His music, which combines elements of folk, contemporary, progressive jazz and fusion, is always fresh and powerful.”

Kenny Garrett

The Kenny Garrett Quintet closes the jazz series May 2, 2014. In a stellar career spanning more than three decades, Garrett has established himself as the pre-eminent alto saxophonists of his generation. After launching his career with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, he has gone on to perform with many of the giants of the genre, including Art Blakey, Chick Corea, Miles Davis, Joe Henderson, Herbie Hancock, among others. The latest of his 19 albums as leader, 2012’s all-original “Seeds from the Underground,” earned two Grammy Award nominations. Garrett’s work often incorporates world music influences as reflected in his 2006, multi-award nominated disc “Beyond the Wall,” which interweaves his interests in Asian music with jazz.

This will be Garrett’s second appearance on the Lawrence Jazz Series, having previously performed in Feb. 2000.

“Kenny Garrett is one of my heroes and biggest inspiration,” said Encarnacion, a fellow saxophonist. “He is one of the most important alto saxophone players in the history of jazz. His voice is unique and in perfect alignment with the universe.”

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 Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.