500 New Alumni
I recognized Elizabeth LaRouche from her acting days in visual and performing arts productions. The theater and entertainment technology major from Gaylord was going to do a little teaching at Tech before heading out to graduate school. She didn’t know where, yet.
Read more at TechAlum Newsletter, by Dennis Walikainen.
“Ana’s Angels” Benefit and “Challenge Donation” Combine at the Rozsa Family Christmas Celebration
The goal is to get 1,000 people to the Rozsa Center next Friday, Dec. 21, in support of the Olsson family, for a very special community Christmas celebration and benefit.
The Youth Dance Program (YDP) and the Rozsa Center present a family holiday event and Ana Olsson Benefit.
Evening highlights include an original presentation of “The Night Before Christmas” by the students of the YDP along with select members of the Dance Team and Cheer Team, followed by a screening of the Walt Disney Studio’s 1983 film, “Mickey’s Christmas Carol,” in the Rozsa theater, and an Ana Olsson Benefit Bake Sale and Silent Auction in the Lobby, from 7 to 10 p.m. The dance and movie will begin at 7:30 p.m., and tickets are $8.
Read more at Tech Today, by Bethany Jones.
The department welcomes Lisa Dunnebacke as the new Administrative Aide for Visual and Performing Arts. You may find her at Walker 209. Send her email at vpaoffice@mtu.edu.
Art Minors Display Their Work
Now through Friday, Dec. 21, six graduating seniors who are minoring in art are displaying their work on the south mezzanine of the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts. They are:
Lindsey Licht–Exercise Science
Jeanette Head–Computer Science
Zhe Yang–Mechanical Engineering
Maxwell Lesatz–Civil Engineering
Jared Schuleter–Mechanical Engineering
Andrea Walvatne–Mechanical Engineering
There will also be a reception for the students, Friday, Dec. 14, from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m., with refreshments.
According to senior lecturer Sue Kilpela, the show features drawings, paintings and 3D work. “More importantly, these students display their commitment to the arts while achieving their other rigorous goals!” Kilpela says.
Licht and Schuleter also have art hanging in the State Representatives’ Anderson Office Building as part of the juried “Art in the House” project displaying work by Michigan’s fifteen public universities.
From Tech Today.
“A CHORAL MOSAIC” AT THE ROZSA
The first half of the concert features conScience: Michigan Tech Chamber Singers performing for the first time in the Rozsa Center. They will perform the music of Paul Hindemith as well as settings of folk tunes from Poland, Finland, and Estonia.
According to Jared Anderson, D.M.A., Michigan Tech.’s Director of Choral Activities, “This concert will be the first time that the newly formed group, conScience: Michigan Tech Chamber Singers has performed in the Rozsa Theatre.”
Read more at ABC10, by Burns.
“A Choral Mosaic” at the Rozsa this Saturday
This will be a beautiful performance by the Tech Concert Choir and conScience: Michigan Tech Chamber Singers, performing a special concert that includes the repertoire that will be performed in May on tour to Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia, and Slovenia.
Read more at Tech Today, by Bethany Jones.
Christmas often brings families together, and father-son duo Milt and PJ Olsson have combined their varying musical talents to release a Christmas album, “Joy.”
Four years in the making, “Joy” unites the classical arrangements of Milt – the former Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra director – with the Grammy-nominated engineering and production skills of PJ. The result is a modern take on classic holiday favorites.
The album includes music sung by the Michigan Tech Concert Choir in 2006 with rhythm added to it.
Read more at the Mining Gazette, by Zach Kukkonen.
“Joy! Holiday Sounds with a Twist”
Read more at the Michigan Tech Lode, by Corey Saari.
As the world’s best selling string quartet, HSQ plays classically influenced arrangements of Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Metallica, Nirvana, and more. Wireless Magazine says: “One listen will change the way you hear both classical and pop music.”
The HSQ will be the featured guest artist for the 2nd Keweenaw Honors String Festival, with high school string players from Houghton, Negaunee, Marquette, and Escanaba joining the string quartet and KSO in clinics, masterclasses, rehearsals, and the closing concert. The public is invited to the following events during the Festival (all on the Rozsa stage):
*4-6 p.m. Masterclass with HSQ and student musicians (Friday, Dec. 7)
*1-2 p.m. Q&A with HSQ (Saturday, Dec. 8)
*7:30-9:30 p.m. KSO/HSQ/Festival Combined Concert (Saturday, Dec. 8)
Read more at Tech Today.
Hampton String Quartet and KSO at Rozsa
Read more at the Michigan Tech Lode, by Alex Saari.
Rock and classical music collide
HSQ joining forces with KSO, high school musicians
The Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra will open Saturday night’s concert with a performance of a pair of the movements of Gustav Holst’s “The Planets,” as well as a world premiere by composer Elizabeth Meyer. HSQ will then take the stage and perform a variety of rock classics from Jimi Hendrix to Nirvana.
Read more at the Mining Gazette, by Zach Kukkonen.
Hampton String Quartet Rocks the Rozsa
Saturday night, local string players were honored to perform with the Hampton Rock String Quartet
Read more at the Michigan Tech Lode, by Travis Pellosma.
See the Rozsa stage transformed into an intimate jazz-club atmosphere for the Jazz Showcase: Backstage at the Rozsa. 
The Rozsa stage will become a jazz lounge with cocktail tables and cash bar, and of course hot jazz provided by two Michigan Tech jazz ensembles: the Jazz Lab Band and the Research and Development Big Band, with special guest performances both nights by Mike Christianson, the new Michigan Tech Director of Bands.
Read more at Tech Today, by Bethany Jones.
Backstage at the Rozsa: Jazz Showcase
Read more at the Michigan Tech Lode, by Alex Saari.
Campus Jazz Band takes the Rozsa
Read more at the Michigan Tech Lode, by Nick Blecha.
The Tech Theatre Company presents the “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940,” by playwright John Bishop, a hilarious “who done it” that pokes fun at 1940s movie thrillers and campy musical comedies. Don’t miss this pitch-perfect Halloween theatrical production, sure to tickle the funny bone and make for an enjoyable night out at the Rozsa Center.
Read more at Tech Today, by Bethany Jones.
Musical Comedy Murders of 1940
“The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 is a deceptively intricate work. I hope the audience will appreciate the play at its rudimentary style of farce. At the same time, the play will tickle the intellectual funny bone of those patrons who have experienced 1930s musical comedies (theatre and film), 1930s horror films and the likely familiar ‘who-done-it?’…”
~Trish Helsel, director
Read more at the VPA Blog.
“The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940”
Read more at the Michigan Tech Lode, by Corey Saari.
With the combined talent of over 60 musicians, the musical director says the goal of “From Russia with Love” is to tell a story.
“‘Sleeping Beauty,’ ‘Antar Symphony,’ the Shostakovich Symphony, the fascinating history of the mockery of the Stalin regime through a symphony. It’s a compelling program and a compelling educational program and its musical merit is very compelling,” Neves said.
The Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra performances:
Norway-Vulcan Performing Arts Center Thursday, October 25 at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets $10 and $5 for students
Marquette’s Kaufman Auditorium Saturday, October 27 at 7 p.m.
Tickets $12 for adults and $5 for students
Escanaba’s William Oliver Auditorium Sunday, October 28 at 2 p.m.
Tickets $10 adults $5 for students
Read more at Upper Michigans Source, by Gabrielle Mays.