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Show PAGE6 PAGE 7 UNIVERSITY JOURNAL FOCUS ON: COLLEGE OF PERFORMING AND V ISUAL ARTS • THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 1 001 Student Ar~ Gallery· common goal for se·n ators Masters helping students Improving one step at a time. BY KIRSTEN TATE SENIOR STAFF WRITER Senators from the College of Performing and Visual Arts vary in their interests, but all work together to achieve their goals. Amanda Matthews is a junior vocal performance major from Mapleton, Utah. She said she is emphasizing vocal performance because she loves to sing. '.... . . "I feel I can express myself through music in a way I may never have been able to in another major,· she said. Matthews has been taking private voice lessons for eight years and has also participated in community theatre. She has directed Mapleton community theatre productions for three years. She said she may have gotten her singing talent from her great-great grandmother who liked to sing opera, because no one else in her family sings. In her spare time Matthews said she likes to paint, hike and loves to be around people. Another interesting fact about her is that her father's side of the family are Hungarian Gypsies who came to America for freedom. · Matthews said she ran for senate because she realized she wanted to voice Amand. M. her opinions, as a atthews well as help others. She also wanted to get involved with something fun. As a senator she said she has had the opportunity to get involved with other people on the student activities board and other senators. She said she loves the effect she has on others when they hear she is working on a bill they agree with. One of her favorite projects this year has been the "legendary· bill for the Student Art Gallery. She said she is also proud of the things she has done for music students. Money was raised for the music club and the pep band to travel. Matthews became first attendant in the Miss SUU Pageant in January. She said her position in senate was helpful because of the support from SUUSA. She also said her major helped her because she didn't have to worry about a talent and could focus on other aspects of the pageant. Kyle Vincent is a senior art major from Parowan. His main focus is in drawing and painting. He said art has been in his life since he was a little boy. "I've drawn since I was little, it is a life-long dream,· he said.·He also grew up watching his older brother draw and he said it may have had an effect on him. When he was little, a friend of his family worked for the Xerox company and would bring used paper over to his house for him and his brother to use. Vincent said he has had several interests in regards to the subjects of his art work. Currently, he likes to paint religious themes. These range from depictions of scenes in the Bible to portraits. · 1used to be more surrealistic, but this is a new tum in my life now," he said. Vincent said he became interested in student government because he wanted to know what was going on politically in Kyte Vince t school. n ."It is an incredible experience to do things that make a difference. I love it: he said. This year he said he has enjoyed working toward the Student Art Gallery. Vincent said he had a chance to 'see a project through and see a lasting change in the school. · "That's been the biggest rush all year: he said. "I love being a part of changes.· Vincent is a music minor and said he likes to sing. He is in several choirs at SUU and in the community. Jennifer Powell is a senior from West Valley City double majoring in theatre arts and elementary education. . She said she participated in plays in junior high school but didn't do any thea.tre in high school because she was on the water polo team. When she got to college she began majoring in elementary education with a theatre emphasis and began working on as many shows as possible. "It is so therapeutic," she said. "I love the expression, and how many things you can say." She also said she loves how many opportunities for involvement there are. She has built sets, directed and acted. "You can be involved and do something different everyday, like stage managing,· she said. "I love tt,e creativity I can use. It is so great how much thought and creativity goes into every piece." She !Jas been a stage manager and assistant stage manager for two productions this year and is now directing, a play for the brown bag theatre. She is also a carpenter for all shows. Powell said she ran for senate because she was a member of the student activities board for two years, but wanted to move up to the next level. "I had lots of things I wanted to work out, new ideas and senate was the way to make it happen," Jennifi. she said. er Powel/ Powell said she was excited to be a voice for the students, especially in the theatre arts department. The big project for her this year was to change how the line item requests for money were handled and added a new position to the student government. She said her favorite part of being in senate has been the people she has spoken to. She said she has loved the excitement of new students and having· people bring her their concerns and questions. "Helping people with their problems has been the most beneficial: she said. scheduled for later in the semester; one on stress management for performers and another on world music. "The club was in sllambles at the The 65 student members of SUU's beginning of the year," Yun said. "They music club are actively involved in have really impressed me with their desire performance, education and community to build this club." service. Membership is The club is run by open to anyon~ a nine-member council made up of music students, non-music students three and community representatives from members. each of the major ·one doesn't dlsciplines: band, choir and orchestra. have to be a music There are several major to be active committees working in this club,• said within the club such Gerard Yun, faculty as public relations, adviser for the funds, concert music club and series, activities, and assistant professor master classes. of music. "It's for The music club anyone interested has many activities in music, music - - - - - - - - - - ' planned for next people, performing, year and beyond, listening, whatever.• The suu.Orchestra members as other Yun said. Yun has been the music perfonners can participate in the Music Club. There will be adviser since the beginning of this additional master classes taught, three each semester. academic year. The club will continue serving the So far this year the club has painted community. It plans to assist other music toys for -the Happy Factory, organized programs in Cedar City by having midnight movies and helped staff the students help with private instruction for Southern Utah Choral Festival. The festival involved students from eight bands, choirs and orchestras at local schools. high schools in Utah and Nevada. The They have also contacted the autism members of the music club staffed the awareness group in southern Utah and orientation table, worked as tour guides are working toward producing a concert and concert ushers for the event. featuring the work of Hikari Oe. The club has also provided music for ·oe is the only autistic composer and the last two student art openings in highest selling living classical music conjunction with the art department. composer in Japan today,· Yun said. There haxe. been two master classes A regular performance series featuring sponsore~ by the club for anyone . pop, classical and alternative music is interested. Th'e speakers are brought to campus to present information to all music also scheduled for next year. Performers will be from the SUU student body. majors across au disciplines, Yun said. "Concerts will probably be held in the The first class dealt with practice Sharwan Smith Student Center every two techniques. The class was taught by weeks throughout the academic year." Michael Dean, assistant professor of Yun said. "This will give many students music. the opportunity to perform in an informa1 The second covered careers in music. setting for their peers.· The club has two more master classes BY ANDY BURT SENIOR STAFF WRITER , WOrking together to enhance theatre . BY PAIGE MARIE HENDRICKSON SENIOR STAFF WRITER The Ma~que Club differs from most campus clubs in its s1ze, makeup and function, but its members benefit from it all the same. The theatre department has two clubs on campus run entirely by students. Both clubs recognize all theatre students as members. One is the Masque Club and the other is Stage II Productions. They function as sister organizations that help each other benefit theatre students. Stage 11 Productions is a student production club through which students are able to showcase original talent as well as receive experience in directing, stage management, technical and lighting production, and acting. The Masque Club primarily handles the service and social Sandy, said this year is a strong year demands of the theatre students, for the club, with a lot of student providing them with the fun students support and involvement in the rely on for sanity during the activities. semester. Last semester the club staged a Friday the 13th sleepout in the Adrien Swenson, Masque Club president, said the club is the Adams Memorial Theatre, where organization in the theatre students huddled together during the department that arranges the parties, night, chilled from watching horror fund-raisers, movies as well and service as the dipping projects for temperatures students. outside. Swenson said The chartered the Masque ·club also Clul;> gives sponsors the students the improv sports "opportunity to team that get involved presents twice a with each other month on and the theatre campus. department.· Last month Swenson, a the team senior theatre The Masque Club provides students performed at the arts major from with the fun they rely on for sanity. campus Mardi Gras and as an opening act to a comedian. Swenson said although the Masque Club is geared toward theatre students, it is·an open club that any student can join. She said students can "just join in with anything,• be it activities, fundraisers or service projects. The club has an upcoming fundraiser scheduled in early April. The project will showcase · talented theatre students who haven't been seen much this year,· Swenson said. She said proceeds from the event will benefit medical research. Swenson said the club will also sponsor an Oscar'~ party where students dress up in formals from their favorite time periods and watch the ceremony together. Swenson said club activities are generally advertised around campus and students should look for upcoming events. Shauna Mendini loves teaching classes that express human movement BY RHIANNON BENT SENIOR STAFF WRITER of 10 years of conservatory training to develop as a dancer." Before coming to SUU, Mendini was the director of dance at New Mexico State University. She and Shauna Mendini, associate professor of dance, Ricky were both offered positions at SUU and has been at SUU for eight years. thought Cedar City would be a "lovely place to She juggles being associate chair of the theatre live.· arts and dance department, teaching a variety of She teaches various dance classes such as dance classes, participating in dance concerts and dance appreciation, dance history, principles of a family. Mendini said she thinks it's important choreography and methods in dance education. that. her students see these Mendini said she loves components and complexities of life. teaching classes that bring She has been married to her students to a level of husband Ricky, the SUU athletic appreciation for an art that trainer, for 23 years and they have expresses human movement. two daughters-Caela, 10, and She also said she likes helping Melissa, 9. . students find their own voice Mendini said she and Ricky met through creative work at Utah State University while she "Each class has its own was earning her bachelor's degree excitement for me,· she said. on an art scholarship. Mendini said she always wanted Even though she always loved to teach, but wanted to make sure to dance, Mendini said she didn't it was the right time. think she could make a living "I'm glad for the opportunities for doing it. professional work," she said. "It "It was pretty much my strengthens a teacher. You've been destiny to be a.visual artist,· there so you can empathize with the she said. \ students.· Mendini gave up on art after Shauna Me . , Mendini said some of her most her first year and turned to associate chnclfniJuggles memorable and trying moments have dance. concerts.anda,r, teaching, come about through the process of "I knew some way or Wants her st a farnity. She creating the student and faculty dance another I'd make sense of it,· complexities u~e'!ts to see th 0 she said. ltte. e concerts. "They push us to the edge and we During that time she had a knee injury. work through them; that's when there's Ricky was a student trainer at USU and helped her with rehabilitation, but not before telling her he growth," she said. Mendini said since she's been at SUU, it's been could only help if she was an athlete: artists had to exciting to see the growth of the dance program. It suffer. Mendini said she loves to spend time with her was originally an emphasis in theatre arts, but it family in the outdoors, especially skiing, camping has since become a major because students . needed a program. and hiking. She received her master's degree at the She said in 1996 there were no dance majors; University of Arizona in Tucson and danced now there are 63. Mendini also said she is working toward professionally after she finished her education. accreditation for the dance program so it will put "Educational work is not merely in the university SUU into national standards. setting," Mendini said. "Dancers need a minimum Art .Guild feature s students involved; second, giving students the opportunity to see their own work; finally, trying to make students and the community aware of what art work is being done at SUU. The Art Guild gallery provides an opportunity for "What we want to do is continue every semester students to show and display their art work in from now on and we are going to have three shows different ways. People misunderstand that the Art Guild is an per semester," Vincent said. official SUU club; however, the Art Guild is run by The first show held the end of February and senior art majors. featured a jewelry show. The second one will be in There are four students in the Art Guild now. April and the third show is not yet scheduled. . Students who run the club receive three credit hours Vincent, a senator for the College of Performing per semester and their job consists of organizing and Visual Arts, spoke with Brian Hoover, associate professor of art, and asked him what he saw as first different art exhibits. priority. 1 "This is a learning experience and a good work "A student gallery. We have opportunity for me," said needed it for a long time,· Leslie Chester, a junior art Hoover said. major from Lindon, Utah. Hoover·said Vincent did a "It is good exposure for lot of research on campus everyone that creates art at and began the Art Guild. He SUU and it is perfect for also said the Art Guild is selling and buying beautiful receiving approximately art," said Tennille Wood, a $4,000 in student government senior art major from Spring funding. Field, Va. "I love the students to get Kyle Vincent, a junior art involved making their own major from Parowan, indicated the purposes of the Student art is now displayed in windows in work because they see that the Art Guild is part of them,· Art Guild. They are, first, the Centrum. The Art Guild is focused on Vincent said. getting the community creating a student Art Gallery. BY HIROHISA HIGASHIONNA JOURNAL STAFF WRITER lE;~:f$3ifi7-i,;~~ ;;:;:;;:~:;,J~'i~~ |