Alumna Kristin Scott Benson (1998) won her third consecutive Banjo Player of the Year award at the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Awards Thursday night.
Percussion Ensemble to Play with Nashville Philharmonic Orchestra
Belmont’s Percussion Ensemble will join the Nashville Philharmonic Orchestra for two concerts at the Celebration of Cultures Festival this weekend, where they will play the African marimba tune, “Atenteben” alongside the volunteer orchestra. The opening concert takes place on Saturday at 10 a.m. on the main stage of Centennial Park. The second concert is Sunday at 4 p.m. at the Nashville Korean Methodist Church. Both concerts are free and open to the public.
Keen Re-elected to Bluegrass Association Board of Directors
Dan Keen, Belmont alumnus and instructor of music business, was re-elected to the Board of Directors of the International Bluegrass Association on Monday. Keen was also appointed to a second term as the Board Secretary.
“Contrary to rumor, I am not a bluegrass freak. I’m a super-freak!” Keen stated, “Bluegrass music is one of America’s original art forms, and my work in the genre is a labor of true love and respect.”
Vaughn Publishes Article
Mary Vaughn (Communication Studies) recently had an article published in The Journal of Civic Commitment titled “Finding the Value in Group Projects: Service Learning in a Group Communication Course.”
Giordano Publishes Article
Dr. Pete Giordano, chair of the Department of Psychological Science , has published an article in the Journal on Excellence in College Teaching. The title of the article is “Serendipity in Teaching and Learning: The Importance of Critical Moments.”
Murphree Hosts Webinar, Teaches Workshop, Attends Summit
On Sept. 16, Dr. Steve Murphree, professor of biology, hosted the Greening University Campuses Environmental Protection Agency Webinar on the Belmont campus with officials from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. Besides the webinar and luncheon, the group from local area universities toured the Belmont campus including McWhorter Hall’s green roof.
Murphree also taught a five-hour workshop titled “The World of Invertebrates: Pollinators, Predators, Pests and Parasitoids” as a part of the Tennessee Naturalist Program at Owl’s Hill Nature Sanctuary on Sept. 18.
On Sept. 22, Murphree and Fred Thompson, director of Plant Operations, attended the Bed Bug Summit at the Lentz Public Health Center in Nashville, where they spoke about previous bed bug infestations of the Belmont campus and how these were handled.
Gustke Publishes Article
Charmion Gustke’s (English) article “Somewhere Between Temperance and Prohibition: The Wandering Alcoholics in Cather’s The Song of the Lark” will appear in the 2011 Scholarly Edition of the Willa Cather Review.
Drs. Daniel and Sharon Lawhon Receive Encore Award
The Belmont University School of Music presented the 2010 Encore Award to alumni Daniel and Sharon Lawhon Tuesday night, Sept. 28. The award was created in 2008 to honor a School of Music alumnus for achievement in the field of classical music.
The Lawhons were honored for their outstanding professional contributions as classical performers, educators and clinicians. After the award presentation Sharon, soprano, and Daniel, organist, presented a joint recital in Belmont Heights Baptist Church. A 1979 graduate of Belmont, Sharon is the chair of the Voice Department of Samford University. Daniel, a 1983 graduate, is the choirmaster and organist at the Baptist Church of the Covenant in Birmingham, Alabama and is an adjunct organ professor at Samford University.
Previous Encore Award honorees are tenors Clifton Forbis in 2008 and Daniel Weeks in 2009.
Belmont to Receive 2010 Iris Award
Belmont University will receive the 2010 Iris Award from the Japan-America Society of Tennessee. The award recognizes unique contributions of a company, organization or individual to the enhancement of Japan-Tennessee relations.
Belmont’s notable contributions include hosting the National Consortium for Teaching About Asia, a seminar for Tennessee public school teachers directed by Dr. Ronnie Littlejohn, director of Asian Studies; adding a Japanese language minor and 10 new courses in various departments focusing completely or substantially on Japan; and receiving a Nippon Foundation Book Award to improve library holdings in contemporary Japan studies and making them available to the entire community.
The award will be presented on Oct. 17 as part of the 34th Annual Joint Meeting of the Southeast U.S./Japan and the Japan-U.S. Southeast Associations (SEUS/Japan) in Nashville. Gov. Phil Bredesen and Jack O. Bovender, Jr., retired chairman of HCA, will host the meeting at the Renaissance Hotel. The theme this year is “In Harmony With Tradition and Innovation,” and more than 500 corporate decision-makers and executives will participate in the business discussions, networking sessions and hospitality that have become a trademark of this annual event.
Wind Ensemble to Perform at State Conference
The Belmont University Wind Ensemble was recently invited to perform at the Tennessee Music Educators Association State Conference in April 2011. A panel of music educators reviewed competitive submissions from high school and collegiate groups across Tennessee in July and made final selections for appearances at the conference. This is a significant event for the Wind Ensemble and the School of Music as it is the first juried performance invitation of this type made to the ensemble. The convention will take place April 6-9, 2011 at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel. The concert is scheduled to take place on the evening of Wednesday, April 6 (time TBA) on the stage at the Grand Ole Opry House. The Wind Ensemble is under the direction of Dr. Barry Kraus, director of bands in the School of Music.
