Saint Mary’s plans third annual Young Alumni Weekend

Saint Mary’s graduates from the past decade have been invited back to campus for Young Alumni Reunion Weekend, Sept. 9-11.

Over 150 alumni are expected to attend the weekend of events which will include a faculty and staff social, a young alumni gathering at Mulligan’s, ropes course activities, a barbecue with live music on the Plaza, disc golfing and a pig roast picnic. Additionally, special events are planned for the anniversary years of 2001 and 2006. The weekend also coincides with Cardinal ‘M’ Club Weekend, giving SMU alumni opportunities to cheer on Cardinal athletics.

For more information about the Young Alumni Program, please contact Bob Fisher at Ext. 6658 or rfisher@smumn.edu. To read more about this event, or to register, go to www.smumn.edu/yaweekend.

Three to be inducted to Sports Hall of Fame Sept. 10

The Saint Mary’s Cardinal ‘M’ Club, in association with the Alumni Office, will induct three members into the SMU Sports Hall of Fame during a special ceremony Saturday, Sept. 10, in the gymnasium.

Nate DeMars ’98 and Frank Savino ’98 were linemates for the Saint Mary’s University men’s hockey team for four years. The third member of this year’s Class of 2011 inductees is John Redpath ’80, a standout for the Saint Mary’s hockey teams of the late ’70s, and also DeMars’ uncle.

In their four years together, Savino and DeMars were one of the most prolific, goal-scoring duos in the country. The two combined for 377 points and rank second (DeMars) and third (Savino) to Andre Beaulieu in career points.

A four-year letterwinner, Savino was named to the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference First Team in each of his four years as a Cardinal. Savino’s junior year was one for the record books, as he compiled 40 goals and 62 points — both ranked No. 5 all-time in the program’s history — while earning MIAC Player of the Year and First-Team All-American honors. In his four years at SMU, Savino ranks No. 3 all-time in career goals (111) and career points (111).

Also a four-year letterwinner, DeMars earned All-MIAC First-Team honors three times, while also being named Second Team All-American during his junior season, when he posted 40 assists — the fourth-best single-season assist total in program history — and finished a point behind Savino with 61. DeMars closed out his collegiate career as SMU’s all-time assist leader (108), while ranking second in career points (189) and fifth in career goals (81).

Redpath earned First-Team All-MIAC honors in both his junior and senior seasons, while also being named an NAIA First-Team All-American during his senior season. Redpath, a four-year letterwinner, finished among the top 20 in SMU history in single-season goals (23) and points (51).

Other activities included in Cardinal ‘M’ Club Weekend, Sept. 9-11, will include athletic awards, golf, alumni games, a social, and a picnic.

Terrance Simien kicks off Page Series Sept. 16

The 25th season of the Page Series will kick off with the sweet southern sounds of Louisiana with Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience Friday, Sept. 16, at Saint Mary’s.

The event, set to take the stage at 7:30 p.m., will be held in Page Theatre.

Incorporating his hypnotic blend of Zydeco, New Orleans funk, and reggae-flavored Afro-Caribbean sound, Terrance Simien aims to propel you out of your seat and have you dancing in the aisles.

For more than two decades the Grammy-award winning artist, an eighth-generation Louisiana Creole, has been shattering the myths about what his indigenous Creole Zydeco music is and is not. Leading his Zydeco Experience Band, Simien has become one of the most respected and internationally recognized touring and recording artists in roots music today.

He has performed over 5,000 concerts, toured to over 40 countries and reached at least a million people during his eventful 25-year career. In December of 2009, Disney Pictures released a Pixar animated film, “The Princess & The Frog,” set in New Orleans, which was scored by Randy Newman and features the music of Simien, Terence Blanchard and Dr. John.

Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for seniors and students and are available online at www.pagetheatre.org or call the box office, Ext. 1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. $10 student rush tickets may be available for some events 20 minutes before curtain.

Saint Mary’s is a fiscal year 2011 recipient of an Institutional Presenter Support grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is funded, in part, by the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on Nov. 4, 2008.

O’Shea completes musical Mass setting

Dr. Patrick O'Shea, associate professor of music, recently completed a new musical setting of the Mass titled “Mass of the Mediatrix.”

With the revision of the text of the Roman Missal to be implemented in Advent, the need is great for musical settings that incorporate the numerous changes. O’Shea's setting may be performed by a simple cantor and piano or organ, or with a full choir and additional instruments, making it accessible in a wide range of parish and other liturgical contexts.

In service to the Church, the musical setting is being distributed free of charge for all non-profit uses. Musical scores, instrumental parts, pew cards, and audio files may be downloaded from the resource page that Dr. O’Shea has set up for the Mass of the Mediatrix: www.poshea.com/scores/mediatrix.php.

Galleries to show ‘Inspired by Japan’

The first gallery art exhibition of the season, “Inspired by Japan,” opened Thursday in the Lillian Davis Hogan Galleries. This exhibition brings together 60 printmakers from around the world in a show that will run concurrent with several other venues including South Africa, Japan, Poland, Michigan and Oregon.

After the devastating earthquake and tsunami in March of this year, artists and printmakers gathered to produce a suite of prints titled “Inspired by Japan.”

For several centuries, Japan has been famous for the Ukiyo-e style of woodcut printmaking. Sixty artists who work in the relief form of printing (carving away parts of the woodblock, and printing the raised portion) produced limited-edition prints to be donated and sold to raise funds for disaster relief in Japan.

Placement audition for WAYS youth choir is Sept. 12

The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts will conduct placement auditions for Winona Area Youth Singers (WAYS), at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 12, at the Valéncia Arts Center Recital Hall, 1164 West 10th St.

WAYS is seeking students in grades four through eight who have been introduced to choir/music in their academic school setting and desire additional educational and performance opportunities in vocal music.

Throughout the semester, the choir will rehearse on Mondays, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Performances will include the annual MCA Winter Music Division Concert on Dec. 5, as well as holiday caroling and other community events.

WAYS is directed by Lindsy O’Shea of the SMU Music Department.

Interested students may register online at www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org.

WAYS is offered tuition-free for the 2011-2012 academic year. This activity is made possible in part by a grant provided by the Minnesota State Arts Board, through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature from the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on Nov. 4, 2008. This activity is also made possible in part by a grant from the Young Singers’ Foundation.

For more information, visit www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org, e-mail mca@smumn.edu or call Ext. 5500.

Chris Kendall to perform at Winona Arts Center

Chris Kendall and the Coulee Kings (Mark Gunderson and Tom Moncrieff) combine forces for an evening of musical story telling Saturday, Sept. 17, at 7:30 p.m. at the Winona Arts Center. Admission is $5.

SMU alum to host upcoming children’s workshop

SMU alumna Emerald Hulsing will lead an upcoming children’s workshop on Goyataku, the art of fish printing Saturday, Sept. 24, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Boats and Bluegrass Festival on Prairie Island. No preregistration is required.

The event is open to all children and their parents. Children under the age of 8 must have a parent/adult accompanying them.

Cancer benefit for Jim Klinger is Oct. 22

A cancer benefit will be held for Jim Klinger, (Maintenance Department) at 4 p.m. Saturday Oct. 22, at the Witoka Ballroom. The event will include a live and silent auction, bake sale and chicken dinner.

If you would like to help with the benefit by volunteering that day, baking for the bake sale or by donating items, contact Nikki Richmond Ext. 1643 or Sandy Moger at Ext. 1436.

Jazz notes

Swing Inc. will perform 6 to 9 p.m. today, Friday, Sept. 9, at Signature’s Restaurant.

Dance Repertory Company II auditions are Sept. 17

The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts will conduct auditions for the Dance Repertory Company II winter concert, at noon Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Valéncia Arts Center, 1164 West 10th St.

Auditions are open to beginning- and intermediate-level dance students ages 5 to 13. Boys and girls will be cast in concert dance pieces in one or more of the following genres: classical ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, and modern dance.

Parents are asked to accompany children to the audition, bring a photo of their child, and planning calendars. Auditioning students should wear proper dance attire.

The DRC II will present winter concerts, Dec. 2-3, 2011 at the Valéncia Arts Center Academy Theatre. The concert will feature the DRC II members who train at MCA, as well as the MCA high school and college students in their choreographic debuts, presenting their own works as part of their semester-long choreography class.

Dance Repertory Company and the DRC II are the youth performing troupes of the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts. Company members participate in rehearsals, technique classes (starting Sept. 12, 2011) and stage performances. Past productions of the company include: The Firebird, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Paquita, Cinderella, Excerpts from Swan Lake, Cinderella, Youth In Motion, Tappin' to Connick, Pure Entertainment, Dance Mosaic, and An Evening with Benny Goodman, among others.

For more information about the DRC II or other programs offered at MCA, visit www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org, e-mail mca@smumn.edu or call Ext. 5500.

Lallaman to present first biology seminar

Joshua Lallaman will present the first biology seminar of the year, “American Behemoth: the North American Paddlefish” at 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15, in Room 112 of Hoffman Hall. Lallaman was recently on the National Geographic Channel’s program “Monster Fish.”