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'Tis the season for music, dance and holiday events

"Things Went Awry Some Time Ago," a Connecticut College Dance Department concert, is Dec. 9 and 10. Photo by E. Houston Faile.
"Things Went Awry Some Time Ago," a Connecticut College Dance Department concert, is Dec. 9 and 10. Photo by E. Houston Faile.

Celebrate the holidays with music, dance and timeless traditions at Connecticut College throughout December. The following events are open to the public and free unless otherwise noted:

Art

- Now-Dec. 9: "Academy of Uncommon Gardens," featuring works by Lynn Richardson, assistant professor of sculpture at Keene State College. The exhibit, on display in the college's Cummings Arts Center, is sponsored by a Sherman-Fairchild grant for collaborative teaching in the arts. This year's grant theme is sustainability, and Richardson's work examines issues of climate change. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 1 - 4 p.m.

- Dec. 8-15: Senior Thesis Exhibitionfeaturing work by Clara Euam '12. An opening reception is Thursday, Dec. 8, at 4 p.m. in Cummings Arts Center.

Dance

- Friday, Dec. 9, and Saturday, Dec. 10: "Things Went Awry Some Time Ago,"a Connecticut College Dance Department concert featuring more than 50 students performing works choreographed by Dance Department faculty members Shani Collins-Achille, David Dorfman, Heidi Henderson and Derrick Yanford, and by students Audrey MacLean '12, Katie McGrail '12 and Chloe Spitalny '13. The performance also features a work choreographed and inspired by renowned guest artist Martha Myers, the Henry B. Plant Emeritus Professor of Dance at Connecticut College, and made possible with funding by the Dayton Artist-in-Residence Fund. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. in Palmer Auditorium. Tickets are $12 for general admission and $6 for students and seniors. For tickets, call the Box Office at 860-439-ARTS (2787).

Music

- Monday, Dec. 5: "Music of the Four Winds," a Connecticut College Concert Band performance featuring the music of Billy Joel, Alojz Srebotnjak and Silvestre Revueltas, and the world premiere of "From an Indian Village" by Antony Paasch '94. Directed by Gary Buttery, adjunct assistant professor of music, 7 p.m., Evans Hall, Cummings Arts Center. Tickets are $5 for general admission and $3 for students and seniors.

- Wednesday, Dec. 7: "All That Jazz," a Connecticut College Traditional Jazz Band and Jazz Ensemble performance featuring the music of Al Jolson, "Fats" Waller, Johnny Mercer, Charles Mingus and more. Directed by Gary Buttery, adjunct assistant professor of music, 7 p.m., Evans Hall, Cummings Arts Center. Tickets are $5 for general admission and $3 for students and seniors.

- Thursday, Dec. 8: Connecticut College Orchestra Concert, directed by Mark Seto, assistant professor of music, 7 p.m., Evans Hall, Cummings Arts Center. Tickets are $5 for general admission and $3 for students and seniors.

- Friday, Dec. 9: "Charles Shackford Memorial Student Composers Concert," featuring original pieces by Connecticut College music students, directed by music professor Arthur Kreiger, 6:30 p.m., Evans Hall, Cummings Arts Center. This event is free.

- Monday, Dec. 12: Connecticut College New Music and Percussion Concert, directed by Peter Jarvis, adjunct assistant professor of music, 7 p.m., Evans Hall, Cummings Arts Center. Tickets are $5 for general admission and $3 for students and seniors.

Theater

- Sunday, Dec. 4: "Make We Joy,"a community celebration of the Winter Solstice, with music, dance and drama. Community talents from many backgrounds and cultures fuse to create an entertaining and unique seasonal event enjoyed by all ages. Throughout the world people have gathered to celebrate the presence of light and hope, and this spiritual recognition of the returning light persists in the traditions of all the world's cultures. The performance is free, though donations will be accepted at the door. Seating is limited, so plan to arrive early. Shows are 4 and 7 p.m., Harkness Chapel.

Other Events

- Thursday, Dec. 1: "Japan after the Tide: The Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of Tohoku, Japan." Japanese professor Sayumi Harb, government professor John Tian and psychology professor Ruth Grahn will lead a discussion about the reconstruction of the physical infrastructure in an area of Japan affected by the tsunami and about the cultural, emotional and social rehabilitation of the victims, 4:30 p.m., Hood Dining Room, Blaustein Humanities Center.

- Thursday, Dec. 1: "Poetry Reading: Three Alumnae Poets," featuring the work of Aracelis Girmay '99, assistant professor of poetry at Hampshire College and author of the poetry collections "Teeth" and "Kingdom Animalia;" Maya Pindyck '00, a doctoral candidate at Columbia University's Teachers College and author of the chapbook, "Locket Master and Friend Among Stones;" and Katie Umans '01, who teaches writing through the Center for Talented Youth at Johns Hopkins University and is the author of the forth-coming collection, "Flock Book," 7:30 p.m., Charles Chu Asian Art Reading Room, Shain Library.

- Friday, Dec. 2: "Global Warming: Illuminating Some of its Scientific and Methodological Flaws," a Department of Physics, Astronomy and Geophysics lecture by Laurence I. Gould, professor of physics at the University of Hartford, 2:30 p.m., Olin Science Center Room 113.

- Friday, Dec. 2: "Great Beginnings: Conversations with Alumni featuring Alice Maggin '91," an Emmy-award winning producer for ABC World News with Diane Sawyer. Learn about today's television news - and how Maggin's Connecticut College education prepared her for her career - in this interactive conversation facilitated by Grace Pearlman '14, 8 p.m., Evans Hall, Cummings Arts Center. This is the last event in a four-part series.

- Saturday, Dec. 3: "Creating Holiday Wreaths," a workshop with Arboretum horticulturist Leigh Knuttel and Arboretum curator Mary Villa. After a brief demonstration, participants will create their own wreaths, 9 a.m., Olin Science Center Lounge. Registration is $29 for Arboretum members, $34 for non-members. Participants are asked to bring their own pruning shears; everything else will be provided. To register, call 860-439-5060.

- Sunday, Dec. 4: "Getting Social: Careers in Media for the 21st Century," a Sundays with Alumni panel discussion featuring Richard Kappler '04, program planning manager at VH1; Lauren Matison '06, co-founder and editor of offManhattan.com and writer/ blogger for Grist.org, Cosmopolitan Magazine and The Huffington Post; and Kathryn Whitney '07, YouTube specialist for online media sales at Google Inc., 4 p.m., Cro's Nest, College Center at Crozier-Williams.

- Monday, Dec. 5: "Plato's Video Game: The Lyre, the Cave and the Console," a Department of Classics lecture by Roger Travis, professor of classics at the University of Connecticut where he is part of the Video Games and Human Values Initiative, 4:30 p.m., Charles Chu Asian Arts Reading Room, Shain Library.

- Wednesday, Dec. 7: "On the Nature of Being Woody: How Advances in Genetics are Shaping our Understanding of Secondary Growth in Plants," a lecture by Rachel Spicer, assistant professor of botany, 11:50 a.m., Olin Science Center Room 014.

- Friday, Dec. 9: "Trim a Holiday Tree and Create Holiday Ornaments," a holiday workshop with Arboretum staff. Participants are invited to bring their own natural ornaments to decorate a holiday tree, or to create an ornament on site. Refreshments will be served, 1-5 p.m., Olin Science Center Lounge.

- Monday, Dec. 12: "Computer Science Student Research Symposium," featuring presentations of research projects by computer science students, 6 p.m., Brown Auditorium, Hale Laboratory. RSVPs are requested; please email Professor Christine Chung at cchung@conncoll.edu.

- Wednesday, Dec. 14: "Christmas Vespers: A Service of Lessons and Carols." The service, a candlelight program of lessons and carols, has been a holiday tradition at Connecticut College since 1917. All are welcome, 5 p.m., Harkness Chapel.



December 1, 2011