Lyon to host Ashley-Lewis Concert

A unique blend of musical styles including influences ranging from Bach, Brahms and Chopin to Led Zeppelin and Radiohead is set to take the stage at Lyon College.

On Feb. 1, the Ashley Lewis Concert series will present the Georgia Guitar Quartet at 7:30 p.m. in the Bevens Music Room in Brown Chapel.

The Georgia Guitar Quartet – comprised of Jason Solomon, Phil Snyder, Brian Smith and Kyle Dawkins – has emerged as an exciting new voice in today’s chamber music scene. These four young men from Athens, Ga., deliver a high-energy blend of breathtaking virtuosity and imaginative programming while taking an adventurous approach to classical music.

Audiences at their concerts experience an exciting musical journey through an expansive array of genres, continents, and time periods. Rousing Irish folk music and late Impressionistic masterpieces share the stage contemporary works. Accomplished composers themselves, the Quartet frequently incorporate their own unique works into their increasingly dynamic concert program.

The Quartet recently marked its 10th anniversary season with two sold-out performances in New York, a performance at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts in Los Angeles, and an appearance at the Deer Valley Music Festival in Park City, Utah.

They have released three recordings and are currently completing work on a fourth album comprising all-original works by the group's members

According to Flagpole Magazine, "These four young musicians exhibit nearly flawless technique and interpretational finesse."

John Sutherland, head of Guitar Studies University of Georgia, said, "They are one of the finest groups of young talent I have seen in my 30 years of teaching."

The concert is free and open to the public.

Winners of fourth annual juried student art show announced

The fourth annual juried student art exhibition, which will run from Jan. 8 - Jan 30, announced the event's award winners at an Opening Reception and Award Presentation on Thursday, Jan. 11, and one student took home three of the prizes.

Megan Kinion took first prize for her acrylic and motor oil on wood called “1.6 Million Children in Sub-Saharan Africa Die Each Year From Unsafe Water.” She also won a second place and an honorable finish with two other pieces.

Second prize went to Eric Bork. His “Grand Procurator” is oil on wood.

Kinion took home her second prize with a third-place honor going to her acrylic, charcoal and found objects on wood piece called “Mommy Knows Best.”

The Best in Show Award went to Emily Fleming and her oil, acrylic, iodine and fabric on canvas piece called “Squirrel Hunting.”

Honorable Mentions went to Jeff Rose for his “Hushed Lips,” a charcoal on linoleum, and to Kinion, for a third winner from her. This work, called “Cracker Jack,” was a mixed media on wood piece.

Lyon College students could enter up to five artworks each. The juror, Harry Ally, selected the most successful work from those entries. The selected work is then displayed in the Kresge Gallery, meaning this exhibition will feature only the best work of Lyon students.

Ally said the scale of the work and the materials being used by the students impresses him and he's eager to see how the intimate and dignified setting of the Kresge Gallery will feel trying to contain such powerful work.

“…They're all so amazing,” Ally said. “I hope they got something from my visit because I certainly learned a tremendous amount from them… Keep up the good work.”

 

Megan Kinion, winner of first and third prizes, with Professor Valle and President Roettger	Eric Bork, second prize winner, with Professor Valle and President Roettger                                                                                                       Photos by Eric Stewart

Lyon to host Community International Night

Understanding and embracing diversity is a vital component of a well-rounded education, and an upcoming event at Lyon College designed to “promote peace, harmony, and diversity within our community” will fill bellies as well as minds.

On Jan. 20, the 9th annual Community International Night opens its doors at 5 p.m. in Edwards Commons on the Lyon campus. This year’s theme is “Harmony: A Melody of Our World.”

Co-hosted by Lyon and UACCB, the event will be an evening of food and entertainment from around the world, and is part of Diversity Week at Lyon College, which runs from Jan. 14 – 20

Joni Bube, international student advisor, is the chairperson of the Community International Night committee. The chairperson position alternates between UACCB staff and Lyon College based on which institution is hosting the event, which is held at UACCB and Lyon in alternating years.

Dana Davidson, administrative and tracking coordinator for the APPLE Project, said Community International Night was created to celebrate the area’s international population.

 “The event started to celebrate our international friends, including international students, who live in Batesville and the surrounding areas and to promote peace, harmony, and diversity within our community,” she said.

The types of cultures represented and dishes served varies from year to year, Davidson added.

“Countries represented in the past include Albania, Bosnia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Colombia, Czechoslovakia, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Nepal, Poland, Scotland, Vietnam and more,” she said. “There’s usually anywhere from 250 to 300 people who come.”

The evening will also include entertainment with an international flare.  Entertainers for this year include groups from Eagle Mountain Magnet, Batesville sixth grade Magnet, UACCB Ensemble, and a short film presentation from the Ozark Foothills Film Fest.

The Japanese language class at Lyon College will perform as well, and also host a craft/activity table for attendees. Students from the International Studies Academy at the Batesville Middle School will also be face painting international flags as an activity.

Culminating the evening will be the awarding of scholarships to international students at Lyon College and UACCB.  Scholarships are supported by area organizations and businesses. 

The event is free and open to the public. Dinner will be a potluck, and attendees are asked to bring a dish that will serve 10-12 people. For more information, call 698-4277.

Scottish Heritage Program to host Burns Night Saturday

The Lyon College Scottish Heritage Program is set to host its first Robert Burns Night ("Burns Nicht" to the Scots) in many years. This event, a tribute to the Scottish poet, will be held on Jan. 20 in the Bevens Music Room.

At Lyon, the Burns Night tradition was established by Ralph Graham in 1981. Graham, then vice president for development, started the Scottish Heritage Program, including the Burns Night events and what is now the Arkansas Scottish Festival. The Burns Night celebrations ended after Graham left Lyon in 1988.

Dinner is provided, which consists of beef, chicken, barley mush, assorted vegetables, haggis and dessert.

The evening will follow the traditional agenda, but there will also be performances by the Lyon College Pipe Band, the Lyon College Highland Dancers, a céilidh band (traditional Scottish band that plays at socials) and Scottish country dancers. Cocktail hour will begin at 6 p.m., but you must have a ticket to get in. Tickets are limited and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. They can be purchased from the Scottish Heritage Program. Call (870) 698-4298 for tickets or more information.

Lyon College welcomes transfer students

Educational, cultural and ethnic diversity took another step forward at Lyon College on  Jan. 8 when school officials hosted an orientation for incoming transfer students. The students, which included international transfers, came from schools such as Ozarka College, UACCB and the University of the Ozarks, and from nations such as Russia and Japan. Some of the students grew up right here in Batesville while others came from as far away as the frozen tundra of Siberia, but they all found a warm new home on the Lyon campus. On-hand to greet the students were Dr. Bruce Johnston, vice president for Student Affairs and dean of the students; Dr. Terrell Tebbetts, the Martha Heasley Cox

Professor of English; Dr. Paul Bube, the W. Lewis McColgan Professor of Religion; and Dianne Ellis, director of counseling services. Johnston told the students that one of the most important parts of the orientation is their learning what will be expected of them as Lyon students, and he gave the floor to Tebbetts to help explain.

"The biggest thing for new students, freshmen and transfers alike, is coming to terms with the amount of work they will be expected to do," he said.

Lyon students routinely do more work than their peers at other institutions, Tebbetts added. To illustrate his point, he told of 13 recent freshmen, all of whom had been very successful in high school and who had outstanding SAT scores. They all said that they rarely had to work on assignments and studying outside of the classroom.

"Only one of the 13 did as well here as he did in high school," Tebbetts said. "That amount of work won’t be enough here. We’re ambitious for you, and that’s why we expect so much."

Bube added that it’s not just more work that will be required, but also better time management.

"There’s a lot to be involved with here, like clubs, fraternities, sororities and sports," he said. "Sometimes it’s easy to forget that you’re a student first."

The No. one obstacle faced by most incoming transfers from other colleges or universities is turning in quality college level writing and term papers.

"Other schools require much less than we do," he said. "Our expectations about the amount of writing, and the amount of research that goes into it, is higher."

But for those who struggle, there is a ready avenue of assistance available to them, Tebbetts said. He told the students that the Writing Center, located in the Alphin Building, provides upper class English major tutors who will help new students learn how to write effectively.

The bottom line, Johnston said, is to be dedicated to class work above all else.

"Study every subject, every day. This is your profession for the next couple of years," he said. "Do everything in moderation, except studying. Do that as much as you want to."

Lyon seniors Laura McWilliams, Ben Thielemier, Rosalie Worsham, Junior Watson Neal, and freshmen Teresa Bradley and Stephen Foster, pose with Rev. Nancy McSpadden (left) at the Montreat Conference Center at Montreat, N.C.

On Jan. 3-7, Lyon College Chaplain Rev. Nancy McSpadden and several Lyon students joined over 600 other college students from throughout the east and southeast to gather at Montreat Conference Center at Montreat, N.C., to worship, learn, play, and grow in their faith.

The Presbyterian Church, USA Division of Collegiate and Higher Education Ministries and Montreat sponsored the event.

Attending the Montreat Collegiate Conference with McSpadden were Lyon seniors Laura McWilliams, Ben Thielemier, Rosalie Worsham, Junior Watson Neal, and freshmen Teresa Bradley and Stephen Foster. Focusing on the topic "Searching for God Knows What," the conference theme was selected from the title of Donald Hill’s latest book.

Hill was the keynote speaker for the event, challenging the students to look for God beyond the marketing of popular culture and to write their own stories, remembering that good stories—just like life—are made more interesting through conflict and complexity. Hill is also the author of Blue Like Jazz and Through Painted Deserts.

Conference participants also attended workshops created especially to address the needs and interests of college students: life in the church after college, personal spirituality, global justice, civic responsibility, planning worship on campus. There was also ample opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the Great Smoky Mountain setting of the Montreat Conference Center.

Foothills Film Society plans 'Sign-Up Saturday' at MorningSide Coffeehouse Feb. 3

Free Prizes, Coffee To Mark Conclusion of Membership Campaign

Ozark Foothills FilmFest will conclude its 2007, pre-festival membership campaign with a final opportunity for those who wish to join, take advantage of the extensive memberships benefits, and demonstrate their support for the organization’s efforts at developing a strong film culture and building tourism in the region.  "Sign-Up Saturday" will take place at MorningSide Coffeehouse at the corner of St. Louis and Harrison in Batesville on Saturday, Feb. 3, from noon until 4 p.m.  Members of the organization’s board and staff will be on hand to answer questions about the organization, the upcoming 6th annual Ozark Foothills FilmFest, the summer T Tauri Film Festival and Youth Filmmaking Camp, and plans for new programs. 

The public is invited to drop by and register for free prizes to be given away every half-hour.  Individuals are also encouraged to become members of the Foothills Film Society.  Individuals who join the Ozark Foothills Film Society and those who have already joined will be treated to the coffee drink of their choice.

Basic membership in the society is available for $25 per person.  A $100 Supporting Membership is also available to individuals, couples, or families.  Both offer benefits including half-off admissions to festival screenings, discounts on admission to concerts and special events, discounts on T Tauri workshop tuition for family members, invitations to special Members Only events and parties, and Ozark Foothills FilmFest posters.  Supporting members also receive three transferable festival guest passes and will be listed in the print programs and on the websites of both festivals. 

The first Foothills Film Society members-only event will be a reception with the Doug Talley Quartet following their festival appearance on Friday, March 23, in Batesville. The group, based in Kansas City, will perform an original jazz score to accompany a screening of the Alfred Hitchcock silent classic, The Lodger. The reception, sponsored by George’s Liquor of Newport, Janine’s Café of Batesville, and Serenity Farm Bread of Leslie, will be held at Janine’s Café at 991 Batesville Boulevard and hosted by chef Janine Winters and David Lower of Serenity Farm Bread.

FilmFest executive director Judy Pest calls the Foothills Film Society  "a work in progress that will provide more and more benefits to members as it grows.  We are currently looking into a Members Only trip to the Austin Film Festival next fall. Our first social event for members at Janine Winters’ Café is just the beginning of a full calendar of member activities." She also noted that, because memberships will be limited in number so that all members can attend all events, joining before the festival is encouraged.

The 2007 (6th annual) Ozark Foothills FilmFest will be held March 22-25 in Batesville and March 29 to April 1 in Little Rock. The 2007 (3rd annual) T Tauri Film Festival and Youth Filmmaking Camp will be held July 16-28 in Batesville. Individuals who would like to join the Foothills Film Society but cannot attend "Sign-Up Saturday" can call 870-251-1189 or go to www.ozarkfoothillsfilmfest.org/membership_form.pdf for all the details.

Sports

Mid-Continent hands Scots 92-84 defeat
MAYFIELD, Ky. -- The Lyon College Scots suffered their fourth consecutive TranSouth Conference loss Saturday with a 92-84 road loss to the Mid-Continent Cougars.
Dynamic Scots guard Jonathan Donaldson scored 28 points and pulled down six rebounds, but Lyon College couldn't overcome a 18-12 offensive rebounding deficit that led to many second-chance points for the Cougars. Lyon's Matt Owens accounted for an additional 21-point, nine-rebound effort and teammate Levi Taylor tallied 13 points and seven rebounds. 

Mid-Continent's Brian Hewitt led all scorers with 31 points and added six rebounds. Zac Simms dropped in 18 points and Justin Reed had 13 for the Cougars.

Lyon College shot 49 percent (32-of-65) from the field and 5-of-10 from 3-point range, but hit on just 15-of-27 attempts (56 percent) from the free-throw line. Mid-Continent scored on 38-of-73 chances (52 percent) from the field and on 7-of-18 shots (39 percent) from the arc. The Cougars were 12-of-20 from the charity stripe and out-rebounded the Scots 38-34.

The loss sinks Lyon College to 9-7 overall and 0-4 in league play. Mid-Continent improves to 10-5 and 1-3 in conference action. The Scots take on Union University in Becknell Gym tonight at 8.

Pipers crush Mid-Continent, 72-52
MAYFIELD, Ky. -- Sophomore forward Maribeth Waters accounted for 20 points and junior guard April Carter added 13 for the Lyon College Pipers in a 72-52 rout over the Mid-Continent Lady Cougars Saturday in a TranSouth Conference matchup. Pipers' center Crystal Bogy added eight and freshman guard LeAnna Peerson chipped in seven.

Lyon shot 48 percent from the field, scoring on 28-of-58 field-goal attempts. The Pipers were 6-of-17 (35 percent) from the 3-point arc and were 10-of-17 from the charity stripe. Mid-Continent shot 49 percent (25-of-51) on field goals, 20 percent (1-of-5) from 3-point range. The Lady Cougars were plagued by 22 turnovers to Lyon College's 12.

The Pipers improve to 8-7 overall and an even 2-2 in the TranSouth. Mid-Continent drops to 5-11 and 0-4 in the league. The Pipers host Union University at 6 p.m. tonight.