On Saturday, April 22, at 6 p.m., Lyon College will host an event named after an old Gaelic word meaning "a visit," and the entire community is invited to join in.

As part of the 28th Arkansas Scottish festival, scheduled to run April 20–22 on the Lyon College campus, a dinner and Ceilidh – pronounced kay-lee – will be held in Becknell Gym. The Ceilidh is the traditional Gaelic social dance in Ireland and Scotland and they usually feature traditional music, dancing and storytelling.

In addition to the Ceilidh, the festival features a wide range of events and exhibits, including bagpipers, Scottish clans, Highland dancers, drummers, falconry, athletics, sheepdog demonstrations, musical entertainment and Highland games competitions.

Athletes, vendors, drummers, pipers, dancers and clans may register for the festival online at www.lyon.edu/scotfest. For more information, contact Jimmy Bell at jbell@lyon.edu.

Admission to the Ceilidh and cocktail reception, which begins at 6 p.m. in Becknell Gymnasium, is $35

The festival’s opening ceremonies at 1 p.m. on Saturday will feature a parade of clans and all 18 of the pipe bands competing this year will join together to form one large band that marches onto the parade field.

Throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday, Alex Beaton, a renowned Scottish folk artist, will perform, and the group NeedFire, new to the festival, will also entertain both days. NeedFire is a five-piece Celtic rock band from Dallas, Texas.

Around the parade field, clans and Scottish vendors will be set up, handing out information and selling merchandise.

Warm sunshine and record attendance numbers poured onto the Lyon College campus at last year’s Arkansas Scottish Festival. Bell estimated that 10,000 people attended the event last year, up from the previous year’s record of 8,000.

Two-day passes for the festival are $16 for adults, and $10 for students age 12-17. Saturday-only passes are$10 for adults in advance and $12 at the gate, and $5 for students in advance and $6 at the gate. Sunday-only passes are $6 for adults in advance and $7 at the gate, and $3 for students in advance and $5 at the gate.

All children 12 and under accompanied by an adult get in free. For ticket or vendor information, contact Tami Hall at 698-4382.

Concert Chorale visits Bay area

Lyon College Concert Chorale members pose in front of the Golden Gate Bridge, just north of San Francisco. Front row (from left): Lauran-Marie Dipierdomenico, Ashley Harris, Miho Yonaga, Courtney Kovacs, Ronica Williamson; Middle Row: Natalie Marlin, Ashley Dorsey, Meagan Bullock, Kazuya Watanabe, Matt Bishop, Jake Severs, Holly Jones; Back Row: T.J. Guajardo, Josh Looney, Sydney Brown, Ben Thielemeier, Bridget Nutt, Nate Reinhardt, Cory Emerson

Members of the Concert Choral perform in Grace Cathedral on Thursday, March 29. Pictured are (L to R): Ashley Dorsey, Natalie Marlin, Meagan Bullock and Cory Emerson.

Joel Plaag (front left, shaking hands with Rian Rodriguez) and Ceil Smith (seated at piano) directed the Concert Chorale during its spring break tour in California.

The Lyon College Concert Chorale under the direction of Dr. Joel Plaag and Ceil Smith, traveled to San Francisco in March as part of the annual choir tour.

The choir sang concerts in San Jose, San Francisco and Windsor, Calif., as well as explored the culture and history of the city.

They worked on recruiting high school students from the area in a joint concert with Leland High School Choir, directed by Rian Rodriguez, where they sang Schutz’s "Psalm 100," Parker and Shaw’s arrangement of "What Shall We Do With A Drunken Sailor," Mendelssohn’s "Lift Thine Eyes," and Paul Bassler’s "Alleluia."

The Chorale also reached out to the San Francisco community by performing in the famous Grace Cathedral on Nob Hill, and for Lyon (Arkansas College) alumna Rev. Amy Seymour Haney’s congregation at the historic First Presbyterian Church in Windsor, Calif.

While in the Bay area, the choir visited the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Japantown, Chinatown, and saw a performance of Mozart’s "Piano Concerto No. 23" by the San Francisco Symphony and world-famous pianist Emmanuel Ax. The choir ßleft at 4 a.m., Wednesday, March 28 and returned on Saturday, March 31.

Harlequin Theatre production to run April 12-15

The Harlequin Theatre will present its spring production, "The Good Doctor," April 12-15 in Holloway Theatre at Lyon College.

"The Good Doctor," by playwright Neil Simon, is a series of comic sketches based on the character studies of Anton Chekov, who was one of the first to write "slice of life" plays for the modern theatre.

The play is set in the late 19th century in Russia, and Professor Gary Harris, both the director and the set designer of "The Good Doctor," says the stage itself will resemble some of the architecture found in that era.

The cast includes: The Narrator, Peter Semyonych and the father played by Jance Edwin Floyd; General Brassilov, Kuryatin, the Husband and Kistunov played by John A. Earney; Madame Brassilov, Julia, the Wife, and Nina played by Alissa Walter; Cherdyakov and Pochatkin played by Roger Douglas Simons II; Madame Cherdyakov and the Prostitute played by Heather Parson; the Mistress, the Older Woman, and Madame Schukin played by Emily Fleming; the Sexton and the Policeman played by Joe Sanchez; the Older Man, the Voice and the Son played by Cory Emerson; the Sailor played by Roberson Hunter Stilwell; and non speaking roles as audience members played by Shane Russell and Jacob Sperry.

In the photo above, Roger Simons, Emily Fleming and John Earney rehearse a scene from the play. (Photo by Eric Stewart)

The crew includes: Stage Manager—Amy Hancock; Master Electrician—Melissa Kuehl; Sound Operator—Deidra Brauburger; Properties Mistress—Nell Tebbetts; Grips—Jacob Sperry, Calvin Hagler and Shane Russell; and Stage Carpenters—Rita Ameri and Christy Kirchner.

Opening night will be at 8 p.m. Thursday, April 12, in Holloway Theater. Other show times will be 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 13 and 14, and a matinee at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 15.

Tickets are $6 for adults and $3 for students and seniors. For reservations, call 793-1749.

The Lyon College Community Orchestra will perform a tribute to the music of romance at its Spring Concert, "Romantic Reflections: Music of Romantic and Nationalist Composers," at 7 p.m. Friday, April 13, in Brown Chapel on the Lyon campus.

The program, directed by Barbara Reeve, features an array of familiar classics as well as Joel Plaag, Lyon’s assistant professor of music, as guest conductor.

The free concert is supported in part by Emerson Charitable Trust, Batesville Symphony League, Lyon College and supporters of the symphony league.

The first half features the brass section in both "Procession of the Nobles" by Rimsky-Korsakov and "Finlandia" by Jean Sibelius, the national hymn of Finland.

Next, "In the Steppes of Central Asia" by Borodin was made into the popular song, "In the Sands of Time," and features soloists from the woodwind and string sections.

The second half begins with the "Sleeping Beauty Waltz" by Tchaikovsky, followed by two movements from the Peer Gynt Suite by Grieg, "Morning Light and In the Hall of the Mountain King."

A short piece by Mussorgsky, "Sorochinsky Fair," leads to the show’s final number, "What’s Up at the Symphony?"

Making a special appearance will be Bugs Bunny, directing a piece inspired by cartoon music borrowed from famous classics. Bugs will greet and autograph programs in the lobby prior to the program.

For information, contact Reeve at 698-4359.

On Saturday, April 14, Lyon College will open its doors to area high school students interested in learning how an education at the school will help set them on the path to future success.

Denny Bardos, Lyon ’s vice president for Enrollment Services, invites all area high school seniors and juniors, as well as other potential students who have yet to visit the campus, to attend the Open House event.

Registration begins at 9:45 a.m. at the Lyon Business and Economics Building rotunda, located on the north side of campus.

The schedule of events for the day includes presentations by faculty on the academic programs of the College, lunch on campus, and campus tours. Other presentations will focus on state, federal and institutional financial aid.

Parents and students will have the opportunity to participate in separate student and parent discussion panels at 10:40 a.m. Current Lyon College students will share their experiences at Lyon. This presentation and discussion is intended to let potential students meet the people who matter most at Lyon College – the students.

In addition, College admission representatives will be on-hand to answer questions.

Lunch will be provided in Edwards Commons Dining Hall at 12:40 p.m. The event will conclude at approximately 2:30 p.m. at Nucor Auditorium. The Open House is free to all interested students and their families. To register, call the admissions office at (870) 698-4250 or (800) 423-2542.

Lyon College is going on S.A.F.A.R.I., hunting for students who are interested in enriching, challenging and enjoyable learning experiences in a variety of educational areas. The College’s S.A.F.A.R.I. (Summer Academics: Fun And Recreation Included) summer enrichment program, now in its seventh year, is offering its Children’s Camp for K–6 students.

The first session of the Children’s Camp will be June 4-15, and the second will be June 18-29. Each session will be from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. Students who have completed grades K-2 may elect to attend half-day sessions. The application deadline is May 12.

Students who have completed grades 3-6 attend for a full day unless they wish to attend a sports camp on the same day.

Children’s Camp students will sign up for three academic and one recreational course per session. Lunch will be provided, as well as morning and afternoon snacks.

The S.A.F.A.R.I. program began in 2000 when Peggy Roettger, wife of Lyon President Dr. Walter Roettger, suggested creating a "kid’s college" to help the community get involved in what Lyon had to offer.

Local businesses and organizations provide donations to the program as well as small scholarships to some youngsters who enroll in the program.

Melissia Cooper has been the program director of S.A.F.A.R.I. since its inception. She holds a B.A. in office administration from Lyon with teacher certification in business education, and a master’s degree in Science in Library-Media from the University of Central Arkansas.

"The S.A.F.A.R.I. experience helps to enrich a child’s education and expand their horizons," she said.

For more information or an application or brochure, e-mail: mcooper@lyon.edu, or call (870) 612-6490.

More information also can be found on the Lyon S.A.F.A.R.I. Web page at www.lyon.edu/webdata/groups/safari/. Click on program description.

Historical "tragedies and triumphs" took center stage April 3, where several area high school and junior high school students earned honors at the District 2 History Day competition held at Lyon College.

Those finishes qualify them to compete at the state level later this month.

This year’s theme for the district competition was "Tragedy and Triumph" in history. Arkansas is divided into eight districts. The winners of each district competition participate in the "History Day in Arkansas" state competition, held at the University of Central Arkansas campus in Conway.

This year’s state competition will be held April 21. First- and second-place winners at the state competition are eligible to participate in National History Day June 10-14 at the University of Maryland at College Park.

Lyon College is in District 2, which includes schools from Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Cross, Fulton, Greene, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Lawrence, Mississippi, Poinsett, Randolph, Sharp and Stone counties.

The program is open to all Arkansas students in grades six through 12. "History Day in Arkansas" provides students with an opportunity to research original materials and express what they have learned through creative and original dramatic performances, media presentations, research papers or three-dimensional exhibits.

Students, working individually or in groups, use primary sources in their research, document their sources in an annotated bibliography, analyze and interpret information, and present their research and conclusions in a concise and creative manner.

Successful entries show a clear relation to the annual theme and understanding of the historical significance of the chosen topic.

Junior Individual Exhibits First Place––"Triumph & Tragedy: The Atomic Bomb," Allana Luedtke, ICC Second Place––"The Triumph & Tragedy of Gettysburg," James Keller, ICC Junior Group Exhibits First Place––"From Prisoner to President," Trisha Arnold, Alex Kurtzweil, ICC Second Place––"Harriet Tubman: The Underground Railroad," Katie Fears, Ashley Boyd, ICC Third Place––"Human Spirit," Alli Roberts, Jerrica Cooper, ICC Senior Individual Exhibits First Place––"No One Could Have Loved Gorillas More: The Legacy of Dian Fossey," Bethany Porter, Riverview Second Place––"The Tragedy of Jonestown," Brittany Biggers, BHS Third Place––"A Legend in Life and Death: The Triumph & Tragedy of Marilyn Monroe," Bethany Porter, Riverview Senior Group Exhibits First Place––"The Conquests of Alexander The Great," Cassie Teegarden, Gloria Moore, Jessie Ward, ICC Second Place––"The Steamboat: An Era of Disaster," Alex Cantrell, Andy Johnson, Rasheeg Jahan, BHS Third Place––"An Icon Lost: The Tragic Death of Elvis Presley," Orrie Allen, Sam Southerland, Kyler George, Derek Jones, Josh Allen, Tuckerman Junior Individual Documentary First Place––"Mandiba’s Story: The Tragedy & Triumph of Nelson Mandela, Marilyn Winston, Tuckerman Senior Individual Documentary First Place––"Kent State: Tragedy That Shook a Nation," Michael Smith, Tuckerman Second Place––"And Suddenly It Was Over … Judsonia, Arkansas and the Tornado of ’52," Laura Holmes, Riverview Third Place––"Beethoven," Ramona Hierholz, ICC Senior Group Documentary First Place––"Siege at Waco: Needless Tragedy or Government Triumph?" Rob Clausen, Hunter Gates, Danny Adams, Cash Giles, Tuckerman Second Place––"Ellis Island: Unlocking the door to America," Mary Beth Luster, Hannah Posey, BHS Third Place––"Tragedy of a People: Triumph of the Spirit," Ashton Barnes, Gina Elliott, Chelsie Russell, Westley Sullins, Tuckerman Junior Individual Performance First Place––"Sullivan Ballou: A Testimony of the Tragedy and Triumph of the Civil War," Elaine Irvin, Mountain. View Middle School Senior Group Performance First Place––"Triumph & Change: Women’s Roles in World War II, Jasmine Jackson, Abby Russell, Kati Clausen, Bri Goza, Kelsey Baker, Tuckerman Senior Papers First Place––"Pompeii and Herculaneum: A Tragedy Frozen in Time," Bryce Grant, BHS Second Place––"The Story of Bonnie and Clyde," Beth Croft, BHS

Dr. John Weinzierl, assistant professor of history, presents an award to one of the winners at the History Day competition.                                                                                                         Photo by Eric Stewart

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