School of FIne Arts

KU art students showcase work at a Kansas City gallery

Under the guidance of KU Associate Professor of Sculpture John Hachmeister, art students finalized their class requirement in their “Art in the Public Domain” special topics class by exhibiting their work May 6 in the Crossroads Arts District in Kansas City, Mo. The student exhibition was part of the “First Fridays” event, when art galleries in the Crossroads Arts District open up to the public on the first Friday of every month.

The art students secured an exhibit space in at 519 E. 18 th St. known as the Cherry Street Gallery. This space was transformed into an art gallery for the evening. The students constructed hanging wall panels for exhibiting artwork and also created a lighting system for the space. Seventeen students exhibited their art.

For more information on the art exhibit, please call the School of Fine Arts Department of Art & Design at 785.864.4401.

KU Wind Ensemble returns from exciting tour in China

The Kansas University Wind Ensemble, directed by John Lynch, University of Kansas Director of Bands, recently returned from a week-and-a-half long tour in China.

The KU Wind Ensemble was invited to tour China after Chinese music conservatory delegates were impressed with the group’s performance at the National Convention of the Music Educators national conference in Minneapolis and agreed to pay half the costs for the tour. Sponsored by the US-China Cultural Exchange, students and faculty from the group toured China from May 25 through June 7, performing concerts in Beijing, Chengdu and Kunming. The group was also invited to perform as the featured ensemble in an outdoor celebration that commemorated the 60 th anniversary of the end of World War II and the collaboration between China and the U.S.

In addition to performing in various successful concerts, the group was exposed to a variety of additional exciting opportunities. The students and faculty took advantage of tours throughout China and took part in interaction and cultural exchange with Chinese music students during student master classes and discussions. KU faculty members were invited back next year to teach and perform at the Central Conservatory in Beijing, the Sechzuen Conservatory in Chengdu and the Yunan Conservatory in Kunming. John Lynch was invited back to conduct the National Army Band of China and the Kunming Symphony Orchestra.

“The KU Wind Ensemble’s recent tour to China was a remarkable and life-changing experience,” said John Lynch, Director of Bands. “The students and faculty were overwhelmed by the warmth and hospitality of the Chinese people.”

For more information on the KU Wind Ensemble’s tour in China, please call the School of Fine Arts Music & Dance Department at 785.864.3436.

Visit the School of Fine Arts website for more information.