- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Grant will support purchase of Arkansas Civil Rights Heritage Trail markers to honor Elaine 12

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 13:49:51 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Anderson Institute on Race and Ethnicity received a $4,000 grant from Second Presbyterian Church of Little Rock’s Social Justice Advocacy Committee toward the purchase of markers for the 2019 Arkansas Civil Rights Heritage Trail. This year’s event will honor the Elaine 12, a group of black sharecroppers who were convicted of murder and sentenced to death by all-white juries in the wave of quick, unjust criminal prosecutions of black people that followed the Elaine Massacre of 1919. The convictions of six of the Elaine 12 were overturned in the landmark Supreme Court ruling, Moore vs. Dempsey, in 1923. Following their release from prison, most members of the Elaine 12 fled the state and changed their names. Many of them lived the rest of their lives in exile, fearing for their safety, with their family members never knowing what happened to them. The markers will be unveiled at a ceremony in the fall as part of a conference at the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Elaine Massacre. The Arkansas Civil Rights Heritage Trail was created by the Anderson Institute on Race and Ethnicity in 2011 to acknowledge the sacrifices and achievements made by those who fought for racial and ethnic justice in Arkansas. The trail begins in front of the Old State House Convention Center on Markham Street and will eventually extend to the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park. Each honoree’s name is commemorated with a 12-inch bronze marker on the trail and a biography on the trail’s website. New markers are added to the trail each year in a public ceremony that also recognizes civil rights activities of the past and those who work for racial equality today. The ceremonies have honored sit-ins and freedom rides, the desegregation of Little Rock Central High School, the desegregation of downtown Little Rock, the efforts of professionals in the areas of medicine and healthcare, politics and law, and economic advancement, as well as Gov. Winthrop Rockefeller. Last year, the Arkansas Civil Rights Heritage Trail was named a part of the.

Kirk to serve as guest narrator during chorus performance

Ajani Oyindamola — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 14:09:11 +0000

Dr. John Kirk, director of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Anderson Institute on Race and Ethnicity, will serve as a guest narrator during the River City Men’s Chorus performances of” in April. The performances, which are free and open to the public, will take place on Sunday, April 7, at 3 p.m., Monday, April 8, at 7 p.m., and Thursday, April 11, at 7 p.m. at Second Presbyterian Church, 600 Pleasant Valley Drive in Little Rock. The songs in the concert focus on the ideals of seeking justice, peace, and the fight for freedom. The concert includes Mark Hayes’ suite based on Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” and “Glory” from the 2014 film “Selma.” The chorus will perform a setting of “Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor,” the last stanza of Emma Lazarus’ sonnet “The New Colossus,” the lines inscribed on a bronze plaque in the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. David Glaze, conductor and artistic director of the River City Men’s Chorus, asked Kirk to serve as a guest narrator after hearing the “ series, , a special feature on ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Public Radio that explores the history of the Civil Rights movement in Arkansas. “He thought that they would be the perfect accompaniment to the ‘Imagine: Justice-Freedom-Peace’ performances, which feature many songs inspired by the Civil Rights movement, and also includes a suite of songs based on Maya Angelou’s writings, the author and poet who spent some of her childhood in Arkansas,” Kirk said. “Drawing on my expertise in Arkansas and United States civil rights history, I agreed to put together a number of narrations that I could perform between the songs to tie the songs together and to provide historical context for them.”

Spectac��Vlog��ýLR 2018 to honor Cathy and Kevin Crass

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 13 Mar 2018 13:35:31 +0000

Little Rock Athletics will reach a milestone this fall, hosting its 10th annual Spectac��Vlog��ýLR. Cathy and Kevin Crass have been selected as the honorees for this year’s event, being held Thursday, Oct. 11, at the Jack Stephens Center. “As we embark on our 10th Spectac��Vlog��ýLR, Chancellor Rogerson and I felt we needed a home run with this year’s honorees and we have that in Cathy and Kevin Crass,” said Director of Athletics Chasse Conque. “The Crass family means so much to not only Little Rock Athletics, but the entire university. “Serving in countless capacities to help advance Trojan Athletics and ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Kevin and Cathy’s have a deep love for #LittleRocksTeam, which is evident in their everyday life. We are indebted to them for their passion, compassion, and advocacy for our student-athletes and coaches and their willingness to answer the call every time we need their support.” An avid supporter, ambassador, community leader and benefactor, Kevin has been an active figure for both the Little Rock community and Trojan Athletics for over 30 years. He has served on numerous boards and councils, most recently serving a two-year term as chair of the Trojan Advisory Council. Kevin has joined Ray Tucker on Little Rock men’s basketball radio broadcasts for the past two seasons. Together with his wife, Cathy, the two have been instrumental figures in the growth of the Trojan Athletics department in recent years, highlighted by the establishment of the Kevin Crass Heart of a Trojan Award in 2017. The award is given annually to a Little Rock student-athlete based on community service, leadership and dedication to his or her team. Kevin earned his law degree from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 1984. He is a senior partner at Friday Eldredge & Clark, a law firm based in Little Rock. Kevin serves as the chair of the War Memorial Stadium Commission and is vice chair of the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce. Cathy has also been an active member of the Little Rock community, serving on the board of the ��Vlog��ýMS Reynolds Institute on Aging. She is a past president of the Little Rock Garden Club and a Stephen Ministry Leader at Second Presbyterian Church. “Our involvement with Little Rock Athletics has resulted in a real blessing to our family,” Kevin said. “As a former college student-athlete, I know from personal experience that support of intercollegiate athletics has a dramatic impact on the lives of young men and women. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and the Trojans are also a critical part of the life of this community. Cathy and I are humbled to be honored as a part of Spectac��Vlog��ýLR and we hope it is a way to enhance our support of the program.” Spectac��Vlog��ýLR has become one of the marquee events for the Little Rock Athletic Department in the past nine years, raising over $1.9 million since its inception in 2009. Those donations are used to help fund the 14 Trojan athletic programs, benefitting the nearly 200 student-athletes who represent Little Rock’s team. The evening will once again feature unique silent and live auction items, ranging from memorabilia, gift packages and one-of-a-kind experiences. All of the proceeds directly support Little Rock student-athletes. To order a table for Spectac��Vlog��ýLR 2018 or for information on how to become a sponsor, contact , Little Rock’s Associate Athletic Director for External Operations, at 501-569-3382 or via email at egsilakowski@ualr.edu. More about the event can be found on the under Inside Athletics at LRTrojans.com.

Holzer will serve as piano soloist in concert honoring Arkansas’s musical heritage

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 20 Feb 2018 19:25:15 +0000

Dr. Linda Holzer, coordinator of classical piano studies at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, will perform as a piano soloist with the Little Rock Wind Symphony in a special concert honoring Arkansas’s musical heritage. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, at Second Presbyterian Church, 600 Pleasant Valley Drive in Little Rock. The performance will feature selections by Arkansas composers William Still Grant, who grew up in Little Rock, and Steven Bryant, who was born and raised in North Little Rock. The concert, conducted by Israel Getzov, will also feature the state premiere of Kaintuck, a concerto by Still, who was known as the “dean of African American composers.” Still, who was born in Mississippi, moved in infancy to Little Rock with his mother after his father’s tragic death from typhoid. He graduated as valedictorian of M.W. Gibbs High School in 1911. During his successful musical career, Still earned two Guggenheim Fellowships and honorary doctorates from Oberlin College and Pepperdine University. Kaintuck, originally composed for piano and orchestra in 1935, was transcribed for piano and wind ensemble by Dana Paul Perna, composer and musicologist, to expand the possibilities for performances. “When Dana Perna approached me with the score for Kaintuck several years ago, I was thrilled to pursue this opportunity to premiere the work in Little Rock,” Holzer said. “Still was prolific, with five symphonies and eight operas, ballets, and countless engagements as an arranger, conductor, instrumentalists, and recording manager to his credit.

William Still Grant

“I’m grateful to Israel Getzov and the Little Rock Wind Symphony for featuring this piece on a concert during Black History Month. Arkansans can be very proud of their musical heritage. The concert will include another work by Still, From the Delta, as well as a selection by North Little Rock native Steven Bryant and Tchaikovsky’s Capriccio Italien.” Students may attend the concert for free, while general admission tickets are $15 and tickets for senior citizens are $12. Follow to order tickets.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Community Chorus, Second Presbyterian Church to perform ‘Mass of the Children’

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 14:28:40 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Community Chorus and the choirs of Second Presbyterian Church will perform John Rutter’s “Mass of the Children” Saturday, Nov. 18. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Second Presbyterian Church of Little Rock, 600 Pleasant Valley Drive. General admission tickets are $20 while ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students and employees can receive one ticket for free with ID. Conducted by Dr. Bevan Keating, the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Community Chorus is comprised of nearly 100 members from the university and the community who perform choral masterpieces accompanied by a full orchestra. The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Community Chorus joins with the adult and children’s choirs of Second Presbyterian Church, the Praeclara Vocal Company, and professional orchestra players from across the state to present two choral compositions that celebrate the fusion of English poetry and song. John Rutter’s “Mass of the Children” mixes the traditional Greek and Latin text of’s “Missa Brevis” with the English poetry of William Blake and Bishop Thomas Ken in a five-movement work for two choirs and orchestra. First performed in New York in 2003, this uplifting piece brings together soprano and baritone solo passages that harmonize and contrast with the choral passages sung by the children’s voices (the songs of innocence) and by the adult group (the songs of experience). Shannon Rookey and Luke Angelo, members of the Praeclara Vocal Company, will perform as the soprano and baritone soloists. Keating prefaces the larger Rutter work with Ralph Vaughan Williams’ 17-minute “Serenade to Music,” another British composition that offers a study in contrasts of voices. Tickets can be purchased online at or at the door. For more information, contact Karen Kuralt at 501-569-8334 or kmkuralt@ualr.edu. In the upper right photo, Bevan Keating leads the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Community Chorus and Second Presbyterian Church choirs during a practice at Second Presbyterian Church.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock combined choirs to perform Mozart April 29

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 21 Apr 2017 13:14:06 +0000

Bear witness to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock choirs as they perform the classical sounds of Mozart’s “Requiem” Saturday, April 29. The event will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Second Presbyterian Church, 600 Pleasant Valley Drive in Little Rock. General admission is $20, but all ��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty, staff, and students will be admitted free. To purchase tickets, contact the Department of Music at 501.569.3294.

Keating named artistic director of Wildwood Park for the Arts

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 14:48:01 +0000

Bevan Keating has one goal – to foster local artists from childhood through their professional careers. It’s a goal that Keating, director of conducting and choral studies at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, spends much of his busy life trying to accomplish. At ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Keating conducts the Concert Choir, the Chamber Choir, and the Community Chorus. He is also director of music and the arts at Second Presbyterian Church in Little Rock and founding artistic director for , a multidisciplinary performing arts company supported by Second Presbyterian. To these positions, Keating adds a new role as artistic director of . Keating previously served as artistic director of the Wildwood Academy of Music and the Arts, which he will continue to oversee. He is the park’s third artistic director since its founding in 1991. Over the past 26 years, Wildwood Park has provided a home in west Little Rock for both natural beauty and artistic expression, including 105 acres of trails and botanical gardens and a 625-seat theatre and art gallery. Keating will manage the park’s music and arts education programs, all concerts and events in the Lucy Lockett Cabe Festival Theatre, Wildwood’s Art in the Park visual arts exhibitions, and many seasonal festivals. Through the combination of his leadership roles in the arts, Keating is enjoying helping young artists from childhood through new careers. “This is another way to be active in the community and representing the university in a positive way,” he said. “Many of our graduates from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock participate in productions at Wildwood Park for the Arts. It really shows young students what they can do in their future career.” Keating keeps up with his many responsibilities thanks to an immeasurable amount of energy, help from his co-workers and friends, and a love for the arts. “I don’t have jobs,” Keating said. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock is not a job; Wildwood is not a job. It’s who I am. When I get up in the morning, I want to do something that I love. So when I get up in the morning, I don’t go to work. I go do something I love.” He is thankful to the many people who help him with his artistic projects. They include Karen Kuralt, graduate coordinator for the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Department of Rhetoric and Writing, who serves as communications director for Praeclara and handles social media, web design, and publicity documents for many of the choirs Keating leads. Keating enjoys helping artists from childhood through new careers. “It takes a community to foster and raise the arts in a city like Little Rock,” he said. “Now at Wildwood, I am working the community as a professional. I am helping young performers to gain professional experiences. It’s a great way to connect the community at all levels, and that is the exciting part to me.”

- University News Archive - ����Vlog��ý Little Rock