39 arts and culture events to attend this fall
From talented visiting artists to student and faculty performances, don't miss these fall campus events
By Briana Richert and Rebecca Kirkman on August 29, 2019
This year, Towson University’s College of Fine Arts and Communications will provide artistic explorations outside the typical boundaries of a specific art form through its 2019 – 2020 theme, Arts Without Boundaries.
Throughout the fall term, student, faculty and guest artists showcase their groundbreaking work, creating connections through art, music, dance, culture and film.
Here are 39 of TU’s fall creative events that you won’t want to miss:
Astrid Bowlby: Sample(d)(r) Exhibition
Fri., Sept. 6 – Sat., Oct. 12
Gallery Hours: Tues. – Sat., 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Opening Reception: Thurs., Sept. 12, following lecture
Center for the Arts, Holtzman Gallery, CA 2040
Free
In this exhibition, Astrid Bowlby presents an ongoing project in which she creates pairs of objects. Some of the various materials and techniques used in the creation of these pairs are painting, drawing, sculpture, pillows, picture frames, posters, photograph and a vase of flowers. While the objects in the pairs are similar, they are not the same.
Towson Brass Quintet | Brass Without Boundaries
Sun., Sept. 8, 3 p.m.
Center for the Arts, Harold J. Kaplan Concert Hall, CA 3042
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A performance of Handel’s “The Queen of Sheba” highlights how myths and legends transcend different cultures. Diverse selections display the versatility of brass in all styles and genres. Included is a rare performance of Jóhann Jóhannson’s monumental “Virðulegu Forsetar” in a concert enhanced with multimedia elements.
2019 Fall Film Series | Arts Without Boundaries: Breaking Binaries and Borders
Mondays at 7:30 p.m. | Sept. 9, 16, 23, 30, Oct. 7, 14
Van Bokkelen Hall Auditorium, VB 204
Free
The Department of Electronic Media and Film’s 2019 Fall Film Series “Arts Without Boundaries: Breaking Binaries and Borders” spans several genres and explores the way boundaries shape our sense of belonging and our conceptions of citizenship. Some films may contain material recommended for mature audiences.
- Sept. 9 - Human Flow (2017)
- Sept. 16 - Venus Boyz (2002)
- Sept. 23 - Sorry to Bother You (2018)
- Sept. 30 - The Forgotten Space (2010)
- Oct. 7 - Little White Lie (2014)
- Oct. 14 - Splice (2010)
Lecture | Artist Sandy Winters
Thurs., Sept. 12, 6:30 p.m.
Center for the Arts, Art Lecture Hall, CA 2032
Free
Winters combines painting, drawing and block printing. Her work has been shown extensively in museums and galleries across the United States. Her solo exhibition Creation and Destruction is on view through Dec. 14.
Exhibition | Sandy Winters: Creation and Destruction
Fri., Sept. 13 – Sat., Dec. 14 (Closed Nov. 26 – Dec. 1)
Gallery Hours: Tues. – Sat., 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Opening Reception: Thurs., Sept. 12, following lecture
Center for the Arts Gallery, CA 3040
Free
Through her work, Sandy Winters explores nature by perceiving it as an indefatigable and overwhelming force that is perpetually giving birth to and at the same time continuously overcoming the world of order, artifice and fantasy.
Ailey II Master Class
Fri., Sept. 13, 6 p.m.
Center for the Arts, CA 1008
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Join us as members of the Ailey II dance company offer an intermediate/advanced level modern technique master class for members of the Greater Baltimore community ahead of the performance on Saturday, Sept. 14. Proceeds benefit AileyCamp Baltimore.
Ailey II
Sat., Sept. 14, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Stephens Hall Theater, ST 217
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Internationally renowned touring dance company Ailey II, the younger version of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, kicks off its 2019 season at Towson University. Ailey II merges the spirit and energy of the country’s best young dance talent with the passion and creative vision of today’s most outstanding emerging choreographers.
Founded in 1974, the company embodies Alvin Ailey’s pioneering mission to establish an extended cultural community that provides dance performances, training and community programs for all people.
Ailey II performs across the U.S. and internationally. The two performances at TU are the first on an upcoming nationwide tour. It also marks the dance company’s ninth time performing on campus.
Under the artistic direction of Troy Powell, the Ailey spirit shines in a performance that includes Alvin Ailey’s timeless classics and thrilling new works by today’s emerging choreographers.
The troupe includes 12 dancers—two with local ties: Amarachi Valentina Korie from Baltimore and Alisha Rena Peek from Upper Marlboro.
What should the audience expect?
“They’re going to see dancers that are really, really passionate. They love to perform and make that connection with audiences. They get on that stage and really move one another,” Powell said before the 2018 performance. “They’ll see a less than 2-hour concert that is high in energy, with a diverse rep—different music, different styles, different choreography—it'll definitely be very energetic, very passionate. You’ll also see 12 of the most promising dancers around get on that stage and just wow the audience.”
Noontime Jazz
Tues., Sept. 17, 12 p.m.
Cook Library, 3rd floor lobby
Free
TU student musicians kick off the library’s monthly jazz concert series with some toe-tapping tunes.
Meet the Artist | Sayaka Kajita Ganz
Thurs., Sept. 19, 6:30 p.m.
Center for the Arts, Asian Arts Gallery, CA 2036
Free
Celebrate the opening of Reclaimed Creations with a reception and gallery talk with artist Sayaka Kajita Ganz. She discusses her process for and philosophy of creating welded sculptures of animal forms.
Exhibition | Sayaka Ganz: Reclaimed Creations
Thurs., Sept. 19 – Sat., Dec. 7 (Closed Nov. 26 – Dec. 1)
Gallery Hours: Mon. – Sat., 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Center for the Arts, Asian Arts Gallery, CA 2037
Free
Enter a wonderland of airy horses, birds and sea creatures appearing to fly, swim, run and swirl. Sayaka Kajita Ganz creates sculptures from reclaimed plastic objects, arranging the fragments of waste into fluid images of birds and animals that appear to be created from brush strokes.
1969: A Cook Library Escape Room
Fri., Sept. 20, 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m.
Cook Library, CK 507
Free
You’ve slipped through time and find yourself in 1969! Solve puzzles using clues contained in items from the University Archives and Special Collections about Cook’s 50-year history to work your way through the decades and escape before the hour is up. Register on the library website!
Panel Discussion | A Future in Printmaking I
Thurs., Sept. 26, 6:30 p.m.
Center for the Arts, Art Lecture Hall, CA 2032
Free
Michael Smoot ’05, Lauren Peterson ’07, Sherri Blase ’07, and Thomas Engleman ’08 will talk about how they navigated obtaining MFAs and developed careers in printmaking after receiving bachelor’s degrees from TU.
“Hamlet” by William Shakespeare | Directed by David White
Fri., Oct. 18 and Sat., Oct. 19, 8 p.m., Sun., Oct. 20, 2 p.m., Thurs., Oct. 24, 7:30 p.m., Fri., Oct.
25 and Sat., Oct. 26, 8 p.m.
Preview: Thurs., Oct. 17, 7:30 p.m.
Center for the Arts, Mainstage Theater, CA 3043
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Hamlet’s father is dead. Hamlet’s mother and uncle got married. All Hamlet wants is to go back to college and escape the drama, but there’s a ghost with another plan. Hamlet dives deep into intrigue and danger, taking on the system from within, and learning that the only way to save the country is by becoming the person that no one wants to be. Proceeds benefit the TU Foundation. May contain material recommended for mature audiences.
Inertia
Fri., Oct. 18, 7 p.m., Sat., Oct. 19, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Preview: Thurs., Oct. 17, 7 p.m.
Center for the Arts, Dance Studio Theater, CA 1003
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TU Department of Dance students, faculty and alumni come together for an elegant and imaginative performance replete with artistry and skill.
Faculty Chamber Concert | Art Without Boundaries
Sun., Oct. 20, 3 p.m.
Center for the Arts, Recital Hall, CA 3066
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Allow music to transport you to a remote Jewish shtetl in Russia and to exotic lands in the Middle East. Let poetry and music boundlessly weave together strands of a story in a performance by the Baltimore Trio, World Music Ensemble and other groups.
Bergamot String Quartet
Wed., Oct. 23, 8 p.m.
Center for the Arts, Recital Hall CA 3066
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The New Music Ensemble at TU presents the Bergamot String Quartet in a concert highlighting the work of women composers who place genre-bending music into a meaningful dialogue with histories that precede it. Pieces by Caroline Shaw, Felipe Lara, Ledah Finck, Jordan Chase and Alberto Ginastera are featured.
4th Annual Media and Culture Lecture
Thurs., Oct. 24, 7 p.m.
West Village Commons, Ballroom A
Free
This fourth installment in the Annual Media and Culture Lecture Series explores the history and culture of Baltimore through the screening of the 2016 documentary “Rat Film.” A panel of journalists and community organizers respond to the film and questions from the audience.
Panel Discussion | A Future in Printmaking II
Thurs., Oct. 24, 6:30 p.m.
Center for the Arts, Art Lecture Hall, CA 2032
Free
Luke Martin ’15, Jordan Levine ’17, Chloe Wack, Val Lucas, and Justin Ostrofsky ’11 will talk about how the printmaking classes they took in college have been useful in various careers, from owning their own business to working in print shops and beyond.
MFA Exhibition | Gillian Collins & Michael Thompson
Fri., Oct. 25 – Sat., Dec. 14 (Closed Nov. 26 – Dec. 1)
Gallery Hours: Tues. – Sat., 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Center for the Arts, Holtzman MFA Gallery, CA 2040
Free
Through their MFA exhibitions, Gillian Collins provokes audiences to contemplate the foundation of technological advancements by conveying unnoticed engineering feats through art; Michael Thompson presents a manifestation of meditation and prayer, revealing line, gesture, shape and form through a variety of media in dialog with the Holy Spirit.
Annual Veterans Film Series | Contemporary Conflicts
Fridays at 7 p.m. beginning Oct. 25
Van Bokkelen Hall Auditorium, VB 204
Free
The TU Military & Veterans Center and the TU Department of Electronic Media and Film present four films exploring contemporary conflicts.
- Oct. 25 – “Restrepo” (2010)
- Nov. 1 – “Lone Survivor” (2013)
- Nov. 8 – “The War Tapes” (2006)
- Nov. 15 – “Return” (2011)
Overcoming Stage Fright and Speech Anxiety
Wed., Oct. 30, 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Stephens Hall, ST 310
Free
Halloween evokes the spooky and the terrifying. Join the Public Communication Center for a Halloween-themed workshop on overcoming stage fright. The event features tips and tricks as well as the opportunity to participate in hands-on activities that can help you to overcome speech anxiety.
Dances in Progress
Fri., Nov. 1, 7 p.m., Sat., Nov. 2, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Preview: Thurs., Oct. 31, 7 p.m.
Center for the Arts, Dance Studio Theater, CA 1003
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This student-choreographed and student-performed concert is part of the senior capstone class. Movement styles are diverse and creative with students applying the many techniques studied at TU.
TU Student Composers Concert
Wed., Nov. 6, 8 p.m.
Center for the Arts, Recital Hall, CA 3066
Free
TU composition students present a concert of original works performed by fellow students in the Department of Music.
Talk Like TED: Designing and Delivering a Dynamic Presentation
Thurs., Nov. 7, 6 p.m.
Van Bokkelen Hall Auditorium, VB 204
Free
Carmine Gallo argues that there are three essential components for an inspiring presentation: connect with the audience; teach them something new; and present information in a memorable way. Join the Public Communication Center and learn how to implement these strategies in your own presentation.
Opera in a Can | Mr. Brewster’s Incredible Invention
Sat., Nov. 9, 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.
Center for the Arts, Recital Hall, CA 3066
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TU’s children's opera outreach program, Opera in a Can, presents “Mr. Brewster’s Incredible Invention,” an award-winning new opera by composer Anthony R. Green about the history, art and science of the kaleidoscope. Creative activities for children at 10:15 a.m. Proceeds benefit the TU Foundation.
Family Arts Day
Sat., Nov. 9, 12 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Center for the Arts, Atrium
Free
Experience the joy of being an artist at TU Community Art Center’s Family Arts Day. Drop in for a day of interactive art activities, dance workshops, and gallery tours inspired by the current art exhibitions. All ages welcome.
Lecture | Art Historian Christina Salowey
Thurs., Nov. 14, 6:30 p.m.
Center for the Arts, Art Lecture Hall, CA 2032
Free
Salowey, a professor of classics at Hollins University, will speak on “Heracles, the Mortal Hero who Fought the Giants,” highlighting the times during which this mythological tale was a most popular theme and offering interpretations of notable representations.
Icarus at the Border, a Meditation on Monstrous Appetites
Fri., Nov. 15 and Sat., Nov 16, 8 p.m., Sun., Nov. 17, 2 p.m., Wed., Nov. 20 and Thurs.,
Nov. 21, 7:30 p.m., Fri., Nov. 22 and Sat., Nov. 23, 8 p.m.
Preview: Thurs., Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m.
Center for the Arts, Studio Theater, CA 3060
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“Icarus at the Border” is an original theatre work TU Assistant Professor Tavia La Follette is co-producing and directing with renowned South African theatre artist Malcolm Purkey, in residence in the Department of Theatre Arts this year. May contain material recommended for mature audiences. Written and directed by Malcom Purkey and Tavia La Follette. Proceeds benefit the TU Foundation.
Music for the Stage | An Afternoon of Scenes
Sun., Nov. 17, 3 p.m.
Center for the Arts, Harold J. Kaplan Concert Hall, CA 3042
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TU Music for the Stage students perform an entertaining program of opera, operetta and musical theatre scenes. Fully staged and costumed, this performance will feature the department's singer-actors at their very best.
TU Steel Pan, World Music and Cambodian Classical Ensembles
Tues., Nov. 19, 8 p.m.
Center for the Arts, Harold J. Kaplan Concert Hall, CA 3042
Free
Music without boundaries: TU’s World Music and Cambodian Classical Ensembles student performers present works from around the globe in this combined concert. Directors: Chum Ngek and Andrea Vercoe.
Bill and Helen Murray Jazz Residency featuring Mark Guiliana
Wed., Nov. 20, 8 p.m., Fri., Nov. 22, 8 p.m.
Center for the Arts, Recital Hall, CA 3066
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Award-winning musician Mark Guiliana, the Bill and Helen Murray Jazz Residency guest artist, presents two concerts. Wednesday evening will include longtime collaborators Chris Morrissey and TU faculty member Jason Rigby. On Friday evening, Guiliana leads a student ensemble in the final concert marking the weeklong residency.
Emerge
Wed., Nov. 20 – Sat., Nov. 23, 7 p.m., Sun., Nov. 24, 2 p.m.
Stephens Hall Theater, ST 217
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A collaborative effort unfolds into new artistic innovations from the students in the TU Dance Company and the choreographers exploring their craft with them.
Improvisation Ensemble Showcase
Thurs., Nov. 21, 8 p.m.
Center for the Arts, Recital Hall, CA 3066
Free
Improvisation students perform improvised music under the guidance of faculty member
John Dierker. Each performance is created with little or no predetermined parameters.
Join us for an evening of truly original music.
TU Choral Society | Voices from the South
Sun., Nov. 24, 3 p.m.
Center for the Arts, Harold J. Kaplan Concert Hall, CA 3042
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The TU Choral Society performs the iconic "Misa Criolla" by Argentinean composer Ariel Ramirez, based on traditional Andean rhythms and accompanied by musical instruments from the region.
TU Symphonic Band | Music Without Boundaries
Thurs., Dec. 5, 8 p.m.
Center for the Arts, Harold J. Kaplan Concert Hall, CA 3042
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The TU Symphonic Band students present an array of music without boundaries from classical to contemporary genres.
TU Choirs | Songs that Connect Us
Fri., Dec. 6, 8 p.m.
Center for the Arts, Harold J. Kaplan Concert Hall, CA 3042
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The TU Choir students, under the direction of Diana V. Sáez and Stephen Holmes, present a collection of choral songs that explore the power of music to heal, connect and unite us all.
46th Annual Holiday Pottery and Art Sale
Fri., Dec. 6, 3 - 9 p.m., Sat., Dec. 7, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Center for the Arts, Ceramics Studio, CA 3012
Free
Take home your own unique masterpiece and discover the exceptional caliber of work by TU students and faculty. A vast selection of handcrafted ceramics including raku, salt, stoneware, sculpture, blown glass and jewelry you’ve come to love will be available, along with illustrations, photography, painting, metalwork, prints and more. Proceeds benefit participating artists and the TU Foundation.
Toys for Tots Benefit Concert
Sun., Dec. 8, 7 p.m.
Center form the Arts, Harold J. Kaplan Concert Hall, CA 3042
Free with new, unwrapped toy
Enjoy the sounds of the season and make a difference for community children at this annual concert. It features the musicians of the Ken Ebo Jazz Orchestra who volunteer to present this joyous evening of holiday tunes.
End of Semester Screenings
Fri., Dec. 13, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., Sat., Dec. 14, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., Sun., Dec. 15,
4 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Van Bokkelen Auditorium, VB 204
Free
Watch and listen to EMF’s Narrative Filmmaking and Audio class projects, as well as collaborative work between EMF and Art students in Animated and Visual Effects.
MORE EVENTS
Master Events Calendar
For a full list of events happening at TU, check out the Master Events Calendar.