Home for the Holidays

Home , Jodi Benson

From: Millikin College of Fine Arts Sent: Tuesday, December 1, 2020 9:54 AM To: Lori Gilbert Subject: Arts@Millikin Newsletter — December 2020

Home for the Holidays ...

As I write this, Illinois has just been placed under Tier 3 mitigations due to the surge in cases of COVID-19 in the state. Fortunately, the College of Fine Arts is here to provide some relief with three culminating events that you can share in the comfort of your home. So spend some post-Thanksgiving time with us — there’s truly something for everyone! On Dec. 2-4, the Arts Technology and Administration Department will host their annual Arts Tech Expo online. Content will be released every evening, and will include creative digital media art, technology demos, a class on live streaming, a demonstration of a new online Escape Room game created by MU alumni, virtual tours and more.

Then, the School of Theatre and Dance will produce Jason Robert Brown’s “Songs for a New World” to be available for streaming Dec. 5-18. This song cycle was written in 1995, but it could not be more timely! Brown described this piece by saying, “It’s about one moment. It’s about hitting the wall and having to make a choice, or take a stand, or turn around and go back.”

Finally, streaming on Dec. 5 and 6 will be Vespers. The holiday musical event that everyone looks forward to will be virtual this year and feature some of the most memorable performances from previous broadcasts, along with performances by current students.

Please plan to join us for any and all of these events! Our students and faculty have worked hard all semester to bring them to you, and we hope you will have the time to join us. Most of the events are free of charge, and as always we welcome your donations to the College of Fine Arts Patrons Society, which helps us bring you these events and so much more: Click the link above or text @mu #patrons and follow the prompts.

You can also follow us on Facebook at Millikin University College of Fine Arts!

From the faculty, staff and students of Millikin’s College of Fine Arts, we wish you a restful, safe and arts-filled holiday season. Thank you!

Laura Ledford Dean, College of Fine Arts College of Fine Arts News

Patrons Society In this unusual year, the Patrons Society needs your support to continue to bring the arts to you in virtual formats. We are streaming concerts by our Millikin- Decatur Symphony Orchestra and other musical ensembles, faculty and student recitals, theatre productions from the Center for Theatre & Dance, and many live conversations and interviews with artists, alumni and faculty on our College of Fine Arts Facebook page. We will not have ticket revenue this season to offset our investments in all the technology that allows our students to continue to learn and perform in the virtual space. Please consider a donation, so we can continue to bring the arts to you in the comfort of your home!

Masterclass with Jodi Benson, Class of 1993 Jodi Marzorati Benson has had a legendary career, receiving worldwide recognition as the beloved, original voice of Ariel in the Academy Award- winning Disney film “The Little Mermaid.” Benson also served as the voice of Barbie in Disney/Pixar’s “Toy Story 2” and “Toy Story 3” and was a recipient of the Disney Legends Award for having served the company for over 27 years. Read more →

Millikin’s annual Arts Tech Expo goes virtual The COVID-19 pandemic has altered many events on a global scale that were, at one point, planned for in- person interaction. But thanks to technology, these events can continue on with even larger audiences. Millikin University has adapted to these changes by hosting virtual events — from concerts to Homecoming events, and the same will occur for the University’s annual Arts Technology Expo which will take place over a three-day span, Dec. 2-4, 2020, on Facebook Live.

Arts@Millikin Calendar

Vespers 2020: All Is The Annual Arts Live Streaming Bright Technology Expo Workshop For more than 60 years, Sign up on our Facebook Millikin University is Millikin’s Vespers has event to be notified of pleased to offer a Live signaled the start of the Arts Technology Virtual Streaming holiday season in Central workshops and other live Workshop with one of Illinois. This year, we content. our amazing faculty invite you to join us as members. we continue this tradition — virtually.

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Songs for a New World Works from the “Songs for a New Permanent World” weaves Collection characters and history On display will be together, illuminating the selected artworks from timelessness of self- the Millikin University discovery. permanent collection.

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