Academics

9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Room 2301, Health and Human Services Building

Take some time to invest in your future success. The Women in Leadership Conference will give you tips on landing your dream job, marketing yourself and effectively networking.

For information, visit http://jmu-women-in-leadership.weebly.com.

Saturday, January 31, 2015 | 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. | Health and Human Service Building, Room 2301: The Second Annual Women in Leadership Conference with the theme of "Navigating Your Journey" is meant to help students transition from college to career. While discussing multiple topics, the Conference will also welcome many guest speakers. 

For more information, please visit the Women in Leadership Conference website

Symphony Orchestra of the State of Mexico / Enrique Bátiz, Music Director and Chief Conductor

Direct from Mexico City, the Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado de México was founded in 1971 by Maestro Enrique Bátiz and the State Government of Mexico. This extraordinary evening features Joaquín Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez with Mexican guitar soloist Alfonso Moreno, Joaquín Turina’s Danzas Fantásticas Op 22, and Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, Op. 98.

For tickets and further information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/forbescenter/events/2015/02/04-mexico-symphony.shtml

Songs and Scenes from the World's Greatest Operas

Graduate students from the JMU Opera Theater are poised to launch their careers, and this event is your opportunity to see this incredibly talented core of future stars perform sweeping melodies from Leoncavallo’s I Pagliacci and Mascagni’s 1890 masterpiece Cavalleria rusticana.

For tickets and further information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/forbescenter/events/2015/02/07-opera-spotlight.shtml

The JMU Jazz Ensemble was founded in 1971 and is the premier jazz group in the School of Music at JMU. The group has been featured with the U.S. Navy Commodores Jazz Ensemble and U.S. Air Force Airmen of Note Jazz Ensemble, and at the East Coast Jazz Festival in Rockville, Md. The JMU Jazz Band was founded in 1971.

For tickets and further information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/forbescenter/events/2015/02/10-jazz-ensemble-band.shtml

Noon-1:30 p.m.
Frances Plecker Education Center, Edith J. Carrier Arboretum

Arboretum Director Jan Sievers Mahon leads the workshop in which participants create an air plant terrarium or “airarium” with all supplies provided, including air plants, a glass “orb” terrarium, moss, stones and decorative finishing touches. Everything needed is provided by the arboretum for the $35 registration fee. For additional cost of $25 per, make as many “airariums” as you wish.

For information, check http://www.jmu.edu/arboretum or call (540) 568-3194.

4-5 p.m.
Room 301, Carrier Library

Dr. Madison Brown, an independent scholar, presents “German Printing in Colonial America: The Case of Christopher Saur.”

Sponsored by Special Collections of JMU Libraries and Educational Technologies. Free.

Thursday, February 12, 2015, 7 p.m., Wilson Hall

Dr. Caroline Lubert, Department of Mathematics & Statistics, JMU

Always wanted to be a rocket scientist but never known where to start? Then this is the talk for you! Find out how one young girl from a small island off the south coast of England ended up in the USA working with NASA 

JMU’s senior dance majors are on the verge of graduation and entering into their exciting careers as dance artists. Come watch them as they showcase their amazing work in this annual concert.

For tickets and further information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/forbescenter/events/2015/02/12-senior-dance-concert.shtml

5-8 p.m.
Edith J. Carrier Arboretum

Create a celebration that goes beyond ordinary to exceptional. In a private luxurious carriage, riders are drawn by beautiful horses with an experienced coachman.

For reservations, check http://www.jmu.edu/arboretum or call (540) 568-3194. Free.

Noon-1 p.m.
Frances Plecker Education Center, Edith J. Carrier Arboretum

Children and adults are welcome for a reading of stories about fairies and building fairy houses or gnome homes. Bring a brown-bag lunch to enjoy during the story.

For information, check http://www.jmu.edu/arboretum.

"...The King's Singers are still unmatched for their sheer musicality and ability to entertain." - The Times, London

One of the world’s most celebrated vocal ensembles, The King’s Singers is a group of consummate entertainers: a class act with a delightfully British wit. Instantly recognizable for their spot-on intonation, impeccable vocal blend, flawless articulation of the text and incisive timing, “they make splendid use of vocal arrangements to tap into current cultural idiom … and … turn education and entertainment into art and back again.” (The New York Times)

For tickets and further information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/forbescenter/events/2015/02/16-kings-singers.shtml

9:30 a.m.
Room 142, Music Building

Roger Reynolds, University Professor of Composition, University of California, San Diego, presents “Alliances – Collaborations – Futures – Cross-Modality – What Is Needed – Memorability – Context or Features – Benediction.”

Sponsored by the College of Arts and Letters. For information, call (540) 568-6472. Free.

Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer Roger Reynolds joins forces with JMU’s Contemporary Music Festival to present the first of a series of workshop performances that will trace the development of his FLiGHT Project. Reynolds’ original music composition for the celebrated JACK string quartet will provide the core for this immersive event.

For tickets and further information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/forbescenter/events/2015/02/19-flight-project.shtml

The JMU Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Robert McCashin, is the premier symphonic ensemble for the JMU School of Music. The Symphony has performed regularly as the invited college ensemble for the Virginia Music Educators Association.

For tickets and further information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/forbescenter/events/2015/02/22-symphony-orchestra.shtml

7-8:30 p.m.
Ballroom A, Festival Conference and Student Center

Doug Croft, a staff horticulturist at Chanticleer Garden, presents “Art and Artifacts in the Garden,” practical tips and information about exciting and innovative uses of common plants in landscape designs and home gardening.

Following the lecture, book and arboretum products will be on sale from 8:30 to 9 p.m.

Admission to lecture is free.

Book by Neil Simon, Music by Cy Coleman, Lyrics by Dorothy Fields
Based on an Original Screenplay by Federico Fellini, Tullio Pinelli and Ennio Plaiano
Produced for the Broadway Stage by Fryer, Carr and Harris
Conceived, Staged and Choreographed by Bob Fosse

This Tony Award-winning musical comedy is a warm, touching and humorous look at the trials and tribulations of Charity Hope Valentine who repeatedly gives her heart—and her savings—to the wrong men. Charity sings, dances, laughs and cries her way through one romance after another, all the while staying sweet and hopeful that someday her dreams will come true. Students from JMU’s School of Theatre and Dance will perform hits such as “Big Spender,” “Rhythm of Life,” and “If My Friends Could See Me Now.”

Q&A to follow performances on Thursday, February 26 and Sunday, March 1.

Sweet Charity is produced by arrangement with, and the music and dialogue materials furnished by TAMS-WHITMARK, Music Library Inc., 560 Lexington Aven, New York, NY 10022. 

For tickets and further information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/forbescenter/events/2015/02/24-sweet-charity.shtml

4-5 p.m.
Room 301, Carrier Library

Andrew Ferguson, a doctoral candidate at the University of Virginia, presents “Pulp Science Fiction Magazines and the Shaver Mystery.”

Sponsored by Special Collections of JMU Libraries and Educational Technologies. Free.

The JMU Brass Band is the university’s premier brass ensemble. Directed by professor of music Kevin Stees, it is one of only a few collegiate brass bands in the United States.

For tickets and further information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/forbescenter/events/2015/02/27-brass-band.shtml

1-3:30 p.m.
Frances Plecker Education Center, Edith J. Carrier Arboretum

Artist Jewel Yoder Hertzler leads the workshop. For information check http://www.jmu.edu/arboretum.

The Madison Singers is the advanced, auditioned choral chamber ensemble at JMU. Ranging from 60-80 voices, the JMU Chorale is an auditioned and highly select choir.

For tickets and further information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/forbescenter/events/2015/03/01-madison-singers-chorale.shtml

For tickets and further information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/forbescenter/events/2015/03/03-symphonic-band.shtml

Featuring Greg Anderson & Elizabeth Joy Roe

Known for their adrenalized performances, original compositions and notorious music videos, Greg Anderson and Elizabeth Joy Roe are revolutionizing the piano duo experience for the 21st century. Described by ThirdCoast Digest as “the intense synchronization of genius” and “a sensuous blend of two keyboards and souls completely in sync,” the Anderson & Roe Piano Duo strives to make classical music a relevant and powerful force around the world.

For tickets and further information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/forbescenter/events/2015/03/06-anderson-roe.shtml

1-3:30 p.m.
Frances Plecker Education Center, Edith J. Carrier Arboretum

Artist Jewel Yoder Hertzler leads the workshop. For information check http://www.jmu.edu/arboretum.

University closed.

Noon-1 p.m.
Frances Plecker Education Center, Edith J. Carrier Arboretum

Children and adults are welcome for a reading of stories about fairies and building fairy houses or gnome homes. Bring a brown-bag lunch to enjoy during the story.

For information, check http://www.jmu.edu/arboretum.

3:30 p.m.
Room 404, Madison Union (formerly Room 404, Taylor Hall)

Carl Lee, professor of mathematics and Chellgren Professor, University of Kentucky, presents “The Place of Mathematics and the Mathematics of Place.”

Sponsored by the College of Arts and Letters. For information, call (540) 568-6472. Free.

5 p.m.
Jurney Stage Garden, Edith J. Carrier Arboretum

Bring lawn chairs or a picnic blanket and a picnic dinner for a free performance featuring Jenna Marie Dennison on Highland pipes and Katherine Hummel on Celtic fiddle.

For information, check http://www.jmu.edu/arboretum.

6-8:30 p.m.
Frances Plecker Education Center, Edith J. Carrier Arboretum

Dr. Amy Goodall, associate professor of geographic science at JMU, speaks on how citizen science and recent technologies support collecting data for birds and butterflies, which is influencing knowledge and has even led to the discovery of new species. Enjoy fine, genuine Irish cuisine and brew. For information, check http://www.jmu.edu/arboretum.

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with the vibrant and staggeringly talented band Caladh Nua whose origins are deeply rooted in the Southern counties of Ireland. Comprised of five versatile musicians and singers who play a wide selection of instruments—from banjo to fiddle, guitar to bodhran, and tin whistle to button accordion—the band captures the essential qualities of traditional Irish music and balances them with an innovative contemporary flair.

For tickets and further information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/forbescenter/events/2015/03/17-caladh-nua.shtml

Noon-1 p.m.
Frances Plecker Education Center, Edith J. Carrier Arboretum

Diane Lepkowski, avifauna notable and photographer of Blue Ridge and Shenandoah Valley avian species, lectures on songbirds to raptors in partnership with the Rockingham Bird Club.

For information, check http://www.jmu.edu/arboretum.

4-5 p.m.
Room 301, Carrier Library

Emily Hancock, a poet and letterpress printing at St Brigid Press, presents “A Life in Letters: Traditional Printing in the 21st Century.”

Sponsored by Special Collections of JMU Libraries and Educational Technologies. Free.

7 p.m.
Room 2105, Harrison Hall

Journalist Bob Marshall of “The Lens,” presents “Losing Ground: Louisiana’s Coastal Crisis.”

Sponsored by the College of Arts and Letters. For information, call (540) 568-6472. Free.

7 p.m.
Madison Union Ballroom

Elzbieta Gozdziak, research director, Institute for the Study of International Migration, Georgetown University, presents “Dreams Deferred: Undocumented Children and Children of Undocumented Parents.”

Sponsored by the College of Arts and Letters. For information, call (540) 568-6472. Free.

For tickets and further information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/forbescenter/events/2015/04/02-symphonic-band.shtml

A Forbes Family Fun Event.

Unmatched in artistry, grace and movement, the internationally acclaimed Cashore Marionettes redefine the art of puppetry. Prepare to enter “a wonderful world of breathtaking magic” as founder and award-winning puppeteer Joseph Cashore performs Simple Gifts, a series of touching portrayals and poignant scenes from everyday life set to stunning music by composers such as Vivaldi, Strauss, Beethoven and Copland.

For tickets and further information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/forbescenter/events/2015/04/04-cashore-marionettes.shtml

4-5 p.m.
Room 301, Carrier Library

Emeritus and current members of the Student Government Association and Mary Ann Mason, graduate student in the JMU history department, present “SGA at JMU.”

Sponsored by Special Collections in JMU Libraries and Educational Technologies. Free.

Patience is a virtue—and a milkmaid! This hilarious spoof of Oscar Wilde and the aesthetic movement is brimming with cunning wit and lively repartee.

For tickets and further information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/forbescenter/events/2015/04/08-patience.shtml

Rosanne Cash is a Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and the eldest daughter of country music icon Johnny Cash. Her concert features songs from her most recent release The River of the Thread, lauded by USA Today as “a captivating album that’s among the finest of her career.”

For tickets and further information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/forbescenter/events/2015/04/10-rosanne-cash.shtml

6 p.m.
Room 2105, Harrison Hall

Judith Jellison, Mary D. Bold Regents Professor in Music and Human Learning and Distinguished Teaching Professor, University of Texas at Austin, presents “Too Much Stuff, Not Enough Time: Essentials About Inclusion.”

Sponsored by the College of Arts and Letters. For information, call (540) 568-6472. Free.

This exciting concert features talented young dancers and choreographers from JMU’s Dance program.

For tickets and further information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/forbescenter/events/2015/04/15-spring-student-dance.shtml

6 p.m.
Room 1302, Health and Human Services Building

Alice Butler-Smith, assistant professor, School of Advanced Military Studies, presents (to be announced).

Sponsored by the College of Arts and Letters. For information, call (540) 568-6472. Free.

The JMU Brass Band is the university’s premier brass ensemble. Directed by professor of music Kevin Stees, it is one of only a few collegiate brass bands in the United States.

For tickets and further information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/forbescenter/events/2015/04/17-brass-band.shtml

Enjoy this two-part choral and symphonic celebration! First, experience the JMU Symphony Orchestra as they accompany the winners of the prestigious School of Music Concerto Competition. Next, join the JMU Symphony Orchestra and Chorale for the transcendent masterwork Gloria by composer Francis Poulenc (1899-1963).

For tickets and further information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/forbescenter/events/2015/04/19-honors-gloria.shtml

Noon-1 p.m.
Frances Plecker Education Center, Edith J. Carrier Arboretum

Children and adults are welcome for a reading of stories about fairies and building fairy houses or gnome homes. Bring a brown-bag lunch to enjoy during the story.

For information, check http://www.jmu.edu/arboretum.

The JMU Jazz Band was founded in 1971.

For tickets and further information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/forbescenter/events/2015/04/21-jazz-band.shtml

The JMU Jazz Ensemble was founded in 1971 and is the premier jazz group in the School of Music at JMU. The group has been featured with the U.S. Navy Commodores Jazz Ensemble and U.S. Air Force Airmen of Note Jazz Ensemble, and at the East Coast Jazz Festival in Rockville, Md.

For tickets and further information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/forbescenter/events/2015/04/22-jazz-ensemble.shtml

Thursday, April 23, 2015, 7 p.m., Wilson Hall

Dr. Kartik Sheth, Associate Astronomy, National Radio Astronomy Observatory

What's a "stellar bar"? Does our own Milky Way galaxy have one? How do we know that?! Dr. Kartik Sheth will discuss how we have studied bars nearby and far away and describe what they tell us about the history of galaxy assembly and evolution.

The Madison Singers is the advanced, auditioned choral chamber ensemble at JMU. Ranging from 60-80 voices, the JMU Chorale is an auditioned and highly select choir.

For tickets and further information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/forbescenter/events/2015/04/23-madison-singers-chorale.shtml

A Forbes Family Fun Event.

This exciting music event returns for a fifth season with performances by faculty guest artist Dr. Andrew Connell, as well as JMU’s Marimba Orchestra, Brass Band and Madison Singers.

For tickets and further information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/forbescenter/events/2015/04/25-marimba-orchestra.shtml

The Wind Symphony, under the direction of Stephen P. Bolstad, is the premier woodwind, brass and percussion ensemble at JMU. The Wind Symphony is committed to performing the great works of the wind-band’s core repertoire while also exploring the best of contemporary composition.

For tickets and further information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/forbescenter/events/2015/04/26-wind-symphony-symphonic.shtml

By Anton Chekhov

In this funny, elegant and heartbreaking play, Chekhov’s cast of eccentric characters face the dawning of a new Russia at the turn of the 20th century. Madame Ranevskaya and her family of aristocrats are on the verge of bankruptcy. Lopakhin, a rags-to-riches merchant, has a plan to help the family keep their fortune. But is the reluctant Ranevskaya willing to pay the price? Features students from JMU's School of Theatre and Dance. Q&A to follow performances on Wednesday, April 29 and Sunday, May 3. 

For tickets and further information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/forbescenter/events/2015/04/28-cherry-orchard.shtml

Noon-1 p.m.
Frances Plecker Education Center, Edith J. Carrier Arboretum

Children and adults are welcome for a reading of stories about fairies and building fairy houses or gnome homes. Bring a brown-bag lunch to enjoy during the story.

For information, check http://www.jmu.edu/arboretum.

University closed.

University closed.

Event Content

Nov. 26-27

University closed.

University closed.