West Virginia University’s Director of Jazz, Jared Sims, will release his new album “The New York Sessions ” on Friday, Oct. 12.  

The album, recorded with help from students in WVU’s Music Industry program, will be released by Ropeadope Records.

History, struggle and adversity in the face of extreme prejudice are all witnessed and documented in the diary of a thirteen-year-old girl. Come to witness a retelling of a timeless and heartbreaking tale. Adapted by Wendy Kesselman, “The Diary of Anne Frank” runs October 18-21 at the Metropolitan Theatre in downtown Morgantown.

The very real accounts of Annelies Marie “Anne” Frank, a world-famous German-born diarist and World War II Holocaust victim are brought to life by the students of the West Virginia University School of Theatre and Dance. She chronicled her experiences living in a secret annex in Amsterdam with her family and four other Jewish citizens trying to escape the Nazi regime. Her “Diary of a Young Girl” was published on June 25, 1947, two years after her death. Her father, Otto Frank, edited and released the version of the diary made famous today. Her diary was dramatized by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett in 1955 and then later adapted by Wendy Kesselman in 1997. Kesselman’s “The Diary of Anne Frank” paints a beautiful yet gut-wrenching account of eight human beings living under extreme circumstances. In this adaptation of the play the humanity of the characters shines through and reminds us all the power of hope.

High school students interested in a career in the art industry can gain feedback and insight from universities and colleges from around the region when West Virginia University plays host to National Portfolio Day on Oct. 28.

National Portfolio Days are annual events held across the United States, Canada and Europe and provide a unique opportunity for students to meet individually with professional representatives of accredited colleges and universities to receive feedback before submitting their portfolio as part of their application for admission. 

“The conference is a valuable tool to educators looking to learn more about trending topics in art education and new artmaking activities,” said Teri Giobbia, assistant professor of art education and visual arts therapy at WVU. “From hands-on artmaking workshops to lectures, teachers will be provided with useful skills and concepts they can use to better their curriculum."

More than 40 art workshops will be presented throughout the two-day conference held at WVU’s Creative Arts Center and Art Museum on the Evansdale Campus.

The late Ellie Mannette will forever be remembered at West Virginia University as a mentor, master musician and friend. Known as the Father of the Steel Drum, Mannette died on August 29 in Morgantown. He was 90 years old.

Mannette dedicated his life to the steel pan. In his youth, Mannette had a vision of a musical instrument that could grow from humble origins - from discarded metal cans into tonal symphonic instruments. He pursued this vision with a rare single-mindedness, and achieved it through trial and error and invention and experimentation and epiphany. He was a powerful force and an integral part of the evolution of this musical steel drum - not just celebrated as an innovator, but renowned for his exceptional craftsmanship, the brilliance of his designs and his unparalleled quality of sound. 

Students in the West Virginia University School of Art & Design are encouraged to engage the world as a fertile ground for art making and critical research through the School’s Global Positioning Studies program. For seven years, students have learned about art and art history through regional travel in West Virginia and Pennsylvania, to sites across the U.S. including Jackson Hole, New York City, Hawaii and Maine, to global study in France, Chile, China and other locales. This year, a preservation studies program in San Gemini, Italy was added to the list of GPS programs. 

The San Gemini Preservation Studies GPS is a four-week series of courses, field projects and place-based experiences run through the San Gemini Preservation Studies International Institute for Restoration and Preservation Studies.

The West Virginia University School of Music will this fall offer a series of specialized learning days for students of all ages interested in learning about a particular instrument.

Recognized for its virtuosity, exuberant performance style, and often-daring repertory choices, over the past two decades the Pacifica Quartet has achieved international recognition as one of the finest chamber ensembles performing today. They will bring their talents to Morgantown for a performance on Sept. 6.

Named the quartet-in-residence at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music in March 2012, the Pacifica was previously the quartet-in-residence at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and received a Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music Performance. In 2017, the Pacifica Quartet was appointed to lead the Center for Advanced Quartet Studies at the Aspen Music Festival and School. 

From mainstage plays to large music ensemble concerts and art exhibitions to visiting artist lectures and student recitals, the West Virginia University College of Creative Arts’ 800-plus students and 100 faculty members present hundreds of events throughout the year. From September through April, the College will host The Curiosity Series, 25 events that are a chance for fans of one genre of music to listen to another or to attend a lecture on an arts topic that holds interest for them.

“We know that people are curious about the arts, but we also know that the arts can be intimidating so people typically stick to what they know,” said Keith Jackson, interim dean. “People know what to expect at a rock show – they may not know what to expect at a wind symphony concert or a visiting artist lecture, so they shy away from attending. We want our community members to have an open mind and try something they have been curious about.” 

The Art Museum of West Virginia University will celebrate its third birthday with activities for the whole family from 12:30 - 3 p.m. Saturday, August 25.

A variety of free activities for children will be available during the birthday party including face painting, sidewalk chalk drawing, a hands-on art project and a scavenger hunt. The museum’s exhibitions, Flowing Beyond Heaven and Earth: Chinese Master Ceramists, Form and Balance: Ceramics from the Collection and Impulse: A Trip Inside, will be open during the birthday party. Museum docents and volunteers will be on hand in the galleries to assist visitors as they engage in art.