Art historian and attorney Amy Herman will present a talk on how works of art can be used to sharpen observation, analysis and communication skills at West Virginia University on March 24.

Co-hosted by the Art Museum of WVU, WVU Health Sciences Center Office of Research and Graduate Education and WVU Department of Sociology and Anthropology, “The Art of Perception: Seeing What Matters,” will begin at 5:30 p.m. in Fukushima Auditorium at HSC North. A reception will precede the lecture at 5 p.m.

The saying, “alone we can do so little, but together we can do so much,” comes to mind when thinking of the West Virginia University Alumni Band. 

Since 1969, alumni of the Mountaineer Marching Band have been extending their band experience beyond the college years by joining the Alumni Band, which provides social and musical activities for its members. Originally started by former band members who wanted to play together once more, the Alumni Band has grown over the last 50 years to include thousands of members.

Students who have a passion for music but also want a career in healthcare can now study both disciplines with a new degree program at West Virginia University. WVU will be one of the first universities in the nation with a music and health undergraduate program.

The Bachelor of Science in Music and Health is unique in that it provides students with an opportunity to be a music major while pursuing one of six tracks in the health sciences. Music and Health majors can select a medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, dentistry or physician assistant track within the program.

Well before the Art Museum of West Virginia University opened in 2015, Curator Robert Bridges was adding objects to WVU’s permanent collection of fine art. The endless task of securing significant works of art ensures access to these pieces for future generations of West Virginians. “Brilliant: Recent Acquisitions to the Permanent Collection,” celebrates some of the newest additions to the collection as well as several seldom-seen “gems.”

Opening Feb. 7, “Brilliant” features more than 50 original works of art organized around the notion of an interconnected web, with themes ranging from abstraction to current affairs. This multi-faceted selection offers a range of possible conversations around contemporary artistic practices and social issues.

Dancers and modern art enthusiasts alike will want to stop in soon to the Art Museum of West Virginia University, where “Modern Movement: Figurative Works by Arthur Bowen Davies” is currently on display.

Originally organized by the Maier Museum of Art, this exhibition features rarely exhibited works on paper and oil paintings, including loans from the Randolph College and Malcolm Cosgrove-Davies Collections.

“Dance Now!” is an annual dance concert choreographed by students, faculty and guest artists. The performance gives West Virginia University students the opportunity to hone their performance abilities in a professional environment while learning about collaboration between performer, choreographer and designer. 

As in the past the program will present work by a selected group of student choreographers, the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s senior student ensemble, the WVU Dance faculty and a new piece by guest choreographer Madison Hoke, native of Bridgeport who has spent her professional career dancing and choreographing in Israel, Europe and now in China.

When the West Virginia University Wind Symphony takes the stage in China, they will be doing so, in part, thanks to the Szilagyi Family Foundation. 

Imre and Janet Szilagyi, of Kingwood, spent their life building Appalachian Wildwaters, a whitewater rafting company that guided guests down the New, Gauley and Cheat Rivers in West Virginia. When they retired, the Szilagyis created their Foundation as a way to give back while celebrating their successful careers.

Sarah Berkeley is a professional artist who hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 2019. She creates photography, video and performances that question cultural norms such as the 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. workday, indoor living, gender stereotypes and the voluntary sharing of personal data. Her lecture at 5 p.m. Jan. 23 is part of the West Virginia University College of Creative Arts Curiosity Series.

Berkeley holds an MFA in art and design from the University of Michigan and a BFA in studio art from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is the recipient of the Nebraska Arts Council Distinguished Artist Award, the Lincoln Mayor’s Kimmel Award, numerous Nebraska Wesleyan Faculty Development Grants and the Ameritas Grant, among countless others.

WVU School of Art and Design Assistant Professor Terese Giobbia, art education major Alexandra Miller and alumna Paige Fronczek all received awards during WVAEA’s annual conference. 

Giobbia was awarded the association’s West Virginia Distinguished Service Within the Profession Award. She was selected for the award by WVAEA members for her dedicated commitment to the organization. 

It was 2005 when Jennifer Tober moved to Pittsburgh and took a yoga class in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood. When she came across the natural amphitheater in Frick Park, Tober knew it would be the perfect place to bring to life the works of William Shakespeare.

Tober has been a Shakespeare aficionado for decades. After graduating from West Virginia University in 1995 with a master’s degree in acting, Tober moved to New York City, where she spent 11 years acting in regional Shakespeare productions including Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival and New York Classical Theatre. A versatile performer, Tober also acted in television shows, films and as an extra on many sets.