(Ashland, Ore.) – The Music program of the Oregon Center for the Arts at Southern Oregon University presents “A Rose in Winter,” a delightful mix of carols old and new, performed by the SOU Concert Choir and Chamber Choir on Sunday, December 7 at 3:00 p.m. in the SOU Music Recital Hall.
“A Rose in Winter” is a beautiful concert of Christmas music featuring the lovely German chorale “Lo how a Rose,” in settings by Michael Praetorius and award-winning Swiss composer, Jan Sandstöm; the virtuosic “Ave Eva” by the Slovakian composer Ivan Hrušovský; two lyrical settings of “There is no Rose” by Robert Young and Paul Hillier; two settings of “O Magnum Mysterium,” by Australian sensation David Childs and Swiss composer Ivo Antognini; Christmas motets by Hans Leo Hassler as well as a bouquet of traditional carols and spirituals from around the world.
“This concert will be a family favorite of the season. There will be warm, familiar pieces for the nostalgic lover of traditional Christmas music,” said director Dr. Paul French, “intermingled with unique, less familiar selections from around the world. This is a concert that will offer something that pleases everyone.”

French is the Director of Choral/Vocal Studies at Southern Oregon University and Artistic Director/Conductor of the Southern Oregon Repertory Singers. French has extensive professional experience as singer, conductor and educator. A great advocate of contemporary music, French has commissioned and premiered over 40 new choral works and is also active in performing rare and seldom-heard compositions. In recent years, French has devoted special attention to the performance of Renaissance and Baroque music, and his performance of the Bach “Mass in b minor” was described as “beautiful and inspiring” by internationally known soprano, Julianne Baird. In 2012, iconic composer Morten Lauridsen praised French and the SOU Chamber choir as “brilliant and superb… in the top rank of university chamber choirs in the United States.”
Tickets are $10 general admission, $5 for senior citizens and free to full-time students. The Performing Arts Box Office is located in the Music Recital Hall lobby. Box office hours are noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and two hours prior to each performance. Tickets can be purchased with a credit card over the phone by calling 541-552-6348 or online at sou.edu/performingarts. Contact the box office for discounts offered to SOU alumni, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute participants and SNAP/Oregon Trail cardholders.
About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University provides outstanding student experiences, valued degrees, and successful graduates. SOU is known for excellence in faculty, intellectual creativity and rigor, quality and innovation in connected learning programs, and the educational benefits of its unique geographic location. SOU was the first university in Oregon—and one of the first in the nation—to offset 100 percent of its energy use with clean, renewable power, and it is the first university in the nation to balance 100 percent of its water consumption. Visit sou.edu.
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(Ashland, Ore.) — Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber has recommended for confirmation two individuals to serve on the Southern Oregon University Board of Trustees. Once confirmed by the Oregon Senate, Les AuCoin and Jeremy Nootenboom will complete the 15-member board.
AuCoin, a former U.S. Congressman, has been nominated to serve on the SOU Board of Trustees for a four-year term. In addition to representing Oregon’s 1^st Congressional District from 1975 to 1993, AuCoin held the Glenn L. Jackson Visiting Professorship of Government and Business Ethics at SOU from 1998 to 2004. During that time he was named Outstanding Professor by the SOU chapter of Phi Kappa Phi, the oldest, largest, and most selective all-discipline honor society for public colleges and universities in the United States.
The Honorable Les AuCoin has served on many boards, including the Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle Board of Directors and the Pacific University Board of Trustees, among others. He has held various positions in university administration as well. He is the author of two books of non-fiction and his op-eds and essays have been printed in numerous publications, including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Portland Oregonian and the Seattle Times.
“Mr. AuCoin brings great breadth and depth of knowledge and experience to our board,” said SOU President Roy Saigo. “His previous tenure at SOU as Visiting Professor also equips him with valuable knowledge of the University.”
Nootenboom has been nominated by Governor Kitzhaber to serve in a board seat reserved for a current SOU student. Students serving on the SOU Board of Trustees are appointed to fulfill a two-year term.
“It’s very important to have a student voice on the Board of Trustees,” Dr. Saigo said. “The collective knowledge and expertise of our Board of Trustees is extremely impressive. We are excited for our board to formally take over governance of the University in July.” In April, the Oregon State Board of Higher Education endorsed the creation of an institutional board for SOU.
Also this week, Governor Kitzhaber appointed current SOU board member Bill Thorndike, Jr. to the State Board of Higher Education. In that capacity, Thorndike will assist in the governance transition from the State Board to the SOU Board. The State Board will sunset on June 30, 2015 and the SOU Board will assume its governing role on July 1, 2015.
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About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University provides outstanding student experiences, valued degrees, and successful graduates. SOU is known for excellence in faculty, intellectual creativity and rigor, quality and innovation in connected learning programs, and the educational benefits of its unique geographic location. SOU was the first university in Oregon—and one of the first in the nation—to offset 100 percent of its energy use with clean, renewable power, and it is the first university in the nation to balance 100% of its water consumption. Visit sou.edu.

 

(Ashland, Ore.) – The Music program of the Oregon Center for the Arts at Southern Oregon University presents “Seasons Greetings,” a collection of holiday favorites performed by the SOU Wind Ensemble on Thursday, December 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the SOU Music Recital Hall.
This concert showcases the large wind ensemble at Southern Oregon University, under the direction of Dr. Cynthia Hutton. The SOU Wind Ensemble will perform “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” with Sarah Wright, a Theatre Arts major, narrating the well-known poem. The concert includes selections from the Renaissance composition “Danserye” and “Patapan,” a traditional carol; Russian Christmas Music; selections from “The Nutcracker;” and “Sleigh Ride.” The concert also features the Brass Consort and Siskiyou Saxophone Orchestra.
“All who enjoy band music with a holiday twist will enjoy this concert,” said Hutton. “I especially encourage all members of our community bands and folks who support the SOU wind and percussion collaborations to attend this concert.”
The SOU Wind Ensemble has approximately 45 members and is opened to talented student musicians from all campus disciplines. It is dedicated to the study of a diverse repertoire for winds and percussion from masterworks to recent commissions of new compositions. The SOU Wind Ensemble has performed for the Oregon State Music Educators Association Conference, the Lawrence R. Sutherland Intercollegiate Wind Band Festival, the College Band Director Regional Conference and the Western International Band Conference.

Hutton is Associate Professor of Music at Southern Oregon University. She teaches classes in conducting, music theory, aural skills, brass methods and instrumental music education. In addition to her role at SOU, Dr. Hutton is the Music Director of the Youth Symphony of Southern Oregon and has served as Conductor of Youth Symphony and Youth Orchestra since 1995. She has served on the boards of the Oregon Music Educators Association and College Band Directors National Association, Northwest Division. As a horn artist, Dr. Hutton is a member of the Rogue Valley Symphony and the RVSO Brass Quintet.
Tickets are $10 general admission, $5 for senior citizens and free to full-time students. The Performing Arts Box Office is located in the Music Recital Hall lobby. Box office hours are noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and two hours prior to each performance. Tickets can be purchased with a credit card over the phone by calling 541-552-6348 or online at sou.edu/performingarts. Contact the box office for discounts offered to SOU alumni, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute participants and SNAP/Oregon Trail cardholders.
About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University provides outstanding student experiences, valued degrees, and successful graduates. SOU is known for excellence in faculty, intellectual creativity and rigor, quality and innovation in connected learning programs, and the educational benefits of its unique geographic location. SOU was the first university in Oregon—and one of the first in the nation—to offset 100 percent of its energy use with clean, renewable power, and it is the first university in the nation to balance 100 percent of its water consumption. Visit sou.edu.
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(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University has seen its enrollment climb to more than 6,200 students this fall, an increase of more than 1 percent compared to fall 2013. The enrollment numbers represent the first year-over-year increase in fall term enrollment since 2011.
The increase comes despite previous Oregon University System projections that predicted an enrollment decrease for SOU this fall. In order to overcome those dour projections, faculty and staff at SOU worked hard over the spring and summer to identify potential new students. With the enrollment increase, SOU bucks statewide and national trends, where university enrollment has experienced a general decline.
Two major factors in SOU’s enrollment increase are new transfer students and new freshmen coming into SOU. New transfers are up more than 8 percent from last year, while new freshmen have increased by about 10 percent, constituting the largest freshman class in the last 10 years at SOU.
“Students don’t decide to attend SOU by happenstance,” said Dr. Roy Saigo, SOU president. “These numbers reflect a lot of hard work by a lot of people. They also indicate that our programs and faculty are extremely well respected. Students want to learn from the best and leave with a degree that is valued. They know they will find both at SOU.”
SOU is now accepting applications for winter, spring, summer, and fall 2015 terms.
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About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University provides outstanding student experiences, valued degrees, and successful graduates. SOU is known for excellence in faculty, intellectual creativity and rigor, quality and innovation in connected learning programs, and the educational benefits of its unique geographic location. SOU was the first university in Oregon—and one of the first in the nation—to offset 100 percent of its energy use with clean, renewable power, and it is the first university in the nation to balance 100% of its water consumption. Visit sou.edu.