SOU in the Arts

SOU's Worth Harvey Pipe Organ is 50 years old.

SOU’s 50th anniversary celebration of its pipe organ

(Ashland, Ore.) — There will be cake. There will be festivities marking a half-century milestone. And most certainly, there will be music. Southern Oregon University will observe the 50th anniversary of the SOU Music Recital Hall’s Worth Harvey Pipe Organ – and the history behind it – with a celebration and concert at 2 p.m. […]

SOU Digital Cinema makes best film school list

SOU Digital Cinema named as a top film school

(Ashland, Ore.) — It’s official: Southern Oregon University’s Digital Cinema program makes SOU one of the best film schools in North America. The current edition of MovieMaker magazine, which bills itself as the world’s most widely read independent film magazine, includes SOU among its picks for the “30 Best Film Schools in the U.S. & […]

IAS Innovation Fund launches junk-to-art initiative

Junk-to-art program spotlights SOU’s IAS Innovation Fund

Impact of the SOU Institute for Applied Sustainability’s Innovation Fund will be on display when an exhibition of the Recology Ashland-SOU Artist-in-Residency program opens on Friday, May 17, at the university’s Temporary Sculpture Garden. Recology Ashland partnered with SOU student artists last year to raise public awareness of environmental needs, such as reduction of waste […]

SOU's Hannon Library and the legacy of Tony and Betty Shively

Past to present: The Hannon Library’s Shively legacy

T.S. Eliot famously penned that “the very existence of libraries affords the best evidence that we may yet have hope for the future,” beckoning toward the treasured Hannon Library at SOU. Located in the heart of campus, the Hannon Library is a remarkable place of knowledge. More than just a quiet space to study, the […]

Oregon Shakespeare Festival actors graduated from SOU

Four SOU actors take the stage at Oregon Shakespeare Festival

(Ashland, Ore.) — If you’ve seen a play at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival over the past 10 years, chances are you’ve seen Southern Oregon University students on stage. Professor Jackie Apodaca saw opportunity when she first arrived at SOU in 2011. With a world-class Shakespeare festival just down the street, and a budding performance bachelor […]

Xanadu production by SOU Theatre Department

Xanadu: Greek Gods, scrunchies, roller skates

What happens when you combine Mt. Olympus, 80’s outfits, and chalk murals? SOU Theatre presents “Xanadu,” a musical about art, inspiration, and ridiculousness—all on roller skates. The neon-colored-plot follows Sonny (played by Aidan Jenkins), a struggling artist whose inspiration is running low until he meets Kira (played by Corrine Maddox)—or, Kleio, a Greek muse who […]

Andrew Gay, director of SOU School of Arts & Communication

Internal candidate hired for SOU director position

(Ashland, Ore.) — Andrew Kenneth Gay, a professor and chair of Communication, Media & Cinema at Southern Oregon University, has been hired as director of SOU’s new School of Arts & Communication – which includes the Oregon Center for the Arts at SOU. Gay has taken on numerous leadership roles since joining the SOU faculty […]

Jerron Jorgensen, director of Choral Studies at SOU

Invigorating choral arts: bringing lyric theatre to SOU

The immersive realm of music and vocal arts defines the vibrant Music Program at Southern Oregon University, attracting a multitude of students who follow the enriching curriculum and ultimately forge dynamic careers in the performing arts. From powerful choral ensembles to the intimate cadence of solo performances, SOU’s commitment to musical excellence resonates, providing a […]

Master of Theatre Studies scenic design class

Master of Theatre Studies program wraps up for far-flung participants

SOU recognized 11 students in the Oregon Center for the Arts’ Master of Theatre Studies graduate program last weekend for completion of their third and final year of coursework. This year’s MoTs contingent was made up of almost 40 theatre teachers from U.S., Canadian and Korean middle schools, high schools and community colleges. The program, […]

New degrees in Music Industry and Production

SOU offers new degree in Music Industry and Production for 2022-23

(Ashland, Oregon) The Oregon Center for the Arts at Southern Oregon University has launched its newest degrees – a bachelor of arts and a bachelor of science in Music Industry & Production Studies (MIPS). “I am so thrilled to see MIPS take off,” said Derek Keller, Ph.D., assistant professor of music at SOU. “Imagine yourself […]