Greensboro Project Space (GPS), the School of Art’s off-campus contemporary art center, has a new home.

Previously located on Lewis Street at the far south end of Elm Street, GPS is now located in the heart of downtown Greensboro at E. 111 February One Place and is open to the public with COVID-19 safety policies in place. The new GPS has four galleries, which allows for more concurrent exhibitions, and it will share an outdoor area with Cincy’s restaurant for concerts and performances.

As GPS opens in its new space, it may be fitting that the opening exhibition is “Home, revisited” by senior BFA Art (Painting) student Emily Moser. The works reflects Moser’s quarantine inspired examination of her home environment using drawing and painting. She is the recipient of the William Magnum Artistic Merit Award which she says made this show possible. “Home, revisited” is up until August 28th. Upcoming events include a virtual evening with Durham based documentary artist and UNCG Art alumnus Anthony Patterson and a Zoom Musical Salon featuring School of Music professors Andy Hudson and Annie Jeng.

GPS serves as a bridge between UNCG artists and the community, and it is a interdisciplinary space which hosts art exhibitions, as well as dance, music, and theatre performances -often in collaborative pieces that include more than one of the arts disciplines.

Hours and policies can be found at www.greensboroprojectspace.com/visit.

The American Prize in Opera Performance has announced that UNCG Opera Director David Holley is the second place winner of the Charles Neilson Reilly Prize for stage direction, and that Peter Perret has received second place in the Opera Conducting Award, both for the School of Music’s 2019 production of Falstaff.

That production included 10 principals, a chorus of 30, and the University Symphony Orchestra. Metropolitan Opera baritone Richard Zeller was in the title role. Costumes were designed by Deborah Bell and created with the help of costume design students. The set was designed by Randy McMullen with design and production students, and Chip Haas served as technical director.

In addition to the awards for Holley and Perrett, the production itself earned second place overall in the University Opera category, which was announced in July.

UNCG Opera Theatre has garnered numerous awards in past competitions. Seven productions have won First Place in the National Opera Association Opera Production Competition, including Susannah, Little Women, Orpheus in the Underworld, The Consul, Dialogues of the Carmelites, Amahl and the Night Visitors, and Don Giovanni, and five production have placed Second: Galileo Galilei, L’Enfant et les sortilèges, La vida breve, and Albert Herring and Gianni Schicchi. The Magic Flute and Amahl and the Night Visitors have received Third Place.

The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts is the nation’s most comprehensive series of contests in the performing arts, unique in scope and structure. Founded in 2010, contestants hail from all fifty states, representing literally hundreds of communities and arts organizations across the nation.

The School of Dance has been working hard this summer to ensure that our spaces are a healthy and safe environment for students, faculty, and staff. Please take a look at all of the safety protocols we have implemented:

OFFICE AREAS: The Dance office is, as always, open Monday through Friday from 8-5, but it’ll look a little different. Beginning August 10, the main office will be staffed in person from 8-12:30, then virtually from 1:30-5. The business office will be staffed virtually from 8-12:00, then in person from 1:00-5. In-person availability is subject to change as the term goes on. If you have something to drop off or pick up, please contact us in advance. Meetings for both areas are available by appointment only. 

Email is the best way to contact us: [email protected]. You can call the main office at 336-334-5570 but be aware that calls made after 12:30 won’t be returned until the next business day, at the earliest. 

STUDIOS: All of our studios are marked off to show 100 square feet of space for individual students to use for dancing. The spaces are also marked for space to travel and the storage of personal items. All students must enter the space without shoes and, per University policy, face coverings are required. 

COMMON AREAS: A limited number of chairs are available for seating and have been spaced 6 feet apart. These chairs will be cleaned throughout the day. The floors are also marked with 6 feet spacers. We’re asking students to only use the bottle fillers on water fountains to limit the risk of exposure. Hand sanitizer is available in each of the studios, as well as in a dispenser next to the Walker Ave. entrance.

We thank you for your patience and understanding as we all work together to #ShieldOurSpartans. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us. You can also visit https://update.uncg.edu/ for more information about UNCG’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

#StillDancing #Fall2020 #WelcomeBack

The School of Music was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Arthur Tollefson, Dean Emeritus of the UNCG School of Music. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Brenda, and son, Brian.

Arthur Tollefson received his AB (with honors), MA, and DMA from Stanford University. An accomplished concert pianist, he performed as a recitalist, concerto soloist, and chamber player throughout the USA and Europe for over a half century. In addition to solo performances with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, notable appearances with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra included Tollefson’s debut at age 12 and his West Coast premiere of Kabalevsky’s Piano Concerto No. 3. Holder of the first doctorate in piano awarded by Stanford University, he was invited back to his alma mater to perform in commemoration of the music department’s 50th Anniversary. After early studies with Adolph Baller, Rosina Lhevinne, Egon Petri, and Paul Badura-Skoda,Tollefson in 1975 began a seven-year term as Chair of the Piano Department at the Northwestern University School of Music.

A former winner of the Kimber Award, he has recorded Virgil Thomson’s piano music, gave the New York City premiere of David Maslanka’s Piano Concerto, and has given master classes at the Ravinia Festival. He is a Steinway Artist and a National Arts Associate of Sigma Alpha Iota. Mr. Tollefson has served as President of the College Music Society, Chair of the International Society for Music Education’s Commission on the Education of the Professional Musician, Chair of the National Piano Foundation’s Education Advisory Board, and Chair of the Music Teachers National Association’s College Faculty Forum.

Tollefson was appointed Dean of the UNCG School of Music in 1984 and served in that post until his retirement in 2001. During his tenure, Dean Tollefson presided over a period of rapid growth in enrollment and oversaw the planning and construction of the new $26 million, 130,000 square foot Music Building at the corner of Market and McIver Streets.

For the past twelve years, Collage has been an annual celebration of the new academic year for the UNCG School of Music, taking place in early September. Given concerns about the COVID–19 pandemic, the School has decided to postpone the concert until January 30, 2021. We hope that circumstances will be much safer by that time, and that students, faculty, and our concert patrons can gather with renewed enthusiasm.

More than 300 School of Music students and many of our world-class faculty members will perform on Collage, making this our most spectacular event of the year. The concert will immerse you in  a non-stop evening of amazing performances. All proceeds from ticket sales benefit the School of Music Collage Scholarship Fund.

Look for more information regarding ticket sales in the fall. We hope to begin ticket sales on December 1, and look forward to seeing you on campus for live performances again as soon as possible!