Year of the City Continues with April Events

The month of April abounds with activities on the SUNY Buffalo State campus that connect our institution with the city. Most campus lectures, literary readings, art presentations, music, and dance performances are open to the public—many are free.

April 5
International Center for Watercolor Lunchtime Lecture Series
Rita Argen Auerbach, a distinguished alumna and internationally recognized award-winning artist, will present “Watercolor My Way” from 12:30 to 1:00 p.m. in the Burchfield Penney Art Center Conference Room. International Center for Watercolor Lunchtime Lectures are held on the first and third Fridays through May 17.  Free with gallery admission. Gallery admission is free to all members, Buffalo State students, faculty, and staff. Contact the Burchfield Penney Art Center at (716) 878-6011 for more information.

April 8
Year of the City Lecture
Exploring Western New York’s Climate Change Signal
Stephen Vermette, professor of geography and planning, examines how global and U.S. climate change indicators suggest an environment of increasing temperatures, more intense rainfall, and rising sea levels in this lecture at 3:00 p.m. in E. H. Butler Library 210. Vermette will be joined by undergraduate students Fred Bloom and Elvis Valerio.  Free and open to the public. (716) 878-4930.

April 9
Mick Cochrane Reading
Mick Cochrane, a professor of English and the Lowery Writer-in-Residence at Canisius College, will give a reading and discussion of his latest novel, Fitz, from 1:40 to 2:55 p.m. in Caudell Hall 212. Cochrane teaches courses in writing and literature, directs the creative writing program, and coordinates the Contemporary Writers Series. Sponsored by the English Department, the reading is free and open to the public. (716) 878-5417.

Bradley Fuster Recital
Bradley Fuster, chair and associate professor of music, will perform the works of Becker, Deane, Doughtrey, and Cahn, in a 7:30 p.m. recital in the Louis P. Ciminelli Recital Hall. A faculty member since 2005, Fuster has performed with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the Santa Monica Symphony, Pasadena Lyric Opera, Pasadena Symphony, and New Haven Symphony, among others. Tickets are $10 for the general public and free for students with ticket. Tickets can be purchased online through the Performing Arts Center or via phone at (716) 878-3005. Free admission tickets available at the box office with valid student ID.

Take Back the Night
An evening of music, monologues, creative dance, poetry, and speakers intended to give back the power to survivors of sexual and domestic violence at 7:00 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall.  Free and open to the public. For more information, contact Tammy Kresge, assistant director for health promotions in the Weigel Health Center, at (716) 878-6725.

April 11
Hurd and Rosenkranz Concert
Baritone Alex Hurd will perform with pianist Thomas Rosenkranz at 7:30 p.m. in the Louis P. Ciminelli Recital Hall. They will perform works by Ives, Cage, Musto, and Bolcom. Hurd has garnered consistent critical acclaim for his performances of repertoire ranging from Schubert to Ligeti. Rosenkranz has performed on four continents and is in demand nationally and internationally as a soloist, chamber musician, and artist teacher. Tickets are $10 for the general public and free for students with ticket. Tickets can be purchased online through the Performing Arts Center or via phone at (716) 878-3005. Free admission tickets available in person at the box office with valid student ID.

LehrerDance
Buffalo’s internationally touring professional dance company LehrerDance will perform repertoire favorites including "Murmur" and "The Alliance," as well as a world premiere work inspired by the photography of Bruce Jackson at 7:30 p.m. in the East Gallery of the Burchfield Penney Art Center. Tickets are $10 for Burchfield Penney members and $20 for the general public. Contact the Burchfield Penney Art Center at (716) 878-6011 for more information.

Brian Culbertson
Prolific R&B/jazz musician Brian Culbertson and his eight-piece band will perform at 8:00 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall. Tickets are $40 for the upper tier, $35 for the upper tier, $32 for seniors and Buffalo State faculty and staff. Students may purchase $15 tickets one hour prior to the performance. Tickets can be purchased online through the Performing Arts Center  or via phone at (716) 878-3005.

April 11-14
Cycles at the Center Launch
During this April launch, the Burchfield Penney Art Center will recognize the past, present, and future of artists Charles E. Burchfield and Paul Sharits and our city. Cycles is one of a series of quarterly launches at the Burchfield Penney. View complete Cycles event list. All events are free with gallery admission. Gallery admission is free to all members, Buffalo State students, faculty, and staff.

April 12
Year of the City Emerging Scholars Lecture
Reducing Gun Violence: The Rhetoric and Reality of a Gun Buyback Program
James J. Sobol, associate professor of criminal justice, will present this lecture at 12:15 p.m. in E. H. Butler Library 210. Sobol’s research includes empirical assessments of violence reduction strategies and police behavior, attitudes, organizations, and management. His talk is part of the Year of the City lectures, which are free and open to the public.  For more information, call (716) 878-6674.

M&T Second Friday at the Burchfield Penney Art Center
Join the Burchfield from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. for a free celebration of five new exhibitions: Charles E. Burchfield: Oh My Heavens; Charles E. Burchfield: The Studio; Xu Bing: A Case Study of Transference; Ann Hamilton: Phora; and an exhibition by the Girl Scouts of Western New York. Also, there will be a happy hour and music by the band Dive House Union from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the art center’s reception area. Free with gallery admission. Gallery admission is free to all members, Buffalo State students, faculty, and staff. Call (716) 878-6011 for more information

A Musical Feast: Founded in 2006 by retired Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra concert master Charles Haupt, A Musical Feast ventures to fuse contemporary and classical music with poetry and dance, featuring musicians of international stature as well as local players. This Musical Feast features David Taylor on bass trombone, Michael McNeill on piano, Jonathan Golove on cello, Rin Ozaki on marimba, and John Bacon on vibes in an 8:00 p.m. performance in the Burchfield Penney Art Center Auditorium. Tickets are $20 for the general public and $10 for Burchfield Penney members. (716) 878-6011.

April 14
Buffalo Brass Choir
This ensemble, composed of freelance musicians from throughout Western New York, will perform a high-quality brass repertoire at 3:00 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall.  Free and open to the public. (716) 878-3005.

April 15
Reigstad Book Signing and Lecture
Thomas J. Reigstad, semiretired Buffalo State English professor and Twain scholar, will sign copies of his just released book Scribblin’ for A Livin’: Mark Twain’s Pivotal Period in Buffalo from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at Barnes & Noble at Buffalo State Bookstore. (716) 878-5509.

Reigstad will also present a Year of the City lecture on Twain, April 25 at 12:15 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center West. Free and open to the public. For more information, call (716) 878-6674.

April 17
The 19th Annual Western New York Ambassador Awards
The Hospitality and Tourism Department honors local industry professional in a gala event open to faculty and staff from 5:30 to 10:00 p.m. at Campus House. Along with the awards ceremony, guests will be treated to international cuisine and wine pairings created by the students. Admission is $50 and reservations are required. Contact Krista Constantino at (716) 878-3300 or campushouse@buffalostate.edu.

Percussion Ensemble
The Buffalo State Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of Bradley Fuster, associate professor and chair of music, will perform at 7:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall. Free. (716) 878-3005.

April 18
Digital Music Ensemble
This one-year-old ensemble, under the director of Tomas Henriques, assistant professor of music, will present a free concert of jazz fusion and avant-garde pieces at 7:30 p.m. in the Louis P. Ciminelli Recital Hall.  Tickets are $10 for the general public and free for students with ticket. Tickets can be purchased online through the Performing Arts Center or via phone at (716) 878-3005. Free admission tickets available in person at the box office with valid student ID.

April 19
Art Education Student Juried Exhibition
The exhibition of art education students in ceramics, paintings, photographs, textiles, sculptures, and multimedia works opens April 19 in the Upton Hall Czurles-Nelson Gallery and runs through May 9. Gallery hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. A free reception with the artists will be held 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. April 25. (716) 878-3549.

April 19
International Center for Watercolor Lunchtime Lecture Series
Hear Nancy Weekly’s view of watercolor from 12:30 to 1:00 p.m. in the Burchfield Penney Auditorium. Weekly, head of collections at the Burchfield Penney, will discuss what Charles Burchfield taught her about watercolor methodology and his “aberrant approach” to the medium. Free with gallery admission. Gallery admission is free to all members, SUNY Buffalo State students, faculty, and staff. Contact the Burchfield Penney Art Center at (716) 878-6011 for more information.”

April 20
Jake Shimabukuro
As part of the Great Performers Series presented by M&T Bank, innovative and world-recognized ukulele performer and composer Jake Shimabukuro will present an 8:00 p.m. concert in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall. This ukulele master and YouTube sensation performs a wide range of classical and jazz with stunning virtuosity, deep musicality, and a natural entertainer’s flair. Tickets are $35 for the lower tier, $30 for the upper tier; $27 for seniors and Buffalo State faculty and staff. Students may purchase $15 one hour prior to the concert. Tickets can be purchased online through the Performing Arts Center or via phone at (716) 878-3005.

Diaspora Drum and Dance
“Africa and Its Echoes in the New World” at 7:30 p.m. in the Louis P. Ciminelli Recital Hall will include music and dancing from Guinea, Ghana, Mexico, and the Caribbean. The West African Drumming Ensemble, directed by Diaspora member Tiffany Nicely, also will perform traditional rhythms on djembes and dun duns. Tickets are $10 for the general public and free for students with ticket. Tickets can be purchased online through the Performing Arts Centeror via phone at (716) 878-3005. Free admission tickets available in person at the box office with valid student ID.

April 22
Apolo Ohno
United Students Government (USG) is presenting eight-time Olympic medalist Apolo Anton Ohno at 7:00 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall. M&T Bank is sponsoring Ohno’s inspirational talk, “Zero Regrets: Be Greater Than Yesterday,” which is the title of his 2010 book detailing the 30-year-old’s rise to speed skating champion. Beginning April 8, tickets will be available to faculty and staff for $20 and to the general public for $30. Along with M&T Bank, this event is funded by USG, and student activity fees. For more information, call (716) 878-3005.

April 24
Wind Ensemble
The Buffalo State Wind Ensemble will present a concert of traditional and contemporary works at 7:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall. Free and open to all. (716) 878-3005.

April 24-27
Recapitulation
Experience the annual spring dance performance choreographed by Buffalo State’s dance faculty April 24-26 at 8:00 p.m. and April 27 at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. in Warren Enters Theatre, Upton Hall. Tickets are $15 and $5 in advance for Buffalo State students. Tickets purchased at the door are $10 for students, Buffalo State faculty, and staff. Tickets can be purchased online through the Performing Arts Center or via phone at (716) 878-3005.

April 25
Watercolor Presentation
Artists Ellen Steinfeld and Shasti O’Leary Soudant present “Two Perspectives on Color: Pigment and Light” at 7:30 p.m. in the Burchfield Penney Art Center Auditorium.  Each artist has an exhibition on view at the art center: Steinfeld’s Suspended Motion in the Charles Cary Rumsey Gallery and Sylvia Rosen Gallery for Fine Arts in Craft Media, and O’Leary Soudant’s Let There Be Light! in the Useum. Free with gallery admission. Gallery admission is free to all members, Buffalo State students, faculty, and staff. Contact the Burchfield Penney Art Center at (716) 878-6011 for more information.”

April 26
Poetry Reading
English Department faculty Charles Bachman and Peter Ramos will present a poetry reading on April 26 from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. in Ketchum Hall 320. Sponsored by the English Department, the reading is free and open to the public.  (716) 878-5417.

Buffalo State Jazz Ensemble
The Jazz Ensemble, under the director of associate professor of music Rick Fleming, will perform traditional and contemporary arrangements at 7:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall. The concert is free and open to the public.  (716) 878-3005.

April 27
Runway 6.0
The Fashion and Textile Technology Department’s annual spring fashion show, Runaway 6.0, showcases the best work of students, faculty, alumni, and Western New York designers. Two Runway shows,at 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., will be held in the Campbell Student Union Social Hall. Tickets to the afternoon show are $15 for the general public and $10 for students. Tickets to the evening show are $20 for everyone. Limited VIP tickets also are available for $100 and include reserved seating, a pre-party reception catered by hospitality and tourism students, and a swag bag. Regular tickets are available at Wegmans and at the Rockwell Hall Box Office. (716) 878-3005. VIP tickets may be purchased through the School of the Professions Dean’s Office, Cleveland Hall 214. (716) 878-4698.  

Boney James
Contemporary jazz legend Boney James will perform at 8:00 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall, presented by the Smooth Jazz Cruise. Considered one of the most influential smooth jazz artists, James has produced 12 albums with eight of them hitting No. 1 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart.  In 2010 Billboard Magazine named him No. 3 Top Contemporary Jazz Artist of the Decade. Tickets are $40 for the lower tier, $35 for the upper tier, $32 for seniors and Buffalo State faculty and staff. Tickets can be purchased online through the Performing Arts Center or via phone at (716) 878-3005. Students may purchase tickets one hour prior to the show for $15.

April 30
Buffalo State Philharmonia and Choirs
Hear the combined talents of the Buffalo State Philharmonia, under the direction of Paul Ferington, and the Buffalo State Choirs, under the direction of John Fleischman and Victoria Furby, in a 7:30 p.m. performance in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall.  The concert will feature the works of Anderson, Stanford, Doloff, and Brahms. Free and open to the public.  (716) 878-3005.