L-R Observatory to Reopen After 15 years!

On Friday, March 11, 2011, public observing will return to Lenoir-Rhyne after an absence of 15 years. Thanks to The Catawba Valley Astronomy Club, both Observatory and telescope are in excellent condition and able to be used for such a function.

On March 11, the Observatory (top floor of Minges Science Building) will open for inspection and public observing at 7:00p.m. Telescopes will also be placed in the field across from Mauney Music Building with members of the Astronomy Club on hand for instruction.

The entire refurbishing of the Observatory and telescope took about two years. This was accomplished under the leadership of Mr. Bob Hunt, a member of the Astronomy Club; Mr. Hunt was assisted by other members of the Astronomy Club, Dr. Richard Mazak, and students in Dr. Mazak’s astronomy classes.

The telescope is a 12.5 inch diameter Cassegrain telescope which can also function in the Newtonian mode. It was originally installed under the leadership of Dr. Charles Cooke, Professor of Physics. The telescope was completely disassembled, the mirrors re-silvered, the motors rebuilt and everything cleaned and reassembled.

Please join The Catawba Valley Astronomy Club, Dr. Mazak, students and others on March 11, 2011, 7:00 p.m. for the reopening of the Lenoir-Rhyne Observatory.

LRU Brass Ensemble to Perform This Weekend

The Lenoir-Rhyne University Brass Ensemble (UBE), along with the Unifour Brass Ensemble, will perform a concert on Sunday, March 13 at 4:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Morganton, NC.

The event is free of charge, but a love offering will be taken to help raise funds for L-R students who will be traveling to Europe this May.

The performance will feature several antiphonal works by Giovanni Gabrielli, Gioseppe Guami and Aurelio Bonelli. The music will also espouse sounds from Victor Ewald, Vaclav Nelhybel, Richard Wagner and more.

First organized in 1978 as a brass quartet, the UBE and its members have provided music for area orchestras, big bands, church services, dedications, weddings and receptions, theater productions, area club functions, and civic functions. The ensemble's repertoire ranges from the medieval to modern eras. In addition, several members have conducted music for theater productions, public and private school music, community brass ensembles, community jazz ensembles, and community bands. Several past members have gone on to become professional performers or to have teaching careers at universities and colleges across the nation. The Unifour Brass Ensemble Inc. is dedicated to providing the public, most notably our young people, with a basic appreciation for music through the wonderful sound of brass instruments.

The Lenoir-Rhyne University Brass Ensemble is frequently seen in area churches, in formal recitals, at campus functions, in department-sponsored hymn festivals, and with the L-R A Cappella Choir. The Brass Ensemble performs literature of all style periods and in a wide variety of genres.

For more information regarding this event, contact Timothy Phillips, Adjunct Professor of Trumpet and Theory at timothy.phillips@lr.edu.

Student Gets Hands-On Experience at WHKY

Junior Communications major Alyssa Carlson spoke on-air last week with WHKY, Hickory's local radio station, about Kappa Delta's Zumba-Thon, Lenoir-Rhyne's Rise Up campaign, and campus life as a whole.

This opportunity represents one of the many ways that Lenoir-Rhyne helps students gain real-world experience, and allows students to get a leg-up before graduation. Not only are the opportunities great learning tools, they are also used to add to student's resumes and portfolios for their job searches.

Natalie Tolbert Crowned Miss Lenoir-Rhyne University

Natalie Tolbert was crowned the first-ever Miss LRU last night after competing in a pageant hosted by the LRU Spirit Team. Natalie is a junior Human and Community Services major at L-R, and is involved on campus with the SugarBears Dance Team and Kappa Delta Sorority.

Other contestants included Rubyana Whitworth, Drinda Hensley, Tayah Cambell, Raven Winstead, Amber Willard, Allison Floyd, Nikki Rae Walker, Willie Rice, and Amber Miller. The contestants were judged based on their L-R spiritwear, talent, evening gown, and on-stage questions.

Entertainment was provided by Step N Out Dance Productions and Krista Whitener Academy of Dance.

Congratulations to Natalie Tolbert on her win as Miss Lenoir-Rhyne University. Natalie will represent LRU for a year, participating in events and representing and raising money for a philanthropy of her choice.