McGlothlin Center for the Arts at Emory & Henry Releases 2023-2024 Season
The 2023-24 season of the McGlothlin Center for the Arts is sponsored by Edeltraut Gilgan-Hunt in honor of her late husband, Dr. Earl Stephen “Steve” Hunt, a “Renaissance man,” whose interests ranged from the arts to international education and whose love of Emory & Henry has touched many throughout the college community.
As a member of the E&H Board of Trustees and a member of the E&H Class of 1971, Steve was determined to share his experience in areas relevant to the College. One of his most fervent wishes was to one day meet opera star Michael Austin, E&H Class of 1975, once again at the College.
Thus, it was Steve’s inspiration that helped motivate Emory & Henry College to bring Austin back for an Oct. 15 performance in the Kennedy-Reedy Theatre while honoring the singer for his immense career achievements. In addition, through Edeltraut’s generosity and the commitment to the arts that she shared with Steve, Emory & Henry is also able to present this season a wide variety of visual and performing arts events to students and the broader public.
Among the highlights of the season is a Nov. 3 performance of “The Thrill,” a banjo and dance percussion performance by internationally acclaimed Nic Gareiss and Allison de Groot. This electrifying performance is influenced by the late, beloved Hobart Smith, an old-time musician and dancer from Marion, Va.
The arts season also includes a performance by soprano Cristin Colvin, E&H Class of ’09, who presents a meditative journey through the transcendent voices of Kassia and Hildegard von Bingen. Blending voice, synthesizer, piano, guitar and percussion, this program explores the trailblazing art of these women.
The McGlothlin Center Art Gallery will include the work of several acclaimed artists, including Nicole Santiago and John Lee, whose paintings are based on close observations of their respective worlds; Gretchen Batcheller, who combines airbrush, acrylic and oil painting media to create paintings that bridge figurative realism and abstraction; Kyle John, who utilizes the rigid process of mold making at the core of industrial production to create a multitude of unique forms; and Beatrix Ost and Michelle Galiano, whose collaboration yields multiple works, combining various materials, such as oil paint, pigments, solvents and gessoes.
Christmas at the McGlothlin Center continues to capture the creative spirits of a growing number of enthusiasts. This season includes a Dec. 3 concert by the Symphony of the Mountains entitled “By the Fireside,” a Dec. 8 staging of the fairy tale opera “Hansel and Gretel,” and a Dec. 10 performance of Handel’s “The Messiah” by the E&H Community Choir.
Steve Hunt enjoyed a highly successful 30-year career in the Office of Educational Research and Improvement in the U.S. Department of Education. His work, which engaged him with international governments and experts, exposed him to the value of the arts as an enrichment to learning and culture. It is fitting that this season, which is the fulfillment of a dream as well as an expression of his artistic curiosity, is brought to the public in his honor.
For the full schedule of the performances at the McGlothlin Center for the Arts, please visit www.ehc.edu/mca/events. To purchase tickets for upcoming performances, please visit www.ehc.edu/mca/tickets.
Open gallery
