CANTON, Mo. — 91ֱ�� will showcase student creativity and artistic achievement during the 2026 Student Honors Exhibition, opening with a public reception from 2–4 p.m. on Saturday, April 11, in the Mabee Art Gallery. The exhibition and reception are free and open to the public.

Awards will be announced at 2:30 p.m. during the reception. The exhibition will remain on display through May 13. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The annual exhibition provides an opportunity for Culver-Stockton students to present artwork created within the past year. This year’s show features work from 27 student artists, representing a range of media and artistic approaches, including works from Sara Gruenewald (senior, Silex, MO), Ava Jacobsen (junior, Taylor, MO), Tabitha Haxel (junior, Hannibal, MO), Jack Laney (junior, Montgomery, TX), and Dae’Ja Castillo (freshman, Fort Leonard Wood, MO).

The exhibition is juried by Culver-Stockton’s art faculty, with awards selected by an external judge. This year’s judge is Jan Clough, professor emeritus at Western Illinois University.

For more information 91ֱ��’s programs in art, art education, or arts management, please visit culver.edu/majors/.

The performance marks the culmination of a unique, yearlong initiative made possible through the generosity of Dr. Thelma (Tommye) Leenhouts, Ph.D., giving Culver-Stockton students the rare opportunity to collaborate directly with a living composer and debut music written specifically for their ensemble.

The March 29 concert will showcase Takach’s original composition, written in a traditional choral style with piano accompaniment. Known for his work with leading ensembles across the country, Takach will also spend time on campus this week working with students in rehearsal and sharing insights on composition, performance, and the music profession.

Earlier this academic year, the choir participated in the first phase of the project, performing a newly re-voiced arrangement of “There’s a Meeting Here Tonight” during its fall concert last October. Originally composed for the professional tenor-bass ensemble Cantus, the piece was adapted for soprano, alto, tenor, and bass voices, expanding access to its American gospel folk style.

“Opportunities like this go far beyond a typical concert experience,” said Director of Choral Activities and Assistant Professor Dr. Andrew Schroetter. “Students are not only performing music, but they are also helping bring a new work to life. That process builds musicianship, creativity, and confidence in a way few experiences can.”

For more information about Culver-Stockton’s music program, visit culver.edu/majors.

Directed by Culver-Stockton Professor of Music and Director of Bands Dr. Trent Hollinger, the program will feature a collection of American wind band works that reflect the nation’s history, resilience, and spirit.

The evening’s centerpiece is Aaron Copland’s “Lincoln Portrait,” a work that combines wind band music with excerpts from the writings and speeches of President Abraham Lincoln. The performance will feature guest narrator C-SC Director of Choral Activities and Assistant Professor Dr. Andrew Schroetter, whose narration will bring to life the enduring legacy of the 16th president.

“As we approach America’s Semiquincentennial, this program serves as a musical time capsule. By pairing the profound words of Lincoln with the spirited marches of Sousa and the settings of folk songs with one of America’s most important 20th century composers, our students are exploring the complex and triumphant sounds that have shaped the American identity over the last 250 years,” said Hollinger.

Additional selections include Morton Gould’s “American Salute,” based on “When Johnny Comes Marching Home”; Percy Grainger’s “Spoon River,” inspired by an Illinois folk melody; Ronald Lo Presti’s “Elegy for a Young American,” composed in memory of President John F. Kennedy; “A Bernstein Tribute,” arranged by Clare Grundman; and John Philip Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever.”

CANTON, Mo. — 91ֱ�� welcomed approximately 100 high school student musicians to campus for its 26th Annual JazzFest Tuesday, Feb. 17. JazzFest is an  immersive educational event designed to strengthen musicianship, expand jazz knowledge, and provide meaningful experiential learning opportunities.

This year’s festival featured five jazz bands representing four regional school districts, including two ensembles from Hannibal High School under the direction of Mike Fuller, as well as Kirksville High School (Brad Hudson), Highland High School (Nathan Sparks), and Mexico High School (Josh Yancy).

Throughout the daylong event, students participated in a series of educational clinics led by professional musicians, college faculty, and guest jazz artists. Sessions included instrument-specific sectionals for saxophone, trumpet, trombone, and rhythm sections; two full-band coaching clinics; an improvisation workshop; and a jazz history session. Students also experienced campus life through a student-led tour.

Clinicians included Culver-Stockton faculty members Dr. Trent Hollinger, Martin Gelwasser, Dr. Alex Kirby, and Dr. Scott Giltner, alongside guest educators William DeMont, Dustin Schrum, Dr. John Cooper, and Steve Grismore. Musically, participating bands explored a diverse repertoire spanning multiple jazz traditions, including swing, Afro-Cuban, funk, bossa nova, and ballad styles.

“Events like JazzFest provide high school students with a rare opportunity to work directly with industry professionals and experience a wide range of expertise,” said Dr. Hollinger, C-SC director of bands and music dept. chair. “For schools in more rural areas, assembling a comparable group of jazz artists locally is often impractical. By bringing together professionals from many facets of jazz in one place, JazzFest offers students meaningful exposure, instruction, and inspiration that would otherwise be difficult to access.”

The event also supports recruitment and relationship-building for the College’s music program.

“JazzFest brings prospective students to campus where they can experience the quality of our faculty, our facilities, the beauty of the campus, and the culture of our music program firsthand,” Dr. Hollinger said. “Participants interacted with current Culver-Stockton students through campus tours, helping them envision themselves as part of our music community.”

New elements were introduced to this year’s festival, including the addition of a second full-band rehearsal space and expanded cross-campus collaboration, highlighted by Dr. Giltner’s jazz history presentation.

High school jazz bands interested in participating in the 27th Annual JazzFest, scheduled for February 2027, are encouraged to contact Dr. Hollinger at thollinger@culver.edu to request an invitation.

Learn more about 91ֱ��’s music programs at /majors/music/.

CANTON, Mo. — 91ֱ�� was well represented at the 88th annual Missouri Music Educators Association (MMEA) In-Service Workshop and Conference, held Jan. 28–31 at Lake of the Ozarks (Mo.). C-SC students’ participation in the event was highlighted by a prestigious performance honor for Faith Myers (Clarksville, Mo.), a junior music education major.

Myers was selected to perform in the percussion section of the Missouri All-Collegiate Orchestra, an ensemble composed of top collegiate musicians from across the state. Myers arrived at the conference early to rehearse with the orchestra, and she was part of the orchestra’s Jan. 28 concert performance.

In total, 12 Culver-Stockton music students attended the annual conference, which drew nearly 3,000 current and future music educators. The MMEA is a federated state association of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), representing nearly 80,000 educators nationwide committed to advancing comprehensive, high-quality music instruction.

According to Dr. Alex Kirby, C-SC’s associate director of bands and director of athletic bands, the conference served as important professional gateway for Culver-Stockton students.

“For music education majors, conferences like MMEA are transformational,” Kirby explained. “Students participate in performances, clinics, and reading sessions that sharpen their instructional skills while introducing them to the latest conversations in the field. Just as importantly, they begin forming professional networks that will support them throughout their careers.”

The experience provided valuable networking opportunities, allowing students to build relationships with veteran educators, explore graduate programs, and engage with current ideas shaping music education today.

For more information about Culver-Stockton’s major in music education, as well as about other areas of study in music, visit /majors/.

CANTON, Mo. — 91ֱ�� theatre students were recognized with awards and experienced professional opportunities at the American College Theatre Festival (ACTF) held in late January in Rochester (Minn.), highlighting the strength and versatility of the C-SC’s theatre program.

Fifteen Culver-Stockton students participated in the weeklong regional festival, which brings together hundreds of student artists from across ACTF Region 5 for performances, competitions, workshops, and networking with theatre professionals.

Riko Davis, a sophomore from Tauranga, New Zealand, and scene partner Xander Brown, a freshman from Kirksville (Mo.), advanced to the semi-finals of the prestigious Irene Ryan Acting Competition. The pair placed among the top 64 performers selected from more than 300 preliminary competitors.

C-SC students recognized with other top honors include: Micah Peterson, a junior from Madison Lake (Minn.), who earned the Student Choice Award for Best Publicity and Promotions for “Carrie the Musical.” Charlotte Hansert, a senior from Fulton (Mo.) and her team “Techtastic” captured the Student Choice Award in the Stage Crew Olympics. Addison Wetzel, a senior from Ursa (Ill.), was awarded Best Direction of an original 10-minute Play for “Firing Squad,” a production she cast, rehearsed, and directed during the festival prior to its showcase performance.

Additional honors recognized the excellence of C-SC students across multiple theatrical disciplines. Zoey Kiser, a senior from Macon (Mo.), received a Merit Award for Costume Design for the musical “The Great American Trailer Park,” while Hansert earned a Merit Award for Sound Design for the same production. Ensemble Performance Merit Awards were presented to Lora Nickel, a freshman from Green City (Mo.) and Davis for “Eurydice.” Wetzel also received a Merit Award for Properties Management and Creation for “Eurydice.”

Students were also selected for several competitive festival opportunities. Kiser was cast in the 10-minute play “Trial and Error,” chosen from more than 100 auditionees. Kyla Grose, a junior from Troy (Mo.), was selected to stage manage the 10-minute play “Manifest Destiny.” Brown, Maddison Pruitt (a senior from Bowling Green, Mo.), and Arabella Rose (a freshman from Keokuk, Iowa), participated in the Musical Theatre Intensive Competition.

Leadership roles further distinguished Culver-Stockton’s presence at the festival. Wetzel and Kiser, members of the ACTF Student Advisory Board, helped emcee the Student Choice Showcase, host the Student Improv Showcase, and serve as liaisons between students and festival leadership.

Students Brandon Arnana (freshman, Farmington, Mo.), Jaysie Báez (freshman, Canto, Puerto Rico), Kaitlyn Buckwalter (sophomore, Palmyra, Mo.), Kai Maurice (junior, Sarasota, Fla.), and Sabastion Pearson (senior, LaBelle, Mo.) were also among the C-SC students who engaged in professional development workshops covering vocal performance, movement, stage combat, and other specialized theatre skills.

For more information about C-SC’s areas of study in theatre — including theater, musical theatre, and speech and theatre education — visit /majors/.

CANTON, Mo. — 91ֱ��’s Mabee Art Gallery will present “The Eye and the Touch,”  a two-person exhibition featuring regional artists Jan Clough and Julie D. Nelson. The exhibition opens Thursday, Feb. 26 and will include a public reception from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. During the reception, the artists’ talk is set to start at 6 p.m., and refreshments will be served. The exhibition will be on view through Wednesday, April 1, and the opening reception and exhibition are open free to the public.

According to Jennifer Bock-Nelson, assistant professor of studio art and Mabee Gallery director at C-SC, “The Eye and the Touch” brings together two accomplished artists.

Jan Clough, a retired professor of art at Western Illinois University, taught drawing for more than three decades before retiring in August 2024. She earned her MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her BFA from Drake University. Clough’s drawings have been featured in numerous regional and national exhibitions and are held in both public and private collections. Originally from Burlington (Iowa), she continues to work actively in a range of two-dimensional media.

Julie D. Nelson holds a BFA in printmaking and an MFA in watercolor and drawing from Northern Illinois University. Since retiring from her role as director and curator at the Quincy Art Center in 2014, Nelson has exhibited widely throughout the upper Midwest, including at the Figge Art Museum in the Quad Cities, Quincy Art Center, Keokuk Art Center, and 91ֱ��. Her background in museum leadership has shaped her passion for connecting audiences with meaningful artistic experiences

“Though working in different styles and approaches, both artists share a deep commitment to seeing, responding, and engaging directly with their subjects,” Bock-Nelson said.

The Mabee Art Gallery is located on the 91ֱ�� campus and is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Learn more about majoring in art at 91ֱ�� at culver.edu/majors/art/.

CANTON, Mo. — Dr. Dylan Marney, associate professor of music at 91ֱ��, will present a piano recital as part of the Quincy Sunday Music Series this Sunday, Jan. 25 at 4 p.m. The concert will take place at the Unitarian Church, located at 1479 Hampshire Street in Quincy (Ill.).

The recital will feature selections by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and the performance is free and open to the public.

In addition to teaching at 91ֱ��, Marney serves the C-SC Chair of the Civic Engagement, Humanities, and Performing Arts Division and has extensive professional training and performance experience. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in piano performance from the University of Arizona and earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in piano performance from Central Washington University. He was also the first-place winner of the Steinway & Sons Piano Competition for Washington State.

In addition to his classical training, Marney holds a master’s degree in music technology and has composed original electro-acoustic works and film scores. A frequent soloist, he performs regularly throughout the region and nationally and has served as an artist-in-residence at the Lake Chelan Bach Fest in Washington.

The Quincy Sunday Music Series is a long-standing community tradition that highlights regional talent and provides accessible, high-quality musical performances for area audiences.

ACTF is a nationally recognized program that engages more than 18,000 college theater students annually from institutions across the country. Since its founding, the festival has provided over 400,000 students with opportunities to receive professional critique, refine their artistic skills, and earn national recognition for excellence in collegiate theater. Festival productions have drawn more than 16 million audience members nationwide.

During the weeklong event, Culver-Stockton students are engaging in a variety of competitive and educational experiences, including the Irene Ryan Acting Competition; design, technology, and management competitions; 10-minute play directing; stage management and technical crew competitions; and professional workshops focused on all areas of theatrical production.

In addition to performance and technical competitions, students are meeting with representatives from professional organizations to explore graduate programs, internships, and career opportunities in the performing arts.

The American College Theatre Festival is dedicated to elevating the quality of college and university theater while celebrating innovative and diverse artistic work. The organization encourages institutions to produce new plays, including student-written works, alongside reimagined classics and experimental productions. Participation provides students with practical experience and professional insight as they prepare for careers in the theater industry.

Learn more about C-SC’s Theatre major at culver.edu/majors/theatre/ and follow the department for updates on Instagram at .

Pictured in the photo is C-SC student Addi Wetzel at the ACTF in Rochester. She’s showing her costume design for “Carrie: The Musical,” which was staged Fall 2025 at C-SC.

Under the direction of Dr. Andrew Schroetter, the Collegiate Choir, Chamber Choir, and Concert Choir will present a program centered on the miracle of Christ’s birth, with particular emphasis on the star that guided the way to the manger.

According to Schroetter, audiences will experience a blend of traditional and contemporary carols, from Wilhousky’s “Carol of the Bells” to Handel’s “And the Glory of the Lord,” alongside works by Mendelssohn, Ritter, Britten, Takach, and more.

The Jazz Band, directed by Dr. Trent Hollinger, director of bands and chair of the music department, will perform four movements from Duke Ellington’s arrangement of the “Nutcracker Suite”: “Overture,” “Arabesque Cookie,” “Sugar Rum Cherry,” and “Dance of the Floreadores.” The work features many students throughout the ensemble.

The concert will conclude with an audience sing-along, featuring a special co-arrangement by senior music technology major Eireland Cady and Dr. Hollinger.

“The Christmas Concert is one of our most beloved traditions,” said Dr. Dylan Marney, chair of the C-SC Civic Engagement, Humanities, and Performing Arts Division and associate professor of music. “Our students have worked diligently to prepare a program that captures the beauty, wonder, and joy of the holiday season. We’re excited to welcome our community to share in this celebration.”

The event is free and open to the public, and all are invited to attend.