Arts & Humanities

There might be more than just hard work to people's successes in life. From an early age, those whose last name starts toward the beginning of the alphabet can have an advantage. The news is not so good for those with last names toward the end of the alphabet.

No one knows better than Grace Burns just what a difference a vision and a financial boost can mean to a young musician. Burns was one of 14 students to perform at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall in November. In support of opportunities like this, and in celebration of its 100th birthday, the college is embarking on its first major fundraising campaign called music+.

Andrea Ramsey, associate director of choral studies at CU Boulder, seeks to raise awareness through music for the ongoing tragedy in Flint, Michigan, and tell the stories that may have been lost in the two years since the crisis began.

The “Play On!" project has commissioned playwrights, including women and writers of color, to translate a variety of Shakespeare plays into contemporary modern English. A group of CU Boulder students and professors recently got to participate in a reading of two of those plays.

With the new Consortium of Doctoral Studies in Literatures and Cultures, CU Boulder is improving support for doctoral students in its six literature Ph.D programs: French and Italian; Spanish and Portuguese; German; classics; English; and Japanese and Chinese.

Thanks to a team of undergraduate students, CU Boulder now has an innovative new iPad app for kids, extending the international educational footprint of the PhET Interactive Simulations project and its award-winning collection of science and math simulations.

CU Boulder recently expanded its support of public scholarship in the arts and humanities by joining a national group called Imagining America, which works to advance democracy and participation in higher education.

Greg Moore, former Denver Post editor-in-chief, will give free public lectures on campus, including “Putting the Watchdog to Sleep” at 11 a.m. on Oct. 14 in the Old Main Chapel. As the newly named Hearst Visiting Professor for the fall semester at the College of Media, Communication and Information, the seasoned journalist and editor also will teach a seminar to CMCI students and partner with faculty to teach sessions in two courses.

Think corsets went out with hoop skirts? Corsets have been used in period plays and movies for decades, but they’ve become popular again with women wanting the look of a nipped-in waist, and with historical costume enthusiasts and cosplayers. Cynthia Settje, owner and creative mind of Redthreaded, specializes in high quality corsets and costumes with a historical focus, including theatrical costuming, costume recreation, luxury corsetry and reproduction clothing.

Ah, Shakespeare. Whether one loves, despises or fears the work of the immortal bard of Stratford-upon-Avon often depends upon the manner of first exposure. For a crash course in just how accessible, appealing and fun Shakespeare can be, there are few better places than the Colorado Shakespeare Festival’s smashingly successful summer programs for children, Camp Shakespeare for 10- to 18-year-olds and Shakespeare’s Sprites, for ages 6-9.