Dear Friends and Colleagues,
As we head into a December full of holiday festivities and near the end of the fall semester and 2025, I wanted to take a moment to extend warm wishes and gratitude to our community.
We hosted our Fine Arts Advisory Council the week before Thanksgiving, and I’m still riding high on the energy of this group as they advise and advocate for our college as a philanthropic priority. I loved seeing how engaged they were in the gathering during fireside chats with Studio Art Associate Professor of Practice (and Guggenheim Fellow) Eli Durst and our new Chief Development Officer Stephanie Ann Jones, as well as a beautiful performance by a student wind quintet in the Butler School of Music. We were pleased that UT President Jim Davis stopped by to address the council and heartened to hear him talk about his love for the arts and his support for the work we do in our college.
We have multiple holiday-themed programs planned to mark the season in our college. The Butler School of Music will be hosting their annual Holiday Concert this weekend, and it will feature performances by University Chorus, Concert Chorale, Longhorn Singers, Chamber Orchestra, Trombone Choir, Guitar Studio, Percussion Ensemble, Clarinet Choir, UT Jazz, Butler Opera Center and an organ performance by faculty member Gregory Eaton.
Texas Performing Arts has multiple holiday-themed shows, including a performance by pianist Jim Brickman, a screening of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation with special guest Chevy Chase and a concert with the National Children’s Chorus.
I'm sure many of you are also enjoying holiday art experiences beyond Austin thanks to Longhorns. Last night I attended The Night Shift Before Christmas at the Alley Theatre in Houston. The play was written by alumnus Isaac Gomez, who received our 2022 E. William Doty Distinguished Young Alumnus Award, and it was directed by Professor KJ Sanchez, with costume designs by Assistant Professor David Arevalo.
As I reflect on this past year, I’m grateful for the work of our community and the values we uphold around the crucial role of the arts in our lives. I am proud of the opportunities for participation and training we advance in making the arts central to the lives of Texans and the world over. I wish you and yours a happy and restful holiday season and look forward to welcoming you to our galleries and stages in the new year.
Sincerely,
