UALR’s Department of Music will host the College Music Society South Central Chapter 26th annual regional conference this week, bringing attendees from across the nation to share ground breaking research, premiere vocal and instrumental works, and exchange approaches to teaching music at the university level.

The Thursday through Saturday, March 3 to 5, conference features Mark Valentine Sullivan of Michigan State University, as the keynote speaker. His musical works for film and video have been featured in conferences, programs, and festivals internationally.

He has researched a wide range of acoustic phenomenon, with particular emphasis on ways to use computer technology to amplify, stimulate, and extend the creative process of music composition. The keynote address is titled, “Music in the Mix.”

Concerts will be held at 7:30 p.m. on March 3 and 4 and will feature new compositions performed by visiting artists and UALR faculty and students. The March 3 concert will offer performances by UALR music student LaLeata Westbook and UALR faculty Susan Antonetti on flute, Naoki Hakutani on piano, and Chuck Law on percussion.

On Friday, March 4, pianists Rolf Groesbeck and Hakutani, soprano Diane Kesling and saxophonist Andy Wen will be featured with the Arkansas Saxophone Quartet. Both concerts will be held in Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall in the Fine Arts building and are free and open to the public.

For more information, contact the Music Department at 501-569-3294.