VSU Music Department to Host Bartok conference

The Valdosta State University Department of Music will host a conference on Hungarian-born composer Bela Bartok Oct. 15-16 at the Fine Arts Building. The conference will discuss and celebrate the composer's work and his historical significance in several areas besides music.

In addition to being one of the most important composers and musicians of the 20th Century, Bartok was a folklorist, performer, pedagogue, critic, editor, linguist and humanitarian. The featured speaker and conference chair will be Dr. Elliott Antokoletz, who is also the director of the Bartok International Congress that will be held by the University of Texas at Austin in the spring of 2000. The VSU conference is regarded as a "prelude" to the International Congress.

Support for the conference has been provided by Faculty Development Grants from Valdosta State University. Additionally, this project is supported by the Georgia Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities, and through appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly.

Lectures will be given during the day, and performances will be presented on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon. A panel discussion is planned for Saturday on Bartok's historical and creative contributions.

The musical programs will be free and open to the public. Registration fee for the lectures is $30 for both days. VSU students, and spouses of registered participants, will be admitted for free. Registration fee for other students is $15. On-site registration will be held at the Fine Arts Building from 3-6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 14, and begins at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 15. For more information, contact Matson Topper at (229) 333-5804.