v

Coca-Cola Amatil investment secures 500 jobs in Victoria




v

80 days of Melbourne – sporting and cultural events

Victoria will host an unprecedented number of international sporting, arts, cultural and trade events between 9 January and 29 March 2015 as part of the 80 Days of Melbourne initiative. A business-hosting component of the initiative is designed to attract high profile, senior international business leaders to Melbourne to secure international investment and jobs for Victoria.




v

French tech giant Capgemini opens cloud services and global delivery centre in Melbourne

Leading global consulting, technology and professional services company, Capgemini, has opened its new Melbourne Global Delivery Centre and Social, Mobile, Analytics and Cloud services Lab. The French multinational operates in 44 countries around the world and offers a range of integrated services in the business sector.




v

Victoria the only Australian state with a stable AAA rating from both S&P and Moody’s




v

Australia – China Business Council to move to Melbourne

Australia’s premier business organisation dedicated to promoting investment and trade with China will be the first bilateral business chamber to be part of the Victorian Coalition Government’s new International Chamber House (ICH). The Australia China Business Council (ACBC) will move its head office from Sydney to Melbourne to be part of ICH, which is set to open later this year in Melbourne’s city centre.




v

Aegis Services Australia expansion to create 550 new jobs in Melbourne

Aegis Services Australia has announced it will expand its business processing outsourcing operations in Victoria, creating 550 new jobs over the next two years. Aegis is a global outsourcing and technology company. The expansion will mean a doubling of the company’s existing local workforce and a substantial investment in training and up-skilling of employees. The company’s announcement underscores Victoria's strong reputation as a destination for global investment and business services centre.




v

New Victorian mining and exploration online map

The Victorian Government has launched Australia's first web tool specifically designed to help Victorian communities locate mining and exploration activities in their regions quickly and easily. The Mining Licences Near Me web tool ensures greater transparency for communities regarding industry activity in their region, both onshore and offshore, including minerals, gas and quarries.




v

Significant Investor Visa (SIV) reforms to attract foreign direct investment

The Australian Government has advised that it will expand and improve the Significant Investor Visa (SIV) program to leverage and better direct foreign investment. The program will be reformed to encourage more high net worth individuals to make Australia home and will contribute to a strong and competitive economic environment.




v

Bio blog: Victorian Postdoctoral Research Fellowships – second round

Applications are now open for the second round of the prestigious A$1.8 million Victorian Postdoctoral Research Fellowships Program, being delivered by veski. The fellowships aim to strengthening Victoria’s innovation capabilities by enabling talented young researchers to work at world leading research centres before returning to Victoria. The Victorian Government offered six fellowships in 2013 and is again offering up to six fellowships to begin in 2015.




v

Kaiteki Fresh grows in regional Victoria

Japanese food production company, Kaiteki Fresh has announced a new state-of-the-art hydroponic facility in Bunyip, one hour east of Melbourne. The multi-million dollar investment will be the first facility of its kind outside of Asia, and will create 40 new local jobs. Kaiteki Fresh Australia, a subsidiary of Japan’s Mitsubishi Corporation, is a global leader in food production and technology.




v

Two new 3D printing facilities in Melbourne boost advanced manufacturing capabilities

Australia’s manufacturing sector has been given a boost with the opening of Australia’s largest additive manufacturing hub and a new world-class research facility in Melbourne. The new 3D printing additive manufacturing plant produces parts and devices for the mining, defence, bio-medical, construction, aerospace and automotive industries, in a more cost-effective way than traditional methods.




v

Finmeccania – Selex ES to set up Australian Naval ICT Communications HQ in Melbourne

Global technology supplier Finmeccanica – Selex ES will establish its Australian Naval Communications headquarters in Melbourne, creating 80 manufacturing jobs by 2019. Finmeccanica - Selex ES works across the international defence, security, aerospace, naval and transport sectors.




v

Bio blog: Victoria to attract more world leading women in science and innovation with additional round of veski innovation fellowships

An additional round of veski innovation fellowships – a prestigious Victorian program to attract outstanding global leaders in science and research to Victoria – is actively seeking applications from outstanding women in science and research.




v

Victorian Government calls for EOIs for New Schools PPP

The Victorian Government has this week invited Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for the delivery of 13 new schools under the $223 million New Schools Public Private Partnership (PPP) project. The PPP will see the selected consortium finance, design and construct 13 new schools and maintain them over a 25 year period. The schools will be built in two tranches, with the first tranche opening to students in 2017 and the second in 2018. The Victorian Government will retain responsibility for teaching and curriculum, with the Government stating that the structure will allow teaching staff to focus wholly on educational outcomes.




v

Melbourne leads the way in unravelling the typhoid gene

Recent research lead by a Melbourne research institute has found that people who carry a particular type of gene have natural resistance against typhoid fever. The Nossal Institute of Global Health at the University of Melbourne conducted the study in collaboration with the Genome Institute of Singapore and Oxford University Clinical Research Unites in Vietnam and Nepal. The research, which is the first large-scale one of its kind, investigated the human natural gene responses to typhoid and associated infectious diseases.




v

Internationally renowned Melbourne HIV scientist named Melburnian of the Year

Professor Sharon Lewin, the local co-chair of this year’s 20th International AIDS Conference, and internationally recognised HIV cure researcher, has been named Melburnian of the Year in an awards ceremony held on 15 November.




v

World football superstars to visit Melbourne

Melbourne will host world football superstars from Real Madrid, Manchester City and Inter Milan as part of the Australian leg of the third annual International Champions Cup in July 2015. The tournament, a friendly pre-season between the biggest teams in the world, will feature star players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Aguero, Gareth Bale, David Silva and James Rodriguez.




v

RMIT University and NICTA collaborate to open a new data analytics lab in Melbourne

The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), in collaboration with NICTA (National ICT Australia) have announced the opening of a joint data analytics lab in Victoria. The lab will be based at RMIT University’s School of Computer Science & Information (CSIT) in Melbourne. NICTA is Australia’s largest ICT organisation, and its Machine Learning Research Group has been independently rated amongst the top five groups of its kind in the world. In a collaboration valued at over A$1 million, NICTA will combine its expertise with RMIT University’s CSIT, which is widely recognised as a leader in data and information management.




v

Games blog: PAX Aus 2014 turns up the volume on games in Australia

For the second year in a row, the Penny Arcade Expo Australia (PAX Aus) was held in Melbourne from 31 October 2014 to 2 November 2014. It opened to the news that Melbourne had secured the right to continue to host the event for the next five years, a huge coup for Victoria and for all Australian digital gaming fans. The announcement meant that Melbourne would host the iconic event, which attracts the world’s biggest and most influential digital games developers, publishers, and enthusiastic players, until at least 2019.




v

Japan-Australia FTA paves way for renewed Japanese investment

The Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement (JAEPA) entered into force on 15 January 2015. Japanese interest in Victorian and nationwide investment is continuing to grow, with major fast food chains and convenience store operators looking at investing in the agriculture sector, which will in turn support expansion into the South East Asia marketplace.




v

Victorian wind farms bring power to Canberra

Two Victorian wind farms have won 20-year deals with the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), to supply a third of Canberra's electricity needs. In a deal worth A$68 million a year each, the alternative power venture is set to increase Canberra household power bills by A$93, however with 200 megawatts of capacity, the wind farms are expected to create a 580,000-tonne reduction to the city's yearly carbon emission each year (the equivalent of removing 157,000 cars).




v

Moving Victoria – Australia’s number one destination for inter-state migration

Melbourne has reinforced its great reputation as the world’s most liveable city with new statistics showing Victoria as the number one destination for Australians moving inter-state.




v

Leading Victorian and US regenerative medicine institutes announce partnership

Regenerative medicine research efforts are set to strengthen in Australia with the recent announcement between Melbourne’s Monash University and leading US biomedical institution, MDI Biological Laboratory.




v

Global tech company Square arrives in Melbourne

The global mobile payments company, Square, will open its Australian headquarters in Melbourne, which will be its fourth global base after the United States, Canada and Japan.




v

International buyers travel to Victoria to meet the winemakers

More than 150 international buyers and investors from Europe, the Middle East and Asia will travel to Victoria as part of a major inbound trade mission that showcases its diverse wine industry. Meet the Winemaker, will introduce international buyers to over 100 key winemakers from 21 diverse winemaking regions around Victoria, allowing the industry to develop new export opportunities and giving the world an insight into Victoria’s unique winemaking capabilities.




v

Doubling down on a good investment

As the world’s population continues to expand, ensuring that food production can meet the growing demand is an ever-mounting challenge. Climate change, soil degradation, and volatile food prices further threaten food security at a time when increasing agricultural output is paramount.

In the report, Taking Stock of National Agricultural R&D Capacity in Africa South of the Sahara, produced by IFPRI’s Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators, researchers Nienke Beintema and Gert-Jan Stads summarize recent progress in the development of national agricultural research systems in Africa south of the Sahara (SSA). The report—presented at the conference celebrating 15 years of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) in Johannesburg, South Africa this week—also serves as a benchmark for monitoring the implementation of the Science Agenda for Agriculture in Africa, which is being launched at the conference.

Regional spending on agricultural research and development (R&D) must double if the countries of SSA are to meet the recommended United Nations (UN) and African Union’s target of investing 1 percent of agricultural GDP in public agricultural R&D, not to mention the even more ambitious post-2015 recommendation that low- and middle-income countries ramp up spending on agricultural R&D by five percent from 2015 to 2025.

The report highlights additional challenges to national agricultural research systems:

  • Low staff retention and qualification levels: Civil service recruitment restrictions, low salaries, and inadequate funding have prevented many public agricultural research institutions from competing for, training, and retaining staff; in addition, a very large share of senior researchers are approaching retirement.
  • Low female participation: Although female participation in agricultural R&D has increased in recent years, women have less influence on decisionmaking and policy because men continue to dominate in senior research and management positions.
  • High funding volatility: Volatile fluctuations in agricultural R&D funding exert negative impacts on agricultural research systems by impeding strategic planning, undermining the conduct of research programs, demotivating staff, and eroding prior progress, all of which affect the quality, quantity, and efficiency of research outcomes and their ultimate impact on agricultural productivity and poverty alleviation.
  • High donor dependency: Significant shares of government funding are generally allocated to salaries, leaving many countries dependent on donor and development bank funding to support the day-to-day costs of operating research programs and developing and maintaining R&D infrastructure; in addition to increasing funding volatility, high dependence on donor funding has the potential to skew national research priorities.

African governments and research agencies are limited in their choice of options to address the many challenges they face in developing their agricultural research systems because of funding constraints. The ASTI report lists various successful policy changes already adopted in certain countries, which can offer valuable lessons for other countries.

“It is critical that African countries invest more in agricultural research to ensure that they can feed their populations,” said Beintema. “Underinvestment, inadequate human resource capacity, poor research infrastructure, and a lack of coherent policies continue to constrain the quantity and quality of research outputs in many countries.”




v

IFPRI Roundtable on Next Harvest II

Time: 
12:00 pm to 2:00 pm EST (please join us at 11:45 am for a light lunch)

Presenter(s): 
Judy Chambers, Director, Program for Biosafety Systems, IFPRI | Patricia Zambrano, Senior Research Analyst, IFPRI | Virginia Kimani, Lead Consultant, Pesticides and Agricultural Resource Centre | Sylvia Uzochukwu, Professor of Food Microbiology and Biotechnology, Biosafety Specialist, Faculty of Science, Federal University, Oye-Ekiti | Muffy Koch, Global Biosafety Specialist | Geofrey Ariaitwe, Plant Genetic Engineer, National Plant Biotechnology Center, National Agricultural Research Laboratories | Jose Falck-Zepeda, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI.
Contact/RSVP: 

Please contact Pilar Rickert (202 862-4647; p.rickert@cgiar.org) to RSVP for the live event or for the webinar login information.

Location: 

International Food Policy Research Institute
2033 K Street, NW, Washington, DC
Fourth Floor Conference Facility

IFPRI’s 2014 report “GM Technologies for Africa: A State of Affairs” identified the lack of standardized and uniformly collected biotech data as a main constraint in assessing the overall state of Africa’s agricultural biotechnology capacity and in the ability to draw policy recommendations regarding countries’ strengths and needs. IFPRI designed and implemented Next Harvest II, a John Templeton funded initiative that gathered detailed information for four of the leading biotechnology countries in Africa: Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Uganda. The information collected has enabled the systematic evaluation of the status of African biotechnologies in these countries. A panel of participants will give an overview of the results for each country, highlighting their differences and similarities, and will discuss the capacity of the biotechnology innovation system to produce and deliver these technologies, the opportunities and challenges faced, and will give policy recommendations to address current limitations.

Go-to-Meeting available for those unable to join the meeting in Washington, DC. Please contact Pilar Rickert (p.rickert@cgiar.org) for more information.

PreviewAttachmentSize
Roundtable Invitation 251.81 KB




v

Achieving Food Security in Africa South of the Sahara Through Food Value Chains

Time: 
12:15 pm to 1:45 pm EDT (Please join us for lunch beginning at 11:45 am); Live webcast coming up at the scheduled time.

Presenter(s): 
Moderator: Rajul Pandya-Lorch, IFPRI | Welcome: Astrid Jakobs de Pádua, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany | Paul Mwafongo, Embassy of the United Republic of Tanzania | Speakers: Khamaldin Mutabazi, Sokoine University of Agriculture SUA in Morogoro, Tanzania | Ephraim Nkonya, IFPRI | Stefan Sieber, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research ZALF
Contact/RSVP: 

RSVP to Simone Hill-Lee - s.hill-lee@cgiar.org, 202-862-8107.

Location: 

International Food Policy Research Institute
2033 K Street, NW, Washington, DC
Fourth Floor Conference Facility

This seminar will present findings of food and nutrition security research projects in Africa south of the Sahara (SSA) funded by German federal ministries. The presentations will highlight results of the projects, share success stories of food value chains, and outline key policies required to achieve food and nutrition security through the value chain approach.

Stefan Sieber will present an overview of German research programs and related projects conducted in SSA. Khamaldin Mutabazi and Ephraim Nkonya will present empirical evidence of both success stories and challenges of the value chain approach in Tanzania, as well as discuss policies that enhance or pose challenges for market development in SSA.




v

Fulbright Student Association (November 21, 2024 6:00pm)

Event Begins: Thursday, November 21, 2024 6:00pm
Location: Weiser 455
Organized By: Sessions @ Michigan


The Fulbright Student Association warmly invites you to our Friendsgiving Dinner! Join us for a night of great food, lively conversations, and exciting prizes. Let’s celebrate, connect, and enjoy a festive evening together!




v

PwC China Sourcing Initiative (CSI) Information Session - Hong Kong (November 14, 2024 8:30pm)

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 8:30pm
Location:
Organized By: University Career Center


This CSI information session will focus only on PwCHong Kong based positions.This info session will invite professionals and partners from the following service lines of PwC Hong Kong:Core AssuranceRisk AssuranceTaxConsultingThe PwC Hong Kong professionals and partners will share business insights, their career development experiences and help you prepare for interviews and future careers with their teams and PwC Hong Kong.We have many positions available across the line of services in assurance, tax, and consulting in our Hong Kong office. Positions are forfull time Associate roles with a start date in fall/late of 2025. ​Application Eligibility:Bachelor and Master students who graduate from universities in the United States or Canada between August 2023 and August 2025 are eligible to apply. ​Mandarin or Cantonese language skills as well as English are required.PwC will provide Hong Kong working visa sponsorship for selected associates. ​We welcome STEM major students who are interested in getting professional training and professional service experiences in Hong Kong to join our program. ​Please join the CSI Virtual Information Session - Hong Kong on November 14, 2024 from 8:30 pm - 9:30 pm US Eastern Time to learn more about the opportunities in PwC Hong Kong. For all current CSI openings, please visit: https://app.mokahr.com/campus-recruitment/pwc/148260#/page/CSI




v

Driving into UMix (November 14, 2024 8:00pm)

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 8:00pm
Location: Pierpont Commons
Organized By: Center for Campus Involvement CCI


Get ready for an evening packed with hands-on fun and good vibes! Join us for an exciting UMix featuring personalized license plates, Lego car building, free food from Great Greek, crafts, Mario Kart, and the Cars movie to top it all off. This is the perfect chance for everyone to connect, unwind, and get creative. Come for the fun, stay for the memories—see you there!



  • Social / Informal Gathering

v

Creative Arts Orchestra (November 14, 2024 8:00pm)

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 8:00pm
Location: Earl V. Moore Building
Organized By: School of Music, Theatre & Dance


This is a unique, largely improvisation-based group that invites interaction with other performance fields such as dance, theatre, and music technology.

Marcus Elliot, director




v

Couzens Hall (2024-2025) (Housing) (November 14, 2024 8:00pm)

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 8:00pm
Location: Couzens HALL
Organized By: Sessions @ Michigan





v

Arts Chorale (November 14, 2024 8:00pm)

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 8:00pm
Location: Walgreen Drama Center
Organized By: School of Music, Theatre & Dance


PROGRAM

Sydney Guillaume, *Karnaval*
Florence Price, *Poem of Praise*
Stephen Paulus, *Pilgrim's Hymn*
Eleanor Daley, *Upon your Heart*
Rosephanye Powell, *The Word was God*
William Dawson, *Soon ah Will be Done*
Aaron Copland, *Zion's Walls*
Stephen Chatman, *Remember*
arr. Arnold Sevier, *Precious Lord*
Healey Willan, *Rise Up my Love my Fair One*
Daniel Pinkham, *Wedding Cantata*
Aaron Copland, *The Promise of Living*

The Arts Chorale is the official choir of the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. It provides a fun and enriching environment for students who enjoy singing. A mixed choir that is open to any U-M student, the Arts Chorale is a musical and social group that has existed at the University for over 60 years. Although affiliated with SMTD, most members are not music majors.




v

Adam Ezra Group (November 14, 2024 8:00pm)

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 8:00pm
Location: ARK Reserved
Organized By: Michigan Union Ticket Office (MUTO)


Spontaneous roots-based music that makes a connection

Welcome to Adam Ezra Group, who, along with nonprofit organization RallySound, host a free festival every summer that raised $143,000 for homeless veterans in 2023. During the pandemic, Adam live-streamed for 500 nights in a row. The group co-produced an album with 163 fans, and Adam takes a month out of each year to visit the living rooms of his fans around the country.

If you haven’t connected with Adam Ezra Group yet, these are just a few examples to help understand how this underground, Americana songwriter and his bandmates seem to have popped out of nowhere, establishing a connection with their fans unlike any other, and are suddenly selling out theaters throughout the Northeast.
Adam Ezra will joke with you that while the “nowhere” part might be accurate, nothing has ever just “popped” for this folk musician, activist. Without resources, connections, or any kind of clue how the music world works, Ezra began playing shows over 20 years ago. He played bars, bookstores, fields, and parking lots, often raising money for causes he cared about; a practice that grew into his nonprofit organization RallySound.

So how did this band operating so far outside the traditional music world come to win New England Music Award’s “Americana Act of the Year” in 2023? What could have happened to inspire John Oates to call Adam and invite him to begin a songwriting friendship that would lead to John producing their upcoming release and co-write, “Hold Each Other Now”? What happened to catch the attention of The Wallflowers, who recently invited AEG to join them on their spring tour, or SPIN Magazine who recently proclaimed, “This Independent Underground Folk Band Is Blowing Up Without Selling Out”?

If you ask Adam, he’ll tell you: “One person at a time, over many years and thousands of shows, decided to turn their heads to listen… It’s no fairytale, but it sure makes me proud and humbled when I look out from the stage to watch theaters full of people singing along to our music.”

These days you’ll find Adam and his bandmates, Corinna Smith (Fiddle), Poche Ponce (Bass), and Alex Martin (Percussion), constantly out on the road. If you look at their tour schedule now, you can buy tickets to see them at festivals, rock venues, and theaters around the country, but you will also see their tour continuously peppered with activism and grassroots events; a testament to an artist who will never forget where he came from, and whose mission is about much more than music.

https://www.adamezra.com/

Please visit https://mutotix.umich.edu/5059/5060 for more detail.




v

Violin Studio Recital (November 14, 2024 7:30pm)

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 7:30pm
Location: Earl V. Moore Building
Organized By: School of Music, Theatre & Dance


Violin students of Professor Fabiola Kim perform a recital.




v

Hänsel und Gretel (November 14, 2024 7:30pm)

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 7:30pm
Location: Power Center for the Performing Arts
Organized By: School of Music, Theatre & Dance


A fairy-tale opera with a folk-inspired score, Hänsel und Gretel – by German composer Engelbert Humperdinck, with a libretto by his sister, Adelheid Wette – has been loved by audiences of all ages since its first performance in 1893. This production, situated in the 1970s with echoes of classic TV shows The Brady Bunch and Bewitched, emphasizes the darker undercurrents in the familiar tale of Hänsel and Gretel being sent into the forest by their frustrated mother. They gather berries and frolic in the woods, soon realizing they are lost as darkness descends. In the morning, Hänsel and Gretel spot an enticing house made of sugary cereal. As they nibble on the house, a frightening witch appears from within and captures the children, threatening to fatten Hansel up and use him to make confections. The clever children must keep their wits about them to avoid a fiery fate.

Composed by Engelbert Humperdinck; libretto by Adelheid Wette
Based on the fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm
Conductor Kirk Severtson
Directed by Gregory Keller




v

Chef Demo (November 14, 2024 7:30pm)

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 7:30pm
Location: Off Campus Location
Organized By: Spectrum Center


Join Spectrum Center and the Maize & Blue Cupboard for a virtual chef demo! You'll be able to cook the same meal alongside a chef (virtually), from your kitchen. Plus, you'll be able to enjoy a nice meal and be in community while doing so. All core ingredients will be provided and you will be able to pick them up from the Maize and Blue Cupboard, prior to the event. Further details about pick-up will be emailed to you.




v

Pre-Concert Lecture: Arts Chorale (November 14, 2024 7:15pm)

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 7:15pm
Location: Walgreen Drama Center
Organized By: School of Music, Theatre & Dance


DMA candidate Sydney Mukasa, conductor of the Arts Chorale, presents a pre-concert talk. This lecture begins at 7:15 pm before the 8:00 pm Arts Chorale performance.




v

Women's Basketball vs Central Michigan (November 14, 2024 7:00pm)

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 7:00pm
Location: Crisler Arena
Organized By: Michigan Athletics


Women's Basketball vs Central Michigan




v

Women's Basketball vs Central Michigan (November 14, 2024 7:00pm)

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 7:00pm
Location: Crisler Arena
Organized By: Michigan Athletics


Women's Basketball vs Central Michigan




v

Virtual Transfer Student Panel (November 14, 2024 7:00pm)

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 7:00pm
Location: Off Campus Location
Organized By: LSA Transfer Student Center


Join a panel of LSA Transfer Student Ambassadors to learn more about the transfer student experience. The Ambassadors will be chatting about the academic transition to U-M, how to get involved on campus, housing, all the amazing programs and support for transfer students, and any other questions that you have. Join us even if you don't have specific questions.

Please register with link at the right. After you register you will receive the Zoom login.




v

Undergraduate Teacher Education Info Session (November 14, 2024 7:00pm)

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 7:00pm
Location: Museum of Art
Organized By: School of Education


Please join us in person to learn more about how Marsal Education can help you reach your education goals through our teacher certification program!




v

Star Wars Backstroke of the West! Watch Party (November 14, 2024 7:00pm)

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 7:00pm
Location: West Hall
Organized By: Maize Pages Student Organizations


Join us in watching the bootlegged version of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Containing hilarious English subtitles translated poorly from Chinese.




v

Chamber Music Forum: Nikolaas Kende, piano and Jolente De Maeyer, violin (November 14, 2024 7:00pm)

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 7:00pm
Location: Earl V. Moore Building
Organized By: School of Music, Theatre & Dance


The Departments of Chamber Music and Piano present this Belgian piano/violin duo in a master class, coaching U-M students on the performance of piano chamber music.

GUEST ARTIST BIOS

One of the leading Belgian violinists, JOLENTE De MAEYER, has brought her virtuosity and passionate interpretations to diverse global audiences. She is recognized as an exceptionally gifted artist, reflected in the numerous awards and effusive reviews she has received for both her live performances and recordings.

Prizewinner of several international competitions in Portugal (Cardona Competition), Russia (Liana Issakadze Competition) and London (Benjamin Britten Competition), the international career of Jolente started with a successful participation at the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels. Performances with all major Belgian orchestras and concert tours in Europe and the United States followed. She made her debut in Florida, Vermont, California, Washington DC and Canada in 2017. This was followed by an extensive tour in South Africa. Future engagements include concert tours in Europe, Canada, United States and China.

Her recordings include concerti by Saint-Saëns and Vieuxtemps with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Liège with Christian Arming, awarded an ‘Editors Choice’ from Diapason, and the CD *Kreutzer Sonata* with duo partner Nikolaas Kende, awarded a ‘Gold Label’ from Klassiek Centraal.

After an invitation from Yehudi Menuhin when she was 14 years old, Jolente studied at the Yehudi Menuhin School near London. She continued her studies in London, Berlin and Waterloo where she graduated in the class of Augustin Dumay in 2013.

Since 2018 Jolente is professor violin at the Conservatory of Tilburg, the Netherlands and since 2021 also at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp. Jolente has given masterclasses in Belgium, Germany, Italy, Texas and California.


“Poet in every inch of his fingers” - *Le Progres*

NIKOLAAS KENDE has been praised for his poetic playing and honest, passionate musicality. Critics have honored his sensitive and visionary musicianship and his flawless skills always serving the music. Both as soloist and chamber musician he is a highly demanded pianist on international concert stages.

A winner of several competitions, including the Cantabile, EPTA, Vriendenkrans Concertgebouw Amsterdam and Tenuto competitions, Nikolaas started performing in all major halls in Belgium and the Netherlands. Highlights included the performances of the piano concertos by Brahms, Beethoven, Chopin, Schumann and Bartok with Brussels Philharmonic, Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, National Radio Orchestra Romania, among others.

After a concert at the Festival de Dansa y Musica Granada in 2019 *Ideal* wrote: "This promising pianist caresses the keyboard, expressive with colors and tender with the melody and all the degrees of affection that typify the romantic soul."

Besides being a regular guest at the Festival of Flanders, he has also performed at festivals in Italy (Ravello, Rome, Bari), France (Menton, Montpellier, Vexin), Portugal (Coimbra), Germany (Görlitz, Munich, Bad Berleburg) , Austria (Salzburg), Ireland (Westport), UK (Cotswolds), Czech Republic (Prague), Spain (Zaragoza, Madrid).

Nikolaas made his debut in America in 2009 with the 1st piano concerto of Brahms. This debut was well received in the press, “One could almost imagine a young Brahms at the keyboard doing precisely the same thing: more intent on communicating his piece than dazzling listeners with his performance.” Since then he has returned to America annually and has toured in Texas (Houston, Austin, San Antonio), California (San Francisco, Fresno, LA) and Vermont, Florida, California, Texas, Washington DC and New York. In 2019 amongst others his debut for the 'Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts' in Chicago. He also performed in the Netherlands Antilles, Canada and South Africa, where several tours followed.

In 2018 he made his debut in China with recitals in Bejijng, Harbin, Chongqing and Chengdu. Concerts in Shanghai, Xi'An, Yangzhou and Guangzhou followed in 2019. Also for the next seasons, concerts are planned in North America, Canada, South Africa and China.

As a chamber music partner he was a member of the Narziss und Goldmund trio and the Rubens Ensemble. His duo with violinist Jolente De Maeyer, which exists for almost 20 years, is often praised in the press for its exceptional synergy and harmony. The duo's debut CD *Kreutzer Sonata* was released by Warner and won a Golden Label from Klassiek Centraal for best chamber music album of 2016. De Standaard wrote about this: "You want to listen to this captivating recital album again immediately after the last track." In 2020 their next CD *Remains* was released by Evil Penguin Records.

Nikolaas studied in Antwerp with his parents, Heidi Hendrickx and Levente Kende, in Amsterdam with Jan Wijn and in Munich and Fiesole with Elisso Virsaladze. In addition he studied with such artists as Murray Perahia, Aldo Ciccolini and Radu Lupu.

In 2015, Nikolaas was appointed professor of piano at the Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp. He has given masterclasses in Belgium, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Texas, California and China.




v

Collage Your Story! (November 14, 2024 6:30pm)

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 6:30pm
Location: Shapiro Library
Organized By: University Library


Take a break in your routine and use your creativity to visually represent your social identities. Join us at the back of the first floor of the Shapiro Library.

See the full list of events offered as part of the series Exploring Mixed Race and Interracial Family Experiences (https://myumi.ch/qV2xE).




v

Transdisciplinary Fellows (2024-2025) (Housing) (November 14, 2024 6:00pm)

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 6:00pm
Location: Fellows Lounge (8th Floor of Munger)
Organized By: Sessions @ Michigan





v

Stockwell Hall (2024-2025) (Housing) (November 14, 2024 6:00pm)

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 6:00pm
Location:
Organized By: Sessions @ Michigan





v

November Book Club | The Palace of Eros (November 14, 2024 6:00pm)

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 6:00pm
Location: Kelsey Museum of Archaeology
Organized By: Kelsey Museum of Archaeology


Attend the November session of our monthly Kelsey Book Club! This event is open to all adults who have an interest in fiction, mythology, and the ancient world. Learn more about this program at https://myumi.ch/Drn1Q.

This month, we are reading *The Palace of Eros* by Caro De Robertis. A recent release, the novel was featured in *Electric Literature*’s “65 Queer Books You Need to Read in Summer 2024.” The Palace of Eros reimagines the Greek myth of Psyche and Eros through a feminist and queer lens. Psyche—pursued by many but longing for freedom—is tied to a rock as a sacrifice to appease Aphrodite. But rather than meeting destruction, she is saved by the nonbinary deity of desire Eros, who whisks her away to a hidden palace safe from the eyes and authority of Olympus. As Psyche and Eros fall in love, their relationship is tested by the complexities of secrecy, freedom, and desire—and met with transformative consequences.

Join us in Room 125 of Newberry Hall for an evening of community and conversation led by Gabriel Key, a PhD candidate in the Interdepartmental Program in Ancient Mediterranean Art and Archaeology. Light refreshments will be served.

*Note: Registration for this session is now closed. Visit our book club web page to learn about future meetings: https://myumi.ch/Drn1Q.*




v

Law Panel Marine Corps Attorney Q&A (November 14, 2024 6:00pm)

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 6:00pm
Location:
Organized By: University Career Center


Interested on what it's like to be an attorney & Marine?  We will host a virtual law panel with three Marine Corps attorneys on Thursday, 14 Nov at 6pm EST.  During this event students and other participants will hear from young lawyers who are currently serving as Marine Corps Officers practicing law. The panelist will share their stories and share information about career paths as aMarine Corps attorney. Attendees will also have an opportunity to have questions answered.