The Art Beat, by Texas Tech College of Visual & Performing Arts

New Director for the School of Art, Monika Meler

Meet the J.T. & Margaret Talkington College of Visual & Performing Arts new director for the School of Art, Monika Meler. She comes with a wealth of arts related knowledge and is ready to make great things happen here in the Lubbock arts community and beyond.

TCVPA's Director of Grants and Innovation, Geneva Aragon-Allen

Talking with TCVPA's Director of Grants and Innovation, Geneva Aragon-Allen. She gets into the nitty gritty of all things grants; helping the college's faculty to do all the things needed to get funding, recognition, and exposure

Kristi Mangiapane - Keeping TCVPA Alumni Engaged and Informed

Alumni for the Talkington College of Visual & Performance Arts is growing tremendously, and Kristi Mangiapane is leading the way to keeping alumni engaged and informed. As lead administrator for outreach and academic awards, alumni relations is just one of Kristi's many job duties, but it's also close to her heart.
 
Listen in to learn about how the college is bringing their alumni together and in touch with current students.

Kelly Gordon - The Goin' Band From Raiderland | Centennial Celebration

Get all the Goin' Band from Raiderland details from Kelly Gordon, who is the chair of the Goin' Band Centennial celebration! You won't want to miss Goin' Band Alumni Day this year as almost 1500 band members take center field during halftime on August 30th. They've come a long way since their 21 band member start 1925 but they are still goin' places!

Jessica Murph - Supporting Students' Success Both In & Out Of The Classroom

TCVPA's Student Success Specialist, Jessica Murph, speaks with us this week about her role in supporting students' success both in and out of the classroom. Complementary to the academic advisors, Jessica is ready to listen and help work through all the stresses of college life, helping connect students in need to the right resources available to them through Texas Tech University.

Associate Dean for Faculty, Research, Creativity, & Outreach, Dr. Ivy Walz

Associate Dean for Faculty, Research, Creativity, & Outreach, Dr. Ivy Walz, focuses mainly on what falls into the outreach portion of her title as the J.T. & Margaret Talkington College of Visual & Performing Arts works to grow their outreach within the community and beyond every year. From singing opera to middle school students, introducing theatre to retirement homes, bringing art festivals to local neighborhoods, and getting college students involved in camps, outreach is integrated into all areas of TCVPA.

Dr. Christopher J. Smith - Vernacular Music Center at Texas Tech University

Dr. Christopher J. Smith tells us all about the Vernacular Music Center at Texas Tech University, which he founded back in 2020. The VMC engages with folk and traditional music and dance from around the world, with a dedication to the study of the "vernacular" processes by which music and dance can be taught and passed on as a community-building activity.

Head of Dance, Kyla Olson shares how the Texas Tech dance program prepares students to become independent creative artists

The dance program at Texas Tech provides its students with a rigorous yet accessible curriculum, opportunities for engagement, and a supportive, student-centered learning environment. Head of Dance, Kyla Olson shares how the dance program prepares students to become independent creative artists by taking risks, expanding skills, and thinking critically through an interdisciplinary, collaborative approach.

Karen Ray, Texas Tech's UIL Theatre Specialist

The UIL Theatre & Technical Camp takes place July 9-20 and this year will be one of the biggest ever. Karen Ray, Texas Tech's UIL Theatre Specialist, runs the camp and comes with a plethora of knowledge, bringing top High School theatre directors from across Texas to give campers the best possible experience.
 

91st annual Texas Tech University School of Music Band and Orchestra Camp

Diving deeper into the 91st annual Texas Tech University School of Music Band and Orchestra Camp, Professor Annie Chalex-Boyle and camp manager Hannah Porter, talk about the orchestra side of things, fun activities, and concerts the public can attend on July 4th and 5th.