Arts and Culture

James Tabor, professor and chair of religious studies, will discuss the relationship between Israel and the United States at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 12, at UNC Charlotte Center City, Room 204, as the fourth speaker in the 2014 Great Decisions lecture series.

Parallels between social media blogs, tweets and other virtual media to that of writings in 17th-century France is the focus of the next Personally Speaking talk scheduled for 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 13, in the J. Murrey Atkins Library.

The UNC Charlotte Chorale and Chamber Orchestra join forces to present “Concierto España!” – a celebration of the music of Spain. The concert will be at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 4, in Robinson Hall’s Belk Theater.
 Headlining the concert is the new world premiere of a work by Joaquin Rodrigo “Cántico de San Francisco de Asís.” This 18-minute work is for choir and orchestra. Widely considered the most popular Spanish composer in the standard orchestral repertoire, Rodrigo is best known for his guitar concerto, “Concierto de Aranjuez.”

In the 16th annual Alice Tate Lecture in Judaic Studies, Amy-Jill Levine of Vanderbilt University will talk on “The Misunderstood Jew: The Church and the Scandal of the Jewish Jesus.” This free, community talk will be at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 3, at Myers Park Presbyterian Church.
The lecture will consider how Christians have misunderstood Judaism and the “Jewish” Jesus, while Jews often remain ignorant of Jesus and his messages set in its original Jewish historical contexts.

The Projective Eye Gallery, located in UNC Charlotte Center City, will present “Murmurs on the Other Side of Light,” surreal paintings of the life of the shadow by Guyanese artist Stanley Greaves from Friday, Nov. 22, through Friday, Jan. 3. An opening reception for the exhibit will be from 6 to 8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 23.

The Student Union Art Gallery is exhibiting the two-person display “Secret Lives of the Inanimate,” which features the works of alumni Rachel Simpson and Andrea Vail through Nov. 26.
“Secret Lives of the Inanimate” investigates the world through a unique lens by focusing on moments of interaction between objects and their environment. Pieces in the exhibit include a combination of altered found objects and photographic transfers that explore the interesting and odd in everyday objects.
Simpson said her works seek to explore “objects in the world and how they got there.”

John Allemeier, associate professor of composition in the Department of Music, and associate professor of English Aimee Parkison are among 15 artists across the state who received a 2013-14 North Carolina Arts Council Artist Fellowship Award in the categories of songwriting, composing and writing.
Fellowships are awarded to artists to support creative development and the creation of new work. Recipients were selected by panels comprised of artists and arts professionals with expertise in each discipline. 

The UNC Charlotte Department of Dance will present its Fall Student Dance Concert, Thursday through Sunday, Nov. 21-24, in the Belk Theater of the Robinson Hall for the Performing Arts. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m., except for Sunday, which is a 2 p.m. matinee.
Four new works by dance faculty members comprise a varied program that features interdisciplinary collaboration, a multiplicity of movement styles and dance forms and a wide range of emotional expression.

As part of International Education Week, the Iranian Student Organization will sponsor the event “Ferdowsi and Shahnameh” at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 19, in the Barnhardt Student Activity Center Salons.
“Shahnameh” is an epic poetic masterpiece written by the Persian poet Ferdowsi between 977 and 1010 CE. It is considered the most popular and influential national epic in Iran and other Persian-speaking nations. 

The Department of Theatre in the College of Arts + Architecture will host the Chapel Hill-based “Sacrificial Poets” for a three-day residency that will culminate in a free public performance at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 16, in the Cone University Center’s After Hours Lounge.