The music of Karel Husa, whose "String and Quarter No. 3" received the 1969 Pulitzer Prize, will be performed at 8 p.m. by members of the Southeast Missouri State University Department of Music. Performing will be Sara Edgerton (cello), Ronald Francois (violin), Christopher Goeke (voice), David Green (clarinet), Gary Miller (piano), Lori Shaffer (voice), James Sifferman (piano), and Paul Thompson (flute). In addition to these faculty members, the Southeast Brass Ensemble and Chamber Orchestra, along with Dan Shavers (bassoon) will perform.

Prior to becoming an American citizen in 1959, Husa left his native Czechoslovakia to study composition in Paris. When the Czech government became a part of the Communist Bloc, Husa chose not to return to his native land, a decision that prevented his return until the end of the Cold War, resulting in the change of governments and formation of the Czech Republic. Upon his return in the early 1990s, he was awarded the Czech Republic's highest civilian recognition, the State Medal of Merit, First Class.

Husa, a member of the Royal Belgian Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Letters, has received no less than six honorary doctorates from leading universities. He has made more than 7,000 performances, and his "Music for Prague 1968" has become part of the modern repertory. His works have been commissioned for and performed by leading orchestras and wind ensembles around the world.

Husa has conducted many major orchestras, including those in Paris, London, Hamburg, Brussels, Prague, Stockholm, Oslo, Zurich, Hong Kong, Singapore, New York, Boston, Washington, Cincinnati, Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, Louisville and others. Every year, he visits, the campuses of music schools and universities to guest conduct and lecture on his music.

The March 9 concert is free and open to the public.

The concert will be one of the highlights of the Karel Husa Music Festival that will be held on the Southeast campus March 8-11.

The "Concerto for Trumpet and Wind Orchestra" was premiered by Raymond Crisara, trumpet, and the National Intercollegiate Band, conducted by Colonel Arnald Gabriel in 1974 at the University of Connecticut. According to Husa, the "Concerto" features the "virtuoso aspect of the trumpet" and explores the high notes as well as the lowest, unusual sounds of the pedal tones and various mutes.

"The composition also uses many glissandos, quarter-tones, long sustained tones and some free (aleatoric) passages, all of which are characteristic of today's music," Husa said.

The work has not received many performances due to its difficulty and that parts are available only on rental from the publisher.

Husa will discuss his music that will be featured at the March 11 concert during an informal pre-concert lecture to be held at 7 p.m. in Academic Hall Room 337. The public also will have an opportunity to meet and visit with the composer at a reception following the concert in Academic Hall Room 337.

On March 9, a concert of the chamber music of Karel Husa will be performed by Southeast faculty and students at 8 p.m. at Old St. Vincent's Church.

The Citation appeared in the November 1998 issue, which spotlighted winners of the publication's annual Architectural Portfolio. The Polytechnic Building design received the award in the "Work in Progress" category. Only three Citations were given in that category. Of the more than 176 projects profiled in the magazine, just 21 were awarded citations for exhibiting the most outstanding designs.

The architectural firm of William B. Ittner, Inc., of St. Louis designed the 60,000-square-foot building and submitted the entry. The citation underscores the building's maximized used of technology.

"Having a facility designed and recognized for the kinds of high-tech training that will take place in this building is extremely positive for the Polytechnic Institute," said Dr. Randy Shaw, director of the Polytechnic Institute.

Other winning entries in the "Work in Progress" category were a high school in West Bloomfield, Mich., and an elementary school in Davis County, Utah. The entries were judged based on maintainability, technology, space efficiency, environmental quality, response to program, community use, site adaptation, energy and sense of place. Judges were Klindt Breckenridge, president of the IEF Group, Architects/Planners in Tucson, Ariz.; Jim Demarest, executive director of facilities management at Illinois State University; Dianne Kramer, executive director of facilities for Seminole County (Fla.) Public Schools; Dottie Niederkorn, planning supervisor for the St. Louis Public School District; and Courtney Williams, associate member of the American Institute of Architects and an architect with Strekalovsky & Hoit Architects in Hingham, Mass.

In January, Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan released $5.6 million in state money for the new $7.6 million building. Remaining funds for the building will come from individuals, area industry and the University. Construction is slated to begin in late summer or early fall.

The Otto and Della Seabaugh Polytechnic Building will house the recently formed Polytechnic Institute, which includes the University's Department of Industrial Technology. The department currently is housed in the aging Serena Building. The new facility will provide space for training for industries and the latest advanced manufacturing technology for students. The building, which will be located on the North Campus, will be named for the Seabaughs of Cape Girardeau, who last year made provisions for a gift of more than $1 million to help fund construction of the new facility.

The building will be the "anchor" for the northeast part of the campus. The facility will be adjacent to the campus science quadrangle and will have command of the surrounding area with a prominent view of the Mississippi River and easy access and regress from the campus. The architectural design creates a unique appearance that exemplifies the high-tech curriculum to be offered in the building. It will be a three-story structure with labs and classrooms on the first and second floors and administrative offices on the third floor. Faculty offices will be located in one area to promote interaction among faculty.

The building will contain three networked computers labs, five classrooms complete with the latest instructional technology packages, and one interactive television classroom to accommodate expanding outreach programs which include a 2+2 program in St. Louis. Dedicated technology labs will include automated manufacturing systems, multimedia, computer aided drafting and design, industrial power, industrial controls, computer networking, manufacturing, materials testing, and fluid power. The facility has been designed for easy expansion and will have 6,000 square feet of undesignated space under foot for future new programs or the expansion of existing programs.

The Manufacturing Technology Resource Center will be housed in the building in a 1,500-square-foot space, where students and area manufacturers will be introduced to new manufacturing and energy-efficient technologies. Another 1,500-square-foot space in the building will be developed to be leased to area industry for training, testing or research activities.

Southeast made a new Polytechnic Building a priority after the Missouri State Plan for Postsecondary Technical Education was drafted in 1996. It identified Southeast as one of only three baccalaureate institutions having an essential role in the implementation of the statewide plan. Southeast's Department of Industrial Technology programs were recognized in the plan for their reputation of producing quality graduates, having model 2+2 articulation with area community colleges, possessing exemplary advanced manufacturing technology labs, and national accreditation. Identification in the plan led to significant new state funding for high-tech equipment for existing programs and for the development of new programs to assist Missouri's manufacturing enterprise. The programs at Southeast have been recognized as a "Center of Excellence in Advanced Manufacturing Technology" by the Missouri Coordinating Board of Higher Education.

The three Bulgarian visitors are Milena Marinova Koleva, a doctor in Bulgaria; Enceho Tonev Entchev, the president of the St. Filiret Foundation; and Alexander Vasilev Keremedchiev, a social warden at a prison in Silven, the only women's prison in Bulgaria. They are all officers of the St. Filiret Foundation, which is sponsoring their trip to the United States.

According to Dr. Michael Fichter, professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at Southeast Missouri State University and the Bulgarian's contact person, they are coming to study substance abuse programs in the United States. They will then take that information back with them to help start a juvenile substance abuse program in Bulgaria.

"In recent years, Bulgaria has had trouble with drugs because of a major drug traffic highway that runs from Turkey," said Fichter. "This highway cuts through Bulgaria, which has caused an overflow drug problem in Bulgaria. They have tried to control the drug problem, but there is a growing need for a juvenile substance abuse program."

Fichter has set up programs in the area that the Bulgarians can visit and observe. He will likely serve as a consultant after they go back to Bulgaria.

"This project is still in the investigative and formulation stages," said Fichter.

Fixer's connection with Bulgaria began several years back when Southeast set up a program for professors to go to Bulgaria to study and interact with their disciplines there. He said he has gone back several times since this project. This current project came up while he was working with the Ministry of Justice in Bulgaria.

"I enjoy the continuing relationships with Bulgaria," said Fichter. "It is a poor country, but the people are very industrious."

The three Bulgarian visitors will arrive March 5 and will travel with Fichter for a week. Fichter says they will be traveling within the United States for a month.

While here, Fichter says he plans to take them to the Correctional Training Academy in Farmington, Mo., the Farmington Prison, the women's prison in Vandalia, Mo., the Bowling Green, Mo. Northeast Missouri Correctional Center, and the Gibson Center in Cape Girardeau.

The event is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. both days on the third floor of the University Center.

The fair is held each year just before the University's Spring Break to encourage students to make good, healthy life choices during the break.

Those who participate will get spring break survival kits and may receive health and fitness assessments. Types of assessments available will be hearing; height, weight and blood pressure; sickle cell; vision; Buddy Check 12; massage therapy; hemoglobin; cholesterol; blood type; blood sugar; and a lipid profile.

Interactive demonstrations will be held both March 9 and 10. Demonstrations March 9 will focus on aerobics, self-defense, healthy food, smoking and pregnancy, and "Are You in Shape for Spring Break?" Demonstrations March 10 will focus on cardio-kickboxing, domestic violence, "Rap" and Nutrition Jeopardy, healthy cooking, and "bar" exercise.

Rockwell donated RS Linx Gateway and RS Logix 5 software to the department, in addition to a variable speed controller and a reliance 2 HP Motor.

"This equipment will give students hands-on experience with the most current manufacturing technology and better prepare them to become future employees of the community," said Dr. Ralph Pittman, chair of the Department of Industrial Technology. We feel privileged to have received this assistance from Rockwell. It aids our efforts tremendously in enhancing our industrial technology program."

The software and equipment together are valued at more than $27,000.

Steve Wright, technology supervisor for the Polytechnic Institute at Southeast, says the software is the latest on the market to be used in conjunction with programmable logic controllers (PLC). PLCs are devices used in industry to centrally control all automations. He says the software will be used in two classes, "The Fundamentals of Logic Controllers" and "Industrial Controls."

Wright said the variable speed controller and the Reliance 2 HP Motor will enhance the University's "Industrial Power Class."

"We appreciate all the support we get from Rockwell," Wright said. "Support from companies like this is what keeps our program going."