Lynn Binnie

Photos courtesy of Tom Ganser

Erika Svanoe

A WHS alum, who is a nationally known and respected composer, is returning to Whitewater for a performance of her recent symphony.  The UW-Whitewater Symphonic Wind Ensemble will be performing Dr. Erika Svanoe’s Symphony in Blue and Gold on Sunday, March 10 at 3:00 p.m. in the Irvin L. Young Auditorium. Tickets are available online at https://www.uww.edu/youngauditorium/ticket-services/all-events or at the door. Adults are $7, those age 65+ or under age 18 are $4. There is a $2 surcharge for tickets purchased at the door.

Svanoe is a composer/conductor in the greater Twin Cities area. She has held academic appointments at Augsburg University in Minneapolis, Bemidji State University, and the University of New Hampshire. She is an active freelance composer, conductor, and clinician. She is also the creator of Marrying Mr. Darcy, the Pride & Prejudice card game.

Dr. Erika Svanoe (b. 1976) is a conductor and composer for wind band, known for her lyrical melodies, nods to classic literature, musical deconstruction, humor, and pastiche. Her works have been performed by “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, the United States Navy Band, and the National Concert Band of America, at venues such as the Midwest Clinic, the American Bandmasters Association National Conference, and the Boston New Music Festival. Her music has been featured on Wisconsin Public Radio, in Bandworld’s Top 100, and the Teaching Music Through Performance in Band series. Her first major work, The Haunted Carousel, won the 2014 NBA Young Band Composition Contest. Her first album, “The Music of Erika Svanoe,” was recorded by Andrew Boysen, Jr. and the University of New Hampshire Wind Symphony, and released in 2022.

The Dementia Friendly Community Initiative, Walworth County along with Emagine Theater, Lake Geneva is excited to introduce, the first in Wisconsin, an exciting new program for those in early stages of dementia and Alzheimer’s.  It is called “No Hush Movies.”  They will be presented at the Emagine Theater in Lake Geneva.  The first movie will be EASTER PARADE, March 13^th, and thereafter on the 2^nd Wednesday of each month.  The doors will open at 1:30 p.m., with a start time of 2:00 p.m.  The next movie will be  “Some Like It Hot,” April 10^th, “The Blues Brothers,” May 8^th and so on.  The Dementia Friendly Movies aim to provide a safe and enjoyable cinematic experience for individuals living with dementia and their caregivers.  The auditorium lights are set higher, the sound levels are set lower, and the room temperature is comfortable. *What are “No Hush Movies”?  You are encouraged to participate if you like.  Sing along, get up and dance, talk, (NO HUSH or SHHHHH!)

The cost is only $5 each and there will also be a refreshment special available for $5.  You are welcome to invite friends and family and all will enjoy the special low prices.  You can purchase tickets in person or online at: https://www.emagine-entertainment.com/theatres/emagine-geneva-lakes/  under “SPECIAL EVENTS.”  All seating is on a “first come, first serve” basis. 

Editor’s note: The above press release was received from The Dementia Friendly Community Initiative. The Banner appreciates having permission to use the image on the homepage by Jan Alexander from Pixabay.

Winther Hall

Chancellor Corey A. King, Governor Tony Evers, and Greater Whitewater Committee President Jeffery Knight at the signing celebration on March 6 for the bill that will fund Winther and Heide Hall renovations

Editor’s note: The following press release was received from UW-Whitewater.

Wisconsin’s future educators will have a significantly upgraded home in which to earn their teaching licenses thanks to an upcoming renovation project at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Nearly $78.5 million is designated for the project as part of a capital budget bill, Senate Bill 895, approved by the state legislature on Feb. 22 and signed into law by Governor Tony Evers on March 6.

The project will transform two 1960s-era buildings on the southeast side of campus.

The bulk of the funding will go toward a complete renovation of Winther Hall, home to the College of Education and Professional Studies. The renovations are sweeping and game-changing for the university’s acclaimed education program, and will resolve space and building infrastructure deficiencies, improve instructional and departmental spaces, and increase technology capabilities. 

“With these capital improvements, UW-Whitewater can meet an increasingly critical workforce need,” said Chancellor Corey A. King. “There is a nationwide shortage of professional educators and teachers, especially in rural areas. UW-Whitewater proudly licenses more teachers than any other university or college in Wisconsin. This project gives us room to grow. It is an investment in Wisconsin’s future. We thank our government leaders for their overwhelming support of the project, as well as the students, faculty, staff, alumni and community stakeholders whose advocacy helped move it forward.”

In an August 2023 report, the Wisconsin Policy Forum reported the number of teachers working on a license with stipulations, or an emergency license, was 3,197 in 2021-22. That number, which represents individuals teaching in classrooms without being fully prepared or fully licensed to teach in the areas they were hired to teach in Wisconsin, has tripled since 2012-13.

“New graduates are needed in every education field,” said John Chenoweth, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “UW-Whitewater prepares students for a full breadth of careers in preschool through postsecondary education fields. This includes not only pre-kindergarten through grade-12 teachers, but also pupil services such as school counseling, psychology and social work as well as school and district administrators, higher education professionals and early childhood leaders.

“The vast majority of our alumni — 84 percent — stay and teach in Wisconsin Schools, meaning UW-Whitewater is uniquely positioned to change the trajectory of the state’s teacher shortage.”

Built in 1969, Winther Hall will experience the most dramatic transformation. Specifically, the project replaces the roof, elevators and more than 200 windows. New exterior windows will be selectively installed to introduce natural daylight into areas of the building not previously used for instruction or where daylighting standards are not currently met. It reimagines the existing footprint of the building to expand classrooms, instructional and computing laboratories, shared clinical space, and an advising center. Classrooms, lecture halls, and instructional laboratories will be reconfigured and expanded to accommodate modern instructional technology and flexible furnishings. HVAC, mechanical, electrical/telecommunications, and plumbing distribution networks will be replaced and reconfigured as necessary to accommodate the new floor plan layouts. 

Neighboring Heide Hall was built in 1965. This aspect of the project includes new elevators, a new roof, and new windows and doors.

A small addition will be constructed onto both Heide Hall and Winther Hall for accessible restrooms, in keeping with UW-Whitewater’s priority mission to provide exceptional services for students with disabilities.

Architects started preliminary design in January, 2024. Construction is expected to start in late 2025 on Heide Hall first before switching over to Winther Hall. Construction is estimated to be complete in late 2028 for both buildings.

UW-Whitewater’s teacher preparation programs go back more than 155 years, when the campus was initially founded as Whitewater Normal School, which trained teachers for one-room school houses. The College of Education and Professional Studies now graduates about 800 people each year.

The Whitewater Arts Alliance (WAA) is thrilled to announce its upcoming Month-Long Rummage and Art Sale, offering opportunities throughout March for community members to unearth hidden gems and support the mission of the WAA. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.

Additionally, on March 21, from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., art enthusiasts and bargain hunters are invited to join The Whitewater Arts Alliance for a special day of treasure hunting and fun events that will include a silent auction, bucket raffle drawing, and a 50-50 drawing as part of the Art Sale–all to benefit the WAA fundraising goals. Come hunt for bargains in art from local artists and
discover wonderful “treasures” from our storage.

Located at the Cultural Arts Center, 402 West Main St in Whitewater, the sale will showcase a diverse array of items from our storage and art pieces generously donated by Whitewater Arts Alliance artists. Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase some beautiful art pieces or make bids on or silent auction items while supporting the Alliance’s mission to promote artistic
expression and engagement within the community.

Kim Adams, Gallery Director for Whitewater Arts Alliance, expresses optimism for the event’s dual role as a fundraiser and community celebration. “We are hopeful that our Rummage and Art Sale will not only provide art enthusiasts with fantastic bargains but also serve as a significant fundraiser for the Whitewater Arts Alliance,” says Adams. “Every purchase made at the
sale directly contributes to our efforts to enrich our community through the arts.”

Adams extends an invitation to all art enthusiasts and community members to join in celebrating the arts and fostering connections within the vibrant Whitewater community. “We invite everyone to come out, explore the incredible talent of our local artists, and join us in supporting the arts,”

Don’t miss this chance to discover exceptional artwork, find unique treasures, and contribute to a worthy cause.

For more information, please contact:
Kim Adams
Gallery Director, Whitewater Arts Alliance
Phone: 608-201-2151
Email: wwartsalliance@gmail.com
Website: www.whitewaterarts.org
Facebook:
www.facebook.comwwartsalliance
“Celebrating the arts and creating
community!

The Department of Art and Design in the College of Arts and Communication at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater selected Melanie Tallmadge Sainz (Ho-Chunk) as the 2024 Schuh Visiting Artist. Sainz is an artist, curator, and cultural arts educator, as well as the founder and executive director of the Little Eagle Arts Foundation (LEAF) in Wisconsin Dells, where she was raised. In her art practice, she works with various natural materials of the Great Lakes area, which she forages and processes herself. Sainz has exhibited her work at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington DC, the Heard Museum in Phoenix, AZ and the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indian and Western Art in Indianapolis, IN.

The exhibition at the Crossman Gallery, titled “Boundaries vs. Connections,” will explore the colonialist notion of land and maps that control and define people’s relationship with land through hard lines and divisions, in contrast to the Indigenous relationship to the land and its inhabitants characterized by connections and stewardship. Featuring a variety of arranged temporary installations juxtaposed with diverse cultural objects that reflect an objection to planned obsolescence, the exhibition will also include new work created by Sainz along with pieces made by UW-Whitewater Art and Design students in a studio workshop led by Sainz and Professor Teresa Faris. The exhibition will be on view in the Crossman Gallery from February 22 – March 21.

The Greenhill Center of the Arts atrium and the Crossman Gallery are located at 950 W. Main St., Whitewater, WI 53190. The Crossman Gallery is always free and all are welcome. Gallery hours during scheduled exhibitions are Monday – Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. There is a fee for parking on the campus between Sunday at 11 p.m. and 5 p.m. Friday. Information is available here.

On Saturday, March 9th, students from seven area schools will  perform at the Wisconsin School Music Association (WSMA) District Solo/Ensemble Festival at Whitewater High School. The festival lasts from 8 am-4 pm. Students will participate in both vocal and instrumental events. All events will be adjudicated. Students receiving a 1* rating will advance to the WSMA State Solo/Ensemble Festival held in April. Best of luck to all of our music students!

Editor’s note: This announcement was provided by Karen Tordera.

Mark your Calendars for Bethel House & ButterBurgers!

Save yourself from a night of meal planning or cooking! Join our Bethel House team on Wednesday, March 6th, from 4-7 pm at the Whitewater Culver’s for a fundraiser night to support our mission to prevent homelessness for local children & families.