This week’s Jubilee festivities bring to life the musical aspects of Nicholls and the surrounding community. With Jubilee and the spring semester rapidly coming to a close, activities are still bringing excitement to many Jubilee participants.
Thursday, April 10 at 5 p.m. brings “Arts Alive” to downtown Thibodaux. The second annual event was designed specifically to take place during Jubilee, and will feature many local merchants and artists displaying their works. Music, food and fun will accompany the celebration that lasts until 8 p.m.
“It’s a nice time for the community to mix with the Nicholls community,” Angela Hammerli, Jubilee coordinator, said.
The 17th annual Bayouland Choral Festival will be held on Friday, April 11 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The free festival will enable students to listen to various vocal performances throughout the day in Talbot Theater. The event is hosted by the Nicholls School of Fine Arts and will continue on Saturday as well.
Tuesday, April 15 is a packed day of musical varieties. At 12:30 p.m. in the snack bar area of the student union, the Bayou Dixieland Band will be performing New Orleans jazz music. At 1:30 p.m., Lew Carter, a 50-year radio veteran, will discuss “The Origins of New Orleans Jazz” with the Bayou Dixieland Band in Le Bijou Theater. The NSU Gospel Choir, directed by Stanley Coleman, performing arts instructor, will also be performing at 7:30 p.m. in Talbot Theater.
What many Jubilee participants do not realize is the complicated ways that many Jubilee festivities are funded. According to Hammerli, a lot of money for various speakers and productions are courtesy of the Artist and Lecture Committee, which is funded by the university. The Student Programming Association, the Student Government Association and community donors have also helped with deferring the cost of activities. Nicholls faculty members also get involved with the funding of Jubilee by writing grants to fund various speakers and presentations. Among those that have helped are Olivia Pass, language and arts professor,
Ross Jahnke, associate professor of the school of fine arts, Anke Tonn, library staff, Gina McDonald, assistant professor of languages and literature, Carol Mathias, interim library director and Hammerli.
“This does not just happen,” Hammerli said, “It takes a lot of funding.”
Banks, individual departments on campus and fundraisers also contribute to Jubilee funding.
With Jubilee officially concluding on May 3, students, faculty and community members are encouraged to take advantage of the many free and exciting presentations that Jubilee has to offer.