Thursday, August 23, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Hip-hop history

For the third time at MTSU, Dr. Felicia Miyakawa, assistant professor of music, will teach her unique course titled “Hip-hop Music and Culture” this fall semester. According to her syllabus, students will be expected to “be able to trace the development of hip-hop culture from the early years (the early 1970s) to the present and be able to identify major moments and figures within this chronology, be able to discuss how hip-hop culture took shape not only in New York, but also in other parts of the United States (and elsewhere), understand and be able to articulate major themes and issues of hip-hop culture, be able to recognize core songs from rap history upon hearing short musical excerpts, and be able to discuss the broader cultural context for hip-hop music and culture at specific moments in American history.”

Contact Miyakawa at 615-904-8043.
miyakawa@mtsu.edu

Dedicated

The dedication of the Sam H. Ingram Building at MTSU will be held today at 3 p.m. in the refurbished facility at 2269 Middle Tennessee Boulevard, formerly the home of the Middle Tennessee Baptist Church. The event is open to the community. Dr. Ingram was the sixth president of MTSU, serving from 1979 to 1989. Earlier in his career, he served as education dean at MTSU, then left to become the first president of Motlow State Community College in Tullahoma. Prior to his return to MTSU, Ingram served a four-year term as commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Education. Media welcomed.

For more information, contact Tom Tozer in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5131.

Do the digital

Wal-Mart has started selling some digital songs online for 94 cents each, which is less than the iTunes price. There are no copy restrictions on the Wal-Mart music, so consumers can burn the songs onto CDs, download them to their devices, and send themon the Internet. Also, RealNetworks says it will sell songs over the Verizon Wireless network. Ken Sanney, recording industry, says he thinks this bodes well for the business.
“With the closing of Tower Records in the U.S. market on December 22, 2006, the brick-and-mortar business model of retail music took its last breath,” Sanney says. “To survive the digital revolution, the established record labels need to harness the vast revenues available in the digital marketplace. Failure to do so will mean certain death.”

Contact Sanney at 615-456-6502.
ksanney@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

AUDIO AUGMENTATION--Give your kids a wholesome, fun extracurricular activity this school year. Enroll your child in the Youth Culture and Arts Center’s (YCAC) next recording workshop at MTSU. The current enrollment period is in effect through Sept. 7 for the upcoming Sept. 13-Oct. 12 workshop in MTSU’s John Bragg Mass Communication Building. The workshop is for youngsters ages 12-17, and the fee is $125 per student. Classes are taught by Ryan York, a 21-year-old MTSU student and teacher of guitar, bass, and drums lessons at Chambers Guitars and Musical Instruments in Murfreesboro. Ryan will provide instruction in cassette four-track instruction, digital eight-track, computer recording and electronic music. All proceeds will benefit YCAC, a program of Youth Empowerment Through Arts and Humanities (YEAH), a nonprofit organization. Call 615-631-9479 or contact York at bororecording@gmail.com.

EIGHT DAYS A WEEK—ER, MAKE THAT TWELVE--Where does a week equal 12 days? At MTSU, where the 2007 Week of Welcome will begin this Friday, Aug. 24, with the all-day We-Haul (moving into the dorms), dinner and music at the Quad, a performance by Floyd the Barber at 6 p.m., and a free movie, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” at 8 p.m. We-Haul continues Saturday, Aug. 25, when there will be information booths set up from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., a dinner and a street fair starting at 6 p.m. behind Corlew Hall. The culmination of the Week of Welcome will be the Blue Raiders’ second football game of the season. They’ll take on the University of Louisville Cardinals in Louisville, Ky. Thursday, Sept. 6. Contact Rob Patterson, Coordinator of New Student and Family Programs, at 615-898-2454 or rpatters@mtsu.edu.

FOOTBALL FEST--This year, the MTSU Rutherford County Alumni Chapter’s annual Pigskin Pregame will be held Saturday, Aug. 25, to kick off the football season. The event will be held at the home of Terry and Lisa Haynes, who live at 1707 Riverview Dr. in Murfreesboro. Tickets for the event, which will run from 7 until 11 p.m., will be $25 if purchased by Aug. 22 (TODAY) or $30 at the door. The ticket price includes an exclusive preview of one of Murfreesboro’s newest restaurants, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, wine, beer truck, soft drinks, music, door prizes and more. All proceeds will benefit the Rutherford County Alumni Chapter Scholarship Fund. The Blue Raiders will open the season Saturday, Sept. 1, at Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton. Call 1-800-533-6878 or visit http://www.mtalumni.com for information or tickets. To interview Paul Wydra, assistant director, Office of Alumni Relations, or Ginger Freeman, director of the office, call 615-898-2922.