Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, April 20, 1990 TAG: 9004200702
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Donna Alvis
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Museum of Natural History, a branch of the Virginia Museum of Natural History, will open with its first major exhibit, "Diversity Endangered."
"It took us 20 years to reach this goal," said Michael Kosztarab, professor of entomology and director of the Center for Systematics Collections at the university. "The museum offers something for everyone. From children on to retired people, it's something very worthwhile."
"Diversity Endangered" will feature specimens of all the large mammals of North America, as well as dinosaur footprints from Virginia.
The museum is in the former Studio I building at 428 N. Main St. in Blacksburg and will be open on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. Admission is free.
\ HURRAH, IT'S SPRING! Why not celebrate at Spring Fling '90, an annual event put on by the Virginia Tech Union and the Residence Hall Federation? The day-long festival gets underway at noon Saturday at Virginia Tech's drill field.
Local bands, guest entertainers and lots of food should make this a great way to welcome the season. Organizers of the event also have planned games, including a dunking booth, a gyro and a moonwalk, to give you something to do with the burst of energy that accompanies spring fever.
Even a spring shower won't dampen spirits or halt plans for Spring Fling '90. If the clouds open up, they'll justmove the fun to Rector Fieldhouse.
\ A BLESSING OF MUSIC: The New River Valley Chorus, directed by Lynn Loftus, will present a program of choral music for Easter and Lent at the Presbyterian Church of Pulaski at 2:30 p.m. Sunday.
Excerpts from Handel's "Messiah," including "Behold the Lamb of God," "With His Stripes We Are Healed" and "All We Like Sheep Have Gone Astray," are featured works. In addition to other works by Lotti and Brahms, the chorus will perform modern spiritual songs by Howard Hanson and Alan Hovhaness.
Brenda Williams will play piano and organ accompanimentfor the singers. The program will conclude with the final choruses of "Messiah" - "Since By Man Came Death" and "Worthy Is the Lamb." The later chorus, with its fugal "Amen" is described by musicians as more difficult and more stirring than the familiar "Hallelujah Chorus."
The New River Valley Chorus will repeat the performance at the Central United Methodist Church in Radford at 8 p.m. on Tuesday.
\ THE MIND'S EYE: It's a mind-bending experience.
The Mind's Eye is a Nashville-based performance group specializing in the unusual. Loosely called "movement theater," the performances feature movements that invite the audience to see human forms in novel ways. A variety of special effects, projections and electronic music makes the show exciting to see and to hear.
The Mind's Eye will perform at Playhouse 460 Monday evening at 8. The performance is part of the troupe's Spring '90 Eastern USA Tour and is sponsored by Virginia Tech's Theatre Arts-University Theatre.
Works to be performed at Tech include "Slow Glass," featuring a costume by artist Lena Lucas, "Slat Dance II," a choreography inspired by Oskar Schlemmer's Bauhaus Theatre works, and a new piece called "Full Circle" created by dancer Marci Murphree, the newest member of The Mind's Eye company.
Tickets for the performance are available at the Arts at Virginia Tech box office in the University Book Store. Admission is $2 per person.
Call 231-5615 or 231-5200 for more information.
by CNB