News from Oakton April 28, 2015

Sophomore Alicia Gutierrez Named to NJCAA All-American Women’s Basketball Team
Oakton Community College is proud to announce that women’s basketball player Alicia Gutierrez (Maine South) of Chicago has been named as a National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-American.

A 5-5 guard, Gutierrez was chosen to the 10-member NJCAA Division II All-American Third Team for the 2014-2015 season and is the first women’s basketball player in the College’s history to be selected as an All-American.

She guided her team to a 19-13 overall record and to a share of the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference (ISCC) title with Moraine Valley Community College. Oakton’s top scorer, Gutierrez averaged 20.4 points per game and also led NJCAA Division II in steals with 143. Her 631 points on the season was seventh best in NJCAA Division II and her 171 assists led Oakton and also ranked seventh in NJCAA Division II.

“Being named an All-American is a tremendous distinction because it shows how far I have come in these two years playing at Oakton,” said Gutierrez. “Playing basketball gives me focus and helps me to concentrate on achieving goals on and off the court.”

“Alicia is an extremely talented basketball player with outstanding ball-handling skills and speed,” said Oakton’s head coach Melissa Rauschenberg. “She creates incredible opportunities for herself and her teammates. I am extremely proud of Alicia and honored to be her coach.”

Gutierrez received other accolades on the season, including being named the ISCC Player of the Year and to the league’s All-Conference First Team. She also garnered a spot on the NJCAA Region IV All-Region First Team.

Oakton’s Six Piano Ensemble to Perform April 25–26
Only a few spring concert tickets remain for the internationally acclaimed Oakton Six Piano Ensemble. This group will perform two spectacular shows featuring popular, classical, and ragtime selections at 8 p.m., Saturday, April 25, and 3 p.m., Sunday, April 26, at the College’s Footlik Theater, 1600 East Golf Road, Des Plaines.

Conducted and founded by Glenna Sprague, Oakton professor and coordinator of music, the Six Piano Ensemble has dazzled and delighted sold-out crowds with its rich layered sound, elaborate orchestral dynamics, sheer power, and virtuosity.

The Oakton Six Piano Ensemble includes some of the most noted musicians in the Chicago area, including: Melissa Chen, Chicago; Beatriz Levi, Northfield; Greg Luberda, Lombard; Marianne Pyster, Chicago; Lina Schaal, Chicago; and Christy Stevens, Highland Park. Highlights will include rousing renditions of everything from Sonata in D Major by Mozart to “Waltz” from Khachaturian’s Masquerade Suite. A reception follows each concert.

Tickets are $17 for general admission; $14 for students and seniors; and $12 for groups of 15 or more. For tickets call 847.635.1900 or order online at www.oakton.edu/tickets.

Oakton Celebrates Spring With Annual Noteworthy Festival
Mark the end of the spring semester with Oakton’s annual Noteworthy Festival, a melodious celebration featuring traditional recitals and concerts showcasing the College’s talented student performers and outstanding music faculty. Performances take place at the Footlik Theater, 1600 East Golf Road, Des Plaines from May 6 – 15.

• Guitar Recital
  Wednesday, May 6, 8 p.m., $3 general admission
  Kick off the festival with selections of classical and contemporary guitar music. Coordinated by Yale School of Music alumnus Tom Clippert, the performance features solos, duets, and selections from the Oakton Guitar Ensemble.
• String Ensemble
  Monday, May 11, 8 p.m., $3 general admission
  Guest cello soloist and Oakton musical faculty member Alexa Muhly performs with the ensemble, under the direction of Oakton music instructor Daniel Golden. Enjoy Couperin’s hauntingly beautiful suite, “Pieces en Concert,” Tchaikovsky’s waltz from “String Serenade,” Mozart’s “Eine kleine Nachumusik,” and selections of Roma, Klezmer, and Middle Eastern music.
• Vocal Recital
  Wednesday, May 13, 8 p.m., $3 general admission
  Voice students directed by Eileen Berman, a professionally performing member of Oakton’s music faculty, display their talent for bright notes and dazzling tunes. Don’t miss Oakton’s only recital that features Broadway and classical favorites!
• Choral Recital
  Thursday, May 14, 8 p.m., $3 general admission
  Eileen Berman returns for a second night of vocal virtuosity with this crowd-pleasing evening of solid voice.
• Jazz Invasion
  Friday, May 15, 8 p.m., $5 general admission; $3 students and seniors
  Wrap up the festival with the Oakton Jazz Ensemble. Led by music instructor Robert Evans, the big band and smaller combos delight with jazz classics and big band hits.

Go behind the musical scene at free Take Note Conversations before the String Ensemble and Jazz Invasion concerts at Oakton’s Performing Arts Center lobby. These pre-concert discussions begin at 7:30 p.m. and provide insight on featured pieces.

For tickets, call the Oakton Box Office at 847.635.1900.

Visit Oakton’s Des Plaines Campus
Discover why Oakton’s the right place to start or resume your higher education during a campus visit on Thursday, May 7, at 6 p.m., at the College’s Des Plaines campus, 1600 East Golf Road (Room 1550).

Learn more about admission, career and transfer programs, financial aid, student services, and extracurricular activities. Oakton faculty, administrators, staff, and students will be on hand to answer questions.

Oakton offers associate’s degrees and certificate programs for students planning to move on to four-year colleges or universities, as well as those preparing for employment in a variety of careers. Accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, the College is recognized by the Illinois Community College Board and is a member of the American Association of Community Colleges.

To reserve your seat, call 847.635.1835 or visit www.oakton.edu/visit.

Oakton’s Koehnline Museum Showcases Enamel Paintings in Chicago
The Koehnline Museum of Art, 1600 East Golf Road, Des Plaines, is pleased to present a free exhibition featuring large-scale enamel paintings produced by the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) in the late 1970s. Art after 1600° Fahrenheit: Enamel Painting in Chicago opens Thursday, May 7, with a public reception from 5 – 8 p.m. This unique display runs through Friday, June 19.

Inspired by French architect Le Corbusier (1887–1965), the application of porcelain enamel as a medium expanded to the field of public art and was introduced in the mural painting class at SAIC. This exhibition includes two prototypes for murals for installation in the Chicago subway system, including the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Wall commissioned by the City of Chicago in 1980.

The Koehnline Museum is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., and Saturday, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

For more details, call 847.635.2633, or visit www.oakton.edu/museum.

Oakton to Host a Night of Improv
Get ready for an outrageous night of laughs when Oakton’s own wild, hilarious improvisation troupe, the OMG Players, take the stage at 7 p.m., Friday, May 8, at Studio One, 1600 East Golf Road, Des Plaines.

The comedic group will base skits on suggestions from the audience.

Founded in 2011 by David Nadolski, a Second City Conservatory graduate, OMG has appeared at Oakton as well as Comedy Sportz in Chicago, the Laughing Chameleon in Glen Ellyn, and Laugh Out Loud Theater in Schaumburg.

Admission is $10 in advance; $12 at the door. Purchase tickets at www.oakton.edu/tickets or call 847.635.1900.