ArtSci at USU: April 2026 Events Preview

LOGAN, Utah — April brings a full calendar of events from Utah State University’s College of Arts & Sciences, celebrating the diverse ideas, talent and work of the ArtSci community. Read below for more details about these coming events, and subscribe to the weekly events reminder email.

Ouroboros, BFA Capstone Exhibition

March 18 to April 1 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tippetts & Eccles Galleries.

This is the BFA capstone exhibition for all our graduating Art Ed, Drawing + Painting, Photography, Ceramics, Sculpture and Printmaking students.

ArtSci Faculty in Focus: Dr. Felipe Valencia (World Languages and Cultures)

April 1 at 12:30 p.m.

Eccles Science Learning Center, Room 245D.

Felipe Valencia was named one of the College of Arts & Sciences's Researchers of the Year for 2025-26. This ArtSci Faculty in Focus series will celebrate the breadth of excellence in the college by showcasing faculty achievements in research/creative work and teaching.

Each faculty member will give a short (20-25 minutes) research/creative and/or teaching talk, highlighting their work for other faculty and students. It simultaneously serves as an opportunity to highlight our outstanding faculty while also providing a space for people to meet, gather and learn, building a robust intellectual community.

New Music Salon

April 1 at 6 p.m.

Family Life Building, Room 212 (Caine Room).

Join us for an evening of new music by USU student composers. Featuring music by Campbell Helton, Thomas Glenn, Joshua Swank and Matthew Taylor.

USU Spanish Club

April 2 & 9 at 7:30 p.m.

Mehdi Heravi Global Teaching and Learning Center, Room 270.

¿Te gusta hablar español? Join the USU Spanish Club. We meet weekly to socialize, play games, and explore Hispanic culture — all in Spanish. Our goal is to provide a relaxed, inclusive space for casual Spanish conversation, regardless of skill level. Come meet new people and join our community.

Communitas Lecture Series: Sadé Ayorinde and Chadric Devin

April 2 at 5 p.m.

Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall.

Sadé Ayorinde is Curator at the Columbia Museum of Art in South Carolina. She received a doctorate in the history of art & visual studies from Cornell University and a master’s in art history from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Chadric Devin is the director of learning and engagement at the Columbia Museum of Art in South Carolina. He received his master’s in photography from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Organ Area Student Recitals

April 2 at 6 & 7:30 p.m.

Daines Concert Hall.

Come experience the majesty and power of the organ in the beautiful Daines Concert Hall. Dedicated and talented student performers will showcase pieces from their semester-long studies with our incredible organ faculty. First recital at 6 p.m., second recital at 7:30 p.m.

Biology Seminar Series

April 3, 10 & 17 at 11:30 a.m.

Distance Education Building, Room 013.

Each week, speakers from USU and invited guests will highlight the diversity and wonder of the biological sciences.

USU Opera: "The Abduction from the Seraglio" by Mozart

April 3, 6, 9 & 11 at 7:30 p.m.

Utah Theatre: 18 W. Center St., Logan.

"The Abduction from the Seraglio."

("Die Entführung aus dem Serail.")

Music by W.A. Mozart, Libretto by G. Stephanie.

After his fiancée Konstanze, his servant Pedrillo, and his fiancée’s chambermaid Blonde have been captured by pirates and sold to the harem of local Ottoman lord Pasha Selim, Belmonte attempts a daring rescue involving subterfuge, deceit and no small amount of luck. As one of only two of Mozart’s Singspiele that are regularly performed (the other being The Magic Flute), this work combines his musical brilliance with light-hearted comedy delivered in spoken scenes in a style presaging modern musical theatre.

Director: Dallas Aksoy.

Conductor: Mariusz Smolij.

Performed by USU Opera Theatre students with the USU Symphony Orchestra in English with English titles.

Content Advisory: Alcohol use, some sexual innuendo.

Recommended age 8+, no children under 3 permitted.

USU Bass Festival

April 4 at 6 p.m.

Daines Concert Hall.

The festival is an annual event that provides bassists a chance to work with performers and educators from around the world and is open to bassists of any age and experience level. Festival activities include masterclasses, technique workshops, guest artist performances and the opportunity to perform in a bass choir. Bassists desiring to participate in the all-day event can register at music.usu.edu/bassfest. This year’s guest artist is Baltimore Symphony bassist Nina DeCesare. Her recital will feature a performance of the complete Bach Cello Suites.

Promethean, MFA Exhibition

April 6 through 15 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tippetts & Eccles Galleries, open Monday through Friday. The reception is from 5-7 p.m. April 9.

ArtSci Faculty in Focus: Sydney O'Shay (Communication & Media)

April 6 at 12:30 p.m.

Eccles Science Learning Center, 245D.

ArtSci Faculty in Focus series celebrates the breadth of faculty expertise in the College of Arts & Sciences, showcasing faculty achievements in research/creative work and teaching. Sydney O'Shay (communication & media) was a named one of two ArtSci Teachers of the Year for 2026. She will give a short talk on her research, teaching and student mentorship.

Guitar Ensembles

April 6 at 7:30 p.m.

Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall.

The USU Guitar Ensembles Concert will showcase USU guitar students playing a variety of styles ranging from rock, funk, jazz, classical and other genres on both acoustic and electric guitars. The Guitar Ensembles Concert has been a tradition at USU for over 35 years and brings a unique and varied sound.

Caine Ensembles

April 7 at 2 p.m.

Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall.

The Caine Ensembles concert, presented twice a year, showcases some of USU's finest musicians. Come enjoy an evening of top-tier chamber music performed by the Caine Brass Quintet, Caine Percussion Ensemble, Caine Saxophone Quartet, Caine String Quartet and Caine Woodwind Quintet. Admission is free.

Arrington Conversations — Art, Faith, and Chaos: A Conversation with Brian Kershisnik

April 7 at 7:30 p.m.

Join us for an Arrington Conversation featuring Brian Kershisnik, one of Utah's best-known contemporary artists. His work, often whimsical and humorous, asks questions about what makes us human and what it means to be in relationship with beings both seen and unseen.

Big Bands

April 8 at 7:30 p.m.

Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall.

The Utah State University Jazz Ensemble, directed by Greg Wheeler, will open the concert, followed by the DownBeat Award-winning Utah State University Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Max Matzen. The program will feature a diverse selection of repertoire ranging from traditional big band classics to contemporary works, highlighting the versatility, energy and artistry of USU’s jazz students. Audiences can expect a vibrant performance celebrating both the rich traditions and evolving sounds of big band jazz.

Mind-Body Bridging Conference — Deepening the Practice

April 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Utah State University Brigham City, 989 S. Main St., Brigham City.

Whether you are new to MBB or a certified MBB practitioner, join us as we build the growing Mind-Body Bridging community. Learn the basics of the Mind-Body Bridging therapeutic modality or deepen your personal and professional practice by learning about recent innovations and developments in the model. Speakers will be MBB certified clinicians with expertise using MBB in a variety of clinical settings.

This one-day conference features Derrik Tollefson as the keynote speaker and includes interactive breakout sessions with networking opportunities over a catered lunch.

ArtSci Faculty in Focus: Dr. Peter Crooks (Mathematics & Statistics)

April 10 at 12:30 p.m.

Eccles Science Learning Center, Room 245D.

Peter Crooks was named one of the College of Arts & Sciences's Researchers of the Year. This series will celebrate the breadth of excellence in the college by showcasing faculty achievements in research/creative work and teaching.

Each faculty member will give a short (20-25 minutes) research/creative and/or teaching talk, highlighting their work for other faculty and students. It simultaneously serves as an opportunity to highlight our outstanding faculty while also providing a space for people to meet, gather and learn, building a robust intellectual community.

Bringing War Home Exhibition Grand Opening

April 10 at 6:30 p.m.

50 W. Main Street, Hyrum.

Grand Opening of "Bringing War Home: Object Stories, Memory, and Modern War" traveling exhibit at the Hyrum City Museum. Project presentations by USU faculty, Susan Grayzel and Molly Cannon will begin at 6:30 p.m. followed by a reception and exhibit tour.

Science Unwrapped — Earthquakes: Predicting the Unpredictable

April 10 at 7 p.m.

Eccles Science Learning Center Auditorium.

Inquiring minds of all ages are invited to Science Unwrapped, the free, public outreach program of USU's College of Arts and Sciences. Our events begin with a brief presentation and are followed by hands-on learning activities and refreshments. At our April 10 event: You can see dark clouds forming in the distance and prepare for a storm. Hurricane forecasters can pinpoint disturbances over oceans, track their movements and predict where and when they might strike land. Not so with earthquakes, says USU geophysicist Srisharan Shreedharan — at least not yet. Srisharan and his graduate students make tiny earthquakes or “labquakes” in his innovative “earthquake machines.” At Science Unwrapped, Srisharan and master’s student Lindsey Broderick will share what they’re learning and how their efforts could improve earthquake forecasting broadly, and closer to home, along the Wasatch Fault Zone in Utah.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

April 10 and 11, 14 through 17 at 7:30 p.m.

April 11 & 18 at 1 p.m.

Morgan Theatre, Chase Fine Arts Center.

"The world-famous Willy Wonka is opening the gates to his mysterious factory … but only to a lucky few. Young Charlie Bucket and four other golden ticket winners will embark on a life-changing journey through Wonka’s world of pure imagination including chocolate waterfalls, nutty squirrels and the great glass elevator, all to be revealed by Wonka's army of curious Oompa-Loompas."

Music Theatre International.

All ages welcome.

Symphonic Band and Wind Symphony

April 10 at 7:30 p.m.

Daines Concert Hall, Chase Fine Arts Center.

Concerts are part of the band large ensemble curriculum. As capstone events, they typically occur twice per semester. Students are required to participate in these events as a large part of their grades, and these concerts are the culmination of several weeks of classroom rehearsals. All concerts are associated with one or more of the band ensembles: MUSC 4700 Wind Orchestra MUSC 3795 Wind Symphony MUSC 3790 Symphonic Band MUSC 3785 Marching Band.

Cache Symphony Orchestra

April 11 at 7:30 p.m.

Daines Concert Hall, Chase Fine Arts Center.

The Cache Symphony Orchestra was founded over 35 years ago to bring together community members in the Cache Valley region to create music, connect with fellow musicians and provide the community with another source of fine classical music.

Comprised entirely of dedicated volunteer musicians, the orchestra began with just a handful of members and has since grown into a grand symphony of over 90 performers. Each season, the orchestra presents two concerts — one in winter and one in spring — on the Utah State University campus.

USU Chamber Orchestra

April 12 at 6 p.m.

Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall.

Chamber Orchestra Concert: “Strings & Stories.”

Tanner Talk Series Presents: How Do Poets Work Across Media? A Tanner Talk Discussion on Poets as Artists

April 14 at 10:45 a.m.

Online/Virtual.

Join us for the opening event to the Utah Poetry Festival 2026: "How Do Poets Work Across Mediums? A Tanner Talk Discussion" on poets as artists, a webinar symposium co-hosted with Utah Humanities. Featuring 13 poets and two graduate students, this event brings writers and artists into conversation about craft, collaboration and the possibilities of working across forms. Centering text, image, sound and performance, the symposium invites poets, artists, teachers and readers to consider how creative practice shifts when it becomes interdisciplinary, collaborative and publicly engaged.

Utah Public Radio Wild About Utah Trivia Night

April 14 at 6 p.m.

119 S. Main St., Logan, Utah.

UPR's Wild About Utah Trivia Night at The Cache Bar in Logan. Tickets include dinner and trivia.

Spring Choral Concert

April 14 at 7:30 p.m.

Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall.

The Spring Choral Concert will feature the USU Chamber Singers, Chorale and Treble Choir performing a variety of great choral music in the lush acoustics of the Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall.

USU Symphony Orchestra

April 15 at 7:30 p.m.

Daines Concert Hall, Chase Fine Arts Center.

USU Symphony Orchestra and Chorus concert: “Exodus and Ecstasy.”

Communitas Lecture Series: Alexa Hampton

April 16 at 4 p.m.

Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall.

Alexa Hampton is the owner and president of the New York City-based interior design firm Mark Hampton. She is an alumna of Brown University, an inductee of Architectural Digest's AD100 Hall of Fame, and an associate member of the American Society of Interior Designers.

Parent Connective Free Webinar Series

April 16 at 6:30 p.m.

Online/Virtual.

The Parent Connective is a collaboration between USU Social Work and the Department of Health to provide local parents with free evidence-based parenting support and increase a sense of community. From January-May 2026, all students, parents, and professionals are invited to attend a free monthly webinar on the third Thursday from 6:30–7:30pm. *Professionals may earn 1 CEU for attending.

The concert is FREE, but seating is limited. Please register in advance. You may want to bring a pillow or blanket for comfort as most of the class will be on the carpeted floor.

Continuing Education: Implementing Contextually Responsive Mental Health Care for Rural Trans and Nonbinary Clients

April 17 at 7:30 p.m.

Online/Virtual.

Join the Transforming Communities Institute for this free Continuing Education opportunity. This session is presented by Veronica Timbers, PhD, LCSW, MDiv. Participants will receive 1.5 CEU after attending and completing the post-event evaluation.

Wind Orchestra

April 17 at 7:30 p.m.

Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall.

Concerts are part of the band large ensemble curriculum. As capstone events, they typically occur twice per semester. Students are required to participate in these events as a large part of their grades, and these concerts are the culmination of several weeks of classroom rehearsals. All concerts are associated with one or more of the band ensembles: MUSC 4700 Wind Orchestra MUSC 3795 Wind Symphony MUSC 3790 Symphonic Band MUSC 3785 Marching Band.

New Music Recital

April 20 at 6 p.m.

Impact Commons, Chase Fine Arts Center.

The Utah State University Composition Studio presents an evening of new music featuring premieres by student composers. The program will include a variety of works written for string quartet, percussion, voice, wind quintet, and other chamber ensembles. We hope you’ll join us in supporting these emerging composers and hearing their newest creative projects brought to life.

Percussion Ensembles

April 20 at 7:30 p.m.

Daines Concert Hall.

The USU Percussion Ensembles concert is a unique and fun addition to the lineup of concerts presented by the USU Music Department. Each semester, we play a wide array of literature from contemporary percussion ensemble to pieces for world percussion. The concert is open to all ages and will be interesting for students and adults alike.

Small Ensembles

April 21 at 7:30 p.m.

Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall.

Presented by USU's studio ensembles — Flute Ensemble, Clarinet Choir, Cache Horn Choir and Low Brass Choir. This concert provides the audience an opportunity to experience the unique sonorities of homogenous small ensembles across a diverse and entertaining program.

USU Student Short Film Festival 2026

April 24 at 6 p.m.

April 25 at 10 a.m.

Utah Theatre, 18 W. Center Street, Logan.

The Student Short Film Festival invites emerging filmmakers from every discipline to showcase their vision, craft, and originality on the big screen. Open to undergraduate and graduate students from all fields of study — from the sciences and humanities to the arts, engineering, education and beyond — no prior filmmaking experience is required. Creativity, innovation and thoughtful storytelling are what matter most. A panel of judges will review submissions and prizes will be awarded for Best in Category and Best in Show. There will also be an Audience Choice Award voted for by attendees at the festival. Whether you are an aspiring director, an experimental media creator, a documentarian or simply a student with a unique story to tell, this festival offers the perfect platform to share your work with a broader audience. Open to all USU undergraduate and graduate students. The submission deadline is March 27.

Brahms Requiem with the American Festival Chorus & Orchestra

April 25 at 7:30 p.m.

Daines Concert Hall.

AFCO celebrates one of the world’s most famous composers, Johannes Brahms, with one of his most popular and moving works, Ein Deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem). Audiences can look forward to being immersed in the grandeur, power and comfort of this large-scale work for chorus, orchestra and soloists. The program will also include Fratres by Arvo Pärt, featuring Rebecca McFaul, violinist of the Fry Street Quartet.

ArtSci Culmination Dinner

April 28 at 4 p.m.

Maverick Stadium, Room: West Stadium Center — Champion' s Club.

The College of Arts & Sciences is hosting a program and dinner to honor Ph.D. and MFA graduate students. One guest is allowed to attend with the graduate. This event is by invitation only and business attire is requested.

Watch for coming events and updated descriptions by checking the online events calendar.