ELGIN, IL — �������� will host 16-year-old Polish pianist Filip Kauch, one of the most promising young musicians of his generation, for a special guest artist residency in April.

On Sunday, April 26 at 2:00 p.m., Kauch will perform Frédéric Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor with the �������� Civic Orchestra in Herrick Chapel on the university’s campus, located at 1151 N. State Street in Elgin. The performance highlights a unique cultural exchange and offers audiences an opportunity to experience Polish classical music performed by an emerging international artist.

Kauch, who was born in 2009 in Kościan, Poland, began studying piano at the age of eight. He is currently a student at the Jadwiga Kaliszewska Secondary School of Music in Poznań and has already received more than 40 awards in national and international piano competitions.

In addition to his orchestral performance, Kauch will present a solo recital on Tuesday, April 28 at 7:00 p.m. at Church of the Cross Presbyterian Church, 475 W. Higgins Road in Hoffman Estates. The recital program will include works by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Paderewski, de Falla, and Debussy.

Tickets for the April 26 concert are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, and free for students and children. Tickets will be available at the door (cash only). Admission to the April 28 recital is free, with a freewill offering accepted.

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Robert Kania, Music Department, Chair, ��������
rkania@judsonu.edu

The incoming class includes 275 new first-year and transfer traditional undergraduate students for the Fall semester, including students from 29 states and 13 countries. Hispanic student enrollment continues to grow, representing over 35% of the traditional undergraduate student population. Earlier this year, �������� was officially recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education.

��������’s award-winning Architecture program continues to grow as well with an enrollment of 125 students in the four-year and master’s programs. The traditional Business program, which features degrees in management, marketing, and accounting also grew with over 153 students combined in that department. 

Co-curricular activities continue to draw traditional students. Over five years ago Dennis and JoAnn Demoss committed $1 million to support what is now called the Demoss Center in Worship and the Performing Arts which features music, theater, worship arts, music business entrepreneurship, Christian ministries and communication arts. The Roeser Scholars, which grew out of the financial support of ��������’s successful World Leaders Forum program and was endowed with the philanthropic support of Tom Roeser, now includes almost 40 students. This past year the Joseph Slawek family provided philanthropic support to create the Slawek First Generation Scholars program. Intercollegiate athletics has also grown over the past ten years with the addition of a football program in 2019.  

“Our campus life experiences, degree offerings, and commitment to our faith are resonating with prospective students and their families,” said �������� President Gene Crume. “The growth in our enrollment is the result of the hard work of the entire campus community coming together. The faculty are developing innovative and relevant programs as well as renewing our long-standing successful majors. The Admissions and Financial Aid teams are connecting with prospective students and providing an affordable pathway to a college education, and the Student Success and Student Life teams are ensuring the �������� experience meets our promise to shape lives that shape the world.”

The MBA-Informatics (MBA-I) program has enrolled over 100 students in its very successful launch this fall.  The MBA-I is a meticulously crafted STEM-focused program that equips students with the skills and knowledge to drive meaningful advancements in business informatics. This includes driving digital transformation, leading IT initiatives or pioneering innovations.

Residential housing for students also grew to its largest population since fall 2019. There are 451 students residing in the four residences on campus.

Austin Anderson has accepted the role of Interim Program Coordinator of ��������’s Communications Arts Department effective August 1. Anderson has taught Introduction to Sports Broadcasting/Sports Information, Questions of Life: Entering the �������� Conversation, Foundations of Speech, and Wellness as an adjunct professional within ��������’s Demoss Center of Worship in the Performing Arts since 2021. In his new role, Anderson will teach public speaking, communication, media, and sports broadcasting while also advising students within the Communication Arts Program.

“We’re excited to have Austin join �������� as a full-time faculty serving as the Interim Program Coordinator of our Communication Arts Department,” said Dr. Warren Anderson, Director of the Demoss Center for Worship in the Performing Arts. “Austin has a large professional network in the Chicago Sports marketplace since he has worked with three local sports franchises. We believe that his expertise within Chicago sports professional and minor leagues will be key to strengthening our Sports Broadcasting minor and launching a new Podcasting Network.”

Austin will work with ��������’s broadcasting team to create a new Podcast Studio during the 2023-24 academic year. The goal of the Podcast Network is to create new podcasts and train students to create their own podcasts.

Austin Anderson moves into this new role having served for two years as the Director of Sports Information and five years as the Director of Athletic Communications for ��������’s Athletic Department. During his tenure with ��������’s Athletic Department, Anderson managed , wrote departmental press releases, managed social media content, oversaw �������� athletics history (records and awards), was responsible for game broadcast management, and was the event planner for the annual Hall of Fame and the JUISY (�������� Impressive Stars of the Year) award ceremonies.  While at ��������, Anderson has received national recognition for his work and is a three-time top-10 finisher in the annual NAIA-SIDA publications/media contests.

Anderson earned his M.A. in Strategic Communication and Leadership from Spring Arbor University in May 2021. He earned his B.A. from Waynesburg University (2017) in southwestern Pennsylvania with a degree in Communications: Sports Broadcasting/Sports Information. During his time at Waynesburg, he was active in the campus television station, newspaper, and radio station. He also pursued various broadcasting opportunities outside of Waynesburg, including being an announcer for the Westmoreland Sports Network during his senior year. 

Anderson served as an official scorer and alternate play-by-play announcer for the Schaumburg Boomers independent baseball team from 2018-2019. During the summer of 2017, he was the Broadcast/Media Relations Assistant for the Gary SouthShore RailCats independent baseball team. He also has served as the Broadcast and Sales Intern for the Chicago Bandits professional softball team in Rosemont.

Please consider joining us for one or more of the following concerts:

Merit Recital
Tuesday, April 11 at 7 p.m.
Thulin Auditorium | Thompson Hall

Chamber Singers Recital
Thursday, April 13 at 7 p.m.
Thulin Auditorium | Thompson Hall

Ezequiel Navarro, Oboe Senior Recital
Saturday, April 15 at 7 p.m.
Thulin Auditorium | Thompson Hall

Percussion Ensemble Concert
Tuesday, April 18 at 7 p.m.
Thulin Auditorium | Thompson Hall

�������� Jazz Combo
Friday, April 21 at 7 p.m.
Thulin Auditorium | Thompson Hall

Eunoia Theatre Ensemble presents
“I See Stars: A Song Cycle”
Directed by Tiger Khokunthod
Saturday, April 22 at 7 p.m.
Dark Room Studio B | Lower Thompson Hall | Free Admission

�������� Civic Orchestra Concert
Sunday, April 23 at 2 p.m.
Featuring the Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34, by Johannes Brahms
Herrick Chapel | Tickets at the door: $10 ($8 seniors), Children and Students Free

Piano Ensemble Recital
Tuesday, April 25 at 7 p.m.
Thulin Auditorium | Thompson Hall

Spring Concert of Worship
“The Magic of Music”
Featuring the Michael Folker Family of Musician-Magicians!
Fun for the Whole Family!
Saturday, April 29 at 3 p.m.
Herrick Chapel | Free-Will Offering

Marina Menconi Vocal Recital
Saturday, April 30 at 5 p.m.
Thulin Auditorium | Thompson Hall

Sunday, March 26 | �������� Choir Home Concert | 7 p.m. | Herrick Chapel | Free-will offering

Tuesday, April 11 | Merit Recital | 7 p.m. | Thulin Auditorium | Free-will offering for Instruments for Jamaica

Thursday, April 13 | Chamber Singers Recital | 7 p.m. | Thulin Auditorium

Saturday, April 15 | Ezequiel Navarro Senior Recital, Oboe | 7 p.m. | Thulin Auditorium

Tuesday, April 18 | Percussion Ensemble Concert | 7 p.m. | Thulin Auditorium

Friday, April 21 | Jazz Combo Concert | 7 p.m. | Thulin Auditorium

Saturday, April 22 | Eunoia Theatre Ensemble “I See Stars: A Song Cycle” | 7 p.m. | Dark Room Studio B

Sunday, April 23 | �������� Civic Orchestra Concert | 2 p.m. | Herrick Chapel | Tickets at door: $10/$8 Senior; free for children and students

Tuesday, April 25 | Piano Ensemble Recital | 7 p.m. | Thulin Auditorium

Saturday, April 29 | Spring Concert of Worship: featuring the “Magic of Music” magic show | 3 p.m. | Herrick Chapel | Free-will offering

Sunday, April 30 | Maria Menconi Student Recital, Voice | 5 p.m. | Thulin Auditorium

Friday, March 3
Parma Heights Baptist Church, 8971 W. Ridgewood Dr., Parma Heights, OH 44130  7:30 p.m. concert

Sunday, March 5
First Baptist Church, 303 W. High St., Waynesburg, PA 15370 | 10:15 a.m. service
Evangel Assembly of God, 8180 Greiner Rd., Williamsville, NY 14221 | 6 p.m. concert

Tuesday, March 7
Faith Evangelical Free Church, 54 Hosmer St., Acton, MA 01720 | 7 p.m. concert

Wednesday, March 8
The General Seminary, 440 W. 21^st St., New York, NY 10011 |7 p.m. ministry in the vespers service

Thursday, March 9
Clarendon Road Church, 3304 Clarendon Rd., Brooklyn, NY 11203 | 7 p.m. concert

Saturday, March 11
Washington Seventh Day Baptist Church, 4700 16^th Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20011 | 11:15 a.m. service

Sunday, March 12
Hillcrest Baptist Church, 2480 W. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43204 | 10:15 a.m. service

Thanks to the following firms who will exhibit at the event and discuss jobs and internships with ��������’s architecture and interior design students:

Risepointe; Dewberry; Stewart-Cooper-Newell Architects; Robert G. Lyon + Associates (RLGA); Olympus Design and Development; Kellermeyer Godfryt Hart, PC; BLDD Architects; Cordogan Clark; GMA Architects; Building God’s Way (BGW); FGM Architects; Lake Geneva Architects; David F. Schultz Associates; Jaeger Nikola Kuhlman & Associates (JNKA); Graves Architecture and Design; Anguleris; 1919 Architects; Hooker DeJong Architects/Engineers/Planners; and Wold Architects and Engineers.

Sign up for this pre-concert event (3:00 – 6:30 p.m.) here: 

On the tour, the choir will sing at churches and some performance venues. This tour will feature a nearly 50-member choir, highlighting the strength of the �������� Choir as a critical outreach of the University.

The winter choir tour will include the following stops:

Thursday, January 26
Radical Time Out at Compass Church, Wheaton, Ill. (6 p.m.)

Friday, January 27
First Baptist Church of Muscatine, Muscatine, Iowa (7 p.m.)

Sunday, January 29
First Baptist Church, Savoy, Ill. (9:30 and 10:45 a.m.)

�������� alumni and friends are invited to attend concerts in their home cities along the spring tour.

“Mac” will discuss the work on Friday, February 17 at 3 p.m. in Room 221 of the Harm A. Weber Academic Center. A brief reception in the Gallery will follow. All gallery events are free and open to the public.

To see Michael McAvoy’s website, visit:

The series McAvoy is exhibiting is on this page:

Gallery events are planned by ��������’s Art and Design Department and Chair Jeffery Carl.