University of Virginia third-year student Simone Marijic’s journey on NBC’s singing competition “The Voice” came to an end Monday night as the member of the Virginia Belles lost in the knockout round to her Team Bublé teammate and friend Barry Jean Fontenot. “Thank you, Michael. I’ve learned so much and I’m very proud of myself,” Marijic said to coach Michael Bublé following the announcement Fontenot would be moving on in the contest.
Peter Mildrew initially thought the email in his inbox offering up to $75,000 was a scam. As the then-president of the Hullabahoos, an all-male a cappella group at the University of Virginia, he was used to fielding gig requests paying far less. When a publicist working for Reser’s Fine Foods, a ready-made food company, reached out about a jingle-writing contest for college a cappella groups, Mildrew was skeptical.
Many in the University of Virginia community have taken the short journey to the top of Observatory Hill to visit the Leander McCormick Observatory, which was dedicated in 1885 and is still in operation. But how many are aware that two smaller observatories were constructed at the University and demolished by the mid-19th century? A new exhibition in the First Floor Gallery of the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library explores the history of these little-known buildings.
You’re listening to WTJU Charlottesville. On Saturday, July 12th and 26th at 8pm, Book Club C’ville will host live music performances set up in a local DIY space. For Arts This Week, we spoke to the band coordinator, John, who gave us all the details on what to expect this month at Book Club.
June marks the start of summer 2025, as well as awards season for broadcasters. WTJU has just won six awards from the Alliance for Community Media (ACM) and the Virginia Association of Broadcasters (VAB). “We have such a good team of volunteers, students, and staff at WTJU, and we live in such a vibrant place for music, arts, and culture. With those ingredients, we sure do make some tasty radio and podcasts,” said Nathan Moore, WTJU General Manager. “It is buoying to receive award recognition for a few examples of WTJU’s altogether terrific work.”
Picking classes every semester can feel like a lottery. But whether you are a first-year student looking to explore your options or a fourth-year wanting to take a fun elective, the good news is that the University offers a myriad of arts courses to take that are engaging and enlightening. No matter your major, arts classes can provide a creative outlet and introduce you to valuable new skills.
Coast to coast, overseas and rooted on Grounds, three current students and one recent graduate have used this summer to unearth their places in the arts. The zeal among students in the University’s arts scene doesn’t fade over the three-month academic break — it carries itself into opportunities wherever they can be found. Discovering that creative careers often reach far from home and far from ideas of traditional artistic roles, these four shared how the arts have shaped their summers — and how their summers may shape their futures. For third-year Education and College student Carlin Lacques, that discovery reframed her perspective on what it meant to work in the arts.
Professors across the country have noticed a troubling trend: College students are reading less than ever, and a recent study found many students enter college with challenges completing an entire book. The reasons why are complex. The rise of digital entertainment and the isolation of the pandemic have played a role, and studies show that 9- and 13-year-olds are reading for pleasure at historically low rates, which could contribute to the decline in college reading habits.
Bringing "Get Happy!" to the Virginia Theatre Festival this summer is not just a regular performance for Jenna Pastuszek — it is a homecoming. “As I was building my own professional career … I always thought about Charlottesville,” she said. “That is every U.Va. alum’s constant question of like, how can I get back there?” Pastuszek, an alumna from Class of 2010, will be paying homage to Judy Garland July 24-27 at the Ruth Caplin Theatre, singing the iconic performer’s uptempo medleys & ingénue ballads while also incorporating personal stories in a cabaret performance she has taken to over 10 states and 20 regional theatres.
