Each year, McPherson College invites Kansas high school students to exhibit their best art and compete for prizes and scholarships at the Art POP exhibition in Friendship Hall at the college. The exhibition is open through Nov. 12.

The exhibit features art from 17 high schools statewide including more than 100 individual works. Schools represented in the exhibition include Smoky Valley, Lawrence Freestate, Hutchinson, Moundridge, Sedgwick, McPherson, Junction City, Garden City, Larned, Uniontown, Attica, Herington, and Inman.

The gallery is open to the public during business hours. A closing reception and awards presentation are scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 12 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in Friendship Hall Gallery, with awards announcements beginning at 6 p.m.

Internationally acclaimed pianist Ignacio “Nachito” Herrera will be the featured artist in the fall Lingenfelter Concert Series at McPherson College. He will perform a recital blending rhythm and soul on Saturday, Nov. 7 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in Brown Auditorium. Admission is free.

The McPherson College Jazz Band will join Herrera to close the concert.

Known for his dazzling technique and charismatic performances, Herrera blends the rich musical traditions of Cuba with the spontaneity of jazz and the passion of classical music, creating a sound that is both exhilarating and deeply expressive.

Herrera stunned Cuban audiences at age 12 when he performed Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Havana Symphony Orchestra. At 16, he was invited to perform with famed Cuban pianist Ruben Gonzalez, a member of the Buena Vista Social Club, who inspired him to study Cuba’s traditional rhythms. Herrera has since performed in many of the world’s finest concert halls and at prestigious jazz festivals. His honors include Emmy and Grammy awards.

During his visit to McPherson, Herrera will serve as a clinician and performer for the McPherson College Jazz Festival on Nov. 5-6. In addition to working with the high school bands, he will perform at noon Thursday, Nov. 5, in Brown Auditorium for students attending the festival, accompanied by the McPherson College Jazz Band. On Sunday, Nov. 8, he will perform with the Salina Symphony.

Admission to the Lingenfelter concert is free thanks to a generous commitment to McPherson College honoring Fern Lingenfelter. Lingenfelter, an alumna of McPherson College, taught piano in McPherson for many years to college students on campus and younger students at her downtown studio. Her son, Steve Clark, chairman of Clark Investment Group of Wichita, established the fund that supports two annual music performance events with particular emphasis on piano.

The first art exhibit of the academic year is open in Friendship Hall Gallery and features the work of Kansas artist Christina Lamoureaux. The public is invited to a reception from 4:30 to 6 :30 p.m., on Sept. 3 at the McPherson College gallery. The exhibit closes on Oct. 12.

Lamoureaux creates mixed media paintings and sculptures that connect with subject and style. Her style is layered, lyrical, spontaneous, and colorful. The content within her compositions are animal motifs and the human figure. Her ideas are inspired by photography from her experience of bicycling and walking prairie trails.
“Christina’s approach to art is a fusion of abstraction and realism,” said Michaela Valli Groeblacher, professor of art and gallery director. “It reads lyrical and almost ephemeral. It invites you to look closely even though some of the paintings are large scale.”

Lamoureaux earned a master’s degree in printmaking and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Inter-Media from Fort Hays State University. She taught art in Hoisington, Kansas for 38 years. Her works have been exhibited in national exhibitions.
She will conduct a workshop for McPherson College students on Sept. 3 from 12:30 to 1:50 p.m.

The Friendship Hall Gallery is open to the public during regular business hours, Monday through Friday.

One of the nation’s leading professional vocal ensembles, the Kansas City Chorale will perform at the next Fern Lingenfelter Artist Series concert hosted by McPherson College at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, February 22 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 119 N. Elm Street in McPherson. Admission to the concert is free.

The program will explore American sacred music, drawing from hymns, spirituals, and concert works spanning more than two centuries. Rooted in foundational melodies and reimagined by composers such as Aaron Copland, Moses Hogan, and James Molholland, alongside contemporary voices, the selections trace a living American musical landscape.

Founded in 1982, the Kansas City Chorale is recognized for its refined sound, expressive depth, and artistic excellence. Under the leadership of artistic director Charles Bruffy, the Chorale has earned international acclaim through performances, recordings, and educational initiatives that reflect a deep commitment to both tradition and innovation.

Bruffy has served as artistic director since 1988 and is widely admired for his luminous choral sound, clarity of musical architecture, and deeply expressive interpretations. In addition to his work with the Kansas City Chorale, he has held leadership roles with the Kansas City Symphony Chorus and previously served as artistic director of the Phoenix Chorale.

The Chorale maintains an active performance presence in the Kansas City area and appears on prominent national and international stages, including as at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, as well as festivals aboard such as Incheon Choral Festival in South Korea. Among its many honors, the Chorale has earned six Grammy Awards and 17 nominations for its albums.

Admission to the Lingenfelter concert is free thanks to a generous commitment to McPherson College honoring Fern Lingenfelter. Lingenfelter, an alumna of McPherson College, taught piano in McPherson for many years to college students on campus and younger students at her downtown studio. Her son, Steve Clark, chairman of Clark Investment Group of Wichita, established the fund that supports two annual music performance events with particular emphasis on piano.

A new exhibition featuring the art of Michaela Valli Groeblacher and the poetry of Kim Stanley is now on display at McPherson College’s Friendship Hall Gallery. The public is invited to an opening reception from noon to 1 p.m., Friday, January 30, when the creators will give a gallery talk and answer questions about their work.

The exhibition, To Bee or Not To Be, explores the interconnectedness of humans and nature. It features Valli Groeblacher’s ceramic pieces, paintings, and photographs paired with poetry by Stanley.

“The individual art pieces show how two minds see this interconnectedness with others and with the earth and nature,” said Valli Groeblacher. “As humans we do not exist in a vacuum, we are connected and dependent. Kim and I think that it is therefore fitting that two artists show as one.”

Valli Groeblacher is an associate professor of art and gallery director at McPherson College. Stanley is a professor emeritus of English. Valli Groeblacher has earned recognition for her work at state and national juried art shows, and Stanley has led book discussions and writing workshops for Humanities Kansas.

Each year, McPherson College invites Kansas high school students to exhibit their best art and compete for prizes and scholarships at the Art POP exhibition in Friendship Hall at the college. This year, Ann Zerger, professor emeritus of McPherson College and former art professor, will be the juror.

Art from 15 high schools statewide includes 92 art pieces. The exhibit features work from high school students attending Attica, Atwood-Rawlins County, Concordia, Free State-Lawrence, Herington, Hesston, Hutchinson, Inman, Junction City, McPherson, Moundridge, Pike Valley, Salina Central, Smoky Valley, Uniontown.

The exhibition is open to the public during business hours. A closing reception and awards ceremony are scheduled for Thursday, November 13, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., with the awards announcements beginning at 6 p.m.