AsiaPOP! movie: Tumbbad
Enjoy a free screening of the Indian folk horror Tumbbad, one of three films shown as a part of the Habib Institute for Asian Studies AsiaPOP! Dark symposium. When Vinayak Rao learns how to extract treasure buried deep in a temple to a cursed god, he thinks he is destined for a life of ease. But, will his greed and the curse destroy his family in the process? Atmospheric throughout and punctuated with strikingly horrific images, Tumbbad (Rahi Anil Barve and Anand Gandhi, 2018) premiered to much acclaim at the Venice International Film Festival. In Hindi with English subtitles.
Tuesday, August 25, 2026, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM.
Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre.
AsiaPOP! Exhibit Opening Reception and Artist's Talk
In "Echoes in Black," artist Jung Min (MJ) explores the tension between beauty and fear through the motif of black hair. Influenced by powerful female figures in Asian horror cinema, black hair becomes a symbol of both terror and strength. Through sculpture and installation, MJ transforms this familiar form into an unsettling presence, inviting viewers to confront discomfort and the uneasy relationship between vulnerability and power.
Jung Min (MJ) is a South Korean artist and educator based in Las Vegas, Nevada. She holds an MFA from the Pacific Northwest College of Art and a BFA from KookMin University in Seoul, and teaches at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
"Echoes in Black" is showing as a part of the AsiaPOP! Dark symposium, sponsored by the Habib Institute for Asian Studies, the College of Art and Architecture, and the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences. Light refreshments will be served and the talk will begin about 5 PM. The exhibit will be on display from August 24 through September…
University Location: Reflections Gallery - Idaho Student Union Building - Main Campus.
Wednesday, August 26, 2026, 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM.
Convocation - Welcome!
Lionel Hampton School of Music
Join the LHSOM for a welcome back convocation, featuring select performances.
University Location: Haddock Performance Hall - Lionel Hampton School of Music - Main Campus.
Thursday, August 27, 2026, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM.
Reading by Alumnus and Author Steven Pfau
Author and Alum Steven Pfau reads from his first published book, "Say Uncle: On Boyhood, Unclehood, and Queer Mentorship," as part of the Creative Writing Program's Visiting Writers Series. Join us on Friday, August 28, at the 1912 Center's Lecompte Auditorium. 5-6pm. Books for sale by BookPeople of Moscow. Free and open to the public. A book signing and Q&A will follow the event.
University Location: 1912 Center - Moscow.
Friday, August 28, 2026, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM.
AsiaPOP! movie: Ringu
Enjoy a free screening of the classic J-Horror film Ringu (The Ring, 1998) as a part of the Habib Institute for Asian Studies' AsiaPOP! Dark symposium. Television journalist Reiko investigates an urban legend about a cursed VHS tape that murders the viewer seven days after they watch it. As the mystery hits closer to home, Reiko joins forces with ex-husband/current exorcist Takashi to destroy the curse and (hopefully) survive an encounter with a ghost named Sadako. Directed by Hideo Nakata, Ringu is the highest-grossing Japanese horror movie in history, and has been an inspiration for the evolution of horror in East Asia and the World.
Tuesday, September 1, 2026, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM.
Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre.
AsiaPOP! Talk: Exorcism in Chinese Cinema
The AsiaPOP! Dark symposium welcomes Professor Gloria (I-Ling) Chien to campus to speak on "Exorcising Hopping Zombies, Ghosts, and Fox Demons in Chinese Cinema." Professor Chien’s talk explores how Chinese exorcism is adapted in three major cinematic trends across Hong Kong and mainland China: the jiangshi (hopping zombie) genre, romance-driven ghost narratives like A Chinese Ghost Story, and fox demon lore such as in Painted Skin. This research contributes to the study of Asian horror films by revealing how Chinese exorcistic traditions shape screen representations of the supernatural.
Gloria (I-Ling) Chien is the Arnold Distinguished Professor (2025–2028) and an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Gonzaga University. Her current projects include a book manuscript on Buddhist film and an edited volume on Māra. Chien’s earlier research explored the cultural legacy of the Tibetan Buddhist master Tokmé Zangpo (1295–1369) within the Lojong (mind training) tradition.
University Location: Clearwater-Whitewater - Idaho Student Union Building - Main Campus.
Wednesday, September 9, 2026, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM.
AsiaPOP! talk: North Korea's Monster, Pulgasari
Learn about the surprising case of North Korea's only monster flick, Pulgasari (1985), when Professor Dong Hoon Kim speaks on the topic at the Habib Institute for Asian Studies' AsiaPOP! Dark symposium. While the film itself is intriguing, its production history and reception are even more mysterious and uncanny, blending cult-movie novelty with profound historical and political implications. Additionally, because it marks the culmination of North Korea filmmakers' endeavors to break into the global market in the 1980s, Pulgasari serves as an excellent introduction to North Korean cinema.
Professor Kim is a film historian and cultural studies scholar at the University of Oregon. His current research focuses on colonial cinema, transnational media, socialist cinema, and East Asian film, media, and popular culture. He is the author of Eclipsed Cinema: The Film Culture of Colonial Korea and co-editor of The Bloomsbury Handbook of North Korean Cinema.
University Location: Clearwater-Whitewater - Idaho Student Union Building - Main Campus.
Thursday, September 10, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
For more info visit www.instagram.com. ACMS Masterclass: Rachel Barton Pine
Auditorium Chamber Music Series
Internationally acclaimed violinist, Rachel Barton Pine, will give a workshop for strings and a masterclass for violin and viola. Free to attend. Counts as MUSX140 recital attendance “Faculty/Guest.”
Violin & Viola masterclass at 1 p.m.
Workshop with Rachel Barton Pine at 1:50 p.m.
Questions? Contact chmusic@uidaho.edu
Hosted by the Auditorium Chamber Music Series.
University Location: 216 - Lionel Hampton School of Music - Main Campus.
Thursday, September 17, 2026, 1:00 PM – 2:20 PM.
For more info visit www.uidaho.edu. ACMS Masterclass: Matthew Hagle
Auditorium Chamber Music Series
Celebrated pianist, Matthew Hagle, will give a masterclass for piano. Free to attend. Counts as MUSX140 Recital Attendance “Faculty/Guest.”
Questions? Contact chmusic@uidaho.edu
Hosted by the Auditorium Chamber Music Series.
University Location: Haddock Performance Hall - Lionel Hampton School of Music - Main Campus.
Thursday, September 17, 2026, 1:30 PM – 2:20 PM.
For more info visit www.uidaho.edu. ACMS presents Rachel Barton Pine & Matthew Hagle
Auditorium Chamber Music Series
Internationally acclaimed violinist Rachel Barton Pine joins pianist Matthew Hagle for an evening of virtuosic chamber music. Celebrated for their expressive artistry and thoughtful interpretations, the duo brings together technical brilliance, musical depth, and a passion for both beloved masterworks and distinctive repertoire.
Hosted by the Auditorium Chamber Music Series.
Tickets at uitickets.com or at the door (card only).
University Location: Auditorium - Administration Building - Main Campus.
Thursday, September 17, 2026, 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM.
For more info visit www.uidaho.edu. Poetry Reading by Naturalist Elizabeth Bradfield
Author and Naturalist Elizabeth Bradfield reads from her new poetry collection, "SOFAR," as part of the Creative Writing Program's Visiting Writers Series. Join us on Friday, Sept 18th, at the 1912 Center's Lecompte Auditorium. Books for sale by BookPeople of Moscow. Free and open to the public. A book signing and Q&A will follow the event.
University Location: 1912 Center - Moscow.
Friday, September 18, 2026, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM.
Sing for Unity (Vandaleers & Palouse Choral Society)
Lionel Hampton School of Music
Join the LHSOM for "Sing with Unity," featuring the Vandaleers and the Palouse Choral Society.
MUSX 1400: AD.
University Location: Auditorium - Administration Building - Main Campus.
Sunday, September 20, 2026, 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM.
Guest Lecture/Recital - Alejandro Cremaschi, piano music of Argentina
Lionel Hampton School of Music
Join the LHSOM for a guest lecture and recital featuring Alejandro Cremaschi, piano music of Argentina.
MUSX 1400: FG
More: https://alejandrocremaschi.com/.
University Location: Haddock Performance Hall - Lionel Hampton School of Music - Main Campus.
Monday, September 21, 2026, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM.
For more info visit alejandrocremaschi.com. Guest Masterclass - Alejandro Cremaschi, piano music of Argentina
Lionel Hampton School of Music
Join the LHSOM for a guest masterclass featuring Alejandro Cremaschi, piano music of Argentina.
More: https://alejandrocremaschi.com/.
University Location: Haddock Performance Hall - Lionel Hampton School of Music - Main Campus.
Tuesday, September 22, 2026, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM.
For more info visit alejandrocremaschi.com. Faculty Chamber Music Recital
Lionel Hampton School of Music
Join the LHSOM for a recital featuring faculty chamber music.
Free and open to the public.
University Location: Haddock Performance Hall - Lionel Hampton School of Music - Main Campus.
Tuesday, September 22, 2026, 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM.
Convocation 1
Lionel Hampton School of Music
Join the LHSOM for Convocation 1, featuring select music students and ensembles.
Free and open to the public.
MUSX 1400: CR.
University Location: Haddock Performance Hall - Lionel Hampton School of Music - Main Campus.
Thursday, September 24, 2026, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM.
Student Recital — Gus Labayen
Lionel Hampton School of Music
Join the LHSOM for a student recital featuring Gus Labayen.
Free and open to the public.
MUSX 1400: AD.
University Location: Haddock Performance Hall - Lionel Hampton School of Music - Main Campus.
Thursday, September 24, 2026, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM.
Orchestra Concert
Lionel Hampton School of Music
Join the LHSOM for a U of I Symphony Orchestra concert.
Tickets are available at uitickets.com.
MUSX 1400: AD.
University Location: Auditorium - Administration Building - Main Campus.
Tuesday, September 29, 2026, 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM.
Jazz Combos
Lionel Hampton School of Music
Join the LHSOM for an evening of Jazz Combos performances.
Tickets are available at uitickets.com.
MUSX 1400: AD.
University Location: Haddock Performance Hall - Lionel Hampton School of Music - Main Campus.
Wednesday, September 30, 2026, 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM.