campus news & events

Colby-Sawyer College to Host Eco-Tones' Environmental Music with Alumna Jen White

NEW LONDON, N.H., Oct. 2, 2007 – Colby-Sawyer College will host a performance by Eco-Tones, a musical group focused on entertaining while educating their audiences about how to become better stewards of the Earth.

The Eco-Tones will perform in Wheeler Hall in the Ware Campus Center on Monday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m. Admission is free.

With a combined 40 years of experience in the music business, Jimmy Sferes and Jennifer White provide their listeners with an eclectic mix of blues, folk and rock. In addition to several classic songs, Eco-Tones include some original songs that the band feels “really tell it like it is. Some have a serious message and some will leave you laughing.”

For the last five years, Sferes and White have been touring the country under the name of “Sferes and White.” They have appeared on Garrison Keillor's nationally syndicated NPR program “A Prairie Home Companion,” and have released a debut album titled “The View from Here.” Currently the group is touring under the name of “Eco-Tones,” playing music and educating people about environmental issues.

Sferes and White has performed everywhere from small listening rooms to colleges and universities. The group attracts people of all ages and has found that their music has a way of lightening up the subject matter, allowing audiences to relax and become more engaged in the performance. Audiences have expressed gratitude that the group does not use all kinds of “doom and gloom” tactics to get their points across.

Growing up in New London, N.H., Jennifer White, who graduated from Colby-Sawyer College in 1990, was involved with Colby-Sawyer's early transition to a more “green” way of life. “I started the first campus community recycling program way back then [as a student at Colby-Sawyer], but we didn't have the infrastructure in town or at the college to take it very far,” she said. “What an exciting change to then read about the various 'green'” initiatives taking place on campus and also President Galligan's commitments to eventual carbon-neutrality for the school.”

As a child growing up in New York City, Jimmy Sferes often noticed the large amount of pollution that surrounds the city. Through his performances with White, it has become more and more clear to him that he wants to use his passion for music to educate people about their impact on the environment. In his mind, the Eco-Tones performances are the perfect way to keep his musical passion alive and to teach audiences about creating more sustainable lifestyles.

As “The Eco-Tones” White and Sferes have dedicated themselves to educating people about the impact of their daily activities on our earth. “We feel that the global problems we're facing are truly urgent and we're very committed to doing what we can to create a sustainable future.” said Sferes, “Offering some hope and letting people know that there are plenty of simple things we can all be doing to make a difference.”

For more information about Eco-tones, visit their Web site at www.eco-tones.com. To learn about other Colby-Sawyer College events visit: www.colby-sawyer.edu/events.


Amber Cronin '11 is a Communication Studies student at Colby-Sawyer College who currently works in College Communications.

Colby-Sawyer, founded in 1837, is a comprehensive liberal arts college located in the scenic Lake Sunapee Region of central New Hampshire. Students from 25 states and five foreign countries learn in small classes through a select array of programs that integrate the liberal arts and sciences with pre-professional experience. Visit us on the World Wide Web at www.colby-sawyer.edu.

Colby-Sawyer College, 541 Main Street, New London, N.H. 03257 (603) 526-3000