Calendar Highlights Feb. 16-March 9

CAPTION: The Guarneri String Quartet, described by the New York Times as having "no superior on the world's stages," will give the only Chicago performance of its 30th-anniversary tour at 8 p.m. Friday, March 3, in Mandel Hall. The quartet will be joined by cellist Colin Carr, grand-prize winner in the 1990 Rostropovich International Cello Competition. Tickets are $22, $19 and $17; $8 for students. For tickets and more information, call 702-8068. 'Gospel!' concert at Rockefeller

Radio personality Pam Morris will serve as host of "Gospel!" -- a concert in celebration of Chicago gospel music, presented by Rockefeller Memorial Chapel -- at 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26, in the chapel. The concert will feature the 90-member Voices of St. Mark choir, winners of the national Singsation gospel choir competition, as well the 60-member Voices of Progressive choir, the a cappella ensemble MaJ'n and soloist Tina Watson.

The Voices of St. Mark choir, led since 1984 by Lonnie Hunter, gained national recognition with first-place awards at both the Chicago and the national Singsation gospel choir competitions. The choir has appeared on a WTTW/Chicago, Channel 11, special with Patti Labelle.

Concert host Pam Morris is the host of the Sunday-morning "Gospel Stroll" program on WVAZ-FM (V-103).

The gospel concert is presented in conjunction with the Coordinating Council for Minority Issues. Proceeds will benefit the University Community Service Center.

Tickets for the concert are $10, $5 for students. To order tickets, or for more information, call 753-1191. Tickets are also available at the Reynolds Club box office through Friday, Feb. 24. Wilson, Kolb on the airwaves

William Julius Wilson, the Lucy Flower University Professor in Sociology and in the Harris School of Public Policy Studies, will be a guest on "Meet the Press," at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 19, on WMAQ-TV, Channel 5. He will discuss issues of race in America.

A talk titled "The First Microsecond of the Universe" by Edward "Rocky" Kolb, Professor in Astronomy & Astrophysics, will air at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 1, on WBEZ radio (91.5 FM). The lecture was recorded on Oct. 11 at the Downtown Center, where it was presented as part of the University's Cityfront Forums series. Mix of music, poetry in 'Facade'

University Theater Studio actors and members of the University of Chicago New Music Ensemble will combine their talents to present "Facade," a mixture of poetry by Edith Sitwell and music by William Walton, at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18, and Sunday, Feb. 19, in Goodspeed Recital Hall. Admission is free.

"Facade," which was inspired by a fellow poet's accusation that Sitwell's work was nothing but a facade, humorously questions the validity of social expectations and literary forms in the post-World War I era. University Theater actors will be directed by Anne-Bernadette Weiner; the New Music Ensemble is directed by Barbara Schubert.

Saturday's performance will also feature music of George Crumb and Cecil Effinger, and Sunday's performance will include music of Christopher Rouse, Clifford Callender and Heitor Villa-Lobos.

For more information, call the Music Department's Concert Hotline at 702-8069. Free Mardi Gras party Feb. 24

The music, food and revelry of New Orleans will heat up the atmosphere at the second annual campus Mardi Gras party, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday, Feb. 24, in Ida Noyes Hall.

A tarot-card reader, a clown, a face painter, a king's parade, live music and free-flowing food will all be part of the celebration, which is free and open to all members of the University community. Party-goers will be given beads and commemorative cups to mark the occasion.

Two bands, Chideco Zydeco and the Dixiecrats, will perform at the party, and a deejay will spin CDs. Food bars featuring Creole and other hot and cold food will be set up throughout the building.

The party is sponsored by the Student Alumni Association and the Council on University Programming. For more information, call the Student Activities Office at 702-9554.