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The Behrend Beacon
Concert band bids bon voyage
by Kevin Fallon
staff writer
Sounds of music filled the Blasco Memorial
Library on Tuesday. The Penn State Behrend
Concert Band gave a concert, titled "Prelude to
Paris," to say farewell to Erie before leaving for
its tour to Paris.
The Concert Band, comprised of 47 students from
across the United States, will leave for Paris on Dec.
17 for its first tour. The highlight of the trip will
be a performance at the American Cathedral.
"Anytime you're given the chance to perform
for a new audience, especially on an interna
tional basis, it raises the level of standards," said
Dr. Gary Viebranz, director of the Concert Band.
The trip also includes visits to Versailles, the
Musee d'Orsay, and the Loire Valley.
"I was aware of several festival performances
in Europe," Viebranz said. "I thought that Paris
would provide some wonderful experiences for
the group."
Viebranz praised the students for working hard
to prepare for this tour.
"Musically, the ensemble has grown tremen
dously since making this commitment. Cultur
ally, we will grow through experiencing a por
tion world that many of our students have never
visited."
The program for the tour features a mix of
songs from both American and French cultures.
"I wanted to provide our audience with a mix of
selections...to create a diverse musical experi
ence," said Viebranz.
The instrumental music program at Behrend
was established in 1999. In addition to the Con
cert Band, the program also features Pep Band
and Jazz Ensemble. There is no music degree
at Behrend; so all music groups are open to any
one with an interest in music.
"We're very proud of all of our musical groups
and believe that there's someplace for everyone
who has an interest in performing," said
Viebranz
This trip to Paris is very important to the mu
sic program and students at Behrend. "To some
extent, it will validate our entire program as a
worthwhile endeavor, but the true value is in our
potential to serve as musical ambassadors on a
global basis."
Viebranz has directed the Concert Band for three
years. He also instructs the Jazz Ensemble and Pep
Band.
The video game market
gets tougher
by Stephen Lynch
Knight Ridder/Tribune
News Service
By all appearances, it's late in the game.
Except, says Mark Surfas, president of the
video-game publication GameSpy.com, it's
really the first quarter.
"The gaming industry is beginning this
huge ascent," he says. "By the end of the
decade, it'll be four times what it is today."
That's quite a claim, considering video
games are already a $2O billion-a-year
business, rivaling Hollywood movies and
MTV's stars for the attentions of youth.
Analysts are expecting video games to be
especially popular this holiday season, as
It It
This baby wants its buttons pressed
more Amencaila to stay in and
plug in after the terrorist attacks.
Yet, when you look closer, there is
evidence of a larger, untapped audience.
For one, the age of video- game play
ers has crept up during the past decade,
as a generation raised on Pac-Man has
held onto their joysticks into their 20s
and 30s. As technology has improved,
video games are seen less as childish
distractions and more like interactive
movies both parents and kids can play.
Thursday, Microsoft unveiled the
Xbox, its first foray into the home
video-game market. Sunday, Nintendo
released its next-generation machine,
the Game Cube. They are to video
games, Surfas says, what the first sound
FEATURES
Friday, November 30, 2001
and color movies were to film
Microsoft "is getting in on the ground
floor," he adds. "We think there's room
for everybody."
Others are more wary. Peter Moore,
chief operating officer for Sega, knows
how tough the market can be, consider
ing his company abandoned the console
business after the disappointing sales of
the Dreamcast.
"There has never been three success-
ful platforms on the market," he says.
"But the demographics and
• psychographics really have expanded.
Maybe there can be three consoles as long
as there is a clear differentiation."
Indeed, setting the Xbox apart will be
Microsoft's biggest challenge. Despite
the proximity of their release dates, most
observers don't think the Xbox and
Game Cube will cut too much into each
other's sales. Nintendo's target audience
is 12 to 17, while Microsoft is going af
ter the older teens and 20-somethings. In
stead, it's the Xbox versus the Play Station
2, the Sony console that came out last
year.
Beth Llewelyn, director of public rela-
tions for Nintendo, says the Game Cube
has plenty of games that will appeal to
older players, but admits that the Xbox-
PS2 rivalry "sort of allows us to sneak in
there."
"To discount (the younger) market is a
mistake," she adds. "Pokemon was the
No. 1 selling game last year."
Nintendo also has remained focused on
video games only, and, unlike the PS2
and Xbox, the Game Cube isn't able to
play DVD movies. But the Game Cube
also costs $2OO, where the other two con
soles are $lOO more.
Considering Morgan Stanley estimates
that Microsoft could lose $1 billion be-
fore breaking even on the Xbox in 2004,
one wonders why it's bothering to chal
lenge Sony with such a similar console.
The question is compounded by the fact
just
that this is Microsoft's first hardware prod-
Moore says that despite the risks,
Microsoft just doesn't want to be left be
hind, especially if the theory that this is
just the beginning of the video-game busi
ness is true. "This is a vehicle for the liv
ing room," he says. "They want to be in
the living room and not just on the PC."
MICROSOFT XBOX
Price: $3OO
Bonus material: Plays DVD movies
with $3O upgrade; built-in CD recorder;
broadband hookup for future online gam-
Key titles: The fighting game "Dead or
Alive 3," featuring roundhouse kicks and
plenty of pixel cleavage; the space ma
rine shoot-'em-up saga "Halo."
NINTENDO GAMECUBE
Price: $2OO
Bonus material: Future games will in
teract with the Game Boy Advance, let
ting you take characters on the road
Key titles: Mario's brother takes on
ghosts with a vacuum cleaner in "Luigi's
Mansion"; with its crystal-clear
soundtrack and detailed X-Wings, "Rogue
Squadron II" is better than the last "Star
Wars" movie.
SONY PLAYSTATION 2
Price: $3OO
Bonus material: Plays DVD movies and
CDs; able to run many older (less expen
sive) original Play Station games
Key titles: Having the right combina
tion of storytelling and action, "Metal
Gear Solid 2" should be the most popular
game this season; virtual football just
keeps getting better with "Madden NFL
2002."
Karl Benacci, Features Editor
Through the Looking Glass
By Mike Pingree
KRT Campus
A BABY? OH, THAT EXPLAINS
EVERYTHING
A Pennsylvania woman went home from
work early with what she thought was a
stomach virus. It turned out to be a 7-pound
baby girl named Jasmine. The woman was
unaware she was pregnant. "It was my first
baby," she explained.
SO, DOES THIS MAKE ME LOOK
A retail center in Scotland now provides
"shopping boyfriends" for women whose
husbands/boyfriends/love dudes refuse to go
shopping with their ladies. Women can drop
off their men in the video section of the
Braehead Shopping Center in Glasgow and
be provided with surrogates who accompany
them to the stores and are "enthusiastic, at
tentive, admiring and complimentary."
I KNOW THIS LOOKS BAD,
OFFICER
A Florida man was arrested for placing a
tiny video camera in the toe of his shoe and
using it to look up women's skirts. He was
given a year's probation. As soon as his sen
tence was up, he got caught doing it again.
NEXT TIME, TRY THE
HEIMLICH, PAL
A man was rushed to the hospital in Wichita,
Kan., with a wire coat hanger stuck in his
throat, a unique situation that baffled doctors
until they operated on him and found a bal
loon filled with cocaine hooked on the end.
The man had bent the hangar and stuck it down
his throat in an effort to recover the coke which
he said he accidentally swallowed at a party.
He is expected both to recover and to go to
jail for felony drug possession.
**. ..*
*%*. Horoscopes.
4
Mies (March 21-April 19) - Today is an 8 -
There's too much on your agenda. How are you
going to do it ail? If you find yourself double
booked, get a friend to represent you at the
evens you can't make.
Taurus (April 20-May 20) - Today is a 6 - The
money is finally headed your way. Wrap up the
deal you've been negotiating. You can take the
pressure and hand some out. Never falter, never
Genikti (May 21-June 21) - Today is a 7 - If
you have a strong partner on your side, you can
talk anybody into anything. If you and your
mate disagree, the fur will fly. Things will get
very interesting either way. Yes, there is a happ
ending.
Cower (June 22-July 22) - Today is a 5 -Tak
time to do your calculations carefully. No need
to hurry. Make sure you avoid mistakes, bees
there may be a bit of confusion. Stay cool and
help others do the same.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) - 'May is an 8 - You
don't have to do everything now. You can relax
and let some of your friends take over. They've
got some good ideas and should be quite
effective. So what will you do? You're the coach
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) - Today is a 6 - It's
time to make your report on recent activities.
Management wants to know what's going on.
• They'll be asking lots of questions. Luckily,
you've got a good memory. Give them tbe facts
and get your next assignment.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct 22) - Today is a 9 - Think
you could get off work early? There are places
to go and people to see. If you get to do that as
part of your Job, even better! ff possible, take
your sweetheart along. If not today, tomorrow.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Today is a - If
the rune were easy, you'd be bored. And this
gone sure Isn't boring. You have a whole bunch
of chokes to make Involving your money and
the money of others. Heed your roommate and/
or your mother's advice.
SAgittarins (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) - Today Is an 8 -
Don't argue with a person who's trying to set
you straight. Accept the coaching and become
more effective. Divvy up tasks in order to
Capricorn (Dec. 224 an. 19) - Today is a 5 -
You could make a hefty profit now by finishing
up your own lists. Get to work on all the stuff
you've jotted down, from good ideas to obliga
dons. Do the obligations first. It'll clear your
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) - Today Is an 8 -
You're vindicated. You didn't need to know
everything. The vibration's back to normal • or
dose enough t and you can finally relax.
Schuh& an evening full of your favorite people
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) - Today is a 5 -
More changes are under way, both in your
career and at home. This causes confuidon, but
you can find your way through it. You might
also find something better than you had before.
Follow the light.
behrcolls@ aol.com
FAT?
accomplish more.
sod favoilte things.