Question of the Week
asked by Kelly Walsh
"Mr. T because he wouldn't
take crap from anyone."
Tim Linden, Comm. 08
An evening of music at the mid-winter concert
by Nicky Galloway
staff writer
The midwinter concert was held Thursday in
the McGarvey Commons of the Reed Union
Building. The concert began when the musical
talents of the Behrend Concert Band stirred the
souls of the audience.
The band began the evening with an up-beat
and enjoyable march called the “Florentine
March.” The song was written by British
composer Julius Fucik. The second piece was
“An Irish Tune from Country Deny” composed
by Percy Aldridge Grainger. This song was
lighter and peaceful. The final arrangement
performed by the band was the “Second Suite in
F’ composed by Gustav Holst. Holst was the
first composer of concert band music to adopt
the four movement suite for a concert band. This
piece was written in a classic British military band
style and was performed beautifully by the
concert band.
The Behrend concert band is comprised of 46
students and rehearses twice a week. Interested
students are encouraged to enroll in Music 082.
The only prerequisite is previous musical
experience and no audition is necessary. This
past December, the band went on its first tour to
Paris where it performed at the American
Cathedral.
The concert band is directed by Dr. Gary A.
Viebranz. This is his third year as the Director of
Instrumental Ensembles at Behrend. He also
directs the Jazz Ensemble and Pep Band. He
received his doctorate from the College-
Soup for the Soul series continues with student Brian Hill
by Christine Kleck
staff writer
The word “warm” can be used to de
scribe a variety of things, such as the feel
ing you get when you talk about a happy
experience or the way a bowl of soup
tastes on a cold winter’s day. The Protes
tant Campus Ministry & Catholic Cam
pus Ministry at Behrend have found a way
to incorporate those two feelings of
warmth in their “Soup for the Soul
weekly lunch and reflection hour.
The Behrend community, during six
Thursdays within the Lenten season, has
been invited to take the noon hour to en
joy a variety of soups, breads and speak
ers in the relaxed setting of the Smith
Chapel living room. Faculty, staff and stu
dents have not only attended the events
but have also spoken and reflected on their
own personal lives at the weekly meet
ings.
Helping to plan and prepare for the
events that are based on the ideas of the
“Chicken Soup for the Soul” series of
books are Lynn McNeil, Coordinator of
Protestant Campus Ministry; and Sr. Mary
Drexler, SSJ, Catholic Campus Minister.
“I wanted to have some kind of lun
cheon, and Sister said that she had been
thinking of a similar idea herself,” McNeil
said. “We have had a good response, be
cause religion is something that isn’t re
ally discussed as much in the workplace.”
Past speakers at the event include Kelly
Shrout, Coordinator of Service & Student
Activities, on Feb. 14, and Dr. Dean
Baldwin, Assistant Director of Humani
ties & Social Sciences, on Feb. 21. The
first student speaker on Feb. 28 was se
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Conservatory of Music at the University of
Cincinnati. Viebranz is also a member of the
Pennsylvania Music Educators Association, the
Music Educator’s National Conference, the
College Band Directors National Association, the
National Band Association, the International
Association of Jazz Educators, and the American
Federation of Musicians.
The evening of music continued with the vocal
performances by the Behrend College Choir and
the Behrend Studio Singers. Both groups are
directed by Dr. Daniel Barnard.
Barnard is also the director of the Logan Music
at Noon Concert Series and the conductor of the
Erie Philharmic Chorus. He received his
doctorate in theory and composition from the
University of Northern Colorado. Barnard has
won several national competitions as a composer,
as well. His “Three Short Choral Works on Texts
by E.E. Cummings” was the runner-up in a
competition sponsored by the Virginia Chorale.
Barnard is a member of the Chamber Music
America, the Society of Composers, Inc., The
American Composers Forum, the Pennsylvania
Presenters, and the College Music Society.
The Behrend Choir is comprised of 41 students
in a variety of majors, and the choir practices three
times a week. It is open to any student who is
interested and wants to enroll. The Choir tours
periodically and has visited and performed in
Carnegie Hall. On Thursday night, they
impressed the audience with their full sound and
spectacular dynamics. The choir performed a
beautiful number called “Song of the Tall Ship,”
a Canadian folk song arranged by Harry Sommers
nior electrical engineering student Brian
Hill.
The topic of his discussion and the
theme for the event was “Encountering
Christ.”
Behrend student Brian Hill discusses his relationship with Jesus Christ during Thursday’s Lenten
lunch. Hill’s talk was the third in a series of six.
-1 you pick fa t
"Zena because she could get the
job done."
Linsey Cogswell
Education, 04
Friday, March 1, 2002
"Ani DiFranco because she is
the most fair-minded righteous
babe on the planet."
Abbey Atkinson, GAS, 06
called “Feller From Fortune,” and ended their
performance with “Deep Peace.” On March 23,
the choir will join the Erie Philharmonic Choir
for “Beethoven’s Ninth.”
The evening of music ended with the
spectacular vocal stylings of the Behrend Studio
Dr. Gary Viebranz conducts the Behrend Concert Band during Thursday’s mid-winter concert. Also included in the concert were
performances by the Behrend College Choir and the Behrend Studio Singers, led by Dr. Daniel Barnard.
Hill talked about the ways in which an
individual can encounter Christ, includ
ing Church, personal relationships with
Christ, nature, religious retreats and other
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"Robin Williams because in
'Patch Adams' and 'Dead Poets
Society' he did a good job in the
college scene."
Jon Still, Comm. 02
Singers. The group has been together for two
years and has made remarkable progress. The 11
students sing with their director, Barnard. The
Studio Singers practice on Mondays and
Wednesdays at 5 p.m., and on Thursdays at noon.
Thursday, they sang “Up the Ladder to the Roof,”
people. He talked about the importance of
listening to God and to always be thank
ful for what we have.
“I go and I take a test and I walk out
and feel good and I thank God for that,”
Hill said. Simple silence in re
treat settings, reflection time
and nature were also discussed
by Hill as a way to encounter
God. “It is phenomenal - we
are so used to talking - but I
gained so much more from just
listening,” he said.
Nature has also been an
inspiration to Hill.
“It is so profound to me
that God can create something
so beautiful (mountains) out of
nothing...lf you go into the
woods and go hiking, it brings
out a calmness in me because I
know Christ is there,” Hill said.
Hill also discussed how to find
Christ in others, including chil
dren and in those we love.
“I see Christ in children,
because of their simplicity and
innocence...they aren’t wor
ried about anything,” he said.
Hill has also found Christ in his
fiancee, Andrea Miller. “I have
now seen how much a person
can love another person and
how much we can open up to
someone else’s love - we open
up and let Christ love us.”
Hill’s experiences while
interning in Nebraska have
even helped him to find Christ
in complete strangers. “When
I was out West people were al
"Myself, so l could bring in a
student's prospective."
Fateen Wilson,
Accounting, 04
“On a Clear Day,” “Spain” with soloist Andrea
Rodriguez, and “Prayer of Being.”
Barnard commented that he was pleased with
the concert. He said the concert went well, and
was very pleased with the progress that both the
Behrend Choir and the Behrend Studio Singers
have made.
PHOTO BY REBECCA WEINDORF / BEHREND BEACON
ways happy to say ‘hi’ and it was so com
forting, it lifted my spirits. When you
encounter Him you want to share it with
others,” he said.
Finally Hill invited the crowd of about
20-25 people to ask themselves about the
ways in which they have encountered
Christ. Do we realize his presence? Do
we see him in those around us? In ran
dom strangers? In family members? And
how do we respond to Him? These were
all questions that Hill introduced and that,
later, Sr. Mary Drexler asked everyone to
discuss at their individual tables.
With the next “Soup for the Soul” event
on March 14, Drexler is very confident
that based on its popularity, the idea will
grow into more programs like this at dif
ferent times of the year. “It has all the right
ingredients,” she said, “We have a little
food and we talk and enjoy each other’s
company, and that is just what Jesus would
have done.”
Hill agrees that the events are something
that will bring the Behrend community to
gether. “We are getting together and shar
ing something about life that isn’t so much
school-related,” he said.
Later speakers include Nicole Miller,
student at Behrend, on March 14; Linda
Kaleta, staff assistant to the Career De
velopment Center and Personal Counsel
ing Office, on March 21; and Dr. Daniel
Barnard, lecturer in Music and Choral Di
rector, on March 28.
For more information on the “Soup for
the Soul” programs or to make a reserva
tion for the March 14 gathering, contact
either Lynn McNeil at x 7139 or Sr. Mary
at x 6245.
The Behrend Beacon