Volume 49 No. 4 Novernoer 4 zOO9
Braaaaaiiiiinnnnsss
Zombies invade Harrisburg or
page 4,
Homeless in
Harrisburg
Read an in-depth report by oui
own Seppideh Safaee-Semiromi
on pages 6 and 7
‘Little Shop’ and
big plants
The Capital Players prepare for
their big production of “Little
Shop of Horrors” on page 10
Construction on
Interstate-81
Get the details and how it affects
you on page 5
‘Twihard’ with a
vengeance
A popular vampire series wreaks
its havoc on PSU-Harrisburg
Sheetz vs. Rutters
Two cheap, late-night options
come to a head on page 13 in our
continuing series of cheap eats in
the area
Games and comics
Ignore class with the laughs and
brain-twisters provided on page
17 for your enjoyment
Index:
News 4-7
Opinion 8-9
Campus Life 10-11
Entertainment 12-14
Sports 15
Police, Calendar 16
Comics/Games 17
The
Branches unite at Whitaker
By VINCENT DANGOLOVICH
Staff Writer
VWDsoo6@psu.edu
The choirs of six Penn State
Campuses performed in “Raise
the Song” at the Sunoco
Performance Theater of the
Whitaker Center. The Capital
Campus Choir, directed by David
Deitz, hosted young singers from
Harrisburg, Berks, Altoona,
Eire, Shuykill and State College.
Each group briefly performed as
separate choirs to a packed house
before combining for the finale
and the Penn State Alma
Mater.
Director of Humanities
at the Harrisburg branch,
Kathryn D. Robinson,
summed up the concert’s
humble beginnings in her
opening remarks. “What
started as a high school
workshop one year ago has
blossomed into a state wide
event,” said Robinson.
Lion Ambassadors lan
Rowles and Soumya
Immella were on hand to
take tickets and hand out
programs but admitted an
ulterior motive for their
presence: the support of
friend and fellow Lion
Ambassador Kahn Vaidya.
Others attended for simpler
reasons.
“The ticket price was
good,” joked Penn State
alumnus Chuck Romigh,
referring to the free
admission cost.
Darrell and Cynthia Diodato
came for other reasons. With a
son currently in his senior year
at University Park and another
planning to attend the Harrisburg
branch, they were curious about
the performance aspect of the
University. “We love music,”
said Cynthia Diodato, smiling
at her husband. “It brings back
memories of college choir.”
While neither Darrell nor
Cynthia Diodato were alumni
or music majors, they were very
pleased to be in attendance.
Darrell Diodato mentioned that
Penn State was performing a
Capital Ti
great service to the community
in holding such events. Cynthia
Diodato, recalling fond college
experiences and friendships,
concurred. “I think it’s really
great that kids who are non
music majors that opportunity,”
said Cynthia Diodato.
Not all campuses are not staffed
or built to accommodate a full
music department like University
Park. Of the 183 students
performing, 138 were in a major
not related to music. This did
not prevent them from putting on
an entertaining evening.
They half-marched, half-danced
their way onstage while singing
two rhythmic arrangements.
They elicited laughs as the men
of the choir sang a humorous song
about Noah’s Arc and finished
with a stirring number by Ysaye
M. Barnwell. Entitled “We Are,”
soloists Steven Howell and Sally
Sutton mesmerized the crowd
as the CCC carried the backing
music.
Conductor Bonnie Cutsforth-
Huber of Penn State Altoona led
her choir in three songs from
popular musicals. “You Can’t
Stop the Beat” from Hairspray
got the audience to clap along as
mes
the students danced and clapped
to the Motown inspired tune.
Clad in black tuxedos and
evening gowns, the concert choir
of University Park displayed its
musical prowess with several
challenging arrangements.
Two selections from “Three
Australian Bush Songs” had
Drafall conducting students to
sing in a depiction of Dawn
and Birds including simulated
birdsong by the students.
As impressive as each branch
choir was, Penn State Laureate
Tony Leach stole the evening
when all of them combined to
do the Alma Mater with the
audience. “If you don’t know
the Penn State Alma Mater,” Mr.
Leach warned, “you’ll just have
to listen to the first verse and
hum along... Everyone will sing
or there will be a rehearsal.”
The entire auditorium laughed
at this comment, yet everyone
stood to sing with the assembled
choirs. The grand display of
Penn State unity clearly moved
all attending the evening. They
collectively, as the Alma Mater
states, “raised the song.”
The audience remained standing
at the song’s end. Only now they
did not sing, they applauded. “I
don’t think there was a better way
to meet the directors and their
choirs,” said Christopher Evans,
conductor of the Schuylkill
University Choir. “Interaction
leads to improvement and I think
the students had something to
learn from all.”
“It was an opportunity to see
all the choirs doing the same
work... working hard,” said D.
Jason Bishop, conductor of the
Behrend Campus concert choir
and chamber singers. “I think we
have to do this again.”
Director of Humanities at the
Harrisburg branch Kathryn
D. Robinson commented that
bringing all the campuses back to
a neutral performance space like
the Whitaker Center in the state
capital would be most prudent.
It would showcase Penn State
in a place of prominence where
it was well attended, appreciated
and meaningful.
Perhaps the words of Tony
Leach provide the best support
for why “Raise the Song” was
a such a success: “Music is
important in our lives. We give it
our time, [and] our energy... Joy
comes from sharing that music.”