Month: November 2015

The angel resting on Sophomore Joseph Miner’s left shoulder is not a real angel of course, but a tattoo of one. Miner’s angel is a seraphim, traditionally considered in the Christian faith to be the highest rank of angels. Stretching from Miner’s shoulder to halfway down his arm, the seraphim clasps its hands in front of it as if it were praying, and hides its feet and eyes behind four of its six wings, while the other two stretch out behind it.

Miner’s decision to get his tattoo came six months after hearing a particularly inspiring sermon. The topic was Isaiah 6, where the prophet Isaiah finds himself before the throne of God. In the scripture it states that seraphim flew about the throne, covering their feet and faces with their wings while proclaiming God’s glory. Recognizing his unworthiness, Isaiah proclaims himself to be “a man of unclean lips,” who should not even be allowed to look at God. At this, one of the seraphim flies down and touches his mouth with a piece of coal. “He says, ‘Your guilt is taken away and your sins are atoned for,’” Miner recalled, “and it was kind of like a response to… just the weight of the guilt he felt for being such a sinful man.” Miner said he got his tattoo as a reminder that God is more concerned about our devotion to him than he is about how many sins we commit.

Sarah Makosy ‘16  also got her tattoo to remember something special in her life. Hers simply consists of a set of coordinates on the back of her arm: 42’ 37’ N, 79’ 04 W. Makosy said these are the coordinates of a camp where she had worked the past two summers. “In the two summers that I was there, I really changed a lot as a person,” Makosy said, “and I really… found out who I was.” She, along with a friend working there, got the tattoo to commemorate the camp.

Several students interviewed said they believed that tattoos were beginning to gain acceptance in today’s culture. Crystal Zuver, a sophomore and non-traditional student with nine tattoos, said that those with tattoos used to be considered “up to no good”, but that is not the case anymore. “I am an artist,” she said, “and I see my body as a canvas, and tattoos are art and a way to express myself.”

However, others expressed a differing opinion. Emma Donmoyer ‘19 said she believed that getting a tattoo is something that can very easily be regretted. “What means something to you changes a lot when you get older, even if it meant something to you at one point, it might not later,” said Donmoyer.

A number of students also spoke about a change in their perceptions of tattoos and those who have them. Miner said he gained a new appreciation for personal space after receiving his tattoo. “When I’m just walking around trying to get my lunch and someone’s like, ‘Oh, what’s that mean?’” Miner said with a laugh. “Like, I’m trying to eat here! Leave me alone.” He also commented on people who would try to feel his tattoo. “I’m like, ‘that’s still skin’, you know?”

Miner, Makosy, and Zuver all agreed that getting a tattoo is something that needs to be thought about. “That one split-second decision of, ‘you know, I’m just going to go get a tattoo today,’ is something that stays with you forever,” said Makosy. “Permanence-wise and importance-wise is something that I think people should take thought in.”

From December 4-6, Houghton College will host the ninth annual Christmas Prism. The event will take place in Houghton, as well as Rochester and Williamsville, a change from last year’s venue in Hamburg. This year’s theme is “Celebrate the Prince of Peace!” which, according to the dean of the Greatbatch School of music Armenio Suzano, intentionally suggests that this year’s Prism will be a time of worship as well as an opportunity to experience a beautiful performance. Suzano, who replaced Stephen Plate as Dean and Director of the Greatbatch School of Music this year, said “If we have not touched the hearts and spirit of the audience, we have not done our job…People for miles around know that Houghton students are talented musicians, but that’s not the main point, here. The point is to worship the Creator of the universe.”

When asked who will be performing this year, Suzano answered “Everybody!” In addition to the classical groups that have performed in previous years (including Men’s and Women’s Choir, College Choir, Symphonic Winds, and the Symphony Orchestra) the 2015 Prism will include two, more contemporary groups: Gospel Choir and Houghton Singers. Suzano describes this decision as an opportunity to expand the horizons of Prism by including music which has generally not been included as part of the canon. He is excited for the fresh perspective that these groups will bring this year.

Along with the additions to the musical ensembles are several relatively new faculty members directing and conducting this year. Graduate Music Coordinator Kelly Van Kirk, Suzano, professor Sarah Luebke, and associate professor Adam Luebke were all brought on as faculty within the last two years. Malcolm Bell, a graduate student, will also be conducting Gospel Choir. Suzano believes that the number of new faculty will affect Prism positively, as they will be able to see it with new eyes and therefore take a fresh approach. The faculty and students, he said have been praying regularly for Prism’s ministerial success as well as its technical, musical success. Suzano also compared the role of Houghton’s musicians to that of the Levites, who performed holy service in the tabernacle of the desert and in the temple. He said the focus of this year’s performance is not meant to be on the performers, but rather on experiencing God through the music.

In addition to the musical experience of Prism, there will be an upscale dinner served on Saturday night for those who purchased the thirty dollar tickets. Phyllis Gaerte, Alumni and Community Director, said the dinner is always a beautiful experience with delicious food and a Christmas ambiance. While parents and alumni are the primary people who attend, students are encouraged to come and enjoy the pre-Prism celebration as well. Gaerte says the experience is well worth the extra cost.

For students looking for a break before plunging into finals, this year’s Prism will certainly be on the top of the list.

You may find second year music graduate student, Fabio Menchetti working hard in the music building, but one thing you will not catch him doing is complaining about the snow. He shared, “I really like winter. I hope there is so much snow that we can’t get out of our houses.” Menchetti’s adventurous spirit denies the opportunity for life to get stale. He believes, “The process is more important than the result.”  

Although he is currently pursuing a master of arts in piano, Menchetti’s music studies began long before he arrived at Houghton in August of 2014. He began playing piano around age 7 in his hometown of Lucca, Italy. At a young age, he was accepted to a music conservatory in Lucca where he received a bachelor’s degree in piano performance. He pursued a second bachelor’s in music, theater, and visual arts at the University of Pisa. Later he attended a conservatory in La Spezia where he received two master’s degrees in music education and piano performance.

After receiving a job in music education teaching junior high students, Menchetti worried that he would stop growing if he taught at the same school for many years. He admitted, “I was afraid to be stuck.” Without any connections to music schools in the United States, he sent out many applications to different schools. When Houghton got back to him, Menchetti left Italy and made the decision to go abroad and pursue a third master’s degree. He reasoned that a master’s degree from a school in the United States would be important to pursue as a transition between studying in Italy and achieving a doctorate in the United States or in another country. The decision to go abroad and leave familiar places and people was not easy, but he communicated how much he has learned and is learning from the experience of studying abroad.

Currently Menchetti has 22 piano students at Houghton as a part of his assistantship for the master’s program. He explained that it was difficult to understand and be understood by his students at the beginning of the year due to the language barrier. His first year as a graduate student was exciting because he had to navigate a new culture and language in an academic setting, he expressed. In addition, he discovered that he could not only survive the courses, but he could thrive in the Houghton environment making new friends and enjoying his work alongside fellow music students at Houghton.
This semester, Menchetti is focusing on preparing applications for Doctorate programs in piano performance. He aspires to teach music in the higher education field. He finds his musical roots in early romanticism and late classicism and especially enjoys listening to Beethoven and Chopin.