Tag: music

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Opinions

The Constant Pursuit of Something Greater

By Evelyn Simanowski

What is a Vocal Performance major’s art? Short answer: I spend a lot of time singing songs I think are pretty. That probably seems like a rhetorical question and an even more obvious answer, though it’s not an answer I’m adverse to giving. I could say “I spend hours in a tiny practice room every day,” or “I’m taking 19 credits before ensembles,” or best yet, “I’ve shaped my entire lifestyle to meet the physical demands of being a vocalist.” Are these answers dramatic? Absolutely; but they hold just as much truth within them as they hold drama. I wouldn’t be in this major if these truths weren’t worth it.

I consider the art of singing to be one of complete connectivity and a far more dynamic art form than it appears at surface level. My career as a vocalist relies almost entirely on my ability to interpret and bring life to song, requiring me to view the piece through its historical, cultural, and artistic contexts. This idea of connection begins when I start studying a new piece of music. I’m first connecting with the notes and rhythms on the page, that’s a given, but during that time I also consider myself to be connecting with the composer and their intent. Despite having never met any of these composers, there’s a real closeness I feel with them when I consider what inspired them to write this music and exactly what they were trying to share with their audiences. There’s no guarantee that the circumstances and narrative they were writing in will fit my own; they hardly ever do. There is, however, a guarantee that each of these composers I’m honoring is an image bearer that shared in the human experience and used their God-given talents to express such experiences. 

My connection with the piece only grows as I spend more time with it and begin pouring my own personal experiences into the piece. The art of song, like any art form, requires interpretation. In this case, I the performer can interpret the piece in a way that is personally meaningful to my story and maintains the integrity given to it by the composer. Most of the music I choose to sing is by composers from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. While they’re not working with me in person, the intentional time and consideration I spend interpreting their work makes it feel as though there’s active collaboration going on between the two of us. They spent hours writing these pieces and now I have the privilege of spending hours working them in the practice room to bring them their due respect.

Any time I perform a piece of music, I believe that life is truly breathed into it when it’s shared with others and given what my voice professor and I call “people energy.” The exchange of energy that happens at this point in the process is electrifying and quite frankly what keeps me coming back for more. Within a single song, I’m exerting pure energy in my performance, exchanging energy with my collaborator(s), and feeling reciprocated energy from the audience. This dynamic energy exchange grants me the opportunity to share the meaning I’ve found in the composer’s piece with a group of individuals that can receive the meaning and interpret it through their own personal experiences and convictions. Standing on the stage and baring a little bit of my soul to an audience is, of course, a vulnerable experience. But in that vulnerability, there’s an even greater opportunity to share the joy and meaning I’ve found in the music.

My job doesn’t end when I step off the stage, nor is there any discernible goal or finish line I’m trying to reach. There are goals I have along the way, each of them indicative of a certain accomplishment or level of progress, but none of them representing perfection. It’s a grim thought, honestly, that no matter how hard I work or how talented I am, I will never achieve perfection in my performance, just as I will never be a perfect Christian. Still, I strive for excellence in all that I do, reminding myself that it’s okay to never achieve perfection. I remain conscious of the fact that I am honing the gifts God has given to me to be used to the best of my ability for His glory. I recognize the gift it is to bring new life to the work of my predecessors and to connect with countless individuals through a language that only He could create. I thank God for the art He has given me and the course He has set before me so that I may be in the constant pursuit of something greater. Soli Deo gloria. ★

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Opinions

The Language of Music

By Katrina Kaufman

“Where words fail, music speaks.” This was the Hans Christian Anderson quote on my piano teacher’s wall before coming to Houghton. This is a quote that many musicians likely have come across, and while it may be overdone, it is not incorrect. Music contains power. Music can both heighten and express emotion. According to a neuroscientist, music has the power to rewire your brain chemistry. In my own life, music has helped me to process emotions as well as process hard truths in life. Music is soothing as well. We see this in the Bible when David soothes Saul’s inner demons. I recently learned that musicians are hired to choose/compose the best music in advertising to make sure that even the music helps convey the exact message that the advertising company is trying to convey to their audience.

Music also has the power to connect people. When a musician is able to be vulnerable and share themselves with their audience, the audience is able to connect both with the music and the musician. The joy of performing with other musicians on stage and getting to create music together rather than alone is a fulfilling experience that is unforgettable. 

I recently had the opportunity to participate in a class discussion where we dug deeper into questioning music. Something we discussed is the idea that music is not truly essential when it comes to survival. Back in the ancient days, cavemen were struggling to survive. They were fighting to live, and yet they still made rough instruments for themselves. While music was not essential to them the way food, water, and shelter was, music still filled a less tangible need they had. Our ancestors must have felt the need to have music as a vehicle to feel connected and a sense of community, as well as the use for spiritual purposes and not just social. Keith Richard said “Music is a language that doesn’t speak in particular words. It speaks in emotions, and if it’s in the bones, it’s in the bones.” 

I believe we as humans make music because God put music inside of us. I believe I experience a little of God’s glory and awe when I am filled with awe soaking up all the beautiful music at a symphony. I also feel a sense of beauty and awe in my soul when I am listening to a beautiful soft rock song and feel a progression and cadence happening in the music. 

Another aspect of music that I love is its healing properties. Music helps people in their suffering. Music helps people to feel and process their emotions. Music also helps people to feel understood and validated in their suffering, therefore making them feel less alone and more seen and validated. One of the wonderful things about music is its ability to meet a person where they are at. A song that expresses the emotion or idea that a person is experiencing can help that person find more meaning in their suffering and give them courage to keep moving forward.

Most importantly, music can connect us to God through the act of Worshiping. Koin is an excellent way at Houghton to experience connecting to God through Worship music. As a Performance major, I have been exploring what it means to worship God through the act of pursuing excellence in music as an act of worship and devotion. I really appreciate the atmosphere at the Greatbatch School of Music and how the music professors live out what it means to be a Christian musician who is making music for God’s glory rather than a secular music school that provides an environment where self-glorification is easy to pursue, or where music is worshiped rather than God. I value GSOM’s commitment to putting Christ first and creating a healthy environment to grow aspiring musicians. ★

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Campus News

Student Performer Series

Pianist from Junior SPS - Courtesy of Savannah Stitt
By Isabella Bratton ('26)

The Sophomores’ Student Performer Series begins at 8 p.m. on Oct. 25 in the CFA Recital Hall.

The Student Performer Series (SPS) intends to prepare students for performing in juries at the end of the year, and their future capstone recitals. It gives music majors (typically music performance and music education) the chance to become more comfortable with performing. 

Dr. David Clem who is the Dean of the Greatbatch School of Music, explained that the performance, “exists to provide students with the opportunity to work through the challenges of performing, such as performance nerves and anxiety, and to grow accustomed to performing, well before they have to give a capstone recital. From experience, I (and the rest of the music faculty) can attest that the only way to get to a place where you are comfortable performing is to do it repeatedly, and the SPS is a pedagogically sound way of doing that.”

Sophomore Katrina Kaufman (‘26) is looking forward to both performing  for and watching her own classmates perform. 

Kaufman says, “A classmate mentioned to me recently that he is working on a complicated saxophone piece, and a vocalist is preparing a popular Broadway piece for next week as well! You can expect to get a mix of both vocal pieces and instrumental pieces from next week’s performances.”

Kaufman explained that each SPS, this year, is separated by class year. The seniors and juniors have already done their performances, and the week after the sophomores is the freshmen performance. This new division prevents an extremely long SPS that lasts hours. 

Kaufman says that while it makes sense logistically, it could take away from the quality of the performance that they would have with more time.

“Having a limited amount of time to prepare for a performance is part of being a musician,” Kaufman adds.

Dr. Clem explained that the most experienced students should be the most prepared for an early recital, and that’s why the seniors go first and freshmen go last. There is also a fifth performance for people who had to miss their classes, or who wanted to do extra performances.

Kaufman really enjoys seeing others perform, since they are typically on their own in practice rooms, saying, “Seeing others play in SPS has been inspiring to me personally and has given me ideas for techniques that I want to implement into my own playing.” 

Kaufman herself will be playing a Bach Fugue next week, along with a Chopin piece the following week. 

She also enjoys the fact that SPS gives her a chance to perform without the added pressure of being graded on her performance, saying that, “At juries, I am usually thinking about the fact that making mistakes has an impact on my grade. But at SPS, I can focus more on the joy of getting to share with a supportive audience and not worry about being graded.” ★

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Columns

Review: Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra

By Grace Vuolo

Last week, on February 1, Houghton University had the privilege of hosting the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine in our very own Wesley Chapel, conducted by our very own conductor, Theodore Kuchar. President Lewis opened the concert, praying that it would be a blessing to all performers and visitors. His prayer was most assuredly answered. This concert was a surreal experience both for musicians and nonmusicians alike. While this writer reviews from a musical background and technical perspective, regardless of the knowledge of the listeners, the effects of the musical magic enveloped the entire room. The unmatched rush of watching professional musicians tune as the lights dimmed was enough to encompass and enhance the already heightened anticipation.

The first piece performed by the orchestra was a chamber symphony for strings and a solo flutist by Yevhen Stankovych. The coordination between the soloist and the full-string ensemble was absolutely incredible. The flutist played rapid scales and arpeggios with precision and accuracy while the strings played with animation and an array of various techniques providing different sounds. The string’s layered harmonies and flutes uplifting levels of emotion conversed to express a lively story filled with intensity and intention. Kuchar conducted with clear direction and enthusiastic involvement in each and every sequence.

The second piece played was a Brahms violin concerto. The violinists’ bows moved in perfect unison on each note. Kuchar’s conducting led to clear-cut dynamic changes in every instrument, from the soothing relaxation of soft strings to the intense acceleration of bursting brass. The communication between brass and strings during the call-and-response sections sent a vapor of perfectly synced music swirling about the entire chapel. While the orchestra worked beautifully together, the true star of the Brahms concerto was the lovely and extraordinarily talented Vladyslava Luchenko. Luchenko believes that she sees “the musician’s true purpose in being a guide to a person’s most sacred, hidden unconscious…a profound healing tool, a bridge to the higher dimensions.” The skill level that she displayed was on a level that I cannot imagine many musicians reaching in their lifetime–yet, her performance was nothing less than inspiring. Her movements were swift and precise and led the orchestra beautifully. The percussionist used the timpani to drive the beat perfectly into Luchenko’s gorgeous notes and patterns. There must also be a special shout-out to Houghton’s own graduate student Melissa Kleinberger who had the amazing opportunity to perform with the orchestra and played her cello magnificently. Congratulations, Melissa!

The third piece was Dvořák’s ninth symphony in E minor which followed Kuchar expressing Ukraine’s thanks to the U.S. for the intellectual and financial help it has sent, making it possible for the Ukrainian government to function and the orchestra to come perform at Houghton. The piece was played with such passion and emotion that the gratefulness of each and every player could be felt.

To top off the performance, the orchestra played a piece of entirely Ukrainian origin, showcasing the musical roots of the orchestra. As the piece came to a conclusive end, members of the orchestra held up a Ukrainian/United States flag. The entire performance was so filled with emotion and heart. Kuchar’s pride and love for the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine was clear and passed through to the audience.

Thank you, Professor Kuchar, for sharing with us the gift of hearing your orchestra perform, and for treating us with the same love that you showed the musicians last Wednesday night. ★

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Columns

A-Compelling Club

By Caleb Tiedemann

It is not uncommon knowledge that Houghton is almost literally located in the middle of nowhere. Due to this common problem which can leave many students bored and with no way to destress, the college is very accommodating when it comes to extracurricular activities. Normally one may spend all their time drinking Java’s near-unlimited caffeine-laced products or spending countless hours on their Organic Chemistry homework. Therefore, it is important to find something calming that still stimulates our young minds. 

Luckily, Houghton has various different clubs for whatever may pique your interest. One of the many clubs that has come to my attention and become quite active is Houghton Heartsong; an Acapella Club. Seeing as how Houghton has an entire building dedicated to the study, creation, and production of music, it seems fitting for there to be multiple clubs dedicated to students who love the musical arts. 

Houghton Heartsong was created by juniors Grace Vuolo, who majors in music industry and minors in vocal performance; and Jon Hutmire, who majors in music industry and minors in business administration. The two act as leaders of the club with Vuolo acting as president and Hutmire as vice president. The mission of Heartsong is, as stated by Vuolo: “A club where people who like to sing of any musical background can come and have fun making music with our voices.” Some students may have already witnessed Heartsong’s musical ability at the Tree Lighting Ceremony prior to Christmas break.

When asked why she wanted to start Heartsong, Vuolo shared her inspiration as the 2012 film: “Pitch Perfect”. During her high school years, She fell in love with the movie and felt inspired by what they did with acapella. At that moment, she vowed that she would not attend a college without an acapella club. Prior to her attending Houghton University, there was no acapella club, so she started one herself, creating Heartsong in her freshman year. She wanted to make a club for everyone on the vocal music spectrum, from lower skill and familiarity to higher. Heartsong is a club for students to learn and grow, developing their vocal skills together. Due to the wide range of abilities, everyone’s skill set, or lack thereof, can be utilized. 

At the moment, Heartsong consists of ten members, and students not already involved are more than welcome to attend. I have attended various musical productions put on by the Greatbatch School of Music, and know that there are a lot more than ten people who have been gifted vocally. Large school productions can be very stressful, but Heartsong is a place for students who just want to have fun and relax. You can find Heartsong meeting in room 145 of the Center for the Arts from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Fridays, or you can email either Vuolo or Hutmire with any questions about the club. ★

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Campus News

Dr. Clem Appointed Dean of School of Music

By Collin Zehr (’22)


Dr. David Clem, assistant professor of Music History and previous Houghton graduate, was announced as the new Dean of the Greatbatch School of Music at Houghton College beginning in June of 2021. 

Over the past academic year, the search for a new Dean for the Greatbatch School of Music has been underway since Dr. Armenio Suzano stepped away from the position at the end of the 2020 Academic year. Since Dr. Suzano’s departure, Dr. Timothy McGarvey, Professor of Conducting and Director of Instrumental Music Activities, has served as the interim Dean of the School of Music. 

The Dean of the Greatbatch School of Music runs the school, including tasks concerning, “budget, overseeing a faculty/staff of 30 people, curriculum, policy, liaison with all other Houghton entities and our outside constituents, and the day to day administrative work.” as described by Dr. McGarvey. 

While serving in this position, Dr. McGarvey has worked alongside Dr. Sara Massey, assistant professor of Music Education. Dr. Massey described the search for a new Dean along-side a revisioning process for the Greatbatch School of Music. As liberal arts colleges all across the country deal with financial struggles, Houghton is alongside them in recognizing the need to adapt in order to remain viable as an institution of higher education. In order to confront this challenge head on, Dr. Clem became the apparent choice to serve as Dean due to his creativity, intelligence, integrity, and forward thinking. “No one else could do it,” described Dr. Massey.

Since his first experience with Houghton College as a Music Composition undergraduate student about 20 years ago, Dr. Clem could tell that God had a hand in bringing the right people to Houghton and the School of Music. Dr. Clem described how the “great communities” fostered at Houghton were something that he wanted to contribute to.  “The faculty are invested in students on a somewhat personal level” describes Dr. Clem, “[they] are preparing students for whatever is down the road” and “how to live and practice a Christian lifestyle in the world of music.” Dr. Clem was among one of the first groups of Graduate students to earn his Master’s Degree from the Greatbatch School of Music as well. 

Though Dr. Clem never necessarily sought an administrative role, he notes that he has “ended up in leadership positions throughout his life” and this is a role he is equipped to fill. Before accepting this position, Dr. Clem described his thought process as determining three things. As someone who often says “yes” to things asked of him, he has “had to learn to stop and think before saying yes. This means stopping and talking to God about things. Is this an obligation? Is this something I want? is this what God wants?” After considering this, he said yes willingly. Since Dr. Clem is a current faculty member at the school of music and is already serving on the committee to re-envision the school of music, he has been working closely with Dr. McGarvey, resulting in a more gradual transition. So, Dr. Clem has already begun learning about the administrative role that the Dean will fulfill. 

The general consensus among other students in the Greatbatch School of Music is one of excitement for Dr. Clem to assume the role of Dean. Current Junior Education Major, Caleb Durant, described his excitement “because [Dr. Clem]  knows the students really well and has a great rapport with the rest of the faculty. He is a great choice to represent the interests of the school and students.” 

The Greatbatch School of Music’s mission statement expresses the goal to develop “musical excellence” in order to be “effective musical practitioners” and advocate “in the Christian community and in the broader world.” When asked about his goals during his tenure as Dean, Dr. Clem described how “faith is a journey, not a destination. Excellence is the same. The bar is constantly moving” and we must treat it as such. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Houghton College and the Greatbatch School of Music have had to embrace the importance of maximizing the resources available in order to maintain the high standards we seek to achieve. 

Dr. Clem hopes to implement an array of summer programs within the Greatbatch School of Music including a summer music camp for highschool students. The graduate program will also expand to an online Music Education Masters Degree that will contain a summer intensive in-person component. The School of Music will be adding a new Worship Arts degree program that will hopefully benefit from summer songwriting classes with a workshop. Dr. Clem hopes that this summer program will allow students to learn and work with named CCM artists. Beyond the addition of summer programming, Dr. Clem wants to embrace the expertise within the School of Music to partner with local schools and churches to provide opportunities for those not directly involved with Houghton College. ★

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Reviews Stories In Focus

Review // PersonA Reveals New Persona for Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

Photo courtesy of: Amazon.com

With the departure of one of their lead singers, Jade Castrinos, in 2014, the sound and image of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros dramatically changed. The band has always been perceived as a kind of hippie-folk outfit, half band and half travelling commune, but with the loss of one of their charismatic lead singers, they had to undergo a serious image-change.

PersonA is the result of that image-change. It is a mix between their old freak-folk style, and a new, more together style which conjures images of The Beatles and the ‘60’s folk movement. It’s not necessarily a bad change, as frontman Alex Ebert said, that the guy-girl style that had characterized the band allowed them to be creatively lazy. With the change of image, came a change of personality, the persona of Edward Sharpe starting to merge more with the person of Alexander Ebert, hence the album name and the album artwork.

It seems that Ebert put a lot of work into the identity change, as the new album is a powerhouse. With folk melodies such as “Somewhere” and “No Love Like Yours,” it is likely to appeal both to long-time fans, and newcomers to the Edward Sharpe experience. Several songs seem to mark a time of change for the band, like the song “Free Stuff,” which mocks the folk music industry for overusing “hos and heys,” a musical addition which Ebert believes he was the first to use in folk music. The song represents his frustration with the music industry for “stealing his hos,” and also the band’s departure from that type of folk.

The song which stands out the most to many who review the album, and which Ebert says might be one of the best the band has ever written seems to be a bit overrated. “Wake Up the Sun” is a classic, anti-organized-religion song, in the vein of “Love is my Religion” by Ziggy Marley, and John Lennon’s “Imagine.” It doesn’t quite have the power that Ebert seems to think it does, as it proclaims “no religion, love, my religion is love.” A potentially powerful message lost perhaps in the overly-used falsetto vocals, and repetitive, unoriginal lyrics representing popular opinion in an attempt to be rebellious.

Besides this possibly overrated song, the album does have a powerful lineup. Ranging in genre from the traditional freak-folk the band is known for, to a bluesy kind of folk-rock, as characterized by the song “Uncomfortable.”

The song, which may well be the best song on the album, is the hippie-folk anthem “No Love Like Yours,” which conjures images of The Incredible String Band and The Beatles like no other song on the album. It represents the band’s ability to bridge old sounds with new folk movements, and to create a persona for themselves that may just be the best persona they have ever had.

From fans of their older music to folk-music junkies, this is an album that can appeal to just about anyone in the folk-music world. For anyone who doesn’t want to commit to a full listen, definitely check out “Somewhere” and “No Love Like Yours,” but for anyone who is in the mood for a musical experience, give it a listen all the way through. It will not disappoint.

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Reviews Stories In Focus

Return to the Radio: Alternative Buffalo 107.7 Review

“Your reason to return to radio has arrived” is a phrase commonly quipped on Buffalo’s radio station  Alternative Buffalo FM 107.7. It is a motto they live up to. The station surprisingly reaches all the way out to Houghton with reception extending across campus. It even has a mobile app or you can listen online. It is a relatively new station that has already got a lot going for it. It gives an excellent alternative for those who are tired of your typical pop radio station tunes, such as Iggy Azalea, Taylor Swift, or One Direction. For those who have forsaken radio altogether in favor of their iPod, try returning to this radio station.

Alt Buffalo plays a wide range artists ranging from legends like Nirvana to young new artists such as George Ezra. Popular artists such as Bastille, Lorde, Hozier, and Coldplay are commonly featured on the station, some even before they became international hits. Along with these big names are lesser known, but equally talented and entertaining musical artists. Alt Buffalo plays many up-and-coming or obscure artists, giving music lovers the opportunity to expand their musical library. Some artists you might discover include Panama Wedding, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Sir Sly, and Glass Animals.

Especially focused on the theme of discovery is the “The Underground Collective” session on Sunday nights 6-8pm. During this time they play only “underground” and indie rock artists, ones you mostly likely have not heard of, but that the station believes deserve to be listened to.

Similarly, “Localized” on Sunday nights 8-9pm features artists from Buffalo, Western New York, and surrounding areas. Local musicians can submit their music for the opportunity to gain exposure and listeners can hear local talented musicians. Joywave, a band out of Rochester, NY is now receiving a little more national attention, was featured on Localized.

Compared to similar alternative stations in other regions, Alt Buffalo keeps itself to the more indie and true alternative side of things. Other similar alternative stations sometimes begin to feel like a borderline pop station by playing too many top chart artists like Imagine Dragons or Fall Out Boy. While 107.7 does play some popular artists that fit into the indie or alternative genres, they steers clear of artists who do not belong on their station.

One drawback to Alt Buffalo is sometimes it can get slightly repetitive. If you listen too often you may find yourself hearing to the same songs multiple times in a week, which is perhaps a flaw of music radio stations in general. As more music comes out, however, they are always updating their playlists.

Besides just the radio station, a new and exciting addition to the Buffalo area from Alt Buffalo is their concert series. One of these series, called “You Saw Them First,” features lesser-known artists they expect to become big. Featured last spring was Bear Hands, who have their hit single “Giants.” Bear Hands went on to perform at Alt Buffalo’s big concert, the first Kerfuffle.

The unforgettable Kerfuffle concert happened in July at Canal Side under the skyway in Buffalo. It featured artists Bricks and Mortar, Semi-Precious Weapons, the Kongos, the Bleachers, and Cage the Elephant. Going from 3 to 11 p.m., the show had 10,000 people and was well-worth the price of admission.

With the success of summer concert and the growing popularity of the radio station, Alt Buffalo hosted the Kerfuffle Before Christmas. The concert featured artists Airborne Toxic Event, Jungle, Robert Delong, Neon Trees, and Walk the Moon – who recently came out with a new album, Talking is Hard.

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Stories In Focus

The Music Lounge: Creating a Creative Space Downtown

Once a shoe repair shop, then a Mobil gas station and car garage, this enduring building located on Route 19 in downtown Houghton has a new role — it has been repurposed into a into a creative space for local musicians. The Van Name family, from Dalton, NY started the musical venue three years ago, which they are calling “The Music Lounge.”

LukeLauer_MusicLounge2

The Van Names obtained the location, within walking distance, a few doors downs from 3 Bums, from Dawn Van Name’s father several years ago. Wanting to do something with the space, they decided to turn the old garage into a place for musicians to come play and audiences to come listen.

When the Van Names first acquired the garage, the inside was filled with typical garage items, such as a car lift and a giant air compressor. They spent the last three years clearing out and renovating the space to make it useable for concerts, jam sessions, and workshops. They have added a stage, lights, some cozy furniture, and a fridge to serve drinks. They have also incorporated some of the old knickknacks from the garage into decorations for the space, such as a vintage wooden rotary telephone and faded “posted” sign.

“The Music Lounge” has had several open mic nights since opening three years ago, said Johnny, Dawn’s son. Each event attracted about 10 to 15 attendees and some up to 20. They have had Houghton students and other musicians from across western New York come down to perform.

Benjamin and Jonathan Yuly, juniors, went to the venue twice their first year as students. Benjamin Yuly said he went the opening weekend to check it out and they were invited back to play. They went back a weekend later to “jam” with the the Van Name family at “The Music Lounge.” According to Yuly, the space has the typical feel that is common in most music lounges.

The family does music recordings in the lounge for local solo artists and bands. They want to keep a live feel and energy with the music they record. Johnny said, “Everything’s really over-produced nowadays, and I just want to get back to the live recordings. You know, still have it studio quality, but have the live feel.” The Van Names have already done recordings for local artists from the local area, including Cuba and Rochester. He said he is interested in getting more folk and acoustic artists in for live recordings.

Due to feedback from Houghton students expressing interest in jazz and other genres, Dawn would like to have various themed nights. Johnny suggested, “Different music like 80s, jazz and blues, and maybe a funk night would be cool.”

As another aspect of the business, Johnny makes handmade custom basses and guitars. He showed the bass he is working on right now for his friend — a Bigfoot design, with three toes, wood burned and hand-carved into the body. He hopes after finishing the “Bigfoot” bass guitar to move on to an acoustic guitar and even repair drum sets. Dawn wants the venue to be somewhere close for people to go for musical repairs.

Many people that have come to the lounge have stopped by on their way to the KOA campsite or Rushford Lake, Dawn said. She wishes to further network with people from out of state, New Yorkers from other parts coming to Rushford Lake, and the local population. She said, “We don’t want to be just one frame of thinking. We are trying to network out to everybody.”

One struggle, Dawn noted, has been scheduling. Many local musicians work and cannot get out on Friday nights, while others cannot do Saturday because they are busy running errands. Johnny also added that renovations have been another road block in the progress, but they are coming along.

Another problem the the lounge faced is that many students do not even know of the lounge’s existence. Yuly suggests there is a lot of potential in student interest and points out very little is known about the venue on campus. Sarah Slater, senior, said, “I have been here for three and a half years, plus a summer, I didn’t know about this.” Molly Freihoffer, senior, similarly did not know of “The Music Lounge.”

Dawn and Johnny said a specific genre they want to especially support are the local, original music artists. Dawn noted that it is exceedingly hard for them to get local venues and almost impossible to get paid for their time. Johnny said it is unfair to them to play solely for exposure and wants to help support them any way he and his family can.

Yuly believes there is a very active amateur and professional community of musicians in Allegany County because of local school teachers, churches, and the Greatbatch School of Music, as well as Alfred State and Alfred University. He believes all these groups could benefit from this type of venue.

In the future, Dawn and Johnny hope to start a summer community concert series with various musical artists outside, with snacks and drinks to create a fun environment. Johnny also wants to eventually create an online radio station to showcase local musicians from the Western New York area to further the support of original music.

Dawn said there are currently no planned events this semester, but added they are “open to helping students or anybody who has original music.” They want to be a supportive and creative place where students and community members can go to perform, practice, and record. They are open to any suggestions and possibilities for the future of “The Music Lounge.”

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News

National Sacred Honor Choir Prepares for Upcoming Tour

The majority of music majors were out of town for pre-tour concerts in Buffalo and Syracuse this weekend, leaving the music buildings dark and empty. “A musician learns with each performance that which cannot be taught in rehearsal,” says Dr. Brandon Johnson, director of choral activities and recent recipient of the Horne-Blanchard chair here at Houghton. These performances before the “real” tour serve as a check-up for the choir to see what work still needs to be done.

This year the College Choir will be touring from the 27th of February to the 9th of March through the mid-Atlantic states, performing in states along the east coast from NY to Virginia, ending with the concert in Carnegie Hall.

College_Choir“It is part of our mission to share the Good News with people,” said Dr. Johnson. “It is not enough for us to create beautiful music; we also need to share it.”

Most of the performances on tour are in churches with a few concert halls dotting the schedule. Every year the choir receives multiple letters from attendees telling of how the music touched them. “On an educational side,” said Johnson, “we learn the beautiful nuances of the repertoire that can only be achieved through the heightened awareness of performance.” Before each concert, the choir gathers and discusses any new meanings revealed in pieces by the audience’s response or the way certain voices blended to give emphasis to a different word or phrase, lending a new perspective to music the choir has been working on for months.

The flagship performance for this tour is of course the concert in Carnegie Hall. “It’s huge for our visibility as a school,” said 2nd year graduate student Christopher Olsen, choir manager. “Houghton faculty have performed in the small-halls in Carnegie before, but this may be the first time the Houghton name has been in the main hall.”

The College Choir will be joined at Carnegie Hall by members of the Men’s and Women’s Choir, singers from Roberts Wesleyan, a chamber choir from Liberty University, in addition to choirs from several Christian high schools for the performance, together making up the National Sacred Honor Choir. The ensemble, comprising well over 200 people, will rehearse for four days in at Hawthorne Gospel church in northern New Jersey, spending nights at a nearby Salvation Army camp.

Graduate student Kelly Vankirk, coordinator of the National Sacred Honor Choir, spoke with me about her involvement. “It is extremely busy, but it’s a huge honor to be singing such great, spiritually rich music in prestigious hall. We are bringing together Christian choirs from all over the northeast, some from even farther away. One of the goals of our time together is to help the younger singers, and ourselves, to see the context of faith and music together.”

Because of the Carnegie concert, several music professors other than Dr. Johnson will be traveling with the choir and will be giving masters’ classes for groups of advanced high school students before several concerts.This type of teaching serves to advertise for the college’s programs and has been done to a limited extent on past tours, but never to the extent reached this year with Professors Davies, Hijleh, Hutchings, and Newbrough all traveling with the choir.