LBCC Choirs to Showcase Terms Work

“…Come join us in singing the praises of Zion…” the LBCC Concert Choir sings during a rehearsal for this weeks performance. The song is “Zion’s Walls” written by Aaron Copland, and is one of many the choirs of LBCC will be performing Thursday night, March 11, at 7:30 p.m. Along with the Concert choir, the Men’s choir, Women’s choir, the men’s quintet “Blue Light Special,” and the Chamber choir will all be performing in the Russell Tripp Performance Center located in Takina Hall.

“Heaven is Music’ is the theme of the concert.” said James Reddan, Director of Choral activities and member of the music faculty at LBCC. “There will be about twenty one songs performed. Some representing the good, and some the bad,” he continued “pretty much something of everything.”

Cameron Graham, a student here at LB and a member of all but the Women’s choir, is very excited for Wednesday's performance. “Music and singing have been a life long passion of mine,” he said. “This concert is a chance for us to show our stuff before we head to New York City,” he added.

The choirs always hold an end of term concert, but this one is special. As well as being a showcase for the hard work put in during winter term, the concert is a send off of sorts for three (Concert, Men’s, and Chamber choirs) of the groups who are traveling to New York City early next term to perform at St. Bartholomew’s Church as part of a festival being held there. The choirs leave April 6 and will return on April 12. Twelve members of the group going will be participating in the festivals honor choir.

“The students are excited for this opportunity,” said Reddan.

Thursday’s concert is a great opportunity for the LBCC student body to come together and support one of its high caliber programs. Some have said that we as a student body are apathetic, that we could care less about our fellow Roadrunners. For example only 51 of us voted in our student government elections held a few weeks ago. Granted one could blame the severe lack of advertising for this abysmal turn out. In this case, however, if you are reading this article, there really is not a good reason to miss this event. While just a concert, it could be just the thing to help bring our campus closer together. After all, who doesn’t enjoy some good music?

The cost of the concert is $6 and tickets can either be purchased online at https://secure.boxofficeavenue.com/LinnBenton/ or you can buy them at the box office. Hours are T-F, 8 a.m.-noon, 1 p.m.-2 p.m. and two hours before the show. For a video preview of the Concert Choir singing “Zion’s Walls” check out the video below!

Poetic Women

Part of being a woman is the strength and experiences shared by women throughout history. This was the topic of the LBCC Poetry club's poetry reading last week.

March is National Women’s History month. On March 2, a Tuesday afternoon, the LBCC Diversity Center along with the LBCC Poetry Club, held a poetry reading in honor of the occasion. Students and faculty alike joined together to share poems about and by women. The adviser of the poetry club, Robin Havenick, opened the reading by welcoming everyone and then reading a poem from “American Sublime” by Elizabeth Alexander.

About 20 people attended the event, most read works by women poets, while some read works of their own. One notable attendee was Coquille Rex. She read her poem “I too,” which was inspired by Langston Hughes poem by the same title. It was Coquille’s poem that won a recent competition here at LBCC called Poetry for the Mind’s Joy. Her poem will now go up against others from across the nation for a chance to be published in the Library of Congress.

“We are extremely proud of Coquille and her poem,” said Havenick. “We wish her all the luck at the next level.”

The poetry reading lasted just under an hour, and was closed by Havenick after her final poem titled “Ode” by Elizabeth Alexander.