PacifiC: Lutheran University scene
December 1990
The A rts
I nternational concert Tours Are Dramatic Centennial Finale Two i nt e r n a t i o n a l c o n c e rt tours by PLU perfo r m i n g gro u ps will provide a d ramatic finale to the u n i versity's cente n n i a l year. The 36 -vo ic e C h o i r of t h e West, d i rected by R i c h a rd S pa r ks, a n d c o n d u c to r J e r ry K racht's 20- m e m b er U n i versity St ring O rch estra w i l l tou r the Far East, i n c l u d i n g t h e Peo p l e ' s Rep u b l i c of C h i n a , May 29 - J u ne 1 7 . Concerts W i l l be p resented i n Toyko, J a p a n ; S h a n g h a i , B e ij i n g , Chengdu a nd Gh angzhou in C h i na; H o n g K o n g a n d Hono l u l u , H awa i i . P L U h a s exc h a nge p rogra ms with universities i n Chengdu and Ghangzhou. The c u l t u ral exch a n ge as pect is o n e of the most i m portant reasons fo r such a tou r, accord i ng to Sparks. Th us the C h o i r w i l l featu re a select ion of America n fo l k songs a n d s p i r i t u a l s . The stri ngs will perform a sy m p hony by conte m porary America n com poser David Diamond. Works by Bach and Mozart w i l l a lso be fea tured. The 30-vo i ce U n ive rsity C h o-
rale, d i rected by Cathy Bl eecker McC l u re, a n d the 3 5 - m e m b e r U n i ve rsity W i n d En semble, u nder the d i rection of Thomas O'Neal, w i l l to u r Sca n d i n a v i a M ay 27 J u ne 1 4. Concerts a re sched u led in N o r way, Sweden and De nm a rk. Sev eral a re j o i nt concerts; ot h e rs fe atu re t h e perfo rm i ng g ro u ps s e p a ra t e l y Both g ro u p s a re sched u l ed to appear at the pres t i g i o us B e rgen I n tern a t i o n a l M u sic Festiva l . Oth e r m ajor concerts w i l l be p resente d i n Tro n d h e i m , Ale sund (Tacoma's sister city), K ris tia nsand, Oslo, and Stockh o l m . T h e Chorale prog ra m also fea t u res Am erican m u sic, classics from re n a i ss a n c e to a vant garde, Norwegian fo l k m usic a nd a work by N o rweg i a n E d v a rd G r i eg . The W i n d E n semble p ro g ra m w i l l i n c l u d e tra d i t i o n a l b a n d m u sic, c h a m be r pieces and some new, u n iquely A m e r ican m u s i c, i nc l u d i ng work by PLU com pose r-i n-resi de nce G regory Youtz.
Chorale Tri p Insp i res Pa re nt Sponsored Sca n d i navia n Tou r A tou r of Sca n di n a via, spon sored by the PLU Parents Associ ation, is an added featu re relat ed to the Sca n d i navian concert tour. John Adix, Parents Associa tion coord inator and assista nt to t h e PLU president, a n d L u c i l l e Giroux, t h e president's executive associate, a re t h e tou r l eaders. Dates of the tou r are May 29June 1 5 . I n a d d i t i o n to m a n y t o u r attract ions d u ri n g t h e 1 8-day jou rney, to u r membe rs W i l l have as many as six op portu nities to hear the Chorale as tou r itin erar ies cross. In addition, a series of gatherings with PLU alu m n i and frie n d s in N o rway a re bei ng scheduled. Tour featu res i n clude a cru ise on G e i ra n g e r Fj ord a n d other fjord-country attract i o ns, cathe d rals and stave churches, a G r i eg Fest i va l a n d E d v a rd G r i eg 's hOme, Frog n e r Park, V i g e l a n d M u seu m , V i k i n g S h i p M u se u m , and Kon-Tiki, a l l i n No rway; the Royal Palace, Old Town and Gl ass works in Stockhol m , and Tivo l i Gardens in Copenhagen The $ 3 , 3 9 7 cost i n c l u d es rou nd-tri p a i r fa re a n d gro u nd tra nsportat i o n , a l l acco m m oda tions, brea kfasts and d i n n ers. For m o re i n fo rmation ca l l or wri t e Ad i x (206 ) 5 3 5-8 4 1 0 or G i roux (206) 5 3 5 -7 1 1 1 at PLU, Tacoma, WA 98447.
A Centennial Highligh t
YOutz Four-Act Opera Inspired By ati e Ameri an cultu e Greg ory Youtz, PLU com poser in-residence, knew that creation of an o pera is a n e n o r m o u s endeavor. " B u t I gu ess I d i d n ' t k n ow h o w e n o r m o u s u n t i l I bec a m e i m m ersed i n i t . " h e admitted. You tz's fou r - a ct o p e r a , a School of the Arts cente n n i a l y e a r h i g h l i g ht, is i n s p i red by environmental concerns a n d Native-American culture. "Songs from the Cedar House .. says Youtz, is "history a m p l ifi d by myth, a view of White civil iza tion refl ected in the m i r ror of Native Am erican cultu re." It a lso a d d resses eco l o g i c a l issues. "There i s a n i n creas i n g sense o f u rgency about ecologi cal concerns," Y o u t z a d d e d . "Native-A m e ri c a n cu lt u re i s a m etaphor for l i v i n g i n b a l a nce with the land." The opera opens with the cre at ion story from N ative-Am eri can legends a n d conclu des in p resent day Seatt l e . C h a racters include Capta i n Va ncouver, Ch ief Seatt l e (S ealth) a n d S eattle pio neer Doc Maynard. Youtz's work i s the cu l m i na tion of an idea that has been evolving for yea rs. Even before h is a rrival at PLU six years ago, he and friends had discussed a m U l ti-med i a product i o n based on Indian l egends. In 1 9 87, cho ra l d i rector Edwa rd H a r m i c approached h i m with t h e i d ea of basi ng a composition on C h i ef Sea lth's 1 8 5 5 speech, i n w h i c h the c h i ef rel i n q u ished I n d i a n cla i ms t o land that is now Seat tle. That i d e a beca m e Youtz's accl a i m ed chora l wo rk, "If We :le l l You Our Land," heard nati on a l ly on N at i o n a l Pu b l i c R a d i O'S "M o r n i ng E d i t i o n . " It was a l so featu red on U n i ve rsity Chora le concert tour p rograms.
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PL U's music touring ensembles are raising funds for the cen tennial tours through the sale of sweat shirts (pictured). Orders are being accepted at the music department office. Orders should include a check for $30 with appropriate shirt size indica ted (add $1 for XXL and XXXL sizes!. VISA and Mastercard orders are accepted with card number, expiration date and signature infor mation. Donations are also welcome! For information call (206) 535-760 1.
Though he h as been i m m e rsed i n the opera for th ree yea rs, to t h e e xc l u s i o n of m o st o t h e r com position work, he dou bts h e wo ul d have f i n ished without the assista nce of the Pierce County . Arts C o m m i ssi o n , wh ich p rovid ed a generous gra nt to h i re h e l p with m a n y deta i l s, i nc l u d i n g copying of pa rts. Youtz is a lso p r o d u c e r a n d d i recto r of t h e o p e r a . M u sic d e p a r t m e n t c o l l e a g U e M i ra Froh n mayer is vocal coach a n d m ezzo sopra no solo ist; Richa rd Spa rks w i l l c o n d u ct t h e work, which featu res Spa rks' Choir of the West. D a n ce p r ofess o r M a u re e n M c G i l l Seal h as choreogra p h ed t h e d a nce e l e m e n t s . Theater department desig ner Doug West has worked on stage design with student aSSistance, and lighting is by El izabeth West. The l eader of the Snoq u a l m i e Dance Troupe, David Horsely, has des i g n ed cost u m es for t h e native a nd mytholog ical charac ters. Ot her costu mes are by the ater department cost u m er Mar ylynn Hougen. Oth e r featu red s o l o i sts a re bass-ba ritone Ba rry J oh n son a voice professor, as Ch ief Sea th, and student tenors Duane Witt " m a n and Eric Stro m . C h e l l e K i l lian is t h e ch ief as a yout h . S o m e 8 0 persons com prise t h e mostly student cast and crew. They will re hearse i n te nsively durin g the J a n u a ry Interim. "Songs from the Cedar Hou se" w i l l be p resented in Eastvold Auditor i u m on ca m p us. 8 p . m . perform a nces are Feb. 1 , 2, 8 a n d 9 . 3 p . m . M a t i n ees a r e sched u led for Feb. 3 a n d 1 0. Tickets will be avai lable i n Jan uary from Ticket master. For fu r t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n c a l l ( 2 0 6) 535-7621 . •
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