Page 1.indd - Wingspan

18Wingspancampus newsApril 2, 2012wingspan.lccc.wy.eduChoir to perform concert with new twistBy Jennifer StogsdillA&E Writer“Glee” seems like somethingLaramie County CommunityCollege has seen before, butthis time it has been altered toshowcase more well-knownsongs and the choir is directing,choreographing and performingit all itself.LCCC’s Kantorei Singers willperform “Glee II” on Saturday,April 14, at 7 p.m. in St. Mark’sFellowship Hall.“We got a good responsefrom the audience last time sowe decided to do another one,”Kimberly Cuthbert, choir student,said. “I think it’s becausepeople enjoy music they canrelate to.”Unlike last time though, newsongs will have a more pop base,and a few new singers haveAuthor to teach writersBy Matt RooneyA&E EditorBeing an author is hard work, but becomingone is just as hard. Writers cannot just sit in acoffee shop and look mysterious while typingon a laptop until someone shows some interest.Thankfully, the Dinneen Writers Series sponsoredthrough the Laramie County CommunityCollege Foundation has invited an author tocampus to host a presentation and workshop toteach budding writers what the business is allabout.Poe Ballantine, originally from Denver, Colo.,is the author of such fiction and nonfictionworks as “Decline of the Lawrence Welk Empire”and “The Blue Devils of Blue River Avenue.” Hewas also featured in Best American Essays in2006 and is the subject of the documentary “PoeBallantine, A Writer in America.” He also has abook due out this year titled “Love and Terroron the Howling Plains of Nowhere.”His presentation will not only focus onhis life as a writer but also on his struggle toachieve that status. This includes his time livingon the road and working some 75 odd jobs.“I think he’s a unique author,” saidLisa Trimble, director of alumni affairsand event planning for the LCCCFoundation. “He’s a bit a different from peoplewe’ve had come in the past. His visit will havemore of a hands-on approach than other authorswho’ve come in the past.”The organization responsible for bringingBallantine as well as other writers, the DinneenWriters Series, was established in 2003 byBill and Marietta Dinneen, but the event wasreferred to only as the Writers Series until 2008.The authors who have come as a part of theseries include Robert Bly, Robert Pack, TempleGrandin, Lauren Myracle and now Ballantine.“They really wanted to not only showcasewriters but give the campus and the communitya chance to see the other side of writing,”Trimble said.Not only is this a unique opportunity for aspiringwriters to see the ins and outs of being anauthor, but it also gives students a glimpse intothe highs and lows of a person’s life while tryingto accomplish a dream.The event will take place on Tuesday, April10, in the Center for Conferences and Institutes,Room 169. The writers’ workshop is from 1–3p.m., and the presentation and book signingwill be at 7 p.m. Students and membersof the community are all welcome to come,and admission is free. The night before at 7,Ballantine will present a reading at the RecoveryCommunity Center at 512 E. Lincolnway.joined the choir. Also, this timethe whole choir will be doing thedancing (with choreography byKimba Pierantoni) while theyperform.Aubrey Balfour, choir student,said with the whole choirdancing has been a challengeto teach everyone the choreography,but it is coming togetherfine because the whole choir isworking together to figure it outand find what works best.Another challenge Balfouradded is the students are a littleworried because they don’t havea chance to practice in the performancespace and that is difficultbecause they don’t knowhow much room they need.Cuthbert said they prettymuch have the entire set listfigured out, but they are stillworking out the choreographyand the soloists who will beperforming at the concert.To choose the music, thewhole choir looked into whatNancy Cornish, choir director,could order and voted on whichsongs they would like to performfor the public.Songs that the choir will performare “Jump,” “Like A Prayer,”“Marry You,” “Just the WayYou Are,” “Somebody To Love,”“Don’t Go Breakin’ My Heart,”“Someone Like You/RumourHas It,” “Hey, Soul Sister,”“Halo,” “Walking on Sunshine,”“It’s My Life” and “ConfessionsPart II.”Cuthbert said college studentsand others should enjoythis music a lot because it ismore modern compared to thetypical 16th century music thechoir normally performs.Balfour added despite acouple difficulties, “It’ll be lotsof fun.”The concert will be free, anddonations will be accepted forNeeds.Band jumps into jazzBy Bre BrownA&E WriterThe 1950s are back and infull swing at Laramie CountyCommunity College as the LCCCJazz Band does the jive at theCheyenne Civic Center.The concert will be at 7:30p.m. Tuesday, April 10, and isfree, but donations will be takenfor the COMEA House.Gary Hall, LCCC instrumentalmusic instructor, said, “We try togive a little bit back to the community.”The band will prepare 16 to17 pieces for the concert but willfeature only six or seven.“A lot of swing, blues, Latinand funk will be performed at theconcert,” Hall said. A few piecesselected will include; SunnyRollins’ “Saint Thomas,” whichis a Latin piece; Victor Lopez’s“Puffy Taco,” which is a salsapiece; and Veronica Hanway’s“Straighten Up and Fly.”“Many composers try to titletheir pieces indicatively,” Hallsaid. This means composersrelate their rhythms and style ofthe piece. “Puffy Taco,” for example,is a salsa piece with a lotof rough counting and rhythms.People eat salsa with tacos, andfrom there a title like “Puffy Taco”emerges.LCCC band student AmandaBarnes said, “We have gotten allour music for the concert and welike all our songs.”Gabe Rocha, another bandstudent, said, “My favorite pieceis ‘Saint Thomas’ because of thechallenge due to the arrangement.”Preparation for this concertwas focused heavily after springbreak as the LCCC Jazz Bandwent to New Orleans for theCrescent City Jazz Festival March15–18.Chris Conroy, an LCCC bandstudent, said: “We are really focusingon New Orleans for springbreak and will focus more on itlater. Still, we have worked on itsome already.”Bohemian MetalsJewelry, Mineral & Fossil GalleryCustom Jewelry, Design & RepairBrian P. SnyderJewelry Artisan/Fossil Digger314 West 17th St.Cheyenne, WY82001(307) 778-8782cheybri-1886@hotmail.comAll Saints AnglicanChurch1311 Ashford Dr. (off Terry Ranch Rd.)307-630-6513Not all of life’s problemscan be solved on Google.11 a.m. Sunday LiturgyTraditional Christian Music and WorshipRev. Richard Andrews, VicarJohn Hillabolt, music director and organist