Severely handicapped class arrives - The Lowell

nx> 14. 7Vc U-mU. Dtamhtr 6. IMS
FEATURE
Music: a means of expression
ByUsaBletawa
The human voice U the oldest and
mmt widely used mtnical immanent;
everyone hu one: it is not hud to
carry or setup; and it nuke* possiblc
the use of language In conjunction
with cruUc. In essence, tinging
unifies the rrcans of expression »nd
the exprtukio iuelf.
"Singing it one of God's most enjoyable
ways to mental health." explains
Elizabeth Appling. founder wd
director of the Sao Francisco Girls'
Chorus. "The mind arrt the body
mmt both be ia ihfpr in order to tiajc
wen."
AppUnf ocated the Girls' Chonu
nice yean >|O because she had an
trobttioD to make San Francisco a
"V»enm for |irU." She ftJt."..-the
joy of choral singing shook) act be
reserved for boys oaly.*'
Senior !MI Luce, former member
of the San Francisco Boys' Chonu.
u convinced that bis experiences in
the organieatioa have had a lasting
a^mcL "Staging nan • troop of that
otliber really thowej roe Ua singing.
U* so many other thrgs, is very
rewtrdijf if yoo're motivated and
dedicated," h d
Bj T£va Festa
Remember when your parents
made yiti uke piano lessons in die
third yatSc? What a drag it was. You
didn't practice all week, then tried to
leant the three scales and two etudes
and the bepnoing of a sonata in a
.'nrtoied IS minute* right before your
leuon.
After itx months of this rradncu
you q tit. But you have some frUndi
who are Kill gninj at h. In (act, these
frieodi have been known to mha partita
and "Major Social t>cen'*
becatue tbey "TKC£ to practice,"
FkESH
GIFTIDEA&
Luce had the opponunty to tour in
Europe and to sing in th; San Francisco
Opera production;., as do the
girli in the Girls' Choru.
Appling bdtcvo *nat lie children'*
participation in proges.ional opera
productions b one of the mnt impor*
tarn benefit jf singing with the Boys'
and Girls' Chonuea. "'t gives them
the stature and tclf-eue :m of having
a real and vital role In a a adult situation,
a role which is meant to be
played by children and can only be
done by the children.
"Singing in any choral group *
ideal for young people. It
demonstraut the value • if cocycrrtjnn
and fellowship," she :l3ted.
Choral singing, in general, is ideal
for people who enjoy sjiging. but
may not wxn to make it a career.
Cotnmuniry choruse*. 'inurcn choirs,
and glee clubs p-ovide non*
professionals with the opportunity fn
make mosic.
The musical bcoefus of the chorus
as a medium arc many i A provides the
possibility of many d ffercnt parts at
one time. Us volume ind pitch ranges
are wide, and it is stylistically
flexible.
How could aitfone tr his npht
mind pref*-r spemling hours of pr»ct^tng
to partying tc a Saturday night,
you ask? It's a gocd question. *iri one
that musicians oil en ask thcm«I v rs.
And there are ts many different
answers to it as there are different
type* of music U the wothj.
Musk. *od paiticuUrly tmtrumental
mostc, ts a firm of comrmintcalion
that docs no. require words, and
thus transcends ill languag? turners.
Rather than use words, a composer
utiluea notes ta communicate his
:noughts kod crutioos. The task of
ALICIA
AREVALOS-
MARCOS,
D.M.D.
2>998
Mission Street
23S-&511
The voice as »solo instrument has
its benefits ar-), however, such a* the
immediacy of a subjective vocal performer
and its ornamentation
(•nubilities.
The probtemi facing choral and
solo performer* are different also.
Choral singing requires careful Ihteoing
and blending, the ability to sustain
close harmonies, and the muucvtrahtp
to "hold on to" an inner
part.
Soloists, on the other band, must
exercise a greater vocal range, a
deeper dranv^c scte and the
strength and discipline ncccuary to
handle more difficul
John Hudnall, a profeuor and
privax voice intfructor at Dominican
College in Sar» Rafael. stresses the
dramatic depth in 10I0 singing: "The
emotion which goes into ec *hnnxj
ami other people need to practice!"
alwaj* keep me practicing."
Sage agrees, and calU music "an
incredible emotional outlet ...
Whenever I'm ur*ct I play ihe first
five meaure* of Beethoven's
However, violinist Athley Hill
takes a different point of view on Jtis
matter. "lthinkofihe : mirumcntas
an anempt to perfect the human
'Sonau Piubwiiqoe' and I Tcel much *««- B*« «*«* muueians lo*e sight
better." ofthi* They ha%c i»cat technique,
"There's also a certain element of
having to 'conquer' the instrument,"
stated senior Lenon Chin, who plays
the violin, cello and piano.
In the foreward to Margaret Campbell
*% book. The Crror Viotinisu.
Ruggtcro Rtcci opens, "The violin h
probably the moit hellish invention
ever conceived by man, a beautiful
and treacherous work of art that
demands our constant attention but
can never be completely dominated."
Miyamoto finds trot the piano, too.
presents difficulties, especially
Amy
2230 Irving Street
out they look like l-nle robots." Chin
add*. "They ju*i don't put their heat
into it It unifkl* corny, but I realty
love claviicAl muue. and that's why
I play."
Sage agrees that technique is not
the most important thing. "My
philosophy U. if it sounds basically
right, and you can get the emotion in
your playing, then a few wrong note*
don't matter."
"1 could never be a cocccrt pianist
with this philosophy," she added.
ONE OF A KIND
Hair Designers
Mod Cuts S10
664-0223
San Francisco. CA 94122
Between 23rd & 24th Avcnim
GRAND MEAT CO.
UE*T t POU.THT
RAYMOND l_ YIM
SAN nUNOSCO. CA «4I» • (41S| M5-1C30
men d
dut i
Hrr
arkltl