Thursday, September S, 1977

THE MICHIGAN DAILY

Page Nine

Thursday, September 8, 1977 THE MICHIGAN DAILY ~oge Nine

. ..._.

SIGHT
and
SOUND

Not for virtuosos only

By SUE WARNER
So the Music School wouldn't
let you in? Well, you'll show
them. No, not with dynamite or
spray paint, but by becoming a
renowned campus star.
Regardless of whether you're
an aspiring Streisand or Stra-
vinsky, if you can at least carry
a tune or hold a bow there's
probably a place for you in a
University musical group. Stu-
dents from every school and
[college within the University,
from engineers to journalism
majors, put down the books sev-
eral times each week to exercise
their vocal chords, fiddle a tune
or blow their horns.
FOR NON - MUSIC majors
blessed with the gift of song, the
Arts Chorale offers an oppor-
tunity to join other students in
singing for pleasure. Under the
direction of Lawrence Marsh,
the group rehearses twice week-
ly and performs in several con-
certs each year. Arts Chorale
members may receive one aca-
demic credit for their partici-
pation in the group.
While an audition is required'
before joining the group,.Randy
Lambert, manager of University
choirs, says just about anyone
who can carry a tune can join
the Arts Chorale.
The Michigan Men's 'Glee
Club, another group which wel-
comes non-music majors, also
requires prospective members to
audition. This nationally-famous
group presents several concerts
on campus each year in addition
to concert tours to other college
campuses. Last year the glee
club travelled to California for a
series of performances.
FOR THOSE who are talented
enough to sing and dance at the
same time, the Amaizin' Blues,
a well-polished group which of-
ten serves a public relations
function for the University, may
be the place.
The 30-member troupe, which
admits new members only after
a grueling, audition, performs
their sparkling, carefully-chore-
ographed numbers for audiences'
all over the state. Two years
ago, the Amaizin' Blues per-j
formed a command concert at
the White House for University'
graduate Gerald Ford.
Instrumental music enthusi-
asts can soothe their longing for,
the sound of the big bass drum
and 76 trombones as members
of one of the many different
bands on campus. While some
bands consist primarily of mu-
sic majors, non-music. majors
are not prohibited from audition-

ing during the first week of! down may find a..place in the
classes, varsity band which meets-twice


I

THE 250-MEMBER Michigan
marching band has thrilled foot-
ball audiences since what seems
like the beginning of time. A
warning though: marching band'
members work hard under the
baton of director George Caven-"
der. Daily rehearsals begin the
first week of classes and con-
tinue until the end of the football
season.
Marching b a n d members,
however, often reap awards for
their never-ending sore feet -
they accompany the Wolverine
football squad on their post-sea-
son travels, last year to Pasa-
dena and the year before to Mi-
ami. -
Music lovers who prefer to sit

ti

a week during the winter term.
Non-music majors are also in-
vited to tryout for the University
activities bands which perform
at basketball and hockey games.
JAZZ ENTHUSIASTS can au-
dition for either of the two small
(20-member) jazz bands. Band
members receive two credits for
their efforts.
Students with a symphonic
bent may find the All-Campus
Orchestra inviting. Members of
the group include professors and
wives of faculty and students.
Community members may also
join but University students are
given first priority. Orchestra
participation is worth one credit.

Daily Photo by CHRISTINA SCHNEIDER Daily Photo by CHRISTINA SCHNEIDER
Wild Cherry, warm-up group for the Average White Band, performed at the University's Cris- Bonnie Raitt packed music lovers into Hill Auditorium during
ler Arena during a May concert. a concert in May.
Campus cnet:Msclmde

For e sruc
th t rs iysall the ctysa stagel
By LORI CARRUTHERS
Bright lights, grease paint and famous names aren't limited to
Broadway and summer stock playhouses. The University's stages,
as well as those throughout Ann Arbor, are also a part of the
theatrical world.
The bevy of theatre groups on campus and around the city
have been instrumental in bringing revered actors and actresses
to area stages either as guest artists in local productions or in
travelling companies of Broadway shows. Such famous names as
Vincent Price, Roddy McDowell, and Nicholas Pennell have all
appeared on Ann Arbor playbills in recent years.
THE SPOTLIGHT ALSO shines on local.performers, both ama-
teur and professional, making the University and the city an oasis
for theatre lovers. Productions ranging from musicals and drama
to children's theatre and Restoration comedy all find their way
to local theatres during the never-ending stage season.
Although the University's speech and theatre department con-
tributes many actors to the local stage, productions are generally
sponsored by groups which are separate, entities from the class-
room.
The Profesional Theatre Program (PTP) has been the most
successful in bringing theatre notables to the University. PTP is
composed of a series of special programs-The Showcase, The
Best of Broadway, the Little Lydia Series (named for the Lydia
Mendelssohn Theatre in the Michigan League) and the renowned
Guest Artist Series.
IN THE PAST, the Guest Artist Series has brought famed ac-
tors, costume designers, lighting directors and set designers to
the Power Center stage. In the coming year, the featured guests
will include four actors, unnamed at this time, and a husband-
wife actor-director team.
The Best of Broadway series, a selection of four Broadway
hit shows, brings travelling road companies, often including well-
known performers, to the city. Tentatively scheduled for the up-
coming season are Bubbling Brown Sugar, Same Time Next Year,
Shakespeare's People with Sir Michael Redgrave, and My Fair
Lady with Edward Mulhare.
PTP's sole amateur production, the Showcase series, is en-
tirely produced, directed, designed and performed by students.
See FOR, Page 6

By KEITH RICHBURG I
Ann Arbor is either noted for
its great concerts or notorious
for its lack of them, depending
on who you ask. Whichever is
the case is really a subjective
decision; the fact of the matter
is that the city must compete
with 10,000-seat Cobo Hall just:
45 minutes away and the gargan-
tuan Pontiac Silverdome only an
hour's drive away. And all too
often, Ann Arbor loses out in the
race to draw the "heavies".
Then who does play Ann Ar-
bor? Three types of performers,
basically.I
FIRST, THERE is the big
name star who opts to get back
to the pleasure of smaller audi-
ences and solo performances.
Then there are the "little peo-
ple," those who aspire to one
day fill Cobo Hall or the Silver-
dome, but who, for the time be-
Jng, must be content with Hill

Auditorium or the Michigan Un-
ion ballroom. Finally, there is
the avant-garde musician whose
following would more likely be
found in a college town than in
the big city. They tend to be Ann'
Arbor loyalists who return year
after year.-
There are, of course, excep-
tions-last year the Bcityhosted
the Eagles, Doobie Brothers and
Rufus. In general, however, the
scarcity of big-name talent
shows up in the long ticket lines
when a major event finally
comes. \
But for many, the lifeblood of
Ann Arbor concerts is jazz, not
rock. The coordinators of the
Eclipse Jazz Series, a division
of the University Activities Cen-
ter, has brought jazz to the city
in its truest form.
Eclipse has managed to cap-
tre the big name artists, like
Ikeyboard virtuoso Chick Cor-

ea, luring him to the smaller
stage of Hill Auditorium with
the temptation of a solo con-
cert.
But aside from the heavies,:
Ann Arbor jazz thrives on the
lesser-known artists. As one
Eclipse Jazz spokesperson said,
"We're interested in supporting
the smaller-name people."
The upcoming Eclipse season
is tentatively slated to include
Brazilian jazz-rock singer Flora
Purim, jazz violinist Jean-Luc
Ponty, pianist Barry Harris and
the Oscar Peterson trio. The Art
Ensemble of Chicago will offer{
an Eclipse-sponsored evening of:
avant-garde black classical mu- i
sic.
On par with the city's jazz of-
ferings is the wide range of
classical performances in Ann:
Arbor.
For a college town to excel
in classical music is somewhat
s art

of a rarity, especially with the
mammoth Detroit Symphony
Orchestra casting its shadow
over the forty miles between
Detroit and Ann Arbor. But
the city has managed to hold
its own and support two first-
rate symphonies, compliments
of the School of Music. Th

pasing historical experience, the
Ars Musica performs Baroque
music, dressed in Baroque per-
iod costumes, playing Baroque
instruments. Except for leader
Lyndon Lawless, the group is
composed of part-time musi-
cians, but they still manage sev-

t
t
c
9

University 'Philharmonia and eral concerts each year.
he University Symphony Or- If you still haven't had your
chestra have both provided musical fill, then, chances are,
g r e a t moments . throughout even the 45-minute drive to De-
heir seasons. troit will prove a futile effort.
If Ann Arbor, with its diverse
For those who prefer to trans- offerings, can't keep your musi-
end the traditional mode of mu- cal cravings. in check,.then all
cal enjoyment and like a con- the Cobo Halls or Olympia Sta-
ert which is a totally encom- diums won't saturate you.

ci
sic
ce

i George Ca vender, Band Man


Movies

even

mark UAC- calendar

By CUB SCHWARTZ.
Benjamin Franklin once said nothing is certain
in life except death and taxes. If, however, while
at the University, you plan to do more than
read philosophy and study physics, contact with
the University Activities Center (UAC) becomes
another certainty.
UAC is involved in almost every facet of ex-
tracurricular life on campus, providing enter-
tainment, social events, educational and cultural
enrichment and a host of other services.
TUCKED AWAY on the second floor of the
Michigan Union, the UAC office walls are plas-
tered with posters, pamphlets and pictures
which give just a hint of the scope of the group's
activities. ,
In the past, UAC was best known for bringing
big-name performers to Ann Arbor through its
Concert Co-op. Now, however, a separate office
-Major Events-handles the scheduling of most
concerts.
UAC is by no means out of the music business,
though., One of its most popular attractions re-
mains the Eclipse Jazz concert series.
LAST YEAR, Eclipse co-ordinators lured
Chick Corea, Gary Burton, Keith Jarrett, An-
thony Braxton, Taj Mahal and a number of other
top-notch jazz artists to the city.
"We're not just in it for entertainment," said
co-director Mike Grofsorean. "Our primary goal
is education. We're not going to say, 'we're go-
ing to lecture on jazz today,' but if we can in-
troduce people to jazz, we feel we are doing the.
same thing."
Eclipse has succeeded in introducing a large
segment of the University community to lesser-
known jazz artists in addition to the big names.
TICKETS TO Eclipse events are generally half
the price of other concerts. Eclipse prides itself
in never charging over $3.50 for a concert.
For those who prefer other forms of cultural
enrichment, UAC has the Artists and Craftsmen
Guild. Although Guild membership is limited,
students receive first priority. Members sell
their wares at several art fairs each year, in-
cluding the Summer Arts Festival, part of the
nni,,,alAnn rh .n~r Art lF,~ir A thrdiiion ofi

Orange, Paper Chase and Blazing Saddles. The
movies are shown in the Natural Science Audi-!
torium, not the most comfortable place in the'
world, but for. $1.25, you get used to the hard
chairs and the absence of a popcorn stand.
Along the same line, UAC also coordinates the
Cinema Lecture series. The series brings a film'
or group of films to campus along with the pro-
ducer or director to discuss his works. Last win--
ter, UAC featured the Robert Altman Festival,
including all of Altman's films, plus lectures by
actor Elliott Gould and Altman himself.
The Future Worlds lecture series is yet anoth-a
er UAC attraction. In attempting to stimulate
interest in political, social and intellectual topics,
UAC has brought to campus such notables as'
author Susan Brownmiller, humorist Dick 'Greg-
ory, economist E. F. Schumacher and Georgia
State Senator Julian Bond.
"WE FOUND that there is a very high de-
mand on campus for a lecture series," explained
UAC public relations vice-president Jeff Baker.
"Next year we are planning a full lecture ser-
ies."
UAC also sponsors MUSKET, Soph Show and
Children's Theatre productions.
Homecoming, the ride board in the Union base-
ment, and Ticket Central,, a box office in the
lobby of the Union which sells tickets for all
UAC events along with tickets for most other
student-sponsored events, round out the lengthy
list of activities operated by the center.
IN THE PAST, one of the most popular UAC
features was the travel service, which offered
students discount plane fares. This year, how-
ever, the service has been discontinued, although
it may be reinstated in the future.
But if all of this isn't enough to satisfy your
entertainment, cultural and educational crav-
ings, there's still hope. UAC's Special Events
division offers funding, organizational assistance
and advertising help to' help you get your own
project off the ground..-
"We want to utilize all the resources UAC has
to offer," Baker said. "We have people here who
can handle finances, public relations and a num-
ber of other things.

By JAY LEVIN
Sliding 'comfortably into a pillowy sofa.,and
chatting amiably without regard to the clock on
the wall, one might think that silver-haired
George Cavender is never pressed for time.
Don't believe it.
AS PROFESSOR of music and director of vari-
ous University bands, George Cavender has earn-
ed himself a prestigious niche in the hectic sphere
of campus music, not to mention respect among
his peers at other universities. His philosophies
on motivation and preparation are f e i t most
strongly when the Michigan Marching band en-
tertains fans with meticulously planned presenta-
'tions during halftime of football games, but his
rigid standards of perfection cut across the lesser
known University bands under his jurisdiction as
well.
"A band director can demand until he's blue in
the face and he can want it so badly he can taste.
it," says the effervescent Cavender, "but it can-
not come to be unless the band members want it."
Cavender strives to instill in his band members
an ultra-positive attitude-and he expects much
in return. He frequently talks about "my kids"
giving 150 per 'cent. Mediocrity is not tolerated.
BUT CAVENDER hopes that attitude will
transcend the narrow world of the band.
"The most important thing is not that they give

150 per cent but that they'll know how to give 150
per cent in something in their lives," he says.
Cavenderrecalls the story of a former march-
ing {band member who went on to become a
wealthy West Coast lawyer. One day, the band
director received a check for $150 from the alum-
nus, one of many contributions University bands
receive from alumni and enthusiasts.
"HE WROTE me that 'I went to Law School
with all kinds of people, but the one thing I had
that they didn't was my work in the Marching
band'."
Cavender continues: "You're doing something
here which will be with people for the rest of
their lives. I'm not just producing a show, I hope
I'm producing wonderful human beings."
Whether or not he's producing wonderful human
beings, one thing is certain: a Cavender band pre-
sentation often sparkles.
BUT BECAUSE of the number of band mem-
bers and the frequently administered time res-
traints on the group Cavender's work takes on
immense proportions.
Last year, for example, the marching band
burst at the seams with 250 members, and it had
little time to prepare for the first five perform-
ances of the home season-which just happened
to be consecutive. In addition, band members vot-
ed in favor of playing for then-President Ford
when the Michigan alumnus kicked off his unsuc-

cessful quest for elected office at the University
last year. The Ford performance fell right smack
in the middle of the band's busy period,' Caven-
der recalls, and took away from precious prac-
tice time.
"It was a hard year, the hardest year eyer,"
says Cavender, sitting with his legs crossed in
the bright lobby of Revelli Hall, the acoustically
controlled nucleus of University bands. "There
was no chance to get ready, we came in on Labor
Day and had a show that Saturday."
BUT THAT didn't deter the band from offering
top-notch performances during those busy first
weeks, including a well-received half-time show
honoring Psychology 171-complete with the
crazy, German accepted psychology professor.
"We had a lot of fun with that show, but, boy,
See GEORGE, Page 6