The Daily Princetonian
Thursday October 10, 2013
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the daily
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STREET’S ACA-ARTICLE
Senior Writer Lin King takes you on a journey through the world of Princeton a cappella PAGE DESIGN BY SENIOR WRITER LIN KING COURTESY OF THE TIGERLILIES
COURTESY OF KINDRED SPIRIT
COURTESY OF ROARING 20
Within the first week of arriving on campus, students have been introduced to the concept of “arch sings” as a quintessentially “Princeton thing.” Many attend the longest song-fest they have ever experienced at Tiger’s Roar. Some may have even seen one a cappella group shoved around by Tina Fey in “Admission.” Unfortunately, aside from those select students who landed a room in Blair, many of us lose track of the goings-on of a cappella groups after the frenzied performances of Frosh Week. From gospel to beatboxing to good ol’ power ballads, Princeton a cappella does it all. But when? Where? How?
COURTESY OF THE WILDCATS
COURTESY OF OLD NASSOUL
COURTESY OF THE NASSOONS
AUDITIONS It begins with one of the most dreaded words of all — auditions. Member recruitment happens in the beginning of the fall, with most groups holding spring auditions as well. Each audition, individually scheduled, usually lasts from 10 to 15 minutes; the audition material varies from group to group, but most feature vocal warm-ups with the group members and a solo piece of the auditionee’s choice. “Different groups handle the discussion and decision elements differently, but all groups discuss and vote,” Abby Kelly ’15, President of the Katzenjammers, Princeton’s oldest co-ed a cappella group, said. “Across the board, we try to keep auditions as equitable as possible,” she said. “We try to provide a slot for everyone, and there’s no pre-screening process at all.” For groups of a more specific genre, audition solos can involve much more than the ballad of your choice. Off the Record, Princeton’s only R&B and hiphop a cappella group, invites both rappers and beatboxers to come with material of their own creation. Umqombothi, the only African a cappella presence on campus, didn’t start holding auditions to select members until last fall. However, Umqombothi has quickly developed a tradition of “breakdown” at the end of each audition. “We have our drummer play something and everyone kind of joins in,” President Tola Emiola ’14 said. REHEARSALS Most of the groups’ interactions take place at their rehearsals, which are generally several times a week for two-hour sessions. “We rehearse in our room; all the groups have one,” Tigertones President Matt McCalpin ’14 said. “The newer groups are usually in Bloomberg and the older groups in the [junior] slums.”
NAME
COURTESY OF TIGRESSIONS
The actual content of rehearsals include refreshing new members on old songs as well as instructing the group in new songs. The process of building and editing a repertoire varies from group to group, depending on the style and age of each group. For Shere Khan, one of Princeton’s co-ed a cappella groups, approximately three or four new songs, all arranged by members, are added per year. “We do a lot of top 40 from the 80s and 90s, but also contemporary, more alternative stuff,” President Scott Wise ’15 said. “We get rid of songs that people wouldn’t recognize or just don’t want to hear anymore, but some, like ‘Always Be My Baby’ by Mariah Carey, have really held the test of time.” While rehearsals are primarily dedicated to music, singing is hardly the only activity that takes place. Alexandra Cerf ’15, music director of the Tigressions, an all-female a cappella group, discussed her group’s dynamic. “If you happened to walk into a Tigressions rehearsal unannounced, you might find us singing a song while dancing ridiculously to try to get our energy up,” she said. On occasion, the groups even take over dance studios to work on choreography. All that work aside, the members of a cappella groups dedicate time not just to their tasks as a group, but also to forming relationships. “Shere Khan is first and foremost an a cappella group, but pretty close behind is the sense of being a family,” Wise said. “There’s a big social component to our rehearsals … during the breaks, we catch up on each other’s lives.”
COURTESY OF THE FOOTNOTES
COURTESY OF KOLEINU
PERFORMANCES The arch sings presented during Frosh Week aren’t necessarily the most accurate portrayal of a cappella performance throughout the school year. Arch sings, or “arches,” are divided into two sections, one of which is run by Acaprez, an umbrella organization that includes three all-female groups (Tigerlilies, Wildcats, Tigressions), three all-male groups (Footnotes, Nassoons, Tigertones) and two coed groups (Roaring 20, Katzenjammers). “It mostly functions for organizing arches; the Acaprez arches happen about every two weeks, with groups performing in 15-minute slots,” Katzenjammers President Kelly said. “Another role it plays is in the audition process. Groups check in with each other about scheduling and See A CAPPELLA page s2
COURTESY OF OFF THE RECORD
YEAR FOUNDED
# OF MEMBERS
SELF-DESCRIBED AS
Footnotes
1959
17
All-male; “From Cole Porter to Justin Timberlake”
Katzenjammers Kindred Spirit
1973 1991
11 15
Co-ed; mix of jazz, classical, oldies, current pop Co-ed; “Spreading the gospel through song”
Koleinu Nassoons Off the Record Old NasSoul Roaring 20 Shere Khan Tigressions Tigerlilies Tigertones Umqombothi Wildcats
1996 1941 2011 2006 1983 1993 1981 1971 1946 2012 1987
18 16 19 18 17 17 11 17 13 18 15
Co-ed; mix of Jewish and Israeli pop and liturgical First group; all-male; “Song, Fun and Camaraderie” Co-ed; R&B and hip-hop All-male; “Bringing soul and music with soul” Co-ed; “From Gershwin to Gaga” Co-ed; Top 40 classics and contemporary pop All-female; “Unique brand of bold and contemporary” First all-female; “Beautiful melodies and tight harmonies” All-male; “Good friends and good music” Co-ed; African sounds and some English gospel All-female; “Strong women with strong voices”
The Daily Princetonian
Thursday October 10, 2013
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A CAPPELLA CONT’D A CAPPELLA Continued from page S1
so on.” Groups outside of Acaprez organize their individual arches, which are not as frequent but give each group more performance time. Shere Khan, for example, has a 20 to 30-minute arch once a month. A cappella performances, however, are hardly limited to Blair and 1879 Arches. All the groups perform at various gigs and events both on and off-campus. Since all the groups are all self-funded, such gigs are an importance source of revenue. Some groups also hold ticketed concerts, including Umqombothi, which had its first ticketed show last spring. “It was more like a musical than anything. We auditioned actors, one of them wrote out the script, and we kind of acted like a chorus,” Emiola said. Tours, both within the country and international, are also common. Several groups have two tours a year to destinations such as Brazil, Bermuda, France and the UK — to name a few. “Tours are one of my favorite parts of being a ‘Tone, because it’s just incredible how much you get to travel without having to pay a dime out of your pocket,” Mc-
Calpin said. TRADITIONS Given the lengthy history of many of the groups, there are inevitably numerous traditions, both public and painfully secret, that are passed down from year to year. The Nassoons, for one, hold the cryptic letters “SFC” near and dear to their hearts. The Tigertones, meanwhile, have developed something of their own lingo. “We have this word that we use among ourselves, ‘harn,’ which is kind of a catch-all. It can be used for ‘hello,’ ‘goodbye,’ but also in a negative context,” McCalpin said. “Another big thing we do is that we always snap, not clap, which can also come in verbal form by just saying ‘snaps.’” Some groups have established shared traditions overtime. The Tigressions and the Footnotes participate in an endless contest of kleptomania — something akin to the Princeton-Rutgers cannon theft. “Every year towards the end of spring we try to steal a boat paddle from the Footnotes’ room. My freshman year, we managed to take a deer head, too,” Tigressions President Savanna Strong ’15 said. The inherited pranks are reciprocal. “When I was a newbie, the Footnotes newbies tried to steal our fridge and got caught,” Cerf said.
“So their returning members had them write us a note telling us how much they loved us. It’s still on our wall.” NEW FORMATIONS There are new Princeton a cappella groups that are still evolving on a day-to-day basis. Off the Record, which was founded in the fall of 2011, is one such group, and OTR President Caleb Negash ’15 cites the group’s youth as a source of its struggles. “[There is] a lack of resources: Fundraising, along with establishing a repertoire and alumni base, have often been issues for us,” Negash said. That is not to say, however, that there are no benefits to being new on the block. For Umqombothi, the novelty is liberating. “We’re really flexible and things just come along as we go — what a cappella group does a musical? — we’re free to explore other forms of performance,” Emiola said. Umqombothi’s music director, Remi Yamazaki ’14, agrees. “Our possibilities are so much more open because of the diversity on this campus. As an African music group, we can never be completely African, but at the same time, nothing is set in stone, and we’re really hoping for some exciting future collaborations with the
COURTESY OF THE TIGERTONES
other groups,” she said. FAMILY In the beginning, the only thread stringing members of an a cappella group together may be their shared musical passion and talent. But as time goes by, dynamics change. “We are all from different backgrounds, spanning five different eating clubs, lots of different majors,” McCalpin said. “I met arguably my best friend in the school through the Tigertones, but realistically, I probably wouldn’t have been close to him if not for the group. That’s something we all appreciate a lot — we get to meet people we wouldn’t otherwise, and we all share this common bond of singing.” The amount of time Princeton’s a cappella groups spend in close proximity with each other can foster something that is, as cliche as it sounds, beyond friendship and, as Shere Khan President Wise said, closer to family. “You might dislike people at certain times in your family, but you always have love for them, and that is extremely true for us,” Wise said. So, next time you wander by an arch and hear singing voices, take a moment to appreciate the talented, musical members of our big Princeton family.
COURTESY OF UMQOMBOTHI
COURTESY OF SHERE KHAN
COURTESY OF KATZENJAMMERS
The Daily Princetonian
Thursday October 10, 2013
Q&A with David Dobkin
Ask the Sexpert This week, she discusses not being able to get it up. dear sexpert, I’m trying to figure out what went wrong last Saturday. I went hard at a pregame and downed some beers at the Street as well, but I was in a good place — not blacked out or sloppy. At the end of the night I ran into a girl from precept and took her back to my room. Things heated up, but when she took my pants off I couldn’t get it up. She tried for almost an hour, and I was so into it but my dick wasn’t. I was so embarrassed, and now it’s awkward seeing her in precept. What happened? —Flaccidly f lummoxed dear flummoxed, I’m sorry to hear you’re having trouble getting it up. Try not to stress out about it too much — according to the Massachusetts Male Aging Study, an estimated 52 percent of men have trouble producing or maintaining erection at some point during their lives. Based on your description of the night, it sounds like you experienced temporary erectile dysfunction due to intoxication. During a typical erection, blood flows into two cylindrical structures running along the length of the penis, causing the cylinders to inflate and the penis to become erect. Being sexually aroused is not enough to cause this process — the arousal must also be communicated to your body, and your body must respond appropriately by relaxing the blood vessels around the penis. Your problem last Saturday probably occurred with the final step. Alcohol dilates the body’s blood vessels, which in some cases can cause the blood vessels in the penis to remain open such that blood flows out and the penis cannot achieve full hardness. It is therefore very possible that you were “into it” and aroused by your partner, but were unable to maintain an erection because
of the amount of alcohol you had consumed. My best advice for you is to avoid mixing sex and alcohol (or if you do drink prior to engaging in sexual activity, making sure your intake is limited to one to two drinks). Doing so not only makes sex more feasible, but also makes it safer. Mixing sex with alcohol or other drugs increases the chances of unintended pregnancy and exposure to sexually transmitted infections because of improper barrier use, or forgetting to use protection at all. According to the McKinley Health Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 23 percent of sexually active teens and young adults admit to having unprotected sex because they were using alcohol or drugs at the time. If you cut back on alcohol and the problem persists, it would be a good idea to make an appointment at Sexual Health and Wellness at UHS, as erectile dysfunction can be sign of a more serious medical condition such as diabetes or hypertension. A final precaution: Neither of you can legally consent to sex if you are incapacitated (i.e. slurred speech, impaired physical coordination, vomiting, passing out) due to drinking. You and your partner should always communicate during sexual activity to make sure whatever activities you do are mutually pleasurable and desired. For questions about consent, you can contact the SHARE office at UHS. —The Sexpert Interested in Sexual Health? The Sexpert is always looking for members of the community to join the team of sexual health educators who, along with fact-checking from University health professionals, help write these columns. Email sexper t@ dailypr incetonian.com for more information and questions about sexual health. Don’t be shy!
Seth Merkin Morokoff Staff Writer
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treet sat down with Dean of the Faculty/computer science professor/amateur artist David Dobkin to chat about the interplay between his mathematical background and his art, being self-trained within contemporary art and computer science communities, as well as the theme of creativity within both of these worlds. The Lewis Center for the Arts displayed his works of American Kitsch as an exhibition titled “Myself, I Think We Should Keep Collecting Titles,” which closed last Friday. DP: Before becoming a professor, you earned both a master’s degree and a doctorate in applied mathematics. How does your academic background influence your art? DD: I’m not sure that it did at all, except that there’s a creative element to doing applied math or computer science, and there’s a creative element to doing art. It’s obviously different. Different results come, but they are both driven by curiosity. DP: Do you consider your current research in computational geometry an extension of your art? DD: I don’t think so. A lot of the research that I’ve done is more theoretical. It’s hard to tie that into the art, which is obviously very hands-on. DP: Some students on campus tend to think of mathematics and its related fields as very technical subjects, somewhat devoid of creativity. How would you say creativity factors into your professional work? DD: I can’t believe that anybody would think that mathematics is devoid of creativity. If that’s the case, we really need to educate people. Research in any field is about being creative, and the purpose of a university is to give people a route to be creative. Does much more technical mean that you can’t be creative? DP: Does that creativity differ from what you feel when repurposing your collections of kitsch
In defense of: Bedbugs Zoe Perot Senior Writer
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’m sure almost all of us have gone to bed hearing the words, “Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs bite.” Until recently, I took the saying for granted. Bedbugs, yeah sure whatever, good night. But with the recent news about bedbugs on campus, I’ve been thinking more about these nocturnal critters, and I’m here to tell you that, contrary to popular opinion, there are many reasons we should disregard the above nighttime adage. Let’s start off simply. If you’re not enthusiastic about Princeton’s new arrivals, fair enough. You might just be approaching it from the wrong angle. Having read the article about the infestation in Holder last week, you now know about the procedure of fumigation and heat treatment to get rid of these insects. Look around your room. If it is incredibly dirty, starting to smell like something odd, and you haven’t washed your sheets yet, I recommend inviting a bedbug infestation in for a few days, so that you can call up the University and have them clean and sterilize thoroughly. Take advantage of every opportunity at school, isn’t that what they tell you? There’s more. Have you watched “Finding Nemo” recently? “Fish are friends, not food.” Same goes for bedbugs: Cimex lectularius (they have a real name ... ) are friends, not foes. If you’re a freshman new to campus, you may have already established some new BFFLs, but you may also be struggling to discover your place here in the Orange Bubble. Find yourself making depressed calls to your parents or stalking high school friends? (Friends? Ok, so maybe they’re actually just casual acquaintances.) Don’t be pathetic. Instead, take a hike over to Holder and knock on some doors. No, don’t bother trying to be friendly to the people whose quads you invade. Instead, ask to see their
bedrooms and go collect some bedbugs from their sheets (you can roll around in their beds if desired, but this writer advises bringing a jar and picking up the bugs individually. This means not only that you avoid looking too weird, but also that you get to carefully select your new friends). Perhaps you’re not a freshman though, but are still struggling with friendships. You too can benefit from the bugs. Having roommate issues? Replace them with bed bug pals. Or use the bugs to scare your roommate into sleeping over at their friends’ every night. Problem solved, you’re welcome. Feeling depressed and unloved because you come back from the Street every Saturday to an empty, cold, lonely bed? Grieve no more. Instead, fill your bed with bed-bug buddies, and never feel lonesome again. Those little creatures love your body, even if no one else seems to. Come to think of it, in this way, you might even end up finding the love of your life. Confused? I’ll explain. Walking around a campus filled with gothic architecture, brilliant students with insane talents and limitless amounts of free food, you’ve probably realized by now that Princeton is as magical as that other magic school to which it is always compared. How does this relate to bedbugs? Bedbugs feed on human blood. They are the vampires of the insect world. So at a place as supernatural as
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Princeton, I’d bet you a lot of money (I can do that, because we have an endless supply) that one of your nocturnal companions will bite you and, tasting your blood, transform into your very own Edward Cullen. That’s right ladies. Those itchy bites are only the trials you have to undergo before finding your soul mate for eternity. So get bitten. And get bitten again. Because you never know ... third time might just be the charm, and you’ll end up with someone wonderful. Maybe a certain alum was right after all, and you’ll find your dream husband at school. Or maybe your magic will take a more scientific route. You know Spiderman? Then you should know where I’m going with this. That’s right. Superpowers! Perhaps you’ll find the magical, enhanced bedbug that may or may not have escaped from a lab on campus that will transfer upon you skills like superhuman strength, the capacity to stay up all night, flight or the ability to find your way into anyone’s bed. Those little red bites aren’t looking so bad now, am I right? So although your initial reaction may be one of disgust or fear, I think some valid counterarguments have been made. I recommend you rethink your hatred of these insects, which have been our companions for thousands of years. In honor of their loyalty, I leave you with this, “Good night. Sleep tight. Bedbugs — they’re alright.”
SETH MERKIN MOROKOFF :: CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Isabela Pena ‘16 looking at a piece in the ‘Myself, I Think We Should Keep Collecting Titles’ exhibition.
to form art? DD: In a way no and in a way yes. I mean, in math we’re moving symbols around to get a pretty picture — a proof of a theorem or a derivation. When you write a computer program, you’re getting something to help you move symbols around. I think the art that’s in the show involves moving objects around to make them more interesting. In all cases, you start with atomic things that in and of themselves are not that interesting. If you just did math by sitting down with a piece of paper and writing a bunch of x’s and y’s and z’s, that’s not particularly interesting unless you can make a coherent story out of them. If you sit down with a jar full of Snapple lids and think of them as a jar full of Snapple lids, that’s not as interesting as making curtains out of them. DP: You have previously identified as a student of American Kitsch. How does your artwork stem from and contribute to the movement? DD: What I’ve done as a student of American Kitsch is created these collections. A lot of the show derives from having
the materials that were necessary to have the show, and a lot of the show derives from figuring out how to show the materials. You might say it’s not very interesting — and I’d probably agree — to collect several hundred Snapple lids or several hundred empty rolls of toilet paper. But once you figure out how to show them, then it can get more interesting. On the other hand, you can’t figure out how to show them unless you’ve collected them. DP: On the subject of artistic labels, do you identify as a member of the outsider movement as a self-taught artist? DD: I do. DP: During the latter half of the 20th century, the established art community began to recognize the work of outside artists like Judith Scott. During the same period, various selftrained programmers began to find success in producing computers. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs come to mind. What are your thoughts on what prompted the celebration of these raw professionals, and why the two movements coincided?
DD: I think they are correlated in the sense that some of the movements in art, even in the early part of the 20th century, led to a certain kind of freedom that let a broader group of people play with art, that opened up the world for art hobbyists, as it were — in the same way that Billy Gates succeeded because there were hobbyist computers. Steve Jobs succeeded because there were integrated circuits that he could build things out of. In some sense, Bill Gates succeeded because Paul Allen appeared at his dorm room at Harvard with an Altair, and Steve Jobs succeeded because Steve Wozniak could get him the chips while working at HP to make a computer. DP: How would you characterize both communities’ current acceptance of self-trained practitioners? DD: I think that it’s obviously a good thing for that to — I wouldn’t necessarily say encouraged — but be tolerated and to judge things not on the degrees a person has but on their ability to do things. Now that said if I
Females learn Rape Aggression Defense System Urvija Banjeri
Associate Editor for Street
D
efense courses for women have been around for a while — such courses even became the latest Hollywood exercise fad. But a lot of people on campus might not know about the Rape Aggression Defense System, or RAD, a program offered to women by Princeton’s own Department of Public Safety and cosponsored by the Sexual Harassment/Assault Advising, Resources and Education office. “The RAD basic self-defense program that we offer here at Princeton is a 12-hour defense class,” said Sergeant Sean Ryder, an instructor with the RAD program and a patrolman at the Department of Public Safety. “[The 12-hour program] is quite a commitment for most students, so what we do is split the 12 hours into three lots of four hours.” While the RAD system is a national defense program with multiple levels such as advanced, extreme, RAD for seniors and RAD for kids, the five instructors at Princeton have been running the basic defense program since 2007. “This is not a class designed to teach women how to perform 8-foot flying kicks through the air, nor is it a martial arts program,” Ryder said. “This is realistic, basic self-defense training that relies on
recognizing risk. Beyond that, if ever a woman is aggressed or an individual expresses that he or she is about to attack that woman, then we are hopefully going to impart knowledge so that she knows how to deal with some basic strategies and techniques.” The RAD system is available at various different colleges and universities across the United States. According to the program’s website, the program aims to “challenge society to evolve into an existence where violence is not an acceptable part of daily life.” As for student interest, Ryder said the program has generated plenty in the few years that it has been running. Ryder noted that many students embark on some kind of travel during school breaks as part of internships, research projects and more. “Because of this, a lot of students recognize that they will be in places of the world where women may not be as well-respected, and that is one of the reasons why taking a course like this is beneficial to them,” he said. The program maintains a strict level of anonymity for its students. “What RAD recognizes is there are women who take these classes who are the subject of on-going harassment or something along those lines,” Ryder explained. “RAD also recognizes that some women may be a little anxious or intimidated if they’re asked to perform or
pursue these techniques in an environment where they can be seen by passersby. As instructors at Princeton, we’ve had to comply with the RAD course instruction, which is to make sure that we are instructing in an environment where the students [of the program] can’t be seen.” RAD is offered to more than just students of the University: Faculty, staff members and members of the greater Princeton community are welcome to take this course. “I don’t ever want to be in a situation where I’m turning away any woman that says ‘I’d really like to take this defense course.’ We want to encourage as many females into the program as possible,” Ryder said. Ryder aims to have students understand that there are always going to be risks. “We really don’t live in a bubble,” he said. Ryder explained that he aims to make people more aware of their own surroundings and capabilities. “A lot of women have never had to throw a punch, never had to kick somebody and don’t really know what their capabilities are and how it feels. [We want to] show women some techniques that, heaven forbid, they ever have to really use, but if it ever came to it, they have those tools and they know they can use them.” The classes are usually held on Monday evenings, and each course runs for four weeks. The next course will be held in November of this semester.
COURTESY OF PUBLICSAFETY.PRINCETON.EDU COURTESY OF NYDAILYNEWS.COM
Sgt. Ryder (left) and another instructor teach a student (right) basic self-defense during the program.
The Daily Princetonian
Thursday October 10, 2013
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{ your guide to weekend arts & entertainment }
CAMPUS PICKS Exercise: USG Free Fitness Glow Zumba
Rojo’s Roastery offers appealing alternative
might discover a new passion!
We’re well into the semester now, and work is piling up. So is the collection of snacks from late meal ... work off both the stress and the cookies with some glow-in-the-dark Zumba! For those who don’t know, Zumba is a form of dance-based exercise, focusing mainly on salsa, hip-hop, merengue and samba styles. Zuuumba! Even saying it is fun! Throw on some white and/or neon clothing and head over to Dillon for some fun, colorful dancing exercise with your friends. “Glow” try some Zumba! Dillon Gymnasium: Group Fitness Room Friday, 8 p.m.
Theater: 24-Hour Play Festival What people are crazier, funnier and more energetic than actors, directors and writers? Sleep-deprived actors, directors and writers of course! Take the opportunity to appreciate these students’ creativity, enthusiasm, talent and caffeinated vigor by heading over to the 24-Hour Play Festival, which features acts that are written, staged and performed all within 24 hours. This event is sure to be a good time, especially considering the talent and variety of theater groups here on campus. Theatre Intime Saturday, 8 p.m.
Public Lecture: “Academia Online: Musings” by William G. Bowen GS ‘58 Is the future of higher education online? If this is a question that keeps you up at night, be sure to attend “Academia Online: Musings,” a lecture by William G. Bowen, a.k.a. the pre-pre-preEisgruber president of the University and the man who received the National Humanities Medal in July. You should go even if these questions about education don’t keep you up at night, because you
McCosh 50 Monday, 8 p.m.
Theater: PSAT Fall 2013 Show: “Roshan’s 11” Not to be confused with the Las Vegas Clooney thriller, Roshan’s 11 follows three youths who snag a movie opportunity without knowing what’s in store for them. Princeton South Asian Theatrics promises a night of belly laughter. Even better, they hold the answer to the question that’s been nagging you every time you toast a bagel in the dining hall — why aren’t toasters called “tanning breads?” To find out for the sake of all the pale bread out there, make sure to catch this play directed by Nihar Madhavan ’15 and Varun Sharma ’15. Frist Film/Performance Theater Friday, 8 p.m. Saturday, 9 p.m.
Concert: Princeton University Concerts Presents The Takacs String Quartet Looking for a breath of cultured air in your hectic schedule? Look no further than the Takacs String Quartet, performing this Thursday and Friday. This Hungary-founded, Boulder-based troupe will tackle Bartok’s six string quartets, for which the group has won awards, including a Grammy. If you’re a die-hard classical junkie, be sure not to miss it, and if you couldn’t care less about it, then come on over and prepare to be converted! Sit back and make yourself comfortable — every student’s life could use a little ritardando. Richardson Auditorium Thursday and Friday, 8 p.m.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Campus picks compiled by Jennifer Shyue, Zoe Perot, Margot Yale and Nina Wade.
HEADLINERS & HEADSHAKERS ARTICLES YOU DIDN’T READ THIS WEEK Abigail Williams Street Editor
Eisgruber to review grade deflation policy; B+’s respond, “Hey man, I thought we were cool!”
Oliver Sun Senior Writer
T
he warm scent of freshly brewed coffee welcomes visitors to the cozy cafe, and the baristas smile as they greet customers and ask to take their orders. The color scheme takes on earthy tones in an artfully simple setting — the small tables are at first mistakable for large stools. This is the world of Rojo’s Roastery, a small artisan coffee shop that opened in Palmer Square just five weeks ago. Word about Rojo’s Roastery has already started to spread around town, building its reputation as a highly knowledgeable and friendly source for coffee. Even after speaking briefly with the barista, one quickly gets the impression that Rojo’s Roastery employees are thoroughly familiar with their craft. The Roastery divides its menu into two sections. The first is the main menu displayed behind the counter, which lists several typical espresso-based drinks, such as lattes, mochas and cappuccinos. The barista prepared each drink by hand and on the spot — from a coffee mill containing fresh beans, he grinds the beans, carefully measures the coffeeto-water ratio and combines all the ingredients together into a delicious coffee brew. Rojo’s Roastery takes special care to stock fresh and local coffee beans, and the taste comes through in the coffee’s delightfully nuanced aroma. Rojo’s Roastery also uses a specialty menu, displayed on an iPad at the back of the coffee shop. Here, patrons browse through exotic brews, including Indonesian and Ethiopian coffees. While the espresso-based drinks add hot water under pressure, a process that takes only a few seconds, the baristas prepare these specialty brews using pour-over techniques, letting gravity slowly pull the water through the ground beans. This technique allows a richer flavor to infuse the coffee, bringing out the full taste and emphasizing the distinct characteristics of each type of coffee. Rojo’s Roastery acquired its alliterative name from its founder, David Waldman, who in his youth sported a beard of red hair. Waldman has always been passionate about coffee, its sources and its preparation, and he sees one of Rojo’s Roastery’s goals as building up the “coffee IQ” of a community. Having plenty of experience with coffee roasting — he opened the
COURTESY OF NJ.COM
A barista (left) and Rojo’s owner David Waldman (right) at the cafe’s soft opening last month.
first Rojo’s Roastery in Lambertville in 2005 — Waldman encourages customers with questions about coffee to talk to him or to any of the extensively trained baristas for tips about how to construct the perfect coffee brew. He notes that he is delighted by Princeton’s response to his approach to coffee brewing. “People who come in ask specifically for our hand-made, pour-over coffee,” Waldman said, noting that “the Princeton community is very well-traveled and highly knowledgeable.” Waldman added that often there is an underserved demographic of high coffee IQ people in the community who seek a coffee shop that adequately suits their needs. Waldman explained that he hopes to fill this niche. People with a high coffee IQ “attend to the details of coffee-making,” Waldman said; they are aware of the coffee’s path from grower to processor to brewer to drinker. He hopes to foster an understanding among the community of growing techniques, the differences among coffees of different regions and the chemistry and physics behind various methods of preparing coffee. Of course, one need not be an avid aficionado of coffee to appreciate this cafe. The baristas will enthusiastically walk the customers through the process of coffee brewing and recommend special brews of the day. For non-coffee drinkers, Rojo’s Roastery includes a selection of over 20 organic, loose-leaf
Street’s Top Ten Top Ten Reasons for Grade Deflation
1
The freshmen shouldn’t get anything we didn’t have.
2
Without it, it will be really embarrassing when I don’t get an A.
3
Because grad schools totally buy, “No. Seriously, my teachers had to give me a B+.”
Government still shut down; annoyingly, school is not
4
It’s how we maintain our exclusivity.
UHS-approved methods of meningitis prevention incl hand-washing, not lookin ude Basilisk directly in the eyg e Princeton beats Columbia 53-7 in football game; Princeton cheerleaders temporarily lose use of arms
5
They’re toughening us up before spitting us out on Wall Street.
6 It keeps UHS in business.
7
When everyone’s an A student, is anyone an A student?
8
EISGRUBER DEFENDS LEGACY ADMISSIONS AT ALUMNI EVENT, BECAUSE WHAT ELSE CAN YOU SAY AT AN ALUMNI EVENT
Report s of gunshots fired in Nassau Hall still really not funny
teas as well as freshly made smoothies. They also sell chocolates made with only two ingredients, cacao beans and cane sugar, as well as several pastries. The pear ginger scone is a customer favorite. Rojo’s Roastery welcomes a diverse clientele, ranging from tea-lovers to casual coffee drinkers to coffee connoisseurs. The next time you find yourself near Palmer Square, make sure to check out this cozy coffee shop, discuss the art of coffee brewing with a barista and sip a specialty, handmade coffee drink from Rojo’s Roastery.
What else will people debate about on College Confidential?
9
Because it’s too depressing to think Malkiel’s grand experiment was all for nothing.
10
COURTESY OF NJ.COM
Above, customers at the soft opening. Below, Waldman with a cup of Rojo’s coffee.
We shouldn’t descend into the moral turpitude of Harvard and Yale.