FINE ARTS

10,000 MILES, SOUNDS, MEMORIES

FROM SAINT PETER TO MALAYSIA AND SINGAPORE, WITH THE GUSTAVUS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND JAZZ ENSEMBLES

Exchanging music across cultures— playing for each other, playing each other’s music, playing together—is a transformative experience for musicians. It was also a main goal of the 2020 international music tour. It happened in more ways than can be counted, but one perfect example: GSO and GJazz wind players became the first American college musicians to work with students from the renowned Raffles Institution, the best public high school on the island of Singapore. It was a day filled with cross-cultural saxophone quartets, flute trios, and students from both schools jamming to Stevie Wonder’s “I Just Called to Say I Love You.” Another highlight: the city of Ipoh, where three ensembles made up of musicians from multiple generations joined together to share music with the Gustie ensembles. “When we finished “Star Wars”, the note barely had a chance to ring before they started clapping and cheering,” says cellist Katelyn Yee ’20. “It’s a special feeling to share something that transcends any language.” Yet another: an impromptu jam sesion using traditional instruments at the Penang House of Music. Beyond music and language, there was even more to share. Approximately 60 percent of Malaysians practice Islam, but Hinduism was at the forefront as Gusties conquered the steps to the Batu Caves. In Penang, “Everywhere I turned

ON THE ROAD

1. Kuala Lumpur

Ascended the Petronas Towers (tallest twin towers in the world), ate night market ice cream, met monkeys at Batu Caves

2. Penang

Formed a jazz combo using traditional instruments at Penang House of Music, rode the funicular up Penang Hill, performed at Dewan Sri Penang

3. Ipoh

Benefit concert, visited the cave Gua Tompurong, musical exchange with the all-ages Kinta Valley Symphonic Society

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3

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4

5 4. Malacca

Made batik at a Kampong Village, explored Jonker Walk Night Market

5. Singapore

Laid in the grass and watched the evening Supertrees show at Gardensby-the-Bay, made music with students at the prestigious Raffles Institution, visited a soy sauce factory, performed at the Singapore Botanic Gardens It is quite the undertaking to move more than 70 people in tandem across a foreign landscape. But, we did it together, leaned on each other, and learned a lot of lessons about the human condition.

—Dave Stamps, director, Gustavus Jazz Studies

I was greeted by brightly lit food stalls filled with food that has been perfected over generations,” says Tyler Del Main ’22. At the world’s tallest indoor waterfall in Singapore, which laid bare the consequences of climate change, Tessa Dethlefs ’21 approved of Singapore’s reputation as “the country of the future.” “It values the futures of humans and irreplaceable ecosystems alike,” she says. In Malacca, says Grace Tobin, “We saw a lot of the colonial influences from the Portuguese, Dutch, and British. When we walked a short distance to the night market, all influence of the past colonizers disappeared and we entered a world that was seemingly purely Malaysian.” It was so many worlds, seen and discovered through music.

COUNT IT OUT

27 hours in transit one way

30+ number of dignitaries and ambassadors in attendance at the first concert in Kuala Lumpur

33 number of families contributing funds to make the trip a possibility for Gustie musicians

$35,000 amount of money raised for people in need during a benefit concert for Lighthouse Hope Society (an organization for those in need)

SHARING MUSIC AND MORE

FOOD, CULTURE, LANGUAGE, LANDSCAPE, SPIRITUAL PRACTICE, AND ARTISTIC INTERPRETATION—IT WAS A MUSICAL IMMERSION, PLUS.

“This is what I’d been waiting for: to make music with my best friends and share it with people on the

other side of the world.” —Cellist Katelyn Yee ’20

ON A SEASON INTERRUPTED

From Mara Klein, director of fine arts, and

Lynnea Eckhoff, manager of tours

We are so sorry our seniors won’t have work displayed this spring in the Hillstrom Museum of Art or experience their final home concerts, recitals, and performances Although we cannot celebrate these milestones in person, faculty and staff have worked to find innovative ways to bring Gustie students together across the world to make art happen. Difficult times often lead to the greatest innovation. Gustie artists of all ages rise to the challenge. We are grateful to our students for sharing their talent and—more importantly—their love and care for one another. We miss our students, but we know they leave this place headed for great things. Please drop by Gustavus Fine Arts online and see what they’re up to, and show us what you’re up to too. Facebook /gustavusfinearts Twitter @gustiearts gustavus.edu/finearts