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LUTHER COLLEgE
“Let the chips fall where they may.”
CHIPS
MARCH 31, 2016
Serving the Luther College community since 1884.
VOLUME 138, NO. 18
Hightower set to resign AnA López STAFF WRITER Director of Choral Activities, Conductor of Nordic Choir, Professor of Music and Artistic Director of Christmas at Luther Allen Hightower will be resigning to continue his career as Director of Choral Studies at University of North Texas. In light of this announcement, Luther music faculty and staff prepare to search for such an important position. Hightower joined the Luther community in fall of 2010, a decision, he said, that prompted by Luther’s choral tradition and the legacy of Weston Noble. Along with being the Director of Choral Activities, Conductor of Nordic Choir, Professor of Music and Artistic Director of Christmas at Luther, Hightower was also granted the Weston Noble Endowed Chair in Music. He is the only endowed chair in the music department. At the University of North Texas, Hightower will be teaching graduate students. According to Hightower, the opportunity to work with graduate students largely influenced his decision to move schools. “For many years I have considered whether part of my own mission in life might be to work with masters degree students and doctoral students in choral conducting,” Hightower said. “I have a really sincere desire to ‘pay forward’ and to invest in the next generation of choral conductors and teachers.” According to Hightower, the University of North Texas has a large conducting program and has been offered a tenured position. For Hightower, these were both signs that he was making the right decision. Although Hightower expressed that his decision to leave Luther was a difficult one, the opportunity to move back to
Dr. Allen Hightower has conducted Luther’s Nordic Choir since 2010. Texas was influential in making this decision. Hightower is originally from Texas, and moving back would provide him the opportunity to be closer to his family. According to Hightower, one of the most difficult aspects of leaving Luther is leaving the students with whom he works. Nordic Choir President Julia Riemann (‘16) said
Guest lecturer Randall Auxier presents a new way to look at science eLyse grotHAus STAFF WRITER Southern University of Illinois-Carbondale professor Randall Auxier gave a lecture titled “Evolution, Time and the Irrelevance of Darwin’s Natural Selection” in Valders Hall of Science on Wednesday, March 16. Auxier is a philosopher of culture, specializing in the philosophy of logics and the metaphysics of time. Visiting Assistant Professor of Philosophy Laura Mueller knew Auxier from her own dissertation work and invited him to speak at Luther because she felt his knowledge would be beneficial to Luther students
and faculty. “I felt that the kinds of work that they are doing is perfect for the student body and for the liberal arts,” Mueller said. Auxier said that his area of study provides a different way to approach scientific issues. “I study the philosophy of culture,” Auxier said. “What I have studied for my entire career are the forms of culture: religion, art, science, history. When I look at science, I don’t understand it the way a scientist or a philosopher of science does; I understand it the way a philosopher of culture does.” In the lecture, Auxier looked at science through his understanding of culture, arguing that the understanding
of evolution today has almost no connection to Darwin’s ideas of natural selection. He explained that Darwin is used as a diversion to keep religion out of modern science. Auxier also said that scientific journalism, which is the level of understanding most people have about science, is different from actual science. Because of this, Auxier pointed out that the average person does not have a good understanding of the complex topic of evolution. Auxier concluded his lecture by arguing that evolutionary science needs to improve by incorporating a stronger idea of time into evolutionary models. Lecture, PAgE 4
Aaron Lurth / Photo Bureau
Hightower has been a positive leader for the members of Nordic Choir. “He is an incredible leader,” Riemann said. “Especially on tour, we’ve seen a more fun side of him. He really made an effort to get to know everyone in the choir.” HigHtower, PAgE 4
Trumpeters travel to national competition kArL bAdger STAFF WRITER Seven members of the Luther College Trumpet Studio performed at the semifinals of the National Trumpet Competition at Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia on March 10. Each school participating in the competition sent a recording of themselves performing one song in order to be considered for the semifinals. Luther was one of 22 schools chosen from 150 schools to advance to the semifinal round where they competed in the Large Ensemble category. Out of this category, three schools advanced to the final round. This year, Central Michigan University finished in third place, the University of Texas at Austin placed second and Oklahoma State University
took first place. Luther performed the piece “Homage”, written by Murray State Associate Professor of Music Michael D’Ambrosio for its audition for the semifinal round and during the competition. The piece was written in honor of Adolph “Bud” Herseth (‘43), who was the principal trumpet player for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for 54 years and was a Luther College alum. The piece has yet to be published but was commissioned for the Luther College Trumpet Studio. As a result, Trumpet Studio Director and Assistant Professor of Music John Cord noticed that students thought that using the piece would be a unique opportunity for Luther’s participation in the competition. trumpets, PAgE 4