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“Così Fan Tutte” performed in CFL
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Decorah hosts first Pride parade
Softball wins regional tournament
COLLEGE
LUTHER “Let the chips fall where they may.”
VOLUME 140, NO. 22 • EST. 1884
MAY 17, 2018
Students share stories of hope through conflict Jam Riyan Hamza (‘21), Belal Krayem (‘18), and Mohammed Aljadart (‘19) share stories about their childhoods in conflict areas. Rozlyn Paradis (‘18) | Chips
ROZLYN PARADIS STAFF WRITER Three Luther students, Belal Krayem (‘18), Mohammed Aljardat (‘19), and Jam Riyan Hamza (‘21) shared their stories of growing up in areas plagued with deep-rooted conflict in a roundtable discussion on May 9 in Olin 102. The discussion was moderated by Kim Chham (‘21) and sponsored by the Center for Ethics and Public Engagement. Despite the fear and uncertainty of their childhood surroundings, the students provided messages of resilience and hope inspired by their family and friends from home. Krayem’s home Libya was under a dictatorship for over 40 years before the Arab Spring Uprising of 2011. The uprising had a significant influence on Krayem’s life and family. “I had to leave the country to get a better education,” Krayem said. “I moved [to Italy] and left my family behind. The emotions knowing I [couldn’t] come back to visit were always in the back of my mind.” The situation in Libya is still dangerous which means returning home is not currently possible for Krayem. “I was accepted to Luther in 2014 and haven’t had a chance to go back,” Krayem said. “Going back isn’t an option. I am afraid for my life there, but also the [travel] ban by Trump wouldn’t let me return if I did go home.” Aljadart also experienced conflict growing up as a Palestinian in Jerusalem. “Seeing the military presence everywhere created a lot of fear in my life,” Aljadart said.
Aljadart’s mother, also a Palestinian, lived in East Jerusalem but the family later moved south of the West Bank, leaving her family behind. Once Aljadart turned 16 and had a Palestinian ID he could no longer easily pass through checkpoints to visit his mother’s family. “The situation back home is really hard,” Aljadart said. “The right of movement within the city is limited. Growing up like this made me really confused. It didn’t make sense because I could go on the roof of my house and see Jerusalem. But I couldn’t easily go there.” Hamza is from Pakistan and his life was affected by gangs, terrorism, and the Kashmir conflict. The Kashmir conflict took over Hamza’s childhood in many ways, including four and a half years of military service. “People fall onto the military for support instead of education,” Hamza said. “Kashmir is the most annoying thing that has happened to me and is still affecting me now. Because I went to India to study my friends from back home hate me.” Hamza feels optimistic that these conflicts can eventually be resolved. “I just wish the people from my home were more open to one another,” Hamza said. “There is more understanding with interaction. I feel the future is bright.” Aljadart also has hope for the future. “[Conflict] definitely creates a unity,” Aljadart said. “When people share the same struggle they look out for each other and try harder to understand each other. Through the many shared values that go through those hardships, hope arises.” HOPE | PAGE 4
Student pianist featured PIPER WOOD STAFF WRITER Shana Liu (‘21) performed Edvard Greig’s Piano Concerto in A Minor Op.16 with the Des Moines Community Orchestra on Sunday May 13 in Des Moines. Liu won the Bill Riley Talent Search at the Iowa State Fair on the piano in 2016. After that performance, Conductor of the Des Moines Community Orchestra Carl Johnson asked Liu to perform with the orchestra and the two chose the Grieg concerto. The Des Moines Community Orchestra’s Spring concert also included works from Felix Mendelssohn’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” as well as collaborative guest musicians on three other pieces. SYMPHONY | PAGE 4
Shana Liu ('21) practices for her performance with the Des Moines Community Orchestra. Piper Wood (‘21) | Chips
Emeriti lecture highlights little-known musician NATALIE NELSON STAFF WRITER James Griesheimer gave the annual emeriti lecture in Shirley Baker Commons on Thursday, May 10 at 3 p.m. titled “Edward Finch (Polymath of England, 18th century).” Each topic for the emeriti lecture is chosen by the professor giving the lecture and varies year to year. Griesheimer, who taught as a professor of music at Luther from 1991 to 2015, spoke about Edward Finch, a priest and composer in England in the early 18th century. Griesheimer said one of the goals of
his lecture was to show the reach of Finch’s interests. “He was a great collector of everything,” Griesheimer said. “He was interested in everything. So we find compositions that he copied out by hand. We have about 250 compositions copied out by him.” Griesheimer said that what originally interested him in Finch was the tablature system he invented for recorder. Griesheimer also discussed the intrigue of discovering new information about important figures in music history that have gone undiscovered for many years.
“It’s hard to imagine how many masters there were,” Griesheimer said. “At the time of Bach’s death, people didn’t know who Bach was until we found the cantatas. A large part of musicology is finding a gem that’s buried and sometimes we find an unknown genre within a composer.” Associate Professor of Education and Assessment Coordinator Jeannette Pillsbury appreciated Greishemier’s depth of knowledge. “We like to joke that he is a reverend doctor because he’s an Episcopal priest and has a doctorate,” Pillsbury said. “What he is
speaking on is right up his alley, so it’s exciting that he can talk about it because he’s a priest himself. He is very active in the church and he loves to talk to anybody about anything to do with music. For anyone who has never been in a lecture from Dr. Griesheimer, he gets very excited about what he’s sharing and that excitement is felt by those who are listening.” Pillsbury added that talking about a composer like Finch is important because it highlights a lesser known composer of the time. LECTURE | PAGE 4