Universal Harmony

April 28 Volume 74 lbunion.com

13

Universal Harmony Celebrating Music assembles the students of the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music

Disclaimer and Publication Information: The Union Weekly is published using ad money and partial funding provided by the Associated Students, Inc. All Editorials are the opinions of their individual authors, not the Union Weekly, ASI or Union Weekly staff. All letters

Issue 74.13

13

returned. Letters may or may not be edited for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and length. The Union Weekly The Union Weekly assumes no responsibility, nor is it liable, for claims of its advertisers. Grievance

“Do the stanky legg, do the stanky legg, do the stanky legg.”

Rose Feduk, Editor-in-Chief

editorinchief@lbunion.com

Marco Beltran, Managing Editor

marcob.union@gmail.com

Connor O’Brien, Managing Editor

connor.union@gmail.com

Eric Garcia, Advertising Exec

advertising@lbunion.com

Shereen Lisa Dudar, Opinions Editor opinions@lbunion.com

Alfred Pallarca, Culture Editor culture@lbunion.com

Sierra Patheal, Campus Editor campus@lbunion.com

Molly Shannon, Food Editor food@lbunion.com

Michael Wood, Music Editor music@lbunion.com

Connor O’Brien, Art Director connor.union@gmail.com

Roque Renteria, Entertainment Editor entertainment@lbunion.com

Truc Nguyen, Web Manager

Alyssa Keyne, Literature Editor literature@lbunion.com

God Warrior, Grunion Editor grunion@lbunion.com

Chrissy Bastian, Athletics Editor athletics@lbunion.com

Assistant Editors: Sam Winchester, Renee Schmiedeberg.

Advertising Interns: Trevor Desrosiers, Lisa Campbell.

Contributors: Kevin Tran, John Villanueva, Sarina Carlilse, Sabina Couturier, Alex Berman, Toria Denofrio, Sam McTonnell, Ivana Monson, Rebecca Komathy, David Hayter, Nancy Castelan, Tanya Paz, Debby Vasquez, Carlos Mariscal, Daniel Wilson, Sarah Delcourt.

LBUnion.com

@UnionWeekly

Questions? Comments? Choo-choo trains?

Long Beach, CA 90815.

E-mail: info@lbunion.com

Rose and the Island Breezes Rose Feduk Editor-in-Chief

Here in your hands lies the penultimate issue of the Union Weekly this year. We applaud you for having made the effort to pick this issue up in between muttering the names of the Sino-Tibetan language family for your linguistics exam or dropping all of the flashcards for your economics exam in a puddle. It’s crunch time. You’re stressed. You’re worried that maybe you’ve been absent too many times. You wonder if it’s time to come to terms with the fact that you might just get a “B” in that class you tried hard in. Maybe you stay up at night wondering if you should have changed your major three semesters ago. That’s okay. It’s okay to be stressed out, so long as you know how to unwind once in a while.

For me, it’s hard to unwind. Even in skipping school to promise myself a “mental health day,” my mind will be plagued with the muck of the here and now. I’m too immersed in the reality of my situation: a compilation of marked down homework assignments, impending research projects, work that should have been done weeks ago, and a job that requires my attentiveness most of the week. I find that many other people also have this problem in which they can’t transport themselves to a mental place away from the stress of their daily situation. So we’ll try it together, reader.

Imagine yourself on a tropical island,

with a fresh coconut in hand and the sun beaming down on you. The waves crash in front of you and you settle down on a gnarled, sandy tree root. College? What?

No. There’s no college here. No work either. No moms, no dads, no bratty sister, no deadbeat co-workers, no sweaty city worker trying to tell you, “You can’t sleep on the sidewalk, ma’am.” It’s just you and this lovely ocean scene.

A butterfly flutters down and nestles in your arm hair. Oh, how nice! Where did he come from? What’s that in his antennae?

Is that a tiny iPad? Is that…the study guide for your African art history exam?

Shit, is that this Tuesday? God, what’s the function of initiation in Maasai society again? The Turkana culture… I don’t even remember learning about them. Did I lose some of my notes? Is that really going to be on the test? Did my hair just set on fire?

On second thought, maybe it’s best to get outside of our own heads a little bit.

The Bob Cole Conservatory is putting on their 24th annual “Celebrating Music” concert, in which choirs will sing and musicians will play all for the purpose to transport you to a place somewhat outside of yourself. To read more about these talented young men and women and the show they’ve got lined up for this Spring, I urge you to put your feet up and turn to the feature on page seven. And get those editor applications in, ya’ slackers!

4 Opinions

A Cinematic Graveyard Movie theaters are going extinct, but you can save them Things are disappearing right before our eyes. First record stores, which used to be a hub for discovering new music, vanished.

Then bookstores, a place to discover a new author or title, shrank in numbers.

Video stores recently became part of the endangered list. If movie theaters are lost, another form of entertainment may become obsolete.

According to a poll performed by Harris, a Nielsen company, two-thirds of Americans admitted to going to movies less frequently than they did a few years ago. Of the 2,311 adults polled, 57 percent of Americans said they would rather stay at home and 21 percent said they’d rather go out to the theater. For movie lovers, these statistics can be alarming; they prove that cinemas are susceptible to becoming remnants of the 20th century.

The two main causes of this decline in theater attendance could be ticket pricing and streaming media networks. According to Bloomberg Businessweek, the average ticket price in the nation is $8. In big cities, such as Los Angeles, tickets average $11 and up, and that is not including 3D ticket prices. 3D or IMAX ticket prices can run from $13-20.

A family of four would pay upwards of $71 Captain America: The Winter Soldier in IMAX at 8pm; popcorn and soda not included. Ticket prices should change depending on the Ever since Avatar set the 3D trend, it has been a mixed blessing with the special money. The Hollywood Reporter reported on that same Harris poll that 69 percent of moviegoers agreed that 3D was just an excuse to charge more for tickets. Films like Avatar and Hugo are beautifully made for 3D, but that’s because directors like James Cameron and Martin Scorsese intended them to be in 3D. But for every Avatar, there

average moviegoer. The latest releases can be streamed on a computer, tablet or even phone. Therein lies the problem.

Streaming sites are great for people to might not have come across before, but the manner in which they are streamed destroys the experience originally intended.

Gravity, 2001: A Space Odyssey and the Star Wars screen in order to make you believe you are don’t think the directors Alfonso Cuarón and George Lucas are happy knowing that their masterpieces are being seen on a tablet—or worse—a tiny smartphone. These directors

Debby Vasquez Contributor career I may never encounter. I know I am not the only one who feels this way. school, I have learned that the creation of and let them escape from their worries with an excuse to go out. It is refreshing to know that a medium that has lasted more than 100 years still has not waived from its ups and experiences, from movie palaces to cineplexes, but the goal is still the same— entertaining people.

There are so many reasons I love going to movie theaters—the smell of popcorn, the stereo surround sound, the feeling you get to begin, the theatrical trailers which can be

to 3D for seemingly no reason. Film studios should understand that 3D should be Bloomberg Businessweek reported that box audience, but because of price hikes from the 3D format. and Amazon have become hits in the 21st

a small device.

The Harris Poll also reported that 45 percent of those polled said their favorite part about going to the movies is the experience of having a short escape from everyday life.

As a frequent moviegoer, I consider movie theaters an escape from everyday life—an escape to another time, life or

you laugh, cry or give you a scare.

Don’t allow cinemas to suffer the same fate as record and book stores; keep the pastime alive by going on discount days at your local theater, not buying into the 3D gimmick and appreciating the beauty of the cinema.

No Pay, No Play NCAA athletes deserve compensation for their hard work Although the March Madness NCAA basketball tournament recently concluded, a debate that has gone on for many years continues. Should the athletes who bring in billions of dollars for the NCAA and the universities during the March Madness period receive some form of compensation? some kind of money for their hard work and time; after all, the athletes that play in the amount of time outside of the class in order to participate in the tournament.

The NCAA is strict when it comes to money and its athletes. College athletes cannot receive any form of compensation outside of scholarships and financial aid. Whether it’s from receiving a free textbook or a meal after a game, it is illegal for any NCAA athlete to receive any compensation from anyone.

As we saw in 2010, the University of Southern California football program received sanctions in response to an investigation by the NCAA that revealed Reggie Bush had received gifts during his time at USC. We saw this regulation in action again in 2011 when Ohio State also received a sanction when football players received $14,000 in cash and tattoos in exchange for autographed jerseys and other memorabilia.

According to a report from CNN, the NCAA has argued in the past that the player compensation ban is necessary in order to maintain the amateur nature of college sports and the educational mission of the NCAA. The NCAA claims that the sport will change if players begin to get paid, but why can’t the compensation come in the form of extra financial aid for school? Yes, the players do receive special treatment

for being an athlete as it is, but they are students like everyone else. Scholarships and financial aid don’t always cover all college expenses, such as textbooks and housing; extra compensation should be readily available for the athletes in need.

It’s also tough for college athletes to hold a job while with being a full-time student and playing the sport. Why not pay the players some form of minimum wage?

College football and basketball is an industry where everyone profits— everyone but the athletes. According to Forbes, Texas has profited the most after making nearly $139 million in 2013 after spending almost $125 million—that’s a profit of over $10 million. Besides equipment and uniforms, the players will never see that money during their time at the university.

According to the report by CNN, The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)

Carlos Mariscal Contributor filed a class action lawsuit against the NCAA last week. The NLRB is challenging the NCAA’s rules against player compensation as an illegal agreement among universities to fix the prices paid to college athletes.

With the court siding with NCAA in the past, it will be an uphill battle for the NLRB in the time to come. It shouldn’t be illegal for a player to receive a gift or any compensation during their time as an athlete. The NCAA should wake up and realize that it needs to find a way to compensate the athletes who bring in the billions of dollars every year. The athletes do deserve some form of compensation, whether it’s from paying them minimum wage or extra financial help in school.

After all, the NCAA wouldn’t be around without the athletes. The athletes are the sole reason for the success of the NCAA.

5 Opinions

Renee Schmiedeberg Assistant Editor Before I go on, everyone should know that Union staffer, Kevin Tran, has welcomed this retaliation with open arms. Kevin, I hope this will enlighten you about selfie culture and perhaps even lift you from your self-ordained position as the Union Weekly’s designated grumpy cat. I fear that this “identity” you’ve adopted and your frustration stems from a lack of selfreflection. A lack of self-reflection often leads to becoming a grumpy cat. Now hang on, Kevin, I’m not trying to attack you, per se, I just want to share some common ideologies with you.

that they never will be. Unlike the 5,000 Photoshopped and idealized images we are bombarded with every day through

the person. I like to call these “location with images of men and women who have undergone a selection process (those who adhere enough to idealized conventions showing the world what most people really look like. People often try to emulate what advertisements are telling us is beautiful and unattainable perceptions of beauty. Taking hygiene) and is crucial for anyone who wants

nothing but the person’s face, excluding others around them and their surroundings.

You even go so far as to call this narcissistic.

This may come as a shock to you, but group I intend to take one with you, Kevin) and

to represent themselves realistically. Instead

horizons and appreciate more diverse

Kevin, saying that not caring about how other people think you look is like “a guy version of feminism” makes no sense. Let me let you in on a little secret, Kev. Feminism, like windows, works both ways. Actually, to not adhere to the gender binary, we should say that feminism works all ways. Males can be feminist. Many of them already are. Think about it—there are male feminists out there right now, breathing and walking and living around you right now that vampires exist today, isn’t it? Spooky.

You see now why “Guy’s Feminism” makes no sense? Feminism is already guy-inclusive.

I agree with your statement that taking a

know what else is unsafe? Toasting a bagel while driving. Must be the toaster’s fault then. Toss it out the window! Let it crash

deem disrespectful, broke the camel’s back say, that is rather culturally exclusive of you, Kevin. Do you know that there are many cultures in which funerals, memorials and wakes are not bleak gatherings centered on melancholy thought, but rather celebratory commemorations of the person’s life? extremely narcissistic, but I implore you to dig a little deeper, Kevin. I look forward to discussing this with you further when we have lunch at the Chartroom. And Kevin, when we’re there we’ll be sure to get a picture together.

6 Campus

Lovin’ Our Library

State of the Beach

A brief introduction to some little-known resources Words by Sierra Patheal Campus Editor

Photos by Sam Winchester Assistant Editor database for your subject, but don’t forget to try out the other databases if you’re looking for something from outside your field. Pretty much everything is there if you only know where to look! Some books are listed in the databases, too, but they’re mostly for articles.

Link+ (csul.iii.com) If you’re looking for a particular book and it doesn’t happen to be on-campus, click the link to “repeat search in Link+” (which generally appears on the left-hand side

When I was first considering coming to CSULB, during my bright-eyed-andbushy-tailed days as a high school senior, a friend gave me a tour of the campus. He started with the Japanese Gardens, wound through the University Dining Plaza, and finally ended up near the library, which he admitted he still considered a bit of a mystery, despite having graduated the previous spring. “They’ve computerized most of the catalogue,” he explained, “and I’ve heard you can just go online and request things, although I’m not really sure how that works.”

My friend was a math major, so I suppose he was able to survive his undergrad without requesting much secondary literature from

the stacks and searching through the related materials, it’s much easier to type your topic, desired author, or article title into the search bar on the library homepage, write down the exact location, and go get your book.

The search bar on the library’s homepage searches CSULB’s physical holdings—i.e., what is actually stored in our shelves oncampus. If you’re looking for an article and we have it on campus, the search will either direct you to a physical holding, present an online link, or show a link to request the the article will be waiting for you at the circulation desk (which is right in front of If you’re looking for a book and it’s available, just write down the call number,

will check the holdings of libraries across the West Coast, including the entire CSU system and a number of private universities.

Theological textbooks, limited-edition publications, Harry Potter—Link+ has it all. The rental periods are unfortunately rather brief, and you can only renew books once, but Link+ is invaluable for getting your hands on books that aren’t in CSULB’s holdings, and it’s really quick; generally, books will arrive within a couple days of your order. That means you have time to order missing a source!

BeachReach (illiad.library.csulb.edu) This service is also called “Illiad,” which library employees across the system go to in looking for an article that’s not available online, you can submit a request through BeachReach, and pretty soon (generally

library is one of the places I’ve come to know the onsite stacks to intercampus lending, the CSULB library’s services have made it possible for me to complete my undergraduate degree.

So, for those of you who are like my friend— absolutely certain about the study spaces and can be found in the library, but a little more uncertain about the musty tomes that take up

shelf. (Supposedly, you should be able to follow the call number directly to the shelf, but I always end up wandering down a couple of Visiting the actual shelving can also be useful

be cancelled, and you’ll be responsible for tracking the article down yourself. However, if it’s in Humboldt County, it’ll show up in

one book on your topic is located, you may also

of Writing Memoir.” Hosted by the of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies,

readings from Hartzler’s own memoir, Rapture Practice, as well as discussion and the story of your life, the lecture might be worth a visit—should probably know what

Tantalizing Tastes Looking for some quick, interesting bites hosting a food tasting event from 11am ’til 1pm on the USU’s Southwestern Terrace,

plate, and review it in next week’s issue of the Union more info.

A Look Across the Atlantic

Women in India” at the Pointe at 6pm Khan writes for the Daily Beast, Slate, the New York Times, and the Christian Science Monitor, amongst others. Her book Pink Sari Revolution received accolades San Francisco Chronicle, and she used to be a contributing editor to Vogue India. The event is free, but RSVPs are required; contact the Center for

Doubtlessly Dramatic Remember Doubt a theatrical adaptation entitled Adapting Faith Through Doubt

somewhere waved her wand. theatricality of the posters on campus, Want to learn more?

you exactly what you’re looking for; it’ll just take a little more digging.

Research Databases (csulb.libguides.com)

Library Homepage (csulb.edu/library/) Counterintuitively, when you’re looking for a book, this is the best place to start—not the front desk. While you might be able to locate what you’re looking for by wandering around

,

or one of the other on-campus databases;

If the book or article you’re looking for isn’t available on-campus, though, don’t give absolutely needs.

(I would like to thank all the resource librarians and professors who taught me these

Meta-Memorializing

Got ’em. Want trade journals and SWOT there, too. The URL above presents a list of research databases, organized by topic for ease. Get comfortable with the preferred

Research librarians hold workshops throughout the year on the optimal

something new to the text, and since the performances are free, the showing might be a great way to procrastinate—ahem, relax showings will be held at 7pm on May 1st

source, or, alternatively, you can also visit the research librarians’ desk on the computers). Let them know what you’re looking for, and chances are, their magic can help!

Organizing an Event on Campus?

Publicize it in the last issue of the semester! com so we can help you spread the word.

Words by Alyssa Keyne Literature Editor Photos by Alfred Pallarca Culture Editor Cover by Connor O’Brien Art Director

Every spring, Cal State Long Beach’s Bob Cole Conservatory of Music puts on one of their largest concerts of the year. Its name is Celebrating Music, and it does exactly what the title implies. At the end of each school year, the musicians of the orchestra and choirs convene and demonstrate how far they’ve all come. Through lessons, classes, juries, recitals, and rehearsals, the groups develop into well-oiled machines and gather to play some of the most recognizable works.

Although it takes place when most students are exhausted from their last few assignments, Celebrating Music brings in summer with an energetic reminder of why all the students in the department work as hard as they do.

This year, the University Choir, Chamber Choir, and Symphony Orchestra are coming together to Requiem, or mass for the dead. In addition, the orchestra will play Gustav Holsts’s The Planets with some help from the women of University Choir. Both of the pieces are stunning examples of 20th Century music that resisted modern trends of atonality; they include sweeping sentimental lines and visceral chords that demonstrate the most accessible classical music.

As a music minor and vocalist in University Choir, I’ve been granted

the pleasure of singing in this endof-the-year concert three years in a University Choir, I only considered it yet another busy Saturday during the last few weeks of Spring semester. orchestra, however, I marveled at my unique opportunity. I was creating music with hundreds of singers and instrumentalists at once. Although learning that year’s music cut into my schedule and frankly stressed me out, that performance both amazed me and expanded my experiences as a singer.

This year, I was honored to separately interview Dr. Johannes Müller-Stosch, the Director of String Studies and Conductor of Symphony Orchestra, and Dr. Jonathan Talberg, Director of Choral, Vocal, and Opera Studies; Associate Director of the conservatory; and director of chamber choir, about this year’s concert.

READ MORE ON THE NEXT PAGE

Feature

Universal Harmony

7

8 Feature

“Although some vocalists and instrumentalists have worked together before, they rarely collaborate at such a scale.”

Celebrating Music has exhibited some of Bob Cole Conservatory’s most talented musicians for 24 years.

Dr. Talberg, who has prepared both choirs for the performance, explained that the concert as it is now

everybody played, and it was over.” He explained the concert evolved into an opportunity for performing larger pieces the university typically wouldn’t play.

In recent years, the choirs and orchestra have tackled such pieces as the Mozart Requiem, Beethoven’s The Bells.

Although their schedules can be hectic at the end of the year, the groups manage to pull together long works of music for an excited audience.

Although some vocalists and instrumentalists have worked together before, they rarely collaborate at such a scale. As a singer in one of the choirs, I am constantly enthralled by the sound and texture a live orchestra can produce. Every year without fail, there is always one moment where the orchestra stuns the

Latin text that describes souls being welcomed into be afraid of… It’s sort of wrapped up in this French, Romantic, semi-Impressionism that is very luxurious in terms of sound and is very easy to listen to.” True to Impressionism, the piece sets a peaceful mood with dreamy orchestrations. Also adhering to the traits Requiem pays homage to the past by implanting original Gregorian chants into each movement, challenging the original requiem structure and emphasizing heavenly redemption. the program] is The Planets by Gustav Holst, which is a piece that describes heavenly bodies, each of but has a little more bite to it.” The Planets is an orchestral piece that captures the astrological characters of each planet in our solar system. As the name suggests, the piece has seven movements, one

death in a positive way. Instead of dwelling on the Christian day of Judgment, the piece focuses more on the tranquility coupled with death. Many requiems Wrath”) section customary to the traditional requiem

this many instrumentalists making music for you…

You know, there’s something really magical about 240 musicians making music at the same time.” As I mentioned before, both pieces are from the 20th century but stray from the atonal conventions of the Modern era, leaning more towards Romantic orchestrations. Because they express these sentiments, the pieces embody music reminiscent of movie scores. The Planets has inspired many Sci-Fi scores, including those about galaxies far,

of The Planets]. I mean, John Williams learned so Wars, what you’re hearing in a lot of ways is what

The Personal Connections

orchestra does seven concerts plus opera, so it’s fairly busy, and most of them are basically symphonic concerts that don’t include choir or extra large repertoire such as this one, so we kind of reserve this for our big blow-out concert at the end of the year.”

For the 24th annual Celebrating Music, Dr. MüllerStosch carefully picked two works with celestial themes. The choirs and orchestra will collaborate on Requiem, a work Dr. Müller-Stosch

needing direly for the past month.

Dr. Talberg gave some pointers for listeners who have never been to a classical music performance

soundtrack. And really, someone like John Williams

seduces us into listening instead of singing. After witnessing an orchestra rehearsal this past week, I am sure the phenomenon will occur again this year.

Dr. Johannes Müller-Stosch, who will be conducting both the choirs and orchestra, described

The Music

a graduating senior, this experience allows me to stand next to people I’ve admired throughout my college experience and join them in begging Jesus

Dr. Talberg has his own personal connection to Requiem, which he has been rehearsing for each planet in the solar system, excluding Earth.

and one that’s very concrete. That makes for a good program, I think,” said Müller-Stosch.

This year, Celebrating Music has a program any listener can enjoy. In the past, I’ve learned and sweated over various scores, and these are the most immediately rewarding. After listening to the requiem several times, it’s apparent the vocalizations are intuitive; they were written in a time where the voice was the primary instrument in the church, after all. Because Dr. Müller-Stosch has originally preferred, the entire piece empowers

was Roger Wagner, who was the founder of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, and he also did the American he knew by heart and he felt very strongly about because he had studied Gregorian chant with the The Requiem] because really what it is is an orchestrally accompanied Gregorian Chant. The chant line is with beautiful 20th century harmonies. his basement during World War II and eventually a lot of the pain of World War II. There’s a line that comes back over and over again: ‘Quam Olim Abrahe promisisti’ or ‘Which was promised unto the seed of Abraham.’ It’s hard to divorce oneself from the fact that this piece was written right after the Holocaust had happened to the Jews of Europe. When he comes to that line, which talks about the seed of Abraham, it’s set so poignantly and so beautifully. I think people will really have a chance to immerse themselves in the music of the middle of the 20th century if they come to this concert. And it’s not just the music, it’s some of the best music.”

Dr. Müller-Stosch personally connects with the the organ, so church music is very close to me and to my training. , as a requiem and as religious music, is a piece that I know well; there’s another version of that is much smaller, which is for choir and small strings and very few woodwinds and the organ, and I’ve played that part

9 Feature

the large version of is seldom performed.

The smaller version is much more accessible, so that’s the version that normally gets done. For us to do the larger version is exciting for me.”

Dr. Müller-Stosch also explained why he liked The Planets, a piece the orchestra is playing almost The Planets, I’ve conducted before, but what I like about it is that Holst tries to describe these planets in various ways. Mars, he thinks, is the planet of war, so there is this recurring theme underneath that goes yaggada-bamp-bamp-ja-bambam-bamp…. It sounds like something from the movie Gladiator. I think it’s a descriptive part; when you conduct a symphony by Beethoven or Brahms, there’s development, and it’s a little more, how shall composer tries to describe, or it’s a description of a they bring out solo colors of the orchestra, and then bombastic sections where the full brass is playing and then something more intimate, so it’s these various characters that almost are like an opera.

That is interesting to me and hopefully will enwrap the audience also. About the pieces together, he the rest of the orchestra down so it can be heard; solo the popular side, less on the cerebral side, but they are fun to conduct, and I think they’re fun to listen to.”

The Experience Dr. Müller-Stosch also described the opportunity The Planets very excited about this concert. This is a repertoire that students like to play, especially The Planets; it’s one of the staples of the orchestral repertoire. There are certain pieces that one likes to have under their programs, they want to have played some Strauss tone poems, they want to have played a fair amount

“It will probably be another seven years before I do The Planets again, so if people want to come hear it, they should come now.” of Beethoven symphonies, some of the well-known concertos, and program pieces such as this one. So, do here for a while; I’ve been here now seven years, and so far I’ve only repeated one piece, a symphony ^

occasion. I think the students’ enthusiasm about this program will come across; they’re all excited to play it. It will probably be another seven years before I do The Planets again, so if people want to come hear it, they should come now. This is usually also the concert that is the fullest in terms of attendance, so it’s good to get tickets early.”

When asked if he had a unique approach to conducting this year’s music, Dr. Müller-Stosch provided some insight about the sound he wanted ideas about tempo, color, shape… There are things people. What attracted me to becoming an orchestra conductor and what attracted me to the organ are similar things: it’s the richness of color. That’s horn solo, I really try to get that across and try to bring

I’m interested in.”

When asked what Bob Cole Conservatory brought the skills of their ensembles. Dr. Talberg discussed the musicality and skill of the instrumentalists and how phenomenal the orchestra is here. These are we have an orchestra that can make them beautiful.

Requiem, it’s a very vocal piece and it requires good singers. And we have more good undergraduate singers than any place else in California. So with our big choir it’ll give people a chance to really hear this music at a very professional level. And what we bring is a great amount of heart and commitment to beauty, and I think that audiences appreciate that.”

Dr. Müller-Stosch discussed the outstanding capability and size of the student body at Bob pretty well is, we can play these pieces with almost exclusively all students. Early on, in February, we had a big audition weekend, and so students came from all over and came here to witness one of our concerts, and then they auditioned for getting into the school.

When our chair of the department mentioned that

possible. So here, because of our dimensions, we are able to do works like that.”

For me, this performance represents a number of things. Foremost, it is my last performance in many admirable singers and dear friends of mine.

Although overwhelmed at times by the number of performances we’ve had during the school year, I’ve always been proud of my participation in University Choir. Performing with some of the best young has continually humbled and inspired me. This performance, my second-to-last show at CSULB, also marks the end of the transformative experience I’ve had at Bob Cole Conservatory of Music, where before rehearsal, BCCM has always held me to a high standard regardless of my degree, and it has taught me to incorporate discipline in everything I do. Because of this, my emotional rewards have multiplied. Although I’ve lost out on many Fridays and Saturdays at the beach, I’ve learned invaluable lessons and accumulated experiences for a lifetime.

night before, and we played Stravinsky’s Petrushka, which is one of the harder Stravinski ballets. When the students were told that we did this with an entirely student orchestra, there were no faculty members, they were just blown away that we could do that. Same with Celebrating Music. The only person that we actually hire is a second harp player, because there are two harps required and right now we only have one harp player who is able to play this, so that is the only person we are bringing in. Everything else on the brass players, especially in Planets, and we have very strong brass at this school; the string players passages in the and in Planets that we as a conservatory are able to play works like that without hiring people. That is something we can do because we are a fairly large program; I think we have somewhere between 550 and 600 majors, so obviously, a music school that only has 200 majors would be divided up between all the areas… for them to even have an orchestra of 80 people is not really

The 24th annual Celebrating Music will take place on Saturday, May 3rd in the Carpenter Performing Arts Center at 8pm.

Tickets cost $10 for students and $15 for the public. To reserve tickets, you may call (562) 985-7000 or visit csulb.edu/coleconservatory.

10 Culture

A Tasty Way to Help Out Breast Cancer Angels offers family fun and support for breast cancer patients Photos by Daniel Wilson Contributor

Alfred Pallarca Culture Editor The Breast Cancer Angels will hold its fifth annual Taste at the Point family and food event to raise funds for breast cancer and support for patients.

The event will take place on May 3rd from 11am to 3pm at the Grace First Presbyterian Church in Long Beach.

Lynda DeWitt, a volunteer and a breast cancer survivor, started the event back in 2010 after Breast Cancer Angels had helped her back in 2002 when she was diagnosed with stage-four breast cancer.

“I have been doing Taste at the Point every year since,” said DeWitt. “I feel that I am obligated to give to the women today who are going through this battle. I want her to have the same resources to survive and thrive just as I did.”

DeWitt was turning 40 in 2002 when she was diagnosed. She said that it was certainly something she did not expect.

out that you have stage-four of any cancer.”

At the time of her diagnosis, DeWitt was living on a 36-foot tall sailboat in Alamitos Bay. DeWitt said that although it sounds fun for a normal person to live in a sailboat, it is not the appropriate setting for a person going through breast cancer.

DeWitt did not have the means to both pay for her medical expenses and rent a proper home to live in. It was then when her nurse practitioner advised her to contact the Breast Cancer Angels. The organization paid for DeWitt’s rent for a year and assisted her with all the support she needed.

The organization that gives 100 percent of the money it raises back, not to research, but to breast cancer patients.

“The disease is affecting more and more young women with children,” said DeWitt. “It is not about research

(above) DeWitt (middle) assures that her guests are having a great time during the event. (top right) Tiago’s Restaurant, one of last (bottom right) The children take advantage of the bounce house, among

or anything medical. It is about helping them out with whatever they need, from treatment to moral support.”

DeWitt explained that less fortunate mothers going through breast cancer are often left with the decision of whether to buy their medicine or put food on their family’s table. She said that most often, women would choose to buy food instead of their medicine. It is the goal of the Breast Cancer for Angels and the Taste at the Point event to

eliminate that hard decision.

The event will feature 12 Long Beach and South Bay restaurants for the tastings.

Among the participants are Blackbird Café, Gladstone’s Long Beach, Long Beach Creamery, and Sweet and Saucy Shop.

The full ‘taste tickets’ will be sold for $20 and include tastings, a drink, and ice cream, while individual taste tickets are sold for only two dollars.

The theme of this year’s Taste at the Point is “Castles.” The event will include sponsorship for businesses and families.

“I am always trying to think outside the box to attract more people,” said DeWitt. and get hooked, so they would keep attending.

The challenge is to attract new people.”

Each castle that will be built will be

(left) Kathryn Heaton, one of the several volunteers, prepares decorations for this year’s event.

on display during the day of the event.

The cost for business sponsorship is $300 while family and non-profit sponsorship costs $150.

Breast Cancer Angels is currently supporting 110 families every month with

breast cancer.

DeWitt hopes for the event to become bigger in the future and attract the support of more local businesses and residents.

“I really would love [for the organization] to be adopted by the Long Beach community as an annual event to look forward to and attend,” said DeWitt.

“The biggest compliment I get is when a family tells me that their children were having such a good time that they did not want to go home”

For more information, visit: BreastCancerForAngels.com TasteAtThePoint.org

Spring Into Style

11 Culture

Words by Alfred Pallarca Culture Editor & Renee Schmiedeberg Assistant Editor

1. Bucket Hats

5. Flower Crowns

Unfortunately these things are apparently coming back in style. We don’t know when they were ever in style to anyone besides

1

like adorning your pretty little head with a

5

often associated with Coachella, raves, and other such venues of vice and jean shorts.

These kinds are rather simplistic and hohum. Flower crowns with the realisticlooking buds are fairy-like and fun to wear, especially ravishing for spring and summer looks. I encourage everyone to get creative and make their own as there are numerous tutorials on the Internet. They go great with both messy and preened hairstyles

are slowly creeping into the skater scene. In fact, Alfred had recently spent hours helping a friend shop for one of these hats for her boyfriend until they found the right pattern. patterns such as tribal, tie dye, the popular

2 6

2. “Nip” Tees

dresses. You can even add that nymphet touch to an otherwise leather look. Feel like

Nothing says embracing your body like wearing a really tight body hugging tee. With the weather looking pretty calm, there is no longer a need for jackets or cardigans. Show

behind you!

in the gym has given you. It doesn’t matter what type of body you have, rock it! Forget the haters, only God or Oprah can judge ya’! Considering summer coming soon, try wearing colors such as seafoam green, salmon pink, aqua, and baby blue.

Crop that top, everybody! Buy one or make your own. Instructions: scissors + shirt.

Pair one up with a long skirt, big circle sunglasses, a wide brim hat, and stand

6. Crop Tops

around you. Crop tops and high waisted clothing were made for each other. Get

3. Short Shorts

Wear it with a straw hat and high waisted jean shorts in an Ode to Coachella. Men can also join in the fun. It is a great way to break gender conventions. Whenever I see a man strolling my way in a crop top I think to myself, “Now that man is positive in his masculinity and doesn’t need to prove nothin’ to nobody.”

We are not sure whether the Scandinavians or the Martian the Manhunter started the short shorts trend, but I think it is brilliant.

Who said that only girls can have the glory of the hot summer. If you don’t already have shorts like this, well calm down before you go driving your car down the 605 to go to Forever 21. You can easily just cut some old balls squashing skinny jeans as short as you want them to be and there you go. Remember those colored pants in high school? Well whip them out of your closet and turn them into shorts. In my opinion, the shorter the better! Be bold and try something new to mix up your wardrobe.

3 7. Jelly Shoes

4. Patterned Socks I personally love collecting socks with unconventional and unique patterns.

I haven’t worn white socks since I graduated high school. I know some of you are thinking that they are a waste of time as nobody could see them when you are wearing pants. I say, who cares? It is about expressing yourself and wearing something that makes you happy. So, go ahead and put more color into your life!

4

7 Illustration by Rose Feduk Editor-in-Chief

A throwback from the ‘90s, Jelly Sandals are now one of the more quirky items of footwear on the market. Because it is easy to liken the Jelly Sandal to Crocs, but the distinction between the two must be made. While Crocs are pitiful, Jelly Sandals are playful. Jelly Sandals often come in either solid or clear colors in colors ranging from cute pastels to black to clear. Because of the shoe’s clear element, wearers often compliment them with their toes painted a fun color or with socks for those days going out. Perfect for spring and summer, Jelly Sandals are a great beach shoe. Cavort on the sand then hop into some waves on the shore and just — The gelatinous elements of the Jelly Sandal allow for easy cleaning and thus, resilience.

These fun and carefree shoes don’t take themselves too seriously and remind us that we shouldn’t either!

12 Entertainment

Born to Run Roque Renteria Entertainment Editor Despite the thousands and thousands of movies that are produced each year, seldom are great movies produced. More importantly, great movies that withstand the test of time. We live in an age where Hollywood blockbusters saturate the market. There is little to no room left for auteurs and their masterpieces.

However, The Criterion Collection is a film company that makes an effort preserving and widely distributing films from both contemporary cinema and the perennial classics. Recently, The Criterion Collection re-released the 1959 French New Wave classic The 400 Blows on dual Blu-ray and DVD format.

The 400 Blows, directed and written by François Truffaut, is widely considered by many audiences and critics to be one of the greatest movies ever made. To me, it is undeniably the greatest coming-of-age

film ever made. The story follows Antoine Doniel and his misadventures as he slacks off in class, wanders the movie theaters of Paris and discovers the nuances and challenges of becoming a man.

Antoine, played by Jean-Pierre Leaud, is a working-class boy who lives with his mother and stepfather. He isn’t motivated by much, and he is constantly getting reprimanded for his behavior at school.

Several times, he ditches and frequents the movie theater. In a way, cinema becomes his informal education. His abbots become aware of his misbehavior and inform his parents. This causes him to run away and venture out into the world.

Aside from its sheer brilliance, The 400 Blows sparked a landmark movement in cinematic history. The 400 Blows, along with Breathless by Jean-Luc Godard (the story was conceived by François Truffaut),

are considered the films that began the French New Wave.

In short, the French New Wave was a film movement that originated in Paris that challenged the conventional narrative and experimented with film editing techniques. The movement focused on the issues of petty criminals, and workingclass people that are often cited as having a Marxist undertone.

Directors like Truffaut and Godard influenced directors from all over the world, but, more importantly, these French directors are cited by Hollywood greats, like Coppola, Scorsese, Spielberg and Lucas, as their biggest influences.

Essentially, The 400 Blows influenced the movie that influenced your life. school. I think it was during my junior year.

After watching it, I thought “Wow. This is

college, I saw the movie again after having traveled to Europe and grown as an individual, and the second time was more powerful

continues to grow on me. This is a movie that gets better after repeated viewings.

The 400 Blows is a significant film because it has a symbiotic relationship with you. It awakens you to the complexities of existence, but also evokes nostalgia for childhood, regardless of how pleasant or unpleasant it may have been.

You live to appreciate the film, and the film teaches you how to appreciate life.

This realization may not come to you until you are witnessing the final frames of the film, and the image at the end is liberating to both Antoine and yourself. Because at that moment, you realize you are Antoine.

Sweet Shows Are Made of This Archer

Michael Wood Music Editor Archer Vice took a lot of people by surprise.

One short dream sequence and a minute later, the show you fell in love with was gone. No more spy missions for the pseudointelligence agency that captured our imaginations, in the span of less than an episode, everything had changed.

Archer creator and head writer Adam Reed was either very desperate for a revival after a lackluster fourth season and was willing to jump the shark if he thought it would save the show. Or, he was a genius who knew that staying inside the shell of the show as we knew it would mean a certain slide into obscurity and the show would be forgotten. Luckily for us, the reboot wasn’t a desperate attempt to revive a dead show, it was a true expansion of it, allowing for we’ve seen in a show that consists largely of cultural references and dick jokes. Be warned, should you read any further, you will encounter spoilers.

The season started out with a shocker

that didn’t turn out to be much of a shock at all. ISIS is definitely not a government agency and is most definitely an illegal organization and the US Government was not pleased with them. However, after finding a literal ton of cocaine back at their offices, they decide to take their lucrative drug business, hoping to start a criminal enterprise. So we spent a season watching one of the characters indulge her lifelong dream of being a country music star, another one become a coke addict, a mysterious pregnancy and their incompetent efforts to transition to a career as drug dealers. Believe me, some of the stuff that doesn’t make sense now makes sense in context.

The important thing about this season— what makes it stand out from the rest of Archer’s seasons is the mere fact that the characters have actually started to develop. Sterling Archer believes that he is the father of Lana’s baby and begins

to care about the health and safety of someone besides himself for once. Dr. Krieger develops a moral compass for the his typical mad scientist antics. Cyril and less bullying at the hands of their superiors and both Malory and Lana begin to realize the limits of their power.

Without a doubt, this is not the Archer

we knew was replaced with a much more human cast that meaningfully interacts for more than the purpose of moving the plot forward a quarter of an inch or for a quick insult thrown at another cast member. In this season, you start to realize that Adam Reed sees these characters as family, and he wants you to see them the same way.

After pouring so much creative energy into characters, it makes sense that he would like them to be more than the means to the end of a witty retort and funny conversation.

13 Music

Second Try Stumbles Band of Skulls reaches their sophomore slump

Michael Wood Music Editor

Band of Skulls, the British garage rockers that have been dominating rock radio for the past couple years, have recently released their second major album Himalayan, a follow up to the hugely successful Sweet Sour that made them a household name. My only worry is that this album demonstrates a bit of a sophomore slump for the band. is solid. It’s well produced, it’s well put together, and the songs bleed into each other which is a pleasure when you hear the album as a whole. However, about halfway through the album you begin to realize that Band of Skulls has only two stylistic modes throughout this album: the melancholy mixtape and the rocking songs of triumph that tie the whole thing together.

By the middle of the album, you’re probably searching just for some sort of stylistic change or shift in personality within the album. Unfortunately, Himalayan doesn’t deliver on this front. It’s not really a concept album so there isn’t a storyline to be heard. The band doesn’t seem willing course of this album, though I got my hopes up at certain points throughout it.

For instance, “I Feel Like Ten Men, Nine are Dead and One is Dying” has a very the song in stark contrast to the hard rock sensibilities of the rest of the album.

However, the band makes it take a back seat to the aforementioned hard rock style, taking the most noticeable and interesting aspect of the song and pushing it to the background.

There are solid and interesting tracks

to be seen on the album though, mostly front-loaded onto the album’s opening.

“Himalayan,” the title track of the album, It’s just pure alternative rock goodness and there’s nothing wrong with that. Same could be said for “Asleep at the Wheel” and “Nightmares,” which I feel show Band of Skulls at their best, just singing energetic, straight up rock n’ roll tunes.

Overall, I’d recommend a full listen if you’re already a Band of Skulls fan. This will not disappoint if you’re just looking for some catchy tunes from Band of Skulls. If you’re not a fan, give the aforementioned “Himalayan,” “Asleep at the Wheel,” and “Nightmares” a listen to hear some of their Himalayan.

Me and You Against the Moon Sometimes a Ghost presents a fresh sound on vs. The Moon Tanya Paz Staffer

Sometimes a Ghost is a four-piece instrumental rock band from Los Angeles.

Guitarists Michael Kemp and Matt Mallory, drummer Michael O’Hern, and bassist Josh Sanchez, a CSULB alum, make up the guts of the band. The four have known each other since 2010 and are now settling comfortably into their most promising project yet.

Their genre is not easy to pinpoint; they cite Foals, Maps & Atlases, This Town Needs bands. Although some may call Sometimes a Ghost “math rock,” the band prefers not to label their sound or attach themselves to a vs. The Moon, the band’s debut release, is

a strong start and showcases their technical ability. The EP opens with “Those Aren’t Sharks,” a boisterous and melodic up-tempo adventure highlighting the band’s ability to write a catchy tune without relying on a vocalist or lyrics. It is a strong start to a very consistent, promising introduction for the band.

“Grizzly Bear Stare” is the band’s attempt at a more sentimental song; the track opens with wistful, chimed chords by Matt Mallory and accompanied by a striking bass melody

by Josh Sanchez. The track also displays the tempos within a song, throwing the listener for a loop in an interesting, refreshing way.

The band continues to show its math

cacophony of sound. Sometimes a Ghost modulating tempo and varying moods in the span of two and a half minutes. Although this track feels like three separate songs, three parts seamlessly coalesce. vs. The Moon strongest track, “Excuse Me Mr. 23.” The melody crafted by Michael O’Hern and Matt Mallory. The track builds into a

crescendo of energy. It’s an unorthodox choice putting the climax at the end of the EP, but the closer leaves the listener eager to hear what lies ahead for the band.

Sometimes a Ghost is performing at the Glass House in Pomona on May 22nd. Their EP is available online at sometimesaghost.bandcamp.com

14 Literature

Grit and Grudges

A review of Brendan Leach’s Iron Bound

Rose Feduk Editor-in-Grief

Like all good crime novels and graphic novels, Iron Bound by Brendan Leach has all the necessities: a setting in 1950s New leather jackets, cops lurking everywhere, and a shifty bartender who provokes a gut feeling that he shouldn’t be trusted.

Iron Bound follows Benny and Eddie, members of the Iron Bound gang, who complete “jobs” for their boss Mister Dores.

This usually translates to them punching out a member of another gang or strangling a small business owner with a bike chain.

Eddie, our protagonist, is a young man who’s sick of running from cops and wants to go “straight,” get a nice house and settle down with his girlfriend, Gloria. However, he is bogged down by the dark deeds of his past. Benny, Eddie’s right-hand man, is a

wildcard with a snake face. The two have a dynamic wherein Benny is a little too hottempered and a little too slow to just keep his damn mouth shut, and Eddie has to be the one to constantly clean up his mess—a good indication that something bad is eventually going to happen.

The style that Leach employs in his illustrations is confident and rough around the edges, adding a grittiness that compliments the seedy misdoings afoot in the story. The large expanses of black sets a , leaving the reader with a combined feeling of unease and intrigue.

As an added treat, at the same moment that a character enters a dance floor, knife in hand, readers can turn the page to reveal a pull-out, seven-inch flexi-disc copy of the very same song that the band in the book,

the Newark Wanderers, is performing. The readers can then run some grease through their hair, dust off their record player and listen along as the panels come alive for a cinematic effect.

In a way, Iron Bound tells a story that we’ve all heard dozens of times before, with overarching themes of betrayal and redemption that will bring to mind excerpts from Greek tragedies, Shakespearean plays, and Biblical stories.

It is a tale in which the main character seeks to come clean, but ultimately cannot escape the circumstances that he’s locked himself into. It is a a true tragedy of the 2oth century.

WANNA BE ONE OF THESE? EDITOR APPLICATIONS ARE OUT NOW DUE MAY 2ND || CHECK LBUNION.COM FOR THE APPLICATION

15 Food

Boss with the Sauce The perfect summer recipe for Heirloom Tomato Sauce.

Sarah Delcourt Contributor

The question is, how does one go

Ingredients 6 4 1 1/2 2 1 4 30

star anise

Directions

Volume 74 Issue 13

Monday, April 28, 2014

LBUNION.COM

DISCLAIMER: Hey, God Warrior Here. God, I dreamed there was an angel. Who could hear me through the wall as I cried out like in Latin, ‘This is so not life at all.’ Help me out, out of this nightmare. Then I heard her silver call. She said ‘Just give it time, kid. I come to one and all.’ Send your Charizard fanmail to 1212 Bellflower Blvd Suite 116, Long Beach, CA 90815. This page is satire/parody and does not represent ASI nor the CSULB campus. In AOL’s name, I pray that you submit all of your Mongolian barbecue via email to grunion@lbunion.com.

Top SIX Sexiest Haunted Houses A Haunted House 2, here at the Grunion Weekly

by Jiminy Crotchkiss

1. “Yankee Doodle” House: Baton Rouge, Louisiana

2. The Mobster Murder House: Staten Island, New York

3. Franklinville Farmhouse: Franklin, Tennessee of a hippie commune that were too

now, it houses the ghosts of the

4. The Buckwild Mansion: Wichita, Kansas

5. Priss Pass: Seattle, Washington

6. Chicago Manor: Austin, Texas

INSIDE

P!NK IS THE NEW ORANGE IS THE NEW JACK BLACK IS THE NEW CHRIS BROWN

CALVIN KLEIN ALREADY PREPARING NEW

BRAD GARRETT TO PLAY “ASSQUATCH” IN AVENGERS 2: ASS OF ULTRON

“SPAGHETTI DAY” GETS OUT OF HAND AT LOCAL MIDDLE SCHOOL CAFETERIA