How long was the drive and where did you go? “We split the trip there into a couple of days—first to Indianapolis, where we stayed for a night in a church, then to Meridian, Mississippi, where we stayed at a camp lodge, then to New Orleans for four days.” — Seth Yoder (senior) “We went to New Orleans, LA, my hometown.” — Etienne Davis (first year) “The return trip was a long haul—about sixteen hours straight.” — Caleb Liechty (first year) “We had a diverse array of tour locations. We stopped at churches, schools and nursing/retirement homes. We sang to...

By Christina Hofer • March 5, 2015 • Arts

Puerto Rico native and Goshen College graduate Samuel Rosario, now more commonly referred to as Sammy Prince, has certainly made moves since his graduation in 2013. “I’ve been working really hard!” said Rosario. “I moved to San Francisco to pursue a master’s degree in acting. I’ve had a small appearance in an HBO series and done some commercials.” The broadcasting and theater double-major has certainly made it on the big screen since he departed Goshen. Rosario has been chasing his life-long dreams. When asked at one what point he realized he wanted to pursue acting as a career, he answered,...

By Frances Fonseca • February 5, 2015 • Features

With spring break quickly approaching, the Men’s Chorus is preparing for their six-day tour to New Orleans. On Saturday, February 21st, the men will board their bus and make a few short stops in Indianapolis and Mississippi before reaching Nola, New Orleans, where they will perform in various churches, schools and also in a rest home. The choir will arrive in New Orleans on Monday and head back to Goshen on Thursday. They will arrive on campus on Friday just in time for their concert on Sunday, March 1st at 7:30 p.m. Scott Hochstetler, associate professor of music and the...

By Chelsea Risser • February 5, 2015 • News

Saturday, February 7, 2015 marks the 55th annual Concerto Aria. The Concerto Aria is a concert that showcases the musical talent that we have here on the Goshen College campus. There are auditions each year in the fall, where students prepare a piece to perform in front of music faculty. The faculty members then make a decision based on the quality and complexity of the performance. “The selection process can be very tedious,” said Dustin George-Miller, the Music Center office coordinator. Students spend a long time preparing for the Concerto Aria auditions. Although the auditioning process can be scary, Seth...

By Annie Agutu • February 5, 2015 • Arts

The next installment of the Faculty Recital Series is upon us. Goshen College faculty from the music department have been performing at these recitals throughout the year, and this weekend there are not one but two chances to hear the gifts of the music faculty performed live in Reith Recital Hall. This Sunday, February 1 at 3 p.m., Scott Hochstetler, associate professor of music, will be performing with Rebecca Dengler Kaufman, adjunct instructor of music, and Christine Larson-Seitz, staff accompanist, in Rieth Recital Hall. Hochstetler and Dengler Kaufman are both vocalists, singing the baritone and mezzo soprano parts respectively. According...

By Jenae Longenecker • January 29, 2015 • Arts

This week we take a sneak peek at Ramona Whitaker, a first year Communications and Music major from Santa Cruise, Bolivia. She talks to us about her cross-cultural experiences and her appreciation for how they have shaped her.   Q. Where did you attend school in Bolivia? A. I attended a public school in the town that I lived in and an American private Christian school in Santa Cruise.   Q. How did you find out about Goshen College? A. I was taught by choir directors from Goshen College such as Carlos Santiago, who came here before and told me...

By Annie Agutu • January 22, 2015 • Features

The hymn marathon held at Goshen College on Nov. 14-16 was not limited to this small region in Indiana—it was a global event. Over 37 countries viewed the live-streamed event—about 5,000 people watching from all over the world. “I heard stories of people who were watching the live-stream and singing along as they cleaned their houses, or were singing along with us from their personal hymnal. There were people in Scotland and Australia hosting their own hymn sings,” Bobby Switzer, a senior who helped plan the event, said. The marathon, which was organized by Goshen College students, involved singing through...

By Maggie Weaver • November 19, 2014 • Features

Friday evening at 7 p.m., hymn singers will gather in Newcomer 19 to kick off a hymn marathon. The marathon will cover every verse of every hymn in "Hymnal: A Worship Book" and will likely last the entire weekend. Hymns have long played an important role in the broader Mennonite culture and at Goshen College. Bobby Switzer, a senior and leader of the Hymn Club, said, “There is something beautiful about singing in parts. The individuality of each voice is allowed and valued for its distinctiveness, and yet the cohesive whole is more beautiful than any separate part. It’s a...

By Monica Miller • November 13, 2014 • News

At 7 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 16 at College Mennonite Church, the Theory Expats, a band formed by three Goshen College students, will perform with Mutual Kumquat, a well-known Brethren band. The Theory Expats features Sadie Gustafson-Zook, a sophomore, on vocals, ukulele, guitar, kazoo and banjo; Andrew Pauls, a sophomore, on vocals, guitar and banjo; and Ethan Setiawan, an early enrollment program student, on mandolin. Gustafson-Zook has been performing with her family since 2000. Now, she’s double majoring in music and communications. Pauls is currently undecided, but is extremely active in the Goshen College music department. Setiawan has been playing...

By Maggie Weaver • November 13, 2014 • Features

Lying over a chair in Dr. Debra Brubaker’s office is a black t-shirt with a logo printed along the bottom that reads, “sing from your ovaries.” Brubaker, whom everyone knows as “Dr. B,” has been a member of the Goshen College faculty for 17 years, and has also conducted the Women’s World Music Choir since its beginnings in 2004. The women’s choir sings music from around the world, and in concert its members are arrayed in colorful scarves and floor-length black dresses that cover their bare feet. As Dr. Brubaker tells the story, the choir came into being after James...

By Ramona Whittaker • November 6, 2014 • Features

The new and powerful All-Campus Band will have a joint concert with Lavender Jazz this Friday, Oct. 31, hoping to show off the talent and flair for band music that Goshen has left relatively untapped in recent years. “Over the last couple of years we have had an increasing number of wind and brass players coming to Goshen College,” Christopher Fashun, director of the All-Campus Band, said.  “The number of orchestra wind parts didn’t provide enough opportunities for these students and we needed to create a concert band to fulfill this need.” The band will be able to explore pieces...

By Hayley Mann • October 30, 2014 • Features

The Goshen College Chamber Choir will be teaming up with the St. Joseph Valley Camerata, a local semi-professional choir, to perform a 40-part piece on Sunday, Oct. 26. Scott Hochstetler, an associate professor of music, directs both the Chamber Choir and the St. Joseph Valley Camerata. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the St. Joseph Valley Camerata. In honor of this, the choirs will perform a 40-part piece. According to Hochstetler, the St. Joseph Valley Camerata is composed of singers from the surrounding areas, many of whom are Goshen College graduates. There are also a few graduates from Notre...

By Briana Schrock • October 22, 2014 • Arts

Traditionally, an orchestra is composed of two imperative elements—musicians and a conductor. The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, which inhabited Sauder Concert Hall on Oct. 19 as part of the Performing Arts Series, requires only the musicians. Founded in 1972, this Grammy Award-winning orchestra is prominent for its unique and innovative methods. Orpheus aims to incorporate the intimacy of chamber music with the full resonance of an orchestra. Instead of a conductor, the musicians rotate leadership for each work, creating a diverse repertoire through collaboration. The group is composed of 32 members, playing instruments ranging from violins and cellos to bassoons. The...

By Maggie Weaver • October 22, 2014 • Arts

An early enrollment program student earned the title of youngest national mandolin champion. Ethan Setiawan was named the national mandolin champion on Sept. 19 at the Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival, making him the youngest musician ever to win the championship. The competition took place in Winfield, Kan., where tens of thousands of bluegrass-lovers gather every September to perform, listen and compete in national competitions. Setiawan is currently a high school senior taking classes at Goshen College with the early enrollment program. Setiawan first started playing the mandolin when he was 13 years old. He had played the cello already for...

By Kolton Nay • October 1, 2014 • Features

Swing Club will join Lavender Jazz at October First Fridays. Goshen College’s Lavender Jazz will team up with GC’s Swing Club for an easy listening and swing dancing event this weekend. This event will take place as part of downtown Goshen’s October First Fridays. This event is an opportunity for GC students to interact with the broader city of Goshen. This year, the band Lavender Jazz has a new director. Christopher French, adjunct music professor, is replacing Christopher Fashun. In addition to teaching, French is an accomplished clarinetist, saxophonist and flutist who performs in several area ensembles. In a recent...

By Maggie Weaver • October 1, 2014 • Features