clarion.brevard.edu
Volume 84, Issue 5 Web Edition SERVING BREVARD COLLEGE SINCE 1935
September 26, 2018
J. R. McDowell Speaker
To infinity
and Brevard
Astronaut Mike
Massimino on
‘Views From Spaee:
Leadership, Teamwork,
Determination ’
By Mary Lewe
Copy Editor
On Thursday, Sept. 20 the Transylvania County
Library Foundation and Brevard College came
together to present the twelfth J. R. McDowell
sp eaker, astronaut Mike Massimino. For the
past ten years, the TCLF has worked to bring
interesting individuals to Brevard to share their
stories. This year’s theme is science.
Massimino began his visit to Brevard by
meeting with students and professors for a Q&A
session in McLarty-Goodson. The session was
well attended and some professors opted to
skip their typical lectures and activities, instead
bringing their entire class to the event. Vice
President for Academic Affairs and Dean of
Faculty Dr. Scott Sheffield gave an introduction
and, before taking questions, Massimino gave an
abbreviated version of his biography.
Massimino’s dreams of becoming an astronaut
began at six years old, when he watched from
at black and white television screen and learned
about the moon landing in 1969. His mother
made a NASA flight suit for him out of an old
elephant costume and he played in the backyard
with his astronaut Snoopy toy, imagining he was
Neil Armstrong and Snoopy was Buzz Aldrin.
A few years later he began to understand what
a longshot it would be to become a real astronaut,
and he basically gave up on his dream. “1 thought
it was impossible,” he said. However, years later
he and Snoopy would be orbiting the earth at
around 17,500 miles per hour on a mission to
repair the Hubble Space Telescope.
What took Massimino from the brink of
abandoning his dreams to floating in a space suit
far from Earth’s atmosphere? It took tenacity
See 'To infinity and Brevard,' page 7
Alumni Jazz Concert
By Carmen Boone
Arts & Life Editor
On Saturday, Sept. 22, the Brevard College
Alumni Jazz Band held the fourth annual
concert in the Scott Concert Hall in the Porter
Center at 7:30 p.m. Jamie C. Warren was the
director.
There was a total of 21 musicians that
participated. There were five saxophones
including Jordan McFadden, Phillip Whack,
Wes Parker, Chris Center and Carl Stanfield.
Among the trumpets were Bull Canty, Cory
Hall, Henry Westmoreland and Mike Jones.
Trombones consisted of Tommy Spittle, Jamie
Warren, Davis Whitfield-Cargile and Stephen
Healy who also played the tuba. The rhythm
section had Gregory Milton on piano, Chris
Morgan on guitar, Gerald Dishon on on bass
guitar, Sam Mattison on drums and Derrick
Sandlin on bass. The vocalists were Leah
Colbath, class of 2016, Hunter Rogers, class of
2017, and Dr. Megan Murph.
There were ten pieces of music performed.
The first was an upbeat song called “Cute” by
Neil Hefti. The second song was called “Mercy,
Mercy, Mercy” by Josef Zawinul. It was a
loud, jubilant and fast-paced piece with lots
of dynamics. Phillip Whack played a sax solo.
“A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square” by
Manning Sherwin and Eric Maschwitz, arranged
by Mike Tomaro, was the third piece of the
night. It was a slower tune and Leah Colbath was
the vocalist for it. The fourth song was called
“The Way You Look Tonight” by Jerome Kern,
arranged by Roger Holmes. It was a faster paced
tune with vocals by Hunter Rogers.
The next piece was titled “Lullaby of Birdland”
by George Shearing. Dr. Megan Murph was the
soloist. She also sang the next piece called
“Black Coffee” by Sonny Burke and Paul
Francis Webster. It was very soulful. “When
you’re Smilin’” arranged by Tom Kubis was
next. It went from starting off very chill with a
steady pace to getting livelier as the song played
out with a big ending.
The next piece was by Ella Fitzgerald called
“A Tisket, A Tasket.” It has somewhat of a
humorous tone and was about a little yellow
basket. Leah Colbath soloed. One funny line
talking about a little girl taking the basket was,
“if she doesn’t bring it back, I think I will die.”
A fast paced piece titled “Alright, Okay, You
Win” by Count Basie was next. Solos were by
Hunter Rogers, Stephen Healy on trombone,
Was Parker on the sax, a trumpet, and a guitar.
The piece was very lively and had the audience
clapping along.
“We’re gorma go out with a bang,” said Warren
before the last piece. It was titled “Gonna Fly
Now” by Bill Conti, arranged by Jay Chattaway.
It was loud, triumphant and had three solos.
There was a trumpet, guitar, and drums solo. It
was certainly a great way to close the concert.
The Alumni Jazz Concert made for a toe
tapping night. At the end, the audience was on
their feet with a standing ovation. The concert
proved a success full of memories and some
pretty awesome music.