April 14, 1970
The. N.C. Essay
Page 4
FOR WHAT ITS WORTH - EOrTORIAL
BY MIKE FERGUSON
THE VIEW FROM HERE
"Lawrence 0. Carlson, Academic
Dean, will be on leave of absence
for the remainder of the semester",
announced today by Mr. Robert Ward,
NCSA president. Dr. William Baskin
will assume his duties for this
period.
The above quote took up about an
inch of space in last week's Essay
and probably received about as much
attention. But there is a story of
greater depth - and importance -
behind this "harmless" news release
(as a story in the Wed., April 7,
Sentinel might indicate).
What is most conspiciously
absent from the President's state
ment is WHY the dean is "on leave."
On March 4th, at a meeting of
the Board of Trustees - not a
meeting of full representation, but
enough for a quorum - Carlson was
apprently ousted (i.e. maneuvered)
from his position.
Carlson did not request a leave
of absence. Nor was he present at
the March 4th meeting. Which brings
up some questions:
* Why was Carlson not present
at a''meeting the purpose of which
was to relieve him of his pxosition?
(Does he have the right to offer
"defense?")
SIENA PLANS
(aon ’ t fi>om page 1)
fhilip Dunigain, flutist of the Clarion
Quintet. ' -
All students will be assigrie’de
t6-re’^uiaiJ‘'chamber groups, as well
as'tKe full orchestra. There'^will
beivoltintairy bedding se^SloftS with
mefibers of the Claremont.' CTheee
will be held -one or two eveningg-i-per
week.•
If this is not enough -to^keep
e^^ierydne playing music mornifi^Y'^af-
t^Moon and-nighty-’some privatesiri-^iip
strUction for violinists, vibligts’,''^
and-ceilist^ with-raembers -of‘‘the
Claremont'-will -be-available, 'depend
ing on the availability of time. o
There'll'be no extra charge for this.
FLIGHT DATES
■' The flight dates have been
chartgedl' These are the final ones:
Leave Monday, June 15, from Kennedy
Intetrtational Airport, on a^’chapter
ed Alitalia flight. Return Thuts-
day, August 13, from Rome. The exact
departure times will be announced
later. - ’ • • •
■ ' "APPLICATION DEADLINE
Don't’ forget, WednesdayApril-15,
is the deadline for sending in your
applications for the Sieha Session.
And those who have received your
financial aid forms, please get them
back immediately. We’can't determine
allocatibns-luntil evetyonfe's heeds
are known.
*Why was the faculty at large not
notified in regard to this matter
until after its ocutrence?
*Why were certain faculty told
of the change over then requested to
keep the matter confidential?
* Why was Carlson dismissed (as
he apparently was) three weeks prior
to the arrival of the Southern
Accreditation Association for Colleges
and Schools?
* And, why is this news release
the only explanation given?
For what it's worth. . . .
Apparently Carlson had no say
in the matter. Minds seem to have
been made up long before the March
4th meeting. That get together had
one purpose: dispose of Carlson.
As for the faculty, why warn
them of tactics which may be used to
get rid of them?
(aon't from page 1)
Nicholas R. Smith, a sophomore
in high school and a piano major at
the North Carolina School of the Arts,
makes his debut as a concert artist
this month in performances with the
North Carolina S3onphony under the
direction of Benjamin Swalin.
Smith is the winner of the North
Carolina Symphony Competition, which
enables him to appear with the orches
tra, and has had the added distinction
of being asked not only to perform
the concerto he auditioned, but a
Mozart concerto as well.
Smith plays Mozavt's Piano Concer
to No, Z4 in Ebj K. 449^ and his
major effort, Rachmaninoff's Piano
Conoerto No. S in D minor^ Op. SO.
The Mozart Concerto No. 14, one
of Mozart's many, is distinct from
most of the other keyboard concerti
he wrote in that it is a true chamber
concerto in which the soloist, rather
than playing the usual virtuoso
passages, is much more a part of the
orchestra.
Rachmaninoff's Zrd Piano Concerto
is generally acknowledged to be one
of the three or four most difficult
concerti written for the instrument.
It is undoubtedly a very formidable
challenge to any performer.
Smith has met the challenge
of these two fantastic works incred
ibly well. His interpretations are
admirable, his playing beautifully
brilliant, his musicality as flow
ing and natural as his prodigious
virtuosity and poise.
These appearances, however, are
by no means the extent of Smith's
achievements. He is also the
winner of the Music Teachers National
Association Competition at Elon
College and in Birmingham, Alabama,
and is this week in Miami, Florida,
participating in the grand termin
ation of that contest as a finalist
representing several states.
And what concern is it of theirs?
They only worked with, and in some
cases under, the man. But more
bothersome is the fact that cer
tain (trusted?) faculty members
were called in and notified. And
then told not to let students know
of the reasons for the "leave".
There seems to be no honor in
politics anjmiore.
It's no secret that Carlson
was in favor of student's rights
(he was, in the past, vocally in
favor of this publication's
freedom). It's also interesting -
and important - to know that it was
Carlson who made other deans aware
of student's dissatisfaction with
Camp Hanes back in September.
Apparently, such a man wasn't
needed to talk to an accreditation
team.
===============—======~:^^SM====di
He will play Beethoven's Piano
Concerto No. I in C minor, and
other assorted works. This competi
tion, previously won by such noted
artists as Rosylyn Tureck and Eugene
Istomin, entitles it's winner to
great publicity and appearances
with orchestras. This year, also.
Smith has been the pianist of the
Brahmin Quartet, a student quartet
at the school!, and will accompany
Nick Anderson, a cello student, in
two recitals. A very versatile per
former, his efforts in chamber music
are also exceptionally excellent.
Nicholas Smith was born in
Chicago, Illinois, the son of
Sherwood and Barbara Smith, and now
lives in Chatanooga, Tennessee.
His parents are also musically in
clined; his father plays the
clarinet, and his mother the piano.
He began to study the piano at the
age of five, with his mother, and he
has subsequently studied with
Phillip Evans at the music camp
Sewanee, Bomar Kramer of Dallas,
and Harold Cadeck of Chatanooga. He
came to the School of the Arts in
the fall of 1968, and is now studying
with pianist Clifton Matthews, one
of the three major piano teachers at
the school. Smith intends to finish
high school at NCSA, but is not quite
sure at present what will become of
him afterwards. He plans to play
with the Chatanooga Sjnnphony Orches
tra next year.
Smith has already performed three
times with the North Carolina Sym
phony this month. He played the
Mozart concerto on March 24 in Elkin,
N.C., and the Rachmaninoff 3rd con
certo in two concerts in Asheville
on April 9. On the evening of the
9th, he played in New Lipinsky
Auditorium to a full house of 700
people, who gave him a well-deserved
(Con't on page 5 )
smith plays RACHMANINOFF