ROCK ISLAND, IL (09/29/2011)(readMedia)-- More than six months have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake, and the people of Japan are still trying to rebuild their lives. To reverently remember and show sympathy for the Japanese people, members of the Augustana College Symphonic Band performed a disaster relief concert on Saturday, September 24.
Free will donations were collected at the concert. Donations totaled $1,550, and funds raised will be distributed through the American Red Cross for relief efforts in Japan.
"It is easy to forget about such disasters, yet much of Japan is still uninhabitable-much remains to be done," said Augustana's Director of Bands James Lambrecht, who has programmed select musical works related to Japan in order to expose the students and Augustana community to Japanese musical culture.
From your area, the students involved included:
Anne VanSpeybroeck, a Junior from Rock Island, Ill. majoring in Music Performance.
Jennifer Youngs, a Senior from Taylor Ridge, Ill. majoring in Psychology/Political Science.
Gaetano Iaccarino, a Senior from Davenport, Iowa majoring in Anthropology/Music.
Grace Drenth, a Junior from Davenport, Ill. majoring in Psychology.
"This was a celebration of music, and it was also a meaningful gesture to the people of Japan that Augustana College is committed to helping those in need-no matter where they live." said Augustana senior Gaetano Iaccarino, Davenport, Iowa.
Augustana's music department shares a special connection with Japan. Lambrecht departed for his second guest residency at the prestigious Musashino Academia Musicae, Tokyo, only two days after the concert. While in Japan, Lambrecht will conduct the Musashino Academia Musicae Wind Ensemble with music programmed in response to the devastating events.
For more information, please contact Keri Rursch, director of public relations, at kerirursch@augustana.edu or (309) 794-7721.
About Augustana: Founded in 1860 and situated on a 115-acre campus near the Mississippi River, Augustana College is a private, liberal arts institution affiliated with the Evangelical Church in America (ELCA). The college enrolls nearly 2,500 students from diverse geographic, social, ethnic and religious backgrounds and offers more than 70 majors and related areas of study. Augustana employs 287 faculty and has a student-faculty ration 11:1. Augustana continues to do what is was always done: challenge and prepare students for lives of leadership and service in out complex, ever-changing world.
