Texas Tech University - La Ventana Yearbook (Lubbock, TX)

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• TEXAS TECH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Orchestral showpiece. Symphony Orchestra The Tech Symphony Orchestra is a group of musicians made up from the general stu- dent body not only music majors but those from all schools of the college. The orches- tra aids the Tech Opera Theater and the Tech Choir in the production of major works. In addition to the Tech Symphony Or- chestra, there are several other active groups. The Tech String Sinfonietta has presented numerous concerts in the Lubbock Public Schools, and two string quartets perform as part of the Symposium of Contemporary Music which is an annual highlight at Texas Tech. The Tech Choir concludes its year ' s activities with its annual appearance on the Tech Contemporary Symposium. Madrigal Singers. The Madrigal Sing- ers are a select group of six women and four men taken from the ranks of the Tech Choir who perform chamber music of vocal and choral art. The Madrigals are in constant demand for appearances before clubs and organizations with small membership. One of the high- lights of the season is their appearance at various business establishments in Lubbock during the Christmas season dressed in au- thentic costumes of the sixteenth century and singing carols both old and new. The repertoire of the singers consists of madrigals of the sixteenth and seventeenth century as well as contemporary works which lend themselves to performance by a small vocal group. Tech Choir. The Tech Choir was first organized in the fall of 1949, under the di- rection of Dr. Gene Hemmle, now head of the Tech Music Department and is com- posed of 48 highly selected voices chosen from students throughout the college. The Choir appeared at the opening con- vocation for Tech students, at the Tech Recognition Service, during Religious Em- phasis Week, as well as for numerous civic clubs which meet in the Lubbock commu- nity area. The Choir participated in a scholarship show for the Chamber of Com- merce and the District Rotary Convention and has performed with the Tech Symphony and the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra. In early April the Tech Choir toured the Per- mian Basin in Southwest Texas. Women ' s Chorus. Another new addi- tion, the womens ' chorus was founded in 1959 during the spring semester. As the or- ganization grows in musical maturity it will make more and more appearances in the Lubbock community and will be another musical outlet for the many students on the Tech campus. Male Glee Club. After many years, Tech once again has a Male Glee Club now in its second year. Due to lack of personnel and a very limited rehearsal schedule, this organization has been unable to appear by itself but has joined forces with the chorus in the major presentations of the year. Tech Singers. This is a group of some 75 singers and serves as a feeder group to the Tech Choir. Likewise, this group is com- posed of students from throughout the en- tire Tech student body. The group was first organized in 1958 by its present conductor Gene Kenney and joins forces with the Tech Choir on several occasion. MADRIGAL SINGERS Perform in authentic costumes. . . l.» GENE KENNEY Man of voices. 19

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THE CHURCH OF CHRIST Director WAYNE HARRIS A Bible Class A Bible Chair is an arrangement with the Church of Christ at a state school in which Bible is taught for college credit. The teach- er is selected and paid by the church; Tech recognizes twelve hours credit in Bible to- ward a degree. Each evening, Monday through Friday, the students assemble to worship at the Chair. On Sunday afternoons the students, in groups of eight or ten, have found pur- pose and reward in visiting elderly shut-ins. The student publication at the Chair is the College Christian, a monthly newspaper for which the students write and report the events and plans at the Chair. Bible classes began in a rented room just a block from the campus. During the school year 1947-48 a total of 564 students were enrolled at Tech who listed the Church of Christ as their preference. Of this number 110 enrolled in the ten Bible courses offered. In May of 1956 the residence was removed for the construction of the present building which is valued at approximately $100,000. • It Associate director JAMES GREER MOSAIC TILE MURAL AT THE BIBLE CHAIR The tie between the Chair and Techsans. DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC Sounds Of The Times The Department of Music has four main objectives: (1) to help each student in the college acquire discriminating taste and sound, critical judgements through courses in music, supplemented by concerts and through their association with distinguished artists and teachers; (2) to develop talent to the higheset degree of artistic capability; (3) to educate teachers and directors of music; (4) to help each student attain through music instruction, the skills and proficiencies of an artist, and at the same time, through liberal arts courses, the type of broad general education that is the intellectual foundation of the cultivated man or woman. Music head. Dr. Gene Hemmle, music department head, received his Bachelor of Music Degree from Southern Methodist Uni- versity, his Master of Arts and Doctor of Education degrees from Columbia Univer- sity. Post doctoral study was done as a Ford Fellow in New York. While singing with the Robert Shaw Chorale, Dr. Hemmle performed under the direction of Arturo Toscanini, Leonard Bernstein, Igor Stravinsky and Eric Leins- dorf. Dr. Hemmle became head of the music department in 1949. He frequently serves as a guest conductor of regional and state choral festivals. Paul Ellsworth, assistant professor of music and director of the Tech Symphony Orchestra received his Bachelor of Arts de- gree from Hillsdale College and his Master ' s from Columbia University. He served as principal violist of several outstanding or- chestras under eminent conductors and re- ceived additional work at the American Con- servatory in Chicago and at Northwestern University at Evanston, III. He studied violin and viola under Edwyn Hames, Hans Muenzer, William Berman and Robert Stewart and cello and string bass under members of the New York Phil- harmonic. He has served as clinician and judge in Texas, Michigan and Indiana. DR. GENE HEMMLE Department head. Gene Kenney, instructor, joined the Tech music faculty in the fall of 1957. In 1958, he was made director of the five vocal groups in the music department. Kenney received his Bachelor of Music degree from Emporia State College in Kansas and his Master ' s in music from SMU. 18

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TECH CHOIR Combines concerts and tours. • GIRLS ' GLEE CLUB Two years old and popular MALE GLEE CLUB Performs with chorus. TECH SINGERS Step below the Choir. 20