Eric Fiveland ckEtr2Etr2tETIY29 fmE&2a EnflitEdJr(En The voice of Professor of Music Dr.James Matson welcomed Cedarvillefaculty,staff andstudents,aswellasarearesidents, to the annual Memorial Day Chapel on May 26. Each year,theCollegeremembersthe overonemillionAmericanswho have died in war-time military activity. This year's multi-media performanceincorporatedthetechnological capabilities of the JeremiahChapel. Professor of Music Michael DiCuirciledtheband,comprised mostlyofSymphonicBandmembers, in John Philips Sousa's "StarsandStripesForever."Dr. Dixonremindedthecollegefamily ofthe 2,000 American men andwomenwhodieeach yearin militaryservice."Withthepassing ofdecades,weforgetthose whohavefought,lived,anddied for whatwehold dear,"hesaid. RetiredAirForceMajorGeneralClydeAutioofferedaprayer before each Armed Services gy GnIanay j-tOtle -k branch washonored.Tothetune ofeach branch's song,current and retired military men and women marched to the stage. With many wipingtears,theremainderofthose in the auditoriumrosetotheirfeetinastanding ovation.Themilitary personnel ledthecongregationinthePledge ofAllegiance.A United States flag covered the back wall,and under it hung the flags ofeach militarybranch. UnderthedirectionofProfessorofMusicDr.LyleAnderson, the Men'sGleeClubsang"The Star-SpangledBanner."Whilethe servicemenandwomenreturned totheirseats,theGleeClubsang Irving Berlin's "God Bless America." FollowingthiswasaReader's Theaterstyleddrama,which combined chamber theater, choric speakingandperformancestudies.JuniorsJason Kandel,Sara Romang and Chris Vitarelli, sophomoreBeckyCrosson,and freshman Jeremy Brown remindedthecongregationofthose wholefttheir personallivesfor military dutyin ordertodefend thecountry.Thefocusshiftedto the Vietnam Memorial,and the audiencewasaskedto"listento thevoices."Thegroupportrayed children,wivesand parentswho read heart-touching letters to men killed or missingin action. The letters and pictures were taken from the book,Shrapnel in the Heart. Senior trumpeter Chris Pagnard moved tothecenterof the stageto play"Taps"before theMen'sGleeClubperformed "GodBlesstheU.S.A."Followingthis,thebandbegan playing "America,theBeautiful";theensemble joined, and American landscapes wereflashed on the screen. Dr.Dixon closed the service withprayerandextendedaninvitationtoacceptaspersonalSaviortheGodnamedinthesongs. Eric Fiveland mznioliaf day cgapef 43
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM4ODY=