Music poured out from every corner of Hunter Conservatory at this year’s second annual Kaleidoscope Concert on Sunday, Nov. 5, turning the intimate space into a multi-colored, immersive experience unparalleled by any other concert Whitties might attend.

An experimental performance, Kaleidoscope offers an ever-changing, yet fluid compilation of music collected and performed by Whitman students and community members alike. The 45-minute concert, directed by Professor Kristin Vining, was composed by various musicians and incorporated unique pieces that came together to create one continuous composition for the audience. Audience members took in the sights and sounds of a beautifully decorated Kimball, lit only by twinkling lights which hint to where the music was coming from.

Each piece was unique, representing diverse genres and styles of music that are atypical of a conventional concert which might exhibit more carefully orchestrated performances of jazz and classical music. At Kaleidoscope, listeners were immersed in unwonted sounds of the Freedom Singers and the Whitman Chorus, along with other solo instrumental pieces.

Photo by Taj Howe

Among the performances were two Irish and American fiddle tunes, performed by sophomore Sami Braman. Although her peers and fellow musicians often hear her playing casually, this was the first time she was able to perform a fiddle piece for a music department organized event. The sounds of her individual pieces contributed to the uplifting mood of the overall experience.

“[The concert was] focused on the sound of the music and the experience of being in the middle of it all rather than the performance,” Braman said. “Usually we’re watching the performance at Chism or Cordiner and it’s a big thing. This is more of a community thing where we’re all experiencing the sound experience.”

In an attempt to recreate a music experience of the past, the musicians were scattered around Hunter in balconies as well as on the main floor.

“This concert is unique because back in the day, the music in Whitman was all in Hunter, and it was a very reverberate place,” Braman said. “You could always hear everyone practicing at the same time and it was a little more chaotic. I think Professor Vining wanted to harken back to the way that musicians sounded then, and so having people play on each balcony was a cool way to do that.”

Audience members sat on the main floor and stood dispersed around the four tiers of balcony while performers occupied all space in between, creating a three-dimensional musical experience for listeners.

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Photo by Taj Howe

“The audience will have a fun time hearing a sound and not knowing where it’s coming from or who is playing it,” Braman said. “I think that’s an interesting experience, having sounds come from all around you rather than just in front of you.”

To Sophomore Erin Cunningham, who performed as an accompanist on the cello, the transitions of each individual piece flawlessly into the next one allowed her to fully engage with the music.

“It’s supposed to be seamless,” Cunningham said. “The last note of the preceding piece seamlessly transitions in to the new piece and that is really cool because we don’t usually get to play like that. Usually when you perform, there are all these gaps and setting up and motion and movement … the ambiance of [Kaleidoscope Concert] allows you to be fully immersed in the music. The audience should never be confused about what’s going and they should just be following the music and just be immersed but at the same time it’s casual and fun.”

Collaborating to create this brief yet complex concert, Whitman students and community musicians added depth and width to the sound.

“Dr. Vining got the whole community involved,” Cunningham said. “The concert was created through submission of pieces, so it was kind of formed to encompass a diverse set of ideas and visions.”

Among the audience members was sophomore Shanti Borling. Having attended the concert to take a break from her Sunday evening workload, Borling left feeling refreshed and in awe of the incredible talent that transpires when Whitman students and community members bring together ideas.

“It was incredibly peaceful,” Borling said. “I think it’s really cool how the music program connects with local musicians. That really added to the experience.”

As the piano uttered its last few euphonious sounds to close the concert, the conservatory filled with applause.

“All the music means something and we all put it together,” Cunningham said.

The culmination of experimentation and collaboration, Kaleidoscope Concert brought together musicians of different backgrounds and genres of music to perform all together, an opportunity they get only once a year.

Walla Walla community members and Whitman students filed into Gesa Powerhouse Theatre this past weekend, Sept. 29 – Oct. 1, to experience the interactive and formative play, “Every Brilliant Thing.”

Directed by Nancy Simon and performed by Kevin Loomer, the one-act, one-actor play focuses on a boy who begins to write down a list of “brilliant things” after his mother attempts suicide. The audience follows the boy throughout his life as he struggles to reconcile with the imprint his mother’s depression has left on him.

Actively partaking in his coping process, the audience was asked to read “Brilliant Things” from note cards they were given before the show, adding to the boy’s list of things that make life worth living.

Photo provided by Gesa Powerhouse Theatre

The show created an intimate space. Many audience members were seated onstage in the middle of the action, while others actively participated in the show and were asked to assume roles such as the main character’s father, girlfriend and therapist.

To senior Robby Boyer, who attended the performance, the varying personalities and responses of those asked to participate cultivated a unique experience.

“For me, it was not at all too heavy,” Boyer said. “It was a lot of fun, and I think the audience participated really well. There was a good energy and there wasn’t any awkwardness that goes with it.”

The varying personalities of and the responses given by audience members cultivated a different experience with each performance. Ultimately, no two renditions were the same.

Since the play revolves around the themes of depression and suicide, one would expect it to instill heavy, emotional feelings in audience members. Instead, “Every Brilliant Thing” balanced those heavy topics with comedic relief in a way that filled the house with laughter. It was this stabilization that allowed senior Grace Pyles to deem the play a success.

“It was a perfect balance,” Pyles said. “Personally, I tend to think that the only way you can really make either comedy or heaviness effective is to pair them with each other, and I think [the play] did a great job with that.”

Simon and Loomer said they expect the play to create a “light air” that would render the subject matter approachable.

Photo provided by Gesa Powerhouse Theatre

“Suicide and depression are heavy topics, but the goal is for people to recognize that these themes can be talked about,” Loomer said.

These themes are not abstract, distant topics either–they are closely tied to relevant matters in Walla Walla. Simon expects the play to give the audience an optimistic outlook on such concerns.

“Walla Walla has an unusually high suicide rate,” Simon said. “Hopefully the play allows us to come together in a way which is both joyful and uplifting–to talk about a difficult subject.”

The sincere and charged meanings produced by “Every Brilliant Thing” made this play impossible for Simon to pass up when she was deciding whether or not to direct it. She was beyond satisfied to direct what she considers to be an excellent piece of theatre.

“Good theatre is a gift to the audience and changes us in some way, gives us an emotional release and asks us to reconsider,” Simon said. “I love directing because you get to partake in all of the aspects of theatre, providing a space                                                                                             and opportunity for a community of artists to work at their                                                                                      highest level to bring a wonderful present to the audience.”

Illustration by Haley King

Often considered taboo and on the fringe of fashion, nipple piercings are a becoming increasingly mainstream as the trend grows among Whitman students.

No longer just a symbol of one’s sexual independence, nipple piercings carry diverse meanings for individuals who have them. For some, a nipple piercing represents transitioning into adulthood, for others, an expression of art or an assertion of body empowerment.

For first-year Maude Lustig, nipple piercings were a well-thought through decision.

“I had been thinking about it for a long time,” Lustig said. “I just thought it looked really cool and that it would make me feel more confident … I think it’s super cool that you can adorn yourself in this way.”

Inspired by Rihanna, Lustig embraces piercings as a form of art.

“I think that nipple piercings, and piercings in general and all body modifications are part of fashion and fashion is an art form. I wouldn’t say that I got mine to be part of a trend, but I would consider it a decoration,” Lustig said.

For Lustig, the rising trend on campus is happening in part due to fads spreading through friend groups, as well as the piercings’ presence in pop culture. As celebrities like Kendall and Kylie Jenner flaunt their nipple piercings in the media, the trend has embedded itself into the latest styles, transforming this kind of body modification into an iconic fashion vogue.

“I know other people on campus that have nipple piercings, and I think part of the reason it becomes a trend, not just at Whitman but all over for our age group, is because it’s kind of like a friend cluster thing,” Lustig said.

When any trend gains public attention it is accompanied by criticism. The stigma surrounding nipple piercings, however, is fading as younger generations have begun to embrace body modification more and more.

“When I think about my parents generation … I think for them there is much more of a stigma around it. Depending on the piercing it’s not as big of an issue. But I think for our age a lot of that is getting better. The stigma is disappearing,” Lustig said.

Sophomore Grace Pollard, who got her nipple piercings last year, echoes this opinion, attributing the diminishing bad press to its positive acknowledgement in media.

“I think in the Hollywood culture they have become more common and less associated with ‘sluttiness’ or tackiness, so that has translated to college campuses,” Pollard said. “It’s a discreet way to feel edgy and powerful that isn’t visible to everyone all the time, which is a good balance.”

Considering nipple piercings throughout high school, Pollard finally went through with the decision as both a personal and aesthetic choice.

“I wanted to do something to make myself feel happy and new and invigorated because I have always gotten a feeling of power from getting a new piercing,” Pollard said. “I honestly just thought they would look really cute, but I got one done to make sure I liked it before I went through with the other one.”

Nipple piercings are a unique body modification in that they don’t have to be visible to the world. They can be either a personal embellishment or a statement for the world to see.

“They’re different because they seem kind of badass or edgy or sexual, but they’re only visible when you want them to be visible! So it definitely gives me a sense of power and control over my body in the way that having a more visible piercing would not,” Pollard said. “I get to choose who sees them and how they are displayed through clothing, and I can be in a more conservative setting and no one knows versus having a visible face piercing or something where that would be something that everyone notices.”

First-year Chloe Holaso got her nipples pierced spontaneously for her eighteenth birthday.

Although she acknowledges nipple piercings as body art, her decision to get them pierced was a personal one. Yet, she finds that her choice is sometimes misinterpreted by others.

“People see you as hyper sexual as soon you get nipple piercings and that’s not at all what it’s about for me,” Holaso said. “I just like the placement and it’s a new private thing that I can have. It’s not for other people, that’s not what I got it for,” Holaso said.

As nipple piercings become a rising trend on campus, what they can represent is as diverse as the student body.

Hosted by senior Tara McCulloch, “i love love love you” spins love songs across a spectrum genres ranging from folk to jazz, all in an effort to showcase an eclectic blend of music and a new perspective on love. The segment on KWCW radio airs on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Wanting to take advantage of the opportunity to do so before she graduated, McCulloch began her segment for KWCW this January.

“I’m really interested in podcasting, so I thought this would be a good venture into the audio world,” McCulloch said.

Photo by Jackie Greisen.

“i love love love you” presents the theme of love through music and conversation, attempting to reveal love that exists beyond a conventional form. McCulloch achieves this by designing playlists that illustrate love through social justice movements and platonic relationships.

“There’s some talking, but it’s mostly just music,” McCulloch said. “The songs focus on love and social justice, so I’m writing a love ethic and what my friend, Annie Want, refers to as ‘radical tenderness.’”

Frequently featured artists include Peter, Paul and Mary; Patsy Cline; The Vaccines; and Hurray for the Riff Raff. Recently, she also included songs by Mitski, responding to student demand after the artist performed on campus.

McCulloch has set many goals for herself and her show.

Photo by Jackie Greisen.

“I want to learn more for myself about radio, and audio storytelling and art in general,” McCulloch said. “I want to think about bridging that gap that is very much there between community members within the Whitman community and the Walla Walla community … and just promote a radical love ethic.”

“i love love love you” brings forth various ideas about love, expressing how it can be interpreted in alternate ways through a myriad of styles.

“I think the combination of the love and social justice songs is unique,” McCulloch said. “I’m just thinking about a love ethic in creating playlists and centering that, because it’s pretty easy to find love songs but it’s hard to find a variety of love songs that aren’t necessarily heteronormative or only about romantic love. I try to find songs that are about friendship and love for social justice movements, for communities rather than just a classic romcom song where a white dude’s crying over Julia Roberts.”

Photo by Jackie Greisen.

Because McCulloch’s show is very broad in scope, it attracts a wide range of listeners. Through personalizing her music to portray love from more than one perspective, her show aims to unify and relate listeners to each other.

“Personalization is really great in radio, so I maybe think about my friends when I’m talking but I’m also thinking about the larger Walla Walla community, which does not have the exact same point of view that I have when I’m talking to my friends. I think that’s great to also keep in mind,” McCulloch said. “I love how the KWCW radio station can really bridge that gap between the Whitman community and the Walla Walla community.”

Visit KWCW Radio to tune into “i love love love you” on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The first annual Planned Parenthood Art and Music Festival was teeming with excitement and solidarity this past Friday, April 7. Despite the unpredictable weather that forced the event indoors to Reid Coffeehouse, the festival went on without a hitch, featuring two live bands, several local artists, and plenty of appetizing treats.

Conceiving the idea earlier in the year, Planned Parenthood Generation Action (PPGA), an advocacy group on campus, partnered with Sigma Chi Fraternity to carry out this event and make it a success. By working together, both groups were able to raise money for Planned Parenthood as well as give insight into the inner-workings of Planned Parenthood and promote it as a community asset.

For sale, impactful feminist artwork covered the tables, each piece evoking different emotions with their varying styles. These prints and paintings were accompanied by other empowering Planned Parenthood merchandise. 

Meanwhile on stage, bands Where the F*** is Graham, Crossing Isaacs, and *insert Sami’s band’s name here* entertained the crowd with energetic and vivacious music.

Annelise Ellingboe, a leader of Whitman’s PPGA advocacy group, has been part of PPGA since its formation in the fall semester of 2016. She felt this event would be impactful to both the Whitman and Walla Walla communities.

“I mean we do want to raise money because that’s the point of a philanthropy event but it’s also just like dope to have people know more about Planned Parenthood,” said Ellingboe. “We’d like to make it more of a community effort since Planned Parenthood is a community resource.”

The event was a way for the club to advocate for Planned Parenthood while simultaneously making the community aware of the aims of the organization and what services it provides.

“I think there is a lot that can still be learned about [Planned Parenthood],” Ellingboe said. “It’s really nice to have people come out and see what we’re doing and what the other goals of Planned Parenthood are because it’s not just all fun sex-ed. It’s actually a really important resource for different people and for underserved people in our community and a lot of other communities.”

Greg Steigerwald of Sigma Chi felt excited about the fraternity’s involvement in the festival.

“As [Sigma Chi’s] main philanthropy event of the semester, it seemed like the perfect event,” Steigerwald said.

The fraternity’s involvement with this event was a way for Sigma Chi to show their support not just for Whitman’s PPGA club, but also for the entire Planned Parenthood organization which is currently facing a lot of judgement and constraint.

“This event helped bring people together to support a cause that is under a lot of duress right now, and shows that people will continue to support PP,” Steigerwald said.

Alya Bohr was an attendee of the event and enjoyed the exciting, lively atmosphere of the event.

“I thought it was really cool to do a fundraiser and to have it be an event that was just so rich and positive,” Bohr said. “Here we are having fun doing music but also this is an important cause and there was all this really cool art and we’re supporting all these things and I think it was just a really cool way to combine supporting a really important thing…this is good stuff to be doing and a good energy to have. To have it be more of a celebration was a cool approach.”

By integrating several components of the Whitman and Walla Walla communities, the art and music festival became an event of solidarity. Bohr described the importance of having groups of different backgrounds and political stances to come together for one event.

“It was very much an involvement from a lot of people” Bohr said. “To have it be really incorporating a lot of different elements on campus and a lot of different people, I thought it was a great way to reach out to people and to make this something that applies to everyone, to find more common ground.”

With a huge turnout, the Planned Parenthood Art and Music Festival certainly made an impact on those who attended. All proceeds went to benefit Planned Parenthood.

“I think the outcome was great!” Steigerwald said. “We raised a large sum of money for a great cause, the musicians were excellent, and everybody in the audience seemed to be having fun!

The fifth annual Breaking Ground Monologues, held in Kimball Theatre from March 3 through 5, grappled with a multitude of thought-provoking and emotional topics, leaving a powerful impression on all who attended.

The passionate performances helped audience members experience and relate to the powerful and sometimes unfamiliar stories of Whitman students with empathy. The event was hosted by the FACE (Feminists Advocating Change and Empowerment) club. Donations collected at the event went to support Walla Walla Triple Point, an organization which provides mentors and a safe space for queer youth.

To the co-presidents of FACE, Bryn Louise and Willa Johnson, the monologues serve to give a voice to those who don’t normally have one. While some were performed by the piece’s author, other monologues were presented by someone else. Regardless, they provided a window for the Whitman community to look into and remember that everyone has a story.

“People can choose to submit the work and have it be anonymous even if they feel like they can’t do it themselves, their words still get out there,” Louise said.

Sometimes, the monologues presented unfamiliar and uncomfortable topics. Breaking Ground brings them to the surface and encourages engagement.

“It’s important to have [these topics] be more a part of our everyday conversation,” Johnson said.

This event is unique in that it shares a surprising degree of depth; personal stories that were shared are conveyed differently than they would be in daily conversation or in the classroom.

“[The monologues] are crafted,” Louise said, “very specifically to the individual, whereas if you talked about it in a class you have the pressure to not make the class environment feel uncomfortable … Being able to tell their full story and present it allows [the individual] to be completely truthful to themselves. It’s very different to a classroom experience.”

Breaking Ground Monologues functions as a space where audience members can realize that they are not alone in wrestling with certain issues. Louise and Johnson hope that this event will validate the struggles of these individuals and allow them to seek help. To encourage this, they placed trigger warnings regarding distressing subjects in the program and made sure that counselors were readily available.

“The message is that your individual experiences are important and even if you feel like it’s just you floating around in the world having to deal with it, there are people that you can reach out to [in order to get] help,” Louise said.

Junior Teal Kurnie is the author of one of the monologues performed titled “Just a Scratch,” which delves into the topic of self-harm.

Kurnie decided to write a monologue after attending Breaking Ground Monologues two years ago. Deeply impacted by how empowering it was for these stories to be told to a larger audience, she began exploring the therapeutic effects of writing.

“I decided to write because it helps me organize my thoughts in a way that speaking or just talking to my friends or a counselor doesn’t,” Kurnie said.

In just a short time, Breaking Ground Monologues left a lasting impression. Kurnie described the personal impact the monologues left on her as well as others.

“I get to experience other people’s lives in a way,” Kurnie said. “There’s a chance I will never experience what they have gone through so it helps me gain a new perspective on the topic at hand.”

At some moments the audience was in laughter, while at others in complete silence or tears. Either way, Breaking Ground Monologues was a transformative experience for all those that participated and served as reminder that there is more to a person than meets the eye.

Captivating and collaborative, the “Songs of Youth and Joy” concert showcased the incredible musical talent of four Walla Walla musical groups.

Held in Cordiner Hall on Sunday, Feb. 26, the concert consisted of performances by Walla Walla High School (Wa-Hi) Belles Voix and Chamber Singers, Walla Walla Choral Society and Walla Walla Valley Bands, with poetry recitations interspersed throughout.

Beginning with an a cappella performance, the Wa-Hi choir Belles Voix sang their first piece, “Watane,” a beautiful harmonization of voices with sounds of nature. The concert then progressed  to a piece titled “Walla Walla,” performed by the Choral Society, which portrayed the sense of home that the blue valley of Walla Walla gives to its inhabitants.

The wide-ranging repertoire included two configurations by local composers, encompassed various styles of music, including several pieces in foreign languages, and incorporated different types of instrumentation. In performing such an extensive repertoire, the concert was sure to provide entertainment for listeners of all ages.

Riikka Pietilaninen-Caffrey, director of the Walla Walla Choral Society, explained the intention behind the concert.

“We wanted to make this event more multi-generational, bringing together different ages, different groups from different parts of the town and really making it a community event,” Pietilaninen-Caffrey said.

A good showing at Cordiner Hall. Photo by Amelia Wells.

Pietilaninen-Caffrey, along with directors Colleen Ochocinski of the Walla Walla High School choirs and Jackson Maberry of the Walla Walla Valley Bands, worked to create an enjoyable event that could be extended to the entire Walla Walla community. They felt this could best be achieved by replacing the ticket sales with a request for canned good donations for the local food bank. In doing so, the concert would be free to all and allow community members to show support for Walla Walla.

“We need a concert that is available to all without ticket sales,” Pietilaninen-Caffrey said. “We’re trying to bring in this whole idea of inclusivity, that if it’s a free concert, [it’s] more likely people are going to go to the concert and it will really be offering music to everybody.”

Ochocinski described this concert as transformative for her students.

“[This concert] gives the students another opportunity to perform and make music together,” Ochocinski said. “They love sharing their talents with the community.”

She also emphasized that this concert is a unique learning experience that allows students to improve their performing skills and to learn from other musicians within the community.

“It builds a sense of community and pride in choral music and the work that we do,” Ochocinski said. “[This concert is] about celebrating the joy of music [and] having all the people collaborate with the rising generation. [The audience] gets to experience music from the elementary level all the way up to the collegiate level.”

Photo by Amelia Wells.

The audience is not excluded from this beneficial experience as they become a part of the experience. With performers from all over Walla Walla, the audience members are interconnected with different facets of the community simultaneously to create a unique experience for all who attend.

Heather Youd, who attended the concert, felt that the collaboration of the different music groups created a captivating experience for the listener.

“The collaboration between the different musical groups makes the concert a more unique experience,” Youd said. “[The directors] gave background information about each piece that was performed. It was extremely interesting and helpful in understanding a piece.”

The directors highlighted the powerful meanings or humorous backgrounds of each piece they performed. With the aid of this context, the audience could engage more thoroughly with the moving lyrics or better interpret the emotions that the pieces were attempting to convey, helping make the event into a concert for the entire community.

“Songs of Youth and Joy” showcased the many sounds Walla Walla has to offer, making the concert an unforgettable experience.

On Dec. 21, 2016, musical duo Sheldoncole released their brand new EP, titled “Detroit.”

Sheldoncole, consists of two brothers, Sheldon and Nic Kozushko, who recently came together to pursue their dream of making music. Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the pair of singer-songwriters has been performing the tracks of their recently released EP locally and are currently working on a new single.

Drawing inspiration from artists like Dallas Green, Jack Johnson, Gregory Alan Isakov and Noah Gunderson, Sheldoncole has discovered their own sound in experimental folk. The band has only released a handful of songs, but each rings with originality and purpose. One song, titled “West Coast,” expresses the connection one has to the past while another titled “Live For Love” contemplates the preciousness of life’s every moment. The EP has a total of five tracks that put a new twist on acoustic folk instrumentation.

“[The songs] ponder the questions of life and death, love, faith and pain,” Sheldon said.
The soft acoustics, combined with Sheldon’s soulful voice, help to capture the nostalgic feel of the lyrics, creating a calming mood for the listener. In addition to the traditional song format, Sheldon also performs his poetic lyrics through spoken word in his song “Detroit.”

“And goodbyes ain’t easy this much I know/ I worry because I am coming home,” Sheldon sings in “West Coast.”

These lyrics illustrate nostalgia, one of many themes echoed throughout Sheldoncole’s new EP.

Inspired by Sheldon Kozushko’s first-hand experiences in the heart of Detroit, the EP’s songs also emphasize love triumphing over hate.

“We want to use love over hate as an umbrella,” Sheldon said. “We want to put it at the forefront of what we stand for.”

Sheldon sojourned to Detroit to gain inspiration for his freelance journalism. There he developed relationships and was exposed to different art forms, landscapes and lifestyles that served as inspiration for him in his music and journalism. His self-expression took a different form as his journalism transitioned into music.

“Travel is a huge inspiration and source of growth for my music,” Sheldon said.

Sheldon shared his songwriting process, comparing it to a volcano.

“There’s all this tension building up in my life,” Sheldon said. “Eventually I can’t hold it in anymore and the best way to deal with it is to write music.”

He describes his music as personal, emerging from real stories and experiences. There is no rubric or plan, just irregular intervals of thought that translate into song.

Music has dominated every aspect of the Kozushko brothers’ lives. Exposed to music from childhood, Sheldon and Nic began performing in coffee shops, school events and local gigs.

“When there’s some kind of music happening to you every day, it helps you grow and develop musically,” Sheldon said.

Sheldon and Nic have recently begun work on their second EP, which will take the music in a different direction, encompassing the genre of experimental folk. This July, Sheldoncole will begin their two month tour through 50 cities, with Walla Walla as a possible destination.

Although they have preformed in a variety of settings for a diverse number of audiences, on this tour the band will be performing in more unconventional settings–people’s homes.

“We’re very passionate about where we perform, but we found our favorite space to be somebody’s home,” Sheldon said.

House shows allow Sheldoncole to create a more sacred space for art and music while creating an intimate experience that allows the band to have closer connection with the audience. At a recent house show, the band was accompanied by a spoken word artist and displayed local artwork in the space.

Sheldoncole’s music is available on Spotify, iTunes and at Sheldoncole.com. They can also be found on social media.