60 / ’southern
‘SOUTHERNVOICES
When Iwas asked towrite about
the roleof the arts at BSC,mymind
returned time and again to a fewof
my favorite things. (It’s your own
choice as towhether you’rehearing
JulieAndrews or JohnColtrane right
now.) Below is apointillist rendering
of stuff that I like about thefine and
performing arts—here at the college
andbeyond.
The arts tell uswhowe are. Imagine
how littlewewouldunderstand about
the ancient Egyptians, theGreeks, or
theRomanswithout the artifacts they
left behind. As anhistorianmyself, I
know that the arts tether us to thepast
even as they challengeus to think in
unfetteredways about the future.
The imagination required toproduce
works of art, towrite andperform
music, or towrite and stage aplay
is the foundationof a liberal arts
education. Without imagination, it’s
difficult to conceiveof advances in
anyother field—thehumanities, the
social sciences, or in anyof the STEM
(science, technology, engineering, and
math) fields. Einstein allegedly said
somethingonce about the capacity to
imagine as beingmore important than
possessing knowledge. If hedidn’t, I
wishhehad.
The creativity required for artistic
endeavor improves our lives.
Practicing the arts requires skills—
discipline, the ability to take criticism
fromothers, the capacity todevelop
sustained reflectionon a singleproject
or piece—that allowus to succeed in
otherwalks of life.
Art critiques us, our values, andour
ethical choices. It asks us tobebetter
selves than theoneswe arenow. As
onlyone example, thinkof BSC’s own
SteveCole andhis “HateProject”
installation this past fall. Or of Jim
Neel’s “Babel” project. Or of the
ways thatMichael Flowers,Dr. Alan
Litsey, andMatthewMielke inour
TheatreDepartment unfailinglyfind
away tomakeour productions speak
tous about important social issues.
Think about “The LaramieProject,” or
“ReEntry,” or theproductionof “Jesus
Christ Superstar” and you’ll knowwhat
Imean.
There is also sheer bliss. Recall the
MusicDepartment’s annual “Lessons
andCarols” service and the greater
realities towhich it draws us. As Iwrite
this today, I’m listening to a recording
of theheart-rendingChaconne from
Bach’s ViolinPartita inDminor. I’ve
experienced yet again theway that
JaschaHeifetzputs thebow to the
strings of the veryfirst phraseof that
performance in away thatmakes the
A fewofmy favorite things
byDr.Mark Schantz, BSCProvost
hair on thebackofmyneck standup.
I’m about towalkover tohear a faculty
voice recital fromBSCmusic faculty
memberDr. Jeff Kensmoe, whoseown
joy inperformance is an inspiration.
Neurological researchnow charts the
impact ofmusic on thehumanbrain,
but anyonewhohas been sodeeply
movedby amusical performance
that they’ve forgottenwhat time it is
instinctivelyunderstands this point.
Asweflit at light speed fromonenew
mediumof technology to another, the
valueof the artswill become, I expect,
evenmorepronounced. Helpingus
make senseof theworld aroundus is
part ofwhat art does. If youhappened
to seeKevin Shook’s recent art opening
“Simulacramedia,” youmight have
glimpsed the connections (and the
distance) betweenhisworks and the
miniaturewoodcuts and engravings
frompast centuries. But now, let’s look
again through the lens of smart phones
and computer screens. In art, theold
greets thenew and thenew trades on
theold.
And there are, of course, themany and
beautiful artistic renderings produced
byour students: TheConcert Choir
touring theWashington,D.C., area this
spring, themost recent BFA student art
opening, and the extraordinaryquality
of last year’s campus literarymagazine,
TheQuad, are constant and consistent
reminders of themanyways inwhich
our studentsmake art, andof theways
that artmakes them.
These are a fewofmy favorite things. I
hope youhave your own.
Schantz chatting withBSC students
Editor’sNote
:
Dr.Mark Schantz has
beenBSC’s provost since 2009. He
recently announced that he will return to
the classroom, where his heart is, after a
sabbatical in the next school year. The
college has launched a search for a new
provost.
