Wednesday, March 26, 2003

from the Office of News and Information

The Darbari Ensemble will present a concert, “Synthesis: Indian Classical
Music from Islamic Courts,” at Swarthmore on Friday, March 28, at 7:00 p.m.
in Lang Concert Hall. The concert is a tribute to Amir Khusro, the medieval
Muslim musician, poet, and Sufi mystic, who shaped and refined Indian
classical music.

The Darbari Ensemble, with Ramesh Misra, sarangi; Samir Chatterjee, table;
Steve Gorn, bansuri bamboo flute; and Allyn Miner, sitar, performs North
Indian ragas in a unique ensemble style. In flowing improvisations,
intricate compositions, and fast rhythmic exchanges, the four instruments
combine in lively interaction, bringing contemporary sensibilities to
classical Indian music.

Each member of Darbari brings a lifetime of experience to the music. Pandit
Ramesh Misra is one of India’s foremost players of the exquisite sarangi,
whose tone emulates the human voice. Pandit Samir Chatterjee is famous in
India and the U.S. for his brilliant tabla accompaniment, solo, and
experimental work. Both are based in New York. Steve Gorn, also of New York,
and Allyn Miner, of Philadelphia, are highly regarded performers of
Indian classical music in the U.S.

Darbari was formed in 2002. The word means “courtly.” Until the early
decades of the 20th century, Indian music was performed in the palaces and
homes of patrons who are remembered for their enthusiasm and
connoisseurship. The refined, lively, and interactive courtly setting is an
atmosphere that the group seeks to evoke in the music. Darbari is also the
name of a beautiful late-night raga.

The Darbari concert is sponsored by the Swarthmore Departments of Music &
Dance and Religion, and the President’s Office.

*****

On March 19 at nearly 3:00 a.m. Sergeant Stufflet issued two citations to a
person spray-painting the intersection of North Chester Road and College
Avenue. Also on the 19th Officer Kline noticed a street sign at Mt. Holyoke
and Strath Haven lying on the curb and partially stolen. Another street sign
and pole was stolen from Swarthmore Avenue and reported on this day.

On March 20, a passerby notified Officer Kline that the SEPTA station had
been covered with graffitti.

On March 23 Sergeant Stufflet pulled over a car at 1:42 a.m. on Rt. 320 and
placed the driver under arrest, charged with driving under the influence.

*****

* Early Wednesday morning, Baghdad time, explosions and low-flying aircraft
were heard around the city. The targets seemed to be government
communication and satellite sites, particularly the state-run TV station.
The attacks proceeded despite the presence of smoke from large fuel fires,
set by the Iraqi government to try and obscure military targets. US troops
are now said to be within fifty miles of the city.

* US army forces engaged in battle Tuesday near the city of An Najaf. The
battle probably produced between 150 and 500 Iraqi casualties while the
Pentagon reported no US casualties.  The battle took place during a fierce
raging sandstorm, the latest manifestation of the mostly intolerable weather
that US forces have had to face thus far.

* The World Health Organization released a statement on Tuesday stating that
they believe that the cause of the mysterious SARS outbreak may be traced to
as many as two different viruses. However the US Center for Disease Control
believes that the disease can only be traced to one particular virus. In
particular the CDC believes that it was coronavirus, which is in the same
family as the common cold that caused the pneumonia outbreak. So far there
have been 487 cases of the disease, with 17 deaths.

* In a departure from the high-tech equipment it usually uses, the US army
announced on Tuesday that it would use dolphins in the war against Iraq. The
dolphins are to be transported from San Diego California to the Iraqi port
of Umm Qasr, which was recently secured by allied forces. The dolphins will
aid in ensuring that the coastline is free of dangers. The safety of the
coastline and port would then allow ships delivering humanitarian supplies
to dock.

*****

Student, faculty, staff anti-war planning meeting
Hicks Mural Room 312, 11:30 a.m.

Presidet Al Bloom speaks about Swat’s history with diversity
Parrish Parlor East, 4:00 p.m.

English Department Poetry Contest Awards: Poetry reading by Beth Ann
Fennelly
Kohlberg Scheuer Room, 4:15 p.m.

Psychology colloquium: Daniel Bar-on
Martin, Kirby Lecture Hall, 4:15 p.m.

French Film Festival: Les Visiteurs
Kohlberg 328, 7:00 p.m.

Education lecture
Kohlberg Scheuer Room, 7:00 p.m.

Faculty panel: The war in Iraq: What next?
with Professors Burke, Camacho de Schmidt, DuPlessis, Kugle, Murphy, Sharpe,
and Keith, moderator
Swarthmore Friends Meetinghouse, 7:00 p.m.

Worship sharing on the war with Iraq
Swarthmore Meeting House library, 7:15 p.m.

Anomalous Picture Show: Mystery Science Theater 3000
Trotter 203, 7:30 p.m.

Discussion on interracial dating, sponsored by SASS, SQU, and COLORS
IC Big Room, 10:00 p.m.

———–

Mixed Company/Xtension Chords concert this Friday

The Xtension Chords are a nationally-known all-male a cappella group from
the University of Illinois.  Mixed Company will be singing with them in the
WRC at 10 o’clock.  The concert will be FREE.

———–

The Swarthmore Folk Dance Club will host a Contra Dance this Friday night
from 7:00-10:00 p.m. No partner or experience is necessary. Scott Higgs will
be calling and there will also be a special performance from the Biology
Department’s own Sara Hiebert Burch on the fiddle.

*****

SPORTS UPDATE

With an outstanding game day of 7 to 2 the Swat women’s tennis team took a
Centennial Conference victory and an overall 5 to 2 record. Caroline Celano
and Emily Townsend both won their singles matches and then smashed
Washington in doubled. Swat now stands at 3-0 on the CC.

*****

Though Brandon King went 2-for-5 with two runs and Bill Farrell went 2-for-4
with two doubles, Swat lost its 3-0 lead and ended their Centennial
Conference opener with a 5-3 loss to F&M. The Garnet’s baseball record is
now 1-9 overall, 0-1 in the conference.

*****

In their home opener the Garnet dropped two matches and lowered their record
to 1-9. Val Maulbeck was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, Kristi LaSalle went
2-for-2 with an RBI, Myra Kate Vallianos went 2-for-2 and Felicia Carter
went 1-for-2. Though the first game was 7-3 Swat managed to hold them down
to 3 runs in the second.

*****

Today:
Men’s lax hosts Ursinus, 3:30 p.m.

Tomorrow:
Softball hosts Arcadia, 4:00 p.m.
Women’s lax at F&M, 4:00 p.m.

*****

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“The easiest kind of relationship for me is with ten thousand people. The
hardest is with one.”
–Joan Baez

*****
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