Letters to the Editor

To the Editor: The Daily Pennsylvanian's April 16 article, "Chamber Music Society hits high note during spring show," quotes me as saying that "The Music Department is very weak." This quote is taken out of context, inaccurately presents my opinion and unfairly discredits the Music Department. It is not the Music Department that is weak -- the Penn Music Department deservedly boasts an outstanding research and teaching faculty. Rather, the weakness lies in the support for music performance from the University administration. Without proper support, the department is severely limited in its ability to develop important educational programs beyond the classroom that will meet the needs and interests of many students. The chamber music program, as one, serves as not only to provide a forum for musicians to collaborate and hone their talents, but also to introduce classical music to their peers in its most intimate and accessible form. The officers of the newly formed Penn Chamber Music Society, with the help of the Music Department, have made an extraordinary effort this year to lay groundwork for a chamber music program that has drawn more than 70 members (25 ensemble groups) and a large and enthusiastic audience. However, further educational development of the program looks grim without adequate support from the University administration. All of our peer institutions have long established chamber music programs fully supported by their administrations. We have made great strides in planting the seeds of such a program at our University, and we can only hope that our progress continues with the support from the University.

Jayon You College '02

The writer is artistic chair of the Penn Chamber Music Society.

To the Editor: If Dan Fishback ("The search for a center," DP, 4/16/01) has a sincere desire to see and understand the "spectrum" of Christianity -- particularly, it would seem, with relation to the issue of homosexuality -- he would do well to actually come into contact with a wider band of that spectrum. Thankfully, there is far more to the landscape of Christianity than either the self-righteous inquisitors (whom Fishback rightly castigates for a lack of love) or the passive-aggressive-love-preaching-yet-subtly-love-withholding-WWJD-bumper-sticker crowd. It may come as news to the Penn community -- or, it may not -- that there are many Christians out there who think that the Gospel (the life, teachings and "meaning" of Jesus) has nothing to do with homosexuality-qua-homosexuality. This is not some subtle attempt to avoid the issue, as Fishback rightly criticizes his friends for doing. Christianity has many things to say about one's relationships with one's neighbors, friends and lovers, but the message is one of seeking to serve others with respect rather than to seek pleasure through objectifictaion and self-gratification. The gender of a lover or life partner is not germaine to the discussion. I agree with Fishback: I am angry with the "Christian" right wing, too, and I also wish that I could see "people for people, not some sociological function." However, I feel it necessary to suggest that Fishback's experience of the "Christian spectrum" is not quite wide enough yet to begin making such pronouncements, sincere though I assume his investigation to have been.

Mark Genszler Van Pelt Library

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