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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 24, 1991)
continued Christmas, so Slaton waited until the last possible moment to enroll in school. But on Jan. 12, Slaton re ceived notice that his unit had been activated. "It was almost a feeling of relief," he says. "I thought to myself, 'Al right, now that I know what’s going on, let’s get it done and over with.’ “I’ve got a job to do. I just want to get over there, do it and get on with my life.” This attitude of courage and de termination is shared by Slaton and his friends. For many, it’s not only an obligation but an opportunity to serve their country. Todd Champney, a sophomore speech communications major, says he wouldn’t hesitate to go ei ther. “When you’re a Marine, you give your life to your country," he says. “I know Gordon loves his country, and that’s what he wants to do." Michael Zanger, a junior political science major, is disappointed to see Slaton leave, but being a re servist himself, he understands the risks involved with the job. "When you sign up for the re serves, you know what you’re get ting yourself into," Zanger says. "I don’t think Gordon has any re grets." Maintaining his cool demeanor, Slaton has no regrets of joining the reserves and no second thoughts about going to war. He joined the reserves for several reasons, one of which was camaraderie. “I joined the Marine Corps be cause I knew if anything ever hap- _ pened like this situation in the Per- * sian Gulf, I’d want to be with people I know," says Slaton. For Slaton, having confidence and trust in his infantry Marine unit is easy. “The better the people, the better the chance you have of coming through,” says Slaton. “We may just be in the reserves and working part time, but we're not amateurs.” Yet before Slaton, an English ma jor, can get on with his life, he must finish “taking care of business.” Business that includes last-minute shopping, finalizing his withdrawal papers from the University and writ ing his will. “Wills are a big deal,” says Sla ton, “for anyone who has anything.”. And as if it weren’t a big deal, he says “wills are just normal procedu re.” The normality of such a process brings tears to the eyes of his friends, family and fiancee. They, like Slaton, try to remain strong and supportive. But just as it is difficult to hide in the desert, it is difficult for them to conceal their feelings. “I don't want him to go,” says Tania Fauquet, his fiancee. She thinks back around Christmas time when he proposed marriage, and her fears of never seeing him again surfaced. "When we left for Christmas break, I resigned to myself that I probably wouldn’t see him again,” Fauquet says. In the past few days, she’s been spending a lot of time with Slaton , cherishing every moment together and trying not to worry. “You reach a time when there’s nothing left to say to one another. You want to say something, but just don’t know what.” Top: Gordon Slaton sorts and packs his belongings after be ing called up to serve in the Persian Gulf War. Above: Sla ton's Corps of Cadets uniform hangs side-by-side with his U.S. Marine Corps uniform in his closet Fauquet joined Slaton on his trip to Houston Tuesday. But before he left, his friends took the opportunity to shake his hand and wish him good luck. As he loaded the last bags into his car, Gordon Slaton turned to them and in an optimistic voice said, "See you guys next year.” page 10 January 24,1991 sSutypvou w Festival Hill: secluded getaway for music lovers By John Mabry Phelan M. Ebenhack The grand concert hall at Festival Hill stands amongst the well-manicured grounds. Imagine herds of cattle grazing on green, rolling hills as strains of Mozart and Beethoven fill the air. Although it sounds like a scene right out of an 18th century painting, the sights and sounds of one of America’s premier classical music institutes beckons from, sur prisingly, only an hour drive away. Known as Festival Hill, the insti tute is located in the tiny town of Round Top (population 87), and was founded 20 years ago by the internationally recognized concert pianist James Dick. In 1971, when Dick began to build his vision of an aesthetically pleasing, tranquil and inspiring place of musical study, Festival Hill was little more than a few acres that served as, of all things, the town garbage dump. With the aid of talented Round Top craftsmen and designers, the site is now a place of such out standing natural and architectural beauty that it is difficult to imagine its humble beginnings. The most outstanding architec tural attraction of the festival peeks out over the countryside from miles away —the large European- inspired, cupola-crowned concert hall. Designed by area architects under the supervision of Dick, the presently uncompleted hall will someday be a richly detailed work of art, capable of seating 1,200 people. Other architectural gems on the site include the Clayton House, now a permanent residence for Dick and his staff, and the Menke House, which serves as guest quarters and as a dining facility. Both homes are exquisitely re stored area residences whose lav ishly detailed exteriors and interiors are a rich offering of German-Texan and Gothic architecture. A portion of the Menke House, for example, serves as a study of the wood-inlaid ceilings, candela- bras and Gothic arches that are planned for the concert hall. The interior of the Clayton House typifies the festival's eclectic ap proach to design, one of its trade marks. The woodwork on the ceil ing of the parlor, for example, was inspired by th'e geometric design on a glass plate. A large collection of antique fur nishings, another passion of Dick’s, fills both homes. Other structures added to the site over the years include a Rus sian gazebo and a swimming pool, as well as an abundance of intrica tely designed landscaping. Although the physical structures of Festival Hill are an attraction in themselves, they enhance an envi ronment seriously and primarily de voted to the art of musical study and performance. Each summer, Festival Hill offers advanced training to a limited num ber of approximately 80 accom plished musicians worldwide. Par ticipants undergo intensive study under Dick and a host of other dis tinguished faculty and also perform for the public. “I feel Festival Hill was meant for a number of reasons,” Dick said. “The most important being that it becomes a significant factor in a talented person’s music educa tion.” The chamber, vocal and orches tral repertoire includes, classical music or “continuing music” from Early Music to works by 20th Cen tury composers. Many internationally famous classical musicians have taught and performed at the institute since its inception, including conductor Heiichiro Ohyama, principal violist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic; Martin Lovett, founding member of the Amadeus Quartet; and cele brated cellist Yo-Yo Ma, who made his Texas debut at Festival Hill. The festival has, in fact, been critically acclaimed as the place to hear “not just the top orchestral players of the next decade, but the first-rank soloists.” Richard Royall, information di rector for the institute, said its ac cessibility to musicians of this qual ity is one of the unique attributes of Festival Hill. "On an evening when we feature three different performers, our ad mission price is $7.50,” he said. "Any place else, such as New York, you would have to pay at least $20 to hear just one of the performan ces.” In addition to accessibility, Texas hospitality is another strong attrac tion of the festival. Rather than “art ists” removing themselves from the public, Kansas-born Dick and his staff warmly greet old friends and newcomers as welcome guests in the distinctly casual atmosphere they call home. But the public certainly is.not the only beneficiary of the offerings of Festival Hill. Pianist Sid Norris was one of the original artists to study in Round Top in 1971, and he recently paid a return visit to the site he visited dur ing his college summers. "Although it has been 20 years, I still have such fond memories of this place,” he said. “Part of it was the setting, the pastoral beauty away from the grind and the rat race. So many creative urges spring from being closer to nature, and I personally found the bucolic setting a great inspiration to my work as a musician. And, being back after so long, I can see every thing that has been created is in harmony with what was here befo re.” In addition to the summer train ing and performance program, Festival Hill also features an Early Music festival in May; in August, a music education program for Texas school teachers is held. The next Festival Hill perfor mance is part of the institute's Au- gust-to-April series, which features one concert and evening classic film each month. James Dick will perform piano works by Beethoven, Chopin and Schubert at 3 p.m. Saturday. The cost of admission is $7.50 per per son. A $30 optional gourmet dinner will be served in the Menke House following the concert. An overnight accommodations package also is featured, which in cludes lodgings, a concert ticket, the evening film and breakfast. The price is $50 per person for a studio room and $60 for accommodations in the Menke house. For more information or reserva tions, which are required for the concert, call the institute at (512) 249-3129 or write Festival-Institute, P.O. Box 89, Round Top, Texas, 78954. page/ Life Style magazine