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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (June 3, 1993)
Page 4 The Battalion Thursday, June 3,1993 Thurs< ‘Cl continue and simp And I isn't any Rooker, £ of Rocky organiza campers Internatic , musicians will perform at A&M 6/jM By MARGARET CLAUGHTON The Battalion The sounds of Mozart, Beethoven and Strauss will soon fill the air as distinguished artists from around the world perform at Texas A&M during the Texas Music Festival Chamber Concerts. "The essence of chamber music is it's indi viduality and intimacy," said the Coordinator of the Music Festival Werner Rose. "The inter action of the players makes the music more personal." The concerts are scheduled for June 7, 14, 21, 28 and July 6 at 7:30 p.m. in Rudder The ater. Performers such as Ray Still, world renowned oboist of the Chicago Symphony; Parisian Harpsichordist, Brigitte Haudebourg and award winning cellist, Takayori Atsumi, will perform challenging masterpieces by cele brated composers in the traditional chamber music fashion. "We hope people will experience the plea sure of chamber music during these concerts and enjoy the different messages it sends," Rose said. The chamber music concerts began in the Houston area as the Lyric Art Festival pro gram organized in conjunction with the Hous ton Museum of Fine Art. The program ex panded to Bryan/College Station in 1988 when the Texas A&M College of Liberal Arts affiliated with the Festival to present five weekly summer concerts. In 1990, the Lyric Art Festival became the professional Chamber Music Series of the Texas Music Festival, a program providing pre-professional training on the University of Houston campus to gifted young orchestral musicians and pianists. Members of the Festival staff include guest artists, conductors, and members of the Hous ton Symphony, all of whom perform in the Chamber music programs. The Brazos Valley Medical Center has pro vided a grant annually to sponsor the concerts in Bryan/College Station since 1990. Addi tional financial support from the Arts Council of Brazos Valley, the Texas Commission on the Arts, and the University Honors Program has helped provide this chamber music per formance to families and young people throughout Bryan/College Station. The Texas Music Festival Chamber Concerts will host in the next five weeks such prominent artists as Ray Still, oboe; Sidney Harth, violin; Brigitte Haudebourg, harpsichord; Jorge Velazco, conductor and Fredell Lack, violin. —Check Around Town, page 5, for first concert. Co continue< internatio Altho premise i: an attemp rent even tional fo Keren, a floating d the Canar thinly di: death of Murdoch, hies to li crises int and straii Me. continued Volunteer program helps new international students adjust to a new world, new By JENNIFER SALCE The Battalion For international students, coming to Texas A&M not only means dealing with registration and other common student prob lems, but living in a different cul ture, a different country. "It is a shock to come to a new country when you don't know anything," said Tushar Desai, a former student from India. "You have to learn to adjust to simple things like the money sys tem here. It is a total new world and new culture. Everything is different." With the help of volunteers, the Texas A&M International Student Orientation program helps newly- arrived international students deal with their transition. "The volunteer program is a re assuring point of contact to newly arrived internationals," said Julie Cain, the staff assistant of the In ternational Student Services. "It is "You have to learn to adjust to sim ple things like the money system here. It is a total new world and new culture. Everything is differ ent." Tusher Desai, former student "The volunteer program is just a start for the internationals to make friends and feel comfortable here." — Julie Cain, staff assistant for International Student Services a way for them to come into con tact with other nationals who can share experiences such as adapt ing to new cultures, campus life and other local activities." Desai said he likes to volunteer because he enjoys interacting with foreigners. Desai attended the Fall 1990 orientation and has been a volunteer since the Spring of 1991. This summer, Desai was in volved with the campus tours and the welcome party. He said he thinks the orientation and check in assistance is very useful for the new students. The students are informed on issues that range from banking, buying cars, shopping and the slang here in the United States, Desai said. "In India, we use cash to buy everything," Desai said. "So, it was difficult learning about check ing." Claudio Sousa, a graduate stu dent from Brazil, said he volun teers because he wants to'give the new international students the help and attention that he was given when he came to Texas A&M in 1992. "It is scary in the beginning," Sousa said. "There are many lan guage and cultural barriers. But as time goes on barriers are bro ken." Sousa said, although they may not realize it now, the orientation is very important for the students. He said they are given a great amount of information and by the middle of die day it is easy to be lost and confused. Keeping your own culture is important, Sousa said. He also said it is equally important to cre ate and become a part of the American culture. "The orientation is a way for the students to begin to under stand the differences between what you were and you are going to be," Sousa said. Desai said that the internation al students should try to have an open mind. "Things are very different here than in other countries," Desai said. "The people here are friendly. They say 'howdy' to strangers. So, just return the gesture." Sousa encourages the new stu dents not to miss the international week activities. He said that the new students should participate in everything available to them, "You learn to realize that your not so different from other peo pie," Sousa said. "Keep knocking the doors and you will find the answer to your questions." The summer international dent orientation provided services to approximately 95 international students, Cain said. She said the volunteers helped the students with their immigration checkin and their registration. Approximately 20 volunteers were available for the students to give campus tours, take them shopping and answer questions about life at Texas A&M. International Student Orienta tion Week concluded on May 21 with a welcome party organized by the-vblunteersl "Students are encouraged to continue getting involved with in ternational associations," Cain said. "The volunteer program is just a start for the internationals to make friends and feel comfortable here." ole' bass, and make end. The res just as m lead one t< flavor? ‘Ma continued war. The c against oi ous. Ever other, the ceases great could ity the a pieo I'v. never They film. Spielbe theme i Little humor, dialogue hinder Stallone s ascent By JOHN A. BAYLESS The Battalion "Cliff hanger" Starring Sylvester Stal lone, Michael Rook er, Janine Turner and John Lithgow Directed by Renny Harlin Rated R Playing at Cinema III Sylvester Stallone stars in the new action thriller, "Cliffhanger." Sylvester Stallone's "Cliffhanger," has every thing a die-hard action fan could want — bullets, blood, and two hours of testosterone-induced hys teria. If you're a Sylvester Stallone fan, and liked his "Rambo" movies, this is more of the same. Although the movie did have a few low points, it is worth seeing, if only for the scenery and stunts. The movie was partial ly shot on location in the Italian Alps, and the scenery is spectacular. The special effects were done with the aid of a new IBM computer sys tem, which merged shots of the Alps and studio footage. It's easy to forget Stallone isn't really dan gling over bottomless chasms or scaling vertical rock faces. Renny Harlin, the di rector of "Die Hard 2," provides "Cliffhanger" with the same fast and fu rious action which made "Die Hard 2" a mega-hit. Unfortunately, the movie lacks the element which made both "Die Hard" movies great — the hu morous dialogue of Bruce Willis. Dialogue in "Cliffhanger" is sparse See 'Cliff'/Page 5 Coont’s new novel is good, but not perfect ‘Red Horseman falters from lack of detail By JOHN BAYLESS The Battalion "The Red Horseman" By Stephen Coonts Previous works: "Flight of the Intruder," "Under Siege" and "The Minotaur" Pocket Books, $23.00 "The Red Horseman," Stephen Coonts' latest espionage thriller, contains almost all the elements that made his four pre vious works of fiction bestsellers. But something's missing. Coonts weaves a tense tale of suspense which places his hero Jake Grafton in the midst of a plot involving the CIA, Saddam Hussein and the remnants of the Soviet military elite. Grafton, in charge of a mission to monitor the destruction of Soviet missiles, uncovers a web of intrigue which reaches far outside the bounds of the former Soviet Union. Grafton and his sidekick Toad Tarkington must act to keep the warheads off the See Coonts/Page 5 Stephen Coonts wavers in his latest novel, 'The Red Horseman." No sugar and spice for McKone’s debut By JACQUELINE AYOTTE The Battalion "Vivienne McKone" Vivienne McKone Rhythm and Blues slyGrai PofyGram Label Vivienne McKone's voice is soft and sexy. But, on the whole. I'm afraid there's only one way to describe her first album, "Vivienne McK one" — oatmeal with out sugar. Produced by Stewart Levine (Simply Red), the album is good , but there's something miss ing. The songs don't sound a bit overdone. They come from Vivi enne's heart; however, it seems like every song sounds exactly like the first. The first song, "Sing," is a subtle upbeat jazzy tune that makes you re ally listen to her delicate voice. The only problem is the background music. Though strong in the be ginning with that good See McKone/Page 5 Long creates vivid character Great ending saves ‘Made in America’ By JACQUELINE AYOTTE The Battalion "Made in America" Starring Whoopi Goldberg, Ted Danson, Will Smith and Nia Long Directed by Richard Benjamin Rated PG-13 Playing at Cinema III Soft and sexy voiced McKone debuts her new album. Vivienne self titled I hated the painfully stupid beginning of "Made in America." But I forced myself not to abandon my popcorn, and stuck around. And Tm glad I did because by the end of the movie I wanted to hug the screen. "Made in America" is not about black vs. white. It's about love, family, and sperm. Yes sperm. Sometimes it's the simple things in life that can make people so miraculously color blind. Sarah Mathews (Whoopi Goldberg) is an independent and free-spirited African bookstore owner who has to explain to her daughter, Zora (Nia Long) that she was conceived by artificial in- (L-R) Ted Danson, Nia Long, Whoopi Goldberg and Will Smith (aka Fresh Prince) star in "Made in America." I semination. This is where the sperm comes in — Hal Jack- son (Ted Danson), a crazy "white" used-car sales man. Danson is adorable and being a "Cheers" fan, it was difficult to listen to Danson try to talk with a Southern accent while wearing a tacky cowboy outfit. I started to miss Sam Malone, but after a while, a deep admiration for Hal's character grew. When the Hal and Sarah first meet, it's pure See 'Made'/Page 5 THE AS 7! L SAME ^ , — Ch ^ s ^505 Collet 4 Blocks