PROCESSIONAL ORCHESTRA PLAYS AT INAUGURATION The fall ushered in the inauguration of Harding's fifth president, Dr. Bruce Mcclarty, a monumental event in the history of the university. Since 1924, the school ran under the leadership of only four men: J. N. Armstrong, George S. Benson, Clifton L. Ganus Jr. and David B. Burks. Mclarty joined the ranks of those godly leaders on Sept. 20. The day's event gathered together approximately 2,500 attendees to celebrate Harding's history, mission and leadership, and they were accompanied by the music of the Harding UniversityCommunity Orchestra and the Harding Band. The Harding University-Community Orchestra, conducted by Associate Professor of Orchestra Dr. Michael Chance, consisted of 28 players, several of which were Searcy community members, while the band featured 23 players. The inauguration ceremony was a time of celebration for current students, faculty and Searcy community members. Chance's wife Carla, a science teacher at Searcy High School, was a violinist who performed in the orchestra. According to 2010 alumna and cellist Whitney Hammes, one violinist, one violist and three cellists from Searcy High School also participated in the orchestra. Putting together an orchestra so early in the school year was a challenge, since many students were out of state for summer break. The orchestra had not rehearsed prior to the first four weeks of school, and during rehearsals the orchestra had to accommodate the schedules of everyone involved. "The nature of a community university group is that not all members can be present during the daytime, so our rehearsals have to occur at night in order to allow full participation," Chance said. "We have had to be very efficient with our rehearsal time. The musicians have done a very good job about being prepared and working very hard when we come together." Hammes added that the orchestra began rehearsals the day school started on Aug. 19 and rehearsed until the day before the celebration. Though the orchestra typically met once a week, the group met more often due to the pressing occasion. One of the pieces performed by the orchestra was "Processional: Variants on the Alma Mater," written by former Music Department Chair Dr. William Holloway. Another piece of music performed by the orchestra was "Battle Hymn of the Republic," which was very well received by the audience. According to clarinet player senior Brooke Kay, the orchestra brought something to the event that nothing else could have. "Music can make or break any event ... and having live music is just really incredible," Kay said. "It makes it a bigger event because more people are involved. It just makes it a more collaborative effort." The music at inauguration helped create an atmosphere of excitement as well as reflection on the university's progress in its 89 years of existence. A significant number of staff and faculty sat on stage facing the audience, lending an interactive and communal element to the event. People were able to celebrate Harding and Mclarty's inauguration together. "You c~uld feel something in the air," Hammes said. "I could also see several of the speakers, including the presidents, very clearly from where I was sitting. That's a rare thing to have part of your audience on stage. I could look up and see that they were moved by the music." Kelsey Pierce WIND ENSEMBLE THUNDERING HERD ORCHESTRA Est. 2001: Row 1: Z. Ripple, L. Schuler, F. Grady, A. Bailey, K. Snell, M. Evans, B. Lasley, S. Wideman, A. Rouselot. Row 2: B. Black, D. Schuler, M. King, K. Vantine, J. Harvey, S. Bonner, J. Friswold, B. Kay, A. Warzecha, S. Greninger. Row 3: W. Henry, D. Howerton, A. Westjohn, M. Jorgenson, A. Blackstock, C. Reagan, K. Warren, J. Snell, D. Lamp, A. Jones, E. Wideman, E. Schuler, J. Goellner. Row 4: R. Bliss, T. McManus, N. Alexander, C. Longshore, K. Finley, W. Humphrey, A. Ortiz, C. Harrison, M. Higginbotham, N. Daniel, M. Tucker, L. Hazard, K. Morkassel, J. Snell. Row 5: C. Thomas, G. Gerard, Z. McCoy, R. Foster, N. Overton, J. Wright, S. Breedlove, G. Klemmer, C. Woods, E. Smith, C. Allensworth. Est. 1951: Row 1: J. Friswold, F. Grady, K. Vantine, H. Cloyes, K. Warren, M. King, L. Schuler, D. Lamp, A. Bailey, M. Eaton, H. Harrington, A. Rousselot, A. Anderson, L. Hazard, S. Wideman, S. Greninger, B. Lasley. Row 2: M. Hogan, B. Muncy, C. Alexander, J. Wright, K. Ballek, E. Schuler, E. Green, E. Wideman, N. Overton, D. Bolton, A. Jones, B. Kay, M. Higginbotham, C. Harrison, N. Daniel, C. Allensworth. Row 3: A. Nightengale, D. Schuler, K. Snell, J. Snell, C. Morris. Row 4: E. Eason, A. Davis, 8. Garrett, 8. Wagner, C. Thomas, S. Coats, M. Treat, A. Ortiz, B. Stevens, C. Reagan, J. Harvey, A. Blackstock, M. Jorgensen, Z. McCoy, N. Alexander, G. Gerard. Row 5: S. Breedlove, K. Finley, B. Black, B. Freesmeyer, C. Longshore, Z. Ripple, J. Fields, A. Westjohn, D. Howerton, R. Bliss, M. Tucker, N. Roberts, A. Warzecha, W. Henry, R. Foster, K. Morkassel, Z. Chaffin, D. Sigmund, G. Klemmer, C. Woods, E. Smith, S. Wilton Community String Orchestra est. 1925: Row 1: B. Grymes, M. Riddle, L. Yates, A. Lynn, N. Cook, L. Schuler, W. Hammes, B. Sumrall, A. Fuentes, M. Medrano, C. Chance, C. Taylor. Row 2: J. Oden, S. Ethridge, L. Harris, H. Scoggins, J. Nesbit, D. Schuler, C. LeDuc, H. Hite, K. Phillips, S. Kirkpatrick, E. Schuler, R. Yoon, S. Hernandez, J. Miller, S. Skruggs, D. White, C. Connor.
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