Student expresses concern about Lanz resignation
Issue date: 5/8/09 Section: Opinion
To the Racquette editor:
I was approached earlier today for an interview on the subject of Dr. Lanz's reassignment. The controversy has taken the campus (or at least Crane) by storm, and I have found myself in the exact center of it all. Though this position is not one I particularly enjoy, I feel that it is necessary for me to endure it for the sake of a friend and mentor.
It was brought to my attention that I should be using all the resources I have, and that the Opinion section of the Racquette is one of those resources.
After much though, I came to the conclusion that printing the letter I sent to the President for the entire student body to see is the most appropriate course of action.
Here it is:
Dear President Schwaller,
I've spent the better part of the last three or four hours cooling off from finding out that Dr. Lanz had been forced to step down from his post as Director of Orchestras at Crane. I am, at this moment, just beginning to understand the full extent to which this will effect both myself and the school as a whole.
I believe, with absolute certainty, that this decision was made based solely on the complaints of a small minority of students and the support of their studio (and perhaps some non-studio) professors. The problem is that there was never any chance for those of us who like, nay, love Dr. Lanz for his great musicianship and teaching style, to express our feelings on the subject before action was taken.
Dr. Lanz has done nothing but help the SUNY Potsdam community. He has helped to improve the string recruiting capabilities of Crane, and has greatly enhanced the sound of the Crane Symphony during his time here. I am quite easily objective in this area, being that I do not play in the CSO, but rather observe on a regular basis. They have undertaken increasingly difficult repertoire, and continue to sound better.
He has provided counsel to an enormous number of students, including myself. He has advocated for me when I needed the financial aid of the school in order to attend a conducting workshop. He has offered me countless opportunities to improve my conducting through direct experience with the CSO. He has offered me career counseling and advice in more than just the field of music.
I was approached earlier today for an interview on the subject of Dr. Lanz's reassignment. The controversy has taken the campus (or at least Crane) by storm, and I have found myself in the exact center of it all. Though this position is not one I particularly enjoy, I feel that it is necessary for me to endure it for the sake of a friend and mentor.
It was brought to my attention that I should be using all the resources I have, and that the Opinion section of the Racquette is one of those resources.
After much though, I came to the conclusion that printing the letter I sent to the President for the entire student body to see is the most appropriate course of action.
Here it is:
Dear President Schwaller,
I've spent the better part of the last three or four hours cooling off from finding out that Dr. Lanz had been forced to step down from his post as Director of Orchestras at Crane. I am, at this moment, just beginning to understand the full extent to which this will effect both myself and the school as a whole.
I believe, with absolute certainty, that this decision was made based solely on the complaints of a small minority of students and the support of their studio (and perhaps some non-studio) professors. The problem is that there was never any chance for those of us who like, nay, love Dr. Lanz for his great musicianship and teaching style, to express our feelings on the subject before action was taken.
Dr. Lanz has done nothing but help the SUNY Potsdam community. He has helped to improve the string recruiting capabilities of Crane, and has greatly enhanced the sound of the Crane Symphony during his time here. I am quite easily objective in this area, being that I do not play in the CSO, but rather observe on a regular basis. They have undertaken increasingly difficult repertoire, and continue to sound better.
He has provided counsel to an enormous number of students, including myself. He has advocated for me when I needed the financial aid of the school in order to attend a conducting workshop. He has offered me countless opportunities to improve my conducting through direct experience with the CSO. He has offered me career counseling and advice in more than just the field of music.
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