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Show 5 ARTS Posey's inspiring musical career starts young Wednesday February 27, 2013 www.dailyutahchronicle.com Jimmy Hutchison STAFF WRITER In an age of immediate coffee, text messaging and instant gratification, learning a musical instrument is the last thing most college-age students seem willing to do. Many have a passing ambition for and fascination with learning an instrument, but when given the choice between attending the big Friday-night party or sitting down to learn some notes, one would be hard-pressed to find many who would choose the latter. Lauren Posey is one graduate student at the U who chose the road less traveled. Posey has dedicated a large part of her life to her instrument — the cello. Though she is only 23, Posey's dedication to the cello indicates a maturity many would envy. In an interview, Posey recounted a variety of fascinating insights and life experiences related to her chosen profession. At an age when most kids are trying to catch fireflies, Posey was writing journal entries related to her goals and future. It is this type of foresight combined with a dogged determination that creates the expert instrumentalist. "I read a journal entry I wrote when I was in fourth grade that said how my goal was to go to USC," Posey said. "It was great to actually realize that goal when I was 18." Posey originally intended to go to medical school. But in the end, her love and talent for music sparked a change of mind, and she stuck with the cello. Now she is about to finish her master's degree and is planning to pursue a doctorate of musical arts in the fall. All of this at the ripe age of 23. The medical profession's loss is music's gain. Posey recently demonstrated her value and acumen in winning the T. Gordon Parks Memorial Collegiate Competition. Win- ning first place, she received not only a cash prize of $2,000, but also the honor and privilege of playing with the esteemed Arapahoe Philharmonic. The joy of victory, however, was tempered by an indelible experience, which gave Posey perhaps a bit more perspective than anticipated. In March 2012, Posey traveled to Denver where she was to perform with the Arapahoe Philharmonic. Her mother came for the big event, and everything was going according to plan. She got to know the conductor, rehearsed twice with the orchestra and was making final preparations for her big performance. Perhaps to settle any last minute nerves, the conductor even came backstage to wish her luck. Minutes later, the concert began with a Bach fugue. Posey was backstage waiting for her moment onstage, yet minutes before the piece was supposed to be over, the music suddenly stopped. Posey was confused and concerned. Moments later, her mother found her and delivered the shocking news that the conductor had suffered a fatal heart attack onstage. "I [could] see what [was] going on, two doctors in the orchestra trying to resuscitate him, his wife (the concertmaster) crying on the side, and members of the audience evacuating the hall," Posey said. This tragic event demonstrates the fleeting quality of life, and Posey has taken that lesson by living her music career to the fullest. On March 27 at 8 p.m., she will perform her final recital at Dumke Recital Hall. This last performance will mark the end of one chapter and the opening of another for the cellist. Given her dedication and persistence, Posey will no doubt find success. j.hutchison@ chronicle.utah.edu PHOTO COURTESY LAUREN POSEY N111411/ Runnin' MUTES' prepare to showcase musical range Savannah Turk AGE EDITOR PHOTO COURTESY WINGSUIT DOWNHILL TARGET PUNCH An annual collection of short films featuring some of the most extreme outdoor sports, the Radical Reels Tour travels internationally with the Banff Festival. The show will be held at Kingsbury Hall on Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. Radical Reels provides glimpse into extreme outdoor sporting Javan Rivera STAFF WRITER If the primary portion of the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival showcases the majestic beauty and adventurous spirit of the outdoors, then the Radical Reels portion of the tour reveals its adrenaline-pumping brutality. The Radical Reels Tour, an annual collection of short films featuring some of the most extreme outdoor sports in existence, travels internationally with the Banff Festival. Viewers of this year's tour will be able to see everything from wing suit flights mere feet from sheer cliff faces to competitive kayaking down double white diamond runs. Rob Jones from the Outdoor Recreation Program said the tour always brings a diverse and enjoyable set of films. "[The tour has] everything from extreme skiing to longboarding down mountains to rock climbing, BASE jumping and paragliding," Jones said. "It changes every year based on what the filmmakers have submitted, but this is our seventh year, and we've never been disappointed." Each year, the Radical Reels Tour brings between eight and 12 films to Kingsbury Hall. Most of the films run less than 20 minutes, but all together, the tour usually runs at least two hours, Jones said. Whether or not viewers of the tour have participated in any sort of outdoor sports extreme in nature or otherwise, Jones said the tour could provide a unique perspective and a chance to glimpse some of the extreme sporting going on around the world. "It never hurts to broaden everyone's horizons a little bit," Jones said. "If you've never been skiing before, obviously you're not going to be inspired by somebody jumping over a 50-foot cliff to get on skis for the first time, but it might open your eyes and give you some insight as to some of the things that people are doing in these venues with these sports." Jones said the tour represents a chance to see some of the best athletes in the world push the very limits of what these outdoor adventures have to offer. Those who have a vested interest in participating in extreme sports will be able to see the maximum limits of their hobbies. "For the people who are active participants in these sports, it's kind of nice to see what the extremes are like and what boundaries are being pushed," Jones said. "Whether it's somebody throwing themselves off a 7o-foot cliff with nothing but skis or climbing a huge mountain and then jumping off with a parachute for BASE jumping, those are not normal people's `sports.' Those people that are doing those things are typically very well-trained athletes that are out pushing the boundaries, and that's the kind of things you're going to see at the festival." Jones said the last couple of years have seen the tour attract between 1,600 to 1,800 people, but with the success of this year's Banff Festival, he hopes to see a sold-out crowd. Kingsbury Hall will be hosting the Radical Reels Tour on Thursday at 7 p.m. as the final set of films for the 2012-2013 Banff Festival. Tickets to the event are $9. j.rivera@chronicle.utah.edu With the unique ability to translate choir music into the delicate and moving sounds of the flute, the U's flute choir, the Runnin' F1'UTES,' is a distinctive niche on campus as musical artists. The group covers a range of melodies as they explore all areas of the flute's capabilities. Utilizing every type of flute from the soprano, alto and bass flutes to the piccolo and penny whistle, the Runnin' F1'UTES' can create an array of songs. "There's a lot of original music written for flute choir," said Melanie Addington, flutist and a junior in music education. "But we also do a lot of choral and orchestral music." The choir's upcoming performance on Saturday will feature music from all corners of the world, and will showcase the variety of tunes a flute can play, reaching from the Japanese isles to the lush terrain of Ireland. "It's going to be a little bit different than what we normally do," said Cindy Chen, a member of the flute choir and sophomore in flute performance. "It's a nice variety of music." The performance will feature the flute choir playing four Japanese folk songs, soloists performing selections from Carmen Fantaisie, a Jamaican rhapsody and an Irish/ Celtic piece featuring the native penny whistle — just in time to warm up for St. Patrick's Day. "I'm really excited about the Irishinspired piece that we are doing," Chen said. "It's got that nice Celtic feel." Addington is excited for "The Moldau," where she will be conducting for the first time in a major performance. The piece is inspired by the flow of a river and captures the essence of the moving water, a perfect match for the flute's smooth, soothing sound, she said. Besides the opportunity to express themselves through their musical medium, the flutists of the Runnin' F1'UTES' enjoy the people and program that brings them together. "It's just a fun group of people, and it's nice to have contact with the other flutists on campus," Chen said. "It's a great way for us to all be in a really good ensemble," Addington said. "It's a really great program." With many of the group members having played the flute for more than io years, the concert should be nothing short of professional and effortless. Although the material varies slightly from what the group normally performs, they welcome the change with open arms and accept the new challenge. "It's a nice break," Chen said. "It keeps the programming interesting." To get a taste of what the Runnin' F1'UTES' can do, join them March 2 at 7 p.m. in the Dumke Recital Hall in Gardner Hall. s.turk@ chronicle.utah.edu PHOTO COURTESY RUNNIN' FL'UTES' The Runnin' F1'UTES will be performing in the Dumke Recital Hall located inside David Gardner Hall this Saturday at 7 p.m. |