Austin College Concert Celebrates Fall of Berlin Wall Anniversary

 Austin College | Sherman, Texas | October 16, 2014

Austin College students and faculty will perform an anniversary

concert, “Twenty-Five Years of Freedom,” at Wynne Chapel on November 19 at 5 p.m. Presented by the Austin College German program and members of the Music Department, the concert and a reception following are free and open to the public.

Faculty Cathy Richardson, violin, and Ricky Duhaime, cello, will join Austin College senior Rizwan Jagani, on viola, to perform a string trio in G major (op. 16/6) by German composer Karl Friedrich Abel (1723-1787). Faculty John McGinn and Wolfgang Lueckel will perform piano duo pieces by Franz Shubert (1797-1828), including the famous “Fantasy in F minor” (op. 103 D940) that he wrote toward the end of his life and a cycle of three marches “Trios Marches Militaires” (op. 51). Austin College senior Allison Lloveras will perform a piano solo piece by Franz Liszt.

This is the last event in a series of events presented by the German program after Austin College’s selection by the German Embassy in Washington, D.C, to be a project partner for presentations on 25 Years Since Fall of the Berlin Wall. The wall came down on November 9, 1989, and marked a new era in German history. As a former symbol of repression, the fall of the Berlin Wall has become an icon of freedom and peaceful revolution, according to the embassy materials.

The German Embassy’s 25 Years Fall of the Berlin Wall website describes the campaign as an attempt not only to celebrate the fall of the wall but also to reflect on a formerly divided Germany. The anniversary was marked by several events on campus, headed by faculty and students from various disciplines, including art, music, and theatre, and included a campus essay contest and photo contest, a celebration of German food, a bilingual reading, and more.

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.