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Cedar Post 1970-1971

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For our 55 class reunion I have tried to clean up old copies of our Cedar High school paper. Some of the pages faded and so the editing is for readability which negatively impacted some of the photos. I was the editor and Harold Shirley was the adviser. Some of it is entertaining and some is cringeworthy, but it is fun to revisit a time when the  big news was that girls could finally wear pants to school. 😂😂😂 Apologies in advance if any of our efforts are offensive. There are definitely articles that wouldn't pass current standards, but we hope you will get a kick of going down memory lane. Best wishes, Sara Nelson Penny Cedar Post Staff Reporters: Sandi Amend, Robert Burns, Gene Cardon, Jeff Carr, Cathy Cowan, Ralph Crockett, Gary Hancock, Cindy Hunt, Brent Hyatt, Ruth Kenny, Anne Myers, Corrine Paddock, Dennis Rollo, Clark Segler, and Kathleen Williams Typists: Carolyn Adams and Tamra Hunt Artists: Carol Palmer and Sally Urie Aug. 27, 1970 Sept. 4, 1970 Dec. 11, 1970  ...
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Sharing Our Art (Art and music help sooth trauma)

  Sharing Our Art by Sara Penny, CCAC Vice President (for Iron County Today)   Part of the challenge of any art form is the moment you share it. I try to get my violin students to share their music for the joy of it, not just as a performance. Playing for a family party or a neighbor who is homebound can be more meaningful than in front of a big audience.     Probably my most important performance was for a friend's sister who had been violently assaulted. We were living in Beaumont, Texas at the time. My friend had taken time from work to help her sister, but needed to get back to work. Her sister's face was swollen, bruised, and unrecognizable. I just played my violin so she could relax and feel safe enough to be able to sleep. The music soothed her so she could start to recover. I saw her several months later and fortunately she was healing. Music can help calm trauma.    How do you use music and art in daily life? Do you have certain mu...
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Fun is the Fuel

  "Fun is the Fuel" by Sara Penny, CCAC Vice President (column for Iron County Today) "Fun is the fuel", wrote Steve Magness when describing the Norwegian soccer player Erling Haaland. This is true in the arts as well. If you love the music you are playing the audience feels that and enjoys it a lot more. If you are having fun in any performance, that emotion transmits to everyone on stage and in the audience in an authentic way. Deeply felt emotions transmit. Art that connects is memorable. "No matter what happens just smile and enjoy it. Just live in the moment," said Haaland. I remember when Xun Sun was directing the Orchestra of Southern Utah and when we were struggling with intonation or rhythm he would just smile bigger as an encouragement to get us on track. I like the advice to students that when they make a mistake they smile and then I know they realize the error and we don't have to stop for a correction. As Magness writes, "Our image o...
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Arts Impact the Body (column for Iron County Today)

  Arts Impact the Body by Sara Penny, CCAC Vice President The physical benefits of music and dancing are significant. Playing the violin for one hour is equivalent to walking two miles. Dancing has even more of a physical impact, with one hour of dancing being equivalent to three or four miles of moderate walking. Obviously, the intensity of the music impacts the physical effort. String teachers talk about balancing the violin to avoid neck and shoulder strain.  The violin becomes an extension of the body and voice.  Even the most accomplished soprano has an upper limit, but the violin rests on the vocal cords and can create pitches much higher than the human voice. The cello rests near the heart and can extend the lower range.  There are also emotional demands.  When James Harrison conducted the Orchestra of Southern Utah, he said, "If you are not exhausted after a Beethoven symphony, you haven't given enough." There is research on the brain's engagement with m...
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Audition Tips and Opportunities

  Audition Opportunities and Strategies (column for Iron County Today) By Sara Penny, CCAC Vice President  Auditions are tricky events. Sometimes everything clicks and you remember all the lines or music notes. Other times your nerves interfere and accuracy is compromised.  The Orchestra of Southern Utah holds auditions in July for new members and returning strings. The audition excerpts are on the website,  myosu.org , under the Musician tab. We try to create a musical family and welcome back those who have had to take a break.  There is also an opportunity to solo with the orchestra for ages 13 to 25. Video auditions are due in September, so the summer is a good time to polish a concerto or aria. Same website for application and more information.  The concerto concert honors R. L. Halversen. He taught many of us in Cedar City. He was instrumental in building the community strings as well as helping start Cedar City Music Arts.  I started lessons in e...
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Dance Enhances Cedar City (column for Iron County Today)

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  Dance  Enhances Cedar City by Sara Penny, CCAC Vice President Dancing  traditions in Cedar have evolved to eight community studios plus school and university programs. The Paiutes celebrate spring with the Bear  Dance , that has deep historical roots.  The annual Pow Wow celebrates the restoration of tribal status. The amazing colors of the regalia and the sounds of the drum circles are powerful.    Pioneers danced with fiddlers and later local bands. As children, we learned square  dancing  in school, but I don’t know if that is still happening. The Rubik’s Cube Youth Square  Dancers  participate in local parades and community events.  Today’s  dancers  use recorded music, although occasionally a live pianist or other musicians are incorporated. Why does this community have so many  dance  options? Several influential teachers created an atmosphere of collaboration and taught a variety of styles. Whe...
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