For now, I want to take some time and explain to my normal blog audience why you saw so many posts about this matter over the past two days. Some might say, “What’s the big deal?” or “It’s just a bunch of pianos; it’s not like anyone was hurt.” Others are probably curious why I would dedicate so much energy to an issue that doesn’t really fit with the standard mission of my blog: to resist religious privilege and advocate for the queer and atheist communities. I thought I’d offer this final post on the matter to explain why this was a big deal and why it was important for me to do the blogging that I’ve done.

Personal Connection. Obviously, I still feel deeply connected to the IC School of Music. I lived there for four years (2003-2007). For three of those years, I was the music school’s student government representative. Music students came to know me as the go-to person for issues and concerns both within the Whalen Center and on the greater IC campus. During the fourth year I served as the Ithaca College Student Body President and at graduation, The Ithacan called me “Big Man On Campus,” but my heart was no less in the School of Music. I still think of the community of students who live (almost literally) in Whalen, as well as the school’s faculty and staff, as family. Even though a lot of the folks I knew are no longer there, I still feel totally at home when I visit. And just as I felt entrusted to take care of that family while a student, I still feel extremely protective of that community as an alumnus.

Journalistic Instinct. I wouldn’t be a very successful blogger if I didn’t blog like a blogger. That means reporting in the moment. When I first heard about the vandalism yesterday from some students, I immediately started looking for specific details about what had happened. The students I was talking to were concerned, other alumni who were beginning to hear were concerned, suddenly there was a vigil for lost pianos, and nobody really seemed to know what was going on. I decided I had a journalistic obligation to use my blog as a forum for information, even if that information was not “official.” I went ahead with the reports of students and then also did what I could to create visibility for the Ithacan article that was published almost simultaneously. Some might think my efforts were “overkill,” but I disagree. I had well over 3,500 hits yesterday, which I can assure you is unprecedented for ZackFord Blogs. An IC professor I haven’t connected with in years emailed me to let me know he “found out more about the incident on [my] site than anywhere else.” Even though the IC School of Music is not the purview of this site, I was able to serve an important function this week for the community. (I also don’t fault the college for limiting what they put out, as this is a criminal investigation and it could also lead to negative publicity for the institution. I personally hope my own efforts to keep people informed and rally the united support of alumni only shine positively on a school I deeply cherish.)

This was a hate crime. I read about hate crimes on a weekly, sometimes daily, basis. They’re almost all anti-LGBT and can be quite brutal. It’s my personal decision to not write about each and every one of them on this blog, but I still think it is important to be aware of them and the implications they have for the LGBT community. In many ways, reading about them regularly has forced me to become somewhat desensitized to them; I wouldn’t be very productive if I let each one bring me down. That being said, I had a bizarre experience when I first processed news of the Whalen vandalism. I responded the same way I do when I read those stories—oh, that’s horrible but I have to move on with my life. Then I realized that this was a unique attack on a community that I have a vested personal interest in. It had to click for me; I had to recognize that this was an attack on my family and I couldn’t cast it off as another sad anonymous piece of news. This was an attack on me and an institution I care very much about.

Now, “occupation” and “field of study” are not protected identities, but I still can’t help but think of this as a hate crime. Fortunately, no one was physically harmed, but the effect is that this was an attack on an entire community. Every music student has to interact with pianos to some extent, and no music student survives without spending many many hours down in the practice rooms. This vandalism constitutes a defiling of a home. It affects every student who has ever walked those halls (as many attested in the videos I posted last night and in the alumni messages I posted earlier today).

We can only speculate at this point about the motives of the individual(s) who caused this, and doing so isn’t helpful. We have to recognize, though, that the impact of the incident affects the entire community.

The culture of professional musicians. Many might not fully appreciate what it means to be a student of music or a professional musician. I doubt I can convey the intensity of the experience in these paragraphs. The relationship between a musician and hir instrument might best be compared to the relationship many have with God. There is an intense affection, a real sense of a relationship, even though (not unlike God) what the instrument produces is only a direct result of what the musician contributes. Still, it is a venue for expression and understanding oneself. I often talk about my piano as a friend who is always there to listen. Where many see “a piano” and think it’s just a piece of furniture, I see “the piano,” an entity that has been with me through most of my life. Expressing myself by playing the piano is uniquely therapeutic. Many piano majors are incredibly picky about which piano they practice on and have been known to take over practice rooms indefinitely. The student in The Ithacan article described how music students felt like there was a “horrific murder.” He wasn’t exaggerating.

Compound that profound intimacy with the intense discipline it takes to be a successful music student. Many might think of the study of music as “easy,” because they see it as just a liberal arts major, or “superfluous,” because they think music is a luxury and not an essential contribution to society. Both perceptions are totally inaccurate. The study of music is incredibly rigorous. Consider simply adding 15-45 hours to the average college student’s weekly schedule to account for practicing alone and rehearsing with others in various ensembles. Students only succeed at meeting these high expectations if they are truly motivated by a passion that music truly can change the world.  I recall many of my peers complaining that the music building’s hours were insufficient (7 AM – 1 AM, 2 AM for finals), and I would always have to report back, “The Deans insist you go home and get some sleep.” (My fellow ’07 alum Leslie informs me that she could usually get in around 6:30 AM. See what I mean?)

I share all this to emphasize how cloistered the School of Music can be. Heck, when I was there we jokingly called non-music majors “Muggles,” adding, “They just don’t get it.” It’s also important to note that the faculty and staff do an incredible amount of work to make the Whalen center such a magnificent learning environment. My deepest thanks go out to the piano technicians and everybody who has given their time to respond to this incident.

Truly, the destruction of multiple pianos and percussion instruments isn’t mere “vandalism,” it’s desecration.

Returning to regular blogging. Unless details about the vandal(s) surface, this will be my last post about IC Pianogate. I will return to my regular ramblings about religious privilege, queer equality, and spirituality in higher education. This isn’t a blog about Ithaca College. Still, my time at IC very much shaped who I am today, and I expect I will always be a servant of South Hill. I hope the reporting I’ve been doing over the past 24 hours has been valuable to the IC Community; please know that you are always in my heart. To all of you who care nothing about atheism or LGBT rights, that’s too bad, but thanks for visiting my site this week!

To my Bomber family, thank you for always making me smile and for being my lifelong friends.

And to my regular blog readers, thank you for tolerating this barrage of seemingly obscure posts. Later this week, look for posts about the Salvation Army and the expectations we set for student leaders in regards to diversity outreach.

First, I wanted to share a comment from Dr. Janet Galván, professor of Music Education and Choral Performance Studies, that she posted on the vigil’s Facebook event.

Dear Students, I wanted to write to you, but Dr. J said it all so eloquently that I will simply echo his sentiments. I was conducting a concert tonight and then had to go to school, so I got the word late and could not attend the vigil. I am so glad that you came together to give one another support, assurance, and love. I agree that we need to respond with dignity and calm, and I am so impressed that you put this vigil together so quickly. I am so proud of you all – that sense of community, love of beauty, belief in the power of music, and respect for people and property has been a characteristic of IC music students for many years. I hope that you all find comfort in the knowledge that many people have been working tirelessly to restore order to the practice rooms and to allow you to continue your studies as the semester comes to a close. We all owe Dr. Woodward, Dr. Kaiser, Erik Kibelsbeck and the piano technicians a huge debt. blessings

Below are words of support from various alumni (with most recent graduates at the top). I hope that they provide you all with encouragement and demonstrate the power of our alumni base. Like the song says, we’re all in this together. …what? You know that it often feels like high school down in those hallways. At any rate, enjoy.

Margaret Flower ’09 (Voice Education/Performance)

To all of my beloved friends at Whalen:

My heart goes out to you after this horrible incident. It’s exceptionally difficult because of your finals and juries this week, but what we must keep in mind is that violence does not solve anything. You are all strong- or else you never would have picked such difficult majors! Everyone who has heard of this travesty- and word travels very fast- is heartbroken, we are all keeping you in our thoughts. But please, do not seek your own justice. You’re strong- you’re Bombers!

Elias Lauermann ’09 (Piano Education)

Dear Music Students:
May those responsible for this cowardly act be brought to justice. Until then, look up, look forward, band together, study hard and show your IC School of Music Pride. Make sure this never happens again!

Molly Mattingly ’09 (Piano Education/Theory)

Dear Whalenites,

When I heard about the vandalism of the instruments on the first floor, my reaction was probably much the same as yours. I felt pain, almost physically. We invest so much time and emotion into our instruments that when someone hurts them, it hurts us. The only conclusion I can come to is that whoever hurt so many people like this must be feeling such pain that they felt they had to somehow make everyone else understand what they are going through. Let’s hope that when they find who did it, those people get the help they need.

I am so glad that none of you were injured in this incident. That is the most important thing – this would have been far, far more tragic had the vandals chosen to express their anger in violent attacks on students themselves. Of course, it is also wonderful to hear that most of the instruments are still playable. I’m so glad you are responding by supporting each other in a positive way! That’s what the Whalen community should do. Keep the music community thriving, like you did at the vigil last night! Alumni near and far are supporting you and wishing you good luck on juries.

Noelle Drewes ’07 (Oboe Performance)

Dear Current IC Musicians,
Please know that although we have graduated and are not there in person, we will always be Ithacans at heart.  This unfortunate trauma has affected us all as well.  But it will not change the love we have for our alma mater; nothing can do that.  Don’t let them win.

Lara Supan ’07 (Vocal Jazz)

Hey IC Music! Listen, it sounds pretty sucky but…we’ve always found a way out of sticky situations. This is the time when you get to ask that really hot guy (or girl) that you’ve been talking to if you can come over to their place to practice ;). Music is the most amazing form of expression and the hell if you can’t find an out of the box way to do that. Jazz majors, ABC Cafe- get there and do jam sessions, so much better than practicing by yourself! Voice majors, you don’t need an instrument if you’ve got a pitch pipe…right? And composition majors- start composing on the tin whistle, you’ll get mucho kudos for the originality :). Keep your head up guys, I’ll be donating as soon as I can but until then go get a bubble tea and keep doing what you’re doing. Music will never be silenced.

Whitney Dorman ’06 (Oboe Education)

Dear IC Music Students and Faculty,

I was deeply saddened to hear the news of the recent vandalism at the School of Music.  I remember that as a music student I spent so much time in the music building that it began to feel like a second home to me.  I am sure that many of you feel the same way.  So for all of us, what has happened is very personal.  It’s the same feeling you would have if someone had destroyed your own home.  My heart goes out to all of you.  Stand together and you will get through this.

My thoughts are with you.

Sara Barasch ’05 (Voice Education/Performance)

My thoughts are with all the students, faculty, staff, etc. of the IC School of Music. I’m happy to hear that this incident has brought everyone together. Good luck with the rest of the semester.

Cassie Stephenson ’05 (Viola Performance)

Dear current IC Music Students,
I was so saddened to hear of the vandalism that occurred in the Whalen Center this past weekend.  We all think of that building as a home, a safe haven, a place to make music with our best friends.  Please know that the cowards who committed these acts do not have the power to take that away from us.  All my best for a strong end to the semester- stay focused on the things that matter, the rest will be resolved in due time.

Andy Dolph ’99 (Sound for Live Audiences)

The news of the vandalism really knocked me for a loop – to the point I wrote a blog post about it:
http://andydolph.com/2009/12/13/senseless-vandalism/

I just don’t get it.  Why would anyone do something like that.

Paul Mack Somers ’66ish (Piano Composition/Theory)

I was at IC while it was still downtown around DeWitt Park, and while the South Hill campus was being built. So I remember the opening of Ford Hall well. I remember the pride we all felt in having such a great venue and in having such large practice rooms. We could actually practice chamber music in many of them, something which had not been possible in the old ones downtown.

I was a composition student. I can still remember rehearsing my clarinet sonata in those practice rooms before its premiere. So even after all these years, it is still a personal affront to me that such anti-intellectualism should so violently intrude into what has always been a laboratory for creative and recreative activity.

Surely such rage will have left behind major clues as to the the perpetrators. Back in my days at IC there were some in the school who would make fun of the music students, but never to a degree which would lead to this. And in reality there was very little animosity. Yet this attack has all the earmarks of an “inside job” by at least two anti-art-terrorists. Who from off campus would even know about practice rooms, would bring wire cutters to destroy strings, who would know where to hide until closing time so they would be able to do such an act at leisure over night?

This seems to me from afar (I live in deep southern New Jersey) to be student-on-student violence of the worst kind.

I hope we hear soon of the capture of these vandals, and that we learn their warped reasoning.

These are but just a few of the many alumni who stand in solidarity. Many more attended the vigil “in spirit” and have been following the news from afar.

Others may not fully appreciate the emotional damage that has been done, but we stand as one community as we recover from this incident. My love goes out to all of you!

–Zack Ford ’07 (Piano Education)

In the first clip, you can hear some of “Don’t Stop Believing,” unrehearsed, but of course with beautiful harmonies in the crisp Ithaca night. You can’t quite hear the speaking afterward, but I included the full clip because Luke got some good coverage of how many people were in attendance:

The second clip features two student speakers you can hear quite nicely (transcripts below):

The first speaker is Zach Klein, a senior composition major:

…This is a pretty awful thing to happen. I mean, I think, symbolically, even though the pianos are fine and only some of them are really damaged to the point where we can’t play them… it definitely hurt here, because it was like you’re killing art. You’re like destroying what I love the most, and what I know a lot of you love the most. And you know, I did think about this holiday [Hanukkah], obviously, and I thought about why the holiday exists, and the idea that after the temple was destroyed, it was rededicated. And to celebrate that, they relit lights. And in a sense, through the work of these amazing amazing faculty, we have rededicated our temple of music in a sense. And by shining these lights, we’re showing that, you know—the good we can get out of this is that instead of moping and groaning about how, “Oh, it’s going to be so much harder to practice for juries now,” we’re coming together and being like “Yeah, yo, whatever, screw those people who did this. We love music,” and you know, they can’t destroy that.

The second speaker is Chris LaRosa, a sophomore composition major:

When something this devastating happens, I think it’s important for us to question why we do what we do. Why do we write music? Why do we play music? Why do we appreciate music? We do all of these things in the pursuit of enlightenment. We do them in an attempt create beauty and meaning where there was none before. We do these things to express that which cannot be said in words alone. We do them to worship the innate goodness of man’s soul. But we do not try to inspire hatred through our music.

Now what happened in the last 24 hours was a tragedy, and someone was responsible for this, and they intended to extinguish our illumination. But it’s important for us to not let them do that. Don’t allow this person to divert you. Don’t  allow them to provoke hatred or disillusionment in your heart, and compromise your musical convictions.

The person responsible for this has committed an inconceivable and nearly unforgivable act. To mar the facilities of music is an act of true irreverence of the art. I hope this person understands what they have done, the magnitude of their impertinent actions, and I pray that they take responsibility for what they have done. But this person has only temporarily taken our instruments away from us, and I pray that you remember that they can’t take our music away from us  and they can’t take our voices away from us. And so, let us be heard tonight. Let us sing.

In the third clip, first-year performance major Sam Thurston plays Taps for the fallen instruments:

In this fourth clip, Luke talks with senior clarinet performance major, Erik Johnson, who helped organize the vigil along with junior, Vanessa Calaban. Johnson discusses reactions to the news of the vandalism, the organization of the vigil, and the support from other schools of music:

In this last clip, Luke heads down to the practice rooms hallway of Whalen and talks to two clarinetists about their reactions to the vandalism. In the background you can hear the sounds of students back to practicing as they prepare for juries and finals. Featured in the clip are Brittany Gunther (first-year Music Education major) and Samantha Underwood (sophomore Music Education major):

I have to extend my deepest gratitude to Luke for heading out into the cold to record these clips. Thanks also to the amazing resilience of all the current Ithaca College students during this stressful time. I won’t speak for others, but you sure make me proud to be an alum of the School of Music. Ithaca Forever!

At this time, The Ithaca Journal is now reporting on this story. I expect there will be more media coverage of the vigil yet to come tonight.

In the meantime, here are some email updates the campus has received today from Dr. Keith Kaiser, Chair of the Music Education department and Interim Associate Dean.

The first was sent out at 6:33 PM:

Dear Students and Faculty,

We extend our sincere thank you for your patience today. While the 1st floor of JJWCM remains closed, we are hopeful that we might be able to open the first floor later in the evening. If not, at the latest, it will be open tomorrow morning.

JJWCM is planned to be opened until 2am this evening, regardless of the status of the 1st floor.

Once the 1st floor is open, you will be allowed access to all lockers and to the practice rooms and pianos that have been released by the investigators and piano technicians.

Final exams and juries will continue as planned.

Please continue to check your email. An email will be sent as soon as the 1st floor is reopen.

Again — thank you for patience and understanding. We have no doubt that the individual(s) responsible for this weekend’s act do not reflect that absolutely wonderful School of Music family.

Sincerely,

Keith Kaiser
Chair, Music Education
Interim, Associate Dean
Associate Professor of Music Education
274-3348
kaiser@ithaca.edu

Then, this update was sent at 7:53 PM to students:

Dear School of Music Students,

We are pleased to report that all of JJWCM is now open. The building will be open until 2am this evening, and we ask for your cooperation as everyone prepares for final exams and juries. Please be aware that JJWCM will have heightened security for the near future, and we continue to ask for your assistance regarding the care and security of our wonderful facilities, instruments, and equipment.

Many individuals have spent extensive hours completing the investigation and getting the area and pianos back into a condition where we can reopen the building, including staff, the IC and state police, and our terrific piano technicians. Please note that, although we have managed to reopen most of the spaces and pianos, there is still extensive work and repairs to be completed.

Again, we would like to express our appreciation for your patience and offers of assistance. We wish you the absolute best during the upcoming week of finals and juries.

Sincerely,

Keith Kaiser
Chair, Music Education
Interim, Associate Dean
Associate Professor of Music Education
274-3348
kaiser@ithaca.edu

From what I’ve heard, there are still five practice rooms that are closed off, but the rest are open. It also seems like spirits have picked up since the vigil, though I’m sure there is still much concern among students.

I wish to add my sincere thanks to the many folks who have undoubtedly been working tirelessly to address this awful violation of our community.

Alumni, please take a few moments to share some words of support (here are the guidelines). Morale at the School of Music has been rocked and I’m sure they could use some encouragement from those who have come before. I’ll be posting these messages in the morning.

All but a few Whalen pianos are playable; most damage was cosmetic. While definitely a serious and senseless act of vandalism that is being properly investigated, rumors of dozens of pianos “destroyed” are incorrect.

–

Hey everybody! Since IC has not yet issued any formal announcements (I see nothing on Intercom, the Media Relations Page, or the homepage), I’ll do my best to update you with what I’m hearing word of mouth. Here’s your IC Pianogate update about practicing.

Hopefully, many of you are attending the vigil that is starting just as I post this, but for those of you looking to practice, here is what I know.

The fraternities (Phi Mu, Mu Phi, and SAI) had originally opened their lounges in the Terraces because they all have pianos, but it seems the Office of Res Life has shut this down because of the violation of quiet hours.

I’ve heard at this time that the classrooms in the Whalen center will be open tonight that you can use. In addition, spaces in the Campus Center that have pianos are also available. (If you go to Whalen tonight, make sure you find Beth Faulstick, who will be AMPing, and give her a hug.)

Andrew (“Matty”) Mattfield ’09 has also informed me that the church where he serves as music director in Trumansburg has opened its facilities for students to practice in. Trumansburg is about a half hour drive, but this might be a helpful option for those still traumatized to have the privacy you need away from the Whalen Center. Directions to the First Presbyterian Church of Ulysses can be found here.

I will continue to provide updates here on ZackFord Blogs as I have more information. Check back later tonight and I’ll hopefully have video from the campus vigil and additional news reports. Also, if you’re an alum, please check out my invitation for alumni support.

Hang in there, Whalenites, we’ve got your back.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

My dear fellow alumni, I hope you are doing well since our time on South Hill. I know that I continue to cherish the memories I have of being at IC and the many long hours we grew together in the Whalen Center for Music (or Ford Hall for you slightly older folks).

As you may have heard (click here and here for more detail), some awful events have taken place on campus this weekend. Details are limited, but we know that massive amounts of vandalism took place in the practice rooms of our beloved Whalen Center. It seems around 70 pianos as well as some percussion equipment have been destroyed. A vigil is being held tonight on campus.

This is a huge blow for morale, particularly considering that juries and finals are still this coming week. Hopefully in the very near future we can organize some relief efforts through alumni/fundraising. I am trying to provide coverage and outreach here on my blog in the meantime to keep people informed about what is happening. I am calling upon all of you now to help keep morale up for current students.

A lot of the students are angry right now, with reports of very vengeful messages on Facebook. I think as proud alums, we should do what we can to encourage these traumatized students to keep their heads up and move forward, despite the pain they feel from this atrocity. Vengeance and anger are not the answer. We must unite as a community and support each other in POSITIVE ways. Here is my simple idea for doing just that:

COMPOSE A BRIEF, PERSONAL MESSAGE OF SUPPORT to the current students back at IC and email it to me at zackfordblogs@gmail.com. I will collect the messages as they come in and post them here on my blog (http://zackfordblogs.com).

PLEASE INCLUDE:
» Your full name
» What your major was (Education, Performance, 4 1/2, Composition, etc.)
» Your year of graduation
» Your primary instrument

I will post them in batches as I receive them. I think this will be an important opportunity for our school to unite during this difficult time. Stay tuned to my blog for updates and details about the situation. Messages from non-music alumni are welcome as well. Please pass this on to any fellow IC Music alums you know. Thanks so much for your support and I wish you all the best for the holiday season.

Ithaca Forever!

–Zack Ford ’07

This story was posted on The Ithacan just as I was posting my first post (by Gillian Smith, Staff Writer):

More than 60 pianos were damaged last night in the first floor practice rooms in the Whalen School of Music, according to Dave Maley, associate director of Media Relations.

Maley said officers were notified about the vandalism around 9 a.m. today and responded immediately.

Today, sophomore Andrew Thomson, a composition and instrumental major, said he went into the first floor of the Whalen Center to retrieve some equipment and found damaged equipment in all of the practice rooms.

“Two or three [pianos] were flipped completely over,” he said. “Most were up against the doors somehow.”

Thomson said the front sound panels and music racks were pulled off and most of the baby grand pianos were damaged.

Thomson said the damage comes before finals and juries — final playing exams — which start tomorrow.

“It’s perfect timing,” Thomson said. “It’s wreaking havoc.”

The New York State Police were also called to assist in the crime scene investigation.

Maley said the extent of damage varies from piano to piano. He said assessments are still taking place but there is “significant dollar damage.”

At 9 p.m. tonight there will be a candlelight vigil by the clock in the academic quad to support the music school. Students are asked to bring their own candles.

Thomson said the incident upset him.

“You talk to any music major about this and we all feel like there has been some horrific murder here,” Thomson said. “We are all waiting for information for now.”

If anyone has any information about the vandalism, please contact Public Safety at 274-3333.

(UPDATE: I’ve noticed that many folks are still being routed to this post. I put this post up the day of the incident before any official reports had been made. It does not accurately reflect the incident given what we’ve learned since. I welcome you to link to my most recent posts on the matter, including my reflection on why this was a big deal, words of support from alumni, and videos from the vigil. If you are just looking for details of the incident, here is a news report with video from News Channel 9 WSYR. Thank you!)

Everything in this post is UNOFFICIAL (word of mouth) as of 5:30 PM, but nobody (not Ithaca College, not The Ithacan, not The Ithaca Journal) has yet reported on this story, so I thought I’d offer what I know for those who have questions.

Apparently, last night, the practice rooms in the Whalen Center for Music at Ithaca College were vandalized in a massive way. From student reports, it seems that 70 pianos have been destroyed. They were flipped, their sound boards and hammers were torn off, and their strings were cut. Some of the practice rooms were unaccessible because the flipped pianos were blocking the doors. I’ve heard speculation that damages might be over $500,000. In addition, some marimbas and a vibraphone that were in unlocked percussion rooms were also destroyed. Below is a picture of one of the destroyed marimbas taken from the Facebook event for tonight’s vigil:

At this time, the ground floor of Whalen is apparently taped off so that students cannot access the practice rooms. This will likely need to be somehow remedied soon as students are still preparing for their juries and other final exams this coming week.

I’ve heard that some of the fraternities, including Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and my own brethren of Mu Phi Epsilon have opened their lounges to students to use their pianos, but I have also heard that ResLife is concerned about maintaining quiet hours in the residence halls. This does make sense given that it is finals week.

The vigil is taking place tonight at 9 PM at the clock on the academic quad. Hopefully soon we will hear some official reports about what is taking place.

To all my fellow School of Music alums, this is an important time for us to remember the time we have spent together and the amazing educational experiences we’ve had at Ithaca College. Hopefully, whoever is responsible for this atrocity will be brought to justice, though the pain will still linger.