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Cornell singers, dean premiere work

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When Boston vocal ensemble Tapestry takes its new piece on the road, composer James Falzone of Chicago will likely play the clarinet part.

But when “How Can Barren Be So Beautiful” has its world premiere Monday (1/28) night at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Dean Joe Dieker will wrap his artistry around the clarinet role.

Joe Dieker

Dieker, 55, Cornell’s dean since July 1, 2010, holds a doctor of musical arts degree from Arizona State University and taught music for 25 years before becoming an administrator. He still flexes his musical muscles at Cornell, teaching clarinet there and playing with the school’s orchestra, where he was featured  in a concerto performance last April.

“They’re getting used to (hearing) me,” he says with a laugh.

Such opportunities give him a chance to blend both of his career paths.

“Playing music is just what I do. Being the dean of the college is my job,” he says. “This (concert) gives me a chance to get to know students. I wouldn’t normally have as many chances sitting in my office.”

The details

Tapestry, a five-woman ensemble formed in 1995, combines medieval, traditional and contemporary vibes. Falzone is known largely for jazz compositions, but has written across genres, Dieker says.

This piece, which runs about 8 minutes, is based on a series of poems by Margaret Chula of Portland, Ore. Dieker says “Barren” is contemporary in tone and reflects a style of music developed in the past 20 years. It features Tapestry’s female vocalists; the group’s male percussionist, Takaaki Masuko, on vibraphone; Cornell’s Chamber Singers; and Dieker.

The commission and collaboration between Tapestry and Cornell were designed to give students an enrichment experience, in conjunction with the school’s popular Music Mondays concert series.

Tapestry

“It’s really good for our students,” Dieker says. “First of all, they’re singing with a really nationally famous group. Tapestry is a really top-notch group. Plus, they’re singing a piece that’s never been heard before.

“The composer, James Falzone, was out a few weeks before Christmas to rehearse with them, so he actually got to talk to them about how he conceived the piece, why he wrote it the way he wrote it and gave them some tips on how he wants it performed,” Dieker says. “And then he and the Tapestry group will be backed next weekend, and we’ll rehearse this before Monday night’s concert. …

“It’s a pretty unique experience.”

2009 Cornell grad on disaster mission to Haiti

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Mehrdad-ZarifkarMOUNT VERNON — Mount Vernon firefighter and 2009 Cornell graduate Mehrdad Zarifkar will put his disaster training to test on a 10-day medical mission to Haiti scheduled to leave Feb. 8.

As a volunteer member of the Mount Vernon Fire Department, Zarifkar is an emergency medical technician (EMT) trained to deal with disasters and hazardous materials.

Zarifkar will help set up and maintain a clinic in Leogane, near the epicenter of the catastrophic Jan. 12 earthquake. He will be part of a medical team sent through World Wide Village, a faith-based charitable organization with a focus on Haiti, and coordinated locally through Iowa City doctor Ginny Ryan-Buresh. Her husband, Dr. Chris Buresh, is currently in Haiti with the team and is posting updates from the field.

“I was looking for a way to get involved hands-on,” said Zarifkar, who works as a phlebotomist and freelance photographer. “It’s the firefighting instinct — we’re attracted to helping people in need. What we do is pre-hospital care, and there they don’t have a hospital. Adapt and overcome, that’s our motto.”

Zarifkar is seeking financial support for airfare. Any money raised beyond airfare will be used for subsequent medical teams to Haiti through World Wide Village. A donation of at least $100 includes a framed 8×10 picture of any image — including many campus scenics — on Zarifkar’s Web site. Follow his journey there as well.

– CORNELL COLLEGE

People You Should Meet: Ricky Legree

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Ricky Legree, 26, Cedar Rapids
System Test Engineer @ Intermec

California born and bred. Ricky Legree is doing his own California dreamin’ right here in Iowa.

He came here for college and stayed for the opportunity to do a little bit of everything he loves. Computers. Sports. And meeting new people.

Ricky spent most of his days on sunny beaches in Cali, until his dad stumbled upon Cornell College in Mount Vernon. They spoke with football coach Steve Miller and discovered that the Rams offered football, baseball and computer science. The decision was easy.

“I checked out their Web site and asked questions on a couple of phone calls,” Ricky said. “I didn’t even come out for a visit.”

What started out as a leap of faith soon paid off. Ricky played running back for the Rams and lettered all four years in both football and baseball. He was also a member of Cornell’s hockey club. He graduated with a computer science degree in 2005 and got a job as a system test engineer at Intermec in Cedar Rapids.

For fun, Ricky puts his computer skills to work as the technical adviser for Access Iowa, Cedar Rapids’ young professionals organization. He’s also on the social committee.

Still, this former college athlete needed an outlet for his competitive bug. The answer lay in more than a few places.

Ricky plays recreational sand volleyball and slow pitch softball. He’s been an assistant coach at rival Coe College for the last three years. He started playing rugby with the Cedar Rapids Headhunters last spring.

“I’d never seen rugby played before but I heard that there was a team in Cedar Rapids,” he said. “I saw some bumper stickers, found their Web site and e-mailed the coach. After that first practice at Noelridge Park, I was hooked.”

And, earlier this year, he started boxing.

“I started going in January for the fitness aspects, but after four weeks, the coach suggested I fight in the Golden Gloves tournament. I was skeptical but after five more weeks of training, I went to Des Moines and was runner-up in the novice 178-pound division,” Ricky said.

Luckily there are different seasons for some of the activities. And Access Iowa doesn’t have mandatory attendance for programming, allowing Ricky to be present at only what interests him.

“Obviously, I can’t do everything I want in a given week. I try to manage practices and meetings so I miss as little as possible.”

He’ll often work 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., go to Coe for football practice and then head to one of the many other activities.

– JUSTIN

DID YOU KNOW: When Ricky moved to Iowa to go to Cornell College, he hopped on a Greyhound for a 48-hour bus ride. “Someone was supposed to pick me up at the station but that didn’t happen,” Ricky said. “Greyhound left one of my bags in another state. I was lucky enough to have some cash on hand for a cab.”
WHAT HE CAN DO FOR YOU: Ricky is proof that it doesn’t take much to get involved. Need some pointers? He’s your man.

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