Hello Hardin-Simmons University,

I am a Junior at Hardin-Simmons University, where I study Music Business with a vocal emphasis. I transferred from Blinn Junior College in Brenham, Texas, in the fall of 2015. When I came to HSU my faith grew stronger day by day. As a musician, I often contemplate my reasoning behind my career choice. Especially being from the south. Excuse the clichè but, this is a sports dominant region of the U.S. I am sure, by now, you have figured what this email will in tell.

I'm quite confident in your knowledge of the importance the Orchestra program upholds, not only to the School of Music, but to our Institution as a whole. I'm aware that you might know how the termination of the HSU Orchestra is going to impact the entire School of Music. Opera's will be limited to musicians the school can hire for accompaniment, and the same for Musicals in the Theater Department. Having to privately contract musicians to work on these time consuming projects will be way more difficult now. And of course now we worry about numbers of students dropping in the School of Music. We lose a unique aspect of what is so attractive about HSU's School of Music. And of course, our 'World Famous Cowboy Band' is largely effected by this decision. Many students whose primary instruments are used mainly for orchestra, (I.e. Violins, Violas, cellos, bass) also play several different instruments so they can play in Cowboy Band. Cutting the program is cutting the Music Department. I am extremely saddened to hear about the termination of Dr.'s Kristin and Peter Isaacson. Seeing how they have been at HSU for years, and both extremely respected in their fields.

Hardin-Simmons University is and Education Enlightened by Faith. And I have had the privilege to study and embrace all that HSU's music department has to offer. I have worked under Dr. Clell Wright in a choir that has helped me grow as an ensemble member. I have studied voice with Dr. Melody Rich and have embodied my potential and reached goals I wouldn't dare dream of before HSU. I have performed under the direction of Dr. Christopher Hollingsworth and Dr. Peter Isaacson in an Opera this past season. This was my first time performing with a real,live orchestra. HSU is special and I've realized my dreams here.

When I was a sophomore at Blinn, my choir toured to a church in San Antonio. We surrounded the audience in a circle and sang a peice of music Called 'Earth Song". The lyrics are as followed,

"Sing, Be, Live, See

This dark stormy hour
The wind, it stirs
The scorched Earth cries out in vain

Oh war and power, you blind and blur
The torn heart cries out in pain

But music and singing have been my refuge
And music and singing shall be my light

A light of song, shining strong
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Through darkness and pain and strife
I'll sing, I'll be, live, see

Peace"

We sang in the sanctuary with strangers in between us. People who I have never met, listened and cried. A week later my choir director gave each student an envelope with each persons name on it. It was from a lady who was at that church when we performed. In a the letter she confessed that she had been re-diagnosed with stage four Breast Cancer and it was terminal. She was too weak for treatment and she had been terrified. She wrote that in that moment, when we sang 'Earth Song', she closed her eyes and she could "see Heaven". That suddenly she wasn't afraid to die. She had found peace with herself and her situation. I keep that letter so that every time I doubt myself, or someone doubts, that I know that what we are doing matters. Because the harsh truth is that when you cut programs, you are telling that program they do not matter. HSU is telling the Orchestra that they don't believe in them as much as other programs. More than just the Orchestra, HSU is telling the Music Program that we, as a whole, are expendable. That "when the goin' gets rough" cut the Arts. The message behind this may be that our school is in financial ruins, but to the students, the ,message is, your organization is less important than others. The school we so proudly serve tells us that at the end of the day, our program is the first on the list for termination.

I want to believe that I attend a great university. Because I do. But it's hard to believe when it's obvious they do not believe in us. Music is one of the original forms of praise and worship in Christianity, which is why one of my favorite verses is Psalm 150:1-6. "1 Praise the LORD.Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens.

2 Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.

3Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre,

4 praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe,

5 praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.

6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord."

We may not have Harps and Lyres, but we have a lot to offer. The HSU Orchestra is an extreme asset to our University and truthfully, our Fine Arts Department would be lost without them. I know it is a long shot, but I am hoping the board will reconsider.

I have to at least voice my concerns.

Signed,

#savehsuorchestra