For someone who claims to be shy and uncomfortable with the thought of speaking in public, Ioanida Costache is remarkably eloquent. Her unassuming character makes her a favorite among her friends to settle conflict and it’s not until one talks to her boyfriend that one discovers the numerous awards and accolades she has amassed during her four years at Amherst. So even though nobody mentions it specifically, humility might be one of Costache’s defining personality traits. After all, Amherst students all aim high, but not everyone will have the strength of character to match their career.
Rodgers and Hammerstein? It can’t have been a coincidence. A casual and fun performance the same weekend that admitted students came streaming in? Well played, Amherst Symphony Orchestra, well played.
Just as well played was the actual music, which lived up to Amherst’s usual standards of excellence in “The Sound of Their Music: A Tribute to Rodgers & Hammerstein.” It was a performance that combined the vocal prowess of seven students with an excellent accompaniment provided by the Amherst orchestra.
Let’s face it. Even without knowing anything about “The Vagina Monologues,” the fact that it is about vaginas is enough to know that we are dealing with some heavy topics here. It seems like the concept of femininity, of womanhood, is incomplete without a conversation about sex. And when we say sex, we mean sex as power, as rape and abuse, as tangible proof that women are still being treated unfairly.
The indie hipster in me (disclaimer: I am not an indie hipster) was very excited last Thursday for Globemed’s Battle of the Bands, a fundraiser that raised money to benefit communities in El Salvador. Four bands performed for the supposedly-coveted prize of being named winner. Each ticket to vote cost $1, solicited as you walked through the doors and later on throughout the show. Mr. Gad’s hosted and Route 9 performed the after-show, rounding off an excellent show.
