DARTMOUTH COLLEGE CLASS OF 1981 JANUARY 2012 NEWSLETTER 2011 Class of the Year, 2011 Newsletter Editors of the Year. ‘Nuff said.

St Paddy’s Day Mini-Reunion Presidents’ Message: ‘81 Leadership Update at Magic Mountain, VT We hope you all enjoyed a happy holiday season, and we wish It will be Green on White for St Patrick’s you and your families all the best in 2012. As we begin the new Day weekend as ‘81s hit the slopes for year, we want to let you know about a few changes and addi- an Irish Ski Party at Magic Ski Area in tions to your class officers. First, we are thrilled to report (and Londonderry, VT (www.magicmtn.com). Dave Edelson and Hallidie Haid are even more thrilled!) that Martin Weinstein and Lon Povich have agreed to become co-head agents We’ll have discounted tickets available for the class. We are confident that this team will build on Dave for both Saturday and Sunday, an après and Hallidie’s tremendous success in boosting our class giving for ski party from 4 to 6pm on 3/17 at the our 30th reunion year and earning us numerous awards, including lodge featuring a Celtic band, followed Class of the Year honors. We also want to thank Dave and Hallidie George Alexakos by a St Paddy’s dinner put on by the for their patience and their willingness to extend their tenure in chef at Black Line Brew Pub at 7:00pm. the head agent role while we worked to put the new team in place. Accommodations can be reserved on Please be kind and generous when Martin and Lon contact you to the mountain access road at special solicit your help and your financial contributions! “Dartmouth 1981” rates. And, for those of you who don’t ski or snowboard, the We are also extremely fortunate that 25th reunion treasurer ex- mountain has snow tubing at discounted traordinaire, George Alexakos, has agreed to come out of retirement rates for us and Magic allows snow- to take on the class treasurer position vacated by Martin. We are in shoeing up the mountain as well. The excellent hands with George, whose banking and regulatory experi- Manchester Outlet Center is only minutes ence will keep us in the black and on the straight and narrow. away for shopping, too. Come up for the Lon Povich weekend (or even just for a day) to enjoy a And finally, your Alumni Council representative, Mark Davis’s, term little Irish spring skiing and fun with fam- comes to an end after the May Alumni Council meeting. The Class ily and friends. must select a new representative. If you are interested in this or any other volunteer position for the class, please send an email to us at Everyone who is interested needs to let [email protected] or [email protected]. For more us know soon so we can plan the dinner information on the Alumni Council and the representative’s duties head count and let you know the reserva- and responsibilities, go to http://www.alumni.dartmouth.edu/lead- tion information for rooms if you need ership/council which includes resources for alumni, along with a them (must be reserved by 1/30 to get our message from Alumni Council President and ’81 classmate Danielle group discount). Also so you can plan, we Dyer. Martin Weinstein will be getting adult tickets for only $48 for one day and just $80 for two days, In other news, our mini-reunion calendar continues to fill up. We hope many of you can with kids tickets even less than that (un- make it to the ’81 Trustee Forum with Bill Burgess and Annette Gordon-Reed on March 8th der 7 ski free). in the Boston area and the ski trip to Magic Mountain, Vermont on March 17th. Look for more details in your email, on the website and on the Dartmouth ‘81 Facebook page. If you Contact Geoff Hatheway (hatheway@op- have an idea for a mini-reunion or would like to host a reunion in your area, please contact tonline.net) ASAP Robert Goldbloom at [email protected]. Thanks! if you are inter- ested. Let’s party One final note: if you are receiving this newsletter in paper format only, we may not have on the slopes! your email address. Please send a quick note to our newsletter editors to update your ad- dress so you won’t miss any mini-reunions or other ’81 events! Thanks.

--Julie and Molly

www.alum.dartmouth.org/classes/81 AIRES FIXE Continued from Page 8 Trees, led by a wild-eyed, energetic fellow I was irrepressible after that, hitting up “Grace Kelly,” and, in Season 1, the Tufts named Brendan Lynch-Salamon ’10. (The everyone I knew, including friends long Beelzebubs, whose lively performances Aires who appeared on the show included since tired of my Dartmouth homerism, got them a gig on Glee. Partial as we were five alums.) Week after week, I delighted to watch the show and—when the time to the college groups, a Season 2 sextet like a parent over their theatrics, physical- came after the last taped episode—to vote. from Nashville, Street Corner Symphony, ity, stage presence, and passage to the next (The three on-air judges determined the won us over with their haunting take on round. (Speaking of parents, while most eliminations for all 10 taped episodes, but Radiohead’s “Creep.” of us knew little about the current Aires the ultimate winner was decided by view- save for what we learned on TV, friends ers and announced during the live finale.) Go ahead, check them all out on You Tube. of classmate Rob Hoffman saw a familiar Certainly, my relentless effusions cost me a I’ll wait. While you’re at it, google The face: Rob’s son Robbie Hoffman ’13. See few Twitter followers and Facebook friends. Sing-Off’s runners-up from last season. You My family was appalled. They begged me to may have heard of them. stand down, but I ignored them.

My amusement morphed into obsession Alas, as most know by now, the Aires didn’t when we learned that NBC had tapped the win, having made it all the way to the fi- Dartmouth Aires—our Aires—for Season 3. nal. In shock, I floated a conspiracy theory: “How awesome is that?!” I raved. A child that our boys did win, but NBC’s producers of ’70s television, I couldn’t help but see were too cheap to foot the bill for such a the Aires’ ascension to primetime as a large group to tour the country. Or that the kind of validation of my love for all things Aires themselves, having won the contest, Dartmouth. My kids—even the ‘14—were gave away first place because none of The Aires on The Sing-Off, Rob Hoffman, Jr.’13 blasé, their enthusiasm mild at best. I, center. them wanted to quit school to go on the however, was over-the-top excited—and road. Since that initial letdown, though, alone. While the family would certainly the sidebar.) Thanks to the online commu- I’ve been convinced that the best and most root for the Aires, I threw myself utterly nity, I was not entirely isolated. Friends of popular group won. Pentatonix—five kids into the contest. Dartmouth buzzed with feverish enthusi- from Texas whose unique arrangements asm on the Aires’ Facebook page. But while were, even I had to admit, astonishing and But then I did what the risk-averse do: we all knew the Aires were terrific, did the whose objective was a career in music— I doubted. Sixteen groups were compet- judges? I braced for the week NBC pulled were fan favorites from the start. Their on- ing, including Urban Method, an edgy the plug on our boys. line followers, I also had to concede, were hip-hop troop, and Afro Blue, a steamy even more ubiquitous than the Aires’. (Go jazz ensemble. Virtually all of the entrants And then came the Queen medley, the on, google them, too.) were fulltime musicians. What could jaded Aires’ sixth Sing-Off performance. The Hollywood—even an ostensibly wholesome mood in my household was grim because Moreover, the word among those in the program—see in sixteen playful, clean-cut we were in Day 3 of a power outage know is that second place was the Aires’ college boys from New England with only brought on by a freak October blizzard. goal from the onset. Second place amount- a couple of music majors among them? So as not to miss the show, I’d reserved ed to winning without dropping out or Conversely, were our Aires really prepared space on the sofa of a friend with elec- postponing grad school. And, to their cred- to take on La-la-land? tricity and then battled over the remote it, the Aires went as far as they did despite with a pair of 13 year olds who know nada being among the few contestants that did With their first performance, of Stevie about quality entertainment. That night, not aspire—as a group—to a music career. Wonder’s “Higher Ground” built around the Aires’ transported me. Their arrange- a forceful lead vocalist named Michael ment of three Queen hits (their youthful As for entertainment value, it is stunning Odokara-Okigbo ‘12, the Aires blew away selves adorned in gold glitter and navy and poetic and just plain right that even uncertainty. They occupied the stage like velvet) was brilliant! Judge and chanteuse wrapped up in high-production-Must-See- pros with a toe-tapping arrangement, antic Sara Bareilles said exactly that in her post- TV, the Aires maintained their fun-loving choreography and a blaze of orange and performance analysis, and Stockman added Dartmouth-ness throughout, a quality apple green threads—not a rep tie or blue that their presentation “was like watching Stockman suggested should be bottled up blazer in sight. They sailed into Round 2, a Broadway play.” Kind but hard-to-please and sold. Their grins were contagious and but could they do it again? They could it Folds called it “absolutely perfect.” authentic; clearly they were enjoying every turned out, handily, with “Animal” by Neon AIRES FIXE Continued on Page 5

JANUARY 2012 NEWSLETTER Page 2 On Reflection: ‘81 Aires fool for the sappy sweet stuff. It is fun to baritones. The baritones carry the melody, by Rick Silverman recall those times.” so our first verse had been all harmony, no tune. For the second verse, many of Before I was a member of the Aires, I was I also heard from Fred Schroeder, who di- us picked up the melody, which meant we an Aires groupie. Failing to make the rected the group our senior year. “Being an were now singing the song almost entirely group as a baritone my freshman year, I ‘81 Aire was the pinnacle of my Dartmouth in unison. After the service, a very nice befriended several members of the group experience. It was during our tenure that old lady came up to us and, with a bright while singing with them the Aires established indepen- smile on her face, said, ‘That was the most in the Glee Club. They en- dence from the Glee Club, giving interesting version of “Men of Dartmouth” couraged me to audition the Aires a new sense of purpose, I have ever heard!’ Whether we were bril- as a first tenor the follow- identity and artistic freedom. liant or bad, the hallmarks of the Aires ing fall, and thanks to a Long before a cappella singing experience were the camaraderie of the strong falcetto, I made the was cool, we were rock stars in group and the sheer joy of making music cut, joining Hugh Martinez our own minds and in the minds together.” and Ed Jaicks ’79 on the of the occasional Wellesley high notes. Undoubtedly, girl. We were proud of our ac- Looking back on everything I did at my tenure in the Aires was complishments, even if not every Dartmouth, I think that what I miss the one of the highlights of performance was a masterpiece. most is singing with the Aires. Since 1997, my Dartmouth experience, We were the group that sang when more than one-hundred Aires alumni a sentiment shared by the Fred Schroeder ‘Somewhere,’ the group’s anthem gathered to celebrate the 50th anniversary other 81s I contacted for this article. Hugh that is sung to each of us to admit us into of the groups founding, we have reunions Martinez replied with his thoughts about the Aires, for the song’s composer, Leonard every three or four years, when I struggle The Sing-Off and his time in the Aires. Bernstein, in his Watergate apartment. to reach those high notes again. I’ve got- “Back in our day, I don’t remember doing The room was warm, we were nervous, ten to know the younger members of the anything so complex and sophisticated as and we didn’t sing particularly well. But group, including many of those who ap- these Aires were able to do in terms of a Bernstein was gracious peared on The Sing-Off, and like combination of both music and motion… and gave us each a big hug Hugh, “I did watch with rapt Of course, I have fond memories of many before sending us on our attention. No, more like awe. In songs we did…One of the most memorable way. There was the time the end, I voted vigorously and would have to be that arrangement of Billy we were asked at the last encouraged others to do so… Joel’s ‘Angry Young Man’ that, I believe, minute to sing ‘Men of Winning would have been cool, our music director (and a fellow first tenor) Dartmouth’ at the funeral sure. But I sure was proud to pulled together (another amazing feat, in for that Dartmouth legend, have been associated at one my mind). Other arrangements were just Professor Foley. Only a time, however briefly, with the plain beautiful, for instance, our rendi- few of us could go, and as likes of the group represented so tion of ‘Loch Lomond’ which, as I recall, we started into the first well by those fabulous emissar- featured one of the finest solos I think I’ve verse of the alma mater ies who are today’s Dartmouth ever heard. But then again, I was always a we realized that we had no Hugh Martinez Aires.”

The Sing-Off Swan Song alumni among us who tuned into the on- In a highlight in Aires history, we sang the by Rick Silverman line departure song, our suspicion was song to Leonard Bernstein himself in his confirmed that the Swan Song was an ab- hotel room at the Watergate Hotel in the For many who were watching The Sing-Off, breviated version of Leonard Bernstein’s spring of 1981, while underway to Florida the moment of disappointment for Aires “Somewhere” from West Side Story. This on our spring tour. The on-line Sing-Off fans came very close to the end of the fi- song has great meaning to the majority of link was forwarded to Bernstein’s daughter, nale, so close, in fact, that the Aires never Aires, who, after a long day and night of Nina, who was pleased with the rendition performed their Swan Song on air. But auditions learned of our acceptance into and delighted to learn that her father had they did have the opportunity to sing their the group when we were awakened by been serenaded with his song back in 1981. farewell, which was posted on line as an- an angelic chorus of “There’s a place for Another note of interest, “Lenny’s” brother, nounced by Nick Lachey. (Unfortunately, you…” in the wee hours in our dormitory Bertie, was a Dartmouth ’53. the links are no longer available but may room. The song, arranged by Ted Gundy The ‘81 Woodswind share be avilalbe in YouTube.) For those Aires ’68, has long been a staple for the group. memories in the next issue!

Page 3 DARTMOUTH COLLEGE CLASS OF 1981 www.alum.dartmouth.org/classes/81 Lookout, Lookout Mountain: minutes from Chattanooga, in Bobby Davenport and the Lula north Georgia. The Trust works Lake Land Trust to protect and preserve the by Abner Oakes natural beauty and many re- Bobby Davenport, who heads up develop- sources within the Rock Creek ment at the Lula Lake Land Trust in Lookout watershed for the benefit, as Mountain, Georgia, and is president of Ten the website says, “of present Foot Properties LLC, is, well, doing a great and future generations by fos- job bringing attention to this recreation tering education, research, and area. Here’s the last email I got from Bobby conservation stewardship.” and the Trust. Yes, I did read it: Bobby’s father had begun to ac- Bobby saddled up for a survey of the back 40 at Lula Lake. “I have been asked all year about the in- quire property that would later a place for wild parties. They are now, of famous 1963 murders at Lula Lake and turn into the Land Trust as far back as 1958. course, pillars of their respective communi- thought the following link had a good and Mining, clear-cut timber harvests, garbage ties, and I am certain that they have moved gruesome account of that event and its af- dumping, and unrestricted public access had on from such stuff.” termath…This terrible story is an excellent left much of the surrounding land denuded reminder of how recently Lula Lake and the of its beauty and apparent value, giving The Trust has not been without its chal- area around it was scary and dangerous. Mr. Davenport the opportunity to amass lenges: Floods and a tornado hit it this past While by far the most notorious of this kind several hundred acres in the 60s and 70s. summer. Bobby was not at reunion due to of activity, it is not the only one. In the With help from his family and volunteers, the April 27 tornado outbreak at Lula Lake, 1970s, when I was a teenager, we were for- he began rejuvenating the land by cleaning with an EF3 storm. “This is what I did with bidden to go to Lula Lake, so, of course, we up dump sites and replanting trees. When my summer vacation,” Bobby wrote. “We went all of the time. It was a different place Mr. Davenport passed away in 1994, he had did not miss a beat in the aftermath, suc- than the one we know today, full of won- acquired over 1200 acres around Lula Lake, cessfully opening some 20 miles of new derful hiking, biking, and horseback trails. and since that time, the Trust has increased trail, which now makes the old Durham coal Dozens of civic, religious, and education protection within the 40,000 acre water- mines single-track heaven. We were also groups reserve sites within the land trust shed to over 10,000 acres. able to help a bunch with the cleanup and for their special events, and the fantastic recovery effort of the adjoining neighbor- Cloudland Connector Trail that runs 20 “Many Dartmouth 81s have participated hoods which were devastated by this storm. miles through the land trust and Cloudland in this community-building conservation It gave us the opportunity to show that we Canyon State Park is open seven days a exercise over the last two decades,” Bobby are not just a bunch of tree-hugging swells, week from its three trailheads.” told me. “Ben Pierce was on our first ad- and we have made lifetime friends out of visory board and is the one that got me our neighbors.” In January 1994 the Lula Lake Land Trust into all of this trouble, by introducing us was established by the will of Bobby’s fa- to the Boston attorney who created the That quick recovery is a testament to Bobby ther, Robert M. Davenport, and is just 20 land trust and conservation easement for and his colleagues at the Trust, as they the first 1200 acres in continue Bobby’s father’s vision, to create a 1994. Bobby contin- network of conservation properties that will ued: “Gordon Davenport ensure protection and enhancement of local helped to purchase the water quality, protect areas which main- land that connected the tain forest cover and scenic views, provide Trust’s land to that of opportunities for research and education the state park. And John programs, and designate areas suitable for Davis, Shep Burr, Peter public access, use, and enjoyment. Heymann, Peter Corren, Scott Halsted, and If you’re down that way sometime, Bobby Barnes Darwin all came said, “Drop me a note at the Trust. Our ad- to my wedding prior to dress is Lula Lake Land Trust, 29 Mt. Olive the creation of the land Road, Lookout Mountain, GA 30750. And trust and added to the like our page on Facebook!” Rebuilding a barn took presidence over the 30th reunion after a tornado notoriety of the area as destroyed the structure in April.

JANUARY 2012 NEWSLETTER Page 4 Behind the Scenes at The were given a song to slow them down. They AIRES FIXE Continued from Page 2 had to perform “Save a Horse” [not a fan Sing-Off minute of the spotlight. Plus, they were, favorite], even though a ballad would have As told to Pat Berry as you’d expect, just the way you’d want been more Aires-like. Dartmouth students to be: decent and gra- On watching the Aires perform... Could it be Aires baritone and tenor Robbie cious to the end. Hoffman ’13 picked up the performance By the time the first show was broadcast, we knew they were going to the final. But gene from his dad, Rob Hoffman ’81? Rob I saw the Aires a few weeks later—twice, we didn’t realize how really good they remembers fondly his two theater roles in fact—when they performed to packed were. When they did “Higher Ground” that at Dartmouth: in All Goddard’s Children houses for Dartmouth clubs in northern first week, Penny [Rob’s wife] and I must and Company: “I tell people I acted with New Jersey. The composition of the group have watched 40 times. We kept say- Broadway actor Mark Lotito. What else do had changed. The graduates had moved on; ing “WOW! It’s no wonder they made it they need to know?” Even so, with some 7 varsity rowers Henry Luehrman (the senior through!” million Sing-Off viewers, son Robbie may who’d rapped like a pro during their fifth On judges Ben Folds, Sara Bareilles and have found a slightly larger audience. More performance) and Michael were in training; Shawn Stockman... observations from Rob senior: and a few freshmen had joined. It didn’t They were likeable, approachable, and good On going to Los Angeles... appear that celebrity had changed a thing. people. But having seen two of the tapings, Competing on The Sing-Off wasn’t obvi- Back were the familiar khakis and blue we knew their comments were four times ous to some Aires. A few opted not to go. blazers, revolving soloists and quirky ren- longer than what appeared on TV. Robbie Robbie didn’t want to miss sophomore ditions of popular tunes. They looked and called pumped up after a taping one week— summer, but we said, “It’s a slam dunk: you sounded every bit the Aires we knew and of course it was 3 a.m. with us—to report have to do it.” The Aires decided together it loved in the 70s and 80s, with a little less that one of the judges talked about his was an opportunity they shouldn’t pass up. production value and a little more youth- excellent beat-boxing. Unfortunately, his On hard work... ful klutziness than we’d seen on television. callout was left on the cutting room floor. They were in California for 10 weeks, and They’d had a blast and it showed, but now On the second place finish... I think they got a half day off the whole they were back to the business of being They definitely thought Pentatonix de- time. They stayed at the Double Tree Hotel college students, and that was great, too. in Culver City, close to the studio, and had served to win and were genuinely excited for them. 12-hour days/7 days a week with perfor- As for me, yes, I was beguiled by a TV show, On how it felt to be an Aires dad and an mances on Fridays. Taping began at 7 p.m. and from time to time I watch the souvenir alum... and sometimes went to 1 a.m. You Tube videos I’ve bookmarked (which I think they did a fabulous job as ambas- On music selection... we’ll post on the ‘81 webpage): glimpses sadors for Dartmouth. It’s an eclectic group For the first several rounds, they could pick of Dartmouth arranged and packaged of guys. Some athletes, some non-athletes, their own music, such as “Higher Ground,” and broadcast in high definition from a all from different backgrounds. But they “Animal” and the Queen medley. But then California soundstage. Do I regret a moment like each other and have fun with each their choices were narrowed and some of my mania? I can’t say that I do. It was other, and it showed. I was very proud of songs were chosen for them. Later, they terrific fun while it lasted. had monster momentum, so—this being how they got there and of the image they television—for country week, I think they presented. NBC Links are no longer available but visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPW5LspKq0k&feature=related for the Queen Medley and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G5LRNVR59E to hear the Aires Swan Song, “Somewhere.” Stephen Godchaux: Write On of the moon landing and directed by Demi in Vegas, stays in Vegas - if you have a Moore. “A little girl trying to figure out by Abner Oakes good lawyer. Stephen sent me a DVD of the what’s happening in her house as her mom pilot, and it is a gas. There’s a wonderful Stephen Godchaux was one of a group of is dying behind closed doors,” courtroom scene at the beginning, five writers nominated for a Writers Guild said Stephen. “A rough little with the actress Julie White (from Award for their work on Lifetime’s Five, story.” the Transformers movies) as a night an anthology of five short films in honor court judge. She speaks Stephen’s of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. “The Stephen is also waiting to hear words with witty abandon; she is connective thread of the films is breast from USA Network about his our classmate, I think, except as a cancer,” wrote Stephen, “and a character pilot for a series called Wild brunette in an ill-fitting black robe. named Pearl.” Stephen wrote the first film, Card. Its tagline: What happens Keep your fingers crossed that USA called Charlotte, set in 1969 on the day Stephen Godchaux picks it up.

Page 5 DARTMOUTH COLLEGE CLASS OF 1981 www.alum.dartmouth.org/classes/81 1981 Class Officers Nancy Milholland: it,” she told me. “My oncologist even came Likes her Icing out for a skate with his family at one of our by Abner Oakes practices.” At that time Nancy played on Co-President two travel teams in the New York area, and Julie Koeninger [email protected] I’m playing on three hockey teams right four weeks after her last cancer treatment, now. Well, not this week, as I nurse a shoul- one team, the Long Island Hurricanes, went Co-President der sprain and get ready for some work to the New York State Senior B champion- Molly Sundberg Van Metre ships and won, thereby receiving a berth [email protected] travel. Classmate Nancy Milholland, who was among the Dartmouth women’s ice- at the national championships. “We rolled Vice President hockey pioneers, is similarly smitten. Since through nationals,” said Nancy, “going 6-0 Andrew Lewin 2000, she has lived in San Francisco and to win it. That was a hockey highlight and [email protected] plays in the Northern California Women’s a great way to finish up treatment. I’m still Secretary Hockey League, which has multiple divisions cancer free, most importantly.” Robert Goldbloom based on experience and skill, with teams [email protected] that get reset every six months. Nancy also There have been other obstacles to Nancy’s hockey playing, as four years ago she had a Secretary plays one to two times a week with the hip resurfaced due to a congenital shallow Brian Cusack Lake Belmont Pond Hockey Club. “It’s known [email protected] for its low key coed pickup,” she wrote, hip socket. “I was able to skate and play “with lots of fun people, at all abilities. hockey much better than walk leading up Treasurer Everyone kind of judges where others are to the surgery,” she wrote. “Now I’m pain George Alexakos free and the hip doesn’t bother me at all. [email protected] and cuts some slack.” I’m hoping to be able to play into my 60s at Newsletter Editor Nancy also joins teams that form just for least.” Pat Berry tournaments, such as the Bucktooth Angry [email protected] Dolphins – great name! – and the Raptors, I think that Nancy’s being modest. Her 60s? Newsletter Editor which is going to Las Vegas for a January I have a feeling that she will be playing for Lynne Gaudet tournament. She plans to go to the 50+ a long, long time. [email protected] women’s nationals with some Newsletter Editor team this spring. Abner Oakes [email protected] Hockey has served Nancy in powerful ways. In the summer Newsletter Editor Rick Silverman of 1999, she was diagnosed with [email protected] stage three ovarian cancer and eight weeks after surgery was Webmaster allowed to play hockey based Will Blanchard [email protected] on her blood counts after che- motherapy. “I went through six Webmaster standard rounds and then had Jim Jankowski four rounds of a clinical trial and [email protected] played whenever I was up for Nancy ready for action on the ice Alumni Council Rep Mark Davis The Lorax Chris Meledandri, chief of Illumination [email protected] Entertainment, the Universal Pictures family film division, is about to bring Dr. Seuss’ The Co-Head Agent Martin Weinstein Lorax to the big screen. The film is set for re- [email protected] lease on March 2, 2012. The film features Danny DeVito as the voice of the Lorax. A teaser Co-Head Agent trailer is now available on line at http://www. Lon Povich deadline.com/2011/10/hot-teaser-trailer-dr- [email protected] Chris Meledandri seuss-the-lorax/#more-187705. Check it out!

JANUARY 2012 NEWSLETTER Page 6 musicline10.gif 466×38 pixels 8/29/11 3:38 PM

Justine Cassell: Tech Talk Embodied Conversational Agent (ECA), by Abner Oakes a virtual human capable of interact- There was a great pic on Facebook ing with humans using both language ‘81s Are Listening... of classmate Justine Cassell showing and nonverbal behavior, and she has Larry Dunn, Jeff Zimmerman, and now Mark Zuckerburg around her shop at investigated the role that the ECA can Scott : Ladies and gentlemen, start your iPods! Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), where play in children’s lives, as a virtual peer Bucey --Abner Justine is the director which can provide support for of the Human-Computer learning language, literacy, Interaction Institute, and science skills. Justine Richard Thompson, Two Letter Words - Live . On music mag shortlists of all- at CMU’s School of describes the goal of her re- 1994 (1995) time greatest guitar-players, Thompson has re- Computer Science. search as being to develop technologies that evoke from leased limited-edition live recordings for years. This double-length release is a favorite. Get it Prior to CMU, Justine humans the most human and as a digital download at RT’s website, BeesWeb. was the founding di- humane of our

rector of the Center capabilities and to study their for Technology and effects on our evolving world. The Knitters, The Modern Sounds of the . L.A. punk-rock band X is Social Behavior at Knitters (2005) Justine Cassell joined by Blasters guitarist Dave Alvin for this Northwestern and be- Justine wrote me that “as a country/rockabilly side-project. Self-parody or fore that a tenured professor at the comparative lit major at Dartmouth, I serious? Punk or country? I’m not sure it mat- MIT Media Lab where she directed never dreamed I would end up here” -- ters. Jennifer and I enjoyed a recent concert in the Gesture and Narrative Language despite the fact that President Kemeny Petaluma, and the crowd was on its feet most Research Group. invented the BASIC computer language, she never set foot in the computer cen- of the night.

Justine’s research concentrates on the ter. But Justine said, “I love my work and This new- study of human-to-human conversation feel lucky to have ended up in such an Lucinda Williams, Blessed (2011). est release from alt-country singer/songwriter and storytelling, and she has become exciting field.” Williams has some catchy gems - though new- progressively more interested in allow- comers may want to start with her 1998 re- ing computers to participate in these lease, Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, for colorful activities. This new focus has led her to characters drenched with doom, devastation, deconstruct the linguistic elements of and destruction. conversation and storytelling in such a

way as to embody machines with con- versational, social, and narrative intel- Mutual Admiration Society at the parking lot Amateur ligence so that they can interact with at Lime Kiln, Lexington, VA (2004). recording of Nickel Creek alumni performing humans in human-like ways. acoustic covers in an impromptu jam session after a concert. Reminiscent of our late-night Justine is credited with developing the Justine with Mark Zuckerburg picking sessions on the porch of Wheeler Mini-Reunion: Meet the Trustees dorm - but with the addition of actual talent, not imagined. Free download at http://www. BOTH ‘81 Trustees, Bill Burgess and Annette Gordon-Reed, will join us archive.org/details/mas2004-08-17.aftershow. at Bill and Barb Burgess’s home in suburban Boston on Thursday eve- flac. ning, March 8. Annette is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, MacArthur Fellowship recipient, and professor of history and law at Harvard. Bill The Be Good Tanyas, Blue Horse (2011). is a venture capitalist with an IT bent and Managing Partner of ABS Start with a Cowboy Junkies-like foundation; Bill Burgess Ventures. Both Bill and Annette have served for about a year in their add in vocals reminiscent of Tracy Chapman trustee roles. With such illustrious ‘81s as Bill and Annette being fea- and an Indigo Girl or two for sublime harmo- tured, we expect a strong turnout. So, we’ll not only have a chance to nies; sprinkle in banjo and mandolin - the re- chat with Bill and Annette, but a chance to see other old friends and to sult is a very rough approximation of the truly meet new ones. The event is scheduled from 6:30 - 9:00 pm. Barb is musicline10.gif 466×38 pixels 8/29/11 3:38 PM planning to make sure no one goes hungry or thirsty. More details up- indescribable Tanyas.

coming on the class website: www.dartmouth81.org. http://www.musicgraphicsgalore.net/graphics/musicline10.gif Page 1 of 1 Annette Gordon-Reed

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DARTMOUTH COLLEGE CLASS OF 1981 JANUARY 2012 NEWSLETTER 2011 Class of the Year, 2011 Newsletter Editors of the Year. ‘Nuff said.

Aires Fixe: How One Viewer casual fans. Go figure: reality TV dedicated Sing-Off sets it apart from talent shows Lost Herself in The Sing-Off to music sans instruments and mean, ego- like American Idol and The X Factor. Gifted by Pat Berry tistical judges. Sounds deadly on paper, but but apparently regular, mostly-young peo- it wasn’t, not to us or to as many as 7 mil- ple compete for a recording contract and I was possessed. Last fall, my downtime lion other U.S. households. The spirit of The national tour, hoping to pass from round to revolved around a short-run reality TV round like on those other shows. The dif- show. From September to December, I dove ference is that on The Sing-Off they earn onto the couch every Monday night at 7:59 encouragement and gentle criticism from sharp. For the next two hours, cares were a trio of famous but nice judges, includ- shelved and calls went to voicemail be- ing geeky piano maestro/singer/songwriter cause The Sing-Off was on. Ben Folds and record producer and Boyz II Men group member Shawn Stockman. As The Sing-Off, the little talent show that a family we cheered, in Season 2, the Yale could. After two “seasons” of NBC’s outlet Whiffenpoofs’ perky rendering of Mika’s The Hoffmans on the set: Ali, Penny, Rob, Heather for a cappella singing, we—my family—were and Lindsey Amery (nee Hoffman) AIRES FIXE Continued on Page 2

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