Thomas Alva Edison Class of 1968

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Thomas Alva Edison Class of 1968 - My visit with Laven

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Body:	<i>During my whirlwind visit to Tulsa for our reunion, I saw Laven Sowell. I had an appointment to see him on Saturday before the dinner and got to spend a little time with him. He was sad not to be invited to our reunion, even though he doesn't go anyplace really. It is good to be able to tell him that the only teacher invited was John Butts, the class sponsor. It was fabulous to see Laven again, and to remember how intensely he poured his energy into rehearsals, classes, and performances. In all my experience of artists, conductors, and directors, Laven Sowell really spoiled me for anyone else. Jan Kelly was saying she's real critical of singers, insisting on their finishing their words and employing good diction, otherwise she can't enjoy the performance -- she say's that's because of training she received under Laven Sowell. And it's true, there's hardly anyone as demanding, or as giving, on any podium out there. And, as colorful as he always was, he never took anything from the focus on us, the singers, the chorus, in performance. Lots of conductors put a lot of jazz into their body language, as if to say, 'Look at me!' but never Laven. Of course, it was not always easy to keep a straight face because we all knew what any nuance of expression on his face meant. The singers under Laven channeled the music because he channeled it to them. He provided a profound experience of the repertoire, and he used his whole soul to do it. Anyway, I was talking to Terry Pilkington* about Laven and how he stays in this very nice apartment all the time, and I said something like, 'You know, after all that he gave of himself, to his students, his choruses, audiences, Laven really is entitled to sit down and take a rest.' He's not really resting, I don't think, if he's seeing 18 students a week! But I think it's okay for Laven to take it easy, in fact, I can think of no one who deserves it more, precisely because of how much he has added to the world. Terry wanted to be remembered to Laven. There. </i>
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