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About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (May 6, 1998)
8 H he CI ac I< amas P rînt Estonia exchange program enriches both lands JOEL P. SHEMPERT Feature Editor summer, then was approached again by Surva in the fall, who wondered why she wasn’t in America yet. “So the whole thing started again,” Raud relates. “I had about seven dif ferent goodbye parties with my friends, because it was, like, on and off.” In fact, it wasn’t until Cline arrived in Estonia in January for his month of jazz clinician work that Raud fi nally was able to come to Clackamas. She came with Cline on his flight back, but was unable to study right away. Unfortunately, because Chan was not a US citizen, and because he had already graduated Clackamas, an exchange of classes was not so simple to arrange. So Raud was un able to enroll in classes here, and found herself simply singing in the chamber choir. Eventually this was straightened out, however, when College Presi dent John Keyser was contacted. Now Raud is able to sit in on music classes for the remainder of Spring You’d never know it from looking at her. Her blond hair, mannerisms, quick and easy speech, and carefree spirit all seem to mark her as Ameri can as apple pie. But truth be told, Kairi Raud is not from around here. She is Estonian. You can tell, on the other hand, by looking at Christopher Chan, that he isn’t Estonian. He may live in Esto nia, study in Estonia, eat, sleep, and breathe Estonia, and even speak a little Estonian, but the former Clackamas student is a Hong Kong native. This unlikely pair forms the van guard of a daring and innovative new international venture—an exchange program between Clackamas and Tallinn, Estonia’s Georg Ots Music School. Orchestrated by Clackamas’ Lonnie Cline and Georg Ots’ Hirvo Surva, this fledgling program has brought first Chan to Estonia, then Raud to America to study in the Clackamas music department. This endeavor was born when Surva and com poser Veljo Tormis visited Clackamas in May of ’97 and invited Chan to study in Estonia. Thrilled at the concept, Chan ea gerly accepted, and events were thus set in motion. The next fall Chan began to jump through the vari JOEL P. SHEMPERT / Clackamas Print ous hoops to gain access to the Bal Christopher Chan, graduate of Clackamas' tic State, finally music program, is continuing his quest for arriving in De excellence at Estonia's Georg Ots Music School. cember. Raud similarly was ap Term, and next year will begin en proached with the prospect of going rollment. She is finally involved in to America, and arrived at last in her main purpose in coming here, the January of 1998. study of jazz. As both students attest, the jour “Lonnie did everything he could,” ney was not without its difficulties. affirms Raud. “I’m sure the music Chan, who is not a US or even Brit department did everything they ish citizen, but rather (after Hong could. There was not anything they Kong’s reassimilation) Chinese, had could do about it; there had to be a doubly hard time attaining his visa, someone higher to make the deci and was subjected to a battery of sions.” frustrating tests. To top it off, there Though the ride may have been a is no Estonian embassy anywhere rocky one, it is to be expected when near here, and all applications had forging an academic bond between to go through Washington DC. to schools of differing nationality, to Meanwhile, Raud experienced nu say nothing of differing govern merous false starts and stops, and ments. Still and all, through the walls though she had agreed in the spring of red tape there is a real treasure to to go, she heard nothing about it all be gleaned from the exchange. “It’s just an other way to get people deeper into the culture [of Es tonia],” explains Cline, pointing out that students will be able to “understand mu sic from an East ern European standpoint.” Cline’s love Estonia’s music and culture is no secret, of course, and he is firmly convinced of its value to students. Besides expo sure to a unique culture, American musicians can ex pect to benefit for the great intensity of Estonian study as well. Music JOEL P. SHEMPERT / Clackamas Print schools in Estonia Estonian Kairi Raud (right) rehearses with fellow jazz singer and start from an early Clackamas student Micah McCool. Kairi has persevered through age and at the col many obstacles to study American music at Clackamas. lege level students are immersed in singing, voice les dence in 1991, musicians are hungry sons, conducting lessons,, instrumen for instruction in this area, which tal lessons, and music theory. happily is something that Cline and “Studying is about just like the Clackamas can provide. Here you can United States, but the only difference This exchange is about more than study mote is that here you can study more in music, however: it is about culture. tensely than the U.S.,” Chan says. “I Raud and Chan are both receiving a intensely than can focus on music pretty much crash course in a way of thinking dif in the US I 100% every day. Students may ferent from their own. choose to go to two or more schools “The people love parties,” re can focus on at the same time as long as they have lates Chan of Estonian life. “They music pretty time for them. The young people see enjoy friends. They may not talk education as a very valuable thing.” to you if you are a stranger, but much 100% Estonia has much to benefit from once they know you, they are very everyday. as well, says Cline. “Hopefully it open.” will be beneficial to students [from The bottom line is that both coun Estonia] who can’t get instruction in tries have a lot to offer each other’s certain areas such as jazz, and also I students, both as musicians and as Chris Chan think our Theory program is a direct people. This exchange then, given Exchange benefit.” Cline’s Estonian passion, is as he student to Jazz is significant to Estonians, for says “the most logical thing to do. Estonia as a uniquely American form of mu-, It’s just another opportunity for stu sic, its study was not allowed under dent success, now on an interna Soviet rule. Since Estonia’s indepen tional, global level.” The next big pop stars? ______ ■•-WWr »aægffîfa .«)*'■ ■■ w Because your health is important... If you: • Are 40 or older... • Lack health insurance or have limited benefits... • Have a total monthly income of no more than $1,644 + $567 for each additional person... may be eligible for a FREE Women's Health Check and Mammogram! Call Chris at (503)557-6446 Clackamas County Breast and Cervical Health Program Paid for by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Susan G. Komen Foundation Wednesday, May 6, 1998 JEREMY STALLWOOD / Clackamas Print Not exactly. ASG President Jacob Boenisch (left) and presidential candidate David LeDoux belted one out last Thursday at ASG and Coyote Circle's karaoke benefit. Free pizza and a, um, wide range of musical entertainment were available to all.
