A Reflection on Ysmael Reyes’ Breathtaking Concert

By: Elizabeth Anaya, Staff Writer

On September 7th, 2022, I attended the first Regis University concert of this academic year, featuring Regis’ prized flutist, Ysmael Reyes. Held in Claver Recital Hall, the simple lighting, small but spacious venue, and scattered attendees made for an intimate concert experience. Dr. Reyes stepped on stage donned in a navy blue suit, and after cracking a few jokes and explaining the program, he readied himself and took a preparatory breath.

Dr. Reyes opened the night with Michael Gandolfi’s Three Pieces for Flute Solo, which dives straight into piercing notes and dissonant intervals. The first movement plays artfully with repetition and inversion, manipulating the basic phrase until it is barely recognizable; it ends with the phrase flipped horizontally— the opening note is the last note we hear. The second movement, my personal favorite, is aptly named “Note Juggler.” In this movement, Dr. Reyes juggled three parts, expertly articulating each ‘baton’ differently, not playing them as one melodic line, but rather giving each part a different character and color. I was enraptured immediately by Dr. Reyes’ talent for articulation and attention to detail. The last movement ends with a series of dramatic leaps and scalar motion towards a glorious and soaring high note. 

Draped in an elegant emerald dress, Madoka Asari, a skilled pianist, joined Dr. Reyes on stage to perform the duets. Next in the program was Le rire de Sarai for Flute and Piano by Guillaume Connesson. Featuring a slow tempo and flowing rhythms, this minor key piece is haunting and beautiful, the motif a memorable and melancholic lullaby. The movement grows as the tempo and rhythms accelerate dramatically to the climax before abruptly simmering down, like a forgotten overflowing boiling pot that has been removed from the stove in a rush. Sorrowful slurs that resemble wailing whalesong follow, ensuring the piece ends a tragedy. The second movement starts with controlled chaos and a sense of urgency that propels the piece to the end.

Pièce op. 189 by Mélanie Bonis is delicate and beautiful— blooming notes and harmonies take the listener to springtime. Listening to it reminds me of a Thomas Kinkade painting: idealistic and magical. The tension is interwoven subtly; it is an overwhelmingly airy and peaceful piece. Although no part was particularly memorable, I enjoyed the sweet swells and graceful composition.

Sonata op. 94 for Flute and Piano’s first movement oscillated between peaceful and lively at the drop of a pin, taking the audience on a journey with twists and turns. The motif of this movement was my favorite melody of the whole evening; the flute was euphonious and triumphant. Notably of a faster tempo, the second movement begins at a gallop before slowing down to a canter, sprinkled with sporadic bursts of energy that build in intensity to the end. I found the call and response (imitation) between the flute and piano particularly charming in the third movement, “Andante.” The fourth movement is bright and spritely, full of quick rhythms played at forte. Midway through, the movement mellows out, and the piano daringly explores the lower registers, closely followed by the flute. The piece and concert end with an anthemic BUM BUM BUMMMMMM. 

This concert sets an imposing standard for the rest of the concerts for this season; Dr. Reyes and Ms. Asari played every piece with such vitality and with such precision that I couldn’t help but think that the performance was a mirror image of the composers’ imagination. Every note was played intentionally and shimmered fully in the air before giving way to the next note. In Dr. Reyes’ excellent manner of playing, there were no passing tones— every note was cherished and artfully stroked onto the canvas of time. The chemistry between the performers was not only eye-catching but added another element of gossamery cohesion throughout the concert. Dr. Reyes and Ms. Asari moved with each other and the music, almost as if they were sharing a boat on a river, enjoying the journey and all of its ebbs and flows. No aspect ever felt forced—not the articulation, the dynamics, the rhythms, or the challenging pitches—it never felt like a performance, nor was I ever conscious of the gap between performer and audience— we were all there experiencing the beauty of the pieces together. 

I enjoyed the concert tremendously. For me, artistic connection is the most important skill for a musician, and Ysmael Reyes and Madoka Asari played freely and without reservations. Instrumental music can often seem far removed from many of our pedestrian lives today— pieces tend to be long, seemingly indecipherable and distant from our fast-paced and commercial reality. However, I believe concerts such as Dr. Reyes’ flute showcase can highlight the depths of expression and connection that this type of music has to offer.

Gunman On Campus

By: Charlize Woods, Staff Writer

On September 6th, at 9:20pm, an RU Alert was sent out to all students of Regis University notifying students that a lockdown had been placed on the campus. This lockdown was a result of a call about three men who were seen walking towards the field house, and one appeared to have a shotgun. As the lockdown persisted, it was explained that police had been dispatched to the campus and would be clearing buildings one by one. From 9:20pm to 12:39am, Regis remained in lockdown. 

In the little over three-hour lockdown, many students went through a great deal of emotions. Some students who live in Desmet Hall were stating how they have never had to deal with something like this, besides practice drills in high school, so they were at a loss of what was happening. My neighbor on the first floor stated that she was terrified and wanted to go home. She lives out of state so she was even more upset that she couldn’t be in the safety of her own home after the lockdown would end. 

While most were terrified, I talked to a few students who claimed to have been incredibly irritated by the lack of communication that was given. In my first year writing class the morning after, many of my peers were stating how the updates can not even be defined as such; they were redundant reminders to stay in a safe place and not to move. While this is good advice, it wasn’t helpful in knowing what was happening. 

Another issue that people had with the RU alerts the night of the lockdown was the text message alerts that were being sent out. It seemed to be a pattern of the full message being cut off. For example, one text message read, “DPD advises all Regis community members to remain where they are until they have finished clearing the campus. They do not want-” and then it cuts off completely until another message is sent out. 

In the end of this whole mess, none of the men were found, but the campus was cleared to end the lockdown. This experience was, for many people, terrifying, and also frustrating. Towards the end, many students stated that they were just tired, had to go to the bathroom, or were starting to just go to other rooms in their residence hall to talk about the whole situation. The only good thing that could come from such a terrible experience is the RU alerts being improved, God forbid something like this happens again.

ESAs vs. Service Animals: Are Emotional Support Animals Devaluing the Work of Certified Service Animals?

By: Austin Price, Staff Writer

I am sure all of us animal-lovers wished our pets could be with us 24/7 at some point in our lives. Perhaps it was because we were lonely or were feeling homesick. Maybe it was due to undiagnosed anxiety, and symptoms of depression. Or maybe we simply loved our pets as if they were our children and wanted them to be with us. But, in the back of our minds, we begrudgingly accepted that this was an unrealistic expectation of our pets, and a misinterpretation of the comfort of those around us. We understood that keeping an animal with us was inconvenient and a lot of work. However, we still secretly wished we could keep our pets with us, no questions asked. Well now, we can. 

The National Service Animal Registry is a for-profit organization that allows pet owners to register their pets, no matter the animal, as certified Emotional Support Animals. Due to the crippling stigma around mental health, Emotional Support Animals were originally undermined if not dismissed entirely. In generations past, physical illnesses were seen as more severe and debilitating than mental illnesses. However, Generation Z has challenged this theory using social media platforms to recognize their own mental illnesses, and advocate for accessible mental health services. 

In 2011, the National Service Animal Registry reported 2,400 emotional support animals in its registry. As of 2019, it reports over 200,000 animals registered. In the fight for mental health awareness, Generation Z has brought the validity of emotional support animals and their benefits to the forefront of discussion. However, critics argue that emotional support animals devalue the status of certified service animals and believe that such easy access to ESA certification leads to pet owners taking advantage of this process and using certification as an excuse to keep their animals with them in all situations. 

Officially, an emotional support animal is defined as an animal that provides relief to individuals with psychiatric disability through companionship. ESAs can be an animal of any kind, and do not require any specific training or receive an official certification that verifies their abilities. Qualifying for an emotional support animal requires a person to have a diagnosed emotional, mental, or psychological condition, such as anxiety, depression, panic disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, mood disorder, or other paranoias. ESA owners are typically asked to possess a doctor-provided ESA letter as documentation. Only a licensed professional can provide you with an official “prescription” for an emotional support animal, but the process is easily accessible and reasonably inexpensive with most ESA letters priced at around $100 to $200. 

In comparison, certified service animals are defined as a dog that is individually trained to perform tasks or do work for the benefit of a person with a physical or mental disability. In some circumstances, a miniature horse who is individually trained also qualifies as a service animal. A service animal may be paired with a person with visual impairment, seizure disorder, hearing loss, mobility challenges, diabetes, and other conditions. Service dogs participate in strict training that enables them to help their owners function daily, including completing tasks and alerting them to potential oncoming emotional or physical episodes. To be considered a service animal, training and certification must be achieved. This training ensures that they can serve the medical needs of their owner on a consistent basis. 

The main difference between ESAs and certified service animals is their level of recognition in the Americans with Disabilities Act or, the ADA. The ADA is a law that prevents any form of discrimination against disabled persons in various aspects of public life, including education, transportation, employment, and housing. The ADA makes provisions for certified service dogs, allowing them in public places, but because emotional support animals are categorized separately from service animals, they are not granted the same level of coverage. However, ESAs are covered by The Fair Housing Act which requires property owners and landlords to make a fair attempt to allow ESAs, regardless of “no pet” policies, as well as possible protection from pet rent and other additional housing charges because the law makes a clear distinction from regular “pets” and ESAs.  

Due to the surge in registered ESAs, certified service animals are often discredited and underappreciated. For example, the Air Carrier Access Act is a law that gives airlines wide latitude over how various creatures are handled in the aircraft, and until January of 2021, it allowed ESAs to accompany their owners in the aircraft cabin. However, due to public incidents involving ESAs bothering fellow passengers, airlines such as United Airlines and Delta Air Lines have banned ESAs from traveling in the aircraft cabin and instead requiring them to travel in the cargo hold, where luggage and freight is packed.

 In the United States, service dogs were not legally recognized until the ADA was passed in 1990. The ADA defines a service dog as any guide dog, signal dog or other animals individually trained to aid a person with a disability. Because of the long overdue passing of this law, service dogs have earned the right to be considered mandatory companions for their owners with their specific disabilities correlating with their dogs specific training. Service dogs require more funding and support than ESAs because of the varying needs their owners have. To a lot of service dog owners, ESAs are a way to cheat the system. However, ESA supporters advocate for their rights and their desire to keep their animals with them whenever they deem necessary.

This is a complex argument. When a person suffers a seizure, they need immediate medical attention, which in some cases, can be provided by a trained service dog. However, the same could be said for someone suffering a crippling anxiety attack or a manic episode due to a mental health crisis. They may need immediate attention and support from their ESA as well. Many questions are raised in the debate over ESA rights and service animal requirements. Why should those with personal ailments be discredited based on an internal, mental illness? How are physical illnesses recognized as more important, or more deadly? Why has the stigma of mental illness carried on into the justification of the need for ESAs and why are they not given the same rights that certified service animals are? Should ESAs be required to receive the same level of training as certified service animals in order to be covered by law and protected by the ADA? 

Personally, I believe in the validity of ESAs. As someone who struggles with mental illnesses myself, I understand how powerful the presence of a trusted and beloved companion can be. I recognize that both mental illnesses and physical illnesses are their own entity, and should be valued equally, despite what part of the person they impact. I see the need for support from animals and how emotionally impactful they can be on humans. 

However, I also see why advocates for certified service animals are against ESAs. I think that the bias of ESAs and the belief that they are cheating the system is due to the easy access to ESA certification. As a result of the magic of the internet, ESAs can be certified by a pet owner without ever showing the company the animal. I do not think ESAs should be granted certification with such little restrictions and with little to no actual connection between the pet owners and the companies providing ESA certification. I also think that ESAs should be required to complete a small amount of basic training, making them behaved, pleasant creatures to be around. ESAs should have enough manners and discipline that they do not negatively impact those around them, giving them more access to more public places and improving the situation for the owner, the animal, and the audience around them.

The Yassification of Regis: QSA’s Drag Show

By: Gabby Sabater, Staff Writer

As a part of Queer Weekend, Regis QSA put on their 4th annual drag show last Saturday and my, did they put their hearts and souls into it! The room was buzzing with excitement and the performers showed up and showed out.

Before the show even began, our lovely MC, Clementine, took the stage and my goodness was she stunning in her grunge number! She prefaced the show and introduced two of Denver’s very own drag performers– Felony Misdemeanor and Onyx Steele. Both folks have been involved in drag for over twenty years and shared their stories and excitement for this event to be happening on our Catholic campus. They enlightened us with their personal journeys with drag as well as what it means to them and the LGBTQ+ community, inspiring many in the audience.

After Misdemeanor and Steele took their seats, six delightful Regis students strutted down the runway in full drag and lit up the room with their contagious energy: Macklemore, Crystal Paul, Freddie Her-Cury, Justin Butt, Summers, and one of the Highlander’s very own Tyler Steersnqueers executed outstanding renditions of songs we all know and love. And when I tell you they ate, not a crumb was left on that stage.

And not to mention, they all got dolled up before the show by professional makeup artist Alice Glamoure! She was gluing down eyebrows and sketching on beards galore making our kings and queens look fabulous; I think Justin Butt even had a little pre-show workout and showed off their stunning six-pack!

As if this environment wasn’t welcoming enough, the QSA cabinet invited folks in the audience up on stage for a little lip-syncing of their own! The night went on as students lined up to take their turn in the limelight.

The evening was lively and glamorous and queer to say the very least. QSA would like to thank RUSGA, Dave Law, and the Programming Board for helping sponsor this exceptionally successful event. And I would like to give a special shoutout to Madelaine Johnson for the creation and production of the drag show – the show truly couldn’t have gone on without you. With roughly 170 folks in attendance, this was the biggest turnout for the drag show! I think I can accurately speak for everyone when I say we were all starving for community (and drag), and we satisfied this hunger last Saturday.

Photos by: Seamus Prim

Procrastination – What’s The Excuse?

By: Vivian Pham, Staff Writer

The deadline is 11:59 PM, and here you are staring at the computer and typing as fast as you could at 11:57 PM? Welcome to the procrastinators club! 

Sometimes, we choose to procrastinate because we have certain strategies to deal with it. Sadly, sometimes we are simply in a psychological trap, causing the situation above. So what is the psychological trap that makes us procrastinate?

Adrenaline is a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands located at the top of each kidney. Everytime our body is in a stressful condition, adrenaline will be produced. When you are extremely stressed, you will have an adrenaline rush. Adrenaline breaks down glycogen into glucose. Enough glucose will provide energy for the brain to think, learn, and memorize quicker. That’s why whenever the deadlines are coming, you are more focused and able to think better, thanks to the adrenaline rush. However, if you experience a constant adrenaline rush, it will have a negative long-term effect on your body. In “The End of Stress as We Know It”, Dr. Bruce McEwen – a neuroendocrinologist at Rockefeller University – stated that if our body experiences constant long-term stress, then the brain, the immune system, and the circulatory system will be weakened. Significant symptoms include insomnia, feeble resistance, or even anxiety disorder. Additionally, too much adrenaline will cause hyperglycemia, also known as high blood sugar, a major cause for diabetes. 

A reason for being procrastinated might come from the fact that you are afraid of changes and the desire to remain in the comfort zone. That was the conclusion drawn from a study of two psychologists Robert Yerkes and John Dillingham Dodson in 1908, called the Yerkes-Dodson law. Basically, humans prefer being in the comfort zone, such as doing tasks that are familiar, don’t require too much effort, and aren’t challenging. Because of that, we don’t get a lot of pressure and face any assessment of our qualifications. Deadline, on the other hand, is considered out of the comfort zone with many risks and challenges. So when it comes to deadlines, we tend to procrastinate as a way to protect ourselves from the risks and challanges, for when we confront failure, we are likely to blame our failure on other things and not our own self.

When you are given more time to finish a task, we tend to spend all that extra time on that task, even though it’s not necessary and less efficient than finishing the task by the original deadline. This is called the Parkinson’s law, a study of Cyril Northcote Parkinson – a British naval historian. He gave an example of a task in which one has to write a letter and send it to someone else. He claimed that a normal person would take several hours to finish, while a busy businessman only takes three minutes to accomplish the task. 

When you are given a task, the first thing you wonder is usually: “how much time do I have to finish this task?” instead of “how much time do we need to finish this task?”. This kind of thinking will cause you to unconsciously schedule and complete the task by the deadlines, which leads to delays in other tasks that would have been completed earlier. Moreover, the longer the deadlines, the harder you would think of it.