Switching places

A finely tuned exchange between student musician, president

By Erik Novak

(above left)President Myles Brand (center) sits among orchestra members during rehearsal Tuesday of the IU Symphony. Brand assumed the role of music student Kim Griffiths for the annual president switch day sponsored by the IU Student Foundation. (above right)Griffiths (right) plays her violin for Brand at Bryan House. Photos by Chris Meyer

Indiana University President Myles Brand got more than he bargained for during this year's "President for A Day" routine in which he trades places with a student.

The event is a fundraiser for the Bloomington campus, and proceeds from the $1 tickets sold to students for the chance to be chief executive for a day garnered $492 for the univer-sity's general scholarship fund.

"I'm well out of my element....I don't have a clue," said Brand, who switched roles last Tuesday (Feb. 25) with Kim Griffiths, a junior violin major from Massepequa, N.Y. Brand learned first-hand what a day in the life of a music student is like.

"It confirmed I have no musical talent at all," said Brand, adding he felt lost all day long except briefly during Griffiths' M402 music history class. "I just tried not to disrupt the class, and the students were very kind."

"How did opera represent the political and social structures in 19th-century Italy?" associate instructor Felicia Miyakawa asked her class. "I'm not ready -- you'll have to carry me," a bewildered Brand told his classmates.

Griffiths spent the day learning about the complexities of Brand's job as IU's chief executive.

She began her day at 7 a.m., meeting with various university officials, including several vice presidents and the secretary of the Trustees of IU. Griffiths said she didn't solve any of IU's budget problems, but was considering giving out lots of scholarships to music students. "And I told my friends that we can use the plane during spring break."

Later in the day, the two met up. Brand gave Griffiths a tour of the president's residence, Bryan House. She returned the favor by performing a Kreisler minuet in the Bryan House living room.

The two then headed to the Musical Arts Center for a dress rehearsal of the IU Symphony. "You shouldn't trust me with a violin," said Brand. "It's not covered if you break it," replied Griffiths. Brand sat in the violinist's seat, but refrained from playing any music during rehearsal.

"I'd never sat inside the orchestra before," said Brand.

"It was a treat and a learning experience."

http://www.music.indiana.edu/

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