Photo by: Monika Rittershaus/LA Opera

Magic rings have been the subject of folklore and fairy tales for as long as people have adorned their fingers with glittering bands. But a ring endowed also with ultimate power is a theme that has captivated audiences for generations.

La Verne Professor David Werner will examine the relationship between good and evil and power in his lecture “My Precious Illusion: Rings of Power in Wagner and Tolkien” in the Campus Center on Monday, March 29 at 7 p.m. The event, part of the university’s “Ring Festival La Verne” series, is open to the public and admission is free.

During his talk, Werner will discuss the mythological relationship between power and love and the ring that allows only one or the other in Richard Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen and J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings.

“The idea of ruling the world is an ancient one in world mythology. Both Wagner and Tolkien make important use of the idea of a ring of power which can ‘rule the world.’ However, there are obvious inconsistencies inherent in the idea of ‘ruling the world,’” Werner said. “Surely, upon reflection, the ‘world’ referred to cannot actually mean the entire planet, because who truly wants to run trash collection in Slovakia?

Photo by: Monika Rittershaus

“The idea of absolute power is continually intoxicating. The idea of the ring drifts through mythology through the ages, taking on different forms in the folk systems of different people, lending its aura to everything from Plato to modern conspiracy theory. But ‘The Ring’ is more complex than that, and the lust for power is the most basic of human desires.”

The “Ring Festival La Verne” Series, coordinated by Werner, is included in the “Talks & Symposia” portion of Ring Festival L.A., the regional multimedia celebration referred to as the most interdisciplinary, cross-cultural, collaborative artistic and cultural event to in Southern California since the L.A. Olympic Arts Festival. While the focus of the festival runs from April-June 2010 when L.A. Opera presents the four Wagner Operas, many events such as the La Verne series are underway and combine to create a regional celebration of the arts.

Complete information on the entire Ring Festival L.A. is available at www.ringfestivalla.com.

“Ring Festival La Verne” Lecture Series

“Wagner, Schoenberg, and American Culture” (completed)

When – Monday, Feb. 1
Presenter – Kenneth Marcus, associate professor of History

“German Nationalism and the Rise of The Ring” (completed)

When – Thursday, Feb. 18
Presenter – Alfred Clark, associate vice president for Academic Affairs & professor of Humanities

“My Precious Illusion: Rings of Power in Wagner and Tolkien”

When – Monday, March 29
Time - 7 p.m.
Site – Campus Center
Presenter – David Werner, associate professor of English

“Beyond the Mystic Chasm: Wagner Conjures for the Theatre”

When – Thursday, April 8
Time – 4 p.m.
Site – Dailey Theatre
Presenter – Sean Dillon, assistant professor of Theatre Arts

“Drama in Wagner’s Ring: Music Propels the Action”

When – Wednesday, April 21
Time – 7 p.m.
Site – Campus Center
Presenter – Kathleen Lamkin, professor of Music

The other invited guest lecturers included Rubina Raja from the University of Aarhus, Denmark and Jürgen Zangenberg of Leiden University in the Netherlands. The University of Helsinki has a rich tradition in biblical studies as well as interdisciplinary and international collaboration. The conference was attended by professors and graduate students from Finland and Sweden, and was organized by Raimo Hakola, whose work focuses on Jewish aspects of early Christianity. He recently published a book in Finnish on the archaeological background of the New Testament, which was co-authored by Juha Pakkala, a Finish archaeologist working in Israel.

“I see these images as ‘impressionistic documents,’ for they are more interested in conveying the feeling present than they are with the recording of a scenic vista,” said Malin, who uses infrared film or digital infrared on many of his shoots. “We live in an electromagnetic universe and we are constant interpreters of the energy, so the images … are my interpretations of the experience I had photographing (them).”

“Phenomenal Consciousness,” a solo exhibition of Malin’s work, is on display through April 9, 2010, at the University of La Verne’s Irene Carlson Gallery. Admission to the gallery, located on the ground floor of Miller Hall on the university’s main campus, is free.

There will be a special reception for the artist held at the Carlson Gallery on Thursday, March 25, from 5-7 p.m. This event is free and the public is invited to attend.

Involved in photography for nearly 40 years, Malin has developed a technique where he paints on a graphic arts mask commonly used in water colors and graphic arts. It allows him to enhance the “feel” of his images.

“I came to love the surreal feel of the infrared images,” said Malin, who uses a selective toning technique to give each photograph unusual gradations in color. Before immersing in a toning bath, he “paints” a liquid resist into areas he does not want toned, which is later peeled away.

“If everything goes as planned,” said Malin, “I am amazed and delighted with the final transformation of the print.”

Growing up in Rochester, N.Y. – the home of Kodak, Malin built a darkroom in the basement of his family’s home when he was 15 years old and began learning the craft of film and print processing. He earned a Bachelors of Fine Arts from Tufts University and received a Diploma in Art with a major in Photography from The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. He has taught throughout the country and has served as commissioned photographer for the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, archival printer for the Canadian Center of Architecture, and photographer for the School of the Museum of Fine Arts catalogue and shows. His photographs have appeared in “Town & Country,” “M,” “Home International” and “Boston” magazines.

Malin now lives in Santa Fe, N.M. His work has been exhibited nationwide, including the James Hoyle Gallery (Santa Fe), Chelsea Waterfront Gallery (Boston), the United Nations (New York), Stebbins Gallery (Cambridge, Mass.) and Horizons Gallery (Williamsburg, Mass.).

The Carlson Gallery is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, or by special appointment. For information on the exhibit, the artist reception or the Carlson Gallery, contact Gary Colby at (909) 593-3511, ext. 4281.

University of La Verne Professor David Werner will examine the relationship between good and evil and power in his upcoming lecture “My Precious Illusion: Rings of Power in Wagner and Tolkien.” He will examine the mythological relationship between power and love and the ring that allows only one or the other in Richard Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen and J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings.

This will be the third of five presentations in the “Ring Festival La Verne” series, part of Ring Festival L.A., the regional multimedia celebration referred to as the most interdisciplinary, cross-cultural, collaborative artistic and cultural event to in Southern California since the L.A. Olympic Arts Festival.

Scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 29, Werner’s talk will take place in the Campus Center. All lectures in the “Ring Festival La Verne” series are open to the general public and admission is free. Directions to the university and a map of the main campus are available online at www.laverne.edu/about/maps-directions/.

Whether Tolkien’s trilogy was influenced by Wagner’s operas is an oft-debated subject. Tolkien himself responded to such inquiries by simply stating “Both rings were round, and there the resemblance ceases.”

But Werner, who also serves as chair of La Verne’s English Department, seeks in his lecture to examine more than just an academic quibble over matching jewelry.

“The idea of ruling the world is an ancient one in world mythology. Both Wagner and Tolkien make important use of the idea of a ring of power which can ‘rule the world.’ However, there are obvious inconsistencies inherent in the idea of ‘ruling the world,’” Werner said. “Surely, upon reflection, the ‘world’ referred to cannot actually mean the entire planet, because who truly wants to run trash collection in Slovakia?

“The idea of absolute power is continually intoxicating. The idea of the ring drifts through mythology through the ages, taking on different forms in the folk systems of different people, lending its aura to everything from Plato to modern conspiracy theory. But ‘The Ring’ is more complex than that, and the lust for power is the most basic of human desires.”

The “Ring Festival La Verne” Series, coordinated by Werner, is included in the “Talks & Symposia” portion of Ring Festival L.A. While the focus of the festival runs from April-June 2010 when L.A. Opera presents the four Wagner Operas, many events such as the La Verne series are underway and combine to create a regional celebration of the arts.

“La Verne, through its participation in Ring Festival L.A., joins dozens of educational and cultural institutions in promoting the place and importance of Art and the Humanities in the intellectual and emotional life of Southern California,” said Werner. “Los Angeles Opera’s production of Wagner’s Ring Cycle of operas is an important cultural milestone for Southern California, and the University of La Verne is proud to be a part of this historic event.

Complete information on the entire Ring Festival L.A. is available at www.ringfestivalla.com.

“RING FESTIVAL LA VERNE” LECTURE SERIES

Part of Ring Festival L.A.

“Wagner, Schoenberg, and American Culture” (completed)

When – Monday, Feb. 1        Time – Noon       Site – Presidents Dining Room

Presenter – Kenneth Marcus, associate professor of History

“German Nationalism and the Rise of The Ring” (completed)

When – Thursday, Feb. 18    Time – 7 p.m.      Site – Campus Center

Presenter – Alfred Clark, associate vice president for Academic Affairs & professor of Humanities

● “My Precious Illusion: Rings of Power in Wagner and Tolkien”

When – Monday, March 29   Time – 7 p.m.      Site – Campus Center

Presenter – David Werner, associate professor of English

● “Beyond the Mystic Chasm: Wagner Conjures for the Theatre”

When – Thursday, April 8     Time – 4 p.m.      Site – Dailey Theatre

Presenter – Sean Dillon, assistant professor of Theatre Arts

● “Drama in Wagner’s Ring: Music Propels the Action”

When – Wednesday, April 21   Time – 7 p.m.   Site – Campus Center

Presenter – Kathleen Lamkin, professor of Music

Poster Presentations

“Teacher Multicultural Competence: Impact of Age, Gender and Experience”
Sarah Ahmad, M.S., Phillip Dang, M.S., Kasmira Sobkow, M.S., Glenn Gamst, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, and Aghop Der-Karabetian, Ph.D., Associate Vice President for University Assessment and Professor of Psychology

“Family Support and Suicide among Individuals with Severe Mental Illness”
Sarah Ahmad, Carolina Prieto, David M. Walsh, & William E. Bunney, Jr.

“University Students’ Gender Differences of Sympathy toward Illegal Immigrants”
Michelle Alfaro, Vanessa Sapien, Cathy Zech, Veronica Valenzuela, Lauren Hammond, nd Thelma Pinheiro

“Southern California University Students’ Perceptions of In-Group and Out-Group Assumptions of Illegal Immigrants”
Michelle Alfaro, Vanessa Sapien, Cathy Zech, Veronica Valenzuela, Lauren Hammond, and Thelma Pinheiro

“Perceived Challenges across SES, Ethnic Differences, and Gender among Students”
Chelsea Corgan, Michelle Alfaro, Amanda Gurtis, Veronica Valenzuela, and Telicia Swihart

“Attitudes towards Interpersonal Violence, Women, and Racial Diversity as Predictors of Rape Victim Blame”
Patricia J. Long, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Stacey Harbottle, and Lynn Craig

Symposiums

“Psi Chi/Psi Beta Leadership Workshop: How to Build Good Leaders”
“Finding Diamonds in the Rough: Identifying Good Leaders,” Ngoc Bui, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Psychology, University of La Verne)
“Leadership: The Elusive Beast,” Kris Leppien-Christensen (Saddleback College),
“Fostering Leadership through a Unified Chapter,” Michelle Alfaro, University of La
Verne

Established in 2000, the center is housed on the edge of campus and staffed largely by master’s degree candidates from the College of Education and Organizational Leadership. Their charge? To tutor first- through 12^th-grade students who are struggling in reading and writing, thereby learning in the process to become better educators themselves.

“The center houses the graduate reading program, which is an instructional program for teachers who want to become reading specialists,” said Janice Pilgreen, director of the Literacy Center. “Candidates are learning to develop site-based intervention programs, coach other teachers, serve as district reading specialists, become private tutors, or teach at the community college level.”

Each week, between 50 and 60 students from grade school through high school receive intensive one-on-one tutoring at the center. They are assisted by postgraduate candidates who themselves receive intensive—and invaluable—hands-on training as they tutor. Tutees are instructed for at least one 10-week term by candidates whose curricula requires them to tutor for two years.

Literacy Center staff from left to right: Jan Pilgreen (Program Chair and Literacy Center Director); Janie Stahly (Literacy Center Coordinator); Amber Rodriguez (Literacy Center Professor); and Monica MacAuley (Adjunct Literacy Center Professor).

“The program has been very successful,” said Janie Stahly, Literacy Center coordinator. “Teachers are seeing these students catch up to others in their class and in many cases surpass any expectations they originally had for them. We have parents, teachers and principals all calling us and asking about the program.”

Clearly, the effort is working—for tutees and teachers alike. According to Pilgreen, children—each begins the program reading at least two years below grade level—are averaging one year of growth following each 10-week period they complete. That assessment speaks highly of the La Verne educators who are tutoring them.

“Candidates diagnose strengths and weaknesses for each tutee and plan personalized programs designed to help each child develop, based upon state standards,” said Amber Rodriguez, a full-time professor in the program. “Doing it is the only way candidates can implement and evaluate reading assessments and learn how to apply reading strategies. If you asked them, most would say they could not learn as much as they have without tutoring.”

Through the years, between 300 and 400 children have been tutored at the center; during that time about 200 candidates have been trained. One is Karen Orr-Bestard, an intervention teacher with the Pomona Unified School District.

“The program was incredibly beneficial to me,” she said. “Not only did it give me a deep understanding of intervention strategies, especially for older students, but it enabled me to find authentic and worthwhile research.”

Luz Zambrano, the parent of a child who is being tutored, also praised the program.

“I’ve noticed a big change in Jessica,” she said. “She is now excited about reading and has found some books she is really interested in. She likes her tutors, looks forward to coming here, and her progress has been amazing.”

From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 27, the University of La Verne will host its fifth annual Family Literacy Conference, a fun-filled day designed to encourage positive reading and learning habits. Parents will receive practical ideas and projects they can practice at home, and children will enjoy a variety of activities including a pajama party and storytelling.

Admission to the conference, including lunch, is free to all who attend. Space is limited to the first 100 families that register. Parents can obtain additional information or register by contacting associate professors Marga Madhuri (phone 909-593-3511 ext. 4673; e-mail mmadhuri@laverne.edu) or Cindy Cary (909-623-3899; ccary@laverne.edu). The first 50 children (ages preschool to third grade) registered will receive a free book and pajamas.

“It’s a fun family day that teaches literacy,” said Madhuri.

Along with literacy workshops and the pajama party, the day’s schedule will include a gymnastics demonstration, face painting, arts & crafts, and games. Attendees are advised to each bring a blanket or a beach towel.

Conference sign-in will run from 10:30-10:50 a.m. at the Barkley Building, located at 2118 D Street in La Verne. The program will begin promptly at 11 a.m. with a half-hour parent workshop that will include a presentation on the importance of children’s literacy.

La Verne is well known for its efforts involving literacy and literacy education. Since opening in September 2001, the university’s Literacy Center has worked with more than 750 students (grades K-12) and has had nearly 250 parents take part in literacy training, all at no cost to the participants. The Literacy Center also provides hands-on literacy instruction and tutoring training to candidates in the university’s Reading & Language Arts Specialist Credential Program.

A campus map and directions are available on the university’s Web site at www.laverne.edu/about/maps-directions/.