May 16, 1997

A Salute to Change-A Reminder of Tradition

Remarks by David Swanzy at his retirement reception on May 6

We are gathered here for a celebration, one for which I am personally appreciative, but, one which, more importantly, recognizes for all of us the dynamics of change in the context of tradition.

"Change is as important as it is natural. It brings vitality and provides unique opportunities for quality improvement. It reflects evolution by opening doors for the next generation of individuals with fresh ideas and new approaches. Change should be embraced as well as endorsed by those of us who have participated in the earlier directions as well as by the younger generation poised to make significant contributions.

"At the same time, traditions which have been established over the years have a special place, not only for historical purposes but for the fact that they reflect the actions and opinions of the many individuals who have contributed so much in the earlier years. Rather than simply viewed as a habit without substance, I see tradition in its pure form as a valuable set of standards and actions which evolved from the best thinking and efforts of a former time. They have been tried; they have produced results.

"Change may be instituted by one individual, but tradition is a natural product of many people over a long period of time. One might say that change is the science and tradition is the art of the liberal arts label, Arts and Sciences. Both are needed to make the whole; thus meaningful change comes in the context of tradition.

"People who love music enjoy the marriage of change and tradition on a regular basis. Concerts and recitals, no matter how small or insignificant, always have these two ingredients. Tradition is reflected, among many other ways, in the performance of music of earlier generations, in the notation of music which evolved slowly but essentially to its present state before the 17th century, and in the instruments which dominate western music. Just as important, change is reflected in our present-day electronic music media, our avant-garde composers, and especially, in our performers' abilities to uniquely interpret the music written by others.

"So, this is a special celebration of change and tradition. The change, in its fullest sense, is meant to move forward, to establish new directions, and above all to seek, on a continuing basis, a higher level of quality than we reached yesterday. This change is especially observed in the eyes of our incoming students and our newer faculty, both of whom offer new opportunities and challenges.

"In reminiscing about tradition, memory of two college personalities during the last 20 years stand out. One is the beloved Fr. C.J. McNaspy, a previous dean and a Jesuit whose intelligence, personality, and kindness set the standards for future generations. The other is George Jansen, a fine trumpet teacher and the predecessor of Joe Hebert. I will never forget the smile on his face when he bragged about his sharpest student.They called him Wynton in those days too.

"Closer to home, Fr. James Carter is a personal friend of mine and my model for how to gracefully make a change in professional directions. My model for continuing productivity into my later years is my mother-in-law, Stella Sitges, who at 92 still practices her piano five hours a day and occasionally performs for me as if she is on the concert stage. Talking about tradition, she was a 1928 graduate of the New Orleans Conservatory, later known as the Loyola College of Music.

"After I recovered from the surprise of a true surprise party given to me by the music students last Friday, I gained enough composure to tell them that my favorite characteristic of the College of Music was that it functioned like a large extended family. I was the rather stern father, now graduating to the more favored level of grandfather. So, this is a time for all of us to reflect on our traditions and our changing times. Thanks for being a part of our celebration."

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