My name is Eric Vaughn Jennings, and I am the son of Dr. Eugene Jennings, a retired faculty emeritus who taught piano at Ohio University for 45 years. I am also the son of Lucile High Jennings, who tragically died in a car accident in August some four years ago. Just a couple things of note about Ohio University and ways it could improve its education mission. Being a classically trained violinist and piano player, I can assure you that classical music is the bomb. I’ve attended thousands of classical concerts during my 50 years of life and realize that all forms of music — including rap, rock ‘n’ roll, jazz, Latin fusion, etc. — have derived from classical music. Consequently, I would make it a requirement that all OU students attend at least one classical concert at Ohio University at least once a semester. These classical concerts — which could be a percussion concert, chamber orchestra concert, the Ohio University symphony orchestra, jazz concert, etc. — are all free. And I would bet that students would be inclined to attend more than one classical concert per semester. Music, sports and food are what keep us going in America. However, I know that many students have never listened to a classical concert. Boy, are they missing something.
Eric Jennings is a 1992 graduate of Ohio University and an Athens resident.
