Lecture: “Changed in a Flash: How One Woman Was Struck by Lightning, Talked to God, and Came Back to Dream the Future”

Date/Time: Thursday, Oct. 4, at 7 p.m.

Location: Sussman Theater, Olmsted Center

Speaker: Jeffrey J. Kripal, J. Newton Rayzor Professor of Religion, Rice University

Jeffrey J. Kripal holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University and the Associate Director of the Center for Theory and Research at the Esalen Institute. He is the author of numerous books, including his most recent Secret Body: Erotic and Esoteric Currents in the History of Religions (Chicago, 2017). He specializes in the comparative study and analysis of extreme religious states from the ancient world to today.

In this lecture, Prof. Kripal will describe the near-death experience of Elizabeth Krohn, with whom he has co-written a recent book. He will then use Elizabeth’s visionary narrative and precognitive dreams to rethink how such anomalous events are treated, or not treated, in the study of religion and what they might still mean for rethinking the limits of the human.

Monique Rodriguez, College of Arts and Sciences

Please join us for our next Meet My Religious Neighbor open house Sunday, Oct. 7, at 11:30 a.m. at the Iowa Sikh Association on 1115 Walnut Street in West Des Moines.

For this open house, we will be joining the Sikh community for its regularly scheduled Sunday workshop service. Approximately one hour of hymns (kirtan) will be followed by a short prayer (aardas), an exposition of the passage of the day (hookah nama), and the serving of the “holy pudding” (karah prashad). Following the service, everyone is invited to join the congregation for langar — a free, vegetarian meal.

Guest should dress modestly, avoid pointing outstretched legs at the holy book and altar, and also avoid turning their back to the holy book and altar (at least in close proximity to it). Shoes must be removed to enter the sanctuary. Simple kerchiefs (which are provided) must be worn by men and women.

Monique Rodriguez, College of Arts and Sciences

I am in need of music is the theme of the Drake University Department of Music’s choral concert on Sunday, Oct. 7, at 3 p.m. in Sheslow Auditorium.  This debut concert will feature performances by the Drake Choir, Chamber Choir, and Chorale and includes music by contemporary American, Latvia, and Mongolian composers, as well as a work by Mozart (with chamber orchestra).  There is no admission charge.

Aimee Beckmann-Collier, Music

Silvan Negrutiu, assistant professor of piano and coordinator of keyboard studies at Millikin University School of Music, will present the opening concert of the 2018–2019 season for the Drake University Keys to Excellence Piano Series at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 8, in Sheslow Auditorium.

The performance, which is free and open to the public, will feature the following works:

Six Bagatelles, Op. 126
Ludwig van Beethoven

Third Piano Suite, Op. 6 No. 1
Constatin Silvestri

Sarabande, Op. 10
George Enescu

Ten Bagatelles, Op. 5
Alexander Tcherepnin

Danzas Argentinas, Op. 2
Alberto Ginastera

Dr. Silvan Negrutiu will also present a free masterclass at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 7, in Sheslow Auditorium. The masterclass is open to the public.

About the artist
Internationally acclaimed pianist Silvan Negrutiu has performed concerts around the world at venues such as the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, Ireland’s National Concert Hall, the Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest, the Xi’an Concert Hall in China, the Showa Recital Hall in Tokyo, and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. He appeared as a soloist with prestigious orchestras including the Romanian Radio Chamber Orchestra, Alicante Philharmonic, George Enescu Philharmonic, and Dublin Symphony Orchestra. Some of his concerts have included live television and radio broadcasts. He is a laureate of numerous international competitions, including the “Roma 2000” and Salerno “Beethoven e i classici” in Italy; the “Seiler” in Sofia, Bulgaria; the “Feis Ceoil” in Dublin, Ireland; and the “Konzerteum” in Pireas, Greece.

In high demand as a performer, masterclass clinician, adjudicator, and speaker, Silvan Negruțiu has been a frequent attendee and performer at international music festivals such as the International Keyboard Institute and Festival in New York, the International Holland Music Sessions in The Netherlands, the Xi’an International Music Festival in China, and the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado. For the last two summers, he has been on the artist-teacher rosters at the Xi’an International Music Festival in China and at the InterHarmony International Music Festival in Italy.

In 2008, Silvan Negrutiu was one of the seven international pianists invited to the prestigious Beethoven Festival in Positano, Italy, organized by the Wilhelm Kempff Cultural Foundation. He is the recipient of the 2009 Gaiety Bursary in Dublin, the Romanian Government Bursary in 2007, the Romanian Ministry of Education and Research Award of Excellence in 2002, and the 2001 Eugen Barbu Award for excellence in performing activity. He has recently collaborated with Japanese violinist Akemi Takayama to record the CD Carl Roskott: Works for Violin (Centaur Records), which was recognized in May 2018 by Global Music Awards with a Silver Medal for Outstanding Achievement. He is also an active member of the Performing Creation Union of the Romanian Musicians; College Music Society; Music Teachers National Association; and currently serves as Vice President of the Decatur Area Music Teachers Association and South District Chair of the Illinois State Music Teachers Association.

Silvan Negrutiu holds piano performance degrees from Shenandoah Conservatory in Virginia (D.M.A.), the Royal Irish Academy of Music and Dublin City University in Ireland (M.Mus.), and the National University of Music in Bucharest, Romania (B.Mus.). He currently resides in Decatur, Illinois, where he is the assistant professor of piano and coordinator of keyboard studies at Millikin University School of Music. Prior to his appointment at Millikin University, Silvan Negrutiu taught at the Royal Irish Academy of Music and Shenandoah Conservatory.

About Keys to Excellence Piano Series
Keys to Excellence Piano Series was created to raise awareness of Drake’s fundraising efforts for 70 new Yamaha pianos for the music department. It brings internationally acclaimed artists to perform on the Yamaha CFX concert grand at Drake University. The series is supported by Yamaha, West Music, Civic Music Association, and Drake University. For more information, contact Nicholas Roth at 515-321-5947 or nicholas.roth@drake.edu.

Nicholas Roth, Music