Our Point Of View

A Message from Hilda Pang Fu, Luminari President and Founder

Photo by Dr. Freddie Fu

Sometimes, when words fail us, we are lucky enough to find an image that captures our feelings. This is such an image.

Most of us here in the Pittsburgh area are familiar with the sculpture “Point of View.” It is the work of James A. West, commissioned by the city in 1990. It stands in a small park on Mt. Washington, overlooking the Golden Triangle.

The piece depicts George Washington and Seneca leader Guyasuta in a face-to-face meeting in October 1770. The two men met while General Washington was in the area touring land for a future settlement along the Ohio River.

I am showing you this image because I have become increasingly concerned that the values of civility and common respect are disappearing from our world. Recent political events—and the brash discourse surrounding them—appear to be injecting a poisonous rancor into the common ground we share. One needs only glance at social media screens to recognize that the skills of thoughtful conversation and consideration have been forgotten.

But I, for one, am not losing hope. When I look at this image, I see two men whose life experiences and goals could not have been more divergent. And yet…

And yet, they came together in mutual respect to find the goals they shared. Notice they have put down their weapons. And despite what was almost certainly a language barrier, they are listening.

Of course, If this photograph were historically accurate, there would be no grand city over their shoulders. All would be green and wild and raw.

But I like this image better, because it shows all the dazzling progress that was sparked by that face-to-face meeting. We see skyscrapers, green space, a fountain, stadiums—all of them monuments to the spirit of cooperation that built this city.

And in the distance I see bridges, themselves carrying the message that progress and peace lie only in the spaces between us. It is the work of civility and diplomacy that reaches across that space.

If you haven’t seen the sculpture, the next time you’re on Mt. Washington, drive west on Grandview Avenue and see the General and the Chief, two very different individuals who met on common ground. And then look across the water and see all that their meeting started.

It is my sincere hope that, more than 3 centuries later, we may return to that same spirit of kindness and cooperation. We need it now more than ever. 

What's That Sound? Hydraulophone

By Beth Dolinar

We at Luminari love music of all kinds: folk, symphony, hip hop, jazz, blues, country, marches, gospel, rock and roll—we enjoy all of it.

Because our mission is to broaden minds and promote innovation, we think it’s important—and fun—to open our minds to the possibilities of the world beyond our own doorstep. And what better way to do that than to learn about the music of other lands.

In each issue of LUMOS!, we offer a regular series about the unique and unusual (and sometimes downright strange) instruments we’ve never heard. And since we can’t really understand an instrument until we’ve heard it being played, we’ll offer links to sites where you can hear and see a performance.

And so we offer our fifth in a series of unusual instruments: Hydraulophone

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Ryan Janzen, playing with Hart House Symphonic Band

If you’re the kind of person whose bucket list includes “Playing a Chopin etude while relaxing in a bubbly hot tub”, then the hydraulophone is for you.

A hydraulophone is an instrument that produces music through direct physical contact with water. Think of a flute with water running through the holes instead of air. Versions of the hydraulophone have been around for centuries, but the most recent versions were perfected—and named—by Steve Mann.

Most versions of the hydraulophone have twelve holes which correspond to as many water jets that produce the notes; most have a range of an octave and a half. Before exiting the holes, the water passes through reeds, valves or disks, creating notes. The water is directed through the selected holes by the player’s fingers. Some versions of the instrument are connected to electrical amplifiers. and some even use fluids other than water. Vodka with your Wagner, anyone?

Now, about the hot tub.  On cold days, in Canada for example, musicians give hydraulophone performances while seated in hot tubs; in some cases the instrument is built right into the tub, allowing the player to make music while bubbling away the stresses of the day.

You’ll also find versions of the hydraulophone at theme parks and museums, where standing versions invite children and their parents to tickle the “keyboard” of little fountains to create music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWmiBVndVMY

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulophone#/media/File:Balnaphone_base7.jpg

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Luminari Coordinator, Beth Dolinar brings her talents and experience as a writer, Emmy-award producer, public speaker and deadline driven multi-tasker to our team. She writes a popular column for the Washington "Observer-Reporter." She is a contributing producer of documentary length programming for WQED-TV on a wide range of topics and currently teaches as an adjunct faculty member at Robert Morris University. Beth has a son and a daughter. She is an avid yoga devotee, cyclist and reader. Beth says she types like lightning but reads slowly -- because she likes a really good sentence.

What's That Sound? The Octobass

By Beth Dolinar

We at Luminari love music of all kinds: folk, symphony, hip hop, jazz, blues, country, marches, gospel, rock and roll—we enjoy all of it.

Because our mission is to broaden minds and promote innovation, we think it’s important—and fun—to open our minds to the possibilities of the world beyond our own doorstep. And what better way to do that than to learn about the music of other lands.

In each issue of LUMOS!, we offer a regular series about the unique and unusual (and sometimes downright strange) instruments we’ve never heard. And since we can’t really understand an instrument until we’ve heard it being played, we’ll offer links to sites where you can hear and see a performance.

And so we offer our fourth in a series of unusual instruments: the Octobass

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If the tallest football player you know were also a musical instrument, he would be an octobass.

The instrument, an extreme version of the double bass, was invented around 1850 in Paris. Like a double bass, it has three strings. But unlike the more conventional versions of the bass, the octobass also has a set of levers and foot pedals.

The instrument is too large for just one player; most performances require two musicians: one to bow or pluck the strings and the other to work the levers and pedals. This makes the octobass unwieldy for most performances. That, along with its size, has limited the number of octobasses in use. There are only a handful of them in existence.

Still, the octobass has had its fans, including composer Hector Berlioz, who suggested the mighty stringed behemoth should become more mainstream. Berlioz also loved the sound of tubas, so it makes sense that he championed the octobass.

The instrument stands six and a half feet tall, and its sound reaches the lowest vibrational frequencies detectable by the human ear. Think very large, croaking frog. Or maybe that string riff in the theme from “Jaws.”

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Luminari Coordinator, Beth Dolinar brings her talents and experience as a writer, Emmy-award producer, public speaker and deadline driven multi-tasker to our team. She writes a popular column for the Washington "Observer-Reporter." She is a contributing producer of documentary length programming for WQED-TV on a wide range of topics and currently teaches as an adjunct faculty member at Robert Morris University. Beth has a son and a daughter. She is an avid yoga devotee, cyclist and reader. Beth says she types like lightning but reads slowly -- because she likes a really good sentence.

#GivingTuesday

New research reveals that the old saying, “it is better to give than to receive,” may just be true.  

Recent studies suggest that volunteers donate their time because they enjoy doing something meaningful and helpful to others. According to Psychcentral.com, a “2010 Do Good Live Well Survey of 4,500 American adults reported 41 percent of volunteered an average of 100 hours a year. Of those who volunteered, 68 percent reported that it made them feel physically healthier; 89 percent said that it improved well-being, and 73 percent believed that it lowered stress levels.”

Besides creating a hopeful feeling and fostering meaning, giving back may also be good for your physical health. Furthermore, giving back may stimulate the release of endorphins in the body, which has been linked to improved nervous and immune system functions. So whether you are donating money or time, giving back proves beneficial for both the giver and the receiver.

Now with the giving (and consuming) season upon us, this is a great opportunity to take part in a movement designed to bring people together around the values of service by celebrating and encouraging giving. According to its website, “#GivingTuesday began in 2012 as a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Observed on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving.”

Pittsburgh is blessed with many non-profit organizations that support a number of causes from social services to education to animal rescue just to name a few. Do your homework and look for organizations that share your values and interests, and remember there are many worthy causes that need your support. It's important to invest some time when exploring where your donation will have the most impact. This is an important decision because you wouldn't buy a car without researching it first, asking questions or "kicking the tires" if you will,  nor would you invest your money with a company that you didn't thoroughly vet either. Another benefit to researching nonprofits is that it gives you an opportunity to find smaller and little-known organizations in your own backyard that may be more in need of your support than larger, well-known institutions. Talk to your neighbors, friends and co-workers, they may have some ideas and suggestions too!

As Mahatma Gandhi said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

WAYS TO GIVE BACK:

• On #GivingTuesday, December 1, 2015, join with charities, families, businesses, community centers, and students around the world to celebrate a new tradition of generosity. Visit www.givingtuesday.org to find ways you and your family, community, or company can give back. Then use social media to tell everyone about how you are giving.

• For a local impact, find what you are passionate about and look for ways to help in your own neighborhood. There are many organizations that provide opportunities for individuals to donate money, time or skills. Here are a few to options to consider:
  
  The Pittsburgh Cares website, a nonprofit affiliate of the HandsOn Network, offers a searchable database of volunteer opportunities in and around the Pittsburgh region. If you don’t have the time or discretionary funds to support a local cause, take a look at the Pittsburgh Cares Wish List, which is another way to help organizations through much needed donations of goods and items that you already have but may not need anymore.
  
  LinkedIn’s Volunteer Marketplace is where nonprofits access LinkedIn’s advanced search and job posting tools to recruit skilled volunteers and board members.
  
  Volunteer Match connects millions of skilled, passionate professionals around the world with organization's volunteer opportunities.

• In the spirit of giving back and instilling hope, we invite you to join Luminari by sharing messages of hope and appreciation with your own family, friends, neighbors and co-workers to let them know you care and are thinking about them. Little ways of saying: “You’re important, and I just wanted you know” (messages can be either hand written or posted on social media.) We know the holidays can be busy and stressful, however, letting others know you care with a small gesture or reminder may just brighten their day and yours too!

• If you would like to help further Luminari's mission and enhance our programs and financial aid offerings for a significant number of teens, please consider supporting us with a financial contribution that will specifically strengthen the slate of 2016 summer camp experiences. But there are other ways to get involved too, just give us a call at 412-877-1888 or email luminari@luminari.org to discuss ways you can help share our mission.

We hope you find these suggestions helpful in your mission to make a difference and give back. Remember, when you volunteer your time, offer emotional support to a friend or colleague or donate gifts/money to those in need this holiday season, you are working to impact your community and build stronger connections with others, which studies agree, is good for your health.

Happy Giving,

Team Luminari