THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904
FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2010
WWW.KANSAN.COM
VOLUME 121 ISSUE 82
OBITUARY
Friends remember student's motivation, friendliness
BY ELLIOT METZ emetz@kansan.com
When Hollie Farrahi met Eric Bittlingmayer during her freshman year, there was one thing she noticed almost immediately.
"He had a really infectious laugh," said Farrahi, a junior from Kansas City, Mo. "He was always happy and
things were always pretty effortless with him."
Bittlingmayer, a sophomore from Lawrence who died last weekend, was known among his friends for many things, especially his friendliness and intelligence.
Brianna Heard, a junior from Lawrence, said "Ever since I met him in junior high at Bishop
Seabury, Eric was always incredibly intelligent."
Bittlingmayer graduated from high school one and a half years early in 2006. When he arrived at the University of Kansas, he excelled in academic life.
"He was always so motivated," Farrahi said. "He thought he was invincible."
Bittlingmayer had a wide variety of interests, including travel, politics, and technology. He also enjoyed cycling, basketball, baseball, and running.
Bittlingmayer was working on a Bachelor of Sciences degree with honors in Biochemistry, and he was planning to attend law school after his anticipated 2011 graduation.
Friends of Bittlingmayer said he loved the idea of a new challenge.
"I remember he just decided to take the LSAT one time on a whim, and he did really well on it," Farrahi said. "He was really excited about law school, he loved the logic of it."
According to his personal website, Bittlingmayer held a 3.61 GPA and was a National Society
of Collegiate Scholars honoree. He also was a note-taker for Disability Resources.
"He always cared about people so much," Farrahi said. "It made him happy when his friends were happy."
Edited by Kelly Gibson
A. 100 B. 250 C. 350 D. 450
Tanner Grubbs/KANSAN
Michael Austin, a senior from Lawrence, left, and Charles Martinez, a doctoral student in music from Wichita, rehearse Monday afternoon for the opera, The Rake's Progress. The first live performance is scheduled for Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m., at Robert Baustian Theatre in Murphy Hall.
School of Music offers unique experience for students interested in opera performances
BY ALISON CUMBOW
alisonc@kansan.com
When he was born, the first thing Michael Austin's dad did was rock him in his arms and sing The Eagles "Hotel California." Although Austin doesn't remember his father's song, it obviously made a lasting impression. Twenty-one years later, Austin spends most of his time in Murphy Hall in pursuit of a bachelor's degree in music performance.
He is also training to become an opera singer.
Not long ago, Sasha Cooke was chasing her opera dreams. On Sunday the mezzo-soprano will be performing at the Lied Center. Cooke received her master's degree from The Juilliard School, and graduated from the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program of the Metropolitan Opera. At 24, Cooke has been there and done that when it comes to being an opera student.
Austin said his dream was to be hired with an opera company in New York, and to eventually get an agent. In the meantime, he will keep practicing and learning as much as possible until his instrument — his voice — matures.
"I have to wait for my voice to decide what it's going to do," he said. "Sometimes it can be really frustrating, there are infinitely more things that I can't sing right now than I can."
Until Austin's voice fully develops
likely in his late 20s or early 30s — getting to a breakout moment in opera will be a waiting game.
Austin joined choir in 11th grade as a way to earn a trip to Disney World. After graduating, he began taking private voice lessons. Despite his preparation, Austin didn't get into the voice program in KU School of Music as a freshman.
"About 200 students auditioned,15
SEE OPERA ON PAGE 6A
UPCOMING EVENTS
Michael Austin, Anna Hoard and Charles Martinez all have roles in the School of Music's upcoming opera. "The Rake's Progress," which opens on Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m. in the Robert Baustian Theatre in Murphy Hall.
Sasha Cooke will be performing at the Lied Center on Sunday, Jan. 24 at 2 p.m.
LAWRENCE
Fundraiser supports Joe College's legal battle
BY ANNIE VANGSNES
anniev@kansan.com
Hollie Farrahi, a junior from
What originally started as a class project turned into a fundraiser concert for Joe College, 734 Massachusetts St. Thursday night. Seven Kansas City and Lawrence bands performed at the Granada in a concert to raise support for the business.
Kansas City, Mo., chose to study Joe College for a strategic communications class project and had to build a campaign for the business. Her group came up with the idea for the fundraiser and followed through with it this semester.
Farrahi, project coordinator,
said she wanted the event to build
community support and to be a
fun thing for students to do on a
Thursday night.
Farrahi said the event wasn't about negative sentiments surrounding the legal battle between Joe College and Kansas Athletics Inc. that have been going on for the past few years.
"It's kind of like a 'help out the little man thing,'" she said. "We want to make the focus really local and it's a positive thing."
In September a federal judge ruled that Larry Sinks owed
Kansas Athletics Inc. $667,507 in attorney fees in addition to the $127,337 in damages for "trademark infringement"
He said $1.8 million came through athletics from trademarks and $752,456 was given directly
Jim Marchiony, associate athletics director, said profits from trademarks are submitted through the athletic department, but a portion is given back to the University.
Rusty Scott, a Lawrence player, plays in front of a crowd Thursday night at the Granada. Seven bands from Kansas City and Lawrence helped to raise money for Joe College.
See an audio slideshow at kansan.com/videos
index
SEE JOE ON PAGE 6A
Grassitieds. 4B Opinion. 5A
Crossword. 4A Sports. 1B
Horoscopes. 4A Sudoku. 4A
All contents, unless stated otherwise; © 2010 The University Daily Kansan
Jewish ritual causes security scare on plane
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