monday, September 17, 1979
daily nebraskan
page 9
'Class Reunion'ingredieiits make enjoyable formula
By Beisie Ammons
When a scientist finds just the right
combination of ingredients for a revolu
tionary formula, he hangs on to it.
And often an author will do the same
thing.
One such writer is novelist Rona Jaffe,
whose slick, soap-opera style books focus
on the lives Of the sophisticated eastern set.
Jaffe's latest formula offering is Class
Reunion, which chronicles the lives of four
oxoxo
Another Ingredient Jaffe likes is inter
twining the lives of people to come up with
a rich, fascinating story. The magic number
seems to be four. By showing us diverse
characters, she manages to wave countless
themes throughout the book.
In Class Reunion, Jaffe introduces the
reader to four women of similar back
grounds whose Uvea each take a twist.
There is Annabel, nicknamed the "Har
vard whore," who was promiscuous long
before it was fashionable: Emilv. the
straight, thoughtful woman who was afraid
to tell her WASP classmates she's Jewish;
Bfy'ni?9 Daphne, enviable as the "Golden Girl,"
i U UfcsjL J who terrible secret;" and Christine,
the single-minded cynic.
women and their men who attended
Harvard-Radcliffe in the 1950s.
The women, predictably enough, meet
again in the book's beginning, the first in
gredient for a successful Jaffe formula.
After writing teasers about the course of
each one's life, Jaffe takes us back to the
events leading up to where they are now.
Jaffe has employed this technique in
previous books, perhaps the most popular
being The Best of Everything, which was
made into a movie in the early 1960s and
was the loose basis for a soap opera.
Through the Mpresent-day-meeting, visit-the-past,
return-to-the-present" formula of
the book, Jaffe ties the lives of each into a
neat little bow and the reader is left with a
feeling of order and satisfaction.
Formula books are the novels of the
1970s. Their themes range from a woman's
search for identity, alcoholism, homo
sexuality, mental illness and, of course,
good old-fashioned violence and sex, sex,
sex.
Class Reunion contains liberal doses of
all these and more, but with enough char-
Low funds stumbling point
for jazz program director
By Mary Kay Wayman
A "kick in the pants" is what the new
director plans for die UNL jazz program,
and he says free Friday afterroon concerts
in the Nebraska Union are just the begin
ning. Director and graduate assistant John
Kirsch said the eight jazz ensembles, organ
ized to allow musicians a chance to impro
vise, will begin giving concerts in the Crib
Sept. 28, Any musicians in the audience
can participate in jam sessions during the
2 to 4 p.m. shows, he said.
Considering the' program's financial sit
uation, Kirsch said that while they don't
plan to pass the hat during shows (it's
not allowed in the Crib), donations will be
appreciated.
' Kirsch said' he wants people to know
that the jazz bands exist.
'There are some really good things that
are starting to happen," he said. "We're
looking, for places to perform around cam
pus to let people know the big bands are
here."
A stumbling point for the jazz program
is a lack of funds, he said.
The music department budgeted Kirsch
$250 for he semester, which he said he
already has spent on sheet music for the
three big bands.
Kirsch said he expanded the program
this year, changing the former number one
and two bands to two bands of comparable
strength. A third, new band serves as a
development band, he said, and is made up
mostly of freshman.
The changes he's initiated will bring a
lot of growth to the musicians and the
bands, Kirsch said.
"We'll be good this year, great next
year, and the third year well be phenom
enal," he said, adding that by then he will
have finished his term as director. The
music department is considering giving the
post a full-time faculty member, he said.
But one change Kirsch said he has yet to
see is the availability of funds for trips to
two major jazz festivals this spring. He said
the trips to Kansas City and Wichita, Kan.,
would be a strong recruitment for attract
ing good musicians to UNL
Last year was the first time the UNL
jazz bands have not attended a major
festival, he said.
To raise the $2,000 he estimated would
be necessary for a three-day stay at one
festival, the jazz bands will rely on dona
tions; Kirsch said.
"We're not out to pressure anybody
(into donating)," he said. "We're out to
play first, but I hope well be so electrify
ing that people will want to ."
They will become a frequent sight on
campus, he said, playing Sunday after
noons- this fall in residence halls, court
yards and outside Kimball Hall next
spring.
KFMQ tops radio ratings
KFMQ radio, 102 on the FM dial, now
is No. 1 in the Lincoln area.
The ratings which came from Arbitron,
a radio evaluation organization, ranked
KFMQ highest in a five county area in
southeastern Nebraska. KFMQ outrated all
other area stations with one-fifth of the
total listenership so far in 1979.
Arbitron is a nation-wide organization
for the evaluation of radio stations, accord
ing to Bruce Wheeler, program director for
KFMQ. It is "The recognized radio rater"
in the United States, he said.
It is to radio what the Nielson Ratings
are to television " he said.
The Arbitron rating is based on a
"diary" system. Diaries are sent to random
ly selected households throughout the
community. The families ire asked to keep
as accurate as possible record of what,
when and how much radio they listen to.
Arbitron then compiles a book of
results, breaking down the hstenership into
hundreds of combinations. The book is
made available to the stations rated, with a
composite percentage, as well as age, sex,
hourly and daily breakdowns. These com
binations are of the most interest to
Wheeler.
"The Arbitron ratings are the most
helpful tool for the radio programmer."
Wheeler said.
The ratings also serve as a tool for adver
tising plans, to determine which part of the
day is best adapted to sell a particular
item, he added.
The KFMQ composite score was 20 per
cent of total listenership, with KFOR (FM,
1340) with 17j6 percent, and KLIN (FM,
107 3) with 122 percent.
The evaluation was taken from 573
dianes placed in Nebraska households,
compared to an approximate 1 ,200 diaries
used by the Nklsoa Ratings, Wheeler said.
The highest percentage breakdown for
KFMQ was the 18-34 age group of males
and females, with a 31.4 percent listener
ship. Wheeler said the survey did not include
college campuses.
acter development and plot twists that
while it is predictable, it seldom is trite.
Intellectual reading it's not, but enjoy
able it is. If the book has a message, and
that is not an essential ingredient in the
formula, it is that everyone goes through a
period of self-realization and examination.
For some, it happens in college, but Jaffe's
characters don't realize their full potential
until the book's upbeat end.
As a portrayal of campus life, Class Re
union is nostaligic although the lifestyle
she describes is different from a large mid
western university. But, no matter where
one lives or goes to college, it's interesting
reading.
Class Reunion never will join the ranks
of The Great Gatsby or Catcher in the Rye.
But in competition with slick, glittering
1970s novels, it is best in class.
Recitals, exhibit scheduled
These concerts and recitals are spon
sored this week by the UNL School of
Music, Unless otherwise noted, all are
open to the public with no admission
charge.
TUESDAY: James Wehrman, French
horn faculty recital, 12:10 pjn. and
8 p.m. in Kimball Recital Hall.
WEDNESDAY: Junior General Recital,
4:30 p jn. in Westbrook Recital Hall.
THURSDAY: Graduate General Recital,
3:30 pjn. in Westbrook Recital Hall.
FRIDAY: William Albright and Gerd
Zacher, guest organists, 8 pjn. in
Kimball Recital Hall. Tickets are $3,
$1.50 for students and are available
at the door.
The Mark Four Gallery is presenting
an exhibition of oil and water color
paintings by Brad Krieger now through
Oct. 14.
The paintings represent work in both
stencil and college techniques.
Krieger received his Bachelor of Arts
degree from Southern Illinois Univer
sity, Edwardsville, 111., and is working
toward the Master of Fine Arts degree
at UNL
Mark Four Gallery at 1020 Que St.
is open Monday through Friday from
8 a jn. to 5 pjn. and by appointment.
IBSIi-ROOHD
soran
Tllliif Clltlf
umne soon
1 Block South of Campus
Downtown
Gunny's Bldg. -Lower Level
245 N. 13th
1 minute 1 hour in the
sun. It's sunless, sweatless,
safe, fast and convenient.
For: Housewives, business
men, executives, students.
athletes, for everyone.
Suntan World Enterprises
P.O. Box 80904
Lincoln, NE 68501
Studio Theatre
12th & R Lteccta
Phcns: 472-2073
MAMIPTTdDM
(DIBIEMIL&NIINSl
n
V
Tickets $3 6 $4
October 4,5,6,7,8 and 9
at 8 p.m.
f if
WAQEKiCKCIS
LESLIE BOVEE
GICnGSiA SPELVJM
ANNETTE HAVE '
Jm
14. ISJ
HARRY
REEMS.
1730 "O" St. 432-6042 J
1 1 fe
UPC Presents
the third annual
GREAT PLAINS
BLUES FEST1WAL
with
and special guests
and
Nebraska Union
Sept 28 - 8 p.m.
Tickets at
both Unions & Dirt Cheap
I mf C mil.
U CITY
This WeeEi At T5i ZOO
Monday-Tuesday from Minneapolis
POP 17AGNER and GOD COVEE
"Excellent country, etc" 50 cover
Wednesday . . . THE SOUTH ST. SHAtCEOS
"rhythm & blues and rock" $1 coyer
Thursday, Fri., Sat
THE HEAtlTMUOIVlUriS
"Cnnkin' blues" " 1.50 cover
133N.14& -
