Often the category of literature is reserved for prose writers. Fortunately for the Emory community, this year’s Ellmann Lectures in Modern Literature broadened that traditional definition by bringing musician and singer-songwriter Paul Simon to campus this past week.
Simon’s music has been widely acclaimed as not just both musically sophisticated but also lyrically brilliant. We at the Wheel are glad that the Ellmann Lectures committee recognized Simon as an excellent lecturer for this series. We are even more pleased at how smoothly the lectures went this year.
Throughout the series, Simon was real with his audience. He explored his musical process as well as shared anecdotes from his childhood and Simon & Garfunkel days. He covered much autobiographical ground, from the moment he realized he wanted to be a musician at 12, while sitting on his parents’ back porch in New York to the day he found out one of his songs had made it into the top 60 on the Billboard charts.
The creative conversation between former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins and Simon was especially dynamic. The two compared songwriting to writing poems, discussing the intricacies and the subtle differences between the two. Collins explained that the conversation was not the first time the two had met and discussed their work. This was evident by the witty banter and repartee the two shared.
The last event, the concert, was an intimate affair held in Emerson Concert Hall. Simon played an acoustic set with musician Mark Stewart, as well as some guest performers from the Ellmann Committee. Simon opened with “The Sound of Silence” to roars of applause. We at the Wheel appreciate how Simon and the Ellmann committee allowed the concert to display Simon’s lyricism without turning into a more traditional rowdy concert. It felt more like a reading and creative display.
While we feel the Ellmann lectures were a huge success this year, we question whether enough tickets were set a side for students. Additionally, ticket distribution began at 10 a.m. on a Monday morning, a popular time for many classes.
We would also like to commend the Ellmann committee and those involved in the event planning for flawlessly rescheduling the lectures after they were cancelled last semester.
As the committee begins to plan for the next Ellmann Lecturer, we hope that they will continue to broaden the definition of literature by bringing another inspirational and acclaimed artist. If this year is any indication of what’s to come, the Ellmann series is sure to expand and flourish, continuing to remind the Emory community the important and meaningful place the arts hold on this campus and in this community.
The above staff editorial represents the majority opinion of the Wheel‘s editorial board.
The Emory Wheel was founded in 1919 and is currently the only independent, student-run newspaper of Emory University. The Wheel publishes weekly on Wednesdays during the academic year, except during University holidays and scheduled publication intermissions.
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