The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord lift His countenance upon you, and give you peace, the Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you. Amen.
Thus goes the Benediction of Emory & Henry College, composed by Peter C. Lutkin. Except it is sung. Sung a cappella by our choirs in the solemn, nostalgic key of C major. We sing it at some concerts, but also at other formal events, including annual events such as graduations and Founders' Day. It is the one piece of music that we sing at every non-musical occasion that music is invited to complement.
Why is this Benediction so fascinating to me?
First, it lets forth heartfelt goodwill to all that hear it (if it is sung intentionally). It is a song of prayer saying: "May God be with you wherever you go, now that we must leave you. We wish you well in all you do, no matter who you are, where you are from, whether we know you or not." There I find the college's atmosphere: welcoming to everyone, with no exception. I remember my first few days at the college, how I was welcome every moment at every place I went. This song is simply the translation of the college's spirit into music. Wonderful.
Second, and most important, it unites the college in collective tradition. Our college has traditions that bind all our members together in ceremony and recognition. We are not too casual: we care about what our students, professors, administrators, alumni, friends, and trustees do for us. We take time during the year to break away from the weekly rhythm of classes, to be involved in the life of the college as a whole and its progress since it was founded in 1836. We care about our history and our members are special people to us — from the founders to the most recent graduates. I heartily agree with all of the above, which has sadly been lost in most Western European institutions of higher education, where there is hardly any tradition to bring together all the members in one community of friendship and trust. I have not grown up to see so much celebration to create and maintain social bonds alive. This is what is lacking in some of our Western European cultures: many of us in my circle neglected such things as anniversaries, graduation celebrations, nomination ceremonies, and other rituals. Seeing that so much is done at Emory to keep the bonds of our community tight fills me with a joy and a hope I have very seldom ever felt. Our college would never have been so great to study in — and would never have reached such a height in achievement — if our community of members and former members had not been so closely bound for all these 180 years.
And simply thinking about these two things makes me shed tears of emotion every time I sing the Benediction with the choirs - especially when, as a tenor, I lead the Amen theme with my section. My Junior year at Emory has been an unforgettable experience: I have made encounters that were almost impossible where I grew up, and this is only one of them. I look forward to even more life-changing experiences in my Senior year!
