The Music Department at Andrews University may be overlooked by students. It is, however, one of the most amazing fields of study that the school offers to students. One might pass by Hamel Hall and hear a violin or a piano playing from an open window. I took the time to pay this building a visit and ask questions to those who practically live in this building for their education or profession.
The people in this building included students who study music or participate in the music groups and professors who teach music courses. One student that I interviewed was Jason Marquez (junior, music performance). When I asked him what his experience as a music student at AU was like. He described how students who study music must “balance academic work and music practice.” He told me that they must practice for “at least 20 hours every week.” Besides those seemingly difficult conditions, Marquez told me that his “classes, professors, and ensembles are fun and great.”
I entered one of the classrooms and met Byron Graves, Assistant Professor of Music, Wind Symphony Conductor, Music Education Area Coordinator, Wind/Percussion Area Coordinator, and Graduate Program Director. When I asked Graves what his experience with music was like, he began to describe to me his past with music. He told me how he graduated from AU in the field of music and went on to teach it at schools. Graves has taught at a highschool for ten years and is currently teaching at AU. He enjoys working with “dedicated musicians.” Graves also told me how he is not only teaching music but also “preparing the next generation of music teachers.” His work is busy, he says.
I also had a good conversation with Caralynn Chan (senior, speech-language pathology and audiology), who is the principal harpist of the Andrews University Symphony Orchestra and also plays for the Wind Symphony, about her time so far as an involved musician and student on campus. She says that doing music with an ensemble that meets weekly and performs at least once a month requires a student to exhibit meticulous time management. “As an individual who participates in two AU ensembles, it was challenging for me during my first year of university to balance school work, practicing, and having a social life. However, as time progressed, I learned how to learn repertoire at a more rapid pace and focused on polishing my study habits to ensure that I had time to take a mental health break and socialize with friends.”
Megan Case (junior, music education), an oboist for the Wind Symphony and Orchestra, concurs with this idea. She says that “there is definitely a lot of balancing to do. It's not just homework and performing, it's daily practice, rehearsals, and making sure you have time for yourself (which is exercise for me) and some form of social life.”
Chan also gave a brief, but not-so-brief, rundown of her rehearsal schedule: “I have rehearsals for the Andrews University Wind Symphony on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays from 5:00 pm-6:15 pm and rehearsals for the Andrews University Symphony Orchestra from 7:00 pm-9:00 pm. Besides these rehearsals, I have personal practice times in the Howard Performing Arts Center for one to two hours during weekdays to continue learning my repertoire. To handle this, I always make sure that I bring a bottle of water with me to practices to keep myself hydrated and I always make sure to snack before and after rehearsals so that I do not become too fatigued. Moreover, I try to complete most of my homework during the day so I can focus more on rehearsals at night. I have a physical and mental schedule of what I would like to accomplish before rehearsals concerning schoolwork which helps me become more judicious with my time.”
I also asked Chan and Case if they recommend participating in the music programs at AU. Case says, “Since I'm a music education major instead of a performance major, I don’t get the same weekly practice hours, but I make up for it in all my education classes that performance majors don’t take. Also in music we do a lot of low/no credit stuff so I think a lot of people don’t understand how busy we are. It can be hard sometimes, but I find it to be worth it or else I wouldn’t still be doing it. I’m really excited about teaching music and a lot of my classes are so fascinating.”
Chan states, “While participating in any AU music ensembles can be difficult, it is important to know your motivations towards joining and dedicating your time. If you are a university student here, AU allows you to add an ensemble for one credit. This is especially helpful if you would like to take classes that could potentially increase your GPA, as the grading for ensembles is predominantly based on rehearsal and performance attendance and appropriate dress attire for performances.”
Chan goes on to say, “If you are curious about joining, please contact the music department and the conductors for the University Singers (the choir), Orchestra, and Wind Symphony. While it may sound like strenuous and time-consuming work, it is an excellent opportunity to meet people outside of your major who have a passion for creating music in a group environment.”
Case also gave this reassuring thought, “People tell me a lot that they don’t think they’re good enough to join, but honestly if you’re willing to try and give your best, you’ll be fine. Wind Symphony is fairly accommodating of lots of different ability levels. The majority in the group are not music majors. If not the Wind Symphony, maybe Orchestra is your thing. Definitely go for it if it’s something you feel like you want to try. Music is so important and a good outlet for the stress of school and everything that’s been going on since the pandemic started. It connects us to ourselves, others, and God, and I believe it’s worth your time.”
Interviewing different people in the music department gave me a better idea of what music is like at AU, and I hope you can take some time to locate one of these students and hear about their experience in this unique and rewarding major.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.