Why did you choose UConn?
My percussion audition at UConn was incredibly welcoming, and comfortable. Current students were there to introduce themselves to those of us auditioning. To this day I still believe that UConn Music holds great audition days in large part because of the huge number of student volunteers that come and talk to prospective students. UConn was also a good deal for me, financially. As an in-state student who did well in high school, I was able to get a great aid package. Between the finances and the comforting atmosphere, it was a no-brainer for me.
What’s your major and why did you choose it?
I began with a BM in Music Composition then later added a BA in Music History as well. I’ve always loved music and the creative/scholarship side of it. There is so much energy in the room when you’ve written a new piece and your peers are playing it for the first time. That kind of collaboration is incredibly valuable and has shaped who I am as a musician and composer. I added music history part way through my second year because I was taking music history classes for the first time, and I realized how interesting and similarly collaborative it could be. With the privilege of being able to take upper-level music history classes with graduate students, I quickly realized how much I loved the learning and the writing.
Who was your favorite professor and why?
I was incredibly lucky with my professors at UConn, and so I refuse to pick a favorite. Dr. Vu Nguyen has always been incredibly supportive, and last year he asked me to write a piece for the UConn Wind Ensemble to perform. I worked with him on creating the right kind of piece for the ensemble, and it was one of the craziest and coolest experiences I’ve had musically. I have had Dr. Eric Rice as an advisor, professor, and ensemble leader throughout my time at UConn, and he has taught me so much the fueled my interesting music history. I should owe Dr. Rice 67 coffees by now! Rob McEwan was my percussion teacher all 4 years, and on more than one occasion he offered more compassion and support than I’m sure is outlined in his job description. I was lucky enough to work with Dr. Daniel Goldberg, who offers the most thorough writing critiques of anybody I have ever met. He has helped me during his classes, when I was no longer a student in his classes, and when I was just spiraling about graduate school and I needed to talk through it. Dr. Kenneth Fuchs has been my composition teacher during my time here, and he has always been endlessly supportive. Dr. Ronald Squibbs and Dr. Peter Kaminsky have given me a stronger foundation in music theory than I ever could have imagined. Prof. Earl MacDonald has also been a super unexpected but incredibly supportive role model for me. I reject the premise of this question because how could I discuss the support of one professor when it took 5 others to raise me up to that point? My professors have been wonderful and I can’t thank them enough.
What was your favorite class and why?
Form and Analysis II with Dr. Daniel Goldberg was by far one of the most valuable classes I have taken in the UConn Music Department. His readings were incredibly helpful and his structure and feedback were phenomenal. As for classes outside of my department, I really enjoyed Bob Smith’s Introduction to Film class that I took my freshman year. It was taught so well and by such a unique person. I will always look back at my time in Prof. Smith’s lectures fondly.
What are your plans after graduation?
I will be attending Brandeis University for my MFA in Historical Musicology this fall!
What’s your favorite thing about UConn?
My favorite thing about UConn is that it is huge, but my department was small. I could work closely with my professors and friends in my major, and then go off and be a total stranger at the Student Union, or a sports event. In this sense, UConn lets you figure out who you are and who you want to be. On a more logistical note, it’s also a great school for people who are unsure about what they want to do, for the same reason.
What activities were you involved with on campus?
I was involved with the UConn Percussion Ensemble, the UConn Wind Ensemble, the UConn Symphony Orchestra, the UConn Collegium Musicum, and even the UConn Marching Band for a couple of years (do not be fooled, it absolutely IS a sport). I also frequented the events held by SUBOG where comedians come to campus and do shows.
What’s one thing all UConn students should do during their time at UConn?
STUDY ABROAD! You’re at a state university. You’re never going to get better opportunities and financial help to do it. I was able to go on a 10-day UConn Choirs tour to Austria and Italy, and I also had the privilege of traveling with my peers to Strasbourg, France over the summer to study music history and perform historically relevant music all summer.
How has UConn prepared you for the next chapter in your life?
UConn is prolific in its social groups and internal academic communities. I have met all types of people, and learned a bit about what I want and don’t want from life. I obviously have more to learn, but UConn has been a huge part of building how I see myself in this world.
What were some of the things you had never done before you came to UConn?
I had never traveled abroad or sung in an early music ensemble before! I had also never been in a percussion ensemble before, which was by far one of my favorite groups to be in.
Any advice for incoming first-year students?
You’re going to get here and be excited, but you’re also going to be missing your friends from high school like CRAZY. Try to keep an open mind to the people you meet at the beginning. You won’t meet people like the people you loved in high school because they are one of a kind… but so are these new friends. Just go with the flow and resist the urge to retreat socially and feel homesick for too long. You’ll get there, and it WILL be okay. You can have any kind of life you want at UConn, and this is just the beginning. That being said, you don’t have to do things that you are not comfortable doing, and the best friends you make will be the ones who respect your choices and look out for you.
