Being a freshman music student has been quite the ride so far. The best word to describe it is unpredictable. The liberal arts college experience asks you to explore things in academia that you are passionate about, and that you think you might enjoy. You are asked to have an open mind and we don’t even decide what we major in until sophomore year. That’s what they tell us at least. I, on the other hand, walked into my freshman year thinking I knew what I was doing. I said that I wanted to be a vocal major, and now I’m walking out looking at majoring in ethnomusicology. On the way to realizing what it is that I’m passionate about, I’ve had some really cool musical experiences, that are really amazing for my first year of college.
Because I started out wanting to be a vocal major, I took vocal lessons my first semester, with the fabulous and wonderful Rufus Muller. This experience was by far one of the most musically enriching experiences at Bard. To start, Rufus is an accomplished musician. I just finished performing with him in St. John’s Passion, and I can’t praise him more. (Check him out here, performing an aria from Handel’s Messiah: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4WaTEZ7sH4) He has taught me so much about singing. In the four months I studied with him, I tapped into my vocal ability in ways I never thought I would. I never thought I could develop the range I did. The most important thing that was different from high school was the effort. Rufus expected me to practice outside of class and to give 110 percent during the lesson.
After my first semester, I decided to stop my lessons with Rufus, because my passion wasn’t there. I had remained open minded and realized that what I thought I wanted to do, wasn’t what I wanted. Along with being my vocal professor, Rufus is also my advisor, someone who gives me advice on my academic choices, and he completely supported my choice to pursue other interests. That’s the cool thing about a place like Bard; I can change everything and it’s okay. You’re allowed to find your vision. I loved Indian classical music and realized that I missed exploring the actual music: the analysis, the concepts, the history.
With this realization I decided in my second semester to take an ethnomusicology class. Ethnomusicology is the study of world music. The class, entitled Between Music, Art, and Anthropology, is by far one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. The class is a 300 level class, something usually reserved for juniors and seniors. That’s another thing I’ve learned in college: to have cool experiences, you need to take chances and grab the bull by the horns. The class description sounded really awesome, so I emailed the professor, explained why I wanted to take the class, and got in. Basically, the class is an exploration of how we create music and how other cultures view music. We’ve made our own musical instruments, we’ve listened to lots of music, and read lots of really awesome articles.
On the flip side of this very conceptual class is my music theory class. If you want to be a music major in college, you will probably need to take this class. You might groan and complain about some of the required courses, but they are required for a reason. MUSIC THEORY CAN BE SUCH A PAIN. MUSIC THEORY IS SO NECESSARY. I have learned massive amounts in my theory class. I can look at a Bach chorale and do a full chordal analysis of it, and understand why it sounds as amazing as it does. The class also involves ear training, which is really intense and improves your musical skills tenfold. We sing intervals, dictate rhythm and melodies, and learn to conduct. The theory classes give you a deeper understanding of music and you come out of it a better musician.
Last, but not least, the question you’re all waiting for........what’s college choir like? Answer? AMAZING. I am very, very lucky to be at a school with such accomplished musicians doing lots of awesome music. I’m in the Bard College Chamber Singers, which is less of a chamber group and more of a group of elite singers. We’ve sung with the Collegiate Chorale and the American Symphony Chorus, which resides at Bard. Our director is James Bagwell, and he is an absolutely fantastic conductor. His understanding of music is so intense and he is just so dang personable and funny. My first week in the group was probably one of the most overwhelming experiences ever. We walked in, opened up our scores, and started sight singing. The pace at which we learn our music is furiously fast. Learning and performing is such a rewarding experience.
So far we’ve performed Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 8, Beeethoven’s Mass in C, and Bach’s St. John’s Passion. We’ll be starting work on Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 this week. The Mahler No. 8 was performed at Carnegie Hall, which was definitely as magical as it sounds. Here’s a picture of me on stage at this famous venue:
We just finished this weekend performing St John’s passion, and it was so glorious. We had two shows, singing for two and a half hours, a lot more than the choir concerts at Reagan! It’s really refreshing working with professional musicians, graduate students, and your peers on these massive works of music. The performances were quite moving, and there were sections of the piece where I almost broke down. We work so long on these complicated pieces and you gain a real understanding of the music and a connection with it. There’s nothing quite so gratifying as singing with a group of people who are all there to make really beautiful music at a professional level.
Amidst all of this, I keep hearkening back to what the IB taught me. Getting to Bard made me realize how actually helpful that whole process is. The IB makes you be proactive and set goals for yourself. It encourages you to be passionate about something. The way I look at the world now is because of the eye opening mentality of the IB program. I’m going to tell you a secret now that it’s the beginning of March and most of you are finishing up projects and preparing for the tests: getting the diploma doesn’t matter. What really, really matters is the process. The process of creation, the process of learning and exploring, even the process of testing. You’re going to come out of it with a truly unique outlook on the world that is valued once you get to college. Just being able to listen to other people’s opinions and value them, whether you agree or not, is a skill that some people years older than you are still developing. The program really does put you light years ahead of others. Treasure that.
So here’s my advice, and it’s going to be a different opinion from what some people might be telling you right now. You can take it or leave it. Do what you’re passionate about. Follow the path that’s going to make you happiest. Make your own opportunities. Now’s the time to explore and take a hold of a lot of things that are only offered to you now. If you’re interested in something, try it, go for it. Risk taking will pay off in a big way. All in all, don’t give up, and keep on creating.
If anyone has any questions they want to ask me, or want more advice, feel free to message me on fb, or email me at rwardmusic@yahoo.com
Ruadhan Ward
Bard College, NY
Reagan Alum, Class of 2012
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