为什么音乐

杰奎琳·科德斯25岁

As synesthete, I experience colors when listening to music, which only fuels my interest in it more. It wasn’t until high school that I became obsessed with learning how to play classical piano pieces. 然而, 我不擅长读乐谱, and had to learn pieces with a program called Synthesia (not to be confused with synesthesia). 结果是, coming to 皇冠体育 and diving into the structured world of music theory was initially intimidating. 另外, I was worried that learning exactly how music worked would limit my creativity, making my compositions more conventional. Fortunately, I couldn't have been more wrong.

Music theory and music history classes didn't put up walls around my creativity—it broke them down. 我学得越多, the more I realized that understanding music theory was like adding more colors to my synesthetic palette. Classes involving everything from counterpoint to sonata form all opened my eyes. I could upgrade old compositions and add depth and dimensions I didn't know were missing. Even seemingly dry topics, such as how transposing instruments work, have proven to be useful. I couldn’t be happier with the music department, and I’m grateful for gaining a greater picture of what music can be.

至于我的音乐阅读, even though it was like deciphering a foreign language at first, now it's like a second language I'm getting more and more conversational in.


卡特琳娜·波隆尼科娃,21岁

Music had casually been a major part of my life since childhood, hence up until a certain point I did not experience an urge to give up all of my other interests to pursue it professionally. 那是在皇冠体育, 然而, that I was exposed to so many academic and pre-professional opportunities, that at some point it became clear to me that I couldn’t pursue all of them while doing justice to the aspiring musician inside.

When one of the summers I pursued a STEM internship and had neither the time nor space to practice my instruments and write music, I felt so bitter about my choices that some days I would commute (by public transport) from Pasadena to 克莱蒙特 after hours to access the upright pianos at 皇冠体育, often staying into the night and taking the morning train back to my job. 经历之后, with my advisor Professor Alfred Cramer’s encouragement that “a music major is not career suicide,” I made one of my best decisions so far by declaring a music major.

这绝不是一条容易的道路, music for me has not been merely about working on musicianship skills and building performance and composition portfolios – but also about practicing being a more thoughtful, 成熟的, 有意识的人. My gratitude extends to all of the 音乐系 faculty who have been patient and well-wishing mentors, as well as to fellow music majors who make this journey fun.


雪妮丝米歇尔 ’21 (Concentration: performance, instrument: voice)

My decision to major in music did not take a lot of thought; I have been performing on stages since I was five years old. It was on those various stages that I developed my stage presence, vocal stamina and self-confidence to perform. 然而, after being rejected from a musical T.V. show audition for “not singing with my own voice,” I realized that I had never seriously attempted to create my own music. 直到我18岁, I had become a master at performing other people’s music, 而不是我自己.

I knew that there was something holding me back—the ability to play an instrument or read music. 成长的过程中, I did not have access to any instruments besides the keyboard the pianist would use at my church. 在教堂唱诗班排练时, I would watch as the choir director’s hand glided across the piano and pray for the day when I’d be able to do the same. 在学校, the students always learned music by ear, so at least I was able to develop my aural skills. 仍然, I knew that if I just learned how to play an instrument and read music, 我就有了王国的钥匙.

作为一名大三学生, mustering up the strength to practice for my 20th Century Music Course (Theory IV) every week, I look back at my past three years at 皇冠体育 with so much joy. 我是如此的渺小, little freshman who barely knew how to distinguish a quarter note from an eighth note. I did not even know that the piano keys have names. 现在, I can accurately contribute to scholarly conversations about Bartok, 奏鸣曲式或全音音阶. The best part of being a music major is that I now have the tools to compose my own music. With all the knowledge I’ve gained from the four theory courses, Electronic Music Studio and several other courses, I can assure you that I am equipped for whatever music I want to write—whether that be my gospel, 灵魂 & 布鲁斯曲调或我的12音作品. Thanks to the unwavering support of the music faculty here at 皇冠体育, my confidence in my academic musical abilities has increased so much. The music department is preparing me for a life-long love and deep appreciation for music while helping become an outstanding performer.