On Saturday, March 24, 2018, music students donned their best attire and headed to LaFortune Ballroom to dance the night away at the first ever Music Major Formal, an exciting event sponsored by
both the Department of Music and the Classical Music Club. “This was one of the long-term goals of the club,” said junior voice major and Classical Music Club Co-President Aileen Markovitz when asked about the importance of the formal. “An event like this emphasizes the burgeoning musical community we have on campus, and we were excited to bring this community together for such a fun and wonderful activity.”
“Our goal in planning the formal was to involve as many students as possible,” said Joanne Kim, junior piano major and Classical Music Club Co-President. “Everything from the choice of food to the playlist was voted on by the students.” The result was an eclectic mix of music ranging from the works of Kendrick Lamar to György Ligeti, as well as a landslide vote for Chik-fil-A to cater the event.
Events like the formal, Department t-shirts, and other student initiatives reflect a growth in student leadership and involvement in Department activities. The Composers’ Consortium and the Classical Music Club, the two student-led clubs within the Department, have helped spur this growth in an exciting time of transition sparked by the opening of the state-of-the-art O’Neill Hall of Music.
As Department Chair Peter Smith reflected, “Still greater student ownership of the Department is a long-term goal for me and my faculty
colleagues. This formal and many other Department of Music events will become annual traditions as the program continues to grow. I am grateful for the partnership of our wonderfully talented student musicians, who have brought such energy and initiative to building our musical community.”