Four ways to get involved in musical life while at university
Alexander Poirier is confident that there’s something for every music lover on campus.
As the semester does its final bow to the curtain call known as ‘exams’, the time arises to decide what we shall do with our time during the break and into the next semester. For me, a student at the Con, most of this time will be filled with a best-hits compilation of all varieties of musical delights. I also have the molto forte belief that everyone (not just Con students) can and should get involved - that includes you. Anyway, enough with the superfluous use of musical terminology, here’s some of the ways that I think that you could also get tutti involved in the musical life of the uni!
1. Join a performing arts society
Some of the oldest societies on campus are the musical societies, in particular the Sydney University Symphony Orchestra (SUSO) which was founded in 1948, and they bring together students from every degree to perform some incredible works a few times a year. The societies range from the ensembles that rehearse weekly, such as the University of Sydney A Cappella Society (BarberSoc) or the Sydney University Wind Orchestra (SUWO), to the Sydney University Musical Theatre Ensemble (MUSE) which has a few auditioned major works each year. There are also more laid-back societies just for casual performances, such as the Sydney University Jamming Society (UniJam) and the society for which I am an executive, the University of Sydney Piano Society (PianoSoc). A full list of societies for performing arts can be found here.
Some of these groups are perfect for those looking for a creative outlet or to explore their competitive side, with some societies like PianoSoc running annual composition competitions ($800 prize)! But never fear! You don’t have to be a virtuoso to join, (I cannot play the piano, yet I am an executive on PianoSoc…). There’s also so many options to take part as an “appreciator” by coming to watch the performances. They’re a great chance to both support your more musically inclined friends and hear musical genres that you may never have realised you could enjoy.
2. Do a music subject
So I’ve mentioned “The Con” a few times already, and if you didn’t already know, that’s an abbreviation for The Sydney Conservatorium of Music - USyd’s music school. The Con offers many subjects to scratch your musical urge, whether it be in performance, music skills, music analysis, history and culture studies and composition. Theory classes at the Con also cover the long history of European art music and jazz, investigate music’s relation to psychology, climate change, palæography, and global politics, with exposures to ethnomusicology and musics of places outside of Europe. Some of these subjects are only open to BMus students, as they require an audition before enrolling, but there are many classes and ensembles that are open as electives to everyone, such as the Chinese Music Ensemble or Big Choir! Sometimes you can also ‘audit’ a subject which means doing it for non-credit if you don’t have room for it in your regular degree.
3. Watch performances at the Con & Seymour Centre
As you’ve probably gathered by now, the Con has many different ensembles, all which give performances in the Con’s five concert and recital halls throughout the semester. Every Wednesday there are lunchtime concerts of the different ensembles, such as the Flute and Brass Ensembles or the smaller Jazz Ensembles, in the famous Verbrugghen Hall. The highlights of the semester are the Symphony, Wind, and String Orchestra concerts, often selling out the hall within weeks of tickets going live. The Con’s Chinese Music Ensemble is another popular one - and the largest university Chinese ensemble in Australia, performing pieces spanning from traditional 丝竹 [sīzhú] (silk and bamboo music) to contemporary 時代曲 [shídàiqǔ] (Shanghai jazz). Pop music performances also happen regularly in the Seymour Centre (at main campus), such as Seymour Nights.
Throughout the year, the Con hosts many different festivals, most recently the Jazz Festival, which include a number of educational workshops and performances of different ensembles. There are also many external ensembles that perform at the Con, like the Sydney Youth Orchestras and the Wollemi Quintet. What’s on at the Con has an endless list.
4. Attend musicology colloquiums
You might initially have a slightly concerned look upon your face upon reading the word “colloquium”, but fear not, a colloquium is literally just academics giving a lecture to other academics about their most recent work. The musicology colloquium series features an array of speciality music interests presented by Conservatorium fellows, professors, lecturers, and PhD students. I hold these close to my heart, for all the things I’ve learnt, such as the history of digital soundscapes, the politics of opera, understanding the hook in pop music and the linguistic-musical links in Aboriginal cultures. They take place fortnightly on Wednesday arvos - and they’re free!
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I do hope that you’ve been able to get some inspiration for what you might do next semester within the realm of the Muses, and if you do have any more questions about anything that I’ve written, feel free to message me @pandainapeartree on Insta.