Julia Park '18
After my first semester of being involved in the Music Department, I am impressed by the dedication and enthusiasm of everyone in it! All the faculty members are very understanding of our academic and personal lives. My personal teacher, Laura Bossert, is very approachable and extremely patient; she is open to my thoughts and tries her genuine best to accommodate my needs. The fellow students are just as hard-working and encouraging. It makes me happy to walk by the practice rooms and hear music- it means a lot that these students care to take time from their busy schedules and practice and make music.
I am taking private lessons with Laura, playing in a string quartet with CMS, and participating in a youth orchestra in Boston. I wanted to continue music in college, so getting this opportunity to receive lessons is a great privilege. I was deeply involved in the chamber music club at my school, so I was overjoyed to have found a group to continue exploring the chamber music repertoire with! Laura is interested in all the groups I participate in and often offers to work on chamber or orchestral music during our lessons.
Julia Regier '18
I am planning on a music minor and have really enjoyed taking music theory at Wellesley. I also sing with the Wellesley College Choir and Chamber Singers, which are amazing and have allowed me to get to know a great group of people. It's a lot of fun and we sing some great music! I am also in the Choral Scholars program, which means I meet regularly with our choir director Dr. Graham to learn more about choral music and conducting. I'm thankful for the relatively small size of the music program here because it has allowed me to get extremely involved as a first-year and have personal, one-on-one experiences with faculty.
Tiffany Chen '15
There is too much to say about the department- I am in absolute awe of my piano teacher, Lois Shapiro. She has taken my music places physically and spiritually that I never thought I could have reached. I really enjoyed Chamber Music Society my first-year as well, learning to play the harpsichord in an ensemble with two flutists. I would have continued if I had the time! Then there are no words for the Guild of Carillonneurs, which I joined my first-year. Playing in the bell tower is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I could not have imagined- and we play everything from Renaissance music to Disney tunes! I am still playing piano with my private lessons teacher, and I recently conquered the Grieg Concerto, which I could not have done without my teacher's endless help and encouragement. The carillon is also an amazing instrument that I have learned so much playing, and playing anonymously in the tower to the whole campus is SO much fun!
Caroline Harper '17
I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience with the Wellesley College Music Department. As a Biological Sciences major with a strong passion for music I found so many exciting opportunities for me in the department. I took piano and flute lesson all through middle and high school, and so I immediately signed up for private lessons in these instruments when I arrived at Wellesley. It was one of the best decisions I have made! I am under the instruction of amazing musicians and leave every lesson feeling inspired. I have also participated in the Wellesley College Choir and the Chamber Music Society, where I met some great friends and created tight-knit friendships that extend far beyond the music department.
Anita Li '15
My time at Wellesley’s Music Department helped me to grow as a musician, a leader, and a life-long learner. From private lessons to chamber music to orchestra, the wide range of performance opportunities and course selections opened my musical horizons. I especially appreciate the deep relationships that I developed with the professors.
Catie DiElsie '17
I always look forward to my viola lesson every week, because Laura is such a friendly and enthusiastic teacher and an outstanding violinist/violist. Laura is great at tailoring her teaching to each student's individual needs. She creates a learning environment that is both challenging and supportive. She pushes you to work hard and play your best, and always emphasizes the joy of music.
I would recommend all musicians to take Music Theory, because it really enhances your understanding of the music you are studying, whether in orchestra, chamber music, private lessons, etc. Knowing the theory behind the composition definitely informs my interpretation of the music and helps me study my pieces in more depth. Also, when you go to concerts, you will find yourself noticing the theory elements that you learned about!
Elise Brown '17
I was a musician on my own time in high school and never considered "studying" music in college, but that completely changed when, during my first-year orientation, I met Cercie Miller and Leo McDonnell of the Jazz faculty. They were so welcoming and supportive, and now that I'm in the BlueJazz Big Band, BlueJazz Combo II, and pursuing a Jazz Music minor, my Wellesley experience has been more fun and fulfilling than I could have ever dreamed. Besides, it's pretty neat that as the Jazz Program's first-ever harmonica player, I've "broken my first glass ceiling!"