Abounding music at Penn

By Beeri Moalem

  If you’re looking for concerts, go to Penn. The University music department puts on over thirty a semester – all of which are either free or $5 per ticket. That’s only the official count and doesn’t include the dozens of non-classical groups organized independently, which vary from Indian music and dance to pop-boy-bands.

      The University’s organizations that produce these concerts include: Ancient Voices (small vocal group specializing in music of the Renaissance); University Choir (40-voice choral group); University Choral Society (120 voice group); Penn Symphony Orchestra; Penn Wind Ensemble; AudioNexus (contemporary music ensemble); Penn Chamber (75 students, 22 groups); Penn Baroque and Recorder Ensemble (small groups specializing in music of the Baroque period); Jazz combos (small group jazz performance); Brazilian Samba Ensemble; Penn Composers' Guild (performance of new music by Penn's graduate composition students). 

      "The music department has definitely grown a lot in the past few years," says Veronica Jurkiewicz, a 2004 University of Pennsylvania graduate who is now on the music department staff there. "When I got here, there was no chamber music program. We had to organize one ourselves with the student activities committee."   
     "There are about 400 students who participate in our programs," says Dr. Michael Ketner, Director of Performance at the University. "They represent a wide variety of backgrounds and musical levels. Students from all of Penn's schools participate in our programs, which are open to all students regardless of major. We have students involved who range from relative beginners at what they do to very advanced performers who have chosen to attend Penn instead of pursuing a conservatory education. We are proud that our offerings can include opportunities for students of all musical levels." 
     In addition to student performances, professional groups are also invited to perform. The Deadalus Quartet-in-Residence gives concerts and coachings.  Members of the Philadelphia Orchestra give chamber music concerts. And professional musicians perform compositions by the faculty of the composition department. These concerts are also either free or very low-cost. 

      Seating space, however, is limited. Concerts are held in intimate settings that vary from Penn's historic old dorms to the new high-rise rooftop lounges, with the Philadelphia skyline as a backdrop. Other venues include the gorgeous Irvine Auditorium and its adjacent Amado Hall. But although these spaces provide great acoustics, they are not dedicated to music performance. Ketner says this is one of the department's greatest needs: "A medium-sized venue designed for music performance would enhance our programs greatly. It would give several of our student groups a more appropriate place to perform from an acoustical standpoint, and it could also be a factor in attracting outside artists to Penn's campus, a development that would ultimately benefit everyone at Penn." 
      For many years, the Penn music department had a predominately academic focus, and the only music-related majors are still in theory, history, musicology, and composition — there is no performance-based major. But, increasingly, students can elect to participate in ensembles for academic credit and even take private lessons paid for by various University sources. Coaches in all orchestral instruments are also available as well as studies in jazz, popular music, and world instruments. 
     But for most of the students it's not about the academic credit. These Ivy-League students have notoriously overloaded schedules and spend hours studying for exams.  "I always looked forward to sitting down with my chamber music group or the Penn Symphony Orchestra for a few hours each week," says '08 Penn grad Julia Jurkiewicz, baby sister of Veronica Jurkiewicz, who helped found the chamber music program.  "I wouldn't be alone in saying that in that little bit of time, I was freed from all the stress and anxiety a normal school week would bring.  Focusing on just the music helped me tune out a lot of things while relaxing my mind and body." 

     "The only problem I have is finding groups for all the students who audition! says David Yang, director of the chamber music program. "Clearly there is a thirst for this at Penn. There were always people around who played but now they have an outlet and a venue."