It’s been a busy semester for students in the music department, and it can be hard to keep up with everything they do. Here’s a recap of some of the fall 2024 music department’s main events from the students involved.
Raegan Stutzman, sophomore music business major, is a member of Racer Band, symphonic band and horn choir. Students in the Racer Band get to campus early every year to jumpstart their busy semester. When Stutzman and her bandmates weren’t practicing or playing at football games, they performed in events like the Homecoming Parade and Fall Fanfare, a scholarship fundraising concert for all bands, ensembles and choirs. Another event she recalled was the Festival of Champions, a competition Murray State holds for high school marching bands.
“My favorite part of the year was band camp because we got to meet new people, learn new music and have fun getting to know each other better,” Stutzman said.
Aspen Mast (they/them), junior music major with a vocal focus, is a member of concert choir and a student worker in the main office of the music department. They said working in the office has given them a hand in just about everything the department does. They sang at Fall Fanfare and a Taste of the Arts, another music department fundraiser held during Homecoming. They helped set up and perform at Quad State Choral, one of Murray State’s many competitions held for junior high and high school music groups throughout the semester.
Mast said their favorite event of the semester was Godspell, an operatic performance of hymns and parables. They were the stage manager for this two-night performance from students in the opera workshop course.
“My first time performing was at a mall, but up until then, I was backstage,” Mast said. “For Godspell, I was able to go back to that, which was a lot of fun for me.”
Reese Palmer, sophomore computer science major, is a member of EQ Blu, Murray State’s audition-only a capella group. This was his first semester in EQ Blu. So far, he has gotten to perform in Fall Fanfare, a Taste of the Arts and their fall showcase, a joint concert with Una Voce, another campus choir under EQ’s faculty director, Chris Mitchell.
“My favorite was our fall showcase because I got to surprise my parents with a solo,” Palmer said. “It was also being streamed live so my extended family got to see it. It was the first time that we were doing a whole lot of music in front of friends and family.”
Shelby Davis (they/them), sophomore psychology major, joined EQ Blu in fall 2023. Like Palmer, they got to surprise their family with a solo this year at Fall Fanfare. They said the semester isn’t quite done because they are now getting ready for the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella. EQ Blu members will be staying a few extra days after finals and coming back early next month to prepare for quarter-finals in St. Louis, Missouri on Jan. 25.
Though the group has a directing professor and a course within the music department, student leadership and personal responsibility are important to make EQ Blu the best it can be.
“It can be kind of challenging to make sure you’re putting in the time outside of class,” Davis said. “But if you put in the work, you reap the rewards.”
That’s just a handful of music department events from this semester. To stay updated with their activities next semester, check their calendar of events on the University website.
