Being a music student during the summer is an odd experience. For starters, the routines that have been formed for practicing during the day are now (probably) thrown out the window. For me, I’m not always on campus, so I don’t have as much access to my bass or a full piano as I do during the school year. Also, private lessons look different. Some music students put lessons on hold for the summer and focus on individual practice. For me, I continued to take composition lessons to stay on track with my degree program, but have put my bass lessons on hold.
Being in an ensemble also looks different. If you only are in school ensembles, the amazing feeling of being in an ensemble with your friends is gone for a few months. Some non-curricular ensembles take summer breaks too, like some church choirs. I’m fortunate enough to be involved with enough community ensembles that there was no shortage of summer opportunities. Members of Nebraska Wesleyan University Choir and First Plymouth Choir (both groups I sing with) took a trip to New York City to perform at Carnegie Hall, which was an incredible experience. Additionally, I played bass in a pit orchestra for a community theatre. Pit orchestra work is one of the most fun parts about being an instrumentalist, since it is different than any other ensemble you can be in. While being involved with many ensembles during the summer, they didn’t meet frequently. This left a lot to be desired in terms of community music making.
On the bright side, with more time during summer spent doing whatever you want, there is more opportunity to grow. I continued my job at Nebraska Wesleyan working in the Music Department on various tasks like library organization, instrument sorting, and other things. What this also allowed me to do is have access to my bass, a piano, and other instruments that I would want to practice. Also, I was able to spend more time focusing on composing since I had a few commissions requested right at the end of the school year.
There has been a fine line between relaxing during the summer and using spare time to practice/work. I think that this summer I have been successful in walking that line, allowing myself to get some much needed rest while still doing things that needed to get done.
The rest of my summer will be spent getting ready for the school year. I’m fortunate enough to have been hired as a Low Brass Tech for Lincoln Northeast High School, so I will get to experience my first ever marching band camp! Hamilton is coming to town, so I will be going to see the show during their first week here. After that, I report back to campus to start welcoming the class of 2027 to Nebraska Wesleyan. Overall, this may have been one of my best musician summers in a long time.