Author: Claire Diggins
A world-famous music mecca, Los Angeles is a haven for musicians, composers and music scholars. Occidental’s own music department is part of the thriving music and arts scene in Los Angeles, and many students come to Occidental for its ideal location in a highly creative city.
The music department takes advantage of the many benefits of being located in Los Angeles. In addition to offering students a diverse curriculum and exceptionally well-trained and innovative professors, the department at Occidental takes great pride in bringing professional artists to students, as well as introducing students to the arts community around them. Many students are unaware of the incredible resources available through the music department; about 300 students participated in private lessons, ensembles and classes last semester.
Department Chair Irene Girton said, “Our engagement with L.A. is a big thing – we can take advantage of the incredible gift we have being here by bringing artists into the classroom and taking students outside the classroom. All of us on the faculty make a real effort to build relationships outside of Occidental with L.A. so that our students can benefit from those relationships.”
Professor’s Work Building Bridges for Students
One professor who has made serious contributions to helping music students interact with the arts outside of Occidental is Keck Lab director and adjunct professor Bruno Louchouarn. He works nationwide composing and directing sound for ballets, operas, film and theater.
When he is working in the L.A. area, he almost always has one of his Occidental students assist him with the production. Theater major Lauren Rhodes (senior) worked with him as Assistant Sound Designer on a complex show, “The Good Book of Pedantry and Wonder,” at the Theater @ Boston Court in Pasadena.
Louchouarn says that bringing students into the professional arena is mutually beneficial. “You create links that last for a long time. The students are people you can trust, and you need that. In turn it helps them because they move forward. When I am not available for shows, I recommend Occidental students who I have worked with before. I am constantly trying to get students involved.”
He also recruited students and alumni to work on his musical “Surf Orpheus,” performed at UCSD in 2008, as well as on his film for Santa Monica’s GLOW event last semester. He plans to involve students in a musical production at UC Riverside this April, for which he is serving as lead composer.
Louchouarn plans to enlist the help of students for an upcoming opera he is working on at UCLA. He said, “It is going to be massive, and I know I’m going to need some help. I will need a music student to help me manage the various musical parts, to keep track of it and, if need be, work on minor editing and corrections. Every time I work I try to give students internships, but I like them to have meaningful internships. I only want them there if there will be work for them.”
Within the department, Louchouarn currently teaches Music in Film, a survey and analysis course on topics of music in film, television and other media, as well as Advanced Electronic Music.
For his electronic music class, Louchouarn will collaborate with current artist in residence, composer Octavio Camargo.
“He is a very interdisciplinary composer; he is a very interesting guy. He will come into the class and teach the students, spend time with us,” Louchouarn said.
Students in the City
The music department works consistently to connect with musical organizations throughout Los Angeles in order to provide experiences outside the infamous Occidental bubble. The college has established lasting relationships with several important musical institutions in the city, including the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Grammy Museum and the LA Philharmonic, all places where students can intern. Professor Girton said, “I’m really proud of how we connect with the city by bringing artists to the students and bringing students out into the city.”
The department has a close relationship with the L.A. Chamber Orchestra, with whom music professor David Kasunic has been involved for two years, training his students to be docents for the organization. This relationship allows students to meet musicians, interact intimately with the Chamber Orchestra’s music and learn how to talk about music to other audiences.
Daniel Strychacz (senior), a music major with an emphasis in theory, said, “The Department is always sending out various internship ideas and ways for us to get in touch with the larger arts community.”
Other music internships Occidental students have participated in are with Columbia Records, Epitaph Records, Spaceland Music Venue, various artist management firms and the Los Angeles Master Choral. Students do not have to be music majors to receive internship placement help from the department.
In addition to these internships, the Department also connects students with shows and performances in Los Angeles.
Strychacz said, “The department is very good about letting us know about concerts that are going on. They even give out free tickets to shows a lot. I have been to the L.A. Philharmonic several times for free, which is really great.”
Strychacz says he has also been exposed to the musical world in Eagle Rock through collaboration with the Renaissance Arts Academy on Colorado, a music charter school. As part of a class with music professor Andre Myers, Strychacz presented his musical theory background to students at the Academy and attended a concert by a professional string quartet.
During a separate visit, Strychacz listened to the students play. According to him, these visits were an opportunity “to outreach to younger music students and let them see what college students are doing, and let them see some continuity into their own musical futures.”
Alexandra Forman (senior), a double major in Geology and Music with an emphasis on violin performance, had a similar experience at a local LAUSD elementary school. As part of a music history class with professor Kasunic, Forman taught a group of fourth-grade students about a symphony and later attended that symphony with them. Forman said she enjoyed seeing the students’ interaction with the symphony.
Students in the World
In addition to familiarization with the music community in Los Angeles, Occidental music students are exposed to musical communities around the world.
Strychacz participated in a music program in Vienna last semester through IES. In this music program, he was able to study Austria’s musical traditions firsthand. His coursework included a course on German song form and a course on 20th-century music theory.
Strychacz said, “The music department here doesn’t have a twentieth-century music theory class so that was new. It was a great next step in theory for me.”
Forman also studied abroad at the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom. As a double major in geology, Foreman chose the university for its science program, but also participated in the symphony. She took a Creative Music class while abroad. The course was in electronic music, something different for her. “It was really interesting,” she said.
Forman will go back to East Anglia for graduate school next year to pursue a degree in environmental science. However, Forman said, “Music is the love of my life, it is my hobby and I’m going to participate in the choir and symphony at the University of East Anglia.”
Another exciting opportunity for musical Occidental students abroad is the band’s upcoming trip to China.
Bringing Artists to Our Front Door
One of the most exciting accomplishments of the music department is the wide arra
y of critically acclaimed musicians who come to campus on a regular basis.
Girton, accomplished musician and pioneer of music and multimedia development, said, “For the last 10 years, we’ve been bringing artists to work with students in master classes and really show them what a life in music is all about. We’ve brought world class artists to our own campus.”
Most recently, Austrian concert pianist Eugenie Russo came to campus to give a recital and teach a master class to students. Emma Crow-Willard (senior), who has studied classical piano for 12 years, attended Russo’s class.
Crow-Willard said, “Ms. Russo was helpful in pointing out parts of the music that I had not analyzed sufficiently. She was very friendly. It is great that the music department offers these kinds of opportunities because I used to do things like this every year with my piano teacher when I was growing up, and I haven’t played in a master class for a while, so it was nice to get some input from a pianist outside the department.”
The Halcyon Trio, a group from New Jersey that has played at Occidental several times before, will perform on Feb. 18 in Bird Studio at 7:30 p.m. The trio consists of a clarinet, a viola and a piano.
Louchouarn, who is very excited for their upcoming visit, said, “They are really great, really primo musicians.”
The trio will do a master class with students and perform new works by on-campus composers and professors Andre Myers, Jennifer Logan and Louchouarn.
Occidental has hosted world-famous opera singer Fredrica Von Stade, considered one of the most beloved musical figures of our time. Forman remembers her performance and said, “She was really great.”
Foreman also recalled a recital by Grammy-winning violinist Hillary Hahn. A violinist herself, Forman reminisced, “Hillary Hahn, that was amazing.” After her performance, Hahn engaged students in a question-and-answer session.
Strychacz, who said he attends a lot of Department-sponsored events and recitals, spoke of one performance with particular awe, that of jazz musician Stefon Harris. Strychacz said, “Harris was incredible. He is a jazz marimba player and he had a big concert in Thorne Hall, and a master class. It was amazing; he was really inspiring.”
Wide-Reaching Curriculum
One of the things Associate Dean Girton is most proud of within the department is how the curriculum has advanced during her time at Occidental. “I really like that we’ve been able to diversify the curriculum and maintain a level of depth that gives students the opportunity to acquire a fairly comprehensive understanding of music’s many facets while also having the opportunity to get profoundly engaged with one tradition. Our curriculum has really evolved a lot over the past 10 years,” she said.
The music curriculum has grown to include ethnomusicology, a broader array of theoretical music studies courses and courses that are more accessible to non-music students. Strychacz said, “The department is trying to reach out to non-music majors by creating courses covering topics in contemporary, more popular music, as well as courses that you don’t need a music theory background to understand and enjoy. I’m really glad about that.”
Girton said, “We are diversifying the curriculum to reflect what a musical life is like today, connected to the realities of today’s classical music as well as commercial music and music of non-western cultures.”
Both Foreman and Strychacz agreed that one of their favorite aspects of the department is the professors. Foreman said, “I really like the faculty atmosphere, it’s a very social department, the professors all make an effort to get to know students individually. They are all really there for you, and I will miss them dearly.”
Strychacz agreed. “The professors are really personable. Many of them are excellent teachers who are really dedicated to helping us learn about music as more than just notes on a page.”
Aside from expanding the curriculum, the music department has also broadened its ensemble selection. The department now offers an Afro-Cuban drumming ensemble and a Mexican “Son Jarocho” ensemble, both of which do not require participants to be able to read music. The College Chorus, directed by Desiree LaVertu, is also open to non-music readers. It is an open chorus with a diverse repertoire that meets once a week and includes students, community members and faculty.
The music department is a wonderful asset to the college, facilitating meaningful engagement with our local, national and international community. It boasts accomplished professors, students and connections to L.A. institutions. The resources provided by the music department are free for the enjoyment of music and non-music scholars alike, broadening our campus’s ability to appreciate the arts.
This article has been archived, for more requests please contact us via the support system.
