The Overture

Covenant’s chapel often appears to be empty. At mid-morning, it fills up for an hour with students coming to chapel, but before then, it seems to be only me, and my footsteps squeaking down the stairs sound deafening. The hushed atmosphere changes, though, when I push through the lower level door into the music department.

A rush of warm air hits my face as I hear a class going on in CL122. I take the long way around to where my clarinet is stored as I listen to the music played through speakers spaced evenly around the hallway. It’s a different genre every day: sometimes opera, sometimes pop, or jazz, or baroque symphonies. The tune, whatever it is that day, often mixes oddly with the sound of a pianist’s practice drifting out of an office to my right. I smile at people doing homework in the hallways as I make my way through this musical place that has become home.

When I was first considering coming to Covenant, all I knew was that Covenant didn’t have a band like the one I had been a part of since fifth grade—they had an orchestra. I couldn’t help but wonder: could this place measure up to the community I had found in high school band? I auditioned on my clarinet for a music scholarship and decided to attend Covenant, but I had no idea that my musical interest, or really my side hobby, would be what brought me my lifelong friendships in college.

Seeking Community

After I made the decision to come to Covenant, I did miss band intensely. A college orchestra, though fun, just doesn’t have the utter chaos of a high school band I had grown to love. However, as I think back on my time here, homesickness for my high school’s music program doesn’t reflect my college experience well at all. Here’s a more accurate picture: 

• I remember how new friends were genuinely excited that we would be in Chamber Singers together. To be clear, they were upperclassmen, I was a freshman, and we’d only known each other for approximately eight days, yet they were thrilled to get to sing with me. 
• I remember exchanging names with the music department work-study students over and over until we finally remembered.
• I remember leaving choir one day to cry and a friend of mine following me out and praying for me.
• I remember discovering a joy in singing that I had never known before. 

Coming Home

I’m not a music major, or even a minor, which is why I refer to music as an interest or hobby. I get asked if I’m a music major a lot because between my two ensembles and the work that goes into them, I sometimes feel like I live on the chapel’s first floor. But that’s the cool thing about the music department: most of my fellow musicians aren’t music majors either, and it doesn’t matter. This department has embraced and adopted us, and we have become family. I love going down to practice because I know that I’ll get to see at least one friend on the way, often more.

In orchestra and other musical productions, I’m with some very talented people. We have a fantastic music program here at Covenant; however, the skill of my peers isn’t the reason I’m still playing and singing. Down at the bottom of the chapel, surrounded by musicians giving glory to God, I have found my family.

Learn more about the music major and minor as well as concerts, ensembles, and events throughout the year on the music department’s web page.

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