“The faculty have guided me through many hands-on experiences both in front of Gustavus ensembles as well as encouraging me to take outside opportunities to prepare myself for my career including working with clinicians, attending workshops, and conferences.”
Coming to Gustavus unsure of the academic path that he wanted to pursue, Alex’s passion for music eventually led him to a major in Vocal Music Education, saying, “I wanted the opportunity to impact students the same way my choir teacher impacted my life.”
Since becoming a Music major, Alex has found a sense of community that he feels is “unlike any other.” He appreciates the small class sizes within the department, and having the same small group of peers in all of his classes, which fosters a personal and supportive environment.
He describes the faculty within the Music Department as being an integral part of this community, helping music students grow both academically and professionally. The environment of the Music Department makes for constructive criticism from both peers and faculty that help students develop their skills.
Of the faculty within the department, Alex specifically points to Dr. Esther Wang as a favorite professor, saying, “She pushes each of her students to succeed while also teaching them how to have fun and enjoy the little things.” Through the department, Alex has had the opportunity to engage in important experiential learning, both on and off campus. His favorite class experience so far has been Orchestration with Dr. Alexandra Bryant, in which students were able to learn compositional skills and compose music that they had the opportunity to hear performed by Gustavus ensembles.
Additionally, Alex has had the opportunity to participate in valuable experiences off campus, including attending music conferences hosted by ACDA and MMEA. Most recently, he had the opportunity to travel to France, Italy and Spain with the Gustavus Choir. These various off-campus experiences have helped him grow musically and professionally, making him more prepared for a future career and further postgraduate studies.
Outside of the classroom, Alex is very involved in music groups and other organizations on campus, being a member of the Gustavus Choir, G Sharp A’Cappella, Gustavus Youth Outreach, Student Educators Association, Future Music Educators Association, and Swing Dance Club.