Pacific Index

Ben Christianson performs his first solo recital

   “Every performance, I always start out with like a giant bundle of nerves,” explains Ben Christianson with an easygoing smile. “But for some reason, this one was the calmest I’ve been going into it.” Christianson is describing his recital performance that took place on Tuesday. The recital was 30 minutes of him singing as a solo performer and it showcased the enormous growth he’s made since freshman year, as well as the approach of his final performance. 

   “My mom was a professional singer for a portion of her life; she was classically trained,” Christianson recalls, tracing the roots of his love for music. “She did all these different kinds of things and that torch was kind of passed down to me and my sister. And so, I went through the whole process of studying music, practicing music, and then on the side along with that, I was also going through some medical stuff on my own, which really made me want to study medicine.” 

   Christianson is double majoring in kinesiology and vocal performance and is on year four out of five of his time at Pacific. With such a unique blend of majors, he’s not entirely sure where he’ll end up after his graduation next year, but he has a few very impressive goals. “My end goal is to be a neurointensive care physician; my other goal is I’ve been working with one of my professors on getting my masters in choral conducting.” 

   He describes that part of his decision to study both medicine and music stems from one specific time in his life. When he was undergoing his own medical journey, the care he received encouraged him to study medicine. It was at this same time that he used music to cope with and process a lot of what he was going through, which lit a fire in him to have music play a more active role in his life. “I feel like it’s really important to like dip your hands in multiple things because, science and music, it’s both sides of the brain,” he expresses with enthusiasm. “You’re getting to experience everything, not just one specific area, which is really cool.” 

   Christianson’s recital was something he’s been preparing for practically since he stepped foot on Pacific’s campus. Thinking back, he says, “This actually was a process I didn’t know was starting my first semester at Pacific, but this has been kind of building up to this point.” Since his very first day on campus, he’s been learning a certain number of songs each semester. This process started with learning just one song a semester and reached a peak of 12 songs that he learned just this last semester. “This all leads up to my recital, which is going to be a compilation of some of my favorite repertoire that I’ve had the opportunity to learn.” 

   This recital was part of his major requirements, but it’s not the end for Christianson. “This is going to be a precursor to my senior recital which is going to be about an hour to an hour and a half,” he says casually. While standing alone on a stage, singing under the illumination of a spotlight might sound terrifying to some, Christianson has an air of calm confidence and electric excitement. “I think for me, what I’m most thankful for and most excited about is my health, and being able to be healthy enough to perform,” he shares candidly. 

   As his performance time drew closer on Tuesday afternoon, Christianson’s track teammates, family, and fellow musicians filled the auditorium. All eyes were on him, standing alongside a sleek black piano as his voice filled the room. His pianist, Cessaries Galusha, who he praised for her talent, sat demurely behind him and accompanied his voice with the keys of the piano. “It was amazing. I felt really, really good about it,” he says with a tone of awe and relief. “All of my professors that were on my committee gave me a hug.” 

   While he was very pleased to receive such good remarks from his professors, the person he was truly hoping to impress was his sister. “I was mostly focused on my sister actually, because she’s my best friend, and she’s also like one of the most judgmental people I’ve ever met,” he says teasingly. “So, if she approves of it then I did a good job, and she approved of it.” 

   This performance was clearly a massive success for Christianson, but the work doesn’t end here. He’s already beginning to work on his final recital next year, planning out what he wants to sing. “From this performance, it kind of showed me that I can do it, you know? Because this is the first recital that I’ve done, and going into it, the cards were not exactly in my favor,” he expresses. “And I came out on top…couldn’t have asked for a better day honestly.” 

   While he’s still on the fence about which route he’ll take after graduation next year, his success on the stage on Tuesday is a testament to his talent and hard work. His final performance next year will doubtlessly be double the beauty and fun of this recital and will mark a very special end to his time at Pacific.