Pacific Index

Pacific’s music department gears up for the 76th year of Music in May

   The music department here at Pacific University has a long standing tradition of inviting high school students to join the Music in May program every summer. From May 22 until 24, students will be participating in band and choral practice, as well as having special-guest conductors. This year the program will be welcoming Alejandro Gómez Guillén, Orchestra, Dr. Bradley Almquist, Choir and Diane Koutsulis, Band, as this year’s guest conductors. 

   The point of Music in May is to create an opportunity for high school students to not only experience life on Pacific’s campus, but also hone their skills in music. Through both professors and the use of college-age mentors, the program allows for the participants to get a well-rounded understanding of the music department on campus.

   “I actually participated as a student in music in May, both my senior year and my junior year. It introduced me to both the music programs and then it also introduced me to the campus and then also just kind of the general, like majors and stuff they had offered,” says sophomore music therapy major, Kendall Guiney. Having participated in the program during high school, she has all the tools she needs to be a college mentor for Music in May now. “I know a lot of people, like, it’s a big recruitment thing because so many people come from, not just Oregon,” she notes.   

   Going on to explain that the program is helpful because, “They always hear about, like the big state schools. I feel like it really advertises like a small school and really shows what Pacific is.”

While the program consists of choral and band work and mentorship from advanced musicians, it still offers the students to explore college life. “On their off time, we always like to host events like Movie night… Usually we do things like little events [where]… they have tables for the mentors where the mentors can answer questions about Pacific,” says Guiney. Both in exploring interests in music and college life, the Music in May program.

   Over three days the students will learn pieces and be a part of a collegiate-style ensemble, until their last night on the May 24 when the final Festival concert takes place. When asked how many students will be participating this year it was projected that, “I believe it’s around 400 this year.” Guiney explains that for most of the program, “Students mainly are in rehearsal, most of the days.”

   The Music in May program is not only a long-standing tradition here on campus, but also a way to introduce high school students to campus life and activities.