ontributors
yChen Brannen is a junior majoring in computer science ey Bui Mudd College. Although she has not had Farjado r experience with journalism, she’s passionate music saya and excited for Interlude to be her first ne. Megan grew up learning the piano, violin, a; she later made her viola debut in Carnegie er winning two international music itions in 2018. Outside of school, she enjoys playing with her dogs, and going to concerts. f her favorite artists include keshi, BTS, suggi, eat$, and IU.
audy is in her third year at Pomona College ors in English. She serves as the Arts & editor for The Student Life and an editor for he extent of her musical talent is playing n Me” by Bill Withers on the piano, but she is a ate listener and concert-goer. In the past she has kept “Bite the Hand” by boygenius, oria” by Smino, and “Coogie” by Dijon on heavy .
urphey is in her first year at Scripps College. previously written for The Student Life, the per of the Claremont Colleges, and currently as the poetry editor for The Scripps College . Her first guitar was a cherry red half-sized Stratocaster gifted by her father. Lately she n listening to Bakar, The Zombies, and e Otis.
Le er from the Editors
On the evening of January 28th, a jazz trio, named Sweater Collective performed a show in Dom's Lounge, a small performance space in the basement of the Pomona College student center. The audience squeezed into any available space with a view of the stage. As soon as the lights dimmed, Sweater Collective took the stage, quelling the audience’s murmurs and launching them into a night of light-hearted yet impressive jazz performances. Before the three of us even started collaborating on this inaugural issue of Interlude, we were all a part of that Dom’s lounge crowd. We found ourselves there not because of this magazine, but because of our shared love of listening to and creating music, attending live gigs, and learning more about the bounty of up-and-coming, college-aged artists and bands. We founded Interlude on this shared love. This magazine honors the dedicated, young artist; within the following pages is only a sampling of the talent and passion around us. We set out to celebrate a diverse group of musicians who represent many genres and are themselves genre-defying. Interlude also aims to highlight the complex lives of student musicians — to showcase who they are beyond the music they play and produce. What we discovered was a web of student musicians, music enthusiasts, and friends. We hope that this magazine presents an opportunity for readers and musicians alike to discover and continue building those connections. Rock on! Megan, India, and Molly
n Up, Folks ble of Contents
versation with Zoë Jacobs and Isabella Lindsay
SAY
as Precious
weater Collective inspired me to pick up my viola
ATURE
Go With it
ooom honors improvisation to define their wide-ranging sound
EATURE
n Book
a Kirk explains her original song "Thereza"
TERVIEW
REEX: An Asian American Music Collective
erview with Allen Pan, Abby Tam, and Alex Wong
HOTO ESSAY
uitar
How COVID-19 Killed the Concert 35 INTERVIEW Nurlan Gnadinger's Polyphonic World 40 INTERVIEW Creating Space Hazel Esco on the MuCo jam room
44 ESSAY Spotlight on Vampire Weekend 46 FEATURE Inside the Silver Saloon How two suitemates and their piano are bringing music into their dorm hall
52 ESSAY Spotify Unwrapped An examination of bias in Spotify's design interface and recommendation system
Listen Up, Folks
Zoё Jacobs: MM: You mentioned So Isabella that was youwearing never felt a shirt connected one day to our of piano, favorite why was band.that? Isabella ZJ: I justLindsay: wouldn’t Big practice Thief.and I wouldn’t like it when I ZJ: And had a lesson. I went up to her — I was really excited that I found someone who liked the same band as me — and By Molly Murphey I said, MM: How “Hello. wasDo it you different listen when to Big you Thief?” found even the though the answer was obvious, because she was wearing guitar? Lindsay and Zoë Jacobs are first-year students at Scripps College in Claremont, CA, where they this Ishirt. ZJ: likeIsabella that Thethe rest guitar is history. is portable and it's more metI don't in August 2022. IL: conducive know to playing if we told withyou others. but we Youtried can to have go up more to Since then, the two have in several ensembles, playing music by a wide variety of artists within someone guitars in else the same who was room wearing then you aperformed Big canThief haveshirt pianos. the indie we andthought, folk genres beyond. Most you can find them on the lawn in front of Toll Hall at Scripps because thisand is how we met andoften, became playing with an ever-changing group of you friends best MM: How friends. about It didn't you, go Isabella, so well.how We both did said, getand intofellow musicians. They also play in the Irish Folk Ensemble hosted by Pomona College. simultaneously, music? “I like your shirt. Do you like Big Thief? Jacobs about crossover I love IL: I also Big started Thief” and and withLindsay she's piano. like, Italk had “Okay… a similar thank experience you.” and overlap to refer to favorite artists, songs, and genres that they have in of common with peopleI enjoyed they meet and play with. It is clear that community building is one of the where I kind dreaded thethe lessons. being mostHow important aspects ofsome musicTaylor to them. MM: able to play did it you and get I played into music? Swift for my I grade spoke thememory two of them following their February ZJ: My first seventh music talent show, was but actually then I just piano fell out when of Iit. 10th performance at the Tiny Dorm Concert, an intimate show featuring four and genres hosted was My teacher little, and was I didn’t verygroups old really andconnect herfour house with was it. very Then dim, myat Boswell dorm at Claremont McKenna College by the Claremont Welding Enthusiasts. the Tiny sister and I would started beplaying really tired guitar after andaThey Ilong stoleplayed day herat guitar school. and Dorm Concert with friend and fellow Irish Folk Ensemble member,playing. Adrian Then Flynn, with they often collaborate. started Phoebe Bridgers got me I started intowhom music teaching again. myself In 2017 andmy We met Iover dinner Malott Dining taking lessons. brother showed me didn't her start andat to it was lovethe playing first music itCommons untilthat where Jacobs and Lindsay talked Big Thief, folk influences in pop, and their upcoming program on Pomona College’s radio station KSPC FM 88.7.
A Conversation with Zoë Jacobs and Isabella Lindsay
very nd Phoebe expansive made knowledge a band together of musicso theory we so yto cool that totogether have overlap and went like that. to the shows music r. I started we play playing is very guitar openfreshman to peopleyear justof hool. n. And I feel like that's the spirit of folk. It's a hat is very open to amateurs. ree. o are And you this listening is something to now? that Isabella said to ore we’re we always were singing listening in front to BigofThief. a bigger group, et.I was nervous. Something we talked about is keally singing into is Frazey not highly Ford and trained. I've been So it makes in a bigit mone ry to play phase. because And Joan it welcomes Shelley. We’ve imperfection. been with ink it's our really friend beautiful [Adrianto Flynn] hear and the variation a lot of our me erswe areplay. very folky. Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, ez. We play a lot of indie and folk but recently e’ve l mebeen a little playing bit about so much yourof Tiny that, Dorm I’ve been gt.to How more didmusic that come outside about? of that. were n’t get walking enough back of folk. fromMy our backdrop second Irish is always music gf.and I also [our have friend some andother fellow go-tos musician] like Pinegrove Adrian seyasHendrickx we’re about andtoAlex walkG.onto Lately theI've Scripps been really re ] campus old timeand folk.he Elizabeth asks us if Cotton we want is really to play in me. rt that his friends were setting up. wanted to do a bunch of artists from different w Sowould they invited you describe Adrian to the play contemporary some folk stuff ace, joined especially and it was for really younger cool. Everyone artists? was just weet od amount and I feel of popular like most contemporary people were very artists in ful rnative to allscene the different are verygenres. inspired by folk. ed ly,itBig because Thief has it was a huge small. folk Even side,though although we had hones o go more I didn’t into feel rock likeand weindie. needed Phoebe them. It was syful. has kind of expanded out of folk but her first was heavily inspired by folk. Pinegrove isn’t olky but they lowkey start sounding a little . y have the banjo come in. , I think it's a lot more popular than it seems e most of the popular young artists who are sed are expanding into different genres too.
w do you find people to play music with? e beginning of the year, we had a phase where d everyone who we met or became friends hey were musical in any way. We just gathered people who are into music. And I feel like you oneered playing on the grass. People just sit nd join and then they'll start coming more nd bringing their instruments. It’s such a nal thing that just kind of happened. rst, it was very directly. We’d be asking people. e’re in an Irish folk ensemble on Mondays.
IL: I feel like it doesn’t surface as us as a duo really because we just accumulate people. ZJ: But we are making a show on KSPC… Should we launch it? IL: Yeah. ZJ: You're the third person who knows the name. It’s called A Minute or Two. IL: It’s because we love the Talking Heads Song “This Must Be The Place.” We use that song a lot for our friendship. ZJ: One of the lyrics that I really like is “home is where I want to be.” When I first heard that, I thought it meant I want to be at home, but I think it's that you can find a home anywhere within yourself. You can broaden that to the human experience; we're on this earth for a minute or two. We share the same space and overlap at different times. There’s a little sneak peek into our lyric analysis. MM: Is that what your radio show is going to be, music and lyric analysis? IL: We're probably going to have a lot of folk, but we're also probably going to have some soul. Both of those genres have so many tangents so I feel like that's a good place to start. And we just love to analyze lyrics. ZJ: Finding the connections between songs is like a hobby. MM: How do you find time to play music? ZJ: I don't want to jinx it but I feel like you can find time for what you need to find time for. If I have 15 minutes between a class I’ll go onto the grass and play for 10 minutes. If I'm in my dorm, and I have free time, it feels very relaxing to play music. IL: I don't know if I'd be able to do all the other things on my schedule and feel as grounded if I didn't have time to decompress and be joyful. MM: What's in store for you two? IL: We’ve got our radio show. I think we're just going to keep playing music and accumulating people. I’d love to go to shows for other bands. We’ll keep accumulating more instruments— I would love a percussion instrument. ZJ: I would love the opportunity to play more little party things.
Just as Precious
deadlines passed, auditioning and for the for exams, Claremont while Concert also working to pick upstudying my viola part-time jobs, Orchestra slowly staying grew into involved a distant in campus dream; string quartet performances, organizations, and attempting weddingtogigs, maintain and days somein the semblance practice rooms of a became social life. memories For us, time of the is precious past. . And becauseAof couple this, we weeks often into forget the spring to attend semester to our of interests this past year, outside however, of school. a few of my friends invited me to “Sweater The interest Collective, that I’ve Live struggled at Dom’stoLounge,” attend to a is music. live performance In middle school hostedand andhigh coordinated school, I by played an the violin and viola. instrumental trioI spent of students years taking from the lessons, Claremont summers attendingWith Colleges. string sonorous quartet pedals, camps,tender monthsmelodies, participating a in master sax soulful classes, solo,weeks mellifluous rehearsing soundfor poetry, orchestra, and the and hours uponofhours freshness musical practicing sound, the for auditions, concert lasted competitions, through the evening. and performances. Performances Asranged I immersed frommyself deeper into improvisations, percussion the world of music, self-composed I fell in love.jazz pieces, and Music spoken became word a big performance part of my art, life: to an outlet for creative expression collaborations with student and a way singers to relieve and pop stress. covers Whileof keeping songs from my famous heart calm, artists it kept like my Taylor mind Swift active, and teaching Katy me skills like diligence, perseverance, and focus. But Perry. above all, It was music clear helped thatme these findstudents my community; were notit only was through orchestra passionate about music, that I met but also someabout of mysharing lifelongit friends. with others. People Students with whom cameI would from across spendthe hours in the practice rooms, Claremont Colleges bothtobefore listen and to their after performances, school, jamming to all kinds while bringing of music—from their friendsbeautiful along with classical them, as pieces well like Edvard as posters Grieg's withPeer the performers’ Gynt Suite and names Gustav written Holst’s in “The Planets,” large font.toSince Disney there medleys were and a limited instrumental number of covers of popularmany chairs, songsstudents like Bruno brought Mars’ “Uptown various cushions Funk.” Bonding and over ourtoshared pillows use aspassion seats; the for relaxed music, we andgrew homey close to one another; together, ambience of the lounge we made felt perfect memories forthat the would last a lifetime. Thesethat performances are the would friends follow. that I have always been able to return Duringto, the despite more bright any distance and energetic and time that’s separated us since performances, students graduation. cheered for the musicians, swayed Having in unison spent to the nearly beathalf of the of my music, life in and this sang community—learning along when promptedto to.play Andthe forviolin the more and viola— tender and dropping music emotional pieces, performance there was an inalmost collegeinexplicable was not something silence thatthat followed; I had ever it seemed imagined as though I wouldthe do. However, listened audience during my and first breathed semester as of one, college, staying I immediately attentive during felt the overwhelmed. performance Theand rigor collectively of my college’s Core curriculum, pausing before applause paired with at the theend. amount The atmosphere of workload associated of the concert with was myone 18.5that credit would class beschedule, hard to forget; led meitto preemptively was powerful,drop intimate, music. and Pursuing fascinating, a career to say in computer the least. As my friends and I walked back to our dorms at the end of the concert, we reflected on the performances that we saw. One friend observed how different it felt to see our classmates outside of the academic space. Seeing them as their authentic, charismatic selves, it seemed as if they took on completely different personas from the ones that
ms, debugging code, and formulating optimal s for various analytical puzzles. Yet, somehow, the drudgery of their busy schedules, they can me for music. This, I found inspiring. When I think about returning to the world of music, e again finding my community within that space, I el hesitant: after all of these years without ng, will I be able to pick up my violin and viola, and well as I used to? Or will I be seen as illiterate and ated in the eyes of the classical world, having en how to read sheet music, and even how to tune ruments by ear, skills that once seemed second Sometimes, I feel pressure to be better than I am match the image of a college-level musician that dhood self once dreamed of being. Other times, I el an urge to catch up, feeling as though I have ehind from others. But the truth is, life doesn’t always follow a straight nd many of us are still trying to find our groove, guring out how to navigate our different personas. mics and hobbies like music can coexist within one e; making time for music might be challenging, but ainly not an impossible feat. Although I may have short hiatus from music, it’s not too late to resume ical journey; in fact, it will never be too late. Time is s, but music is just as precious.
Just Go With It
one oforiginated band his college’s in acommon Pomona rooms. CollegeRefreshed Jazz Ensemble by practice their shared when musical Dylan knowledge, Yin, Alex Arguelles, the pairJeremy began
Tea Rooom honors improvisation to define their wide-ranging sound
playing and Martin, together Nico Santamaria regularly. So, began four days messing before around their together first gig, Tea in the Rooom earlyconvened weeks of the in its fall, entirety 2021. with By India Claudy Instinctively Malone as the building lead vocalist. off the others’ musical cues, the four “It musicians was really sensed easy the an instant first time connection. that I came and sangThe with group [the often rest ofjammed the band],” before Malone and after said of jazzband her rehearsal, matesand during as they my recent continued conversation to experiment with with their them. “I was collaboration, really impressed they realized that [they] thathad beneath already this spontaneity learned this shared laidlanguage a seriousness and were for playing playing that together. really well,With andMartin so it was on really drums, fun Arguelles to jump playing into.” piano, Santamaria The band held playing twothe additional trumpetpractice and Yin on the saxophone sessions beforeand the vocalizing, January gig they — by formed whichapoint band,a practicing poster hadthroughout circulated, listing the first their semester. band name with a zmysterious “Onethird of the “O” nice in “Room.” things about None jazz of the is band that it’s so key on finding good chemistry with your band mates,” Yin told me. “It’s really, really important to be able to respond to each other on a split second basis and kind of jump off of each other to form a cohesive piece … [Tea Rooom] immediately had this good chemistry and were able to build off each other really quickly.” But Tea Rooom’s improvisations don’t stop with their music; their band name materialized in a similarly impromptu manner. Martin got the idea to name the band “Tea Room” from a graphic one of Yin’s sweaters, and it was originally meant as a placeholder. However, when the group landed their first gig, the name stuck. In January 2022, Arguelles received a text from a member of the band Village Green. Village Green’s upcoming gig at Last Name Brewing Company no longer had an opening act, and they wondered if Arguelles and the rest of the group would fill in. Tea Rooom quickly replied yes — and just as quickly realized that they needed a lead vocalist in order to perform. Luckily, in another spontaneous musical
d.play, they say half-jokingly, they will add an heir “A lot name. of people were telling me … [to be] Tea
the All five indie band popmembers band. Or Tea considered Rooom, their the R&B first
and,” ccess, Arguelles remarking said, on“but their[Ifeelings like] having of ease, that not ent,being and pure constrained joy whileto onastage, specific asgenre well as ng sing told lack what of nerves. to play They for the played sake Maroon of publicity 5’s yeting, Morning,” because Childish onceGambino’s we get to that “Redbone,” point, it’s Gaye’s t are we “Ain’t really Nodoing Mountain it for?” High Enough,” and me Martin songechoed to ClubaPenguin, similar sentiment: a popular early “One of computer things that game. we really Of course, want to there focus were on as a s:having mics cut a lot out, of amps fun,” he were said, too “but loud, also others we et. beBut able fun to was really what adventure.” mattered most to Tea sStill members. in the infancy of their trajectory, Tea hasn’t “I thinkgot when it allyou’re figured having out just funyet up — onand stage, eally st another what matters part of for theafun. crowd “I would … we say lovethis much ort of the coolbeginning,” technical stuff Santamaria and jazztold stuff me. like tefining at the ourselves end of theas day, wewe’re go along, just having and I think fun
e,” oing Martin to betold the me. case for a while longer.” The ecently It’s a known addedrule another of improvisation member, Aden to go with hers l, to play do inguitar orderand to keep add to any this number process of of
finition. open for the future. In this vein, the band is
much pressure on Tea Rooom’s growth. The group hopes to play more gigs, perform original songs, and create themed sets — all in the name of creating a fun time for themselves and for their audience. Under this sentiment, Martin sums up Tea Rooom simply: “I think we’re serious musicians who don’t take ourselves too seriously.”
pen Book
da Kirk explains her original song “Thereza”
Open Book Matilda Kirk explains her original song “Thereza”
pen Book
nbearable r off yearsLightness ago (because . But she “Thereza” didn’t like is purely it), me he book, of its pages not just hang a lyric loose here from andthe there bindings. like in
ther the book songsholds of Kirk’s; Kirk’sshe original wrestled songwriting, with how dia Claudy
eso wanted housestodrawings keep to the andplot notes andinterspersed with what eshe lyrics. chose Despite to highlight. this jumble, the page open in “It mewas shows justneat about handwriting the bits that in stuck colored in pen: my cs o I to guess a song [thecalled song“Thereza.” is] more about me and k," “I think she says. because Framing I wasitinthis thisway, break-up as being stage er ically relationship couldn't write to theabout book,anything Kirk allowed else, I stuck to takeinmore this one creative thingliberties that happened with thetolyrics me,” alls. eally“And highlight I wasn't what even sheable finds tomost get an poignant he ingnovel. perspective The song’s on itwhole because third I think verse, now for … I e,e focuses nice hindsight on a scene songs ofabout Thereza oldwith a crow ships tchen——but perhaps not atnot thevital time. toBut, the Ibook’s was aware plot, eed block], vitaland to Kirk’s I was remembrance so frustrated. And of it.I And wanted Kirk ome something of her own different.” details in, too: like a copy of arenina Grappling andwith the the word end “whores” of her relationship which
rsthen-boyfriend a focal point ofin her the song midst even of COVID-19 though wn, a never Kirk needed uses it. to get out of her own head in Working write. She in aoften grocery usesshop songwriting at the time as when a way
hrough te the song, her feelings; she’d often withscribble this breakup, lyrics down dr,receipts something andwasn’t hum melodies working.as she
ed “I needed the vegetable to writeaisles. aboutWith something so many else. ces se, Itowas thegoing book to and hate nothing everything about Iher wrote,” own nce, s. So,Kirk instead, had toshe “accept turned the outwards. fact that people
t"The really other understand thing, I think whatI it know was maybe about.”as mes, myself, however, is probably morethis convoluted book,” Kirk lyrics says. allow
ners The book to create she refers their own to isversions Czech writer of theMilan a’s e in1984 theirnovel heads. The “I Unbearable just remember Lightness them of
that follows [Thereza] the tumultuous showed them relationship what music o,” n Tomas Kirk says. and “People Thereza,[were] against responding the backdrop to it erpreting ommunistininvasion their own ofways.” Czechoslovakia. This
Kirk r Kirk, helps wasme in the interpret sweet the spot: song's both chorus, intimate hrough and removed it line by from lineher (seeimmediate facing page). being that she could write about it in a song.
“It was kind of frustrating when I was writing ng] because there were so many things I to include” from the book, Kirk says. She
about in with bed the that / Icrown married moreofthan her his in head, the a line,’ marriage, andbecause when I would he’d [in the say. book, so wash, She’s Kundera he’d unhappy forget writes], to in wash this ‘She marriage, the was crown unhappy, and of she hissojust I But she came to me sick married head. gets aItcamera was her,’ abecause pretty and goes interesting that out was and something scene goes to that the I remembered. [Kundera] soldiers and describes. takes I think pictures because I think it them says mostand about so I put her in myofthebed /a lottheir their relationship, interesting guns, and basically thing to it puts me really isherself imagining caughtinme.” very hergrave Idanger… married her in athisline smelling And his head… then she I don’t hasknow. great That really stayed withfor admiration me.” these women who, I don’t want to misquote it, but the women who, as a form of resistance, they would flow with the soldiers or take their clothes off, because the soldiers weren't allowed to have sex, so [the women But she smelled the went with them] as a form of teasing them. And I think I just thehead word [whores] women onput my / in for dramatic effect.”
I should’ve known when I saw her at the barrel / With her camera / The soldiers came after her / But she only had eyes for the whores /
g as a watershed moment in her ting. “I think this is the start of me having a
rough thematically and writing about
ing different,” she says. “At first I was insecure because I was like, st song I’ve written isn’t even about me, I’m g,’ but then I think it was more about what I e to access through not writing about And since then, I think I have been able to bout myself better because I realized what writerly perspective I can access, and then can use that about myself, too.” The process of writing the song also allowed eakthrough as she processed her breakup. helped me get out of it, I think…It was still 19] lockdown when I wrote this. So, it was ard. You can’t get over something if you're
a room.” Watching Kirk flip through her songbook e I am watching her flip through parts of her
pping on certain pages, Kirk tells me about a out her father, a song written about a
t break-up, a song she wrote on a long while flying home from college. This book s changes in her life and changes in her.
th songs like “Thereza” which are not graphical, Kirk is able to access who and
he was at that time she wrote it. "I think it's cool that that song is something
rote a long time ago,” Kirk says. “Because I ets me give grace to that because when you ummarize a part of your life and [think], ‘Oh, I
t so stupid. It took me so long to get over akup. That was so stupid,’ but it was…a big go through. I lost myself at the time. It's
get what I was creating at that time and give some grace and forgiveness.”
ATHREEX: An Asian American Music Collective
HREEX: An Asian American usic Collective
escence, ustic guitarist, but I later vocalist, retaught keyboardist, myself how and to sound engineer; and Allen as the violinist, vocalist, producer, am: nd keyboard engineer. I was born and Connected in produce Chicago, music by but a rekindled Ion grew YouTube. upfriendship in I and shared love for making music, the three primarily y ong rpicked musicianship and later up singing relocated to perform and to thePhoenix. at guitar. Arizona State University events. Working alongside various student ong: arted ations, I was learning ATHREEX bornpiano and has raised in shared third in grade, Tempe, the stage and Arizona. with I wasmany respected individuals in the music industry, such as my an: Jae middle I was Luna, born and andin high Lukey. Phoenix, school Theybut orchestras. have I spent evenaperformed But few I at the Chase Field, for an Arizona Diamondbacks vs. ossical my Cubs childhood lessons, game. to in teach Shanghai. myself using the t.Since My dad theisbeginning an engineer of 2023, at Fender, ATHREEX a guitar has shifted towards becoming a collective, rather than a band. en cturing h the didcore you company, members all start sosinging remain he showed Abby, and/or me Alex, the playing and ropes Allen, Xyrus Tamba and Kipper (Kip) Gates have been added ments? ollective. came to learning Xyrus is the a vocalist, guitar. ukulelist, and acoustic guitarist; Kip is a drummer, vocalist, and cajón player. an mom to work says Ialongside started singing Abby, Alex, straight andout Allen of in future recordings and performances. With the addition of mb. at kegenre Xyrus I started and of music learning Kip, ATHREEX would the piano you hopes say when ATHREEX to Ireach was a wider range of communities. Moving forward, ATHREEX to der? I later develop picked a unique up thearchetype viola and guitar of Asian-American in creatives, by refining their style and instrumentation, school. m ating the with start,local ATHREEX talent,has andbeen developing a new projects, all with a focus on the Arizona music scene. mance ew To mark up band, with themy performing collective’s mom, who’s at success, cultural a violinI spoke teacher festivals with Allen, Abby, and Alex over Zoom for a conversation about spirations, st. nts.She We classically play favorite musictrained memories, rangingme over in relationship piano many and genres, as a band, and more. For the three members, whose paths mainly dthe over young focus a “shared age on of pop, love four. R&B, ofShe music” and then pop and married rock. “after We my a decade of friendship,” there’s great hope for what comes
writing for the music originals. that we produce. We often begin practice AP: Culture with also ourhas owna individual strong influence visionson in mind. the music we perform. However, when To connect we comemore together with as oura Asiangroup, we open American our ears and identity, mindswe’ve to exploring performed newer Mandopop sounds that songs, such as might pique “Twilight” our interest. by JJ Lin, Ourand original songs ideas from are 88Rising. subject to change and that’s a mutual understanding MC: What’s between me,the Allen, creative and Alex. process All of like these for thoughts ATHREEX? and You mentioned come understandings that culture together has to form a bigthe impact music onthat your we eventually group; ispresent there anything and perform elseon you stage. consider And when choosing ultimately, I believe your themusic? sounds that we develop AP: Usually, through discussion when we are get much together, more someone impactfulmakes and a playlist on Spotify, meaningful to our audiences. and we share songs that we’ve been listening to recently. We often like to mess around MC: Establishing with the instrumentation a band from scratch of recordings, is crazy. but It sometimes seems like we’ll it involves just goafor lotitof onwork our own, and and see where our sound organization. Dotakes eachus. of you Some have really any cool other roles arrangements within the group, thataside we’vefrom performed your vocal are a and groovy bossa nova-style instrumental roles? version of “The Weekend” by BIBI, and Ian AP: facilitate acoustic external versionrelations of “Still Into withYou” organizations, by Paramore. create graphics, and manage our Instagram account. AT: I believe Abby also helps crafting out with and external organizing relations, music in and a group she setting plays a big is a role difficult in the yetcreative ultimately direction rewarding of our form group. of
ent State and University setup forin our April gigs ofand 2022. recordings.
you collaborate with musicians outside of EX? I’m collaborating with an upcoming artist Lukey, to release a new version of her original ately,” which first debuted on YouTube in ve also worked on demos and performed with iang, a childhood friend. performed in the Phoenix Symphony, and it’s one of my favorite musical experiences, apart HREEX. The full sound of a high-tier onal orchestra was incredible to take part in, ve orchestra is something I definitely want to rate into our future performances. I’ve also with many producers and even a turntable efore, and I think it’s crucial to collaborate with who can bring an experimental and unique o the mix. side of music collaboration, we’ve also worked eographers, photographers, podcasters, organizations, equity coalitions, festivals, art ons, and magazines.
at has been your most memorable mance to date? me, the event I’m most proud of is the ASU Night event. AAPASC, the Asian Coalition at sted Culture Night, in which all the Asian/ acific American clubs and organizations came r to share cultural experiences in the form of a s we played more shows, we started to do ets, going for 8-9 songs, and I’m proud that e able to put together so many songs in the at we had to prepare. nestly can’t choose a single favorite memory rmance, but performing in Chase Field for the Diamondbacks vs. Chicago Cubs game was a of our journey. Stepping into that huge field ring our sound with the entire stadium and all etes was definitely something that I hold onto, lly precious experience. I’m also super ntal when it comes to talking about our very formance, which was the live debut of “Lately.” wd’s energy and the exhilaration that we had
insane; there something I’mwere really socurious many people and intrigued gathered to that see. Trying and night, to envision we also us got10toyears talk with together Hojean down andthe his team,isas road crazy; well as I definitely Jae Lunadon’t and want his girlfriend, to put any who were all very lovely concrete expectations people. for myself or the others. But the nature of our friendships makes me strongly MC: What believe that are wesome will reunite of the musically challenges after that college, you’ve faced as a of regardless college whereband life takes (collective)? us. And realistically AP: ATHREEX speaking, I willto definitely me has always be coming beenafter "love these at long two last.” (as well Growing as Xyrus up and under Kip), two tomusician be part ofparents, my future the violin often creative projects felt like and anperformances. opponent, a chore, and a necessary AW: To me,evil. the biggest Away from challenge the labor has ofalways practicing beenin solitude, joining grasping onto things. orchestras I would with have friends something was where in myI made the hands andfondest often let memories. it go, but Learning ATHREEXindependence was in recent years different. I didn’t has want given to let methis more fade space out to into grow a oneas an individual; time thing, so my effort, intent communication, to continue pursuing and music has becomeculminates experience more meaningful. into whoMy wepath are and today. Alex Asand we Abby’s all get busy pathswith realigned our lives, after school, a decade and other of friendship, and the glueof distractions that lifepieced and adulthood, us together it'swas essential our shared to love oftime make music. andAspace difficult forreality what we that truly we face thinknow, is is that we are valuable, which a college to memusic are these collective. relationships This means I build that after with Abbywe andgraduate Allen, and from alsocollege, the music everything that we will be up in the create together. air. I know that an end to the current “us” is
miven, for other even though up-and-coming it might sound college terrifying. bands? ink when pursuing creative mediums as a communication at’s next in store andfor openness ATHREEX? are really have nt. Since a lotthe on our three plate of us this arecoming all putting season! in time ort appearance to create music this year together, was inwe January all have atto the Chandler’s ompromises Multicultural when preparing Festival, for aand show. our g compromise day is Marchsounds 25th at like the aCHASA strongPeach word, I’m mable Festival, to speak and my Culture mindNight, around where Abbywe and get Allen efor they Tiffany give constructive Day. criticism and are lented, so I trust the decisions they make and ening ds they for have Tiffany to say. Day I also – that’s thinkso love exciting! for music rom h other upcoming goes a long performances, way. Havingdo people you that I ny st with other issues projects outside coming of music up? makes a big of ceus inare getting currently through working life, and on our it's own also really ng ments with and them projects; as well. specifically, ental ieve one andof lyrical our greatest original compositions, qualities as more and als isvisual our willingness arts. We’re to also beexploring spontaneous. apparel mes, utlet for performances creativity, but do not that’ll gobe thea way littlewe down especially the road. whenYou we can perform find us outdoors. and any projects ents areor subject performances to untuning on @a3xoffical with windy on am! r, and as a vocalist, my mouth can suddenly causing me to choke between words. However, ight changes in our environment don’t phase erformers. We’ve learned to move forward as we can, making careful and necessary ments. Furthermore, sound systems tend to ur sound projection, but we constantly listen other, so we know we are staying together. t of spontaneity is what genuinely keeps us together amidst trouble. s is more so life advice, but something I live by do not be afraid of yourself.” To put yourself your soul, to dive into the deepest, most ble, and truthful place and to build a ship with that entity is a terrifying thing to , but it’s a vital process for the consciousness nts to take your perception and reflections to a tely new level. It’s easy to be critical of yourself ers during rehearsal, based on your ception of what constitutes a “good sound”. earsal is literally a space and time dedicated to ment through criticality. Keep your perception ut leave the judgemental and prejudiced mind the door, to become more open-minded to ar sounds and concepts. There’s a healthy between criticality vs. open-mindedness that
Chuck Berry and BB King played,” he said. Cicourel plays guitar with Claremont-based band Tea and the Pomona College jazz band.
My Guitar
³ James Sullivan, “20 Iconic Guitars: From 'Lucille' to 'Trigger,' great guitars and the musicians who love them,” RollingStone, Nov 16, 2019.
Photos and words by Molly Murphey It’s 1967 and The Jimi Hendrix Experience has just stepped on stage at The Monterey Pop Music Festival. Hendrix wears an orange ruffled shirt, black embroidered vest, cherry red pants, a large gold chain on his neck, and a handkerchief tied around his waist. In his hands, he holds a guitar no less ornate, a white and red Stratocaster that is hand-painted with swirling black designs. Five minutes into the penultimate song in the set, a cover of Chip Taylor’s “Wild Thing,” Hendrix lays his guitar on the ground. He produces a bottle of lighter fluid and unceremoniously douses the Strat. Then he sets it alight with a match. As it burns, the so-called “Monterey Strat” sends alien sounds through the live amps. In the final moments of the performance, Hendrix smashes the guitar against the stage and tosses the severed neck into the audience. Was this sacrificial burning an embodiment of the “Wild Thing,” a commentary on the impermanence of the physical guitar in the face of the great experience that is Rock n’ Roll? Or was it, as British music journalist Lloyd Bradley suggests, a trick that only serves to “obstruct the real magic”?¹ Whatever it was, The Hendrix Experience’s Monterey Pop Festival will go down in history as one of the most iconic performances in the last century and an emblem of a rapidly changing rock scene. The history of music in the 20th century can be told through its famous guitars. Prince had his custom cloud guitar, a design built by Dave Rusan and modeled after the Sardonyx bass, which debuted in his Purple Rain movie.² Willie Nelson has Trigger, an acoustic guitar with a hole in its body, which he has played for 40 years. B.B. King had his Lucille, which he saved from a burning dance hall in 1949.³ These artists’ guitars became an extension of their persona, achieving their legendary status. Many guitarists begin playing on a hand-me-down, a lender from a guitar teacher or a gift from a family member. The guitars they use — and collect — hold within them hours of practice, memories of first shows, and the scars of setbacks. The young guitarist, often lacking the resources to acquire a custom guitar, makes do with stickers and straps. I spoke to five students studying at the Claremont College Consortium about their guitars. For many of them, finding the time to play while being a full-time student is challenging. Yet many of them can’t imagine a life without music. I photographed the students where they practice — in their dorms, at Pomona College’s Thatcher Music Building, and at the Jam Society Room in a basement at Harvey Mudd College.
s that he would want himself that I ally like that much. He told me that he
a set of golf clubs, which would have
really nice gift, of course, but I was disappointed. Then he gave me the t was such a good surprise and I love
me gifts that he would want himself that I don't really like that much. He told me that he got me a set of golf clubs, which would have been a really nice gift, of course, but I was kind of disappointed. Then he gave me the guitar. It was such a good surprise and I love it.”
was Alice Cooper. Before Alice Cooper was a solo artist, it was a band and their guitarist played aldwell previously played with Houston-based punk band Nobody’s Daughter and is now a guitarist
emont-based Blemish.
piano, then acoustic guitar, then electric guitar. He used to play in a band with his brothers, but after taking a break at the start of college, he now plays solo acoustic guitar. “I collect a lot of guitars. I wanted something that was high scale. I saved up over the years and then I got this guitar freshman year.”
How COVID-19 Killed the Concert incenter. that sweaty I was room. 10 years At old, The wearing Garden’spurple October lipstick 2022and show my first at the attempt Fox Theater at winged in Pomona, eyeliner.the Katy crowd Perry was in
moshed her Superbowl withMurphey unusual heyday.gusto. My mom They had danced scored asnosebleed if they By Molly were seats letting for my out birthday two years which of pent-up I am sure energy, cost aas fortune. if throwing It was loud their and anger hot,at and the Katy world Perry at my wasbody. no more Lyingthan in myabed centimeter that night, tall Ifrom sankour intoseats, the pain butof when being she came pummeled out on aby golden a crowd. animatronic I knew I needed horse totoperform reevaluate “Dark my relationship Horse,” withI felt concerts. overwhelmed by excitement. From In November, then on,tickets concert forfever Taylor consumed Swift’s first me.tour I asked2018 since for tickets went on for sale. my birthday, All around saved me, up I saw money heads from over bent my dishwashing laptops in my job, college and religiously classrooms, trolled the concert announcements students behind them waiting on the inapp an impossibly Songkick. Then, long nearly three queue to buyyears tickets. ago, I watched the pandemic my peers hit and holding going back to concerts tears when at the large tickets venues sold became out. The just lucky one ones of the many parts ofplane bought my life tickets, that was preparing altered.to I worry fly across that the live music might country to venues neverwhere go back tickets to what were it once still available. was, and that the COVID-19 Resellers were reported pandemic to listhas a single irreversibly ticket at changed $28,000.¹ how I experience music. The this Call first ashow return that of lured the concert, me out an of my outlet for pandemicchecks stimulus pause to onnot-yet-financially-independent concert-going was the young adults,show Sacramento or a symptom on Tyler, the of the Creator’s Taylor Call Swift Mecraze. If You Get Lost That mayTour all be intrue, April but 2022. to me Theall San this Francisco Taylor Swift show ticket on his business 2019 Igormirrors tour was the one frantic of the feeling best nights I felt inofthe my life, so pits of the when three he announced concerts I have his latest been tour, to since more March than two years 2020. I feelinto thethe same pandemic, panickedI took grasping the plunge. for the Ilife spent we onceshow the knew. wearing a mask in a maskless crowd, caught betweenAtfeelings these recent of elation shows, at being standing so close in a sea to one of of people my favorite under artists brightand lights, panic sweating, at beingpushing, so close and to so many for vying other thepeople. front row, For Iafelt week a collective after the show, longing I for something nursed bruises morefrom thanmy the being life we shoved have into led for thethe guard past rail and three years. compulsively I felt a hole took in my COVID-19 heart from rapidthe tests. people lost, theAt time TV spent Girl’s August away from 2022 family, show the in Berkeley, deep, dark I sadness was again ofthe a life only lived person in myinroom sightthat wearing no amount a mask. ofI dancing can fill. I felt an attempt to reclaim that joy I once felt watching a tiny sparkling Katy Perry mount a
, but I couldn’t enjoy it the way I once did. Not all hope is lost, however. I still love music. I
ening to my friends play guitar late at night in
rms. I love going to see the Pomona College nd and the Claremont Colleges Orchestra. I wo and a half hours at the local open mic, g to my fellow students, but mostly old men, ngs I’ve never heard before. I listen to music ce-down in the middle of the night in my room and I’m happy, happier than I’ve ever been. ized that music doesn’t have to be an event to orable. That realization has made me wonder ust buying into the hope. The story of the past three years is often told we’ve lost. My story of loss includes the joy of concert. The exhilaration of dancing with a f strangers just doesn’t hit me anymore. Now I
hink about the sweat and the germs and how hurt. Sometimes I get the nagging feeling that eally liked being in that sweaty sea of people. I
my neighbor in the pit, thrashing in the purple ght, sweat beading on their forehead and I
if they are finding their outlet, their escape, ss, or just faking it until it gets better, like me.
Nurlan Gnadinger's Polyphonic World
urlan Gnadinger's Polyphonic orld
Gnadinger: When I was young, I took hat essons. was In the fifth sequence grade I started of learning saxophone. ments hour jazz forband you?opened at my school in hayed grade. piano It was as avery kid. unorthodox. In fourth grade, We like ourth Guns graders, and Roses’ I played “Welcome recorder. to the My Jungle” first as uperstition” a recorderby solo Stevie withWonder. my fourth Thegrade band olly Murphey Then eant to in get fifthstudents grade I played interested alto in funky which one. I would startedbelearning a bridgeflute intobecause jazz. my is and a multi-instrumentalist INurlan ayed totally inGnadinger high lovedschool it. Sometimes she to had start a flute the in and first-year student at Pitzer College. Gnadinger rn Kazakhstan has lived in in the Boise, Idaho since the age of three. They describe their high set. he in teacher playedbut jazz videos as eighth “the liberal in the only liberal city in Idaho.” Now they are making a name for ound. In Atonly the grade, beginning ourschool band of eighth had 10 grade, elves the Claremont music scene as a member of the Pomona College jazz band and a was ones a on video and four of aflutes. guy inThe aColleges pink band tuxedo teacher with a who can be heard playing at eing saxophone. hemusician needed some He was of doing the saxophones things thattoIflute in the evenings as they walk the campus. Gnadinger’s captivated ver to the seen flute. on amusic I saxophone. said, first "I have Ita sounded flute atme when they performed a solo at the beginning of Charles ’ song at the Pomona College ned and and he“Moanin’” said, he was “Great. fully You're dancing a flute while playerjazz band’s fall 2022 concert. As I sat in the audience, I at the way that the music coursed gthralled started the saxophone playing flute — an for Irish Concert jig typeBand, dance. through Gnadinger’s body. It was loud. As it turns out, othis wasguy five years in the making; Gnadinger first came across “Moanin’” in eighth grade through one d xophone for up jazz andbands. found aThat's videoaof big him musical saxophonist Pelligrino. They have been playing it ever since. tion with influences, my sound because I haveLeo never Gnadinger met me at Thatcher Music Building at Pomona College on an overcast afternoon during the recent historic California storms. They wore a motorcycle jacket which their father gave them ke” but they now enjoy wearing. While they were at home in Thatcher’s lobby, we could have just ly been talking in a parking lot or Pitzer College’s community Grove House space — for Gnadinger, s everywhere. We talked about “Moanin’”, Gnadinger’s tapestry of musical influences, and their o travel the world while communicating through music.
classical[the Caplain player. director] It's gritty asked and me, loud. “Do you play any other instruments?” Then COVID hit I said, in 2020 “Yeah, andI a have family a friend gave baritone.” When me ashe clarinet. was handing During my out Zoom the music classes, for “Moanin’”, I would I asked have her my computer about it. She on my said, desk “the and a clarinet second I heardon your theaudition floor. During and you breaks, wereI loud would , grab was that the clarinet, the only turn thingmy I needed cameratooff, give and usstart this playing.Since piece.” By the eighth time grade quarantine in mywas freedone, time, I was able to play instead of practicing the clarinet. my proper band music, I would be In senior playingyear “Moanin’” of highwith school headphones I got a on. baritone When [Caplain] saxophone. handed It was the song my Christmas out, I thought, gift, I my birthday don't need this gift,music. and my I already graduation knowgift, what but myit was worth solo is going it. to Mybe. parents That song haveisbeen a very huge abstract supporters kind of jazz.and Thehave goal always of that been pieceopen is organized to letting me joinYou chaos. different have the music bass ensembles playing, you andhave making the music aplaying, drums big partand of my every lifesingle even when member it meant of the that they band is improvising had to drive at me thearound same time. more. It’s super wild and then at the last second the band will MM: You snap intoperformed unison. “Moanin’” with the Pomona College Jazz Band in the fall semester’s concert. MM: You mentioned Was it purethat coincidence you had invented that theythe wanted solo youto played play that for “Moanin’”. song for the How concert? did that come about? NG: No matter who performs it, the song starts with the baritone saxophone player standing up and playing whatever they want to for about 10 seconds. That is a ton of freedom, because there's no speed, no tempo, which is very liberating. I probably went through 10 variations. MM: What do you like to listen to in your free time? NG: My Spotify is not cohesive at all. Here we have Meghan Trainor and “House of the Rising Sun” and Russian emo rap. I listen to anything that makes me feel something. It just strikes a chord (sorry for the pun). I don't listen to that much music, but I have listened to almost every video by Leo Pellegrino on YouTube. MM: How do you balance finding the time to play music and being a student? NG: That is a real question. Even more real, because [Thatcher Music Building] is pretty much the furthest building from Pitzer. If I want to practice, I have to make the 15-minute commute. It helps that there are public pianos everywhere on the campuses. Even if I can't
as hat's himpublic givingand his an introduction, upright bass. saying, So I I learning am Tupac upright Mantilla bass. I am a percussionist.” e started trying to get us to converse with hat hout have using been anyyour real best words. music-related It's cliché to nts? t music is a universal language, but it's a ere onest have form been of communication a few times in college than words when unset ver be. I would take my flute and wander campus until I found a good spot. Then I give ce you a flute learn concert one language, wherever it's I was. easier That's to more. usic is Insupposed your experience, to be. Wedoes learnthat all this hold cal th stuff, instruments? we listen to standards, but it's so e exactly can go out the into samea thing. place and That's play why forwhen er first might hear beabout there.the One instruments time, for example, I play, I aying y, “Oh, next youtoplay theeight fountain instruments? and when Oh, I ddness!” a girl came I basically up to only me and playsaid, piano “Thank and at ind. was I'mreally starting beautiful. to learnYou string. made my day one and piano took my whole childhood aWhen hold this on. Saxophone storm first took started, me Ifive wasyears, at the House ok meplaying two andpiano a halfoutside. years, clarinet It was windy, took enyear. the Iwind learned started guitar getting during stronger. winter break. I just d it, like the wind was my conductor. It there re aggressive, any instrument more wild. you’d Thenstill it started like to g. It's not me that's playing the piano, it's eed rp, maybe. of the wind, This is and a total the aggression fantasy, but ofI’d the eing sit at a the conduit harpfor during music breakfast is what Ion think a lazy it's yut. morning. There's also been a few times where I've hat's my emotions coming up on for the you piano in with the future? a close ort here, term, especially I'll be playing if something at the A difficult Cappella is tn[The in my 2023 life or International their life. Instead Championship of tryingof ate about A Cappella it, I'll justWest playQuarterfinal piano for a bit. hosted at aOne College] of theand greatest then the teachers jazz concert. I ever had Long is plan Tupac toMantilla. graduateI took in three a few years master and take rth with year him toand travel. he is There another is a big of the question biggest lcan influences I keep playing in my life. music He's while a traveling? sionist is pretty and packable, his idea but of percussion I might have is to break e noisefrom thatbaritone it makessaxophone. when you hit any one with Something any other I want object to do at later any angle. in my life Theis el y in to his a place class, where we were I don't waiting speakbecause the ge, fessor takewas an instrument late, and then andhe play walked untilin I y] went people. like this. I hope [ Gnadinger that in the gets future, out of I'll hair music androom begins where hitting I can the have tables my and around ones, my them. flute, ] Then and Mantilla my keyboard. started people questions in gibberish. The first ople w would were you terrified, describe but then your some ideal guy music up, and started spouting gibberish as well. a’s ou lesson searchwas up Jacob that music Collier, is the you'll pattern know of
music. or happy Leo sad. Pellegrino I have this is secondary. dream of being Collier a very is the unorthodox kind of person music whoteacher. can fiddle around on an instrument he doesn't know for 10 minutes and then all of a sudden, you'll hear some beautiful melody or some song that you know. That's exactly what I want to be like when I'm older. He has an album called “In My Room” which was recorded in his music room. The walls are covered with guitars, mandolins, and different instruments from around the world. He has drums in one corner, and tribal drums next to him. It’s everything a multi-instrumentalist can hope for. I also want to be a music teacher for young children. I’m never going to give them music. They'll have their instruments and I'll use whatever instrument complements them. The lessons will be in the music room. I'll play a few questions out like “How is your day?, What's your name? Welcome to the music studio.” Then, I'm going to say, “Okay, now make noises.” Eventually it can turn into a conversation where instead of learning chords into chord progressions into the
Creating Space
works see HE: MuCo bands in Pomona’s isthey've the Pomona seen music before, [College] library,and serves musicians thenas they'll house stay manager at Little Bridges, and works for CCaves –– the because there's coalition. colleges’ audio It's a resource and stillvisual music for service and bands they're –– onsetting campus having up and a equipment at various events.
Hazel Esco on the MuCo jam room
musicians good time. Among on campus. Hazel’s We roles have is serving a spaceas inpresident Walker to the Pomona College's Music Coalition (MuCo), which dorm at Pomona provides student in musicians the basement with opportunities with instruments to come together and play outside of the music department. By India Claudy IC: Why and One amps waydid MuCo and you cables accomplishes decide and tojust getthis ainvolved space mission for with bands is through to its jam room, located in Walker Hall. MuCo? play, and I sat all of down those with resources Hazel tothat better areunderstand in that roomhow the space functions and serves musicians. We met in HE: dorm can her Something be lent room, out that to which bands is very has tothe important be used samefor spunk toevents, meshe is music does: walls collaged with magazine clippings, notes and being accessible concerts, drawings from shows, friends to whatever. everybody. pinned Soabove the Music purpose her is abed, language ofaMuCo record player and a sewing machine sharing the top of her that is desk. to bridges be able to cultures facilitate andbands time and playing space together. in a way that I think Hazel likediscussed not muchaccessibility else does. And in music, so I think square dances, and how the MuCo jam room creates a muchthatWhat IC: needed anything space kind that of forevents college helps facilitate does musicians Muco that to organize? kind experiment of and connect. inclusivity HE: MuCo tries and accessibility to organize aiscouple very important. events a And I saw that MuCo semester. Last semester, was offering wethat, did aand MiniI wanted Music to get involved Festival where partially all the because bands onI campus care a lotplayed aboutait, and partially couple songs-long because set,I thought just to showcase that MuCo’s everyone's message music, and ofwhat trying they to be do,a and resource how they for bands sound.soAnd that musicgoing we're is more to accessible do a Farm Fest was in notconjunction being fulfilled with to the farm. best that We just it could try to be. provide opportunities for bands to play so that smaller bands don't have to IC: What put in all this would work you tosay planisan most event important when they toaren't even sure that anyone's going to show up because MuCo? HE: I don't they think that havethere a fan continues base because to bethey've music never on
usic howtogether. does theAlso, collaborative instruments or how are does ctice ve, and room especially work?ifLike you how just want is that to try
ed? ing out, it's really hard to just try an ically, ent if you it starts don'twith want word to spend of mouth, a lot and of then dy o find comes one.to Some this and space asksprovides for access to the Calendar nities forfor youswipe to just access go and totry thethings, practice snd extremely I get the important Google Calendar to creation. whichAnd has,it's I a 0sual people space: on we it. And have you a chair can reserve in there,the and room car -hours nd posters timeon slots thefor wall. up It's to six meant hours toabe week. a or n the people swipe to just access hang is a out, form which thatIIthink then facilities… e pressurethey off of just needing have to toask playme something so that I or ho's sound in there perfect. so that When I can that's try to really keepnot people what making table for is when about,things and itgo should missing be about and stuff the .the So they enjoyment get swipe of creating access,with and they people. canAnd go here k this whenever super casual it's not space, being that used still byoffers ls dytoelse. people, really lends itself to that.
how doesdoes this a coalition collaborative and the space space like this ntribute re to other to music-centered music creation? spaces you een t's aor good are question…I currently athink parthere of? where
has grewtheir up being own space, classically having trained this space, on the
calledgrowing time Cheeseup Gloves trying momentarily. to find spaces And that right weren't before thatfirst our way.gig, So,we I went weretodown square there dances getting during ready to practice, and weekends andwe would wereplay waiting music onwith our bass the band, player. like old time And he ran bluegrass down the music, stairs, which dripping is a space sweat.where Graham like theydripping Hirsch, just throw sweat a chord whilechart holding in front a basketball, of you, and youthe throws justbass kindon ofhis play body, whatever drenched. you want Shirt,on wet. top of it. wet. Face, dripping. Bass, on body. And he was Hair, [The‘Let's like, MuCoplay! practice Let'sroom] play some is likemusic a jam guys! space.I'm It’s called the having thejam best room day –– ever, thelet’s Walker playjam some room music!’ –– and So so being we playedable some to be music. in that space where it's very casual Also, after is super I came nice back considering to school I've lastspent year, ita was lot of time in spaces Sunday night, and where it was everything bad practice. is to the Andmusical I went canon.there, down And you're and I was supposed like, ‘Guys, to play I can't things play, exactly like I perfect, can't do all it.’ the Andtime. they And werenothing like ‘No,isthat's aboutokay.’ yourAnd ear, I or the laid there, wayand you [my wantbandmates] it to sound.Max Andand then Nicole I alsoand think sang Tilda that on “Have campus you Ever here,Seen the music the Rain?” department And I just doesthere laid not have and cried. any space It wasfor a great creativity. time,They music don't really changed allow anyone me in tothat try any moment, instruments. let me tell Nothing you. is lent out to anyone hardly ever unless you're in lessons, and lessons are hard to get. And lessons are only offered in classical disciplines. So, for example, there's a lot of jazz musicians on campus. There are no lessons in jazz. And there are no percussion lessons in jazz. And so the MuCo room is one of the only drum kits on campus that is available to people who are not in percussion lessons. So the music department does not lend itself to being creative and doing what your brain tells you sounds good. There's very little lenience, and so the MuCo room offers a different space. IC: Would you say that MuCo and the jam room have contributed to your growth as a musician? HE: I think it has. I was given an opportunity to be in a band for the last year or so which really helps me learn a lot about my personal style as a musician: what I want to play, and what I don't want to play, and how collaborating with musicians can work when you're outside of the classical world that I have been living in previously. So, I think I've come a long way in letting myself just make sounds that I like and letting myself just try stuff because there's a space to try stuff now. And that’s really fun. IC: Do you have a favorite memory in the Muco
potlight on Vampire Weekend
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encrusted brick buildings: California. Songs like “Horchata” and “Holiday” get at this distance from the East Coast, speaking of summer and warmth and beaches. And while the bandmates didn’t follow the typical post-grad route of corporate life, “Taxi Cab” and “I Think Ur a Contra” get at the universality of one’s 20s: nostalgia, longing, and slight aimlessness. Modern Vampires of the City (2013), their third album, further signals the band’s maturity. Turns of phrase like “Diane Young” (a riff on “dying young”) help a listener to better appreciate their cleverness without the prerequisite of an insider’s intellect. “Obvious Bicycle” and “Step” shed some of the energy of past projects but develop a new-found power in their relative seriousness. Koenig sounds a little dejected on these tracks, tracing the signs of the past: “Because no one’s gonna spare their time for you / No one’s gonna watch you as you go,”
he sings on the album’s opening track. The band’s fourth studio album, Father of the Bride (2019), takes after these two tracks, with a sound that is still distinctly Vampire Weekend’s but invokes a mellowness that makes for easier listening. The band recruited Steve Lacy and Danielle Haim for a few tracks, broadening their scope. The intro chord progression to “Harmony Hall” sounds like the yawn of sunrise and then builds into the dynamism of daytime. The 30 second guitar riff which introduces “Sunflower,” featuring Lacy, brings some spunk to the band’s more typical sound. By the time of this 2019 release, Batmanglif had left the band, perhaps another reason for this shift. This change mirrors much of the album’s focus on themes of spring, rebirth. They leave behind the commas and accept that seasons change: even the college-band that made it past graduation can lose a member, can break off and head in separate directions. Even a band of Vampire Weekend’s success can accept the distance between their beginnings and where they are now. “Harmony Hall,” a track off Father of the Bride, shares a name with a Colombia dormitory. Koenig said he had no idea.
nside the lver Saloon
Inside the Silver Saloon
side the Silver loon
throw it off a roof, you got it. I just need to get ” Hollingsworth accepted the offer and began g how he was going to get the piano from the or’s house to his dorm. First, he recruited the t dudes” he could find in his dorm building to nsport the piano (which he estimates weighs 00 pounds.) Then, they loaded the piano into of a borrowed pick-up truck. En route to Mudd College, the crew stopped by a Wendy’s hru. Memorably, Hollingsworth played piano in of the pick-up as they drove past the drivendow.Murphey olly After their request to drive the piano onto the Mudd campus was denied, Behind a nondescript greenHollingsworth door in one ofand ing crew got creative. 40block minutes after Mudd College’s concrete dorm buildings on campus with the what piano,Collin they Fitzpatrick were finally on Silver Saloon. That’s hway which cuts through Harvey Mudd. “I was Hollingsworth call their suite, which opens piano benchof onone a skateboard. wereparty e courtyard of the mostThey popular the piano onliberal furniture and I'm going t this small arts movers college that is known n thehard bench. would fallharder. whenever I hit a king andI partying said The Hollingsworth. Silver Saloon comprises two double dorm The dorm-wide emailbathroom he had sent onnected by a small andout complete “a performance of some type” failed to The eng requisite lofted twin beds and minifridge. many spectators the—handful of iece of the Silver and Saloon a rich brown ded engineering students who come piano sandwiched between thedid two bedsout in to piano's arrival werelong slightly at the ick’s room — came aftermiffed the suite was
Two Suitemates and their o are Bringing Music into their m Hall
ned with that name. When it arrived, it felt right useThe daily. Fitzpatrick e.The “Wepiano havenow this gets theme. piano adds to it,” out a few notes heraggedy, is bored upright with worth tells me. whenever “It’s the old, ork. and Hollingsworth were happy to give theHe saloon." eview ofdoes one of pieces theyfind are itself working So how anthe upright piano in aon r. As I sat in the Silver Saloon, playful dorm? Early in the Spring 2023their semester aying an interesting to the worthprovided was enrolled in a musiccontrast theory class. nic music whichthis blares from the speakers since dropped class, which was his in rm courtyard at his all hours. class on top of Computer Science/Math On weekends when party oursework.) One day,ahe wasstarts sittingup in in histhe rd outside of their“It’s dorm, theclass. residents of the ngineering class. after You know aloon invite partygoers in to whatever m doing. I have 30 minutes ofplay space between e themy piano. “You just class. see who in, and sson and music theory So comes of course, I'm ‘Alright, play!’ We get some really, really crazy y music theory homework.” Hollingsworth’s ople,”professor, said Hollingsworth. ring Professor David Harris, walks Thehim, piano isn’t only instrument in him the if he nd sees thethe homework, and asks aloon. Hollingsworth showed me his guitar ant a piano. e received as aHarris] gift from his grandfather, “He [Professor was like ‘I have an a onal guitarist. Throughout high school piano. You could do anything you want he with it,
Fitspatrick also plays guitar, although he admits he hasn’t played in a while. Right now, he’s more focused on his bassoon lessons, which he has taken through Pomona College’s music department for the past two years. Hollingsworth and Fitzpatrick don’t know what they’ll do with the piano in the summer between moving out of this iteration of the Silver Saloon and into the next. They’re sure, however, that the piano will stay with them.
potify Unwrapped
Spotify Unwrapped millionsBy music. ofdisplaying songs, podcasts, Spotify-curated and videos. playlists While as recommendation system commercializing featured playlists,the and music as “perfect” industry,for Spotify exploring has
certain genres shaped the wayand in which matching digital specific musicmoods, gets delivered Spotify places to 489 emphasis million music on itslisteners own professionallyfrom around the curated playlists. world.²Independent Although Spotify playlists hascreated by undoubtedly Spotify users,transformed on the otherthe hand, music are industry accessible in on many the Spotify ways,platform, its algorithmic but require culture active and design searches to interface be found. hinder In the absence the creativity of theoffreedom its userstoand explore perpetuate various libraries gender andand genres race of inequalities music on their in theown, music industry, Spotify users are thus characterized proving to be as rather music consumers problematic. in “urgent need of musical advice and guidance from experts.”¹ Spotify By was portraying first launched themas asan casual application dedicatedwho listeners to supporting require thethe app’s creative assistance process for of its users; however, finding music, Spotify by analyzing draws aits line playlist between creation those and recommendation who consume music via process, Spotifywe and see those that who the app often does curate playlists the opposite: for Spotify. it prioritizes Music enjoyers business and and commercial music connoisseurs concernsare over treated consumer as two creativity. distinct and In 2013, Spotify mutually exclusive switched groups. fromAlthough being a search-based Spotify interfaceits provides – where users with “users the would opportunity [...] enter tokeywords create to find and share their their desired own music” playlists, and the create Spotify “sharable interface and collaborative visually foregrounds playlists” and idealizes – to a heavily Spotify-curated recommendation-based ones. With the emphasis interface, held on Spotify-curated where “editorial and algorithmic playlists (insteadexpertise” of users’ individual have beenplaylists), used to it create “personalized becomes unclear whether experience[s].”¹ one's listening Spotify patterns users no Spotify on longer rely truly onrepresent the search a reflection engine to of discover one’s music new music. Instead, preferences, or many ratherof a mere them product opt to navigate of the app’s music using the algorithmically-generated recommendation algorithm. By prioritizing playlists thethat flood theofapp’s delivery professionally-curated home page. The majority playlists of these on its playlists, however, interface, Spotify suggests are compiled that “by its users Spotify’s lackteam the of curators expertise toor find by the playlist “best” brands musicconnected for themselves, to Spotify thus undermining partners, such the creativity as Filtr (Sony), of its Digster users. (Universal), Ironically, and Topsify the Spotify (Warner recommendation Music).”¹ Some are even sponsored system itself lacks bycreativity. record companies Spotify offers and related
akers -American and towomen. check out As shown selected through music this based e,ous Spotify’s listening related patterns artists andfeature editorial draws ns.”¹ tionsTobetween generate artists musicthat recommendations, are similar in terms the c, algorithm gender, and considers race; itathen combination uses these of “other tions s’ choices, to generate algorithmic artistchoices, recommendations. and choices n e of [a user’s] this reliance account.”³ on notions It thenof orders “similarity,” these recommendations in terms of “similarity,” oftenbased “reflect notpatterns only on known, style and premiere genre, but [...] famous also on identity-related artists, and rarely like prising gender advice.”³ and race. Thus,Ann by building Werner, agendered gender researcher alized connections at Södertörn between University, musicalexplains artists nres, comethe oneSpotify of her recommendation own experiences with system the artists eativity,feature: and in many “Rihanna instances leads you even tolimits the topits artist bility to Beyoncé, discoverwho newleads music. you to Destiny’s bringing In addition youtototaking Kelly Rowland, away fromwho userleads creativity, [you] tify , andinterface Ciara leads exacerbates you back to genderKelly Rowland.”³ and racessues in the music industry. Each playlist in
music that playlists. Additionally, the playlistby includes. promoting Although similarity “an in its recommendations overwhelming majority and affiliating of Spotify’s certain recommended genres with artists [are] certain identities, male,” Spotify Spotify-curated enhancesplaylists the already “tend to foreground existing gender people andpresenting racial stereotypes as women,” within primarily the in the form music community. of “laughing Recognizing women, smiling these women, issues isbubble the gum–chewing first step to deconstructing women, relaxing the women, social norms [and]that dreamyare lookingentrenched deeply women in nature.”¹ in musicBy streaming mingling services songs from like male artists Spotify. Onlywith by realizing images of thewomen, existence Spotify of these influences norms gender can we dynamics eventuallyand defypromotes them andgender perhaps stereotypes even within the develop a solution music community. to break the Associal socialconstructs anthropologist that Maria Eriksson plague the music explains, industry. the “use of women as playlist-marketing instruments” indicates that Spotify’s interface “reproduces an often criticized notion of music production as a domain of masculinity, [and] music consumption [...] as a female undertaking.”¹ Therefore, the visual elements that accompany Spotify-curated playlists are problematic because they perpetuate the double standard that men belong as artists in the music industry, while women (who belong as music listeners and consumers) do not. While influencing gender relations in such ways, the Spotify interface also portrays ideas of race. Spotify's “top playlists under the genre soul [are] illustrated with African-American artists, often men and women smiling, while the top playlists under the genre rock [are] illustrated with guitars, empty houses, and white men.”³ Through visual representations like these, Spotify reconstructs genres like soul as African-American-focused, and genres like rock as white, masculine, and malefocused. These design choices reinforce inaccurate stereotypes that certain genres of music are intended for certain audiences and can only be sung by certain people. Such racializing and gendering of musical genres can negatively influence users’ musical experience and perception of concepts like masculinity and femininity. Hence, Spotify’s design interface influences gender and race relations in ways that are problematic, especially as they relate to the music industry and community. By examining Spotify’s design interface and recommendation system, we gain insight into some of the consequences of using Spotify, namely that Spotify undermines its users’ creativity and perpetuates gender and racial norms in the music industry. Although Spotify provides its users with a space to create and share playlists, it ultimately
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