Lydia's Music Therapy Senior Reflection: Trusting the Process and Providence

Lydia

How to sum up four years of immense progress, challenge, change, and growth? How to sort through the whirlwind of emotions and thoughts that come with being a soon-to-be graduate? Writing has always been my primary way to process my emotions and thoughts, but writing this reflection has been difficult. In a sense it is my farewell, my goodbye for now. It is an acknowledgement that I am moving forward and will be seeing new sights, challenges, and growth beyond what I know, and that is simultaneously frightening and thrilling.

As I searched for what I wanted to do for college, I felt completely lost. I knew I loved music, but I did not want to pursue music education or performance, and those were the only paths I knew at the time. When I told my sister my dilemma, she asked me “well, what do you want to do in your career?” and without hesitation or thought I answered, “I want to help people”. It astounded me how swiftly and easily that slipped out, but it resonated so deeply with me. My high school piano teacher encouraged me to look up music therapy because another one of his students was looking into it. As I searched music therapy, the first thing I found posed the two questions that hooked me for the next four years, “do you love music? Do you love helping others?” and I cried out of relief and a feeling of belonging and peace. That is how it has been ever since, I have found my passion, and the more I learn about it the bigger it grows. I am so grateful for music therapy. I have written about this in every reflection paper I have had for my practicum sites, even when they were the hardest semesters of college. I think that is such a blessing to have a passion that is so filling even when things are difficult, to feel fulfilled even when things feel like they are collapsing. While I was unsure about trusting the process and believing in myself, I can confidently say that I never doubted whether I was supposed to be in music therapy. I am grateful for this constant in my life.

Studying for Music Theory Exam

My journey through the program has been unconventional if anything. COVID forced us to make alterations about how we did classes. This was particularly hard because sophomore year in the music therapy program contains some of the core developmental classes in music therapy. We had to move music class to online, obtain clinical experiences through Telehealth sessions, and complete online and video proficiencies! It was a very challenging year, but I know now that I am all the better for it. My music therapy courses have always been a big source of enjoyment in my undergrad. I felt so invigorated every time we would discuss new clinical scenarios, settings, research, clinical musicianship, and completed clinical experiences. Particularly, I loved the clinical improvisation class. I always knew I had an interest in improvisation because of my background, but I also resonated with making music in the moment to help others with their process and journey. I found that class so enlightening and like I was coming more into my own as a future music therapist. That class was instrumental (haha) to my growth for exploring my feelings and identity through improvisation based journal prompts and what I would want to do in the future as a music therapist.

I have to note that I would not be the person I am today without Maddie. We have been together since the start of our program and our bond over music therapy and as friends has been instrumental in my growth and development. We have a great dynamic of being similar, we have always complemented each other so well. In fact, we joke that whatever skills one of us struggles with, the other is better at, which is immensely helpful on an academic and personal level. She is my "Music Therapy Life Partner" (MTLP). We have been through so many challenges and exciting opportunities together like online classes, Telehealth sessions, changing environments, musically, academically, and personally. I couldn’t imagine a better person with whom to experience this wonderful program. We had numerous conversations as freshmen talking about how we aspired to be in our program, the community we wanted to foster, how we would be in the future, and notably, how we felt that we were going to do great things together. I still believe that and I always will. I also believe our paths will always intersect and I am so thrilled to see where we will go. We have blossomed and grown together, and that is an experience I will never take for granted. 

Lydia and Maddie following their Senior Project
Presentations April 2023

During my time at the Woods, I have found two things important my journey: Providence and trusting the process. My realization of their relevance was not immediate. In fact, I felt some resistance because they didn't seem valid for me. They both imply that things will work out and move forward as they should, but I didn't understand how this could be and was a hard idea to accept.

I think I felt particularly upset with these ideas after COVID hit. How could any of it feel like it was meant to happen when everything seemed so hopeless? The things I had come to expect for college were suddenly not feasible, the experience I had hoped for was now rapidly changing. On top of all that, I felt like I was falling apart, like I couldn’t do the schoolwork for which I had signed up.

I had to become very flexible with how I did my work and the expectations I had for my college experience. It was a big adjustment and there are still many things I still need to process about that experience, but I think that can be said for so many other people too. However, through COVID I found I was still able to build strong relationships with everyone within the Department of Music and Theatre and we really began to foster a strong sense of community and belonging. That community and relationships really supported me through my sophomore year. So, while I felt like I could not trust this “process” or “Providence”, I felt I could trust my community and friends.

Having fun in student lounge of Conserv

Things began to change for me at the end of my junior year. We were having our first concert unmasked in the Church of the Immaculate Conception (which was a huge deal for the whole department!!!). This concert was not something I experienced my freshmen year. It was the first time I ever experienced a Spring Choral Concert in the Church. This kind of concert was the kind I would always hear the seniors talk about; it was their last concert, a beautiful way to say goodbye to the department. I never got to see or experience that, so it was very special to me. The theme of the concert was centered around being able to make music together and how essential music is in connecting us to one another. In one of our Madrigals' pieces we sang a song titled “Believe” and in it, we stated what we believed. Mine was, “I believe in Providence, that I will always be on the right path, even when I feel lost”. When I was writing that belief, it was not a conscious thought, it just flowed from me. This piece was my first step in thinking more about what Providence meant. This concert made me feel what Providence meant. I could start to more easily see how things were lining up for my future.

After Homecoming Concert - fall 2019

Towards the end of my junior year, I started noticing how much calmer I felt about the challenges ahead of me. I was no longer worried if I would come out of the program, how well I was doing, how proficiencies would turn out, what exactly my senior project would be, where my internship was, and where I would be in a year. I felt at peace with not knowing exactly what would happen; I felt it would all work out. This is a rare feeling for me because I often worry about so many of these facets. But I acknowledge that this peace was felt through Providence. I brought this same mindset into my senior year. 

After Christmas Choral Concert fall 2021

My journal from August 23, 2022: The night before classes started:

“I find myself being very introspective and reflective tonight. It's only begun to hit me that this is my last year at the Woods. Well, I know I’ll be back, I’ll always come back. But this is the last time that I will know everything as it is, I know things are going to change, and all for the better. But I can feel myself wanting to do what all people do when they feel the inevitable force of change on the horizon, like running. But at the same time, I’m thrilled at the opportunities and possibilities ahead. And for the first time, I don’t feel scared…” After reflecting on the challenges I faced and recounting how scared I felt coming into each year, I wrote the following. 

“But here I am, the night before my first day of my senior year. And for the first time, I don’t feel scared. I feel accepting. Accepting of the fact that I can’t tell the future, but still having the faith that Providence will provide with the right path. Even though I don’t know where my internship is, or where I am going, what my exact interest is for internship, or how I will pay for anything, I accept that I will figure it out because of Providence. I never understood Providence when I was a freshman. It seemed so elusive and ambiguous and far away. But I realize now that it has always been standing behind me, gently pushing me down the path that I was always meant to go down. And there guiding me, it will always be.” 

Providence was that draw I felt to the Woods, the connection I have always felt to the Music and Theatre Department, the friendships I made and the people I met, the opportunity to sing in the Church again, the inspiration I feel when I make music. It was all Providence, I just didn’t realize it at the time.

Choral Concert fall 2019

After rediscovering my journal passage, it reminded me of one of my favorite quotes from A Tale of Two Cities that I found when I was graduating from high school. “Destiny always seems decades away, but suddenly it’s not decades away; its right now. But maybe destiny is always right now, right here, right this very instant maybe.” Providence has always been there. Providence was with me all along, guiding me through every decision and change, I just never tuned in and trusted its process. 

So, Trust the Process and Trust Providence, these led me to where I was meant to be, and I am better for it. I know will always carry that with me.

I want to thank my family for always supporting me as I have gone and grown at the Woods. I also want to express my gratitude for the friendships I have made, namely Ethan and Maddie, who have been there for me. Thank you to the faculty and staff who have taught me. Dr. Mac, Ron, and especially Michael and Sharon have left an immense impact on me as a student, musician, and person. I came to this program because they were here and I am grateful for every opportunity I had to learn from them. Thank you all for your love, support, and guidance through my time here. I appreciate all I have learned and experienced and will work to impact the world, proudly, as a Woods music therapy alum.

Lydia sitting on Conservatory foyer steps

Lydia Huston, senior music therapy major will be at her internship site Expressive Therapies, Appleton, WI in the fall. Lydia served as the choir assistant, member of madrigals all four years, and vice president of MTSA.

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Compiled by Avery Stein, Music Therapy Student Assistant

Edited by Dr. Sharon R. Boyle, MT-BC, Coordinator of Undergraduate Music Therapy; Dept Chair

Maddie's Music Therapy Senior Reflection: En tout et partout, que la Volonté de Dieu soit accomplie

Maddie DeBaun

The piano has always been a huge part of my life. I began taking lessons at a young age with my sisters, growing to pursue this as a firm extra-curricular activity when my parents realized I had a knack for it. My piano teacher, who I owe almost everything to, placed me in competitions and assessments to improve my theory and aural skills. Every year, I saw physical proof that I was skillful and good at something I loved doing. My father frequently reminded me that I had something special, and that it would be a waste to not pursue piano performance professionally.

Maddie in Church of the Immaculate Conception

I was homeschooled all four years of high school, and this gave me more opportunities to practice. My teacher encouraged me to pursue playing Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in C# Minor. The large chords, rubato, and demanding skill of the performer excited me, and the entire piece became my new project. I worked hours upon hours mastering each measure; however, I began noticing an ache in my wrists. By age eighteen, I was diagnosed with tendonitis in both wrists. Any dreams I had of pursuing a career as a professional performer flew out the window. I didn’t know what to do anymore.

At the same time, I had to begin thinking about colleges I wanted to attend. Growing up in the Terre Haute area, and with my mother being a Woodsie, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods was my top option. During my campus visit, my dad set it up for me to speak with faculty in the music department, and I met with an adjunct who introduced me to music therapy. Up until this moment, I had never heard of it, and did not know it was a career path. I have always known I wanted to help people in any way I could, and the idea of combining this with something I love – music – won me over. I knew that it wouldn’t be demanding on my wrists, and that I would be fulfilled in learning new instruments and challenging myself. Within the next few weeks, I had applied to SMWC, an audition already scheduled on the same day as my SAT exam. I remember vividly spending five hours that morning in an unfamiliar classroom, wracking my brain to remember basic algebra, then running home to change for my audition. SMWC was the only school I applied to, and I had high hopes for myself.

College PR picture of Maddie and friends in dorm

Kahoot Dept Team Fall 2019

Fall 2019, I attended orientation at SMWC as an incoming freshman and met my fellow incoming music and music therapy majors. There was an instant click within our group, and I had a feeling that those people were going to become my close friends quickly. As a part of orientation, we were given the opportunity to have dinner with our professors, which included a game of Kahoot!. I put myself in charge of answering the questions as fast as possible, with Michael Boswell naming the freshmen group ‘SMELT’ with the first initials of all of our names. The Music and Theatre Department landed in second place due to a fatal mis-click on my part. I was told I was never going to hear the end of it and, as a senior, I can confirm this is true.

My freshman year began with a bang, and the fall semester ended in a blink. Spring semester rolled around, then just two months into classes, the whole world shut down. Classes became virtual and I found myself spending every day holed up in my room, grasping for any socialization I could get over Zoom. My voice lessons were done in my dining room, professors did their best to draw on their laptops, and my dog became my only in-person classmate. The months dragged on and I started to wonder if I would ever be able to return to the Conservatory again.

Spring semester of my freshman year, I received an email from Michael Boswell, asking if I would be interested in auditioning for Madrigals. My fellow freshmen and friends, Lydia Huston and Sophie Ricard, were already members, and at this time I viewed myself as having lesser vocal abilities. Prior to joining Chorale, I had little to no experience singing in ensembles, especially one that requires extensive skill. However, being someone that likes a challenge, I told him yes. During the audition, I displayed my sight reading skills and talked to Michael about the training I had prior to college. I walked out not knowing if I had a spot that spring or not, but I received an email from Michael congratulating the newest members – and I was included. 

As a high schooler, I would have never imagined myself loving singing in an ensemble as much as I have. I did not enjoy Chorale until the Homecoming concert Fall 2019, where it struck me how beautiful singing is, and how valuable connection in a musical space is for people. This affected not only my view of music therapy, but also music as a whole. I am endlessly thankful for Michael for reaching out to me as a freshman and encouraging me to step out of my comfort zone, musically and personally.

Sophomore year, we returned to campus with limited access. As a commuter, I was not allowed on the residential floors and classes were hybrid. We got creative in figuring out how to make music while being socially distanced and masked. Being the year that everyone talks about, it was extremely hard staying motivated and to ignore the anxiety in myself questioning if this was the right path for me. Practicum experiences were telehealth and choir concerts were virtual; yet we learned to make the most of it. Junior year was the first “real” school year I had. Many conversations with underclassmen surrounded the topic of “we aren’t sure because we’ve never done that before.” With the freshmen, we were acclimating ourselves to the campus and learning the ins and outs of being a full-time student – completely in-person.

The opportunity to be back on campus truly brought me out of my shell. The first two years of college, I struggled deeply. Balancing up to fourteen classes a semester, being on a collegiate sports team, and staying social pushed me to limits I didn’t even know I had. As a junior, I found myself opening my door to other students for support, homework help, and a shoulder to cry on. I took part in the “Big/Little” tradition and gained two wonderful Littles that stole my heart. And, as a second-semester Junior, I pushed myself to go even further and was voted President of the Music Therapy Student Association (MTSA) for the 2022-2023 school year. And that brings me to our senior year, where we find ourselves now.

Maddie with music therapy friends in Rooney Library

Maddie on Ring Day 2022 

As I reflect on the past four years, I find myself ever grateful for everyone that has supported me along this journey. My “Music Therapy Life Partner” (MTLP) Lydia Huston was a solid foundation I have leaned on – and will continue to lean on – as we figured out how to stay successful and committed in the midst of a worldwide pandemic. I have found someone that I can openly talk to about the struggles of being a perfectionist, the idea of leaving a place you call home, and going out into the world as a professional. Through encouragement to find myself, especially by my advisor and supervisor Sharon Boyle, I have gone on a beautiful journey – that still goes on – in accepting my heritage as a Korean American and delving into the pulls I’ve had to this culture. My experience at the Woods has helped me discover myself and be proud of who I am becoming as a future music therapist.

I think about those who have helped me find this identity, and my heart warms at the relationships I have made at SMWC. I owe so much to my incredible professors: Michael Boswell, Ron Maurey, Dr. John McIntyre, Dr. Matthew Balensuela, and Dr. Sharon Boyle. These are just a few names of people who saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself and stood behind me while I stumbled my way through my degree. My wonderful fellow seniors: Lydia Huston and Ethan Stattner. Our trio is unmatched, and I will never understand how three people can make so much noise – and for that, I am grateful. My beautiful Littles, my Music and Theatre Department peers, my coaches and teammates, and everyone else I have had the pleasure of knowing at the Woods, I have made it because of you.

Choir members after Christmas 2022 concert

As a Madrigal, these words by Saint Mother Theodore Guerin in “La Providence’ have stuck out to me: En tout et partout, que la Volonté de Dieu soit accomplie. “All in all, may God’s Will be done.” These past four years have been the hardest four years of my life so far; but I have always been reminded to trust the process and everything will work out. I have placed my trust in those given to me, and He has never failed me yet. Being a Woodsie is a dream come true, and I will never forget the memories I have made here.  

Maddie with Sophie and Lydia fall 2019

Madeline DeBaun, senior music therapy major, finishes coursework this May 2023, plans to head to South Korea for an intensive two-week music therapy experience, and hopes to start a music therapy internship this fall 2023. 

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Compiled by Avery Stein, Music Therapy Student Assistant

Edited by Dr. Sharon R. Boyle, MT-BC, Coordinator of Undergraduate Music Therapy; Dept Chair

Beauty as an Attribute of God: Sacred Music Festival Series II

 “Now we know that beauty is an attribute of God....Music then is a part of the very beauty of God.”

-Sr. Cecilia Clare Bocard

Picture: Sr Cecilia Clare Bocard, S.P.

Pink marble pillars stood unwavering holding up the lofty ceilings of the Church of the Immaculate Conception.  The Church structure expressed ample beauty and deep-rooted connection to our founding Sisters of Providence.  The SMWC Choirs (Chorale, Madrigals, Woods Vocal Ensemble), directed by Michael Boswell, four choirs from area high schools, Guest Artist Marques Jerrell Ruff, a variety of other guest artists, and the audience added to the beauty of this sacred space and we were able to experience connections between each other, our history, and God.

Marques Jerrell Ruff, Guest Artist (L)
Michael Boswell, Festival Coordinator (R)

Michael Boswell (Associate Professor of Music, SMWC Director of Choirs and Sacred Music Festival Coordinator) wore many hats during the concert with great success.  “It was pretty amazing. I felt like I was ‘in the zone’ for the entire hour and fifteen minutes, and that was especially fulfilling since I constantly changed roles from conductor, singer, reader, etc. It was also wonderful to stand in front of a choir of 150 students from SMWC and local high schools for our final number, to see them span the width of the church!”

SMWC and high school choir members

The music served as a thread connecting the experiences of the choir concert in the “memory quilt” that emerged from the Sacred Music Festival.  Lydia Huston, senior Music Therapy major and Choral Student Assistant, recounted that the connection was something bigger than the music festival itself; it extended to decades before. “As we all sang, I could feel our voices reaching back and connecting with the generation of Madrigals before us and those before them and all the way back to Sister Cecilia [Clare Bocard]. I think that is what it means to be at the Woods-- to have roots with those who began here and then carry their love and passion with us to inspire others.”

The concert began with the audience (Assembly) singing an opening hymn together. The Chorale then performed two pieces from A Cycle of Psalms, 'The Lord is My Shepherd' and 'I Sleep but My Heart Watcheth', by Sr. Cecilia Clare Bocard, S.P. (1899-1994), a prolific composer and educator. The set concluded with Dr. John McIntyre's (b. 1950) piece 'My Heart Watches'. The Woods Vocal Ensemble kicked off the next section with 'Medieval Gloria' by Vijay Singh (b. 1966), joining the Madrigals on 'Be Thou My Vision' by Dr. John McIntyre. The Madrigals then performed another piece from A Cycle of Psalms, 'Cast Thy Care on the Lord' before performing 'La Providence' with Madrigal alumnae who were present.

Lydia Huston remarked that the crowning moment of night two was “singing [La Providence] with the returning and current Madrigal ensemble members.  "This piece is sacred in every sense; it is the quintessential SMWC Madrigals piece. It does not matter who you sing it with or how long you’ve sung it with people, the piece wields instant connection.  I could think of no higher honor than whenever I get the opportunity to sing it.” ['La Providence' was a commissioned work for the SMWC Madrigals, completed in 2012 by composer Sydney Guillaume]

Several local musicians and music educators (Logan Williams, Paul Ellison, Dylan Keller, Patrick Meyer, Andrew Miller, James O'Sullivan, and Chris Williams) from the Terre Haute area joined Marques Jerrell Ruff, Michael Boswell, and Dr. John McIntyre, in performing a beautiful piece by Franz Biebl (1906-2001), 'Ave Maria'. The voices were interwoven throughout the piece and soared throughout the Church. 

Quintet performers (L to R)

To add to this beauty of space and sound, a quintet composed of Marques Jerrell Ruff, Michael Boswell, Mitzi Westra (voice faculty - University of Indianapolis), and two alumni Catherine Larson ('20) and Kristin Foster Dawson ('20), performed a set of pieces related to aspects of light from four different contemporary composers. 

Pianist and SMWC instructor of music Ron Maurey recounted the beauty and divine connections that were made in the Church, and about his experience with making music that was more than supporting the singers.  “I don’t think of it as accompanying... for me it’s more that we made music together…I have been thinking about this very thing for decades, having at one time pursued a path that would have led to ordained ministry in the United Methodist Church, I have thought about this connection between ministry, spiritual life, spiritual direction, [and] music’s role in that.”

Ron Maurey, faculty pianist

Alongside the SMWC Choirs, four high school choirs (Terre Haute North Vigo High School, Terre Haute South Vigo High School, West Vigo High School, and Shakamak High School) joined in closing the concert program by singing with Marques Jerrell Ruff, soloist, on 'City Called Heaven' arr. by Josephine Poelinitz (b. 1944) that filled the Church with immense sound and powerful feeling. 

“We are all aware, I am sure, that music, as a fine art, involves the creation of beauty. We know that beauty is an attribute of God. … Music then is a part of the very beauty of God. When we, as musicians, bring this beauty to the world, we are bringing God to the world.”

—Sister Cecilia Clare Bocard

Rehearsal of all choirs with Marques Jerrell Ruff

The concert concluded with 'Our Lady of Providence' as the closing hymn sung by the entire Assembly. The piece was co-written by Rose Angela Horan, S.P. (1895-1985) and Sr. Cecilia Clare Bocard, S.P. (1899-1994).

During Michael Boswell's closing remarks, he spoke of the inspiration for the Sacred Music Festival: “Early [one] morning I went to my bookshelf and started reading the journals and letters of our foundress, Saint Mother Theodore Guerin. I found myself reading the story of the arrival of six Sisters from France to this very soil on the original Foundation Day of October 22, 1840. They spoke to no one when they arrived, as they had sworn an oath amongst themselves not to until their hearts could be filled by the Blessed Sacrament. Some of us here may be more familiar with the word ‘Communion.’ And then it hit me… there would have almost certainly been chanting and singing accompanying the blessed sacrament. This is when music OF the Woods was born! And all music OF this place continues to receive this blessing, our divine inheritance.”

Now, 183 years later, we are still part of this legacy by making music of the Woods, at the Woods.  The festival gave the opportunity to non-Woods community members to participate in music of the Woods, and make them “legitimate Woods musicians,” in Boswell’s words. The Choral Concert was the second event of the Sacred Music Festival.  

Author: Avery Stein, sophomore, Music Therapy Student Assistant 

Editor: Sharon R. Boyle, DHSc MT-BC, Associate Professor of Music Therapy and Coordinator of the Undergraduate Music Therapy Program, Chair of the Department of Music & Theatre

Photo Credits: SMWC Marketing and Communications; Sharon R. Boyle, Chair of Department of Music and Theatre

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For more information about the SMWC music programs, contact:

Admissions@smwc.edu

Creating Beauty: SMWC Sacred Music Festival Series I

“We are all aware, I am sure, that music, as a fine art, involves the creation of beauty.” 

Sr. Cecilia Clare Bocard

Sr Cecilia Clare Bocard, S.P.

Golden sunlight cascaded into the mosaic-like windows of Memorial United Methodist Church and glimmered onto the Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College Concert Band.  Brass bells gleamed, silver keys shimmered, and Concert Band Director Dr. John McIntyre’s eyes twinkled as the band warmed up for night one of the Sacred Music Festival.

Carmela D'Agostino-Cozza on percussion

Junior Carmela D’Agostino-Cozza spent the evening in a joyous frenzy, dancing among various percussion instruments, describing the evening as “exciting, nerve-wracking, and wild.”  Dr. McIntyre’s passion for the music is what made the evening so special for her. “It was heartwarming to see the look of genuine satisfaction from Dr. Mac after each piece.  It means a great deal to me that we were able to give his pieces justice, since he put such time and effort into them. He has a way of composing that paints the text in such a creative and profound way.”

Band members felt a uniting thread pulling them through the night and beginning to stitch the beautiful memory quilt together that was the Sacred Music Festival.  In Carmela’s words, “This particular concert left not only the members astonished, but audience members as well…[it] was one of those unique instances where everyone partook in the journey through the music.”

SMWC Students attending the concert

The impression of the night being a journey was also experienced by senior Music Therapy major and audience member Maddie DeBaun, who felt as if the concert signified the start of the weekend’s musical journey.  "It was an inspiring first event for the festival.  It helped those of us who were performing the next day feel the presence of God."

Not only did Maddie glean inspiration from the evening, but she experienced emotions for the performers on stage who happen to be significant in her life. "I thought the band concert was one of the best I have ever attended. As an audience member, I felt extremely connected to the band itself and I am very proud of my friends, but especially Dr. Mac."

Dr. McIntyre was the thread that fastened the first section of the theoretical memory quilt together, and he had his work cut out for him for the evening.  Not only did he direct the Concert Band, but he led the band rehearsals, composed or arranged the vast majority of the pieces, and performed as a member of Crossroads Brass who made a guest appearance.  

John McIntyre and Marques Jerrell Ruff

“I am so fortunate to be able to work with great people in this Department. Everyone put a huge amount of work into making this Sacred Music Festival a success. I’m especially grateful to Michael Boswell for having a great idea and following it through! It gave me the opportunity to combine two of my favorite things: sacred music and wind band music. Put that together with our wonderful student musicians and community musicians, and the result was one of the best experiences of my life.”

Guest Artist Marques Jerrell Ruff, bass-baritone, cloaked the band, audience, and emerging ‘memory quilt’ with deep, rich, vocal colors.  Sharon R. Boyle, Chair of the SMWC Music and Theatre Department, stated that “the singing of Marques could be felt in your bones…But I realized today that it was not just Marques’ glorious voice and presence, it was how he brought each of us into the experience with him.”

Mr. Ruff had his own thoughts about the experience. “People came into the sacred space with an open heart and a willingness to let music, and love, fill that space. It is an experience I won’t soon forget.”

Students, community members, and professors will remember the magic and beauty that was brought into the Terre Haute community at Memorial United Methodist Church on March 2, 2023.  The Concert Band concert was only the first event of the Sacred Music Festival. 

Author: Avery Stein, sophomore, Music Therapy Student Assistant 

Editor: Sharon R. Boyle, DHSc MT-BC, Associate Professor of Music Therapy and Coordinator of the Undergraduate Music Therapy Program, Chair of the Department of Music & Theatre

Photo Credits: SMWC Marketing and Communications; Sharon R. Boyle, Chair of Department of Music and Theatre

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For more information about the SMWC music programs, contact:

Admissions@smwc.edu

Bringing Beauty and God to the World: Sacred Music Festival Series III

“When we, as musicians, bring this beauty to the world, we are bringing God to the world.”

-Sr. Cecilia Clare Bocard

Pictured: Sr Cecilia Clare Bocard, S.P.

A large, dark, wooden and bronze pipe organ stands in the back middle of Allen Chapel, an African Methodist Episcopal church in the heart of Terre Haute, Indiana.  This organ is steady, beautiful, strong, and sacred; its qualities are reminiscent of God.

Saturday, March 4, 2023, was the third and final section of the "memory quilt" that was woven together as a result of the Sacred Music Festival.  Guest performer Marques Jerrell Ruff, bass-baritone, was the thread for this third section of the quilt, sharing information and leading discussions about the church's history (Pastor Tess Brooks), the history of the first Black Settlement families in Lost Creek (SMWC Associate Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Dee Reed), and the evolution of the Spiritual (Marques Jerrell Ruff) with community members who attended the discussion.

Marques Jerrell Ruff and Pastor Tess Brooks

Attendees learned the history of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and Allen Chapel specifically, the roots of the Black community in Terre Haute and the Lost Creek area, the importance of language and words when recounting this history, and were led by Mr. Ruff in "Jubilee," a type of spiritual.

Marques Jerrell Ruff 

SMWC freshman and pre art therapy major Vivian D'Agostino reflected on her experience as an audience member of the discussion. “As a musician and believer of God, the experience I had at Allen Chapel was impactful because it brought to mind how important music is when it comes to our connection with God and the people around us. Learning about the history and importance of Allen Chapel in freeing enslaved people was also fascinating; I didn't know or expect a place, in a little town that seems quite insignificant on the outside, was part of such an important time in history. It inspired me to look more into the history of the places around me.”

Dee Reed shares her family history

Following the informational sessions and discussion, three SMWC music students had the opportunity to work with Mr. Ruff in a voice masterclass: Carmela D'Agostino-Cozza (junior), Lydia Huston (senior), and Joynelis Caminero Santiago (sophomore).  

Joynelis shared the following: “That Saturday was very special- I will never forget it.  I was very nervous to work with Marques, because as a musician and an artist I care about what I present...and I want other people to think that I am a good musician.  The first time I sang [the piece,] I forgot I was doing this for someone else and that I was being evaluated [by Marques,] I was completely in the moment, in the music, and in what I was saying. Hearing Marques’s input, hearing him say “Wow” the second time I sang the piece made me very emotional.  I did not expect that reaction from him, and the fact that I was able to create that reaction in other people really nourished me and also reinstated in me that I am meant to do what I am doing. 

Marques Jerrell Ruff and Joynelis Caminero Santiago

It was an amazing day and it has changed the way I approach, see, and enjoy music for the better.” Mr, Ruff stated that “It was an immense pleasure to be the guest artist for the inaugural Sacred Music Festival at SMWC. While the tireless efforts of the staff were integral in making this festival a success, I believe that what really made this festival successful was the openness and willingness of everyone who participated. From the planning staff, to the high school choirs, right on down to the audiences".

Pictured (L-R): Pastor Tess Brooks, Lydia Huston,
Marques Jerrell Ruff, Carmela D'Agostino-Cozza, and
Joynelis Caminero Santiago

By the end of the inaugural SMWC Sacred Music Festival, the “memory quilt” that remained included a foundation of beauty and Godliness, stitched together by the thread of music, with blocks relaying the story of Black Americans, their roots in Terre Haute, and the traditional spiritual brought forth in this third day of the festival.  Michael Boswell (Sacred Music Festival Coordinator), guest artist Marques Jerrell Ruff, and the musicians of the Woods brought music of the Woods to the greater Terre Haute community and provided an opportunity to educate all who attended about our history while creating connections through music. In just three days, an impact was made that will not soon be forgotten. The musicians certainly brought beauty to the world in the three days of the SMWC Sacred Music Festival.

Author: Avery Stein, sophomore, Music Therapy Student Assistant 

Editor: Sharon R. Boyle, DHSc MT-BC, Associate Professor of Music Therapy and Coordinator of the Undergraduate Music Therapy Program, Chair of the Department of Music & Theatre

Photo Credits: SMWC Marketing and Communications; Sharon R. Boyle, Chair of Department of Music and Theatre

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