A Night on the Town, for Credit

Orchestral 音乐 is almost omnipresent in our entertainment landscape—it forms the basis of movie soundtracks, 电子游戏配乐, 还有音乐剧, and it even inspires iconic pop songs.

But when was the last time you had the chance to sit down and solely focus on the orchestra, 音乐家, 还有乐器?

For 圣澳门金沙赌城线上游戏 students, the “Nights at the Symphony” course has got them covered.

教 音乐 教授 卡尔·利夫斯泰特博士.D., 1344年音乐, 或者“交响乐之夜”,” gives 澳门金沙线上赌博官网 students class credit for attending symphony concerts in downtown 圣安东尼奥.

“好音乐会. 新音乐. Nights out on the town—for credit. 有什么不喜欢的?Leafstedt说.

The course originated in 2016. Leafstedt and his fellow 音乐 faculty wanted to create a new, hands-on course that would take advantage of 澳门金沙线上赌博官网’s location in a major metropolitan area.

虽然是音乐课, students don’t need to have 音乐al experience to take part in “Nights at the Symphony.” 学生 of all backgrounds are encouraged to join the class, and Leafstedt ensures that the course feels engaging for all students, no matter their level of 音乐al experience.

“Dr. Leafstedt creates a wonderfully open and welcoming atmosphere for students who might not have a history in 音乐 or attending orchestra concerts while still keeping it engaging for 音乐家 in the room,24岁的萨曼莎·桑达尔说, 打击乐手 澳门金沙线上赌博官网’s Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and Percussion Ensemble. 

整个学期, students get the chance to watch six to seven orchestra concerts around 圣安东尼奥. Most concert tickets are offered at a deeply reduced price, and some concerts are even free. To help prepare them for the concerts, Leafstedt familiarizes his students with the 音乐, 客人的艺术家, and conductors for the upcoming show.

After attending the concerts, the students are required to write concert reviews, which constitute the majority of their grades in the course.

“我对音乐并不陌生, but being able to first learn about the history of the pieces and then listen for particular moments of interest during the performance just makes the entire symphony experience more exciting as you find yourself catching things that you would never have noticed before,桑达尔说。.  

Through lectures and readings in arts management, the course also touches on the business of running a modern orchestra. “I served on the board of the 圣安东尼奥 Symphony, which exposed me to the business side of running a large nonprofit organization,Leafstedt说. “I integrate discussions about nonprofit management into the course, giving students a different view of what they're seeing.”

After the 圣安东尼奥 Symphony went bankrupt in 2022, and within months the 圣安东尼奥 Philharmonic was up and running as its successor organization. “We are getting to watch as they rebuild a cultural centerpiece of the city,” Sandall says. “It has been fun getting to explore what constitutes an orchestra, from the instruments to the behind-the-scenes directorial work and how symphonies are formed and operated.”

最终, Leafstedt hopes this course will remind his students that classical 音乐 is for everyone, not just 音乐ians or conductors. “Everyone in the course will take something different away from the experience. Some will become Mahler or Beethoven fans or suddenly develop an interest in cello 音乐. Some will simply enjoy the opportunity to explore downtown 圣安东尼奥 more. My goal is to create lifelong learners who don't find the concert hall intimidating.”

Want to attend a symphony concert? Check out upcoming 事件 for your local symphony, or visit events.Trinity.edu for upcoming concerts by 澳门金沙线上赌博官网’s ensembles.