The Life of a CUNE Music Major 

by Britnee Fear 

On a campus of over fifty majors, one particular major is one to be heard. Seniors Heather Rasch and Clara Rich and juniors Jacob Roggow and Caleb Staehr are among the more than fifty students who are music majors on our campus. Music Education, especially, is one of the largest majors on campus and requires a lot of rigorous studying and practice to perfect. The music majors typically spend, on average, thirteen to thirty hours a week solely on lessons, ensembles, and practicing. 

“Generally, with classes, the difficulty with being a music major is that I have numerous classes on top of all of the practicing I have to do. One semester, I had a total of twelve classes, including ensembles.” Roggow said. 

“Sometimes I feel like I’m too busy, but then again, I’m never going to have these opportunities again.” Rich said. 

“The amount of dedication that you have to put into it is kind of like a relationship. If you are going to get to know a person better, you have to spend a lot of time with them, and the same goes for the major.” Staehr said. 

Being a music major is not only what you learn in music appreciation. There are various technical aspects of music that are really complicated. It requires a lot of study and practice, work and skill. 

“Music takes you into a way of thinking you have never thought before.” Rasch said. 

“Between music theory and aural skills, being a music major is more taxing than one might think.” Staehr said. 

Clara Rich is not only a music major, but also a Biology major as well. Some years she felt like only a biology major, while other years, she felt like only a music major, but balancing between the two has been fun for her because she has a passion for both. 

“With music, we have the opportunity to go above and beyond and it is very self-motivated, whereas with my other major, a lot of the time, people are just striving for the A. The dynamic is completely different.” Rich said. 

The music professors are really what drive the music majors to be as successful as they are. They are willing to help with everything along the way. 

“Dr. Grimpo is one of the most motivating people. After I get done with a lesson, I leave and want to keep practicing to get better.” Rich said. 

“When music students are interested in something, the professors provide different opportunities for those students.” Roggow said. 

The professors are also willing to work with other activities, such as musical and sports to allow the students to grow to be their fullest potential. 

Rasch, Rich, Roggow, and Staehr want the Concordia community to know that their passion goes beyond the walls of the music building. 

“Despite how busy you get and how complicated it is, it’s worth it.” Rasch said.