The screen fades in from black on the Brandeis University logo in white over a blue background image of the Louis Brandeis statue as an animation of the text, “Why Music at Brandeis?” comes onto the screen. Guitar music plays throughout.
The screen shifts to an exterior shot of the Slosberg Music Center, followed by an interior shot of the Slosberg Recital Hall stage.
Joanna Marcus ’22 speaks on screen: “I study music at Brandeis because of the amazing and incredible faculty.”
The background music continues, with added drums, and a shot of three portraits (photo credit: Mike Lovett) comes onto the screen. The first is Will Myers ’17 playing the harp. The second is the Lydian String Quartet’s Andrea Segar with her violin. The third is Brandeis Jazz Ensemble director Bob Nieske playing the double bass.
Dustine Reich ’20 speaks on screen: “Study music at Brandeis for the opportunity to craft your experience around what you find meaningful in music, while surrounded by the most supportive, inspiring and talented faculty, staff and students.”
The background music continues, with added synthesizer, and a shot of the Lydian String Quartet in concert at the Slosberg Music Center comes onto the screen.
Neeti Kulkarni ’21 speaks on screen: “I play music at Brandeis because I can be part of an orchestra, chamber ensemble and private lessons, with the professors always encouraging me to play more.”
The background music continues as a shot of three portraits (photo credit: Mike Lovett) comes onto the screen. The first is Hannah Germaine ’19 playing the electric bass. The second is the Lydian String Quartet’s Mark Berger with his viola. The third is Agnele Sewa ’20 surrounded by Ghanaian drums.
Aaron Newitt ’21 speaks on screen: “Why study music at Brandeis? Because you have the opportunity to make such great music with such talented people, both faculty and students. And I get to study music while also studying my passion for Spanish and I don’t have to choose one or the other.”
The background music continues, with added bass, as the screen fades into a shot of Fafali, the music department’s Ghanaian drum and dance ensemble, in costume as they perform in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium for a large crowd.
April Ginns '22 speaks on screen: “Because of Professor Musegades and Professor Casinghino.”
The background music continues, with added synthesizer, as the screen fades into a shot of Shawnee-Kiowa dancer Maggie Boyett (a spring 2019 MusicUnitesUS guest artist) performing on the Slosberg stage.
Celia Wu-Hacohen ’23 speaks on screen: “Because I can participate in so many amazing ensembles with other amazing musicians and also study my academic interests.”
The background music continues as a shot of the Brandeis Jazz Ensemble performing at the Slosberg Music Center fills the screen.
Leah Sagan-Dworsky ’21 speaks on screen: “You have a lot of attention and you get to know your professors really well and, as a music major myself, I feel like [after] graduating I’ll have a huge amount of support going forward in my future endeavors.”
The background music continues as the Brandeis Chamber Singers and conductor Robert Duff pose in their concert attire on the cobblestone streets of a piazza in Rome.
Ben Maffa ’21 speaks on screen: “Because Robert Duff, our choral director, inspires his singers.”
The background music continues as the synthesizer fades out and a group of choral singers rehearse in their concert attire at the Slosberg Music Center.
Hannah Gudeman ’22 speaks on screen: “There are some really talented and passionate musicians here and I’m very proud to call them my best friends.”
The background music continues with just guitar and limited percussion as the screen fills with an image of a student cellist wearing a swan headband and a student violist wearing a duck headband as they perform The Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns in the Slosberg Recital Hall.
The screen then shifts to a shot of three portraits (photo credit: Mike Lovett). The first is Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and Irving Fine Professor of Composition Eric Chasalow playing the mandolin. The second is Professor of Composition Yu-Hui Chang posing with sheet music and a pencil at the piano. The third is Sam Francis ’21 with his saxophone.
The screen fades to the Brandeis University logo in white over a blue background image of the Light of Reason, then transforms into a white background with the Brandeis University logo in blue with the words “see us in action at brandeis.edu/music” below it.
The music fades, as does the picture, bringing the video to an end.