Bailey Hoar '13

I came to Dartmouth expecting to sing and perform, but I certainly didn't expect music to shape and define my Dartmouth career in the way that it did. The Music Department faculty encouraged collaboration and exploration, providing an incredible set of mentors and instructors from whom I could learn and with whom I could perform. Thanks to classes in music theory and history that transformed me into a well-rounded musician, I discovered a newfound confidence and desire to push the boundaries of my musical comfort zone. As a result, my senior year at Dartmouth was a veritable musical playground: I created an Honors recital program that married my interest in the Classics with my passion for opera; I dabbled in sprechstimme in a performance of Pierrot Lunaire; and I collaborated with voice faculty and three other senior women to perform our very own opera scenes concert in Rollins through the Chamber Music program. In each project, I cultivated friendships and professional relationships with other undergraduates, grad students, faculty members, and professional musicians--an excellent primer for a professional career in classical music. My experience as a Music major taught me the power of collaboration, a skill that will serve me well in my career as a singer and in whatever career might come after that.