As we enter the season of giving, music lovers—whether they’re avid classical music listeners or catchy jazz enthusiasts—have the perfect opportunity to give back to their community musically with the MUSE club.
Ever since the club’s establishment in 2004, MUSE, Musicians United for Service and Entertainment, has been committed to providing spaces where music lovers get to learn about music. Nearly two decades later, generation after generation of students have encouraged one another to channel their musical passion toward performing songs in the community.
Last year, MUSE started a new activity for its members called MUSE Ensemble. Separated into chamber groups that perform at events, the ensembles are not led by teachers, but by featured student conductors, something that high school musicians rarely get to experience.
“Having a student-led ensemble allows for more connection between conductors and players since tensions aren’t so high with grades or performances for parents,” senior Luis Maldonaldo, one of the conductors for the MUSE Ensemble, said. “It’s also more lenient and interactive since players get to choose the music, and there are more opportunities for players to communicate new ideas, making learning as a whole easier for everyone.”
While MUSE club’s activities were limited during and after the pandemic, they continued to provide performances through Zoom and recorded videos, bringing music and joy to many during hard times. Now, MUSE organizes monthly performances at senior centers and community venues in person to spread music to a much wider audience.
“We usually try to do at least one performance a month, and for certain months like December when there is a lot of opportunities for us to perform, there are usually much greater engagement from both our members and communities,” treasurer senior Ryan Goh said.
The club has also collaborated with several other similar music clubs at other IUSD schools. The clubs often hold community events and connect musicians from various schools, giving students a chance to not just perform, but learn from one another.
“The pandemic cut some of our ties with clubs at other schools, but we are trying to restore those relationships this year,” president senior Kristina Tu said.
MUSE plans to further expand by providing more opportunities for students seeking to learn about music. This year, they hope to collaborate again with other schools like Tuned In at University High School to provide musicians across IUSD with opportunities to pursue their passions.
“We’re always looking for new programs to add to MUSE to provide students with new opportunities to express their passion for music,” vice president junior Allen Wen said. “For the next few years, we would love to develop programs where musicians can find opportunities to develop their skills in smaller groups, giving them the initiative to create the best music that they can.”
MUSE meets every Friday in Room 1005. Attend one of their meetings or reach out to @nhs_muse on Instagram for more information about future events.
