These students had gathered together playing music. A small crowd drew around them, listening and watching as the musicians strummed guitars and even blew a trumpet. As a trumpet player of seven years, it sparked a question: Why is there no instrumental music department at USI?
USI has often been seen more as a nursing and business school, which is apparent with the new Business and Engineering Center we gained past year.
What truly befuddles me is that it seems USI is the only public university in Indiana besides Ivy Tech that does not have an instrumental music program. Purdue, Indiana State University, Indiana University, Ball State and even Vincennes University all have instrumental programs available.
USI does offer courses in vocal performance, music education and the history and appreciation of music. But USI does not have any music major or minor program established.
I feel this is a disservice to the university as a whole, for there are many musicians on campus who are willing to play, but have nowhere to play at. I often have spoken to friends who used to play violin, cello, trumpet, flute, saxophone or drums at their high schools. Every time they have told me that they wish to continue to play but have no options available to them.
As a fellow musician, I sadly have to agree with them. There are little to no opportunities for instrumental music around this area outside of a university setting. USI does have a pep band for sporting events, but the reason the band often has no one playing is because there is no real structure to the program and beyond that, there is no advertising or promotion that the pep band needs members.
So I propose a challenge to the USI: establish an instrumental music program. Music has often been associated with higher education and improved brain activity.
In 2000 at the University of Wisconsin, a study conducted by Rauscher and Zupan indicated students with piano or keyboard experience scored over 30 percent higher on tests involving mathematics, science and engineering.
By adding music into the undergraduate programs, there will only be benefits. While it may be an expensive endeavor, the dividends received will far outweigh the costs, and the music produced along the way will make it all the better.
