Communication freshman Ellen Darmstadter joined the Philharmonia orchestra in the winter after she didn’t perform her violin during Fall Quarter.

“I just want to continue playing in college for fun, for enjoyment, because I miss music in my life,” she said. 

Across campus, though most musical and theatre groups are dominated by Bienen and Communication students, non-majors are able to join many. Several said these performing arts opportunities offer well-rounded, non-arts majors a welcome reprieve from academics and a vibrant community on campus. 

However, some also said finding and making the time for arts opportunities can be difficult for those concentrating on other fields.

Like Darmstadter, Weinberg freshman Brandon Takahashi said he finds fulfillment as a member of the University Singers Choral Ensemble. It allows him an opportunity to meet people who share his passion.

Even though Takahashi is not majoring in music, he is a classically trained musician –– which he said helped him transition to college choir. 

However, he noted that most Bienen ensembles require performers to have at least a basic level of knowledge, including the ability to read music and sight read. 

“It’s harder to find a space for those kinds of people to learn those fundamental skills,” Takahashi said.

While there are some introductory music classes — like General Music 170: Introduction to Music and General Music 250: Harmony — offered to non-music majors, students’ anonymous course evaluations have shown some of those who don’t have prior experience struggle.

Though some Bienen ensembles are less accessible to beginners, non-majors who can keep up with instruction benefit from learning alongside performance majors, according to McCormick senior Olivia Johansson, another member of University Singers.

“I grow as a musician a lot because I’m surrounded by people, music majors and non-majors, who are far more advanced and know far more about music than I ever will,” Johansson said.

Now in her fourth quarter with the group, Johansson said the peace of putting everything else aside when rehearsing still enchants her.

With her time at NU coming to an end, Johansson said participating in choir has shaped her college experience, and added that her only regret was not starting sooner.

“It wasn’t until my junior year that I discovered that non-majors could actually audition for Bienen (choral ensembles),” she said.

Confusion surrounding auditions extends to theatre too. Navigating the plethora of theatre boards and productions can be challenging for prospective actors, stage technicians and crew members, Weinberg junior Rosemary Sissel said.

Sissel, a technical director on the Executive Board of WAVE Productions, found opportunities to participate in theatre through the “This Week In Student Theatre” email list in her freshman year.

She initially stumbled upon an ad through TWIST as a freshman for a stage manager role and saw the gig as an opportunity to dive into the theatre scene at NU.

Three years later, she has worked as a stage manager, sound designer, set designer and even an actor. But as a non-theatre major, she said she’s cautious about taking on too much responsibility while balancing her academics. Sissel estimated she is one of only a handful of non-majors on the 17-member executive board.

“For me and for other people who are STEM majors, you really have to watch because otherwise you could be just up to your neck in work,” she said. “It’s terrifying.” 

However, Sissel said her time with WAVE has been one of the most rewarding experiences she’s had at NU, particularly because of the board’s emphasis on passion for the craft.

“Getting to see (a show) go up is the most magical thing,” she said. “I had a part in making this beautiful thing and releasing this art into the world.”

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @dpsamson_

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