I joined the jazz society choir in my second year after spending the entirety of the first year stalking them on facebook – they were a lively society whose every event seemed successful, large, and, well, jazzy.
I won’t lie, it was intimidating walking into the very first choir session on my own – everyone seemed to know each other, and I began to wonder whether I would perpetually feel like an outsider in such a large group of people. The thing about creating music together though, is that you form bonds very quickly. I pushed through my nervousness and showed up to the weekly choir sessions. I began to make friends, and cherish the oasis that this activity became for me on Monday evenings. The added thrill of participating in a show and rehearsing together brought me closer to my fellow members, and I began to feel at home.
What I like about jazz is the different levels of involvement afforded to everyone. As a shy second-year student, I thought it would be intimidating to go to all jazz events on my own and often wondered whether I had to. The variety and very nature of the activities offered mean that you can either be a casual participant or dedicate your social life to the society, or slowly transition between one or the other depending on what you can handle.
You can be a casual jazzer and only come to weekly choir or big band rehearsals, with an occasional appearance at the Tuesday night jam. Or you can choose to become completely immersed, auditioning for small bands and shows, spending time on weekends and weekdays in rehearsal. If you can’t afford that sort of time commitment but still want to perform, there are plenty of one-off volunteering opportunities that allow you to participate in small scale performances with a variety of students (singers and instrumentalists alike) from across the society. Or just perform at the weekly jam!
Simply put, there’s something for everyone in jazz. You don’t need to be an advanced level musician to be a part of this society (I definitely am not) – all you need is curiosity. Jazz society is an important part of my life, and feel supported here. We are a group full of musicians (amateur and advanced) and brilliant people who like to make music, have fun, and support each other.
Jazz is my oasis and I feel happier for being a part of this society. It makes no difference to us whether you’ve been here from the very start or you joined in the middle of term – jazz is ready to welcome you.
If you're interested in giving the Jazz Society a try, then join one of their taster sessions this week.