On Oct. 4 at 9 p.m., students gathered in their pajamas to watch the annual Orchestra Pajama Concert. Formally called the Pajama Party with the Orchestra, this event has been around for more than a decade. Orchestra Director Dr. Nathan Miller said, “The event began 12 years ago during my first year teaching at Asbury. I was talking to student leaders in the orchestra about how we could better engage the student body. I would like to take more credit for it than I deserve, but an excellent student, Sarah Crock, came up with the idea and recommended it.”
The event featured the orchestra performing four different pieces with children’s books read in between. The pieces were “Libortango” by Astor Piazzolla, “Little Fugue in C Minor” by Johann Sebastian Bach, “The Old Boatman” by Florence Price and “Symphony No. 8 in B Minor” by Franz Schubert. The music was dynamic and matched a nostalgic tone.
The second part of the night included children’s books being read to the audience. These included “The Lorax” read by Lindsay Melhorn, “The Gruffalo” read by Chloee Adams and “Don’t Trust Fish” read by Bobilyn Weldy. There was also milk and cookies provided for all those who attended.
For the music department, this concert exists as somewhat of an oddity in comparison to others performed throughout the semester. Students are out of uniform and performing later at night than usual in the casual setting of the student center. Miller said regarding this, “There’s something a little jarring about seeing an orchestra, which is often thought of as ‘high art’ wearing pajamas instead of tuxes and formal dresses. Sometimes, a little context jarring is just what you need to see something in a new light.” This is a chance for students to experience a music department concert who might not have heard of it otherwise.
This is also an event that is inspiring for the students in the orchestra as well. Caitlin Burke, the concert master for the orchestra this year, said, “The Stuce Pajama Concert is different from the other concerts we perform in that it is supposed to be a fun, casual opportunity for community and fellowship through the sharing of music and storytelling. It’s a night designed for students all over campus to come, enjoy fellowship and take a break from studying and life and appreciate music, snacks and friends.”
Another student in the orchestra, Nathan Smith, said, “My favorite part of the concert is probably the reading sections, it’s always fun to see how the members engage with the audience. Also, the milk and cookies after are always good.”
When asked about his favorite part of the concert, Miller said, ““My favorite part of every concert is creating music with students. I love that in musical ensembles, which are classes, we don’t teach and grade—things that sometimes as a faculty, I feel like I’m doing to, or for, students, but we learn and create together. In the end, we get to put on a performance that is enjoyed by the larger community.”
Matthew Quarry, a Music Education major and clarinet player, expressed similar thoughts about the event. He said, “Compared to our other concerts, this one is much more relaxed and allows students to have a break from studying from midterms to enjoy good music, cookies and milk!” The concert’s tone reflects the feeling of reading a bedtime story as children. It is a bright spot in a time where students are on the cusp of adulthood and this event allows all who attend to return to a time of fewer worries.
Photo courtesy of Zia Hawley.
