Every person’s journey to Naz is different. For some people, going to Nazareth was a hard decision to make. For others, they’ve known from the get-go. I had the chance to talk to Maddy Robbins, a sophomore B.A. Music/English major about her journey to Naz.
Did you know which major you wanted to go into before you looked at colleges?
Originally, I wanted to be pre-med, because that was a “safe” option for me, but then I realized my real passion was music and I wanted to follow that passion. I knew that going into the general B.A. Music program would be good for me so that I could discover what part of music I wanted to be a part of and explore instead of throwing myself into a major that I didn’t actually like.
What’s one thing you love about the music department?
Probably the diversity of our department. Through my advisor, Dr. Granat, I learned that we have musicology [the scholarly analysis and research-based study of music], which I’m really interested in, and he is so supportive in me choosing that field. There are field trips, conferences, and clubs that the music department offers (not just for musicology, but for every degree program) and I’m grateful for those opportunities. Being in the B.A. program, I can fill up my schedule with extracurriculars and classes that I wouldn’t necessarily have had the chance to take otherwise.
Who’s your favorite professor?
Either Dr. Alexander Trygstad or Dr. Octavio Vazquez. With Dr. Trygstad, our freshman year was his first year teaching at Naz so we got to grow together. We learned from him (obviously) but he also learned from us, so that teacher-student relationship is pretty strong now because of the fact that we experienced Naz together. With Dr. Vazquez, he’s so passionate about music theory and so intelligent that listening to him speak about his passions inspires me too.
How is it being a double major (English and B.A. Music)?
As cheesy as it sounds, it’s challenging, but not impossible. For my literature classes, I’m reading two books at a time and that’s on top of my English courses, music courses, practicing, and my social life. But it’s really about prioritizing my time. It’s a really useful double major for me, though, since as a musicologist I’ll spend most of my time writing papers, so getting the experience through my English major is worth it.
Ultimately, why did you choose Naz?
I really love the Rochester vibe. I’ve lived here almost my whole life, but before Rochester, my family moved around a lot but this was the one place we stayed in and it just feels like home. When I was in high school, we had a lot of events that were hosted at Naz, so I was introduced to Nazareth before it was even on my radar. I also toured Naz once I was looking at colleges, and it definitely helped solidify my decision. Nazareth’s size (and the fact that it’s not in the middle of a city) was comforting for me. Deciding on Naz was just easy and felt right. It’s close to home but also far enough away where I feel independent.