Inside ‘Engaging Performance’: Student Experiences in UMS Sponsored Course

By UMS

Students look at a display of cereal boxes in Robin Frohardt’s immersive The Plastic Bag Store exhibit.

Students look at a display of cereal boxes in Robin Frohardt’s immersive The Plastic Bag Store, January 2023. Photo by Peter Smith

Engaging Performance, a class that brings together resources from U-M and UMS, connects undergraduate students directly to the world-class touring artists who perform music, theater, and dance on the U-M campus. Students enrolled in the course attend live performances, talk with artists and arts administrators, and explore how the performing arts are an integral part of our lives and the world.

IS IT FOR ME?

Engaging Performance is open to undergraduate students at all levels and across all departments at the University of Michigan; no previous experience or special training in arts is required!

Last year, Maddy Wildman, UMS’s University Programs Manager, spoke to three students to hear the key takeaways from their semester in Engaging Performance. Here are some excerpts from their conversations.

MW: What is your prior experience in the performing arts?

Student: I had no experience with it. I went to a couple of orchestra performances through field trips with my elementary school, and that’s about it.

Student: Not much. It wasn’t really until the pandemic that I experimented with costume design and makeup and a little bit of acting. I was in sports before that, and I thought about doing theater my senior year of high school, but it conflicted too much with varsity sports. I really got to dive deeper into the arts once I got to college.

Student: I’ve been writing poetry since I was about 10 years old and been singing all my life; I’ve always had an interest in the arts.

MW: Why did you sign up for this course?

Student: I’ve always loved the performing arts. I really enjoy classical music and I have a strong appreciation for it, but I never had the avenue to explore and attend these performances. I learned during orientation that many amazing performers come to campus, but first semester went by and I did not attend a single performance. I was busy and I just didn’t make time for it. When I saw this class I got really excited. The class forces you to attend these performances and it’s something I could finally make time for.

MW: What was the most memorable moment in the course?

Student: Attending the first performance, Latasha Barnes’ Jazz Continuum, with the group and discussing different points of view on the performance. The class is from a variety of backgrounds; it’s not just majors in SMTD (School of Music, Theater, and Dance) or Stamps (School of Art and Design), so you get a feel for people from business majors, STEM majors, etc. You get to understand their experience of a performance, even if they don’t know the lingo or comprehend what it means to put on a performance. Getting the opportunity to understand those points of views, collaborate with people, and see their perspectives from a non-artistic point of view was really interesting.

LaTasha Barnes’ The Jazz Continuum

MW: What surprised you the most in this course?

Student: I didn’t expect that the class was going to enhance my experience of the performances so much. I knew we were going to attend performances, but I wasn’t sure what we were going to do in class. I was surprised to interact with so many guests who helped us learn about the art forms and performances. It made me more excited to attend.

MW: How will what you’ve learned in this course affect you in the future?

Student: I want to work with youth and families. I’d like to host events and workshops that introduce children and youth to the arts. I want to ask them questions like, “Have you ever tried playing an instrument? Have you ever been to this type of performance?” You never know what things are pivotal until that person is older and they come back and tell you “Wow, this experience really made a difference for me.” You have to give people a chance to latch on to things and then see what blossoms from it.

Student: As a business major, I see so many open roads and paths I can take, so I really value being well-rounded. Even as a person, it’s important to be well-rounded, building these experiences and learning how to appreciate other cultures. There’s a whole hidden language within the performing arts audience, like when you clap while watching an orchestra. Immersing yourself in different communities and learning to appreciate them is so important when you go into any career – and especially business careers – to share and connect with people.

MW: Would you recommend this course to a friend?

Student: I would definitely recommend it to a friend. This course is a chance to deepen your appreciation of performances and explore, have fun, and be surprised.

Student: I’d recommend it. It’s a great opportunity to see things that you’re already familiar with, but also to help you better understand performance as a whole. It can also open you up to new mediums that you may not have experienced before. I think it could really help people that aren’t as involved in the arts open up and see what they might like or want to explore further. For people that really love concerts, orchestra, and entertainment, I think it can deepen your understanding and appreciation for those forms.

Winter 2025 Class Information

Term: Winter 2025 // Course Name: Engaging Performance

Course Listing: MUSPERF 200, ALA 260, ENGLISH 290

Instructors: Jason Fitzgerald and Matthew Thompson

Credits: 3 Credits (Humanities Distribution)

Class Schedule: Tuesdays & Thursdays from 11:30 am – 1 pm, Room TBD (Central Campus)

Course Listing

Students will attend live performances of:

Caroline Shaw and Gabriel Kahane – January 23 // 7:30 pm
Natalie Palamides’ Nate – A One Man Show – February 5-9 // 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm
Branford Marsalis Quartet – February 19 // 7:30 pm
Shamel Pitts | TRIBE’s BLACK HOLE: Trilogy and Triathlon – March 14-15 // 8:00 pm
Peeping Tom’s Triptych – March 28-29 // 7:30 pm
Les Arts Florissants – April 9 // 7:30 pm

These performances constitute the course’s primary “texts”, and the full package of tickets is available to students enrolled in the course for the reduced rate of $90. Additional funds are available for students who need financial support.

Engaging Performance is made possible through a partnership between the University of Michigan and the University Musical Society (UMS).

Some responses have been edited for clarity and brevity, and not all answers have been included in this article.