By Kelsey Siegler
Staff Writer
A bit of a walk from central campus, the Music House is located across the street from the Phi Kappa Epsilon sorority house and Hodgson Hall. The Music House is a hidden gem among Sewanee’s theme houses and is central to many student’s Sewanee experiences.
This year’s members Reevie Walton (C’18), Cal Oakley (C’19), Campbell Stuart (C’20), Fiona Charnow (C’20), and Maria Ramirez (C’20) exhibit a passion for music and welcome fellow music lovers of all levels of skill.
The Music House hosts many events like the “Books, Beats and Bangers,” multiple AUX battles, and karaoke events. The “Books, Beats and Bangers” event was co-hosted with the Writing House and invited students to bring written works, like poems, and to perform scenes from them in the form of songs.
Two AUX battles were held in the Torian Room this academic school year, allowing two people to battle against each other for who had the better song. Whoever won the most votes from the audience went to the next round. The karaoke event that took place this spring, “Lit Karaoke,” was co-hosted with the Chi Psi Fraternity and took place at the Chi Psi house. At the event, students could donate two dollars to Thistle Farms in exchange for being able to sing a song.
Walton said “Lit Karaoke” was her favorite event this year because “it was really fun seeing how many people wanted to come out and sing karaoke, and everyone was having a good time expressing themselves through song.”
Walton joined the Music House because music is a big part of her life and she wanted to be in an environment where other people were just as dedicated to the musical arts as she is. She explained, “I have been in Cadence and Cambiata since freshman year, and living in the Music House has encouraged me to continue writing my own music.”
At this point, the Music House is not a specifically designated space for playing music, as its living room is too small in size, but its members have a sense of community and appreciation for music that they spread around campus. Walton set up a studio in the living room with her microphone and equipment available for herself and others to record music, and she feels “it would be a great idea to have more coffee style open mic nights in a bigger living space” one day.
The Music House brings a joy of music to the Sewanee community and has the potential to welcome more lovers of music if it were to move to a larger house. Walton explained that “the Music House is known the most for hosting Sewanaroo every year, as a majority of the budget goes towards getting bands to perform.” This event in particular is central to Sewanee campus life, just as the Music House holds a special place in many Sewanee hearts despite its isolated location.