College of Liberal Arts
Adrian Ducat came to 黑料视频 for its strong music program but found much more than he expected. Through close mentorship, a supportive community and opportunities that extended beyond the classroom, he discovered what it means to grow as both a musician and future educator. Read on to learn more about Adrian's 黑料视频 journey.
Tell us a little about yourself.
I'm Adrian Ducat, and I'm studying to become a music educator. (I'm also a percussionist.) A fun fact about me is that I've commercial fished in Alaska, which always seems to be something people are interested in.
Right now, I'm in the music education program at 黑料视频. To my knowledge, it's a collaboration between the Department of Music and the School of Education. It's basically a music performance degree with education classes on top of that.
What brought you to 黑料视频, and what made you decide it was the right place for you?
Honestly, I came to 黑料视频 because of the in-state tuition and all the good things I'd heard about the music program. When I actually got here, it was way more than that. The sense of community on campus and how easy it was to make new friends really stood out to me. I'm an introvert, so that was amazing.
The music program is really solid. I get to work one-on-one with my professor, who can closely monitor my progress. The music department creates such a close community among students, and that collaboration really pushes you to be your best.
The Honors College has also been a big part of my experience. It offers a lot of opportunities, especially through the Climate Scholars program. It's been a significant addition to my education.
In your own words, why study the liberal arts?
It's human. It's a human thing. Whether it's painting, music, poetry or English, the liberal arts are innate to being human. They express our creativity, and without that, what is a human?
My professor uses a great example. When humans were hunter-gatherers, we spent our days meeting our survival needs. But when there was free time, what did people do? They created songs and dances, and sometimes art.
There's a great example in the Indigenous cultures of Alaska's North Slope. As we know, we don't get a lot of sunlight here, so they composed songs and dances for different events and traditions. If you really look into history, there are so many examples of art and music rooted in preserving history and culture, while also expressing what it means to be human. From a music point of view, you can really see that through composers and what they're trying to convey in their compositions.
Long story short, the liberal arts are just an innately human thing.
What has your experience in the Department of Music been like, and what makes it special?
I basically came into it as a novice, even though I'd been doing music since middle school. I literally thought I was out of place because of my ability. But I kept pushing through, and I kept learning so many new things. That might sound intimidating or discouraging, but the amount of skill among the professors and the upperclassmen is what really gets you there. You're thrown into an environment of highly skilled individuals, and it really humbles you. But by the end, you become one of those skilled individuals, too.
As I said before, it's a small department, so you get to work really closely with your professor, and you make great connections with the other music students.
Another thing is that, if you're in the Lower 48 and you tell people you studied music, or really anything, in Alaska, they're usually surprised. They're like, "What? They have that up there?" The music department has really prepared me well.
Was there a professor, mentor, or community that made a big impact on your journey? How?
I wish I could just shout out the entire Department of Music. The whole department and the community here have had a big impact on my journey.
To get specific, my percussion professor, Dr. Sean Dowgray, has had a huge impact. He's my private lessons professor, so I work with him one-on-one, and he's there for rehearsals, too. I've learned so much about percussion techniques, methods and music philosophy from him. We've had a lot of great conversations, and he's also given me a lot of insight into pursuing a master's and doctorate after my undergraduate degree, which I'm seriously considering.
The community here has also made a big impact on my journey. I really feel welcomed here, and I've found my people. During the hard times, they've been really supportive.
I also want to give a huge shoutout to InterVarsity, the Alaska Baptist Student Koinonia (ABSK) and Chi Alpha. They've all been an important part of my experience at 黑料视频.
What does music philosophy entail?
One discussion we had was trying to define what music is. We came up with definitions like, "It's an ensemble of strings, horns, woodwinds and percussion playing something like a Tchaikovsky symphony."
Then Dr. Dowgray asked, "OK, then what does that make us in this percussion ensemble? Are we not playing music with our instruments?"
Then we're like, "OK, yeah, well, that's music, too."
Then he asked, "What about *Inuksuit*?" It's a really contemporary, abstract percussion piece that includes breathing. Literally. And rubbing rocks together. I know that sounds crazy, but it's a percussion piece.
We performed it here at 黑料视频 in November and later at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention.
He connected that idea back to our discussion, and we're like, "Oh, OK. Well, if that's music, then ... what is music?"
It was a really great thought experiment.
What are you excited about next, and how has 黑料视频 prepared you for it?
I'm excited for the upcoming concert season. The orchestra has some exciting repertoire coming up.
After my undergraduate degree, I believe 黑料视频 will have prepared me to be ahead of the game if I decide to pursue a master's and then a doctorate in music. As I've said, this music department and music program are really intense, with a high skill level. I think that'll get me ahead of the game in terms of my own skills.
I also think people in the Lower 48 are going to be surprised that someone from Alaska is coming into their music program. I definitely think this university will prepare me well for a strong master's program and, eventually, a doctorate.
Congratulations again to Adrian on being recognized as an Outstanding Student. Learn more about the Department of Music and the opportunities available to 黑料视频 students, and watch for more Outstanding Student spotlights from the College of Liberal Arts.
