The Butler Symphony Orchestra focuses intensely on their craft. Photo by Jonathan Wang.
LAUREN OFFENBACKER | STAFF REPORTER | loffenbacker@butler.edu
As autumn paints the campus in shades of gold and crimson, music drifts from the open doors of Lily Hall. Inside, the Butler Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is in motion, with each note preparing musicians for their annual fall concert.
Behind that polished performance lies months of collaboration and discipline. For these musicians, the symphony is more than an ensemble — it is a community built on passion and shared purpose.
Finding harmony early
For concertmaster Selena Trombley, a sophomore performance and music education double major, music has been a vital part of her life since she began learning to play the violin at four years old.
“I wanted to start younger because I always listened to classical music in the car,” Trombley said. “Once I finally got a violin, I just loved it. I didn’t look back.”
As concertmaster, she helps tune the orchestra, sets bowings for the violin section and often performs featured solos. The position demands precision and poise.
“It is very stressful,” Trombley said. “You have to be fully involved … But it’s very good for confidence building and leadership skills.”
The BSO will be performing Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 5” as part of their program for the annual fall concert. Trombley is looking forward to performing this piece in particular.
“I am so incredibly honored to be able to be concert master and play my favorite piece ever,” Trombley said.
Balancing passion and academics
While many members of the symphony are music majors, the orchestra also draws students from across Butler’s disciplines — from sciences to liberal arts to technology.
Emily Henderson, a junior data science and statistics double major, is one of them. She currently juggles rigorous coursework with six hours of weekly rehearsals.
“It is definitely difficult being a non-music major,” Henderson said. “I definitely run to everything back to back. But when it’s something that I enjoy and something that I love, it’s worth it.”
For Henderson, playing in the orchestra is a passion project, connecting her to her roots and offering balance amid her academic life.
“I started playing [violin] when I was in fourth grade,” Henderson said. “My dad and grandma were always into classical music, and I grew up listening to it with them. Joining the symphony lets me keep that part of my life alive.”
Even without private lessons or studio classes, Henderson finds ways to grow. Sectionals, peer collaboration and long rehearsals help her progress as a musician.
“Our conductor, Professor Richard Auldon Clark, pushes us to do our best,” Henderson said. “Preparation wise, our rehearsals are very intense, but he still adds a fun, humorous aspect to it.”
Learning through the music
For senior musical arts major Nicholas Bennington, the BSO has been a defining part of his college experience.
“It feels challenging, but not so much that it’s something not possible,” Bennington said. “[It is] right in the sweet spot where if you meet those expectations you’re doing the best that you possibly can for yourself and the whole group”
Bennington said preparation extends far beyond practice rooms. Musicians spend hours rehearsing, listening to professional recordings and even memorizing passages to internalize the music.
“One of the biggest things that our conductor preaches in rehearsals is, regardless of [what your career plans are], you have to be on time and prepared,” Bennington said. “One person not doing their part can bring down the whole group. That’s true in music and everything else.”
The sound of community
The BSO delivered a lively and unified performance that brought a warm, autumnal atmosphere to the Schrott Center for the Arts. The musicians played with precision and balance, featuring standout soloists Chloe Boelter in “From the Hearts of Women” and Matt Pivec in the “Concerto for Saxophone”. The concert closed with a stirring performance of Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 5”, marked by clarity, energy and seamless synchronization.
