After the Audition
A look at a student musician’s journey finding her way through the Jacobs School of Music and a global pandemic.
Music has been part of Katie Coughlin’s life since she was a child. Her parents put her in piano lessons when she was in elementary school, which sparked a love of music that only grew over the years. As a senior studying vocal performance and classical music, Katie credits the Jacobs School of Music for helping her become the musician she is today. However, she said her time in the music school was not always easy.
Heavy workloads and a culture of comparison among students led Katie to feeling burned out by the music school during her sophomore year, she said. That feeling was only intensified by the transition to online learning during the pandemic. Katie said she started to question if her areas of study were right for her.
Despite the difficulties she faced, Katie said she would do it all over again.