DAN QUAGLIANA
News Editor
As a university with a high population of music students, it comes as no surprise that there are a multitude of music-focused clubs on campus. One of the most prolific of such clubs is the Ethos New Music Society (Ethos, for short).
Ethos is a student-run group with a focus on newly-created music, but don’t let that fool you into thinking that the club itself is newly created — it’s been a fixture on campus for more than 45 years.
The name Ethos, from the rhetorical persuasion methods of ethos, pathos and logos, “comes from the emotional response that music can evoke in someone,” explained Ethos’s Publicity Chair Nick Cristoforo, a junior music composition major.
But what does Ethos do?
“We bring in contemporary guest artists, composers and performers who give concerts, presentations and masterclasses,” Cristoforo said.
The latest artist that Ethos invited to Fredonia was Brittain Ashford, a singer/songwriter who premiered the role of Sonya in the Broadway production of “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812.”
Ashford’s visit was well-received by students.
“Brittain comes from a place of pure humility that’s really just admirable and beautiful to watch,” said Olivia Kaye, a junior theater production and design major.
On Sept. 8, Ashford hosted a discussion about music publishing, in addition to working with the theater department and the cast of Fredonia’s own upcoming production of “Great Comet.” The next day, she also performed a concert of her music in Rosch Recital Hall.
“The concert…was so gorgeous,” Kaye said. “It wasn’t music that you can really hear every day, and everyone at the concert was so into it and so excited to hear her work.”
Students in Ethos were responsible for planning Ashford’s visit, which included transportation, a hotel, promoting her events and more.
Aside from showcasing the work of outside artists, Ethos also specializes in producing performances of students’ own compositions. “Our biggest events are the Student Composer Concerts (SCCs), where any student, regardless of major, including those outside the School of Music, can submit compositions to be performed at a concert,” Cristoforo said.
Student-composed pieces don’t necessarily have to be submitted in sheet music form, either. “Students can even submit audio files,” Cristoforo specified. “If you want to submit a composition, it should be submitted to the Concerts Chair, Taylor Schultz.”
Ethos’s first SCC was on Oct. 2, and their next one is on Oct. 31. All concerts are held in Rosch Recital Hall at 8 p.m.
Next semester, the club will be hosting four SCCs, providing plenty of opportunities for students to have their work heard.
Ethos also hosts other events, which include composer-performer meet and greets and listening parties, “where everyone submits music they like, and we all listen to and talk about it,” Cristoforo said.
If you’d like to learn more about Ethos, you can contact their president, Phillip Marra III, or check out their Instagram page, @ethosnewmusic.