Special Edition Spring 2023: The Sound of Resilience
Local musicians making music despite a lack of university support
By Leah Keith
Following the cut to both the music and theater programs in 2017, St. Catherine University has slowly but surely removed music from campus.
Last year, the previous choir director, Dr. Patricia Cahalan-Connors, retired without the university intending to replace her. But in the fall of 2022, Roger Stratton began and directed a new university choir. According to former choir member Hannah Bladow ‘23 (Psychology, they/them), “This year’s choir is not a class to register for, but rather more so a club that is slightly more casual in manner.” St. Kate’s also offers students the opportunity to join a chapel choir, directed by Katie Jonza, that students, faculty, staff and community members can join. However, even with these two choirs, the university has made clear its lack of commitment to fostering music by removing any music majors, not offering music courses for credit and reducing funds for any music initiatives left on campus.
Students protesting outside of Derham after cuts to both the music and theater majors in 2017. Photo by Anthony Souffle, Star Tribune
“The way that St. Kate’s has cut the music department in its entirety really shows me that St. Kate’s doesn’t value music, or at least having a music department,” Bladow says. “I think in the future, I’d love to see St. Kate’s add back in a music department, even just a small one. It would be nice to have even just basic music classes to take as electives, and I think it’s a shame that that’s no longer a possibility.”
Introducing RiGBY
RiGBY: From left to right, , Kean Wilwerding, Fay Dunkel, Hana Mahli and Maude Lorr.
Despite the lack of resources, musicians on campus have still managed to create music and build community, whether that be through the university choir or on their own. One example of this perseverance comes from Hana Mahli ‘26 (Public Health and Public Policy), a St. Kate’s student, choir member and band member of RiGBY.
RiGBY, a local DIY punk band in the Twin Cities, features Hana Mahli (any pronouns) and Maude Lorr (they/them) on bass and vocals, Fay Dunkel (she/they) on guitar and Kean Wilwerding (he/him) on drums. The band first met in 2019 at a music program and later decided to perform together at The Garage, a venue located in Burnsville, Minn. After performing a few covers, the band members knew they wanted to keep going.
“You’re not really a band unless you’re playing shows,” Wilwerding says. “Back then, we were kind of desperate to just get out there, so we pushed ourselves and asked people if we could play with them. A lot of people said no and some people said yes. That’s how we squirmed our way in.”
Recognized for their riot grrrl-style sound and often featuring fast-paced guitar riffs, pounding drums and shouted vocals, RiGBY’s genre-bending songs reflect the band’s unique personality. RiGBY also credits St. Paul bands Babes in Toyland and Bruise Violet as inspirations for their music.
Community and Creativity
Reflecting on the Twin Cities music scene, Lorr says, “I think my favorite part is just the community of it. You’re so close to everyone physically and mentally, and I love that we get time to talk to people and personally answer DMs.” Lorr goes on to explain how fostering relationships while making and performing music can be challenging, especially as the band members juggle work, school and other commitments. Even so, Mahli explains how the creatively fulfilling aspect of their music outweighs the difficulties.
“Along with the community, I like the creative freedom we have,” Mahli says. “We can basically do whatever we want right now, as far as merch and writing our own music, and I think that’s really fun. We’re all very different human beings, and we all bring a lot to the table.”
Not only does RiGBY creatively experiment with their sound, but the band members also mention how shows allow them to experiment with self-expression. “Going to shows has helped me be more myself. I feel like I can experiment more with fashion and try new things,” Fay says. RiGBY’s passion and creativity can be heard through the quality of their music, and you can stream their debut album, “We’re Dying,” anywhere you listen to music.
Looking Ahead
Along with being a member of RiGBY, Mahli also participates in the university choir and enjoys the low commitment and non-competitive activity. However, Mahli wishes that St. Kate’s had a bigger emphasis on music. “We have a whole music building,” Mahli says. “But to me, it seems like the music program just disintegrated.”
Despite the lack of university resources, St. Kate’s choir members’ passion for music has not disappeared. Kate Churchill ‘24 (Nursing, she/her), a member of the university choir for the last three years, exemplifies this enthusiasm for choir.
“Music has a huge place in my life and always has,” Churchill says. “Joining a college choir and continuing to explore something I was so passionate about was one of the things I was most excited about when I arrived at St. Kate’s.”
“I would love to see a renewed surge of energy and/or increased funding dedicated toward not just educating students, but giving them opportunities to express themselves through extracurriculars and interests,” Churchill adds. “Choir has been a safe place for me to grow in my self-expression and love for music, and I would love to spread that feeling to as many students as possible.”
Like Churchill, many St. Kate’s students would appreciate seeing an increased interest in music on campus. For now, students can enjoy the small yet close-knit nature of our current university choir while also looking off-campus for a creative outlet. Regardless of the level of support from the university, music will continue to hold a significant presence in the lives of St. Kate’s students.
