I had the joy of interviewing Reese Pike ‘25 about her graduate school experience.
Reese is about to finish her Masters of Music in Global Jazz at the Berklee Global Jazz Institute this June. When asked about why she wanted to continue her education, Reese stated that she always knew she wanted to pursue a Masters of Music, as it is a very common path for musicians. She always had the desire to keep music in her life and to continue one-on-one lessons to keep playing. However, during her time at Lawrence, Pike was the only jazz student who was interested in pursuing higher education. That was a bit of a road block, but she ended up applying to about 4-5 programs.
The Masters of Music in Global Jazz is a really interesting program. Reese detailed it as a one-year program that when you get in, your tuition is fully covered. In addition, the program is actually very focused on social justice, not just music. This was what made the program really stand out to Reese, as the emphasis on using you art to help others was very appealing. There are also very frequent world-renowned guest artists that students get to take lessons with and participate in masterclasses.
One of the biggest resources for Reese Pike during this process was actually a Lawrence University alum. A guest artist came and performed a concert on campus and Pike made the effort to connect afterwards. They had the same studio professor and the alum and Reese ended up having a private lesson with him. Here, he actually helped her get a job. Reese interned at the Panama Jazz Festival. The folks who run this festival were the ones who informed her about the Global Jazz Institute.
For this program, Pike has about 14 classes per week, including rehearsals, lessons, career advising, and masterclasses. She balances classes on music composition with ones on social activism. Said classes are typically only once a week, at about three hours long. The Lawrence Busy is something we are all familiar with, but it can get busier than that. Time management being key has been crucial for Reese during this one-year program, and for the application process.
When thinking about applying to grad school, Reese thought a lot about what she wanted to move towards. As a then five-year dual degree student in Spanish and Piano Performance with a Jazz Emphasis, she loved many things. The summer before her fourth year, Pike spent her time primarily without music, and hated it. This is when she knew that music needed to be kept in her life in a large capacity. Her fourth year was primarily spent doing her research and recording/doing prescreen auditions. She actually had to balance grad school with her senior recital and studying abroad in Chile.
When it comes to thinking about graduate school, Reese had a few pieces of advice, the first one being that it is okay to not know what you want to do. If grad school is something you are even thinking about doing, take the time to research. Use your Lawrence community, including professors, friends, upperclassmen, or alumni. Even your professor’s professors can be great resources. There is bound to be someone in your orbit who has or wants to go down the same path as you do. It is a big decision to keep pursuing education after Lawrence. You will be doing your subject all day and every day. Realistically think if that sounds enjoyable, or not so much.
“There is no right path”, Pike stated. It’s important to take your time and do your research. Give yourself the time to think, not cram life-changing decisions in your last term on campus. Everything will be how it is supposed to be, and that is different for every one of us. You can do it!
Good luck Lawrentians!
