USD Music Welcomes Sameer Patel in Student Workshop

Sameer Patel, music director and orchestra conductor of the La Jolla Symphony & Chorus and artistic director of the SD Youth Symphony, led a workshop on Tuesday, April 9th with the students of the University of San Diego’s Music Applied Lessons Program. Students in this program study their instrument of choice with industry professionals and USD faculty. As part of the program, USD Music brought in Sameer Patel to conduct a master class and work with students in their selected instrument. The workshop, held in the French Parlor in Founders Hall, focused on taking music from the page to the stage.

During the previous month, Patel led a separate workshop with some vocal and instrumental students. On Tuesday, he worked with five students in voice, piano, brass and percussion. When asked about his experience working with students, Patel said, “It was a lot of fun. I loved the variety of instruments we had to work with. There's something really special about working with vocalists, pianists, trombonists and percussionists. At the end of the day, what it comes down to is we are all working on ideas of taking what's on the page and how to communicate it. In that sense it's fun because some of these same guiding principles work on every single instrument."

The USD Music Department is grateful to Sameer Patel for guiding USD’s music students and giving them this great opportunity. The department hopes to continue offering workshops with music professionals as a hands-on element for students.