The Dartmouth Chamber Orchestra is the only student-run, audition-free orchestra on campus, providing an open and collaborative environment for students to play memorable music for almost 30 years. About 25 to 30 undergraduate and graduate students are typically part of the group each term, according to current DCO President Shahzeb Tayyab ’27.
Besides making music together, the musicians emphasized DCO’s inviting culture and community. Members practice for two hours per week and receive access to free instrument rentals, making it a relatively low commitment for musicians of all backgrounds and skill levels to continue their practice at Dartmouth.
At the end of each term, rehearsals culminate in a concert with pieces ranging from contemporary to classical. Performances have previously featured music from the films “Harry Potter” and “La La Land.”
According to DCO conductor and member Angela Shang ’27, these performances are often “emotional” experiences for the group. For instance, DCO performed a 15-minute rendition of the theme song from “Avatar: The Last Airbender” this past spring. Shang described how it was a meaningful moment of saying farewell to and thanking the graduating seniors.
Tayyab explained that the song evoked elements of “nostalgia” from members’ childhoods, which made it more meaningful when it came together.
“I think the 15 minutes that we played was some of the most energetic music that I’ve experienced in an orchestra,” Tayyab said. “It was difficult. We put so much [into] those rehearsals, [so] to finally see it come into being was just so beautiful.”
Shang called the performance “magical.”
“There’s this section in Avatar in Book Three that’s slow, very luxurious, lots of strings, lots of morphing harmonies that slide and go into the Avatar theme,” she said.
Shang explained that selecting the songs is always a thoughtful and collaborative process between the DCO leadership and members. She said that leadership has to consider both the number of members and the mix of instrumentation available, as well as balancing the “difficulty” and “length” of the piece.
However, Shang said that DCO prioritizes inclusivity, community and collaboration over playing the best sounding music.
“Obviously we want to create good music — that is what every orchestra ensemble wants to do, because we want to share that music with other people,” Shang said. “It’s just that it’s slightly lower on the priority than making sure everyone feels included in the space and enjoys the process of rehearsal, [and] enjoys the process of making music.”
Besides rehearsals and performances, DCO also fosters community through social events, including post-concert movie nights, dinners in town and formals.
Tayyab and Shang also described some “traditions” that come with DCO.
“Our intro questions [are] always something like, ‘What’s your second favorite fruit?’” Tayyab said. “I think it kind of keeps that spirit of … a little bit of jolliness and a little bit of mystery.”
DCO group manager Marit Uyham’s ’27 said that she wants to continue to emphasize community. She explained that operating with empathy and kindness, and empowering people to make mistakes, are essential parts of the group’s identity. Uyham added that her “wonderful” experience with the group since her freshman fall encouraged her to “be more involved in DCO leadership.”
Tayyab underscored this point and said that he hoped more people will get involved in DCO.
“Part of our identity is the fact that we are a student-run orchestra that takes everybody from all skill levels,” he said. “So of course, we’re not going to be perfect or we’re not going to be as amazing as a professional orchestra. But I think that’s the fun of DCO.”
