Warwick’s music appreciation societies – part 3

DrumSoc

James Norris, Communications Officer

DrumSoc is a society aimed at bringing people together to enjoy making music in its simplest form: through rhythm. There are three sections: Drum Kit, Steel Pans and the Percussion Ensemble; and whether you have any previous experience or you’re a beginner, we encourage you to get involved with any or all parts of the society. We also regularly collaborate with other performance societies, and offer workshops to all students.

For the average DrumSoc member, there’s a lot to get involved with. Both the Steel Pans and Percussion Ensemble sections have weekly practice that leads up to live performances each term, while the Drum Kit section organises lessons between beginners on drums and more advanced members who want to tutor. The three sections often come together to perform, as they did last year at Warwick Fused and the University Fringe Festival.

As Communications Officer, my main focus is taking care of the society’s social media. Together with the society’s Media Outreach Officer, Gaurav Raghani, I organise much of the non-performance aspects of DrumSoc events. I also act as as a point of contact for the society, speaking to anyone who wants to know more about us and relaying to our members opportunities that are offered to us. At the end of last year, for example, I spent a night playing African Drums for the first time in Zephyr Lounge, one of the nightclubs in Leamington Spa, an unexpected but very fun experience!

VocSoc

Jennifer Babb, Treasurer

VocSoc is a relaxed group of singers of all abilities, levels of experience and music tastes. I hold the position of treasurer this year which means I’ll be sorting the finance. I’m also hoping to be involved in running some of the sessions and be part of that side of the society as well. As a member of the society all you have to do is turn up and sing. Each week you’ll also be able to suggest and choose songs for that week’s theme which we’ll sing in the session together; last year we did a musicals week which was great! There will be regular socials and open mic nights to get involved with as well.

 

I joined the society in the first week of first year, and since then my experience has seen an extremely friendly, inclusive and encouraging group of people. There is no pressure to perform and it is very relaxed, meaning that everyone can get involved. Going along to societies in Freshers’ Week was a little scary, but that wasn’t the case with VocSoc – it is a smaller society so not as overwhelming as some of the bigger ones on campus. Attending VocSoc has really helped me to deal with the stressful elements of university life, and it provides a great opportunity to take some time out of everything else going on. We can’t wait to meet you all and sing together!

 

Reggae and Dancehall Society

Tiana Holgate, President

Reggae and dancehall are two vast genres of music that lie at the heart of Caribbean culture – from religion to politics, music is a renowned form of expression in the West Indies. The Reggae & Dancehall Society is Warwick’s newest music society, and it provides a platform for sharing an appreciation of these genres. We aim to educate our members on the genres and topical issues surrounding them, all in a safe and comfortable space. After previous underrepresentation, we are here to shed light on reggae and dancehall in the form of new, exciting events at Warwick. As President, I focus on ensuring our vision of education, promotion and integration remains at the heart of all we do. From curating new events alongside the exec to planning collaborations and marketing, my role is to bring you all the best events possible! We’d love our members to be as involved as they want to be in our community. Be sure to stay up to date on opportunities we have for you via our social media platforms and let us know what you want to see from us. We can’t wait to meet you at our listening sessions, parties & so much more over the next year!

 

Glee

Jade Khoo Lian Ke, Marketing Officer

To me, Glee is a place for me to not only escape the build-up of stress from studies, but also to also showcase my passion for performance. Glee has acted as a safe haven where I can be myself: my fellow members have been so welcoming, and it really feels as if we’re a family.

My job as Marketing Officer is to make this club known to students. I am in charge of the club’s social media and of the publicity we use at societies fairs. My job involves recording and editing videos, updating our Facebook page and promoting club membership; to prepare for the upcoming societies fair, I designed the exec shirts and flyers!

As a member, I participate in weekly sessions and also represent the club both within and outside of the university. We are usually informed a few days in advance of the weekly session’s theme and are given an individual assignment (“prepare a song”), while group singing is also a regular feature and involves dance, harmonies and everything in between. Through this society, I have been given numerous opportunities to perform and to most importantly enjoy myself, and have made great friends along the way.

 

Band Soc

Neil Jobanputra, President

My name is Neil Jobanputra and I’m the President of BandSoc!

BandSoc is the society for bands, meaning it’s a place for like-minded musicians to get together and create something, alongside putting on many events throughout the year which give bands the chance to perform in and around the local area. There’s something for everyone, whether you’re into rock, indie, metal, jazz, or anything else you can think of. As a member, you’d get access to a fully-equipped practice room conveniently located on campus and at a very low cost. Secondly, you’d have opportunities to form bands at our various Jam Nights, and later play at venues like Kasbah and Zephyr Lounge. You’d also get a chance to enter your band into our annual Battle of the Bands competition which, taking place during Term 2, sees the two best bands winning a day each in a professional studio. Membership will also give you a discounted price for any of our shows throughout the year, so even if you don’t play an instrument it’s a great idea to join if you like live music.

As President, my job is to oversee everything in the society, such as the day-to-day maintenance of the practice room and making sure the other exec members do their jobs! Furthermore, it’s my role to contact various promoters to get gigs booked for our bands. Since joining BandSoc and attending to my first Jam Night, I’ve made some of my best friends at Warwick in the form of my bandmates. BandSoc is a very open, relaxed society where you can contribute as much or as little as you want – it’s all up to you – and the social scene reflects this. Additionally, BandSoc helped my band get off the ground, so much so that we’ve been able to record songs professionally and play shows as far out as London. The society has enhanced my university experience incredibly, and I’d recommend it to all.