Elliot Chang ’28 performed his original song “get lost/motivos,” written for MUS-480.
The lobby of Falls Music Center was transformed on Sunday for the Coffeehouse, an opportunity for student songwriters to perform their original songs. Decorated with fairy lights, round tables, and a stage with a speaker and piano, the event was the culmination of the Songwriting Workshop class (MUS480).
Sese Upaa ’29 displayed her original song, “Whitworth Boy,” which she spent weeks writing and refining. While she approached the performance with some initial apprehension, she ultimately viewed it as a meaningful conclusion to her work on the piece.
“Making the actual song wasn’t too bad. It was really fun to make. I usually figure it out on the piano and think about what sounds good in my head. I show my friends the songs I’m working on, so I asked one of them if she wanted to sing harmony, and she said yes. Preparing for Coffeehouse was more stressful because I was worried about my pronunciation and intonation. But in the end, it was fine. It went really well. I was aware of some mistakes I was making with the mixing and I was wondering what was happening, but I don’t think the audience noticed,” said Upaa.
As an experienced songwriter, Elliot Chang ’28 spoke about his experience writing his Coffeehouse song and how it differed from his usual pieces.
“Writing this song took a lot of time because I tried to go deeper than an average song. My goal is really to put meaning into everything and to lift people up, even if it’s a more acoustic or sad track. I just wrote with that in mind in my instrumental. I had two reference tracks. One was this Kanye [West] song because Kanye’s good at writing, and the second song was ‘My Future’ [by Billie Eilish] because I was inspired by that song. The best part about writing is getting to reflect on real life experiences. By writing based on real life experiences, you can really bring the track to life because nothing’s better than the story that goes behind it,” said Chang.
Audience member Ellah Kotlarsky ’27 commended the bravery it took to step on stage and expressed appreciation for the supportive environment.
“I attended Coffeehouse to support my friends and dormmates who were performing. I was so excited to hear the culmination of their efforts. I’ve never been before, and I thought it was incredible. I especially appreciated the bravery of the performers. Sharing a song is very vulnerable, and I was touched by the parts of themselves they shared though the microphone. I also loved the energy, which was lively and supportive. Every performer and spectator cheered loudly and listened respectfully,” said Kotlarsky.
Breanna Ren ’29 reiterated Kotlarsky’s appreciation for both the atmosphere and the sense of community the event created.
“I went because one of my friends was performing, and I also needed concert credits for class. It’s nice to go and cheer on your classmates and peers. There’s food, it’s relaxed, and it’s just a good environment. It feels cozy and welcoming. It’s a good place to go with friends, especially in the winter before a busy week. It’s also a chill opportunity for student songwriters and artists to perform and showcase their talents,” said Ren.
Holly Barnes, the teacher of MUS480 and organizer of the event, praised the students for the dedication behind their performances, highlighting the time and preparation required to write and produce their tracks.
“It was a lot of preparation in terms of the classroom. Most of these kids sang songs that they wrote towards the beginning of Winter Term. Right now we’re working on our final project. I think Bella [Huang ’28] sang a song that she just wrote that’s not due until next week, but she finished early. There’s that, and then putting down all the tracks is very time-consuming. And of course, the day of the event we had to set up. It’s an all-day setup. I think I got here around noon,” said Barnes.
Barnes also discussed the reason for Coffeehouse’s creation as a way to encourage student songwriters to share their craft to the Andover student body.
“It’s always hard to find opportunities to perform, especially original works. The real hope of this kind of event is that people feel connected to the music department. You don’t have to be a classical musician to be a part of the music department, and that’s what really started the songwriting class. A couple years after I began the class, I started organizing these ‘Coffeehouses’ so that people would have a place to perform other than [Susie’s]. It’s really the hope that people who are not playing in the orchestra or band can feel that they belong in the music department and that they have a place to perform,” said Barnes.
