🎶 The Great College Music Tour
When Jalen decided to spend a year traveling the country, he didn’t choose beaches or national parks. He chose college music shows — the legendary concerts, festivals, and campus traditions that students whispered about long after graduation. He wanted to feel the pulse of each campus, the way music stitched communities together.
His first stop was Ohio State University, where the Marching Band’s Skull Session filled St. John Arena with thunderous brass and thousands of voices singing “Carmen Ohio.” The energy was electric, a perfect beginning.
From there, he headed to University of Texas at Austin for UT Live on the Lawn, where indie bands played under the warm Texas sky. Students danced barefoot on the grass, and Jalen felt the city’s music heartbeat blend with the campus vibe.
At Berklee College of Music, he found himself in a packed recital hall listening to students who sounded like future Grammy winners. The Berklee Singer‑Songwriter Showcase left him speechless.
Then came UCLA, where the Spring Sing talent show transformed Pauley Pavilion into a glowing arena of comedy, choreography, and jaw‑dropping vocals.
At University of Michigan, he squeezed into Hill Auditorium for the UMS Choral Union’s annual performance, a tradition older than most buildings on campus.
He flew to New Orleans to visit Tulane University, where the Jazz at the Quad series brought brass bands and blues legends right onto campus. The air smelled like beignets and possibility.
At NYU, he wandered into the Clive Davis Institute Showcase, where students performed original tracks that felt ready for radio.
Then he traveled to University of Georgia, where the AthFest Music Festival spilled from downtown Athens into campus streets — a swirling mix of rock, folk, and Southern soul.
At USC, the Thornton School’s Popular Music Showcase felt like a preview of the next decade of pop stars.
He made his way to University of Colorado Boulder, where the Folsom Field Concert Series brought national touring acts to the mountains. The sunset behind the stage looked unreal.
At Florida State University, the College of Music Prism Concert dazzled him with nonstop performances from every ensemble imaginable.
At Indiana University, he sat in the Jacobs School of Music’s grand hall, listening to an orchestra that rivaled professional symphonies.
At University of Wisconsin–Madison, the All‑Campus Party’s live music night turned Library Mall into a sea of red‑and‑white lights.
At Penn State, the Movin’ On Festival — one of the largest student‑run music festivals in the country — shook the ground with bass and cheers.
At University of North Texas, the One O’Clock Lab Band delivered jazz so tight it felt like magic.
At University of Miami, the Frost School’s Festival Miami brought world‑class performers to campus stages.
At University of Oregon, the EMX Drumline’s pre‑game show outside Autzen Stadium felt like a thunderstorm of rhythm.
At Harvard, he attended the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra’s spring concert, where classical music soared through Sanders Theatre.
At University of Tennessee, the Volapalooza Music Festival filled the air with rock, hip‑hop, and Southern charm.
And finally, at Stanford University, he ended his journey at Frost Fest, where students lounged on blankets under the California sun, listening to artists who would soon headline major festivals.
By the time Jalen returned home, he realized he hadn’t just heard music — he’d heard the soul of each campus. Every show, every festival, every late‑night jam session told a story of students finding their voice, their people, and their place in the world.
It was the best year of his life.