On its website, Palomar College describes Concert Hour as “a music enrichment series presented for our students and the community by the Palomar College Performing Arts Department.”
Given that these Concert Hours are meant for students, you would assume that the music played would be at least partially catered to us, but that assumption would be wrong. Instead, they offer music that fails to connect to the vast majority of the student population.
Gen Z, individuals born 1997 – 2012, make up nearly 71% of Palomar College’s student population, according to CollegeDroid.
Personally, the music I listen to most is rock and roll. When we look at Gen Z as a whole, their favorite genres include pop, rap and rock, according to Statista. Shouldn’t these then be featured in the Concert Hours performances?
Upon looking at the Concert Hour calendar, these genres are nowhere to be seen. Take March, for example — the month was dominated by jazz and classical music, leaving little to no room for student interests.
This is not to say that the shows held are anything short of outstanding, the music choice is simply only intriguing to a select age group. This leaves most of our students out of luck for musical entertainment that is supposedly designed for them.
I surveyed 30 students at random, aged 18-27, to gauge their interest in Palomar’s Concert Hours. Only four had ever attended, and just one had returned for a second visit.
These numbers illustrate a notable lack of campus engagement, the importance of which goes far beyond socialization.
This lack of engagement could have an extensive impact on students’ academic performance, cognitive development and career-readiness, according to Ohio State University.
If we don’t have concerts that cater to students’ musical preferences, they miss out on critical campus engagement, potentially impacting their college success.
While it’s valid to argue that the genres offered are intended to broaden students’ musical knowledge, this should not come at the price of campus engagement. The Performing Arts Department must find a better balance between the two. The main focus should be to attract the most students possible, not to exclude us entirely.
If you want to see real change in the program, it’s time to speak up. Email padepartment@palomar.edu and share your favorite local musicians to allow more people a chance in the spotlight.
Let your voice be heard so that Palomar’s Concert Hour performances can reach their potential and resonate with as many students as possible.
