Wheaton's independent majors
"I have always tried to take a less traditional route. I find it refreshing to explore new things, or if nothing else, to explore old things in a new way."
JOHN CAMPOPIANO '08
Pawtucket, R.I.
Ethnomusicology
Mapping the journey
A mandolin player with a serious interest in music, John Campopiano had great respect for the Western classical tradition but wanted to push beyond it.
"I wanted to know, Why do people make music? and, What do they think about the music they make?" he says. "I have always been interested in the music people make, the connection it has to their lives and how music has been used as a tool for healing, expression and social change. Thus, I discovered ethnomusicology," the study of music in the context of culture. His self-designed major allowed him to explore a variety of traditions, such as Carnatic classical music from South India, while also looking at music through the lens of anthropology.
Peak experiences
Selecting courses in classical music, world music, and anthropology, Campopiano modeled his course of study on past ethnomusicology majors at Wheaton as well as programs offered at other colleges. With the support of a Wheaton Fellows grant, he traveled to Transylvania one summer to conduct research on folk music and musical instruments. He also completed two senior seminars, one in anthropology and one in music.
The road ahead
This summer, Campopiano is interning at the Passim Folk Music and Cultural Center in Boston, where he will participate in programs offering world music and guitar instruction in the Boston Public Schools.
