School of Music hosts Immersion Day for high school musicians

Lipscomb’s School of Music hosted its fourth annual Immersion Day the first Monday of October. 

This day-long event let high school students from all over the country experience a “day in the life” of a Lipscomb music major. They sat in on classes, attended group sessions and hung out with current music students during a Q&A panel.

“It’s a casual way to hang out with some of our current students and faculty. And they get to ask them a lot of big questions too,” said Natalie Kirkham, a School of Music administrative assistant and a lead organizer of Immersion Day. “It really helps students to picture themselves here.”

For Camille Schmitz, a sophomore at Lipscomb, Immersion Day played a significant role in her decision to attend Lipscomb. Schmitz traveled from her hometown in Indiana to see what a real day in the School of Music would be like. One of her favorite parts was meeting current Lipscomb music students.

“It just showed what the student body was like,” said Schmitz. “It was so nice to have people who cared even before you committed to Lipscomb.” 

One perk of attending Immersion Day is that prospective students can fast-track their audition process. “If they are serious about wanting to come here, they can sign up to do a live audition with our faculty on Immersion Day… You get to skip the prescreening and just come and audition live,” said Kirkham. 

Schmitz auditioned during Immersion Day. She ultimately decided to attend Lipscomb, where she is currently a violin performance major. 

When Immersion Day started in 2022, seven students attended, and multiple enrolled in Lipscomb afterward. On Monday, almost thirty prospective students participated.

Kirkham credits the growth to Lipscomb faculty and students who welcome the visitors. “There’s something very personal about the care that they give. It’s awesome, and it’s tangible. You can really see it,” Kirkham smiled.

At the end of Immersion Day, the School of Music held a concert featuring Chamber Strings, Jazz Band, Wind Ensemble and Choir. During the last piece, the conductor invited prospective students on stage to join the band. It was a final, harmonious welcome from the School of Music community.

Featured image of an Immersion Day student session taken by Kristi Jones.