Rob Whipple is a fourth year Electrical Engineering student who is also in the co-op program at Stevens. Originally from Pittsburg, PA, Rob is a clarinetist in both the Stevens orchestra and band, and is in both the Environmental Club and Engineers for a Sustainable World. As an engineer, Rob hopes to work on electrical and sustainable aspects of power and energy conservation. In his free time, Rob enjoys photography, designing things, and running.
Music serves many purposes. It can be that extra something in the morning to get you out the door, or it can be a way to get in the zone, whether that is during your workouts or study sessions. Music can also serve as a “great break from all the academic stuff going on,” Rob says. “It can also be a “great way to de-stress,” he adds.
Rob has participated in both orchestra and band every semester—even when he was on co-op. One of his favorite things about music is that provides one with the ability to do something, and that one is able to better one’s self through practicing. “It’s like its own world, something different,” Rob explains.
Practicing is like brushing your teeth in the morning. You kind of don’t want to do it, but you do it anyway because you know it’s good for you. For Rob, music has always been something to keep doing for fun. This played a key role in his decision to attend Stevens. He explains, “A band and/or an orchestra was a requirement for me [when choosing a college]” and that he did not want to just quit after high school. Growing up, Rob’s parents continued to nudge him through elementary and middle school to keep playing clarinet and continue his love of music. Once Rob entered high school, he started to enjoy playing music more. Rob admits, “The hardest part [of playing an instrument] is the middle part of the [learning process]… where you’re not a total beginner anymore, but you’re also not very good yet, and that’s the most frustrating stage. Once you get a little better, then you can keep practicing, and you see the progress more, so it’s more fun.” Most things are like this. Always finding ways to improve, no matter how small, can really help you hone in and master your craft.
Like a Gantt Chart, music teaches you how to work towards and accomplish a goal. Furthermore, music “teaches you that kind of focus, to be able to consistently work on something over and over again to get good at it,” Rob says. When challenges and obstacles arise, that is when you have to work the hardest. Echoing Stevens’s motto: Through adversity, to the stars, with music and academics, “Things are hard, but you have to keep working at it,” Rob says, and most importantly, “Just keep practicing.” Similar to working out or studying for a class, practicing and studying are necessary habits that are needed in order to achieve the goals we set for ourselves whenever we want to improve in our crafts. “Especially with music, there’s no real shortcut, “Rob says, “And if something’s hard, just keep practicing.”
Music is both an independent and group-oriented discipline. Like a SolidWorks assembly, there are many parts that go into creating a finished product, whether that is a bicycle or a polished piece of music. With music, it is important to remember that “rehearsal is when you learn how everything fits together. You have to know your part first [before going],” Rob emphasizes. “You have to have your individual stuff before you [can] do group work or else you are not that useful to the group.” I am sure most engineering design students can empathize here. Working together is an inevitable part of being a professional in STEM disciplines, but it is also critical that everyone does their share of the work at hand in order to produce an amazing end result, whether that is a breathtaking concert or a stellar design report.
For anyone who is on the fence about joining a musical group on campus, just join. All levels are welcome, and rehearsals are not a large time commitment. According to Rob Whipple, “Life’s good, have fun!”
Come check out the concert band concert on Saturday, April 23 at 8p.m.!
