One of the very first things my piano instructor taught me is that music begins where words fail.
At the time, my mind couldn’t comprehend the extent of her lesson. I was raised to believe that words existed with the purpose of giving diction to our thoughts — that their entire servitude to humanity depends on their ability to express everything imaginable. Objectively speaking, words weren’t created to falter.
Despite my endless attempts to contradict her statement, my reasoning paled in the presence of a true ensemble. My mind simply couldn’t keep up with the beauty before me, let alone my words. The way the orchestra worked in unison to create music that can only be described as ethereal was beyond comprehension.
As I sat there, I had a revelation. Words can fail us. They exasperate every vowel and consonant, desperate in their inquiries to explore every combination in hopes of defining our emotions, but despite their endless efforts, they can’t fully encapsulate the passion within humankind, especially when describing an orchestra.
In a society overwhelmed by polarization, students should consider attending the orchestra as an opportunity to contribute to a collective expression that challenges the isolation and division many students feel today.
According to the American Psychological Association, loneliness and emotional disconnection have become defining features in America. The stress caused by social division is negatively affecting everyone, including students. The APA’s Stress in America report found that 62% of Americans say societal division is a significant source of stress, and younger adults report some of the highest levels of stress related to politics and the future of the country.
On college campuses, where political conversations are unavoidable, societal divisions create a tense environment rather than cultivating a space that promotes openness and collaboration.
It’s reported that over 60% of college students say they felt lonely in 2024, suggesting that many students experience isolation despite being surrounded by thousands of their peers. At UT, students are surrounded by people every day yet they may struggle to find meaningful spaces where they can connect with others in a shared, collective experience.
What many don’t realize is that the orchestra provides the space for shared community expression.
“Music is a universal language, and I think it brings people together beyond political or social views,” said Zachary Houlton, electrical and computer engineering sophomore, member of UT Symphony Orchestra. “Music gives people a shared perspective. It’s something that everyone understands. … I think it’s really important to engage with music for that reason, because it transcends any sort of political or social fragmentation within society.”
When you sit in an orchestra, you’re allowing yourself to partake in a community built on emotional connection. In this space, people don’t gather with the purpose of understanding political affiliations, they gather to experience something uniquely human.
The orchestra offers something that students aren’t accustomed to: stillness. While we accept the pace that accompanies attending a competitive school, the orchestra gives students the opportunity to silence their minds and act on feeling alone. The entire operation of the ensemble is sustained by the absence of words, allowing people to sit with their emotions. By doing this, students rediscover the ability to be present with one another rather than constantly reacting to the noise that accompanies the world around them.
“Music is a very common language for a lot of people,” said Calvin Wong, lecturer in saxophone at the Butler School of Music. “They’re not as particular, like language (is).”
Unlike spoken language, music does not require translation. In an orchestra hall, students of all backgrounds bring their differences and set them aside for the purpose of experiencing the overwhelmingly powerful unity presented through the ensemble. For a brief moment, the divisions that follow us in our daily lives lose their urgency and allow for something more uniting.
This is what makes orchestral performances uniquely powerful on a college campus. They create a shared emotional experience that doesn’t depend on discourse. Orchestra allows students to participate in a collective moment of attention and feeling, one absent of the feeling of polarization. It reminds students that connection can thrive within a collective stillness, because music begins where words fail.
Huerta is a government junior from Victoria, Texas.