Serendipity Series to return to CSU amidst COVID-19 pandemic

Amanda Filreis ® Staff Writer|

Have you ever wonder where the music in CSU comes from? The answer is the Serendipity Series.

For those who aren’t familiar, this is a program that books singers, duo, and/or bands to play in the Centennial Student Union during the day once a month. “This is a program to help bring musical spirit into the Student Union,” said CSU and Student Activities Director Mark Constantine when describing the Serendipity Series. 

It was started up 11 years ago with a philosophy they wanted to uphold. That philosophy was asking themselves how they can liven up the building which has continued to this day keep their program alive. The firm belief is that the students need to be exposed to different types of music with the hope of creating a kind of home away from home for them. The performers can set up in the hearth lounge, the gallery downstairs, or even on the terrace. They always try to remain flexible with their arrangements.

While the core has stayed the same all this time, there are many things about this program that had to change. New considerations need to be taken into account in order to remain COVID-friendly since safety is always a priority. The performers need to wear masks on stage and practice social distancing while on stage if they are outside. It’s a little trickier indoors with only a certain amount of space to work with. They try to make sure the stage is big enough for the performers to safely work on with the chairs being at least 6 feet apart from each other. If wearing masks hinders the performance, they try to enforce a social distance of 10-12 feet between the students and the stage.

The schedule for the Serendipity Series is still under development due to COVID. The hope is to have one in about two weeks with performers coming once a month. This isn’t the only challenge they face. One of the bigger ones is to make their budget last for the entire year. Another is to make sure the music being played isn’t played at a loud volume so as not to disrupt those in meetings. For the most part, their efforts are worthwhile. The majority of the students view this arrangement as a good thing to help them get through the day. The students all gave similar positive responses when asked about their thoughts about the series and what they do as a whole.

“It’s a nice thing to have in the middle of the day. Especially on the weekends,” commented MNSU student Sydney Belonge. “It gives off positive vibes. I think all music is a good things,” stated fellow student Jacob Meyer. “It’s a good way to help the students relax,” said student Miles Krueger. “It’s fun having different types of music to listen to when you take a break,” said student Garrett Meier. “It’s nice to know when all of your hard work pays off.”

Header photo from Reporter Archives.