SERAPHINA PROVENZANO

2018 Spirit of Pops Award winner

IMG_2659.JPG

Describing what Pops means to me in only a paragraph is a daunting task. That is because Pops has played a huge role in my experience as a student at the University of Michigan, and as senior year gets closer, I am starting to realize just how much I will miss it upon graduation. I joined Pops my sophomore year. I played in the Campus Orchestras as a freshman, but I was the only bassist and was looking for something a little less lonely. I was excited to join Pops because I knew I’d be part of a bass section; I had no idea about everything else Pops stands for, whether that be making movies, having Prom, putting on Small Ensembles concerts, or playing intramural sports. It turns out, Pops isn’t just an orchestra. It’s undeniable that we make good music, but more than that, we also make good memories. Without Pops, I may not have kept playing bass throughout college. I wouldn’t have had a reason to arrange music (especially Pops-specific parodies!) and jam with friends for Small Ensembles, wear my minion onesie to Halloween rehearsal, or film epic Nerf gun battles in the basement of West Quad. Pops is both a blast and a privilege to be a part of. It is a family unrivaled by other groups I’m in on campus. In a word, to me, Pops is home.