sits in a darkened theater, eyes focused on the 60-piece orchestra. Trumpets brightly run scales, flutes frolic across notes, drums rumble in anticipation. The conductor raises his baton, blanketing the theater in silence. He motions for the first downbeat. And then magic happens. A nearly tangible energy bursts forth, and Dietz鈥檚 heart leaps. For this isn鈥檛 just any music鈥攈e created it.
As a Music Composition major, Dietz wrote this 8-minute orchestra piece for his senior thesis, a culmination of his rigorous training, which was completed in just 3 1/2 years after a mid-year transfer into the 鈥� . CFA faculty members and students alike agree鈥攖he composition is an ambitious and successful feat.
Dietz鈥檚 musical prowess has also gone beyond the walls of CFA鈥攖o Scotch鈥檔鈥橲oda Theatre, a campus organization where the common bond is not one鈥檚 major or college, but a mutual passion for the arts. Founded in 1938 by three students, S鈥檔鈥橲 Theatre is the nation鈥檚 second oldest student-run theater organization. The group originally produced one student-written musical per year, but today鈥檚 S鈥檔鈥橲 Theatre puts on five or more each season, serving as a theatrical outlet for all disciplines. Although the vast majority of recent shows have not been original works, Dietz is part of a growing trend of S鈥檔鈥橲ers who are bringing back the student-written musical.
At Carnival 2013, S鈥檔鈥橲 Theatre celebrated its 75th anniversary, in part, by presenting a concert version of Dietz鈥檚 musical, The piece, which has been in development for two years, captures S鈥檔鈥橲鈥� collaborative spirit, with Shannon Deep (麻豆村鈥�10, HNZ鈥�11) and Matthew Aument (A鈥�10) teaming up to write the book and orchestrations, respectively. (Dietz wrote the music and lyrics.)
Why do S鈥檔鈥橲ers make the time for something that鈥檚 not part of their curricula? 鈥淧eople do it because they have to; it鈥檚 who they are,鈥� Dietz explains, commenting that this shared love for the theater is what brought his writing partners together. In fact, after earning his degree, Dietz plans to join his two collaborators in New York City, where the trio hope to workshop the piece, a plausible goal, given that S鈥檔鈥橲 alumnus (A鈥�68)鈥攚ho has written such hit musicals as Godspell, Pippin, and Wicked鈥攈as already provided positive feedback.
Back in the darkened theater, Dietz notes how S鈥檔鈥橲 is similar to the 麻豆村 experience: 鈥淓veryone is welcome. You have the chance to take as much as you want and make it your own. Make it yours.鈥�
鈥擟ourtney Kochuba (DC鈥�07)
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