Welcome! I'm Olivia Koo '26, hailing from Los Alamos, New Mexico. I am studying biological chemistry on the pre-med track, and I'm excited to be supplementing it with music, as a classical pianist and singer-songwriter! Some of my favorite things to do are watching YouTube videos about video games, singing and playing my guitar, and reading New York Times op-eds. Look through my page for information about Dartmouth's pre-med track, STEM research, acapella/music, and study abroad opportunities!
Unsure whether I would enjoy the biology-heavy pre-health track, I took an intro biology class. I surprisingly found myself so invested each class—I didn’t think I’d ever be excited trying to determine if the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA) had DNA or RNA, but here we are! I found it a great introduction to thinking processes at Dartmouth.
I loved coming to this class with its supportive environment! The professor's feedback really helped me improve in my writing. This course guided us through personal narratives and organizational writing while discussing what it really means to be authentic. It also introduced me to the library’s resources for writing and research!
This class was definitely not easy! The accelerated version of general chemistry, it was my first class at Dartmouth that used a textbook, and I had to adapt and learn how to use a textbook for a class properly. But that didn't mean I didn't have a good time! The classes were full of physical demonstrations, and I felt very supported in the lab and beyond.
This was the first group music class I took, and I loved it! Each class we'd move a little forward in time; one day we'd talk about medieval chants, and by the next couple weeks, we talked about Baroque music. We even got to observe original medieval music scores from the Rauner Library, and attend a performance of Baroque music by the Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra!
Songwriting 1 was the first time I was able to work on something creative/in the arts at Dartmouth, and I really loved it! I got to learn how to improve my songwriting and get to know a community of fellow songwriters on campus. The class was both supportive and constructive, and I pushed myself to my creative limit with the assignment of writing one new song a week. This class inspired me to continue writing and being expressive, whether in an academic setting or not.
For one of my classes on the London Music FSP, I got to attend a myriad of musical performances in London and discuss them with my class! It was a once-in-a-life-time experience–getting to watch multiple operas, ballets, jazz sets, and a musical, as well as seeing beautiful performances from the London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic, and more, helped me grow my ear so much and my inspirations as a musician.
I took this class to learn a little more about the social landscape around medicine, and this class delivered that by a mile. From environmental exposure to racial inequities in medicine/health to the discussion of medicine itself as a manipulative tool in colonialist social structures, this class helped me rethink medicine and my role within it.
This last Thursday, I got to perform at a really cool music opportunity!
At Baker-Berry Library, there is a librarian for every major that the college offers, who specializes in the resources revolving around their major (a really awesome resource!). Throughout this term, the librarian for Music has been organizing a Library Concert Series! Every Thursday, people perform music that they'd like at a relaxed venue in the East Reading Room (one of the rooms in the library), from faculty to students. Earlier in the term, I was invited by my Undergraduate Advisor to work on a few songs with him to perform at a Library Concert. Always down to try something new, I practiced with him and collected and rehearsed three songs together, where I played my guitar, he played his cello, and we both sang.
The resolution is a little fuzzy, but here's us performing!
It was really fun—surrounded by friends and people only looking to support you, the Library Concert Series is a great way for anyone to get their voice out there in a low-pressure environment. While most student group performances take place in fraternity and sorority houses, they aren't the only music venues if one looks closer. I think I might try to sign up for some more Library Concert Series in the future—after all, I'd love to get some performance practice in.
Us after the performance!
There are a lot of music opportunities that sprout here and there—there are many student bands on campus, and I've been a part of some of my classmates' endeavors to create a band. Just outside of campus is a music store called Hanover Strings, which has a collection of used and new instruments and amps. It offers rentals to students as well! It's a great deal, and I recommend anyone looking to learn or play an instrument to buy or rent it from this store.
The store is right outside of campus!
I'm excited to see what the future holds for music here at Dartmouth!
In addition to blogging, I work as a Fellow for the Tucker Center, which focuses on promoting spiritual and ethical life on campus. As part of this role, I'm leading the Interfaith Alternative Spring Break Trip. Read on to learn more about my work!
