Popular Music Day
Popular Music Day
Saturday, October 17, 2026
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Glidden Hall
Staff contacts: Dr. Sean Parsons & Prof. Jessica Baldwin
Popular Music Day at Ohio University is an immersive event for high school musicians who want to explore contemporary music-making in a collaborative, creative university setting. Participants will spend the day working with OU faculty and current students through hands-on workshops, breakout sessions, group rehearsal, live performance, Q&A, and an optional participant open mic.
Led by OU faculty including Dr. Sean Parsons and Prof. Jessica Baldwin, this event is designed for singers, instrumentalists, songwriters, producers, and artists interested in developing their sound, building real-world music skills, and learning more about the Popular Music program at Ohio University.
Popular Music Day is ideal for students who sing, play guitar, piano/keys, bass, drums, or other band instruments, as well as students interested in live electronics, rap/spoken word, arranging, or artist development.
Whether students are already planning to study music in college or are just beginning to imagine what that path could look like, this event offers a meaningful opportunity to experience the energy, community, and creative possibilities of Popular Music at OHIO.
What students will experience
Students will spend the day making music, asking questions, and connecting with Ohio University Popular Music faculty and students. Through workshops, breakouts, group rehearsal, performances, and an open mic, participants will explore what it means to develop their sound, collaborate with other musicians, and grow as artists in a university popular music program.
At Popular Music Day, students will have the opportunity to:
- Work with Ohio University faculty, current students, and guest facilitators
- Explore groove, feel, arranging, songwriting, voice, musicianship, and artist development
- Break out into smaller sessions based on musical interests
- Rehearse a song as part of a collaborative group
- Learn how popular music ensembles make creative decisions together
- Hear Ohio University students and faculty perform
- Ask questions about the Popular Music program, auditions, and college music study
- Meet current Ohio University students
- Share their own music through the participant open mic
- Experience the community, creativity, and artist-centered approach of Ohio University’s Popular Music program
Faculty Artists
Sean Parsons - jazz, piano, & music theory
Jessica Baldwin - voice & artist coaching
John Horne - guitar
Eli Chambers - bass & drums