Becca Lipsky ’25
For senior music education major Becca Lipsky, her time at Bucknell has been one of both intense study and creative exploration, allowing her to hone her craft as a vocalist while developing the skills to teach music across a broad spectrum. “In my major, I take all of these classes that teach me how to teach music to students of any age, K-12,” she explains. While she is especially focused on choral music, Lipsky’s education has included training on a variety of instruments. “We learn brass, woodwinds, percussion—pretty much everything. It’s a very busy major.”
Despite her packed schedule, Lipsky’s passion for performing has remained a central part of her Bucknell experience. Beyond her studies, she participates in several campus ensembles, including the Bucknell University Choir, where she serves as a student conductor, and the Bucknell Voice Lab, a more performance-driven ensemble. Her involvement also extends into the theater and dance departments, where she takes part in choreographer showcases and student-directed performances, with her next project set for February.
For Lipsky, these experiences have helped her grow both as a performer and an educator. Conducting, a skill she might not have explored otherwise, has been one of the unexpected highlights of her studies. “I wouldn’t have tried conducting before, and the curriculum here gave me the ability to branch out into different interests,” she notes, adding that learning to express music kinesthetically has been especially rewarding.
Her senior recital, held on Saturday, Nov. 9 in the Natalie Davis Rooke Recital Hall, was the culmination of four years of vocal study and personal dedication. “I ended up doing three sets of songs, one of which was female composers, another in musical theater and then my final set, ‘Dedications.’” She chose pieces for “Dedications” to honor the people who have shaped her musical journey, including her mentors, family and friends. Reflecting on the recital preparation process, she recalls, “It was a long process… in some ways, it was a four-year process, collecting songs and finding ways that they work together.”
Lipsky’s recital was no small feat. In addition to organizing and preparing the pieces, she had to memorize lyrics in five different languages. “Memorizing everything was really tough,” she admits, especially given the challenge of portraying the meaning behind each word. To connect deeply with each song, she spent hours journaling her lyrics, translating and reflecting on the emotions behind the text. This intense preparation allowed her to bring authenticity and depth to her performance.
Looking back on her four years in Bucknell’s music department, Lipsky appreciates the support she’s received from faculty mentors. Her voice teacher, Emily Martin, was a guiding force throughout the recital process, and conducting professor Caleb Hopkins provided essential mentorship for Lipsky’s post-graduation plans. “He’s been a great mentor and guide through looking ahead to grad school and plans after graduation,” she says, adding that conducting has been her favorite course she has taken thus far.
As she approaches graduation, Lipsky reflects on the sense of community that has defined her Bucknell experience. For her recital’s final moment, she invited the audience to join her in song—a fitting end to a performance shaped by connection. “I ended up conducting the group through a song at the very end… and I was just happy to have the opportunity to have all of my community in one room, and we all made music together.” For Lipsky, this shared musical experience perfectly encapsulated her community-driven Bucknell experience.
Molly Malaby ’25
For senior Molly Malaby, balancing the demands of a neuroscience and music double major has been a journey marked by both dedication and deep passion. As an Arts Merit Scholar, Malaby’s commitment to music isn’t just academic; it’s interwoven into her Bucknell experience through voice lessons, choir involvement and performance. Reflecting on her recital preparation, she describes the recital as “really an experience for me to share what I’ve been working on for the past four years,” showcasing pieces she learned both early in college and as recently as this semester.
Malaby’s senior recital, scheduled for Friday, Nov 15, has been in planning since last semester and involved a complex array of decisions, from selecting pieces to coordinating logistics like booking the recital hall and collaborating with a pianist. Her chosen repertoire is an eclectic mix that spans jazz, Italian arias and personal favorites like Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep,” the very song she performed at her fourth-grade talent show. “I figured it would be really sweet to dedicate [“Rolling in the Deep”] to my parents because they’re the people who have really supported me throughout this entire journey,” she shared, adding that her mother, who recently rediscovered a recording of that childhood performance, will be particularly touched.
One highlight of Malaby’s recital will be her closing pieces: duets with friends Nick Boyd ’25 and Sofia Read ’26, both fellow Arts Merit Scholars. These pieces carry special meaning for her as a way to celebrate the friendships and shared experiences that have shaped her college life. “I wanted to really have that farewell moment with [Nick] because he’s really played a big part in my experiences as a music major,” she said. Ending her recital with friends feels symbolic of her Bucknell experience, showcasing the relationships that have been as central to her growth as musical performance itself has been.
Juggling her two majors has been challenging at times. However, her dedication to both fields has only strengthened her passion for both science and music. “Studying both [neuroscience and music] really helped to guide me in the direction I’m going now, which is applying to graduate school,” she explained. While she intends to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience or psychology, she’s clear that music will always be a part of her life. “Whether I’m in a choir or singing at a coffee shop… music has always been a part of me, and it will continue to be.”
Reflecting on her growth, Malaby describes her journey in the music department as truly transformative. “When I first came to college, if you asked me to stand on a stage by myself and sing for 45 minutes straight, I probably would have laughed and then cried,” she admitted. Now, she sees her recital as a testament to how far she’s come since starting at Bucknell. Malaby credits the music department with helping her build self-confidence, saying, “My confidence has increased in an outstanding way that has translated into the classroom and into my social life. I’m more comfortable being me and using my voice, and I owe that to the music department, I really do.”
