A Dive into the BC Music Guild and a “Culture of Community”
by Tyler Dean ‘25
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Walking out of the Corcoran Commons on a crisp September night, stomachs full of that evening’s culinary delight, curious onlookers found themselves drawn toward the sound of music. This wasn’t just last year's overplayed pop song leaking through a crackly handheld speaker, though. This was live music, right outside Corcoran! Those who stayed long enough were treated to acoustic blues, soulful duets, and even a guitar riff or two. After over a year being deprived of this type of experience, the Boston College campus was aflame with performance. Who can be thanked for putting it together? Just ask Matty Hogan (CSOM ‘22), co-president of the BC Music Guild.
A Finance & Operations Management major in the Carroll School, Hogan might not fit the “rockstar” mold. But his dedication to his art and his club defies that stereotype. Hogan is instrumental in the planning and execution of all Music Guild events as well as the maintenance of the music community supported by the Guild. As Hogan puts it, the goal of the club is simply to “get people to meet each other and get those people performance opportunities.”
Mike Castellano (MCAS ’25) and Ryan Barcy (MCAS ’25) performing at Corcoran Commons Open Mic Night. Photo by Lily Hafez.
One way the Music Guild helps facilitate these opportunities is through their biweekly Open Mic Nights. These performances, such as the aforementioned one held in September, are hosted every other Thursday night in a variety of outdoor venues such as the Corcoran Plaza and the Stokes Amphitheatre; come colder weather, however, they will move inside to the corner of Hillside Café. The Music Guild Open Mic Nights mark a tradition going back many decades; it was the very first kind of event held by a club celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.
Mike Castellano (MCAS ‘25) was one of the musicians who performed at September’s Corcoran Open Mic Night. Castellano, a Computer Science major who also plays snare drum in the Screaming Eagles Marching Band, performed a set with his roommate. Of the experience, he said, “I thought it was great. We got a bit of a crowd going which was cool. We played a lot of blues progressions, some R&B, we played a song called “Tee Time” by Vulfpeck. The sound quality was really good. It was run very nicely, it was a nice space to play in.” But as important as the Mic Nights are to the Guild, they are far from the only event worth mentioning.
Kate Ginley (MCAS ’23) performing at Corcoran Commons Open Mic Night. Photo by Lily Hafez.
The Guitar Club is an exciting, newly formed subsection of the Music Guild. It will host weekly “Jam Sessions” in which students can show up with their guitars, break into groups, and, as the name suggests, jam. In addition to the Guitar Club, the Guild plans to host their yearly Fall Band Showcase next month in the Vanderslice Cabaret Room and continue producing “Tiny Dorm” videos, a spin-off of NPR’s “Tiny Desk” series, that will create fully realized recorded sessions of students performing original songs in their dorm rooms or apartments.
While so many of the Guild’s events and opportunities are tied directly to music, Hogan strongly affirmed his belief in the connection shared by the wider artistic community at Boston College. “I’ve spent a lot of time getting to know people in the arts community through my time in the Music Guild. A lot of the arts community on campus is pretty intertwined, so it’s not just a network for the Guild but a network for almost all of campus, which is really cool,” said Hogan.
His belief in community is echoed by Castellano. “[The arts] really create culture; they create the culture of a community. Music has always been a part of my life no matter where I’ve been and so being able to take it to BC and explore everything they have to offer me and my friends is great.” Both Hogan and Castellano are testaments to the power of the arts, and music in particular, as a way to create and maintain an overarching sense of community.
Paola Rosario (MCAS ’24) performing at Corcoran Commons Open Mic Night. Photo by Lily Hafez.
More information about future events and locations for upcoming Open Mic Nights will be posted on @BCMusicGuild on Instagram, and students can get involved with the club by just showing up or by emailing music.guild@bc.edu.
