Music is medicine; one University Singer gets a dose of two passions
January 28, 2014
From Biology majors to football players, the University Singers is a group just as diverse as the student body at Chapman. For Tyler Johnson ‘17, his dream of medical school can be realized while continuing his career in music.
Tyler is a freshman Biology major and Music minor from Maple Valley, Washington. He has been pursuing music in choirs and bands for most of his life. When it came time to choose a college, he looked at California schools to complete his undergraduate requirements for medical school and satisfy his passion for music. Most colleges offered a conservatory or a strong science program, but none of them had the flexibility of Chapman.
When Tyler arrived at Chapman, he was skeptical of pursuing both passions; however, he was encouraged to add the Music minor and audition for the University Singers. “It’s been great having the support from both the science and music faculty to accommodate rehearsals and the demanding curriculum of a Biology major,” says Tyler of his experiences balancing both. As for the connection between Biology and Music, he laughs, “I haven’t taken any physiology classes, but I think it would be interesting to learn about the mechanisms of singing in the future.”