{"id":3423,"date":"2026-07-20T14:32:15","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T14:32:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/indianapolis\/?p=3423"},"modified":"2026-07-23T12:37:40","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T12:37:40","slug":"student-led-music-club-strikes-a-chord-in-indianapolis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/indianapolis\/student-led-music-club-strikes-a-chord-in-indianapolis\/","title":{"rendered":"Student-led music club strikes a chord in Indianapolis"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"modal-ready\">\n<div  class=\"purdue-home-image-slider section has-black-background \" data-columns=\"1\">\n    <div class=\"container\">\n        <div class=\"glide\">\n            <div class=\"glide__live sr-only\"\n                 aria-live=\"polite\"\n                 aria-atomic=\"true\">\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"glide__track\" data-glide-el=\"track\">\n                <div class=\"glide__slides\">\n                                                                                                        <div class=\"glide__slide\">\n                                    <figure class=\"image\">\n                                        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"is-16by9\"                                                src=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/indianapolis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/20260418_000706560_iOS-scaled.jpg\"\n                                                alt=\"A student band playing outdoors\" \/>\n                                                                            <\/figure>\n                                <\/div>\n                                                                                                                <div class=\"glide__slide\">\n                                    <figure class=\"image\">\n                                        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"is-16by9\"                                                src=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/indianapolis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/CX3A5558_edited-scaled.jpg\"\n                                                alt=\"A student band playing on stage\" \/>\n                                                                            <\/figure>\n                                <\/div>\n                                                                                                                <div class=\"glide__slide\">\n                                    <figure class=\"image\">\n                                        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"is-16by9\"                                                src=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/indianapolis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/CX3A5907_edited-scaled.jpg\"\n                                                alt=\"A student band playing music on stage\" \/>\n                                                                            <\/figure>\n                                <\/div>\n                                                                                        <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                        <div class=\"slider-controls slider-controls--dark\">\n                <button class=\"glide__arrow arrow--left\">previous<\/button>\n                <div class=\"glide__bullets\" data-glide-el=\"controls[nav]\">\n                                                                        <button class=\"glide__bullet slider__bullet\"\n                                    data-glide-dir=\"=0\"\n                                    aria-label=\"slide 1\"><\/button>\n                                                    <button class=\"glide__bullet slider__bullet\"\n                                    data-glide-dir=\"=1\"\n                                    aria-label=\"slide 2\"><\/button>\n                                                    <button class=\"glide__bullet slider__bullet\"\n                                    data-glide-dir=\"=2\"\n                                    aria-label=\"slide 3\"><\/button>\n                                                            <\/div>\n                <button class=\"glide__arrow arrow--right\">next<\/button>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Neilambar \u201cNeil\u201d Risal arrived in Indianapolis nearly two years ago to study mechanical engineering, he didn\u2019t wait long to act on Purdue University trailblazing spirit. <span class=\"smart-quotes\">\u201c<\/span>I got to campus and I wanted to play drums again,<span class=\"smart-quotes\">\u201d<\/span> he said. <span class=\"smart-quotes\">\u201c<\/span>I thought, <span class=\"smart-quotes\">\u2018<\/span>I need to start this music club.<span class=\"smart-quotes\">\u2019<\/span><span class=\"smart-quotes\">\u201d<\/span> &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Founded just one month after Purdue expanded into Indianapolis in July 2024 \u2014 the Music Club at Purdue Indianapolis set out <span class=\"smart-quotes\">\u201c<\/span>to create a space for all Purdue students to continue their musical interests, hobbies and careers.<span class=\"smart-quotes\">\u201d<\/span> Now entering year three, the club has grown into a vibrant student-run organization that reflects both the energy of the city and the timeless pull of creative expression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Risal, a rising junior, came to Purdue with years of musical experience \u2014 playing the piano since he was 3 years old and percussion since middle school \u2014 and a desire to continue performing while pursuing his studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Risal, the club\u2019s purpose goes beyond just performances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span class=\"smart-quotes\">\u201c<\/span>I could go on and on about the benefits of music on the brain, mental health and physical health,<span class=\"smart-quotes\">\u201d<\/span> he said, <span class=\"smart-quotes\">\u201c<\/span>but the best benefit you get is a place to keep doing what you love without the high stress, without the large hours of commitment, with a laid-back but still seriously passionate group of people.<span class=\"smart-quotes\">\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Risal\u2019s initiative also reflects the broader spirit of the Indianapolis location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span class=\"smart-quotes\">\u201c<\/span>Indy\u2019s like the startup,<span class=\"smart-quotes\">\u201d<\/span> he said. <span class=\"smart-quotes\">\u201c<\/span>Knowing how to start something from scratch is a great skill that goes a long way.<span class=\"smart-quotes\">\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today, about 50 active members participate in the club\u2019s ensembles, which connect Purdue students in Indianapolis from nearly every major while creating an interdisciplinary community built around shared passion rather than academic focus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rehearsals happen frequently \u2014 with one of the ensembles meeting nearly every weekday evening during the school year \u2014 as students balance demanding academic schedules with creative collaboration. Current ensembles range from jazz and rock to Japanese rock and Indian classical, with student interest at the spring callout meeting resulting in fall plans to expand to as many as seven groups, including Latin, strings, and additional jazz and rock ensembles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Growth has been supported by key funding sources. A $5,000 award from the Trailblazer Fund in fall 2025 allowed the club to replace worn audio equipment and improve sound quality. New funding for the 2026-27 academic year from the Student Fee Advisory Board will help expand access to instruments for students who do not have their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span class=\"smart-quotes\">\u201c<\/span>Neil and his team have really filled a need and created an organization that\u2019s exceeded our expectations,<span class=\"smart-quotes\">\u201d<\/span> said William \u201cBill\u201d Oakes, associate dean for undergraduate education in the College of Engineering. Oakes learned of Risal\u2019s passion for music when teaching him in a fall 2024 engineering class and has been the faculty advisor for the group from its inception. <span class=\"smart-quotes\">\u201c<\/span>The club is giving them an opportunity to gain some real-life skills because they built something inspiring, and more broadly, it\u2019s very important that we build a culture here with that kind of artistic beauty of the music,<span class=\"smart-quotes\">\u201d<\/span> he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As the club continues to expand, its trajectory mirrors Purdue in Indianapolis itself: student-driven, collaborative and still being built \u2014 note by note. Along with Purdue\u2019s other 70-plus student organizations in Indianapolis, Music Club at Purdue Indianapolis plays a vital role in helping students develop a sense of belonging on campus. For more information about the club, where students who play any instrument or sing are welcome to sign up, <a href=\"https:\/\/boilerlink.purdue.edu\/organization\/musicclubapi\">visit its page on BoilerLink<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When Neilambar \u201cNeil\u201d Risal arrived in Indianapolis nearly two years ago to study mechanical engineering, he didn\u2019t wait long to act on Purdue University trailblazing spirit. \u201cI got to campus and I wanted to play drums again,\u201d he said. \u201cI<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[24],"class_list":["post-3423","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"authors":[{"term_id":24,"user_id":25,"is_guest":0,"slug":"sharelwelch","display_name":"Sharel Welch","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/df0e45484f8b5e849814cf350c1eb3f84dcd5911a861daecd983ffad8f6b43a4?s=96&d=mm&r=g","author_category":"","first_name":"Sharel","last_name":"Welch","user_url":"","job_title":"","description":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/indianapolis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3423","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/indianapolis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/indianapolis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/indianapolis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/indianapolis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3423"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/indianapolis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3423\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3446,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/indianapolis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3423\/revisions\/3446"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/indianapolis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3423"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/indianapolis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3423"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/indianapolis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3423"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/indianapolis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=3423"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}