By
Hometown: Wrentham, Mass.
Major: Music
Notable Activities: Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences Honor Program; pianist for BC bOp!, Campus Ministry Liturgy Arts Group, King Philip Regional Schools (Wrentham), Boston College Sesquicentennial Concert at Symphony Hall; music minister, Parish of St. Ignatius; resident assistant; BC Arts Council Student Award for Accomplishment in Music; member, Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Sigma Nu honor societies; Appalachia Volunteers; columnist for The Heights; intern, National Jesuit Student Leadership Conference.
Post-graduation Plans: Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship and music research in Poland.
Overview: Mariconti, who began playing piano at age 7, sees her passion for music as more than a solitary expression of one’s talent and ability, but as a means to build relationships of value and meaning, whether through performing in a jazz ensemble or playing for a liturgy – both of which she’s done at Boston College. While her musical endeavors have earned her recognition, they have not solely defined her time at BC. She has enjoyed academic success, and challenged her view of herself and the world around her through volunteerism, writing for The Heights, working as resident assistant and other activities. Another challenge awaits: a sojourn in Poland, where in addition to teaching English she looks forward to engaging students in discussions about life, work and faith – and to learning about Polish musical traditions and styles.
Why were you interested in attending Boston College? Did you have much of an impression of BC before you came?
I applied because I wanted to go to a Catholic school – that was very important for me. But BC has been more about the process of discovery, rather than knowing beforehand. The Honors Program, the Music Department, BC Bands were where I made my first relationships – whether it was playing jazz or being in 15-person classes, I found an instant source of community. And there were surprises along the way, things I’d never thought about doing, whether it was tutoring student-athletes or playing percussion with the Middle Eastern Ensemble. Being at BC, I had this endless sense of “what comes next?”
Music has been a big part of your life since an early age. Has that changed during your years at BC?
I came in declared as a music major, but during freshman year I had a lack of confidence about it, because what did that mean? What was I supposed to do with music? Then in the first semester of sophomore year, I decided not to take any music classes, although I did keep playing music. And doing that made me realize how much I needed music in my life.
The experience taught me music is not something you “do,” it’s a relationship, something I’ve nurtured all my life. I came to embrace music as a very important, expressive part of me.
Another important thing that happened at BC was being able to integrate music with my spiritual self. I started playing Masses when I was in sixth grade, but then only occasionally during high school. Being able to play with the Liturgy Arts Group in particular, getting together every Sunday night, has been tremendously fulfilling to me as a way to live my Catholic faith.
What kinds of important experiences have you had at BC that didn’t revolve around music?
Being a resident assistant took some getting used to; I was nervous about it at first. But after a while I got rid of my self-consciousness and didn’t worry about how my role is perceived. You have to make everyone understand that you are just there to be a resource, someone to help make BC a good experience for them.
In sophomore year, I went with the Appalachian Volunteers to Breezy Point, NY, on Long Island, which had suffered heavy damage from Hurricane Sandy. It was a disaster zone, but not what we might think of as the kind of impoverished community service programs go to. We found a strange mix of devastation and affluence that we hadn’t expected.
With a situation like that, you might say, “Oh, this place doesn’t really need the help.” But as the group reflected on it, we thought about how much Breezy Point resembled some of our own communities – and what if a hurricane or some other disaster had occurred there? No one is beyond the need for help, and we have to recognize that.
Who are some of the people who’ve had the most impact on you at BC?
There have been many. Certainly Meyer Chambers and JoJo David, who direct the Liturgy Arts Group, and Jeremiah McGrann, Ann Lucas, and Sandra Hebert in the Music Department. In the Honors Program, I’ve been fortunate to study with Christopher Constas and especially Mark O’Connor, who is [4]the most influential professor I’ve had. But I really can’t imagine what my life at BC would’ve been like without the other students in the Honors Program: They taught me a lot about what I value in a relationship.
So, what are some of the biggest lessons you have learned here?
I really think I’ve learned so much about what it means to be in a relationship with people, whether it’s friends, mentors or other shades of relationships, and what qualities I value in that relationship. I feel I’ve learned to relax and be confident in who I am, and to embrace my interests. This has been a constant theme in Honors, where you talk about how to ask, think about, and answer the question, “What is a good life?” I know more than ever how much being Catholic is important to me, and I feel at BC I’ve become more conscious of the role faith plays in my life.
I have never walked around a place and felt so spontaneously grateful as I have at BC.
Any advice for incoming freshmen?
[Laughs] Well, that’s something I do a lot as an RA. I tell freshmen to do something different each year, or even each semester, to challenge yourself. Don’t be worried if you feel scared or uncomfortable about where you are, because it means you’re growing. Trust in your uncertainty. There’s a German poet, Rainer Maria Rilke, who tells us to “live your questions now, and you’ll live yourself into the answers.” That’s how I look at it: Live what you don’t know, and you’ll live yourself into the answer.