For Yiyang Salome Jin, Swarthmore’s musical community redefined what it meant to be a musician. Since coming to Swarthmore from Shanghai, China, Salome has been an integral member of the Music Department, taking part in the Fetter Chamber Music program, singing in the medieval/Renaissance vocal ensemble Critical Mass, and playing clarinet in the Wind Ensemble. Over the years, she has shifted away from musical legalism and instead views music as an activity of liberation. “My mindset was always oriented towards being skillful and ‘good,’” she said,  “but I realized it should be more than that.”

Salome double majors in Physics and Music at the College, but she hadn’t always planned it that way. She took IB music in high school with a teacher who made it a skill-oriented and mechanical discipline. This experience left her unsure about pursuing music in college. Despite her initial discouragement, she joined the Wind Ensemble as a clarinetist, and was encouraged by ensemble director Andrew Hauze to try out some music classes. One music theory class to the next, she started taking leaps of faith. ”I just kept doing that and now I’m a major,” she explains.

Since then, Salome has discovered new perspectives on how to approach, learn, and love music. She got her first taste of musicological research in Professor Barbara Miewski’s 19th Century Music History class. “I had done STEM and social science research before, but music history helped me feel more comfortable researching niche areas,” she explained. This and other music history courses enabled Salome to examine music from a pre-modern perspective. Understanding the historical context behind pieces she was playing deepened her connection to the music itself.

Beyond academics, it was the casual, student-organized music-making experiences that transformed Salome’s relationship with music. Together with Deborah Bergel ‘24, Yixin Cui ‘25 and David Ornelas ‘25, Salome formed The Scuffed Symphony. Over the years, the group performed at multiple Lunch Hour Concerts, arranging stripped down pop songs for guitar, piano, and vocals. The group helped Salome view playing music as a freeing experience, rather than something to be done in one rigid way.  

“We’d rehearse just a few times and go on stage to joke around, change lyrics, and just have fun,” she said. “Because it’s so casual and low-pressure, it liberated me from the notion that music has to be ‘correct.’ It’s about the experience and what we can share with the audience—not about being perfect.”

Salome also credits her mentors in the Music Department for helping her to find joy in music making. Thinking back on her time before Swarthmore, she says. “I feel like there is a lack of self-assurance that is so deeply rooted in the culture,” noting that perfectionism and skill-orientation had been something she struggled with as a musician. She points to a moment with vocal coach Debra Scurto-Davis that changed her approach: “She told me, ‘When you’re practicing, start by affirming that you’re doing good things—that you’re on the right track. Then you can make adjustments. Don’t start by telling yourself you did everything wrong.’ That really moved me.” 

A comment from Professor Jon Kochavi helped Salome to realize the importance of positive self-affirmation. After a particularly stressful Fetter concert, Jon told me he enjoyed the performance, and that I should take some time to feel proud of myself. I always attributed pride in a performance to meeting an objective standard. His comment made me feel like I could take pride in the progress that I had made preparing the piece and the way in which the music was delivered.” 

This shift has helped Salome find peace with both singing and clarinet playing—though she admits she approached them very differently at first. I had such a strenuous mindset toward the clarinet, and it stressed me out. But singing is such a relieving process,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be stressful. I can just sing.”

“A lot of people who sing [with me] don’t know I play clarinet, and a lot of people who play clarinet with me don’t know I sing,” she added with a laugh.

As she reflects on her time at Swarthmore, Salome is especially grateful for the ease of collaboration and the welcoming musical culture. “If you want to do a project, you can just gather people, and usually, they’ll want to play too,” she said. “At Swarthmore, people encourage you to have fun making music instead of treating it like labor. That’s very precious.”

Salome will hold a Senior Recital for voice and clarinet on Sunday, April 27th at 1pm. The concert is free and open to the public.

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Favorite music course at Swarthmore: 19th Century Music History

Favorite music-making experience at Swarthmore: Lunch hour concert series with The Scuffed Symphony!

What you’ll miss most about Swarthmore: Definitely will miss the music making

What sound or noise do you love? Drizzling rain. It’s very peaceful. I also come from a quite humid city, and here it is very dry. Rain makes me feel more at home.

What sound or noise do you hate? Construction.

What's the last song/piece you played on your phone? “Come together” by the Beatles