When UC College-Conservatory of Music students took a swing at Radiohead's 'Creep,' little did they know it would turn into a social media home run. Erin Morton, a BFA Musical Theatre student, delivered a viral-worthy lead vocal alongside a student ensemble during the college's annual Jam Band event. The captured performance quickly gained TikTok fame, racking up over 11 million views.
The magnetic cover that quickly captured the attention of millions was arranged and directed by Professor Sarah Folsom and student Jacob Priddy, a major in MM Orchestral Conducting. Priddy on piano, Sophia Troyer on bass, Micheal Dorst on guitar, and Aaron Coffenberry on drums – all students deeply embedded in jazz studies or orchestral programs – provided the instrumental backbone to Morton's heartfelt vocals. As reported by UC News, the sound production was the craft of Reagan Warvel, also a student, while fellow BFA Musical Theatre student Sydney Short shot the video.
The performance took on a life of its own off-campus, earning endorsements from celebrities such as Natasha Rothwell of HBO's "The White Lotus" and enjoying a spotlight in the Cincinnati Enquirer. In what turned out to be an exclusive affair, with only a handful of friends, faculty, students, and family in attendance, the Jam Band event's resonance extended well beyond its limited live audience.
In what has been described as an educational convergence of popular music and musical theatre, the students of the CCM Jam Band devote a year to perfecting, under the tutelage of faculty and a music directing student, covers and mashups spanning rock, R&B, pop, and more. The initiative, spearheaded by Professor Folsom and the late Professor Keyona Willis, aims to equip students with the commercial music expertise they will need for future success. "These students are so incredible it makes my face hurt," Professor Folsom candidly expressed to UC News.
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