Alumnus Chris Jaudes speaks at College of Fine Arts commencement

Illinois State University’s College of Fine Arts commencement took place May 9 in Braden Auditorium. As part of that ceremony, alumnus and College of Fine Arts Hall of Famer Chris Jaudes ’79, M.M. ’80, shared comments with the graduates.

Here are excerpts from his address:

Congratulations to all of the graduates of the College of Fine Arts gathered here tonight.
Class of 2015, you have a lot to be proud of today—a lot to celebrate. Thank you for letting me be a part of it. […]

I came to ISU as a freshman in the fall of 1975—received my B.M. in trumpet performance in 1979, then my M.M. degree in 1980. I then joined the faculty as a trumpet instructor until I left in the spring of 1981. I chose to attend ISU on the recommendation of my trumpet teacher who had graduated from Indiana University with Herbert L. Koerselman, then the trumpet professor here at Illinois State University. It turned out to be the right place for me. Dr. Koerselman was a taskmaster. He set the bar very high for me. He inspired me to work beyond whatever natural abilities I had and taught me that music was more than playing notes on a page. In fact Herb, along with the faculty and administration, pushed us all past our limits—in a kind way. For those of you who have seen the movie Whiplash, it was nothing like that.

Along with Dr. Koerselman, Ed Livingston, Benny Kemp, Donald Armstrong, James Roderick and others taught us that beyond the technique and skill building, music was a way to change the hearts of others.

Prior to commencement, alumnus Chris Jaudes was inducted into the College of Fine Arts Hall of Fame by Dean James Major.

I’d also like to thank my classmates. We were a tight group. We competed with and encouraged each other becoming better musicians and teachers because of it. Many of us remain friends today. I hope you will stay in touch with the friends that you have rehearsed with, performed with, laughed with, and shared your life with these past few years. They can continue to be a great source of encouragement and support.

With the opportunity to speak to you today, I have been thinking about the things I wish I had known as I left school to enter the world beyond these walls. I‘d like to share those things now with you.

• Practice more.
• Have confidence in your training and education.
• Remember you are part of the whole.
• Don’t feel like you have to have everything figured out today. E.L. Doctorow said writing a book is like driving a car at night. “You never see further than your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.” That philosophy applies to life, too. Just take the next right step.
• We are all in this world for something greater than ourselves. You need to find your unique mission: Your calling that is yours alone. Your choices are what determine your path. Someone once said, “It is not our abilities that show what we truly are, it is our choices.” I encourage you to make choices that contribute to the world around you.

I really hadn’t imagined at your age what could be possible for me. When I arrived at ISU, I was a naive young man with a bad trumpet embouchure. I had never been on an airplane. I had never been further north than Chicago. Because of the inspiration of others and the instruction I received while at ISU, I’ve been able to experience more than I could have imagined. I’ve traveled the world playing in the greatest concert halls with the best musicians there are. I’ve been exposed to great artists that I’ve been able to speak to and learn from.
SO, anything IS possible.

Again, congratulations.

I wish you the best on your journey.

The entire College of Fine Arts Commencement ceremony is available on video: