A Backstage Pass to WUD Music
The WUD Music Committee books acts that perform at venues like the new Terrace stage. Photo by Stephanie Webendorfer.
A lot of elements must come together to make a concert great: an exciting band, an energetic crowd, a cool venue, a good sound system. However, you might have never considered the work it takes behind the scenes to put on a successful show and make sure everything runs smoothly throughout the night. The student-run Wisconsin Union Directorate (WUD) Music Committee, made up of about 40 members, books and plans acts that perform at der Rathskeller, the Sett, the Revelry Music and Arts Festival, and more. Get to know some of the leaders of WUD Music below.
Halle Luksich ‘18, director
What is your major?
I’m double majoring in elementary education and Scandinavian studies.
How did you first get involved with WUD Music?
My manager at work was a UW grad, and she told me about the committee before I even came to Madison! It was the very first thing I joined when I got to school.
What is your favorite part about being on the committee?
I love the committee so much. We’re like a family. My favorite part is having such a tight community within the big UW community. I really found my home here.
What are some of your responsibilities as the WUD Music director?
Lots of emails! I also run committee meetings, make sure our shows are set up to run smoothly, work with my associate directors to better the committee experience, and work with other groups on campus to connect the community.
What are you looking forward to in the upcoming year for WUD?
My main focus of next year will be my inclusivity goals. WUD was such a welcoming place for me, and I’m pumped to work to extend that opportunity to everyone on campus.
Shannon Kim ‘19, outside outreach coordinator
What is your major?
I am currently a communication arts and history double major.
What is your position on the WUD Music Committee?
My position is outside outreach coordinator. I am pretty much in charge of collaborations and reaching out to different student organizations on campus if there are events that might be of interest to them. I also am the main contact for anyone who wants to reach out to us to collaborate on an event together.
How did you first get involved with WUD Music?
During the fall semester of last year, I went to the student org fair to look for things I wanted to be involved in. Being a freshman, I was super excited about everything and signed up for at least 20 email lists for different committees. I didn’t go to any meetings for any of the organizations except for WUD Music and WUD Film. At first, I was pretty shy and quiet, but I later learned that everyone’s input was appreciated and wanted. This was when I started to speak up more and put in my two cents on different acts the committee wanted to book. After this, I started to be more active in the committee and wanted to do more. This encouraged me to apply to be an associate director.
What is your favorite part about being on the committee?
My favorite part of being in the committee is meeting all the amazing people who choose to join WUD. I love how diverse the committee is and how everyone has such different tastes.The different tastes in music are super important so we can book acts for everyone on campus, not just a small group of people. I also like that WUD Music (and the other WUD committees in general) is student-run so the choices made are really what the students want.
What are you looking forward to in the upcoming year for WUD?
I am super excited to see where the new leadership team for WUD takes us. I know we are working on increasing inclusion in the committees which I think is amazing. My goal, along with many of the other people in WUD, is to make WUD a place where anyone feels like they can belong and where all opinions are welcome.
Laura Oberwetter ‘18, assistant director of programming for der Rathskeller
What is your major?
Communication arts with certificates in business, entrepreneurship, digital studies and hopefully studio art (graphic design track).
What is your position on the WUD Music Committee?
I’m the assistant director of programming for der Rathskeller. I’m really excited for the Memorial Union renovations to be complete so I can see the updated space.
How did you first get involved with WUD Music?
I joined during the second semester of my freshman year, although I signed up in the fall and received committee emails all first semester. I didn’t actually commit to joining and showing up to meetings until I talked to a member at an org fair. After that conversation, I was so mad at myself for not getting involved sooner.
What is your favorite part about being on the committee?
Really everything. I love the meetings because I get to hang out with a bunch of people who are as interested in music as I am, I love contacting and negotiating deals with agents and artists, I love having such a powerful voice in what musical acts we see on campus, and obviously I love attending the fantastic shows that we book.
What are you looking forward to in the upcoming year for WUD?
I’m excited to see and start booking shows in der Rathskeller! I’m also excited that I get to spend the summer enjoying the beautiful new stage on the Memorial Union Terrace.
