I met Jane Seigel while working on the Student Orientation Committee. Faces and names were rushing through my head like movies playing on fast forward. Over 500 new people arrived on campus in less than 72 hours, and I was remembering a few faces (the funny guy, the girl with the cute shoes…) but they were all nameless. It was Saturday and I’d just sat down to watch Woo Idol. I was immediately drawn into the show. Pianists painted pictures for an audience rendered speechless, and we were thoroughly entertained by fresh and unique renditions of old classics by the likes of The Temptations and Leonard Cohen. By the time Jane stepped on stage, I’d learned to expect to be pleased. What I did not expect was to be blown away!
I rushed backstage after her performance to meet her (one of the perks of those awful yellow orientation T-shirts was that I could get in anywhere.) We met briefly and I’ve seen her perform once more since then. I was delighted to see that my initial impression of her talent was not a result of good luck or chance — she was as phenomenal at Party on the Green as she was at Woo Idol. This was a student, I said to myself, worthy of a student spotlight.
Jane Seigel is an 18-year-old first-year from Westport, Conn. She found out about our lovely institution from a knowledgeable counselor who thought the school had just the right amount of academic fervor, without too much competition. She refers to her previous schooling as “incomplete.” “I wish I had been exposed to different people,” she said. “It’s harder to learn new things when you’re surrounded by people just like you.” The homogenous atmosphere did not hinder Seigel from valuing open-mindedness. “I really want to broaden my horizons [here on campus] and lead a more eclectic life in terms of people.” I believe she’s come to the right place.
Jane comes from a family well acquainted with the arts. “My mom is an artist,” she mentions casually. “She’s a big watercolor and acrylic on canvas fan. I mean, she does a lot but those two are her favorites.” Her father also appreciates music, although it is “not his forte,” she says with a chuckle. Even her older sister is artsy — she’s involved in theater.
“My sister and I were very fortunate to grow up in an encouraging environment. We were always shown a healthy way to express.” She’d always felt that the guitar would be her instrument but didn’t start playing until 12 or 13 when she reached the seventh grade. Even then she didn’t write much. “Life hadn’t really…. You can’t really write about the awkwardness that is youth without being, like, corny.” Two years later she picked up a pen and began to write lyrics to accompany her music. We’ll never hear those songs, though. “They’re all under the rug,” she says laughing.
Her family has always been extremely supportive of her endeavors with music. “It’s a little too much support sometimes. They get a little overzealous … There have been a few too many video cameras, but better too many than none at all.” Her major influences in the music world consist of Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Laura Veirs and Kings of Convenience. “They’re kind of acoustic soul-y, which is kind of like my own style, only I’ve got a sort of sub-jazz influence.” The writing process for her is facilitated by her day to day sentiments.
“Usually it will happen that I’m feeling emotional about something, good or bad or neutral, and then I just play until I like it. Until I feel like its evoking what I want it to.” She prefers to have the music and a melody before writing lyrics. “Every song has its own cadence and I feel like you can’t put lyrics to something until you feel what the music says. [If you do] then it turns into trying to cram. It becomes contrived. It’s not necessarily meant to fit together. I’ve done it before, but it’s just not as natural.”
Jane also writes poetry and short stories and has been drawing since before she can remember. She played basketball in high school, but says she’ll stick to intramurals for now. “I’m so played out with the intensity — I’m just not in the mindset or the physical place to be there.” She’s interested in radio work and is a member of Sisters in Spirit and an intramural soccer team. She’s thinking of majoring in Psychology and/or English and loves everything about The College of Wooster so far. “I love it — I don’t think I could’ve found anything better.”
After she graduates she wants to take a break from the academic work frenzy. “I want to do something skillful, some handiwork. Like on a farm, or a vineyard. Then I’ll work my way back to a more conventional world. I’ll be a therapist. And a school teacher.” She tilts her head a moment and shrugs. “Or a rock star — not sure.”
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