The lights dim for a moment, a quick hush falls over the excited crowd, and the two announcers of the evening glance in unison toward the back of the auditorium. The audience follows their lead, a ripple of turning heads just in time for the back doors to swing wide open. The piercing wail of a wind quartet breaks the silence of anticipation and the hall floods with golden light once more. A bustle of brass players parade down the aisle, blaring a raucous jazz number and sending the audience into an uproar. This stunning entrance from the Pork and Beans Band was merely the opening number for DePauw’s Creative Convocation on Thursday night, February 17. The Creative Convocation was a multimedia talent show to celebrate Black History Month and unveil the incredible diversity of artistic talent on DePauw’s campus. It brought musicians, filmmakers, and poets together from all regions of the student body. This entertaining night was full of memorable performances, featuring a scattered band of talented musicians who took to the stage of Kresge Auditorium with a powerful spark. 

Illuminated in unparalleled spotlights, many musicians made an impression on the convocation. Many musicians made an impression on the convocation, with the music acts nearly doubling the other categories. Still, among the many vibrant vocalists, a few unique performers found themselves to be highlights of the evening. One that certainly had the audience impressed was the tri-talented harmonic-remix of “Wildest Dreams” and “Counting Stars" from synergetic Natalie Cassidy ‘26 and Sarah Cecil ‘26, with the brilliant beatboxing of Kazuki Aoyama ‘26. While they did a creatively composed cover, many others showed off their original songs. One such singer, Kelsang Shrethra ‘24, displayed his beautiful bilingual song “Bhanna” with resounding guitar instrumentals. One of only two to bring an instrument, Shrethra’s competition was much more unconventional. Graham Hartley ‘27 wowed the crowd with an original composition, “Giving the Wind its Voice,” a light and breezy tune played on the handpan. Among the many original artists with such resonant songs, the most frequent was Milo Moon ‘24, a talented vocalist who was featured on stage three separate times. With various appearances onstage, Moon’s sunny songs brought many smiles to the audience. 

However, some of the most encapsulating displays of talent happened beyond the stage. Three student filmmakers showcased their cinematic talent on Kresge’s sprawling screen. The first was Chi Pham ‘25’s “Crunch,” an emotionally rich artistic short film filled to bursting with pastels and passion. The second was =Giovanni Ferrari ‘27’s “Desire: I Want To Turn Into You.” This musically experimental short film showcased a quite captivating concept, displaying an artist becoming one with her work. Yet none received more reactions than Kyungmin Lee ‘24’s “Shellcrack,” a very humorous and character-driven film showing a tested friendship on the night of a frat party. All three short films offered groundbreaking experiences that broke up the rapid-fire nature of the night’s other performances and awed the audience with their artistic prowess. 

Still, some of the most profound artistic moments in the auditorium were achieved through spoken-word poetry. Talented poets from both the students and faculty alike poured their voices from the page to the stage. Many used their remarkable way with words to call attention to important issues, like Miciaih Furbert ‘25, whose powerfully emotional poem “Guilty Until Proven Innocent” offered a wide-spanning window into the ever-present world of racist police brutality and the problems with society’s racially prejudiced lens. Some talked of more nostalgic topics, like Joseph Harris, the assistant director of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion, whose poem merely titled “Poem” delved deep into his experience as a father raising his daughter to be the best and brightest she can be in a world that may try to throw so much in her way. From the song lyrics to film scripts and especially the spoken poetry, all artists at the convocation displayed impressive versatility with the written word. 

The final two acts both combined such impressive wordsmithing with the performative nature of the night’s other talents. One of the very few interactive and multimedia acts of the night, professional hairstylist and business owner Faith Harrington gave a rousing speech about her role as a hairdresser in an industry rife with prejudice. Meanwhile, a menagerie of models paraded down the Kresge catwalk, showing off the beauty and versatility of their hair in a variety of styles. This was a very captivating display with an even more memorable message. To finish off the night, the performative poet known as Binky came onstage with an arsenal of DJ equipment. He began remixing his own beatboxing into background moments for his poems and speeches, gathering inspiration from audience members, and even brought Milo Moon back on to add his own vocals to Binky’s impromptu mashups. Both performances awoke some of the crowd’s most enjoyable moments, when audience members danced in their seats and interacted with the artists like never before that night. 

With the student host of the convocation, Christian Archer ‘25, closing out the night with a blast, the end of the evening saw a fun freestyle dance celebration with artists and audience alike running up to the stage to join Archer Overall, the Creative Convocation was an incredible display of DePauw’s talented students and faculty. That night of fantastic entertainment, thought-provoking performances, and awe-inspiring artists was certainly one to remember. One can only hope that such events will continue on, spreading joy and showcasing all the talented creators of the campus.