34 :: ? UJAC: Whatand when didyou studyatUJ? I arrived in 2004 as a psychology and philosophy student. It was an exciting time on campus, as RAU was undergoing major restructuring and the changeover to UJ was well underway. I had left school with an ignited love for the performing arts, but was cautioned against studying a full-time course in an area that has traditionally been quite erratic. I figured that psychology could almost be a covert way of entering into the performing arts – at the core of any character is their idiosyncrasies, their minds and emotions. Ok, so I wasn’t going to roll around dark rehearsal rooms, as psychology was pretty much confined to neatly-tiered lecture theatres. Somehow, though, I knew that my studies were preparing me for something rich and deep.  I completed my course at the end of 2006, with psychology remaining a focus. By the end of my second year, philosophy had got the better of me and I had “swapped” this for Sociology. Whatareyourmemories ofbeing a UJ studentand of yourinvolvementwith UJ Arts & Culture? I love this. I had developed a strong appetite for academics on completing my matric, and imagined continuing this trajectory well into my university years. I arrived at UJ super excited about two of their offerings: The Song and Dance group and then, their choir. I had been a choirboy all my life – having travelled extensively with a provincial choirs – The Durban Boys Choir and Colla Voce. I had been seriously conflicted in choosing either of them, as I had grown a love and serious passion for acting, which I wholeheartedly attribute to Janet Baylis. And then there was the choir itself. Choir had been something that I had been involved in since the age of eight. So I did what I thought was best – I auditioned for both. This was awesome. Until I got the results: cast in Song and Dance and offered a place as a tenor in the RAU choir. The catch –  rehearsals overlapped and I had to choose. How could I? I remember trying to surf online and research the RAU Choir to hear if they were any good. There were samples loaded on their (back then) super simple site. I had been trying for weeks to listen in. I wanted to confirm if this choir was going to tickle my fancy. Needless to say the tracks would never load and proved problematic. The day I received the results of my auditions, I had thought, “Let’s give  it one more shot and try the online tracks…”  They worked. I listened. I cried. I knew. I had made up my mind. RAU Choir and I were a thing.  I joined the RAU Choir in my first year and was immediately voted onto the leadership committee and worked alongside our Chairs to shape and create an exciting experience for everyone involved. In my second year, I was made Chairperson and, alongside Renette Bouwer and Sidumo Jacobs, we birthed the UJ Choir. A choir that blended traditional Western and African music. This was an exciting year as UJ opened its doors to the Arts Centre. I knew that this was my home as I watched the various companies perform. I have always enjoyed change, especially if it was accompanied with a challenge. I had been getting itchy feet and knew that my time with the UJ Choir was waning – the stage was calling (and it was relentless).  In 2006 I re-auditioned for the Song and Dance company. I got in and managed to play in Ian von Memerty’s Jump for Joy. The choreographer of the dance company, Elton Fortune, asked me to assist in a dance. IN CONVERSATION WITH MATTHEW COUNIHAN UJ ARTS & CULTURE CHECKS IN WITH A SHINING ALUMNUS