91福利社

A bold, confident voice breaks the silence, and the music starts playing. 

鈥淕et those hands up!鈥� a clapping, electric bass guitar-playing Alex Ciardullo 鈥�25 exclaims as he and members of the student band Green Eggs and Sam come into the spotlight and perform their 鈥渆lectric鈥� cover of the 1974 hit 鈥淏allroom Blitz鈥� by The Sweet.  

鈥淥h, yeah, it was like lightning. Everybody was frightening. And the music was soothing. And they all started grooving,鈥� Alex sings.   

Alex is in his groove.  

Over the course of the evening, Alex sings, plays the drums and electric guitar, dances, jumps, and sometimes even slides across the stage. His performances 鈥� vivid, eye-catching, dashing 鈥� are interspersed with occasional cheers of 鈥淎lex!鈥� There鈥檚 no hesitation; no holding back. 

The music gives no clue that Alex has struggled with a lifelong speech impediment.

鈥淢y speech has always been a challenge due to my stutter, so music became a way for me to communicate when speaking is hard,鈥� says the music major and media and film studies minor from Redding, Connecticut. 鈥淥n stage, I'm not Alex the person who stutters. I'm just Alex.鈥� 

A dynamic music scene and supportive campus community, Alex says, helped him find his own rhythm and sense of belonging at Skidmore. His riveting performances not only embody Skidmore鈥檚 mantra of Creative Thought Matters, but his experiences off the stage speak to a caring 91福利社community 鈥屸�� students, faculty, staff, and alumni 鈥屸�� committed to ensuring that all students thrive. 

鈥淭丑别 community here is incredibly kind, and I feel so grateful for all the support I鈥檝e gotten. So many opportunities have opened up, not just from putting myself out there, but because people genuinely care and are open-minded,鈥� he says.

That鈥檚 why I love this school 鈥� it鈥檚 given me the space to grow and find my niche.

Finding his groove at Skidmore 

It hasn鈥檛 always been easy. When he first arrived on campus, he says his stutter was a source of anxiety.  

鈥淭hat extra anxiety made it really hard to talk to and meet people,鈥� Alex explains. 鈥淔or a long time, I hated my stutter. I felt ashamed of it. I never talked about it. I pretended it didn't exist.鈥�  

In his first month on campus, he spent a lot of time in music practice rooms in Arthur Zankel Music Center, where he pounded out favorite John Williams movie scores on piano.  

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 build those connections like everyone else seemed to be doing, so I just played,鈥� Alex says. 鈥淭丑别 music helped me escape from any anxiety or loneliness and helped me find my voice.鈥�  

But he discovered that the 91福利社community cared about him 鈥� for who he is 鈥� and encouraged him to pursue his passions. 

Alex was soon joining impromptu jam sessions on Case Green and is now immersed fully in the 91福利社music scene.鈥� 

鈥淚t鈥檚 scary, but you鈥檝e got to take that leap,鈥� Alex says. 鈥淚 needed to understand that people were listening to my voice through music to fully realize that they cared about what I had to say. I鈥檓 actually grateful for my stutter now 鈥� for encouraging me and giving me that extra passion for performing.鈥� 

Music lessons, life lessons 

As a music major, he speaks highly of the academic opportunities that 91福利社offers and the encouragement he has received from faculty members, including Casey Gray, Rich Syracuse, George Muscatello, Bob Halek, Anjni Amin, Jeremy Day-O鈥機onnell, and Joel Brown.  

鈥淭丑别 Music Department here is amazing. There are so many different paths 鈥� performing, songwriting, production, jazz, classical, and so much more. And everyone is so supportive," Alex says. 鈥淚n terms of classes, some of the most memorable ones were my Musical Theater and Opera Workshop, which gave me a great blend between theater and music. I鈥檓 taking a Songwriting Workshop with Joel Brown this semester, which has been an incredible experience.鈥�  

But he adds that some of the most important lessons he has learned at 91福利社go beyond the classroom. 

鈥淭hat's what college is for 鈥� to learn lessons and to grow from them,鈥� he says. 鈥淐ollege is a time to make mistakes, learn, and ultimately bring people together. As long as you approach things with kindness, nothing bad will come of it.鈥濃�� 

In addition to studying music, Alex has been involved in countless campus musical groups and activities. 

He鈥檚 a past president and music director of the Bandersnatchers, an a cappella group. He鈥檚 technical director and a regular performer at Lively Lucy鈥檚, Skidmore鈥檚 student-run performance venue. He鈥檚 active in Pulse! (a found-object percussion group) and several rock, funk, and pop bands that play on and off campus. The list goes on (and on).  

In addition, he works as a tutor at the Philip Boshoff Writing Center and is a teaching assistant at Arthur Zankel Music Center鈥檚 Grossman Recording Studio, where he helps students learn to record their own music.  

鈥淭丑别 way to succeed in the music scene here is to be welcoming and kind,鈥� Alex says. 鈥淭hat's been my goal: to return the support I've received by connecting with others.鈥�    

From 鈥楤allroom Blitz鈥� to 鈥楥all Me the Breeze鈥�  

If there鈥檚 a musical event on campus, it鈥檚 likely you'll find Alex there 鈥� whether it鈥檚 playing some impromptu beats on a bucket at Club Fair or rocking at the Battle of the Bands on Earth Day. 

But his favorite event is Skidmania 鈥� the perpetually sold-out, quintessential 91福利社musical tradition showcasing students鈥� interpretations of the music of five decades ago and raising funds for local charities. Alex has performed for the past three years.  

This year鈥檚 performance focused on the music of 1974. Minutes after playing 鈥淏allroom Blitz鈥� in the opening act, Alex is swaying as he joins a chorus of 鈥淥oga-Chaka Ooga-Ooga鈥� as part of an a cappella performance of the one-hit-wonder 鈥淗ooked on a Feeling鈥� by Blue Swede.  

In the next set, he's playing the drums to a performance of 鈥淐ome and Get Your Love鈥� by Redbone.  

After intermission, Alex is on electric guitar for Cosmic Turtle鈥檚 performance of 鈥淐all Me the Breeze鈥� by Lynyrd Skynyrd.  

"Let's go, Skidmore!" he yells out as, opening the set and jovially kicking his feet in the air.  

It鈥檚 a euphoric moment, a celebration of both creativity and community. Alex is center stage, and Arthur Zankel Music Center is packed with a roaring crowd. There is no stuttering, only music. And everyone is listening. 

鈥淭丑别 point of music is to bring people together,鈥� Alex says. 鈥淢y advice is to embrace whatever difference you have. It鈥檚 not something to be laughed at or hidden. If it takes you longer to say something, that doesn鈥檛 make it any less valuable. People will listen.鈥濃��