Student Activities will host Concert on the Steps during Reading Day

The Montview steps will witness an overflow of talent on Wednesday, May 1, during Reading Day, featuring an all-girls music set for Concert on the Steps.

 Leah Castlebury, Julia Rothenberger, Hope Cross, Nicole Miller and Samantha Iveliz will perform for students on a day filled with food, nice weather – hopefully – and fun activities. Wanting to bring a little joy to the students studying, Rothenberger hopes her group can lighten the mood. 

“It is going to be like food trucks and all that stuff. It is going to be such a good relaxing time. I would love to have some creative covers that everyone just loves to sing along to,” Rothenberger said.  

Student Activities marketing lead Hailey Gustafson said they decided that the event would be a good opportunity to give female musicians a platform to shine. 

“We chose a female lineup because it was something we hadn’t done before,” Gustafson said. “All the students featured at our student concerts so far this semester have been males, and we wanted to close out the semester highlighting the ladies of Liberty as well.”

Gustafson said the first 750 senior students who show their Flames pass and Concert on the Steps email can receive free food, desserts and t-shirts. 

Rothenberger said that they are excited about performing some of their original songs. One of her songs, “Stories from the VA,” is already known by some students, although she says she performs it differently every time she performs at Liberty University.

“It has been the best thing for me, just to have a platform to experiment,” Rothenberger said.  “In combination to what I have learned in the artist development program, it has been the best catalyst for me to see what I can do with music.”

Rothenberger, who has been doing concerts with Student Activities for two years now, says it is really valuable to have an all-female set of musicians perform for the first time. 

“Yes, we are having an all-girls event, but it is all accepting the idea that God loves to hear what women have to sing and he loves to hear what men want to sing,” Rothenberger said. 

Castlebury says that she wants to raise awareness to the fact that women are not excluded from playing different instruments such as drums and bass, and that it is never too late to learn. 

“It can be intimidating a lot of times,” Castlebury said. “Even subconsciously, people just pick guys for the spots, but don’t let that discourage or stop you – continue to work for it. You never get anything by giving up.”