As students gathered in Whitney Dining Hall on the night of April 8, there was excitement in the air, along with the smell of fresh baked cookies, vegan brownies, fresh popped popcorn, and fair trade coffee. Laughter and small talk set the mood of the evening. In a back room, musicians tuned their instruments and chatted about their musical influences while the soundboard and speakers were being set up and friends and supporters took their seats.

The coffeehouse setting was the backdrop for the annual WoodSongs Singer/Songwriter Talent Contest. The WoodSongs Coffeehouse was introduced at UConn in 2003 by Jim Rogers, assistant manager of Whitney Hall; the contest is a newer development, now in its third year. One of the goals of the WoodSongs Coffeehouse is to encourage diversity in music, and the WoodSongs Talent Contest evolved from this same mantra.

There is a strong sense of community among both performers and judges – all brought together by their love for original music. Performers in past years have included high school students, alumni, current students, staff, area music schools, and friends. The judging panel has included Connecticut State Troubadours, recording artists, local music store owners, and hall directors. RA’s from East Campus and Department of Dining Services student employees have also played a role behind the scene.

The sense of community is something both performers and audience members have come to enjoy. “WoodSongs is a great opportunity to play our original music and to talk with other artists about the music we play, about our influences,” said Nick Stevens, one of the performers. “It’s cool knowing that there is a songwriter community here at UConn because really the music is what it’s all about. To us songwriters, it is very important to be able to perform and share our songs with others.”

Seven performers took the stage, each bringing a different style to the table, including folk, ballad, and politics-infused music. Whether it was a humorous song, like Jessie Ryan’s “Just a Friend,” or a more serious song, like Nick Stevens’ “Home,” the crowd was silent, listening attentively to the original lyrics.

Later in the night, while the judges deliberated, Rogers entertained the audience with a few quick comments about Facebook. Bill Pere, original songwriter and Connecticut State Troubadour, and Kay Pere, original songwriter and artist, took the stage as a duo to play some of their favorite tunes.

“It’s great to have people come out and support independent and original artists,” said Bill Pere. “This is what keeps the music alive. Without these new artists and songwriters, original music dies and we’re left with cookie-cutter radio music.”

Kay Pere added: “The things we create, the music that we make, doesn’t become fully alive until it interacts with people. When music touches someone, the music takes on a life of its own.”

When the winners were announced, first place went to Jessie Ryan, a junior majoring in fisheries and wildlife conservation; second place went to Nick Stevens, a junior majoring in marketing; and Will Leet, a sophomore with a major in business and a minor in music, came in third place.

“It was definitely a surprise; I don’t have much experience performing in front of an audience, and the people I competed with were all really talented,” said Ryan. “I’m so glad my friends convinced me to enter in the competition, and it really gave me the boost I needed to start performing more often!”

Rogers, who established the WoodSongs tradition on campus, hopes the event will have a long-term impact on the participants.

“Over the years I have always been amazed at the level of talent here on campus,” he said. “I am proud to play a role in keeping the coffeehouse tradition alive for this generation. To think even for one minute that 40 years from now someone will say, ‘I played at a WoodSongs Coffeehouse back in 2011’ is really cool. With WoodSongs, you come for the snacks and stay for the music.”