Hey there, everyone!

A few weeks ago the Graduate Ambassadors had the opportunity to speak on behalf of our programs and enjoy a lovely dinner with President Kwang-Wu Kim. We were offered champagne as we entered his beautiful home, decorated with Columbia artwork, and were given the chance to speak up about what we would like to see regarding changes within the school and our specific programs.

We were served chicken, fish, asparagus, salad and a wonderful dessert after. If you ever get the chance to go to the president’s house for dinner, take the offer! It’s a great opportunity, along with great food. Dr. Kim also has office hours where any student can sign up and talk to him about their thoughts. He also sometimes has coffee and tea times at the school offered to students to discuss different subjects. He’s been an amazing president since his arrival in 2013. Thanks, President Kim!

On another note, I have been absolutely swamped with projects and schoolwork. I’ve recently signed on to compose for five short films as well as Bongee Bear and the Kingdom of Rhythm, the feature film I have been working on. Keep in mind that networking is extremely important in our industry. I carry my professional cards everywhere I go, especially at Columbia and the surrounding events, bars, etc. Almost every time I go out I meet someone new who is in the same industry.I will always hand out my card, whether it’s to a cinematographer, a director, producer, animator, editor, or set designer. In this industry, word of mouth is so critically important, and one good interaction with someone can go a long way.

If you are also thinking about joining Columbia for the grad program, try to get in touch with the alumni of the program. Many times I’ve had alums send my contact information off because they were too busy in California to take up the independent projects that they get, so they will pass them on to whoever they’ve interacted most with. One of the films I recently got brought onto was thanks to an alum who recommended me. Also, if you are trying for a composing gig and you don’t get it, stay in contact with the producer or director. There’s always a possibility that the original composer will be busy and your name will come up. That’s another circumstance that happened to me recently. Overall, just be sure to always be aware of the opportunities that you have around you, otherwise you might miss that big one.

I’ve recently been to a TON of shows around the city. My friend’s band, Wilde, recently performed at The White Room and also at a bar called The Joynt. Their performance was incredible, and their mix at The Joynt was very well done. You could hear all aspects of the band. If you’d like to check out their album, you can find their work on iTunes or Spotify under the band name Wilde and the album name The Party. This weekend is going to be rather busy, too, as I have two comedy shows to attend and Nico Gutierrez, another composer and close friend in the program, has a commissioned piece being performed this Friday.