What a crazy ride its been. Full of absolute successes and total failures, difficult and fulfilling projects, and some serious learning and preparation on a professional level.

It’s strange to think that two years have gone by so fast. It feels like yesterday I was sitting in my first day of Scoring I, having no clue what I was doing and who was in the room. I remember being up late trying to figure out how to properly mix my sessions to no avail, and banging my head against the wall because I had no idea how to read a scene the way I needed to. Looking back, those are such simple problems that I overcame pretty quickly as time went on, which came with getting my first shorts and paid projects. It sounds crazy to go from new student to paid professional in two years, but it happened! There’s been so much blood, sweat, and tears that I’ve poured while in this program, and I can say with confidence that I am at a professional level that I NEVER thought I would be at five years ago in undergrad. That means its time for the next step. I moved to Los Angeles on May 15 to finish the MFA program and begin my career afterwards.

It’s so crazy to write these words down, it feels like a dream. This is only the beginning, and I’m about to step into a very big world, but I’m up to the challenge. If I’ve learned anything on a personal level in the last two years, it’s that I can do this. I can make this happen, and this will be my career.

For the Semester in LA, I’ll be interning with Joseph Bishara, who is one of my absolute favorite media composers, and there’s no better way to begin my life in LA than by working with someone who I can truly learn from.

None of this would be possible without the amazing faculty in the program, who work tirelessly to shape their students into the best composers and professionals that they can possibly be, and it shows.

The past two years have been some of the best I’ve ever had with some of the most amazing people that have gone from total strangers to lifelong friends in such a short amount of time. And I know that if we put out all into it, we’re all gonna make it.

Columbia was the absolute best decision I could have made for myself as a musician, and my career as a professional. It’s bittersweet leaving it behind, but I am way too excited for what comes next!

That’s all I’ve got for now. I have one last class to go to.