
Weijun received his undergraduate degree in Composition from the Eastman School of Music and his doctorate from the University at Buffalo. Now working as a freelance composer of film and concert music in Los Angeles, his works have been performed by renowned orchestras and chamber ensembles across the United States and China. In this episode, Weijun shares his incredible musical journey from growing up in Shanghai, China, starting composition at the very young age of 13, and moving to the US to study music and pursue a musical career. He also shares about the fascinating world of composing music for video games.
WEIJUN’S EPISODE RESOURCES
Fav Composer: Nobuo Uematsu
Fav Piece of Classical Music: Mahler 6, the slow movement
Fav Movie/Game Soundtrack: Final Fantasy 7 and Jurassic Park
Book Recommendation: Every Good Boy Does Fine by Jeremy Denk
Admired Musician: Jacob Collier
Most Useful App on Phone: WeChat
Final Resource to check out: The real world
Audible Free Trial: https://amzn.to/3VXwMWf
Amazon Music Free Trial: https://amzn.to/3W1Ttsr
CONNECT WITH WEIJUN
Website: https://www.weijunchen.com
Listen to Weijun’s Music: https://www.weijunchen.com/music
ORCHESTRATING YOUR CAREER
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaCPf5xynqMHcFuQhCWrNCQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orchestratingyourcareer
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orchestratingyourcareer
ABOUT THE HOST
Rebekah Carpio received her BMus in clarinet performance from the Eastman School of Music. She was awarded a Fulbright grant to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in their Orchestral Artistry program, which was in collaboration with the London Symphony Orchestra. She then went on to receive her PhD, also from the Guildhall School, researching the impact of education and community work in conservatoire training.
CONNECT WITH REBEKAH
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bitesbybekah
Websites: https://www.bitesbybekah.com
TIMECODES
00:00 Podcast Intro
01:25 Episode Intro
02:02 Start of Interview
02:36 Weijun’s Musical Background
14:26 Applying for Music Schools
18:13 Composition Application Process
21:33 Experience at ESM
25:13 Plans for Post-ESM
25:41 The Traditional Composer Career Pathway
27:05 Going straight into a PhD
30:54 Aspen
34:05 Post PhD Studies
36:04 Visa Process After Graduating
37:33 One Way Ticket to LA
43:36 Learning from the Real World
44:10 Orchestrating Film Music
47:14 Composer Equipment
49:04 Transitioning into Career
50:29 Composing for Video Games
58:07 Getting a Brief
1:07:52 Current Career + Looking Ahead
1:13:25 Rapid Fire Q&A
1:22:02 Connect with Weijun
1:22:29 Episode Outro
1:23:54 Weijun’s Musical Score
MUSIC IN THIS EPISODE
Theme Music composed by Ben Roundtree: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0z6dZJL6GM
PHOTO CREDIT
ESM
University at Buffalo
Nobou Uematsu
Jacob Collier
*OYC participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Thank you for your support!
Nov 19, 2024
1 hr 26 min

Jessica Wilkins got her undergraduate degree in Oboe Performance from the Eastman School of Music and her Masters from the University of Michigan. In the midst of her studies she started a sheet music business, and after graduating built up a freelance career in the Los Angeles area. After discovering how much she enjoyed coding, Jessica then shifted to a new career and now works full time as a software developer. Throughout our interview you’ll hear about how Jessica pivoted a number of times during her journey, and how she has been able to incorporate her passions into her life and career.
JESSICA'S EPISODE RESOURCES:
Fav Composer: Debussy
Fav Piece of Classical Music: Saint-Saens Organ Symphony, met 2; Shostakovich 5; Strauss Oboe Concerto; Gordan Jacob
Movie Soundtrack: Hook
Book: Richard Brandon autobiography - is it this one? Losing My Virginity: How I Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way; Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike; Bad Blood
Admired Musician: Ella Fitzgerald
Final Resource to check out: Evan Carmichael’s Top 10 Series
Audible Free Trial: https://amzn.to/3VXwMWf
Amazon Music Free Trial: https://amzn.to/3W1Ttsr
CONNECT WITH JESSICA:
Twitter: @codesgirl1991
JDW Sheet Music
ORCHESTRATING YOUR CAREER
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaCPf5xynqMHcFuQhCWrNCQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orchestratingyourcareer
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orchestratingyourcareer
ABOUT THE HOST
Rebekah Carpio received her BMus in clarinet performance from the Eastman School of Music. She was awarded a Fulbright grant to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in their Orchestral Artistry program, which was in collaboration with the London Symphony Orchestra. She then went on to receive her PhD, also from the Guildhall School, researching the impact of education and community work in conservatoire training.
CONNECT WITH REBEKAH
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bitesbybekah
Websites: https://www.bitesbybekah.com
TIMECODES
00:00 Start of Episode
00:46 Podcast Intro
01:21 Episode Intro
2:10 Start of Interview
2:45 Jessica’s Musical Background
5:54 Auditioning for ESM Regionally (not in person)
7:07 Applying to Undergrad Schools
8:12 Deciding to Go To Eastman
10:42 Arriving at ESM
14:11 Studying at ESM
15:57 Next Steps After Graduating
18:57 Career Thoughts During Masters
20:59 Starting Sheet music business
26:29 Masters experience and starting to freelance
30:35 Transitioning from Masters: moving to LA and starting a freelance career
34:58 Building up a freelance career in LA
39:37 Building up sheet music business
45:42 Breaking down the pieces of LA freelance career
48:26 Pivoting to Software Engineering
55:36 Parallels between music and software engineering
57:54 How music fits into life now
1:03:13 Rapid Fire Q&A
1:07:30 Getting started in Coding
1:11:01 Connect with Jessica
1:12:08 Final Piece of Advice
1:12:47 Episode Outro
1:14:01 “A Little Bit of April Fool” (Solo English Horn)
MUSIC IN THIS EPISODE
Theme Music composed by Ben Roundtree: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0z6dZJL6GM
Jessica Wilkins “A Little Bit of April Fool” (Solo English Horn): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21XddmdthrQ
PHOTO CREDIT
ESM
University of Michigan
Debussy
Ella Fitzgerald
*OYC participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Thank you for your support!
Oct 4, 2024
1 hr 15 min

ELLEN’S EPISODE RESOURCES:
Current Fav Composer: John Williams and Maria Schneider
Current Fav Piece of Classical Music: Verdi’s La forza del destino
Fav Movie Soundtrack: Jurassic Park
Book Rec: The Music Lesson by Victor Wooten
Musician You Admire: Wynton Marsalis
Most Useful App on Phone: TonalEnergy tuner and metronome app
Social Media Accounts to Check Out: Kayla Solomon @tpt_solo and Alana Yee @alanabedootin
Resource Rec: Finding mentors
Audible Free Trial: https://amzn.to/3VXwMWf
Amazon Music Free Trial: https://amzn.to/3W1Ttsr
CONNECT WITH ELLEN:
Website: https://www.ellenshinogle.com
Instagram: @thetrumpetgal
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ellen.shinogle
ORCHESTRATING YOUR CAREER
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaCPf5xynqMHcFuQhCWrNCQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orchestratingyourcareer
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orchestratingyourcareer
ABOUT THE HOST
Rebekah Carpio received her BMus in clarinet performance from the Eastman School of Music. She was awarded a Fulbright grant to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in their Orchestral Artistry program, which was in collaboration with the London Symphony Orchestra. She then went on to receive her PhD, also from the Guildhall School, researching the impact of education and community work in conservatoire training.
CONNECT WITH REBEKAH
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bitesbybekah
Websites: https://www.bitesbybekah.com
TIMECODES
00:00 Podcast Intro
01:29 Episode Intro
02:20 Start of Interview
03:03 Ellen’s musical background
03:42 Music as a career
04:22 Applying to music schools
05:24 Experience at ESM
07:50 Balancing education and performance degrees at ESM
10:10 Discovering Film Music and Moving to LA
11:06 Applying to Masters
11:45 Masters at USC
13:01 Career Shifts during Masters
14:43 Piecing Together a Freelance Career While Studying
15:37 Doctorate at UCLA
17:06 UCLA TAship
17:47 Disneyland Band - Auditioning
20:37 Disneyland Band - Playing and Performing
27:32 Other Pieces of Freelance Career
30:36 Ellen’s Doctorate
32:02 Transitioning from Doctorate to Career
33:33 Multiplying Pieces of a Freelance Career
36:27 A Typical Week of Work in Ellen’s Life
36:55 How to Prevent Burnout
39:59 Starting on Social Media
46:56 Looking to the Future
48:27 Movie Music
51:17 Every Freelance Career Looks Different
53:37 Rapid Fire Q&A
1:02:44 Episode Outro
1:03:57 James Burke’s The Magic Trumpet
MUSIC IN THIS EPISODE
Theme Music composed by Ben Roundtree: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0z6dZJL6GM
PHOTO CREDIT
ESM
USC
UCLA
Santa Monica Symphony Orchestra
West Side Chamber Orchestra
Wynton Marsalis
Maria Schneider
*OYC participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Thank you for your support!
Sep 16, 2024
1 hr 6 min

Shawn got his Bachelor’s degree in Popular Music/Keyboards at the University of Southern California, and now works as a Producer and a Music Director. Stacey got her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education with piano as her primary instrument from the Eastman School of Music, and then went on to get her Master’s and her Graduate Performance Diploma from the Longy School of Music in flute performance. She is an active performer on both piano and flute nationally and internationally.
I loved learning about what a degree in popular music can look like from Shawn, and Stacey’s experience serving with the Air National Guard Band of the Northeast on flute and piccolo. It also was just so fascinating to see their different experiences in the worlds of classical and popular music, and how these two worlds intersect.
STACEY AND SHAWN’S EPISODE RESOURCES:
Current Fav Composer: Brahms, Rachmaninoff and Chopin
Current Fav Piece of Classical Music (Stacey): Chopin’s Nocturnes (Stacey's performance)
Current Favorite Popular Music Artists: Sleeping at Last (Stacey) and Switchfoot (Shawn)
Book Rec: Harry Potter and Jim Dale audiobooks (Stacey); The Beatles: The Biography by Bob Spitz (Shawn)
Musician You Admire: Jon Foreman from Switchfoot (Shawn); musical colleagues (Stacey)
Most Useful App on Phone: YouTube and Dissect Podcast (Shawn); Messages (Stacey)
Resource Rec: Eric Booth’s The Music Teacher’s Bible (Stacey)
The Hymnal: https://open.spotify.com/album/1xOloIXXhimZeg6PNOVsv8?si=NuWdFp69TdGJYkBgN1BYRQ
Audible Free Trial: https://amzn.to/3VXwMWf
Amazon Music Free Trial: https://amzn.to/3W1Ttsr
CONNECT WITH STACEY AND SHAWN:
Stacey’s YouTube Channel
Stacey’s Instagram: @littlestace714
Stacey’s Website
Stacey’s Spotify
Shawn’s YouTube Channel
Shawn’s Instagram: @shawnshalim, and/or check out @alabasterco
Shawn’s Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0hX5qtLjLrMxgbnI6PpSJW?si=IQPaApNyQCirFZnxWE85bw
ORCHESTRATING YOUR CAREER
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaCPf5xynqMHcFuQhCWrNCQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orchestratingyourcareer
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orchestratingyourcareer
ABOUT THE HOST
Rebekah Carpio received her BMus in clarinet performance from the Eastman School of Music. She was awarded a Fulbright grant to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in their Orchestral Artistry program, which was in collaboration with the London Symphony Orchestra. She then went on to receive her PhD, also from the Guildhall School, researching the impact of education and community work in conservatoire training.
CONNECT WITH REBEKAH
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bitesbybekah
Websites: https://www.bitesbybekah.com
TIMECODES
00:00 Podcast Intro
00:22 Episode Intro
2:09 Start of Interview
3:23 Stacey’s Musical Beginnings
9:26 Shawn’s Musical Beginnings
16:50 How Shawn got into Popular Music
24:25 Shawn’s USC Popular Music Degree
36:22 Stacey’s ESM Music Ed/Piano Experience
41:19 Stacey’s Masters Experience at Longy
51:23 Shawn’s Popular Music Career Thoughts in Undergrad
54:14 Shawn’s Transition into Career
1:01:00 Shawn’s Start in Popular Music Career
1:06:06 Stacey’s Freelance Career
1:21:40 Shawn’s Current Career
1:26:37 Rapid Fire Q&A
1:40:51 Final pieces of advice and how to connect with Shawn and Stacey
1:45:38 Episode Outro
1:47:02 Shawn and Stacey Performing with the Urbana Worship Team
MUSIC IN THIS EPISODE
Theme Music composed by Ben Roundtree
PHOTO CREDIT
USC
ESM
Longy School of Music
Patrice Russian
Vincent Lenti
Marco Granados
*OYC participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Thank you for your support!
Sep 2, 2024
1 hr 51 min

Annie Trimber is a social media manager, content creator, photographer and food stylist. She studied at Northwestern University, where she got a double major in flute performance and business and marketing. Annie began playing the flute at the age of 5, and had high career goals of a performance career in music. But that came to a screeching halt when she diagnosed with debilitating tendonitis in her third year at Northwestern. She had to take the fall semester of her final year off, and figure out how to pivot to a new career pathway after spending 15 years of her life dedicated to music. It’s amazing to hear how she pulled on her love for food and sustainability to forge a new pathway filled with unique and rich experiences in the food blogging, content creation space.
ANNIE’S EPISODE RESOURCES:
Current Fav Composer: Shostakovich, Beethoven and Bach
Current Fav Piece of Classical Music: Bach Cello Suite 1
Fav Movie Soundtrack: Salt Burn and Star Wars
Go-to Lazy Meal: a toastie; peanut butter with dates and chocolate chips
Book Rec: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Musician You Admire: Labyrinth, Queen Herby
Social Media Account that offers inspo: @relauren
Most Useful App on Phone: Adore Rush and reddit
Resource Rec: Range by David Epstein
Audible Free Trial: https://amzn.to/3VXwMWf
Amazon Music Free Trial: https://amzn.to/3W1Ttsr
CONNECT WITH ANNIE:
Instagram: @annietrimber
Food Blog: annietrimber.com
ORCHESTRATING YOUR CAREER
YouTube
Instagram
Facebook
ABOUT THE HOST
Rebekah Carpio received her BMus in clarinet performance from the Eastman School of Music. She was awarded a Fulbright grant to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in their Orchestral Artistry program, which was in collaboration with the London Symphony Orchestra. She then went on to receive her PhD, also from the Guildhall School, researching the impact of education and community work in conservatoire training.
CONNECT WITH REBEKAH
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bitesbybekah
Websites: https://www.bitesbybekah.com
TIMECODES
00:00 Start of Episode
00:46 Podcast Intro
01:31 Episode Intro
02:59 Start of Interview
03:50 Annie’s Musical Background
5:49 Applying to Music Schools
8:30 Conservatoire vs University
15:14 Northwestern
17:33 Pressure Cooker Environment
19:26 Exploring Business and Marketing
22:13 Performance Injury
27:17 Identify Crisis
29:43 Getting into Food
41:29 A New Spark
44:26 Experience in Social Media + Food Content Creation
52:16 Parallels Between Musicians and Content Creation
56:30 Avoiding Injury Today
1:02:55 When Your Hobby Becomes Your Job
1:08:45 Rapid Fire Q&A
1:16:27 Final Piece of Advice
1:17:46 Get in touch with Annie
1:18:53 Episode Outro
1:20:05 Annie’s Performance and Foodie Videos
MUSIC IN THIS EPISODE
Theme Music composed by Ben Roundtree: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0z6dZJL6GM
PHOTO CREDIT
Dmitri Shostakovich
Beethoven
Bach
Labyrinth
Taylor
Queen Herby
*OYC participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Thank you for your support!
Aug 17, 2024
1 hr 23 min

Dylan Price is a composer and pianist in Los Angeles who works as a freelance writer for Bleeding Fingers Music, a collective, co-founded by Hans Zimmer, of composers creating scores for film and television. Dylan has written music for shows including MasterChef on Fox and Foodtastic on Disney+, and regularly contributes to Sony Music Publishing’s Extreme Music library. He also serves as Piano Accompanist and Vocal Coach at the performing arts college AMDA.
Dylan got his Bachelor’s degrees in Music Theory from the Eastman School of Music, but was always interested in the world of film and media. In our interview, Dylan breaks down numerous different aspects of composing music for tv, film and music libraries, and what his current role looks like as a remote writer for Bleeding Fingers.
DYLAN’S EPISODE RESOURCES:
Fav Composer: Hans Zimmer
Fav Piece of Classical Music: Chopin Piano Etudes, with pianist Andrei Gavrilov
Fav Movie Soundtrack: Pirates of the Caribbean and The Lion King
Book Recs: 1989 by George Orwell; Sapiens and Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari
Admired Musicians: Hans Zimmer, Jacob Collier and Jeff Beal
Recommended Resource: YouTube Premium
Audible Free Trial: https://amzn.to/3VXwMWf
Amazon Music Free Trial: https://amzn.to/3W1Ttsr
CONNECT WITH DYLAN:
Dylan’s Website: https://www.dylanpricemusic.com
Dylan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dprice112/
Extreme Music Library (Dylan's Music): https://www.extrememusic.com/search?isLyricsSearch=false&query=Dylan%20Price
ORCHESTRATING YOUR CAREER
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaCPf5xynqMHcFuQhCWrNCQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orchestratingyourcareer
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orchestratingyourcareer
ABOUT THE HOST
Rebekah Carpio received her BMus in clarinet performance from the Eastman School of Music. She was awarded a Fulbright grant to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in their Orchestral Artistry program, which was in collaboration with the London Symphony Orchestra. She then went on to receive her PhD, also from the Guildhall School, researching the impact of education and community work in conservatoire training.
CONNECT WITH REBEKAH
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bitesbybekah
Website: https://www.bitesbybekah.com
TIMECODES
00:00 Start of Episode
00:38 Intro to Podcast
01:12 Intro to Episode
2:35 Start of Episode
3:13 Dylan’s Musical Background
6:23 Starting to Write Music
9:33 Majoring in Music Theory at ESM
12:37 Applying for Composition and Music Theory
14:05 Experience at ESM
14:55 Writing a Musical Tune
16:57 Career Aspirations at ESM
19:08 Shifting to Composition
22:58 Why Film Music?
25:09 Balancing Film Music during Classical Studies
26:52 Starting Empire Film Music Ensemble
33:51 Copyright and Performing Movie Scores
37:17 Internships
40:43 Behind the scenes of scoring a movie
45:54 Working for Hans Zimmer’s Remote Control
47:51 Transitioning Into Career
55:45 Working as Christian’s Assistant
1:04:23 Dylan’s Current Career
1:06:12 Remote Writing for Bleeding Fingers
1:11:19 Looking to the Future
1:14:25 “Bleeding Fingers” Vibe Check
1:19:44 My Rapid Fire Q&A
1:27:12 Final Piece of Advice
1:28:22 Connect with Dylan
1:29:19 Episode Outro
1:30:48 Clips of Dylan's Compositions
MUSIC IN THIS EPISODE
Theme Music composed by Ben Roundtree: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0z6dZJL6GM
Compositions from Dylan Price (check out more on his website)
PHOTO CREDIT
Masterchef
Foodtastic
ADMA
ESM
Hans Zimmer
Jeff Beal
Tom Salta
Mark Snow
Mike Patterson
John Williams
Henry Jackman
Jacob Collier
*OYC participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Thank you for your support!
Aug 2, 2024
1 hr 34 min

Dean Jamal Rossi was the Joan and Martin Messinger Dean of the Eastman School of Music from 2014-2024. He earned his Bachelor’s degrees in saxophone performance and music education from Ithaca College, his Master’s of Music from the University of Michigan, and Doctorate of Musical Arts from the Eastman School of Music.
Dean Rossi was faced with his biggest professional decision when he decided to move away from the pathway of becoming a saxophone professor, to a career in music administration, serving as Dean of the School of Music at the University of South Carolina, and Assistant and Associate Dean of the Ithaca College School of Music before coming to Eastman.
It’s fascinating to learn more about Dean Rossi’s musical journey. He shares his advice on making important decisions, especially when facing challenging crossroads in life, what the job of Dean looks like, including the responsibilities that come with such a leadership role, and how he has taken concrete steps to balance and prioritize his family throughout his career.
DEAN ROSSI’S EPISODE RESOURCES:
Current Fav Composer: Brahms, Stravinsky, Gershwin, Porter, anything by Paul McCartney
Current Fav Piece of Classical Music: Barber’s Adagio for Strings, Ravel’s Pavane for a Dead Princess
Fav Movie Soundtrack: Out of Africa by John Berry
Book Rec: Good to Great by Jim Collins
Musician You Admire: Diana Krall
Most Useful App on Phone: Windy App
Resource Rec: Finding mentors in life
Audible Free Trial: https://amzn.to/3VXwMWf
Amazon Music Free Trial: https://amzn.to/3W1Ttsr
CONNECT WITH DEAN ROSSI:
ESM Bio: https://www.esm.rochester.edu/directory/rossi-jamal/
Email: [email protected]
ORCHESTRATING YOUR CAREER
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaCPf5xynqMHcFuQhCWrNCQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orchestratingyourcareer
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orchestratingyourcareer
ABOUT THE HOST
Rebekah Carpio received her BMus in clarinet performance from the Eastman School of Music. She was awarded a Fulbright grant to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in their Orchestral Artistry program, which was in collaboration with the London Symphony Orchestra. She then went on to receive her PhD, also from the Guildhall School, researching the impact of education and community work in conservatoire training.
CONNECT WITH REBEKAH
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bitesbybekah
Websites: https://www.bitesbybekah.com
TIMECODES
00:00 Podcast Intro
1:25 Episode Intro
2:59 Start of Interview
5:53 Dean Rossi Musical Beginnings
10:53 Pursuing music professionally
12:40 Undergrad at Ithaca - Doing a Double Major
17:07 Doing a Doctorate
19:01 After Graduating from Michigan + Teaching
23:01 After Doctorate Degree + 1st job
25:37 Moving to South Dakota
27:07 Moving to Music Administration at South Dakota
29:29 Assistant Dean at Ithaca
32:27 The Transition into Music Admin
34:29 Turning Down ESM + Navigating Difficult Decisions
41:08 Prioritizing Family and Finding Balance
44:31 Dean at ESM - What’s the Job?
49:04 Hiring Faculty
53:26 Highlights of the Job
57:40 Challenges of the Job
1:02:57 AI and the future of music
1:05:35 Looking Forward to Retirement
1:07:48 Advice for Going into Music Admin
1:09:20 Rapid Fire Q&A
1:13:20 Final piece of advice and connecting with Dean Rossi
1:15:11 Episode Outro
1:16:16 Dean’s Rossi Performance
MUSIC IN THIS EPISODE
Theme Music composed by Ben Roundtree: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0z6dZJL6GM
PHOTO CREDIT
Ithaca College
University of Michigan
ESM
University of South Carolina
Ithaca College
ESM
*OYC participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Thank you for your support!
Jul 15, 2024
1 hr 19 min

At the time of our interview, Fabian was Senior Manager of Youth Orchestra Los Angeles, also known as YOLA, the LA Philharmonic’s music education program. He now serves as YOLA’s Gift Planning Officer. He studied clarinet performance, getting his undergraduate degree at Florida State University and his masters at The University of Texas at Austin, and then went to Philadelphia to study with Ricardo Morales at Temple University. He held jobs in music administration working for The Philadelphia Orchestra, the Aspen Music Festival, and Oberlin College before moving to Los Angeles to work with YOLA.
CONNECT WITH FABIAN AND YOLA
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fabian-fuertes-2552951b5
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fabzfuertes/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fabian.fuertes.7
Work email: [email protected]
YOLA's Website: https://www.laphil.com/learn/yola/youth-orchestra-los-angeles
FABIAN’S EPISODE RESOURCES
Current Fav Composer: Mozart
Current Fav Piece of Classical Music: Mozart's Gran Partita
Fav Movie Soundtrack: anything by John Williams
Go-to Resource for Music Educators: Dr. Robert Duke
Book Rec: The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey
Musician You Admire: Ricardo Morales
Audible Free Trial: https://amzn.to/3VXwMWf
Amazon Music Free Trial: https://amzn.to/3W1Ttsr
ORCHESTRATING YOUR CAREER
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaCPf5xynqMHcFuQhCWrNCQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orchestratingyourcareer
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orchestratingyourcareer
ABOUT THE HOST
Rebekah Carpio received her BMus in clarinet performance from the Eastman School of Music. She was awarded a Fulbright grant to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in their Orchestral Artistry program, which was in collaboration with the London Symphony Orchestra. She then went on to receive her PhD, also from the Guildhall School, researching the impact of education and community work in conservatoire training.
CONNECT WITH REBEKAH
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bitesbybekah
Websites: https://www.bitesbybekah.com
TIMECODES
00:00 Start of Video
0:57 Podcast Intro
01:40 Episode Intro
3:04 Start of Interview
3:36 Fabian’s Musical Background
7:51 Considering Music as a Career
11:57 Undergrad Experience at Florida State University
12:55 Music, Athletics, and Performance Anxiety
14:10 Career Aspirations in Undergrad
15:13 After Undergrad
16:14 Masters at University of Texas
19:11 After Masters
20:15 Studying with Ricardo Morales
25:28 Career Change: Moving from Performance to Music Admin
28:46 Working for Philadelphia Orchestra
31:40 Working for Aspen Music Festival
36:02 Working for Oberlin
38:46 Interviewing and Working for YOLA
43:32 Working for YOLA/Parallels between music training and working in music admin
48:41 Investing in Self
51:10 Board of Directors for Arts for LA
52:36 Impact of Mentors
53:58 Advice for Young Musicians
1:00:13 Rapid Fire Q&A
1:03:31 Connect with Fabian
1:05:07 Episode Outro
1:06:23 “What is YOLA?”
MUSIC IN THIS EPISODE
Theme Music composed by Ben Roundtree: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0z6dZJL6GM
What is YOLA? | An Overview of our Young Symphony of Change: https://youtu.be/0uPfSipoE9c?si=HxVDyQu7Mu9XIRhj
PHOTO CREDIT
FSU
UT Austin
Ricardo Morales
Philadelphia Orchestra
Aspen
Oberlin
Mozart
John Williams
Ricardo Morales
*OYC participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Thank you for your support!
Jun 1, 2024
1 hr 8 min

Jamal Moore is an internationally acclaimed singer, songwriter, and recording artist, known for his smooth, rich tone and his vocal versatility. He studied vocal performance at the Eastman School of Music, before building up a diverse career bridging the genres of classical and pop music. Throughout the interview Jamal shares his insights into some incredible experiences: how his vocal quintet came to open for the Backstreet Boys on their European tour; his audition process for performing with Beyonce at Coachella; singing on movie soundtracks like The Lion King, Black Panther Wakanda Forever, and The Color Purple; soloing with the LA Philharmonic; putting out his own music as a singer songwriter, and more.
CONNECT WITH JAMAL MOORE
Website: https://www.jamalmoore.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SingJamalSing
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/singjamalsing/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/singjamalsing
Twitter/X: http://twitter.com/singjamalsing
JAMAL’S EPISODE RESOURCES:
Fav Composer: Hugo Wolf (especially Gebet)
Fav Piece of Classical Music: Barber’s Adagio For Strings and Biebl’s Ave Maria
Fav Pop Song: John Legend's All Of Me
Fav Movie Soundtrack: Black Panther Wakanda ForeverBook Rec: The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy
Musician You Admire: Jacob Collier
Most Useful Phone App: Playscore
Social Media Account to Follow: @iamtabithabrown
Resource Recommendation: Social Media (when used well!)
Audible Free Trial
Music Free Trial
TIMECODES
00:00 Intro to OYC
01:14 Intro to Episode
02:31 Start of Interview
03:53 Jamal’s Musical Background
05:50 Applying to music schools
07:26 ESM Vocal course8:52 Baritone Voice
09:37 Joining The Yellow Jackets Acapella Group
11:38 Exploring other genres
13:13 “Locking In”
14:18 The Sing-Off TV Show
17:55 Career Thinking
19:32 Singing Healthily
21:15 Transitioning Into Career
21:40 Starting a new group - the Exchange
23:05 “Figuring it out” - with the Exchange
27:30 Opening for the Backstreet Boys
33:30 Next Career Steps After Touring
38:00 Singing With Beyonce for Coachella
41:10 Applying Study To Career
42:25 After Coachella and Making YouTube Covers
45:30 Recording for TV and Film
55:30 A Day of Recording for TV and Film
58:32 Bringing Back Classical Music
59:32 Singing with the LA Phil
1:00:25 Balancing Classical and Pop Music in Career
1:01:32 Vocal Versatility
1:09:57 Rapid Fire Q&A
1:19:27 Future Plans
1:24:20 Final Piece of Advice
1:26:03 Connect with Jamal
1:27:20 Outro
1:28:51 Jamal’s Performances
ORCHESTRATING YOUR CAREER
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaCPf5xynqMHcFuQhCWrNCQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orchestratingyourcareer
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orchestratingyourcareer
ABOUT THE HOST
Rebekah Carpio received her BMus in clarinet performance from the Eastman School of Music. She was awarded a Fulbright grant to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in their Orchestral Artistry program, which was in collaboration with the London Symphony Orchestra. She then went on to receive her PhD, also from the Guildhall School, researching the impact of education and community work in conservatoire training.
CONNECT WITH REBEKAH
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bitesbybekah Websites: https://www.bitesbybekah.com
Swiftie Newsletter: https://dearreadernewsletter.substack.com/?r=33wk9p&utm_campaign=pub-share-checklist
MUSIC IN THIS EPISODE
Theme Music composed by Ben Roundtree
Jamal’s Performance of Deep River
Jamal’s Performance of This Is Why I Love You
PHOTO CREDIT
ESM
Backstreet Boys tour
Beyonce
*OYC participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Thank you for your support!
May 11, 2024
1 hr 32 min

Annie Ray is a the Orchestra Director and Performing Arts Department Manager at Annandale High School, and recipient of the 2024 Music Educator Award at this year’s Grammys. She studied at the University of North Texas, doing a double major with Harp Performance and Music Education and began teaching at Annandale High School in 2020. Throughout the interview she shares practical advice on how to approach teaching music, and her messages of authenticity, inclusivity and meeting every student where they are at is so inspiring. Of course we touch on her experience attending the Grammys and meeting some exciting celebrities as well!
CONNECT WITH ANNIE RAY:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annie.lehman1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blondeharpy/
Email: [email protected]
ANNIE’S EPISODE RESOURCES:
Fav Composer: Katie O’Hara LaBrie
Fav Piece of Classical Music: Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 “Resurrection”
Fav Movie Soundtrack: How To Train Your Dragon
Book Rec: How To Keep House When You’re Drowning by KC Davis
Musician You Admire: Irving Ray, Jacob Collier and Fulton Lee
Most Useful Phone App: Google Calendar
Resource Recommendation: Demystifying Disability by Emily Ladau
Audible Free Trial: https://amzn.to/3VXwMWf
Amazon Music Free Trial: https://amzn.to/3W1Ttsr
OTHER LINKS/RESOURCES MENTIONED:
Annie’s TedX Talk
Giving Bach
United Sound
Downing Gives Bach
TIMECODES
00:00 Intro to OYC
01:14 Intro to Episode
02:26 Start of Interview
3:55 Annie’s Musical Background
6:09 Majoring in Performance and Music Ed
8:49 Transition into Career
10:30 Starting at Annandale High School
12:52 Intro to New Programs
13:49 Parents Orchestra
18:56 Crescendo Orchestra
29:35 Applying for a Grammy
33:28 Grammy experience
36:08 Taylor Swift chat
38:26 Finding joy and passion in classical music
43:26 Being authentically human at work and home
48:30 Advice for music educators
50:35 Rapid Fire Q&A
54:25 Final Piece of Advice
54:56 Connect on social media
55:49 Episode Outro
56:49 Next Episode Teaser
57:17 Annie and Irving’s Performance
ORCHESTRATING YOUR CAREER
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaCPf5xynqMHcFuQhCWrNCQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orchestratingyourcareer/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orchestratingyourcareer
ABOUT THE HOST
Rebekah Carpio received her BMus in clarinet performance from the Eastman School of Music. She was awarded a Fulbright grant to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in their Orchestral Artistry program, which was in collaboration with the London Symphony Orchestra. She then went on to receive her PhD, also from the Guildhall School, researching the impact of education and community work in conservatoire training.
CONNECT WITH REBEKAH
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bitesbybekah
Websites: https://www.bitesbybekah.com
Swiftie Newsletter: https://dearreadernewsletter.substack.com/?r=33wk9p&utm_campaign=pub-share-checklist
MUSIC IN THIS EPISODE
Theme Music composed by Ben Roundtree: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0z6dZJL6GM
Annie and Irving’s Performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Etw78E1mGcw
PHOTO CREDIT
Annandale High School - https://annandalehs.fcps.edu/about/history
Photo of Annie and Class at Annandale - https://annandaletoday.com/annandale-teacher-annie-ray-wins-a-grammy/
Grammy for Educator - https://www.grammy.com/news/2024-music-educator-award-recipient-announced-annie-ray-2024-grammys
University of North Texas - https://www.unt.edu/locations/denton.html
Katie O’Hara Lebrie - https://www.katieoharalabrie.com
Jacob Collier - FilmMagic/FilmMagic for Life is Beautiful Music & Art Festival
*OYC participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Thank you for your support!
Apr 17, 2024
1 hr 4 min
Load more
